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" These are the words I held back,
As I was leaving too soon,
I was enchanted to meet you,
(Please don't be in love with someone else,)
(Please don't have somebody waiting on you) "
―BY MY SPLENDID luck, after all the dramatics are done with, Vasily allows me to finally get some time in to train the Materialki in combat. They've already been training with Botkin, strung along with the occasional guidance from Alina, but she herself has assigned me to be the leader of the Fabrikators in terms of battle, whereas David is commander of them when it comes to our workshop.
I have them sparring together as I watch their technique, correcting them here and there with the help of Botkin. Due to the fact that the Shu like experimenting on their Grisha, there are seldom any of such heritage in the Second Army, and Botkin is always enthusiastic about getting to speak his home language with someone.
The Materialki have been progressing well, and many of the Etherealki and Corporalki are finally warming up to us. In the evenings, we'll all have tea together or spar just for fun, arguing about tedious things for the sole reason of because. Nadia's little brother, Adrik, joins us on occasion, always training just as relentlessly as the others.
As I sit with him by the lake, watching him summon gusts of wind.
"That's good. Now bring that flower over to me," I order. He spreads his long fingers wider and a powerful breeze washes over me, whipping my curls in different directions.
The lily floating on the lake begins to rise into the air and flies towards me. I hold out a hand, and with great focus, Adrik lets the flower slowly fall into my palm I smile as he lets out a small exhale.
"That was amazing!" I tell him with a grin. "You're progressing rapidly with every lesson."
He smiles, a humble blush on his cheeks as he takes a seat next to me on the grass. "Do you think that your friend Zoya thinks I'm impressive?"
My lips quirk upwards at the young boy. "You think Zoya is pretty, don't you?" I ask in an exaggeratedly secretive way.
He bats my shoulder with a hand. "No! Well, maybe a little bit."
I laugh lightly. "Oh, Adrik, I'm sure that she thinks you're splendid."
He grins a bit shyly and looks over at where the Etherealnik stands, clad in her blue kefta, her hair billowing as she summons.
Adrik is certainly young for a soldier in the Second Army, but he has a type of determination that I'll always find interesting for a fifteen-year-old like him. My gaze slides away from Zoya as I see Nikolai walking with Alina. Every day, after their meetings, he accompanies her back to the Little Palace.
