#because she reminds me of Alina 'Fuck Grisha' Starkov.

[arillusionist]

grishaverse dashboard simulator

🤯 conspiracy-theories follow

theory: the sun summoner is definitely still alive. all we know is that she “gave up her life to save ravka” but how? have YOU ever heard of a grisha dying from using their powers?? it just doesnt make sense.

🌝  ruinsruiners follow

Bitch shes a SAINT. All saints die. Move on lmao

🐺 awooga10384 follow

alina was different and u know it just bc she was a “saint” doesnt mean she had to die op is right and ur being an asshole get off their post

☀️ starkovers follow

not you calling her alina like you know her personally… put some respect on her name bruh

🐺 awooga10384 follow

wait til u find out not everyone is religious and ravkan and doesnt use sankta labels n shit

☀️ starkovers follow

the way i literally never even mentioned religion… the lack of reading comprehension on this site is insane

3,377 notes

⛴️ wraithupdates follow

Friendly reminder to DNI if you think the Wraith and D*rtyh*nds are together! We do not welcome you guys on this blog :)

61 notes

🌤️ saintlydays follow

drew some fanart of sankta anastasia i hope you guys like it!! i drew her with a bleeding eye because shes the saint of sickness and when my mom was sick her eye started bleeding for like 2 days straight lol but i prayed to sankta anastasia and she made my mom get better even though her eye is permanently damaged and my sister and dad could not recover and they passed away after like 5 days of pain (we stabbed them to put them out of their misery)

#sankta anastasia #saint anastasia #saint #sankta #saints fanart #sankta fanart #sankta anastasia fanart #saint anastasia fanart

3 notes

🍺 giddyuphorsey follow

tired of yall stereotyping kerch as a dark and gloomy place… not all of us live in ketterdam or in the north in general. its extremely offensive to us so please fucking stop.

💎 ravkasbeauty follow

womp womp

4,018 notes

❓ grishapolls follow

🔥inferni-heart follow

Sturmhond is a privateer…

🧟‍♀ razorskull follow

who gaf

🔥inferni-heart follow

Shut up you dirty kerch ketterdam gang member money worshipping heathen 

🧟‍♀ razorskull follow

it was never that deep but okay..

201 notes

🦴 shadowsandbones follow

not trying to b racist or anything but why do grisha always act like they’re better than anyone else… and why doesnt anyone ever call them out…

1,121 notes

🦐 merchingaway follow

JUST FOUND OUT THAT WYLAN VAN ECK’S BOYFRIEND IS DIRTYHAND’S EX LMFAO WHATTTT

🫠 theseventhsoldier follow

guys im shu can someone please tell me that dirtyhands is not what i think it means… i keep seeing that name all over this app and im so confused

🦐 merchingaway follow

trust me its not but based on this new info…

981 notes

💣 boomboomboom follow

JUST TRIED A ZEMINI PIE FOR THE FIRST TIME MY LIFE IS FINALLY COMPLETE 💞💞💞💞💞💞

17 notes

🪴 green-skies follow

Funny how people keep hating on Kerch when Fjerda is RIGHT THEREE

💎 ravkasbeauty follow

as a heartrender whos grisha mom got captured by a fjerdan ship: womp womp

🧙🏾‍♀️ zowaaaa follow

also op is kaelish so like… why tf are they talking lmao

💎 ravkasbeauty follow

right!! also fjerdans are barely on the internet (too many grisha here for them lmao) so its not really funny bc they cant see it

☀️ starkovers follow

kerch on the other hand… most chronically online mfs i’ve ever seen

12,347 notes

#this is post ck but pre kos ig because i havent read that duology yet #i am dying to read it so i will soon #grishaverse #the grisha trilogy #six of crows #alina starkov #sturmhond #nikolai lantsov #inej ghafa #kaz brekker #jesper fahey #wylan van eck #shadow and bone #dashboard simulator #is that all... it better be #oh “boomboomboom” is not supposed to be wylan btw #kanej #wesper

[stromuprisahat]

The Darkling: “Now... you know sacrifice.”

Alina: “Beyond anything you've ever known.”

Are you fucking kidding me? You’re telling that to a guy, who survived centuries of slaughter of his people, often loved ones, and still kept going, trying to protect next generation and the one after that... after you merely finished your already dying childhood sweetheart?!

No, she has no fucking clue, what sacrifice is. Self entitled brat!

Look, I love Jessie, but the face says it all...

Alina: “And look what it did.”

The Darkling: “Indeed. Look what it did.”

Aleksander sounds almost mournful. 

Alina: “Mal and I changed the world. We tore down your Shadow Fold.”

The Darkling: “You have my sympathies for what comes next, when you realize that what you've done solves nothing. The world doesn't need a Saint to protect it. It needs a monster.”

She won’t. She showed zero self-reflection so far, I’m pretty sure she’ll continue being her short-sighted, self-involved SELF. Except now more privileged as a Living Saint and Queen...

The Darkling: “And while I remain... Let me be your monster.”

Alina: “You think that after everything, I'd still stand by you?”

No! She’s constantly hurting you, why you keep coming back for more?!

And when exactly did Alina stand by Aleksander? In the middle of previous season, before she ran off with no explanation?!

The Darkling: “There is no light without darkness. Without me, you have no counter, no balance. Let me carry the hatred of this world.”

Alina: “Hatred. Because of the choices you made.”

I’m getting tired of repeating myself, but how is Grisha opression a result of the Darkling’s choices? Did he hurt someone before he was born? Is he a god?!

Plus it’s incredibly hilarious Alina “Half-Shu poor little thing, pity me for all the racism ~I~ have to face” Starkov now believes automatic hatred against you is something you cause yourself. But then again, she was planning a trip to Shu Han few episodes earlier, so the centuries-long distrust between those nations probably magically disappeared too... How incompetent writer do you need to be, if you can’t even keep track of your own themes?!

The Darkling: “Choices you too will make... in time.”

Alina: “I will never walk your path.”

No, she lacks empathy already. I doubt few decades of losing her friends will make her a better person.

The Darkling: “I know you believe that now. But soon... Soon you will have no equal. The years spent alone will grind you down, they will harden you. And who will be there to shield you from it? Who will be there to save you?”

Alina: “I will save myself.”

I know this is supposed to be another Girlboss™ moment, but he isn’t really saying “Hide behind me, I’ll protect you!”, he’s saying “What will you do, when you’re alone and friendless, who will support you, share your difficulties? Who will remind you to stay human?”.

The Darkling: “Without me, know they will come for you.”

Alina: “Let them come.”

This totally doesn’t sound like Oh-So-Merciful Sankta’s gonna be burning people alive in few years. Nope.

#Shadow and Bone #02×08: No Funerals #The Darkling #General Kirigan #Alina Starkov #Darklina #but she doesn't deserve him at all. #grishanalyticritical #V #self centred and paranoid #anti S&B writers #anti Alina Starkov #I never thought I'll say it #but I miss book!Alina. #She wasn't allowed to grow properly #but at least she had her moments.

[marybeatriceofmodena]

I came across your anti-Grishaverse posts and I like to add some of own analyses about the worldbuilding (if you're willing to go through the series again after 2021, ofc). My knowledge on Russian history and folklore is very surface level but even then I still was absolutely baffled at how bad the worldbuilding is. Especially with "Grisha" which is literally Russian for Greg???? Lol, let's just call in the Pasha Army too because why not. I've already relentlessly made fun of the name "Grishaverse" being a multiverse of Gregs so here are my favorites: Gregor-Man: Into the Greg-verse. Gregory-thing Gregory-where All At Greg, Doctor Greg and the Multiverse of Greg-ness. And it's even worse with the show when they clumsily tried to explore racism with a more diverse cast of people of Asian descent which would've been an incredible story considering Russia's rich history with the Mongols and the Turks but then they had to add in the term "rice-eater". When like, Russian cuisine includes rice. Like salmon coulibiac. So it just makes no sense at all, it's kinda the equivalent of calling an American "burger-eater". And the absence of patronymic names just because the author thought it sounded better without them (Alina Starkov is grammatically incorrect and it drove me insane, it literally takes 5 minutes to look up how to do it). I think it's great how the author wanted to do a fantasy story with some vaguely Slavic traditions but the result reminds me of Raya and the Last Dragon from Disney which, as a South East Asian person, I really dislike because it literally does the same thing of cherry picking stuff from SEAsian countries and using words from real languages that don't make sense at all, even if it's a fantasy story (I really hate the "dep la" line from the movie). It's like the author doesn't really care about the nuances of Russian society or Slavic societies in general and really only cared about the aesthetics of it (which the show didn't even do right, what the fuck are those costumes, I hate fantasy costumes that look like they were on a haute couture fashion line). Which could lead into some really awful pitfalls bordering on stereotyping and exoticization. I think it's great how she wanted to do a fantasy story with some vaguely Slavic traditions since they're pretty underappreciated but the result reminds me of Raya and the Last Dragon from Disney which, as a South East Asian person, I really dislike because it literally does the same thing of cherry picking stuff from SEAsian countries and using words from real languages that don't make sense at all (I really hate the "dep la" line from the movie). I'm just tired of authors cherry picking stuff from other cultures for the aesthetics and don't bother to really delve into said cultures and build an interesting story inspired by their folklore or history. Not to mention, it feels like the lack of research shows a reluctance to genuinely learn and fall in love with Slavic cultures, like Westerners still think they're backwards and barbaric. I certainly felt the same way with Raya.

So, I'll start with the disclaimer that I haven't seen Raya as of now so I can't really speak for it, BUT I think the one nuance I would bring to this is that I do think it's fine to use artistic licence when you're taking inspiration for a certain culture, WITH THE VERY IMPORTANT CAVEAT that you need to understand what you're taking inspiration from in the first place.

Take me, for instance. My original fiction takes inspiration (among other things) of Breton tales and mythology, since it's the region where it's believed Nimue trapped Merlin, and there is a personnifcation of Death figure that is a bit of a nod to the Ankou (who in Breton mythology is considered to be Death's henchman), a plot point that will be a callback to the Midnight Washerwomen, and so on and so forth, but none of these are a 1:1 comparison with the Ankou and the Midnight Washerwomen, simply because... well, I felt like doing something different. But you know, I acknowledge it's a nod, I'm not going to say "Lord Death in my story is like the Ankou", because that simply wouldn't be true nor accurate.

All that to say, "inspiration" doesn't save you from having to do research, and learning "why" certain things tick a certain way. Orthodoxy tends to be very oriented towards mysticism and spirituality, and we kind of get that with the cult of the Saints in the Grishaverse, but if you stop and think about religion for more than 5 minutes in that setting, it falls apart. You could get away with saying naming conventions are different in your story compared to Russian conventions (if only for the sake of being gender-neutral and more inclusive), but it becomes a problem when there are several other mistakes that native speakers can easily point out.

And then, of course, you have to take into account that LB's forte is not writing fantasy that involves politics, sociology, wars, and so on. If we're talking about something that's more "in isolation" like the SoC duology, you can get away with that. Seriously, 19th Russia was a mess - it produced absolutely amazing art that endures to this day and still inspires a lot of people (not that we see any hint of that lmao), but it was also a pretty shitty place to live if you were a peasant or a serf. The problem is, the PoV characters we have for both the Grisha trilogy and the KoS duology are essentially 21st century characters, who apply 21st century logic and solutions to a 19th century setting, and instead of that causing a certain set of consequences, it works out for them when it really shouldn't, all the while they're ignoring HUGE PROBLEMS that are right there.

If you're going to write high fantasy with big stakes, I cannot recommend enough reading and learning about history. You're writing about a female freedom fighter in an oppressive regime? Read about real life folk heroines - Boudica, the Trung sisters, Joan of Arc, Emilia Plater, Rani Lakshmibai. You're writing about a rags (or close enough) to ruler protagonist? Read about Catherine I of Russia, Wei Zifu, Basil I, Fredegund, Theodora, Honwu Emperor. What made them tick? How did they get all the way to the top? Was it charm? Guile? Brute force? Knowledge? Sheer luck? Divine intervention (don't look at me like that, go ask Joan)? How did royal courts work? What were the conflicts at the time? Why were there conflicts at the time?

"But Irina, why should I do that research? It's all magic and dragons and monsters!"

Unless we're talking about a post-apocalyptic or primitive society, you're still going to have a certain level of societal organization. How is magic viewed in your fantasy world? Is it allowed? Glorified? Despised? Where does it come from? What's your inspiration? How does this inspiration view magic? What are you going to do differently and why? Are your dragons friendly or not? Are they gods? Pets? Prey? Are we talking about dragons in Persian mythology where they represent vices? If you're going to make them benevolent, why? Are they Chinese dragons, where they're considered benevolent and wise (on that note, that's why China had a more negative reaction to Mushu when Disney's animated version of Mulan came out)? If they're just going to be mindless beasts who just think about violence, why? Why not even pick another monster if you're going to make them the big bad when they're anything but? And the list goes on.

#anti grishaverse #grishaverse critical #raya critical #anon asks #writing advice #i guess?

[klbwriting]

Unexpected Allies - Chapter 1

Fandom: Six of Crows/Shadow and Bone

Pairing: eventually will be Kaz/female!Reader but for now nothing

Warnings: I mean, Kaz Brekker is involved, someone is getting maimed

Summary:  The Darkling won the Ravka civil war, defeating the Sun Summoner and taking command of Ravka. Then he went looking for ways to make his Grisha more powerful. Kaz Brekker knew this but took the job at the Ice Court anyway, getting himself and Jesper Fahey thrown into a Ravkan prison for his efforts. After getting broken out by the Darkling's second in command the trio has to find their way to the Permafrost and the resistance gathering there. And then Kaz has to figure out a way to get his crew out of this whole mess. But how can he get himself out of the mess of feelings he has for the Grisha with all the powers?

Note: Hello!  I am alive!  I have found motivation for something else!  As much as I loved the Shadow and Bone show I have found more love in the Six of Crows books so this fic is an AU based on both.  In this the Darkling won out over Alina and then Six of Crows happened like it does, except the Darkling showed up to ruin things as he does. Also going to address the Inej sized elephant in the room, in this Kaz’s feelings were less strong towards her because I ship the fuck out of Kaz and Inej but I also ship the shit out of Kaz and myself too and I needed some self-insert.  I hope you like it, I missed writing and I’m glad to find some inspiration again.  

Kaz Brekker was known even in prison as the guy who didn't need a reason. He wanted his infamy to spread even behind bars, the better to keep those looking for a pigeon to harass away. On his first day in this hellscape he had stolen a fork from the dining hall and used it when his cellmate attempted to take the makeshift cane that he had been provided from his hand. Now he no longer had a cellmate and his old cellmate no longer had his eyes, and word spread quick of the young man willing to kill to be left alone. That had given him the time and space to start to plan his escape.

First, get Jesper as his cellmate. That was accomplished with ease. Anyone else they put in with him would be blind or deaf or crippled within 24 hours so it came down the guards asking him straight out who he wouldn't maim. He said Jesper Fahey and they allowed it if only to have a night's peace. Jesper didn't look like he was faring well. In a cell at Hellgate Jesper would have been alright but here in a West Ravkan prison near Os Alta where his Zemeni features made him stand out he had become a target. When he entered Kaz's cell rage filled the young crime lord. Jesper was thinner than ever, dark circles under his eyes and hands fidgeting constantly, almost like he needed a drug but Kaz knew it was just because he couldn't focus his energy.

"Jesper," Kaz whispered after the guard had left and his sharpshooter sat on the cot. "What do you need?" Jesper looked at him slowly and gave half a smile.

"Just my friend, s'all ok now," he said. Kaz felt the side of his mouth twitch up just a little. "But I could also use a way out of this damned place." Kaz nodded, gripping the wooden walking stick a little tighter. He wanted to put a comforting hand on Jesper's shoulder but he could not, Jordie's body, cold and wet and dead flooded his mind, and he couldn't bring himself to reach out. He hated that this place seemed to be tearing his friend apart slowly. It was even taking a toll on him. Everyday was the same, waked up with the sun, eat a breakfast of stodgy porridge and soggy bread, washed down with possibly the grimiest coffee ever made. The prisoners were then sent outside to work on either the large farm for the prison and surrounding towns or they were forced to be target practice for the Grisha guards. Normally only the worst of the worst were reserved for practice, or those that pissed off the guards. Kaz had avoided this so far but he knew Jesper had run his mouth one day, getting snarky with the yard guard and he had almost been drowned by a Tidemaker the next morning. Lunches were non-existant most days. They were shuffled from work to 'free time' which meant sitting in the hot afternoon sun either playing cards, or, if they were lucky, sitting under one of the shady trees that scattered the yard. Evening was the only decent time at this hellhole, it was dinner, and then back to the cells. Kaz enjoyed this time, he was normally alone to plan, and now that Jesper was here they could plan together. He had the beginning, how to get out of the cell, but the rest he was still working on.

"I have been planning this since we got in here, you were the first part of my plan," Kaz said, watching as another set of guards walked by. He checked the small window above their heads. "She's coming any minute now." Jesper looked at him confused for a moment before the cell door opened and a guard told Kaz to get up. Kaz nodded and stood, Jesper rising as well.

"This one should come too, he was at the Ice Court with me on that night," Kaz said to the guard. The guard looked between them and shrugged, motioning for another guard, a Grisha Corpolaki judging from the kefta he wore. They led Kaz and Jesper out of the cells and into one of the small interrogation rooms. Kaz was familiar with the room at this point, having been there several times in the past few months speaking with the Grisha Infernei who was seated at one of the two chairs in the room. She looked up as they entered and he noticed that she seemed relieved, something she hadn't shown before.

"Are there anymore of your comrades from the Ice Court in this prison?" she asked, motioning for another chair to be brought in. Jesper sat down hard while Kaz stood still, leaning on the walking stick and once again studying the Infernei. She wore a red kefta with black stitching, something different from the others and he was still not sure why. He supposed it was because she was high in the ranks. After the Darkling defeated Alina Starkov and her followers he had gone back to using his true name, Aleksander Morosova, and became king of Ravka. He used the power that he had sucked from the Sun Summoner to control the Fold now, moving and reshaping it to whatever he needed and on the night of Kaz's jurda parem heist he apparently needed the jurda parem also. Kaz and Jesper had been taken but the others had escaped.

"No, no more of us, just we two were involved," he said. The Grisha looked between them, assessing them. Kaz took another moment to look over her while she studied Jesper. He always liked to measure who he was up against, and he didn't mind studying her. She was curvy, seeming to like waffles more than Nina did, with hair a deep auburn and eyes the color of dark chocolate. The first time he saw them they reminded him of Inej's eyes except her's were more hopeful than he had ever seen Inej. This Grisha fully believed that something good could still happen in the world. Kaz was almost jealous of this, but of course, this Grisha had seen her side win the Ravka civil war. His eyes now met hers and he saw that while he was studying her she had been doing the same to him. He could tell she knew he was lying but he didn't care. He had spent the last 4 months keeping his answers vague, giving just enough information so that she would feed him information back about the current situation at the Little Palace, now the true royal home since the Grand Palace lay in ruin. King Aleksander left it as a reminder to those who would attempt to assassinate him, bodies still left scattered around the rubble, Alina Starkov's kefta in tatters on the front steps. Kaz hadn't seen it but from the way this Grisha described it, he believed it was terrifying.

"Mr. Brekker, we both know the heist you were attempting could never be accomplished with just two people," she said, a knowing smile on her face. This seeming infatuation the Grisha had with him was a plus for Kaz. He often wondered if he could possibly seduce his way out of the situation but his mind couldn't fathom the interactions involved, so he would wait. Perhaps this woman had a inclination towards criminals, she might be seduced by anyone, Jesper could do it easily, Kaz just had to get the ball rolling so to speak.

"I don't know, I think Jesper and I can accomplish anything we put out mind to," he answered, bringing himself to nudge his partner in crime with his elbow. The Grisha nodded and opened her notebook as she did at every meeting and began to write.

Y/N had noticed the look on Kaz Brekker's face when he elbowed Jesper Fahey. She could see his hesitation, she noticed the look in his storm gray eyes. He was bracing himself for impact as if the touch would somehow hurt him. Jesper's face was surprised at the touch, and he physically turned towards Kaz with shock. She opened her notebook and pretended to jot down something important as she did every day, but she mentally notated this interaction. She had been listening to others in the prison and despite his limp Kaz never let anyone see him as weak, however, this aversion to touch was never mentioned. He hid it well out in the general population but she could see something about touch bothered him immensely, that information could be useful later. Kaz Brekker was a tough nut to crack she had to admit, but eventually she would get to where she needed to be with him, hopefully sooner rather than later. Aleksander was having a tough time buying her excuses and she had to become even more convincing for him, continuing to keep his trust after the betrayal of the Sun Summoner was an arduous task. She hoped soon she could drop her facade and begin her true purpose, breaking Kaz Brekker and his cohorts out of this prison and find the gathering resistance in the Permafrost.

"Alright Mr. Brekker, we left off yesterday with you explaining to me how you came to know about jurda parem and what the Fjerdans were doing with Bo Yul-Bayor and his son Kuwei?" she said. It had taken months for Kaz to even start explaining anything to her. She had hoped that agreeing to allow his friend to be his cellmate would open him up. Luckily the gamble had worked at their last interrogation. His answers had still been too vague to really make an impact but it was a start. She hated to make him desperate but she needed the information, something to feed to Aleksander and send him on a chase for more jurda parem. Kuwei Yol-Bo had escaped from the Ice Court and that knowledge was keeping Bo from cooperating with the Second Army. He had recreated exactly one vial of jurda parem and refused to create another until his son was returned safely to him. Kaz Brekker and Jesper Fahey had been the last people to see Kuwei alive and she needed something to tell Aleksander before he decided to come here and do the interrogations himself.

"Yes, I believe I told you that a rumor had gone around Ketterdam and that I just happened to hear it," he said, making sure he was as convincing as he could be. Once again Y/N pretended to write something down, pretending to believe his lie. He was a very good liar, she could see that in the way his eyes held truth, his body language said honest, even his pulse was calm, however, the blood in his veins moved just a milisecond faster during his falsehoods. It had taken nearly a month to figure out the tell in his body but she had done it and now she used this against him.

"Must have been quite a rumor to make you put your friends in the line of fire of Fjerdans and of King Aleksander," she said, keeping her voice light, leaning a little closer to him. She couldn't lie, she was enraptured by the young man from the Barrel of Ketterdam, but she wasn't foolish enough to believe that he would ever see her as anything other than another Ravkan Grisha blindly serving her king, but she could pretend that she hoped to lure him in, get him feeling confident about her.

"Jesper will tell you, he was eager to join me to find this new drug, imagine the kruge we could make from such a thing," Kaz said, standing suddenly and poking Jesper towards Y/N with his cane. He moved towards the wall, leaning against it. Y/N watched him for a few moments before turning her attention to Jesper. He wanted to push someone else at her? Why? She could tell he liked the attention she gave him, maybe not in a way most men did, but he liked it all the same. Jesper barked a laugh.

"Eager? You came back and acted like we were going to be rolling in kruge, become kings of Kerch," Jesper said. He was also a practiced liar, following the lead of his boss as it were. Y/N smiled at Jesper then, making sure her brown eyes looked intrigued and enraptured. She noticed the Zemeni man leaned back in his chair then, clearly not interested in the attentions of a Grisha like herself. "But ya, I mean, I wanted the kruge and I was having a good run that night at the tables, felt lady luck was on my side." She saw him fidgeting near his waist, where his guns should be. She had those stored in her private quarters, along with a certain crow headed cane, waiting for the right moment. She had been watching Kaz and Jesper since they arrived, having her spies give her information on them. They were the only link she had to Kuwei and Inej Ghafa and she needed to know all she could before she continued her plan.

She tried to pry more out of the two for several minutes before one of her people, a young Squallor entered.

"The hour is late Korovsa, the king is finished waiting," she whispered. Y/N’s jaw tightened. Her eyes flashed to Kaz and she saw him take notice of the slight change in her features. Her fears were starting to come to pass. She needed to end this charade now.

"Guard, please escort Mr. Fahey back to his new cell. Mr. Brekker and I have more to discuss," she ordered. The guard grabbed Jesper's arm, hauling him from the seat. Y/N wanted to say something, tell them to lay off the guy, but knew she couldn't appear as if she cared. Once he was gone she made a motion for Kaz to sit. He still stood. "Sit, now," she insisted, hoping he heard the urgency in her voice. He eyed for another moment before he moved to sit. She leaned closer, all of her coy attitude gone.

"What's happened?" Kaz asked casually, working the top of the walking stick with his hands, the only sign of his concern. Y/N let out a breath.

"My time is up, tomorrow night expect there to be a riot, stay in your cell with Jesper, don't leave until you hear 2 bells, then leave the cell and go to your left, the door will be ajar due to the last guard through it mistakenly knocking over mop. Once you are in the corridor go right and follow it to the deserted morgue. I will join you and lead you and Jesper out, do not leave without me," she said.

"Why should I believe any of this? That you're just going to help up walk out of there?" Kaz asked, trying to read her, seeing if she was lying. She groaned annoyed. Why was it that her only hope was as distrustful as her current king?

"Because I want to see the king's body burn before he destroys all of us," she whispered, voice dripping with venom. Kaz looked a little surprised at her viciousness and he nodded. She sat back, knowing that by now the guard had returned.

"Well Mr. Brekker, you've once again been no help, tomorrow the king will be coming to personally interrogate you, I hope you are looking forward to it," she said. "Guard take him back to his cell." The guard nodded and yanked him out of the chair. "Careful, the king won't like it if he can't inflict the pain himself," she warned, more to Kaz than the guard. She hoped Kaz believed her enough, that she had shown her hand to him enough that he would do as she asked. If he didn't they were all screwed.

#six of crows #kaz #kaz brekker #kazbrekker #kaz x reader #kaz brekker x reader #shadow and bone #crooked kingdom #jesper fahey #unexpected allies series

[alinastracker]

malina week day 5 — free choice

false saint

a smutty one-shot inspired by taylor swift’s “false god” (ao3)

Alina Starkov had been one of the most powerful Grisha alive once, a saint —though a false one — to most of Ravka.

Maybe it was time to step into a different kind of power.

ruin and rising spoilers!

For the first time since they opened Keramzin up to Ravka’s orphaned children six months ago, the halls were quiet. Gone were the sounds of running feet and squealing laughter. Even though they only had four children, not including Misha, currently staying at the orphanage, happy children were often loud children, and it was the young couple’s top priority that the kids they took in were happy — as happy as any child who’s lost everything could be. 

The quiet was oddly startling, even though Alina knew that the children were perfectly fine, out on a trip into town with their teacher, Karine, and the orphanage’s gruff cook, Stasia. 

“Children should learn about their food early,” the woman had insisted, and so the little field trip into town had been planned. Karine went with, partly because five children were a handful for one woman, and partly because some of the children were still rather intimidated by Stasia. 

The children were safe, and Alina was enjoying the quiet. But every now and then, caught off guard by the stillness, came a flicker of panic, and she had to remind herself once more. The children are safe. The Darkling is dead. 

And though the home was quiet, she was not alone.

Alina pressed her forehead against one of the full length windows of the upstairs reading nook. They had wanted this room to be comfy and bright, and the large windows that faced the back of the property certainly assured that. She could see Mal down there, tending to the garden, his hands deep inside of the dirt. For a moment, she let all of her worries float away and pictured his fingers deep inside of her instead. She had to squeeze her thighs together as heat rushed to her center, demanding friction. 

The sun was shining brightly through the window, and so she angled herself to stand fully in its rays. Alina brought her hand up, letting her fingers play in the light, forcing her sinful thoughts away. She couldn’t say how long she stayed that way, lost in her longing, but it was long enough that Mal had finished in the garden and had come to sneak up behind her. 

“Playing with the light again?” he murmured as his arms wrapped around her. 

Alina nodded, leaning back against his chest.

Mal pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Want to talk about it?”

It was what they always asked each other when they got into these moods, when she became entranced with the sunlight, and he found himself stuck silent and still in the woods. Sometimes the longing hurt, and sometimes it was just the pull to be in the element again — welcoming an old friend, rather than feeling the hole left in its absence. 

“I was just thinking that I miss the feeling sometimes,” Alina sighed. “When I summoned, it was like every inch of my skin was brushed with the softest warmth. I can feel something close to it sometimes, standing in the light like this. Just not as . . . wholly.” 

Mal was quiet for a moment, and she knew if she looked over her shoulder, she’d find the small pinch between his brows that indicated he was thinking. She knew the exact moment when his mind had come to a conclusion, feeling the way his body relaxed. 

“Perhaps,” he murmured, angling himself so his lips just brushed her ear as his hands moved to grip her hips, “it would help if the sun could hit every inch of you.” 

Desire returned thick between her thighs, if it had ever truly gone away. “What are you implying?”

“I think you know.”

He was right, she knew exactly what he meant. But they were out in the open, standing right in front of a window. The children were gone, though. The staff, too. There would always be the chance that someone came stumbling into their backyard and looked up, but maybe the risk made it all the better. 

She had been one of the most powerful Grisha alive once, a saint —though a false one — to most of Ravka.

Maybe it was time to step into a different kind of power.

She took one slow, steady breath, channeling her confidence. 

“Then undress me, Malyen.” 

Mal tensed for a singular breath, then brought his hands around her again, feeling his way up her chest until his fingers found the first button of her shirt. He took his time undoing each one, letting their skin brush each time more of her was bared. When he had the last button undone, the shirt was tossed lazily away. Mal’s hands continued their journey down her body, though her skirt took considerably less time to remove. 

Standing in nothing but her under clothes, Alina closed her eyes, soaking in the feeling of the sunlight brushing new parts of her. She thought for a moment that Mal might stop here. It could be enough, even if she still craved more. 

But he didn’t stop.

Mal hooked his fingers into the band of her underwear, and when she didn’t object, tugged them down. Alina stepped carefully out of the fabric, brushing it away with her foot. His fingers crawled up her backside then, and a moment later, her bra fell to the floor, letting the light consume her whole. 

Alina let her head fall back against Mal’s shoulder, bringing her hands up just as she used to when using her power. It wasn’t quite the same warmth that summoning had brought her, but it was something. 

Mal pressed his lips to the side of her neck and whispered, “Sankta.” 

Encompassed in the light, she almost felt like one. Mal had always had blind faith in her, had died for her. But saints had to prove they were worth the title. 

Alina turned, meeting his eyes. Mal could’ve sworn some of the light had stayed twinkling in her brown orbs. 

“Let me give you something to worship,” she said, and dropped to her knees.

Mal sucked in a sharp breath, but made no move to stop her as she worked to undo his trousers, dragging them down. His underwear came next, his half-hard cock happy to spring free. 

“You don’t have to—” he started. Alina shushed him. She spit into her hand — rather unceremonious for a saint, but alas — and gripped him. Any lingering words of Mal’s fell to the wayside as he moaned. 

It took very little time for him to harden fully with her stroking him. Still, she waited until he couldn’t possibly throb more for her, his cock hard as steel and bulging, before she brought him to her lips and sucked the tip of him into her mouth. 

Mal cursed fervently, his hand forming a fist in the tangles of her silky, pale hair.

Alina swirled her tongue around him, dipping into the place where his desire gathered for her, only encouraged by his curses and the almost painful pull on her scalp. His words were like a prayer, and he only got louder as she took in more of him, swallowing him down her throat even as her body protested. 

She still didn’t know if his size was a blessing or a curse. 

Mal was on the edge from the sight of her alone, those pretty lips he had spent years dreaming about perfectly parted around his cock. He saw the tears in her eyes, though, and so he began to pull back, only for Alina to grip his ass, nails digging into the skin of his backside. Let me, her eyes said, determined. And fuck if it didn’t make his hips thrust against her mouth. 

“Alina,” he moaned.

Her response was a brief, but not gentle, scrape of her teeth against him. Mal hissed, but he didn’t need to look at her to know where he had gone wrong

“Sankta,” he moaned instead, and it felt right. 

Even if she was a false saint, their love — and everything that came with it — was like their own personal religion, blind and eternal. Though the moan that ripped from Mal’s throat as his release hit was anything but holy. 

And this was what Alina had wanted more than anything — to bring him to the edge and push him over. It was a different kind of power, and she let the evidence of it dribble down her chin, droplets landing on her breasts and chest. Different than the blood a saint usually ended up covered in. Different, and much better. 

When she finished milking his release out of him, Alina stood. Backlit by the sun, she looked as saintly as she ever had. Mal licked his lips as he greedily took in the sight of her. She had, undoubtedly, given him something to worship. 

As any righteous man of faith would do before his saint, Mal dropped to his knees. It was not the first time Alina had driven men to kneel before her, and it would not be the last.

“Sankta Alina,” he whispered, bringing his lips to the altar between her thighs, his tongue forming a prayer that felt better than Alina thought possible. 

But it wasn’t just a prayer, it was a whole sermon — every lick, suck, and plunge a promise of his allegiance. He had her mewling and trembling above him in minutes, barely able to keep herself standing as he pushed her past her limits. And she thought, as he rose with his lips glistening from her cunt, that service was over. But Mal only turned her over and pressed her naked body against the window. The glass chilled her bare skin even as the sunlight warmed it.

Mal had his lips at her ear again. “I’m not done worshipping you yet,” he murmured, and smoothly thrust his hard-again cock inside of her. 

If anyone walked by outside or came into the reading nook, there would be no hiding their heavenly sinful act. To her surprise, Alina found the slightest thrill at a stranger discovering such a display. And as Mal fucked her with relentless devotion, she sent a prayer to the true saints that the glass held true. 

This time, they jumped over the edge together, in the way that only the faithful could. Screams on their lips, sweat dripping down their necks, pleasure so intense that it could only be called a religious experience. 

After, Mal scooped her into his arms and brought them to their room. He sat Alina on the bed, leaving briefly to gather wet rags for them. With a gentleness quite opposite from their frantic fucking, Mal cleaned the spend from her body, then his own, before taking the spot beside her, curling his body around hers. 

Though she may be a false saint, Alina could still feel the warmth of the sun on her skin as the peaceful call of sleep pulled her under, a smile on her face.

#malinaweek #malina #writing #fanfic #malina fanfic #and when i say smutty i mean SMUTTY THIS IS PURE SMUT OK? #anyway happy last day of malina week this has truly been the best #ruin and rising spoilers #alina starkov #malyen oretsev #also realize i could've done this for song day but this came to me like last night ok

[black-rose-writings]

I read Ruin and Rising because I’m bored

And I also hate myself

Like with the last book, I have a vague idea of the plot and stuff from tumblr and fanfics. I will also be refering to Darkling as Sasha for most of this.

I am still Darklina trash and don’t particularly like Mal.

On a different note, I’ve finally moved for college, but the internet here is trash, so I’ll probably have a lot more reading time now, since most games I play are online and will crash without internet.

Before

Cool story. Let’s hope Alina stays a badass.

Who am I joking, I know how this ends.

Chapter 1

So far so good. I hate the Apparat, per usual. Alina’s there basically dying and that bitch can’t wait to see her do so.

Cult leader to the core this one. He probably hates that his figurehead is alive and also not brainwashed.

Cult leader doesn’t like swearing. How surprising.

My boy David is completely right. What kind of irresponsible dingus keeps centuries old books in a fucking wet-ass cave? (Or a tree for that matter *cough cough* The Last Jedi *cough, cough*).

Genya is fun to be around.

Oh, shit, let’s go.

Chapter 2

Jesus Christ, Alina, Zoya isn’t that bad.

This is one hell of a shitshow.

I live for this version of Alina. Badass. Scary. I want more of this Alina.

Chapter 3

Out of all the random little details from crappy smut fics, I did not expect Oncat to be from the books, lol.

Mal actually has a supernatural tracking ability. Like, literally, they put a bug into the pouch with gunpowder so he could make the shot. I guess this was kinda said before, but never this directly, right?

Alina’s merzost-skyping Sasha now, yay.

Alina is horny for Sasha boy. Yay.

Alina canonically has a praise kink. Nice.

I hate LB with all of my heart at this very moment. How dare she bait us Darklina people like this? How DARE she? (Shipbaiting is the worst, seriously.)

Yes, yes, yes. These two lines. That’s what their relationship is all about. They’re each others foils, the yin to the other’s yang and... ugh. I am Darklina trash to the core and this hurts.

Darklina: You have a terrible taste in men.

Alina: I liked you once.

My boy Sasha walked into that one.

Chapter 4

Alina is a Queen. And we love her.

David, my beloved, my spirit animal.

It’s surprising they can read it at all, given it’s been centuries. Have you ever tried reading medieval manuscripts?

Honestly, with a father that crazy, it’s no wonder Baghra’s a bitch. And I’ve seen it said somewhere that the books imply Ilya’s experiments are what caused Baghra to be a shadow summoner and you know what? I can see how you’d make that connection.

Why is there so few Tidemakers in the books? Waterbenders are useful. I want more waterbenders.

Alina picking up some habits from Baghra I see.

Ah, yes, we love an educated giant.

I’m starting to think Harshaw is a bit nuts.

Shut up, Hershey. Or at least share the weed with the class. I’m not here for this “He’s mean to you because he likes you”. I might believe that in like, elementary school, but yall are (more or less) adults. Jesus.

Well, that was a bombshell of a twist.

Chapter 5

Oh boy, we’ve got some trauma bonding for out merry band of misfits. Yay.

Adrik has a crush on Zoya. And she hates it, lol. Cut the kid some slack, he’s like 15 or something.

That reminds me, I have a four-leaf clover pressed in books from close to year and a half ago. Time flies.

They’re really diving into the Mal has supernatural powers, huh?

Ghosts, let’s go.

Alina “I’m so happy to be outside I start to shine like a fucking fairy” Starkov and Mal is entranced. He’s definitelly nicer now. I’m not forgiving him for all the shit he’s pulled before and for using the silent treatment way too much, but hey, at least he’s improving.

I am not a Zoyalina person, but like... gay? Please? Rivals to grudging allies to friends to lovers, 300k slowburn? Sounds more fun than whatever Mala dn Alina have going on, lol.

(I’m starting to realize I’m not as much a Darklina person as I am anti-Malina person, lol. Like, literally everyone has a more interesting dynamic with Alina than tracker boy over there. Malina is at best boring AF and at worst toxic, codependent and emotionally abusive, while also being boring AF at the same time. It has literally nothing going for it except God herself liking it).

I can see why Nadia is gay in the show. The book version of her definitelly has a crush on Tamar. Homegirl likes a woman, who can murder her with the flick of her wrist and honestly? Same.

Alina has some big “coming out of lockdown after a year” energy atm.

The cat is one of the most realistic characters in this thing, lol.

And since Tamar is also heavily queercoded, our lovely ladies make off into the night, flirting. Or maybe not. Let me dream, though.

At least Blade Boy is aware that his tattoo is stupid. To quote someone ranting about him on tumblr: He’s embracing his identity as a tool.

Oh, boy, this will be fun.

Evil soldier is horny for Mal. Saints, is there a woman in this book who isn’t horny for Blade Boy?

And here comes Niki to save the day.

Chapter 6

Niki saved the day.

Fiberglass? And David being David. Genya being in love with her nerd of a boyfriend.

Jesus Christ, this one crazy kid has moved the technology in this universe a whole century on his own. So, when is David going to propose to him?

Baghra hasn’t changed much I see.

Baghra’s about to drop some truthbombs, but no, we have to be rudely interupted because Genya’s rapist is throwing a fit.

Chapter 7

How does Mal sound? Is she gonna say the Blade boy sounds like her dad? I mean, I know voices are partially genetic, but it has been tens of generations between them, probably.

So, we’re finally taking Genya’s trauma seriously after all this time? Good. Better late than never, I guess.

I wish that regicide was already finished and I’m pretty sure that Genya does, too. Stop defending the fucking king, narrative.

David’s a nerd in all things I see.

Someone please just kill the king already. And the queen, too, for good measure.

Now that’s a romance.

Infodumping and listening to said infodumps is a legitimate love language, Alina. Let them nerd out over poisons.

Wait, has Alina never directly killed anyone before? I thought she did... hmmm.

And just like that, it should have been over. Ugh.

Somehow, Baghra is a better teacher now than she was before. She half feels like a completely different character.

Nevermind, she’s back at it.

Chapter 8

Holy shit, Nadia and Tamar are canon. They have canon gays here.

So, which one of them is gonna die?

Chapter 9

We arrive at that scene. The one, where they should have fucked.

Jeez, girl, get a hold of yourself. Life is short, fuck a villain.

In other news, Genya and David definitelly fucked.

Chapter 10

Poor David. He just wanted to know.

Damn... I never realized just how young Baghra was, when she killed her sister.

I’ve already made a post about this, but it really does strike me like Baghra has already decided to end her life at this point in the book.

Why is that whole “but what if we’re related” thing even in there?

Chapter 11

We love a suprise attack.

When did Sasha boy learn that trick?

Baghra really just did that. Oh boy.

Chapter 12

No, don’t kill the kid... ugh.

Emotiona support cat. She should be friends with Milo.

Porrige for brains. Oof.

So Nadia was the one, who got bees set on her in the book. Cool.

That’s a good question. Why was it never brought up to Alina, that other Grisha get blocks, too?

David already thinking of steampunk prosthetic for Adrik is honestly kinda sweet.

Chapter 13

Back home... kinda.

Is that really... you really care about Mal bonking the Grisha school mean girl over a year ago? Okay.

Chapter 14

Angst! Yay!

And more angst.

Chapter 15

Sasha really went “My mom killed herself to save you? Well, I’ll kill the closest thing to parents you have.”

Chapter 16

Nikolai’s alive. Kinda.

And these two have such a sibling energy, I can’t.

And then they fuck. Ew.

Chapter 17

Wait, wait wait... so Alina isn’t even the one to destroy the Fold?

Okay. That’s... weird.

Holy shit. That was...

So, Aleksander is dead. Mal isn’t. Someone else destroyed the Fold for Alina and now she has no powers.

Okay.

That’s a weird-ass ending.

Chapter 18

The gays survived, so that’s nice.

Genya made good on her promise of making Alina a ginger, lol.

After

What emotion is this supposed to give me? Cause all I feel is kinda sad.

#shadow and bone #grishaverse #ruin and rising #book review #alina starkov #darkling #darklina

[justice4harwin]

Light’s Corruption- Chapter VIII

Summary: With few friends at the Little Palace, Alina must work to win the favour of her fellow grisha and their commander, who makes her feel light headed every time she sees him.

After training in Os Alta for two years, the king grows tired of waiting and demands the Sun Summoner joins a western post near the Fjerdan border along with the rest of The Second Army to test her abilities.

Something happens. Suddenly, Alina wants blood to run down the rivers and those who stand in her and The Darkling’s way will be blinded by her light and swallowed by his shadows.

It won’t be pretty.

Pairing: The DarklingxAlina

Rating: 18+

Do I have a playlist for this story? Yeah

Do I also have a separate bff playlist for Genya and Alina? Duh

Click here for chapter 7 in case you missed it. 

Chapter 8: Alina the Baker

Grisha at the Little Palace had a day of the week off every other week, which meant that Alina could catch up on some precious sleep in the confines of her soft, warm bed filled with softer pillows. Even with the weak winter sun shining down on her, Alina could've slept all day and well into the night. In fact, it was even better, for she'd be warmer. There was no such thing as 'too much warmth' for her. The hotter, the better.

Curled up like a cat over the luxurious bed, the Sun Summoner intended to sleep all day and night.

Then there was a knock on her door.

She didn't hear it and rolled over in a most unnatural way.

The knocking got louder.

She began to stir.

"Get up, Starkov!" Genya yelled from the other side.

"Maybe if I don't make any sounds she'll leave." Alina thought, clutching her eyes tightly shut.

"You know I can go get the keys, but that'll only give me time to get angrier!"

Groaning, Alina threw herself onto the floor and made for the wretched door.

The redhead swung in with her usual grace, her kit in hand as she hummed a melody strange to Alina's ears.

Slowly, Alina followed her.

"Wash your face and come sit here." she instructed, pointing at the vanity.

After doing so, the Tailor began to work on her hair.

"Do I have somewhere to be?" Alina asked, yawning.

"No, but with the Winter Fete so close, I wanted to try some different styles for your hair and make-up, so we won't waste so much time on the actual day." she explained. "Besides, the Duke is still here, so the queen's daily naps have become longer, which only makes it harder for the Duke to talk whatever it is he wants to discuss with the king."

Alina made an odd face through the mirror; Genya smiled at her ingenuity.

"They've been fucking like ra-"

"Ah, ta-ta-ta, I get it." the Summoner closed her eyes and waved her hands, not wanting to picture any of it. "Does the king know?"

Genya snorted, joining two braids into one.

"Please, he's a dumb child."

Alina yawned again, loudly.

"Look, I don't think my hair matters too much for the Fete, so how about we take a nap?"

"Lazy."

"It's early."

"So?" a red, perfectly trimmed eyebrow rose softly. "Who would imagine the Sun Summoner herself wouldn't want to raise with the sun?"

"Technically, the sun is always out."

"I'm also using you as an excuse to get out of the Grand Palace."

"Can we do something else, then?"

"No!" she yanked Alina's hair once more and tied it. Leaning over her friend, she arranged the three mirrors which sat atop the vanity so the other woman could get a good look at it. "What do you think?"

Alina stared at her reflection. Two braids started at the top of her head and joined as one at the base of her neck.

"I like it."

Genya placed a slender finger to her lips.

"Too simple." With a flourish of her hand, Alina's hair was freed once more, falling in dark waves down her shoulders. "Turn."

When she did, her friend leaned over and took her face gently.

"I thought you were sleeping better." she mumbled as she ran her fingers underneath her eyes, ridding it of bags.

"I am, I think."

"Have you been summoning?"

"Yes, but, …"

"But?"

Genya leaned against the vanity, waiting patiently.

"I don't know." Alina said, looking down at her hands. "I know Baghra is horrible, and she still hasn't called back for me-"

"Then you go to her."

"I don't want to." Alina confessed, even though she probably should. Who else would teach her? The Darkling? He was always on and off the Little Palace grounds. "What if I mess up too bad and no-one's there to stop me?"

"So you haven't been summoning." Genya concluded.

"I have!" she fought back. "Just a little."

To prove her point, she closed her hand into a fist, opened up, and let a small orb of light fly up to Genya's face, not too close to make her uncomfortable. The Tailor watched the light with a small smile, and slowly reached out.

"I thought it might burn me."

"I think it would if I wanted to hurt you, or if I put more effort into it."

"But you love me too much."

"I tolerate you." she joked, moving the orb up and above her friend's head. "Now you look like a saint." she said, trying to turn the orb into a halo. It flickered and didn't exactly do as she commanded, only shone brighter over Genya's features.

The redhead shook her hand.

"Move. With this light, I can probably mask my age a bit more."

"Oh yeah," Alina said as she stood up, a playful smile on her face. "Because you're soooo old."

Alina didn't actually know how old Genya was, but she was sure they were about the same age.

"Tomorrow I will be a year closer to grey hair so," Genya's fingers went over her face, getting rid of imperfections Alina couldn't see. "One can never start too early."

"Tomorrow's your birthday?" Alina asked, starting to smile.

Genya didn't seem so excited. She merely shrugged.

"Yes."

"What are you planning on doing? Are you having a party? How many people will be there? Are presents mandatory? Cause I don't have permission to go to the city to get you one, and it doesn't really matter because I have no money and I don't have time enough to do something myself. What sort of ca-?

"Alina!" Genya had to raise her voice a little to get her overly excited friend to stop. "We don't celebrate birthdays here. It's just another day."

The Sun Summoner frowned.

"So, not even a cake? Or the day off?"

The Tailor huffed, amused.

"What for?"

"To celebrate." Alina was no longer bouncing on her heels.

"Trust me, the last thing anyone in these palaces would think of is to celebrate my silly birthday." she said as if it meant nothing.

Alina sat on the carpeted floor; legs crossed.

"That's depressing."

"If you say so." she remained indifferent.

She peered up at her friend and got an idea.

"Should we have some tea?"

"After I test how to work your face."

Later that night, standing outside the kitchens of the Little Palace, Alina ran her hands over her kefta and stood as straight as she could, putting on her best scowl. She hoped she had picked up a thing or two from Ana Kuya and Baghra

She entered the place like she owned it. At first, nobody took notice, too busy with their tasks. She cleared her throat.

Nothing.

She clapped her hands twice, like Genya did to call upon the attention of her miserable shrews -not that Alina considered the kitchen staff to fall into that category- and everyone in the kitchen turned to her, adopting various expressions at the sight of her.

No-one seemed to know what to do or what to say.

Trying to seem somewhat commanding, Alina cleared her throat once more.

"I need ingredients to make a cake." she stated.

One of the cooks swallowed hard before she began to speak.

"If you'd like a cake, Miss, I can make-"

"I want to do it myself, actually." she said, placing both hands behind her back and praying to all the saints she could remember -there weren't many- that they took her seriously.

Still, nobody moved.

Alina guessed that it wasn't every day that a Grisha showed up and demanded to cook something by themselves.

Not wanting the kitchen staff to feel offended, she spoke again:

"It's for a friend, you see, so I'd like to give her something I made with my own hands."

Slowly, the same woman who had spoken nodded, and then smiled tentatively.

"There's fresh eggs over there, Miss."

As it turned out, Alina did need some help after all. She knew how to make a basic cake, but as soon as she said it was a birthday cake, a middle-aged man jumped on her, offended on behalf of Genya.

"You can't just give your friend something so bland." he had said, his face red as he gestured widely at the cake, like it was a disgusting piece of work. One might have thought Alina had insulted his family. "You need to fill it with something, decorate it, give it life and flavour!"

Yes. That, she had no idea how to do.

He pushed her aside hastily.

"Saint can summon light but can't make a decent birthday cake." he muttered.

Alina's mouth hung open, offended, but she said nothing.

She hurried up the steps with a big cake held as if it were a precious new-born child when she heard him:

"Miss Starkov?"

"Holy Saints!"

She came to such a sudden halt, the cake moved precariously on its base.

"Yes, sir?" she called, tense, not daring to turn back.

"I am glad I came upon you;" The Darkling said, and she could hear him approaching.

It was so great to have him back, but why did he have to arrive at that time? Couldn't he have waited a few more minutes?

"Was there something you needed?" she asked.

"I can't believe myself, but please say 'no'"

"No, no, I just wanted to inform you that you shall start training with me tomorrow. I will see you at the entrance just before dawn."

"I thought you had no time for personal training." she was reminded of their conversation one season prior. "And that you didn't want to show favouritism."

It was probably stupid of her to say those things, to make him look like he couldn't make up his mind, but she find it hard to filter her thoughts when he was in the vicinity.

"I remember our conversation very well, Alina." he said, and she could hear his voice closer. It was so deep and smooth. Alina took a deep breath and tried to steady her heartbeat. "But some circumstances have changed, and I decided to make an exception."

Any other day, she would've melted at his feet at the way he spoke, as if it were almost a dirty, scandalous secret only meant for them.

But she had Genya's cake in her hands. It was big, and heavy, and he couldn't see it.

"That's great!" she said, and she meant it. "Thank you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to go. Moi Soverennyi." she bowed, and then clutched her eyes shut, cursing herself silently. Nothing showed more respect for one's General than showing them their behind.

"Are you hiding something, Alina?" he asked, sounding far too amused to her liking.

"Nope."

"Right. And I am the Black Heretic." he almost snorted. Alina frowned; he sounded so…normal when he did that. She wanted to hear it more often, she realized.

She craned her neck so she could get a glimpse at him. His eyes shone with mirth; the corner of his mouth was tilted up. She wanted to freeze him like that forever.

"It's nothing bad or illegal."

He chuckled, and his nose crunched up a little. Alina found it adorable, and she wanted to kiss him again, cuddle next to a fire by him, and make him laugh until his sides hurt.

"Alright, then. I shall let you be on your way." he took a step back, and Alina took a few steps forward before stopping at the end of the stairs.

"It's good to have you back."

She climbed up the stairs so quickly one might've thought a Squaller was pushing her up, and didn't give him opportunity to say anything back.

Alina moved her tea table to the centre of her room, where she placed the cake and a few flowers she had stolen from the various vases around the Little Palace to give it more life.

Smiling like an idiot, she closed her eyes and called her light just as there was a knock on the door.

Her light answered and her hand shot up, leaving a thin layer of golden dust hovering near the ceiling, giving the space a lovely ambience.

Hastily, she made sure everything was in order. The tea was hot, and there was plenty of kvas and wine for at least ten people. The kitchen staff had been more than happy to provide for her when they found out who Alina wanted to celebrate. Apparently, Genya was well liked among the otkazat'sya who worked on the Little Palace.

She hurried to open the door.

Genya waited on the other side, standing straight, an eyebrow arched up.

"You called for me? Is it urgent?"

"Yes!" The Sun Summoner answered, taking her friend's hand and dragging her across the expansive room.

She turned abruptly and placed her hands on Genya's eyes, blocking her view.

"For all the Saints, Ali, I don't have time to play around." she complained as she was dragged some more. "Just because the queen is spending another afternoon with the Duke of Balakirev doesn't mean I don't have other things to do and-"

Alina uncovered her eyes.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" she squealed, taking a step to the side and extending her arms to showcase the cake.

It was rectangular, decorated with red, blue and yellow flowers all over it. No white. Nothing about that cake was white.

The Tailor stared at it.

'Happy Birthday, Genya!' it read, in black, messy letters. While the middle-aged man from the kitchen had done most of the decorating of the cake, Alina had insisted on writing the words herself.

Still, The Tailor stared at it, mouth agape.

Slowly, Alina's smiled dropped, and looking at her friend in the eyes, she was horrified to find them wet.

A tear fell down Genya's pale face, and Alina rushed over to remove it.

"Gen?" she asked, extremely concerned. "What is it?"

But Genya couldn't say anything. Her mouth opened, then it closed, and it opened again as a small cry left its confines, the tears falling freely now, like a turbulent river.

Alina hugged her, rubbing her stiff back in circles.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." she said over and over again. "I just thought you might like it. I'm so sorry. Do you want me to throw it away?"

She felt how her friend shook her head, clinging to her with a vice like grip.

Alina was the one who wanted to cry now, seeing her closest friend in such a state made her eyes tear, and, oh damn, she was crying now as well.

They stood like that for a few moments, weeping like idiots, the hug a bit awkward since Genya seemed to hover over smaller Alina.

Slowly, the Tailor disentangled herself from the Summoner, and her friend let her go.

Genya delicately passed a finger underneath her eyes and adverted her gaze, although Alina could see the red in her eyes.

"Thank you, Ali. Truly." she said, her voice slightly hoarse.

Alina was at a loss of words.

"It's just a cake, Gen." she shrugged. "I just thought, we could celebrate together, if you wanted. We can invite anyone you want." she suggested.

Smiling just a little, Genya looked down at her hands and played with her fingers.

"No, it's just…"she took a deep breath and let it out. Alina waited patiently. "No one ever really did this for me before." she said, raising her arm towards her cake.

"A birthday cake?" Alina asked slowly, her voice tremulous and trying not to sound sad. "Well, it's not a big deal!" she tried to shake it off, waving a hand with a forced smile. "Back in Keramzin there was only one plain cake per month for all the children so-"

"No, "Genya interrupted, her voice a mere whisper that cut through Alina's heart like a sharp blade. "I mean, celebrated. No one's ever done this much." her eyes were like crystal again. "Thank you."

Alina felt uncomfortable. She really did feel sad for her friend? Had no one ever truly celebrated her birthday? She knew she had been given to the queen at a young age, but even before that, had her parents ever made something for her? Or at least said anything on the day?

Alina didn't remember much of her parents, but she did remember once a year, her father coming up to her with a small, strawberry tart. He and mamma would hug her more than usual and kiss her cheeks and play with her all day until the sun went down and her eyes dropped closed of exhaustion.

"Chasing the waters." she thought, absentmindedly.

Even before the Little Palace, had Genya never had any of that?

"I'm just, sorry I couldn't do anything grander on such short notice." Alina tried to smile. "I have a present for you" she was now grinning, although so very nervous on the inside. She walked over to her desk and took the envelope. "I didn't have time to make something so… it was very last minute. She came back to stand before her friend and extended the envelope, which Genya took with a look in her eyes that resembled disbelief and wonder. Alina's cheek reddened. "It's nothing. Really. Open it."

Genya did as she was asked, and Alina bit her bottom lip, trembling as she recalled, word by word, what she had put down on the paper with her finest ink.

"I have a friend,

with bright, red hair.

She has a loudmouth,

and a brusque, yet marvellous touch.

 She and I have known each other,

for only a couple of months,

But I know that in my soul,

She's well settled for long.

 Some will say she's pretty

Others will say she's pricky,

and while those all ring through,

I know the person behind those needle-like replies.

 I have a friend,

with bright, red hair.

She's always there for me,

as I'll always be there for her."

It seemed as if an eternity had passed before the Tailor looked up, fresh tears in her eyes.

"Did you write this?" she asked, voice cracked. Alina nodded sheepishly, and Genya said: "This is the shittiest piece of poetry I have ever read."

The Summoner tried to not let her hurt show on her face, but a moment later she was being engulfed into another bear hug.

"I love it." Genya whispered almost fervently, clutching her tighter. "Thank you."

They spent the afternoon drinking tea, eating cake, talking and laughing. Genya had admired the piece for a long moment, as if trying to burn it into her memory, before she cut into the first two portions.

After a while, when there was no more tea and they grew tired of cutting, they sat themselves down on the carpeted floor, cake and all, and dug in directly from the base as they helped it pass through with kvas and wine.

"What do you mean?" Alina asked as they both laid on top of the soft, fur carpet of the floor, facing up, unable to move.

"Another rule of the General to keep his Grisha humble: no birthday parties." Genya answered, her speech slurred and the last part with a deeper tone, like she wanted to imitate Kirigan.

"That sucks!" Alina spat, just as drunk as her friend.

"Yeah!"

"Parties are…cool." she stated, raising her index finger as if to make a point. "There's cake,"

"Ugh." Genya's hand flew down to her stomach. "I can't move."

Alina ignored her.

"There's presents, if you're not an orphan." she giggled at her own misery. "There's more cake, and there's people."

"There's always p-people at the Tiny Palace." Genya reminded her, kicking off her boots.

Alina did the same, her hands blindly reaching up to the couch for the small pillows.

"Yeah;" one of the pillows hit Genya in the face, and the Tailor whined about it as she placed it underneath her head. "But there's no birthday cake, thanks to General Handsomest. And no birthday parties." She counted to three in her head, shot up, grabbed the blanket at the back of the couch, and let herself fall again on top of the rug.

Saints, how had she and Genya managed to eat that entire monstrosity?

She threw the blanket over her body and kicked until it covered her feet. Genya clumsily pulled at it so it'd cover her as well.

Alina frowned.

"There's people at parties."

"Yes, Alina." Genya closed her eyes.

Alina's frown deepened, some of the blurriness in her mind clearing.

"People talk at parties."

Genya opened one eye.

"Are you going to get us in trouble?"

Alina, who could barely put the dots together as she thought of how full of cake she was and how funny everything looked from where she was laying on the ground, and how handsome the General was, and how she wanted to kiss him again and slap him for leaving her like that, turned her face towards her friend.

"Only if General Handsome caught us." she said.

Genya sighed.

"Fine. But turn your head to the other side. I don't want your puke in my face."

Giggling at the disgusting image, Alina did as she was told.

Their hands found each other underneath the blanket in a soft hold.

"Happy birthday, Gen." Alina mumbled, the lack of sleep due to her preparations for the afternoon and all the alcohol catching up to her.

"Thank you, Ali."

A/N: Hope you liked it! This is probably the last sweet chapter before things gradually start to get darker *evil laugh*

Click here for chapter IX

#shadow and bone #shadow and bone fanfic #alina starkov #aleksander morozova #shadow & bone trilogy #alina x darkling #alina x aleksander #The darklingxAlina #Genya Safin #its a birthday party my dudes and dudettes #fanfic

[aknymph]

Our Little Secret~ Part 3

A/N:  I finally finished this, and I finally started an AO3 (aknymph). There is definitely more to come!!! Yes, this has basically been three chapters of smut, sue me. Writing from Aleksander’s perspective was HARD, but I really wanted to get into his head with this scene to show how he experienced Part 2. It starts 3rd person, then switches to first to sort of help get into his head...I know it’s weird, but I think it works?

Characters belong to Leigh Bardugo and The Grisha Trilogy.

**Warnings: mature content, sex, language

Characters: Alina Starkov + The Darkling

Read Part 1 and Part 2

**Aleksander’s P.O.V. of part 2**

Aleksander still wasn’t sure this was happening, but he wouldn’t pause to ponder it, not now. He was going to give her everything he could while she was in front of him, and if it ruined him in the process, so be it. 

He had felt the draw of power before, much like he knew other Grisha were drawn to his power. His centuries in this world had brought him in contact with many individuals with great power, and he’d felt the pull of it. Like calls to like. He’d even felt the draw of power from individuals not quite like the Grisha, those with a power fashioned from something older, but even those people had not understood him. 

There had been other sun summoners, but in his centuries, he’d never come across another shadow summoner. He’d concluded long ago that it was some perversion of Illia Morotsova’s power when he’d passed it to his daughter, and that power had passed to him from his mother-- the power that had always struck a cord of fear. After a time of wishing he didn’t have to be alone, he’d accepted the fear that followed him and his power, honed it to work in his favor. He’d used it to manipulate kings and Grisha alike- fear had been his most powerful ally. But with Alina, it was different.

He was drawn to her. She did have great power, and the amplifiers had added to it. As summoners, their power flowed through the same vein in the world, but where he called to darkness, she called to light. She was his opposite, his mirror.

“Alexsander,” she moaned, breaking me from my revelry as I thrust myself into her. My name on her lips was a prayer I’d never known.

“Yes, Alina?” I managed, not wanting to remove my mouth from her skin longer than required. I wanted to be the one to show her everything. This glorious woman before me had two other men that wanted her, and yet, here I was, the one helping her explore her body. I was the one giving her this pleasure. Still, the power flowing between us was intoxicating, making it increasingly difficult to hone in on anything else.

“I want this, Aleksander. I want us. I want you.” Alina was speaking again. Those words. I couldn’t dwell on them now, but I wanted them to be true, to mean more than her wanting the pleasure of our bodies. I would give her this though, elicit these prayers from her lips for as long as she would let me. I grazed my teeth across her neck and she tightened her grip on my back. I continued down to the base of her neck and raised my eyes to her face. Her own eyes were closed, waiting in anticipation. I bit her neck, pulling a moan from her as her nails dug into my back, marking me like I was marking her. 

“More,” she ground out. I couldn’t help the smile I gave her at that as her desire swept through me. When had this become our way-- her calling forth these subconscious secret smiles? This bond between us was a strange novelty to me, and I granted myself leave to explore it. I ran a finger down her core, following it with tongue and teeth. The salty taste of her skin was divine. Maybe she was a saint. I would worship her as one. I found my mouth hovering over her breast. Longing to tease her a bit, I traced the curve of her with my tongue.

“Aleksander.” It was a plea, spilling from her lips.

“So eager,” I chorused, letting her see the pleasure her words brought me, letting her feel that pleasure coursing through me as I continued my thrusts into her. I couldn’t withhold my own longing though, so I bent my head, licking brazenly up the fullness of her breast. She arched into me then, filling my mouth with her. A moan escaped me. This woman. This impossible woman. I’d lived five centuries, and yet I’d never granted myself such pointless pleasure. There had always been a purpose, a means to be sought, but here, with her, I wanted. A dangerous game indeed.

I loosed my control, sucking her deeper into my mouth as she pressed her bare body against mine. I wanted to feel her, feel all of her. I pulled my knees under myself as I pulled her body against mine, thrusting deeply inside her. I was shocked for a moment, finding her moving then, as if she’d loosed the leash on herself as well and was ready to claim what she wanted from me. There were still so many things I wanted to do to her, but if she wanted to wring her own pleasure from my body, I would let her. She climbed into my lap, sliding herself back around me easily, and pushed her hips forward hard against mine.

“Fuck, Alina.” The words escaped me before I could think otherwise. It seemed that pleased her because she entangled her arms around me. I found I wanted her to take from me, whatever it was she wanted. This was no longer my offering to her; I was laid before her, and she would take from me what she wanted, and I would let her. That realization surprised me. This woman surprised me, and I found I liked that.

I slid a hand down her back, grabbing her ass, and slid my other to her head, entangling it in her silken hair. I kissed her then, slow, tender, lingering. I just wanted to taste her as she wrung her pleasure from my body. I couldn’t have imagined what that tenderness would spark within her. Her movements became rapid, fierce, as she moved her body against mine.

“Oh, Aleksander. Yes, please.”

I used her pleas as a guide to give her what she wanted, to help guide her through this new-found pleasure. I grasped her hips, helping her move on me as her body came apart. We were both panting, working up to our peaks together. I was surprised-- a now common occurrence it seemed-- to find that seeing her pleasure, feeling her pleasure was bringing me so close to my own.  I watched as her body arched and bucked.

“Come for me, my Alina.” I spoke the words gently, not a command, but an instruction, hoping to give her a name for what her body was seeking. Her body shuddered around me, an exhilaration crashing through me as she cried my name over and over.

“Aleksander. Aleksander. Aleksander.”

The sheer pleasure in her words, my name from her lips brought me crashing down with her, spilling myself inside her with my final thrusts.

I held her there, body pressed against mine. I didn’t want this to end, didn’t want it to be over, didn’t want to go back to what awaited us outside this room, outside this moment. But I also found that I didn’t care. I was disappointed to find Alina pulling back from our embrace. I felt the loss of her acutely, but still couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face at the acceptance of what we had done, what we had given each other. She had trusted me, and I her. 

“You’re beautiful, my sun saint,” I told her, tracing my thumb over those tender lips.

Alina blushed at my words, turning her face from mine, having apparently regained her self-consciousness despite our bare bodies still pressed together. 

I couldn’t bare her embarrassment, her refusal to meet my eyes. I touched her tentatively, allowing my hand to gently caress her face, now worried that sudden movements may startle this tender woman before me. I turned her face back toward me, willing my gaze to lighten. 

“Do not hide from me.” I failed to hide the frustration in my voice, and she blinked at my tone. I tried again. I was not accustomed to sincere gentleness.

“Please.”

Her eyes softened then, seeming to understand that there was no anger in my words. But how could I convey to her what I wanted to say, needed to say. Would she accept my words, or would she turn away yet again? 

Her hand rose to my cheek, as if to sooth me. My eyes drifted closed at her touch. I’d thought the experience we’d just shared had been the culmination of intimacy, but this touch, her hand on my cheek, somehow brought us impossibly closer.

I remembered her earlier confession to me, that she wanted us and hesitantly continued on.

“Alina,” I began, failing to remove the pain from my voice, “I don’t want to do this without you. I can, but-”

She was ripped from me then-- there one moment, gone the next.

“Alina. No, Alina, don’t do this. Don’t do this,” I shouted, begged, but she was already gone.

I don’t know how long I sat there, bent over myself on that table. I realized that, somehow, more than my body had been laid bare before her. And it had been too much. I thought what we’d shared had soothed the confusion, the guilt she’d felt at wanting me, at preferring me. I’d thought when she said that she was choosing me, that she meant she was choosing me over them-- all of them. Her Grisha, her followers, her Otkazatsia. I’d been wrong. Foolish, and wrong.

I gathered the scraps of my dignity as I gathered my clothes from the floor, from before the throne-- that throne, that I’d meant to be hers.

As I dressed, I spooled myself inward, allowing my anger, my embarrassment to build my shield anew. I’d lived for centuries. I’d barred myself from this weakness hundreds of years before. This had been a slip, one I couldn’t afford. 

I left the throne room and made my way to the war room in the little palace. This place would be my focus, provide the centering that I needed in this moment. I felt a familiar calm as I strode through those doors, locking myself inside. I observed the table, the maps along the walls, and reminded myself that we were at war. Alina’s actions had been just another ploy, a manipulation that I had used myself hundreds of times with Grisha, with royals, men and women alike. Had this been how they’d felt then, when they realized my actions had been just that-- manipulation?

It didn’t matter, I reminded myself. I had a single focus again. I could no longer allow myself the weakness that was Alina Starkov, Sankta Alina, Sun Summoner, Sol Koroleva. I would shut her out. I must. 

As if thinking of her had summoned her, I felt her presence begin to approach me. An urgency to guard myself against her flooded my mind, and what felt like a glazed shield encompassed me.

This connection Alina and I possessed was unlike anything I’d experienced with another. My knowledge of merzost and of amplifiers led me to believe it was, at least in part, due to the stag’s antlers that we could visit and communicate with each other in this way. Today had been the first time she had visited me though, so I hadn’t considered there was a way to block her, to keep her out.

I could still feel her, sense her presence all around me. I heard her call out to me, as if from a long distance, “Aleksander!”

I could see a figure before me, on the other side of the shield I’d erected. She wiped her hand at the surface, as if to clear a fogged glass, and I found that the haze began to give way. Was it her will or mine that allowed the barrier to fade? I inspected the haze, studying the feel of it, and clamped down on any lingering curiosity I had at why Alina had returned so readily. I’d made my decision, I would not allow myself this weakness any longer. The barrier turned a gleaming, sold black. Obsidian. My lips quirked up at that. There, Alina, I thought. Break through that. 

I couldn’t hear her anymore, but I could still feel her, the essence of her, on the other side of that wall I’d built between us. Her power reverberated over it for a few more minutes, and I assumed she must be hammering her fists against it. I felt what seemed like a gasp of despair from the other side of the wall, and then nothing. 

The absence I felt at the loss of her presence did not hold the satisfaction I’d hoped.

...At this point Aleksander decides he’s back to playing dirty since Alina must have used him. Oh, silly Aleksander. Where is the trust?! That’s it for now, but I’ve already started drafting some other things for this ship, so let me know if you’d like to be tagged in future stuff!! xx

#shadow and bone #siege and storm #The Grisha Trilogy #tgt #darklina fanfic #darklina fic #alina x the darkling #alina x aleksander #alina starkov #the darkling

[delicatebluebirdruins]

Shadow and Bone

This will contain spoilers (duh) some names being forgotten and its going to get long and some context less chaos

I hope i got the image ids right

Episode one (23rd April)

- ahh so the Fold= Dark Island form VoDT but with less summoning of monsters?

ID: Ben Barnes holding onto the wheel of a boat

- Many smol beans

Brief interlude with Nausicaa Valley of the Wind

Episode 1 cont. up to midway episode 7 (24th)

- magical brown trouser time my good sir

- buddies!!

- they’re not going to leave Alina alone to her existential crisis are they?

That tent looks like a circus tent to me and I have no idea why

- hmm hello completely innocent fallen branch

me: turns to sis and asks if we can we take brief intermission for this headbanger (which we did)

Turns out our brief intermission for the song was useless because after pressing play again it started buffering

we were talking about it and Dad misheard it as shaggy bone

Imagine the darkling but in pastels and black lace

- how the flipping heck can you fake bleeding light

- do you want to get lost Alina?

On Ben Barnes beard: 50% hot damn and 50% fight me (the way he tilts his head in this makes us want to hit him in the jugular)

Episode 3

- ooh look at the stag

- i love the bathroom

- damn Nina

- I wish Alina had time to get some magic tips but oh well

- replays Ben Barnes saying Moya Tsarieta twice

- how?! (Look I told you there was going to be bits where the context is tricky to pin point)

- i love the goat

- oh Jesper

- blue and gold is a great colour combination

- about the dinner scene: if this were me it would be the very rare time I stand up for myself

+ I want to add a small thing about the food taster... one is dream job/ i like him/ and imagine a taster eating something and it goes down the wrong way

- yes Jesper hug the goat- and

ID: a man with his thumb up gif from The Hunger Games; with him saying “nice shooting sweetheart” but I couldn’t find a gif of him saying it

- true north? I am never going to be free of bellarke am I?

- oh that hurts

Episode 4

- “our saint has arrived to late” 🤧

- ohh the stag is so pretty

- horses!!!

- time for a heist- i love this goat

- aww wishing fountain bonding

- the darking is growing on me

- i love Mikhail and Dubrov

- I love what we get to see of Nadia and Marie and Kaz and Inej and Jesper and basically everyone

- i love a heist (this isnwhat the hobbit should of been but you know with more dragons

- Mal is baby

- poor Nina

- ah ha a vicious cycle against the Grisha and Fjerdan

- I thought Arkens reaction was a bit odd

- oh Alina sweet heart- flashback time

- the map room is a aesthetic- using Aleksanders own words against him

That shot of the two of them is great

- poor Alina

- yas queen

- oh the stag!

- oh the machine gun; Mal poor buddy and of course flashback time

- i knew she was going to get the scar removed

Episode 5

- poor Mal

- Nadia is me

- Genya is amazing

- hi David and great minds think alike Alina (i had the same expression on my face when they were flirting)

- oh the creepy masks had a purpose

- “you’re not Ivan” you don’t say

- aand height difference... this first kiss is kind of weird to me

- oh Jesper you flirt

- I’m sorry firey people you’re going to be outshined

- Inej is so beautiful

- Dima?!?!

ID: two people from a scene in the Anastasia Musical the song My Petersburg

- what is the librarians dudes problem?

- Genya you badass... poor Marie (does Alina learn about this?? It would probably be forgotten just like her causing the death of her fellow mapmakers)

- I love the costumes

- Tofin (Idk his name) we don’t know you sorry you’re dead

- oh the kissing

ID: a gif showing two people kissing

- and him giving her the flowers is kind of cute but where did they come from?

- *pinched nose* I hate cryptic messages Baghra... holy shit... i mean I kinda knew he was immortal but still holy shit

- oh Kaz... Inej! Collect your bloody knives

- *snorting* The crows being sent to kidnap Alina and Jesper just watching her climb into the getaway carriage will always be hysterical (i personally would be laughing and thats why anything involving stealth is off the cards for me)

Episode 6

- rest in pieces Arken

- Alina broke Inej

- I love Ivan (remember the thing i said about forgetting names/ getting them mixed up? This is it.. I love Feydor a lot more than Ivan but they are both so cute together)

- my heart will go on starts playing?

- i like that horse statue in the background

- i love the beach... look at those waves... the wet look is great

- you done mess up Alina but also cool

- Mal is burly squid

- “burly squid” wheezing nosies

- now hug

- Kaz I love the cane

- “I see you now” aww

- I knew they were going to snuggle... those cute laughs

- the alarm clock though... i knew Inej should have taken the knife... i love Jesper... poor Inej... clever boy Kaz

- does it hurt? Mal? Does it hurt?

I have a habit at picking at things that hurt and well fictional characters aren’t safe from me wanting to poke something painful

- ride OR die bitches

- aand more height differences... getting very close there guys... Matthias please don’t let her fall.... they are kind of cute

- David through a book... 😂 they carriage jacked the Darkling

- David raising his hand is me... but damn it

- Alina is amazing... please remember you’re wearing the ring... Mal is best boy

- “adorable” snorting noises

Episode 7

- horsey!!!

- ahh the return of the VoDT hair (see first gif)

- Luda is familiar...

- yikes

- poor Aleksander being turned into a pincushion is not a great time

- poor Luda

- holy shit

- rock and hard place

- fuck off Baghra

- he wanted to help 😔

- ah so its like the hollow from Charmed

Image ID: gif from the og Charmed with text saying “ohhh she’s a demon!”

- this shot is beautiful... ah so I guess this could have been what happened if Caspian resurrected the White Witch... i guess

- hi stag.... oh okay 😔 poor Stag poor Mal

Flashbacks to Cinderella and Snow White (the one with Krisien Sterwart) natually it follows along with Snow White

- *squishie noises* poor Jesper... we love you Jesper but please stop talking to Inej just in case she sews her finger to the wound

- i love the crows and i love the chat about the crows

Buffers

The next day (25th) episode continued

- David looks so sad

- personally I would downsize the fold just as reminder of it

- that looks like that hurt

- I love Milo and Jesper 💖

- don’t look at it Alina... Genya is right that colour is horrible... tell her off Alina... poor Genya

- I think Jesper had fun playing a guard

- I knew the Darkling read the letters

Sister: why does he look like Tom Ellis right now?

- oh Mal

- blow dart... lol Kaz

- Milo!?! Oh the bullet you clever boy Mal

- i like the tent... he’s not wrong... we want to play with that dangly bit... oh the angst

- I thought you looked older (idk context)

- I love the outfit but couldn’t the necklace be anywhere else?

- “no mourners no funerals”

- I love the music

Episode 8

- I don’t trust that opening

- me too Crows, me to... how could you not know who Milo is

- I love Nina and Matthias so much... they are so pretty... I am not a fan of taxidermy... oh his name is Feydor sorry we kept getting you mixed up

- God damnit Kirigan.. a not so sneaky Mal... the honorary Crow... pick a side already darkling... Sun Queen?... did anybody notice her being tied down?... Good Mal and good Inej

- Jesper is amazing... so much death... bad bitch Zoya... I love Inej kissing the knife and nailing the Darkling with it... head shot... hello buddy??... this music though... badass Alina... fucking Ivan... holy shit and of course music is amazing

+ brave Kaz

- Inej and Alina bonding time... hugs? No hugs ☹️

- he offered her his hand 😞... Inej wants to hug... finally some hugs... Zoya has grown on me... i love Kanej (is that the ship name)

- Matthias oh no buddy... hill house flashbacks

- i love Jesper so much... Nina going “someone say heartrender??”

Image ID: someone turning around and raising eyebrows at camera

- Kaz saying “she’s a saint” made my heart happy

- I doubt the Darkling is dead...... i was right

- well shit/ coolness of making shadow monsters follow you (please let there be a flashback for this)

Bonus

+ imagine of Matthias and Nina decide to sleep rather than get food and were caught cuddling by the Grisha... I thought of this as I was getting into bed that night and i got up ran to my sister told her my thought she found the idea funny then went back to bed

+ people who own trains are evil?? Looks at snowpiercer

Bonus: the soundtrack is on spotify and itunes

Image id: someone bobbing along with headphones on

#shadow and bone netflix #ellie watches #spoilers #long post

[howtotrainyouragents]

Agent H’s Book Reactions

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Orphaned soldier, Alina Starkov, discovers that she is a powerful Grisha and is sent to the capital to train under the mysterious Darkling. 

-Full Disclosure: I am only reading this series because I want to read the Nikolai Lantsov duology coming out this year. I could honestly care less about spoilers or how good or bad this series is. If anyone takes my reviews seriously (which, you shouldn’t), don’t take this one seriously. Trust me. 

-Second Full Disclosure: I have read every possible iteration of lost girl being taken to the palace to be transformed, AND I AM SO FUCKING DONE WITH IT. Idk, blame Caelena, but I will burn this plot out of the YA section 

-That being said, I will obviously keep reading this plot trope if for nothing else than  the ball scene trope. Gets me every time. 

-Was surprised and grateful that it shifted gears halfway and went into a race-against-time survival plot. Very nice if not the smoothest transition (reminded me of Hunger Games’ parties and makeup one chapter and then death games the next. Not necessarily the best mix of tones.) 

-I don’t really have any opinion on Alina because I didn’t feel like she had much of a personality? Like she did stuff once in a while and some of the stuff she went through was powerful. But she herself wasn’t interesting

-Almost everything in the book happens to Alina as opposed to her doing stuff, smh. Also what’s with all this kissing her without warning or asking? And I was so annoyed with her sparing the stag (thank goodness that got addressed), but then she condemns the entire sand skiff and I was like “Oh, right. This is Leigh Bardugo. Take no prisoners.” 

-The scene where she first calls her power and where she learns mercy was so incredibly powerful that I had to put the book down and think “Damn, Leigh. You are good.”

-See, before I started reading this, I wondered how anyone could have a ship with someone called The Darkling. Then reading it, I was like totally shipping Alina and The Darkling. And then he revealed he was evil, manipulated her, and used her and now I’m back to wondering why anyone would have a ship with someone called The Darkling

-I hate Mal. He gets better, but it was too late for my opinion. 

-I loved Alina and Genya’s friendship because it felt honest and real (whereas Nina and Inej always felt a little forced to me because we never saw its beginnings). Then Alina was like “I don’t know if she was ever really my friend” and I’m like “Girl, come on!”

-Looking forward to seeing Genya and David (aww) again. And Zoya! She was purposefully introduced and then was purposefully not important :P

-I can’t believe I read this whole book for pirate prince Nikolai and he wasn’t even in it. And now I’m worried I won’t like him when I meet him. 

#I love that this is called bite-sized book reviews when they're really not #there was a typo in the book #I want me my pirate prince and I want to like him help #grisha trilogy #grishaverse #alina #Alina starkov #book review #books #ya #ya lit #ya fantasy #fantasy novels #agent book reaction #THANK GOODNESS SOC IS SO MUCH BETTER #agent h

[xserpx]

Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom

So I finally, finally finished Crooked Kingdom. Holy fuckin shit I'm emotionally exhausted. Excuse me while I collapse in a heap and cry over these messed up children, and pretend that that one thing that happened never happened ;w;. @conjurewithrisk THIS SERIES HAS RUINED ME I AM A PIGEON AND KAZ BREKKER AND HIS MOTLEY GANG FLEECED MY SOUL I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY.

Spoilers after the jump.

Matthias

I’m genuinely so, so, ridiculously, horrifically upset by Matthias’s death. I haven’t cried that much since Deathly Hallows, and they were characters I’d grown up with for 7+ years, compared to Matthias who I didn’t know like a week ago. He was my favourite character from the moment he showed up (he’s a hitter, of course I’m gonna love him), and he and Nina were my OTP (chocolate fucking biscuits!!!! “You’re better than waffles, Matthias Helvar” ;___;), and I love how much he learned from her, his humour, how much he supported Nina through her parem addiction, and how he helped the rest of the crew. He was the one who could show up in a scene, and I’d be like “*w* there he is”. So granted I’m a little biased, but I really, really don’t like the way he died. I feel like it was more for shock value, which is such a disappointing end for a fantastic character, and I think that Matthias just standing there making a target of himself, convinced the kid wouldn’t shoot, didn’t make sense. Sure, he generally tries to see the best in people, but I can’t believe that at that age Matthias wouldn’t have pulled the trigger, or that he wouldn’t have realised that the potential was at least there. It also ruins Nina’s ending - bright, happy Nina, who only just got her appetite back! After only just recovering from something as life-altering as parem, and her change in Grisha ability, I hate that Nina has to then go through the grief of Matthias’s death. He had so much to live for!! I much, much prefer happy Nina to angsty Nina. It’s Fred and George all over again - a shock value kill by a nameless/unimportant perpetrator that not only horribly affects both their futures, but it takes all the joys and triumphs, the past beautiful moments and of all the things they did together, and makes them sad and depressing. It closed far more doors than it opened, IMO, and while there’s probably a reason for it I’m just not seeing, and while it’s a testament to Leigh Bardugo that she managed to make me that upset in the first place, and I’m probably just taking it to seriously or something, I can’t deny that my enjoyment of the duology as a whole has been seriously diminished by it. I can never praise JK Rowling for killing Fred, and I can’t praise Leigh Bardugo for killing Matthias. It was just such an unnecessary downer of what could have been a truly stellar book, and I don’t think it benefitted the plot enough to justify it at all. There was enough trauma, enough terror, they’d been through so much, and they should have all had a happy ending. It would have been better if they had. There’s probably some sort of other series that’s going to spin off of it, and I would like to see Nina again, but it’s Matthias I love the most and unless she somehow finds a way to bring him back to life without him becoming a zombified shadow of his former self, I just don’t really care that much, because I know I’ll only ever be thinking about what could have been. 

Wylan

I’m so glad Wylan a) held out long enough to get beaten up so badly that even the Barrel-hardened crewmembers winced, just because he wanted his story to be more believable (how’s that for a merchling!), and b) got his wonderful moment to show his father how good he really is. Van Eck made an excellent almost Scooby-Doo-esque villain in the end, and it was glorious watching him squirm. Wylan is smart, he’s brave, he’s perfect. I’m also glad he has his face back, mostly because I can do nothing but imagine him as Pidge from Voltron, and it makes me happy. Also “I want to make a down payment” oh my good lord. Also the Van Eck house is the shit. I want to live there. I also want to see more of Kaz being forced to sit through Alice’s singing, just because. Jesper

I WAS SO WORRIED THAT JESPER’S DA WAS GONNA DIE. Holy fuck, at least Ms Bardugo spared me that torture. I also love that Jesper got more screen time in Crooked Kingdom, since I felt he was short changed in Six of Crows. Also the fight in Black Veil was AWESOME, and using his Fabricator powers to BEND A BULLET’S TRAJECTORY, and giving his money to his Dad because he knows he has to recover from his gambling problem first omg i’m so proud of him <333 Inej

Don’t talk to me about Inej. She is glorious. She deserves everything the world has to offer and more. I did cried so much over Matthias, but Inej was second in line for my tears, though happy ones this time. Every time Kaz did something nice for her - not just nice things, they were LIBERATING things, IMPOSSIBLE things. Kaz the kind of guy who if Inej wanted the moon on a stick would give her the moon as well as all the stars in the heavens - I cried so much. Like every five minutes I was crying because of Inej, and seeing her happy makes everything better <3. ALSO CAN WE TALK ABOUT INEJ AND NINA’S FRIENDSHIP?!?!?! My heart, oh gods. Imagine if Inej hadn’t been there when Matthias died ;w;. And I’m still not even over their talk on the ship after Nina had taken parem. I really wish Nina (and Matthias ;w;) had been there at the Van Eck house at the end, because I need more of Inej and Nina hanging out together, and general hilarious teenager shenanigans with all six of them. Kaz

Kaz. Just... Kaz. I can’t sum him up at all, because there’s just too much, but he reminds me of a lot of characters I love - he’s a damaged child mastermind seething with rage and hellbent on revenge  - but that raw trauma he has that makes everything he is so understandable... I love it. Seeing him lay waste to his enemies is beautiful. The first time I cried in the book was during his flashback to what happened with Jordie and finally understanding why he refuses to touch anyone, so seeing him become more open with Inej, that moment when he realises he’s angry at Jordie for what happened (his associating Jesper with his brother omg ;w;) and seeing him take down Rollins, and mostly using Hertzune’s own damn con with waaaaay bigger stakes <3 <3 <3... That is the kind of stuff I signed up for.

To sum up, I truly hate how disappointed I am with Matthias’s death and how much it horribly overshadowed what could have been one of the most triumphant, glorious endings to any book I’ve ever read, but Leigh Bardugo has given me a gift nonetheless. I love the world, I love the characters, I adore heists. Anything that reminds me of Leverage is always gonna be awesome. I’m not sure if I’ll read the Grisha trilogy yet, since I don’t know if my nerves can handle anymore (though it probably helps that I already know Alina Starkov’s fate) - and also I still need to finish all the HTTYD books - but I loved this duology SO MUCH and I don’t know how I’ll handle not having anymore. I guess I’ll just have to go track down aaaall the Nina/Matthias fics (and fics in general).

ALSO CAN WE HAVE A MOVIE/NETFLIX ADAPTATION OF THIS PLEASE??!?!?! I need to see Matthias/Jesper/Wylan/Kuwei’s Black Veil fight, and Inej vs Dunyasha on the high wire. Please let that be a thing.

#crooked kingdom #six of crows #grisha #soc

[aknymph]

Our Little Secret~ Part 2

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3

A/N: Decided to continue this; hopefully more to come! (Another note at the end!)

Characters belong to Leigh Bardugo and The Grisha Trilogy.

**Warnings: mature content, sex, language

Characters: Alina Starkov + The Darkling; Mal, Tolya, Tamar

Read Part 1 here

I let Aleksander show me what he could give me if I indeed decided to rule beside him. I was lost in him, his scent, the feeling of his strong body against mine. Back in the White Cathedral, my body was still weak, but here, with him, I was strong, alive, vibrant even. Though my body here was only a part of myself, I could feel his power flowing through me and mine through him as we explored this bond between us. That sense of surety I’d always experienced at his touch was somehow made different with this joining, as if he too could feel the surge of surety, of rightness when we were together.

“Alexsander,” I moaned, as he thrust himself into me, grazing my neck with his teeth. He had gone slowly with me at first, letting me adjust to the size of him. He was more attuned to me than I imagined it possible for someone to be. He listened to my sounds, responded to my movements, making the smallest adjustments at any sign of the slightest discomfort. As I grew accustomed to the size and feel of him, he allowed himself to grow more fierce in our exchange.

“Yes, Alina?” He was breathless, and he seemed vexed at having to remove his mouth from my body long enough to speak.

“I want this, Aleksander. I want us. I want you,” it was a chore to speak with the things he was doing to my body. He had his hands braced on either side of my head to keep from crushing my body beneath his, and it gave me the most glorious view of us both. Those teeth had made it to the base of my neck, and he bit me, eliciting another moan. Never had I imagined wanting a man to bite me, but the desire that coursed through me at that was unmistakable.

“More,” I ground out, feeling a smile playing at his lips at my response.

Never had Aleksander, had the Darkling, been so obedient to my desires, and I found it thrilled me to have him at my command, even if only in this. He continued to move his mouth lower, marking me with tongue and teeth as he went. When his mouth found my breast, he pulled back, only lightly tracing it’s curve with his tongue.

“Aleksander,” I moaned again, a plea on my lips.

“So eager.” I could tell he was pleased with himself, pleased with the reaction he was garnering with such little effort.

He moved his tongue across me again, this time a brazen lick instead of the light caress from a moment ago. But I was tired of waiting, and as his tongue slid over my nipple, I arched my back, thrusting my breast into his mouth. A moan escaped his lips at that, but he obliged, sucking me deeper into his mouth as I continued to press myself into him. With my back arched, he braced a hand against my bare back and pulled his knees underneath himself to straddle me, pushing himself impossibly deeper inside me. I was surprised to find myself moving then, pulling myself into his lap. I straddled him, wrapping my legs around his waist and grinding myself onto him.

“Fuck, Alina.”

I was impossibly encouraged by his response to my movements as I wrapped my arms around his back to grasp his shoulders. One of his hands slid to grip my ass, aiding my movements against him, the other tangled in my hair as he pulled my mouth to his. Despite our rough, pleading movements, his kiss was tender, his full lips lingering on mine. That tenderness unlocked something inside me, and I bucked my body harder, faster against his. He was so deep inside me, and I could feel myself beginning to quake around him.

“Oh, Aleksander. Yes, please.” I couldn’t make sense of the words pouring from my lips. I just knew that I wanted this, whatever was coming, I wanted it. Both his hands gripped my hips as he helped my move toward that glorious peak.  Aleksander was panting with me, doing everything he could to bring me over that edge. 

“Come for me, my Alina.” At those words, I broke apart, shuddering around his cock, as I rode out that incredible high, our bodies joined for my pleasure. His name spilled from my lips over and over, the sound of which brought him over that edge with me with a few final thrusts.

We sat there, foreheads resting together, panting each other’s air. After what seemed like hours, I felt his brow furrow, and with trepidation I pulled back, and looked at him, surprised to find a smile spread across his face.

“You’re beautiful, my sun saint,” he said as he traced my lips with his thumb.

It was a whispered confession, spoken across the expanse of our bodies. I found that despite our nakedness, all we’d done, the evidence of which was spilled inside me, those words caused a blush to creep across my cheeks. I turned my face to try to hide my embarrassment, but he slid his thumb down the frame of my face, turning me back to look at him.

“Do not hide from me.” I blinked at the sternness in his voice. I met his eyes, realizing it wasn’t anger, but perhaps hurt that lined his features. “Please,” he added then, almost an afterthought.

My own eyes softened then, understanding dawning on me. No, he wasn’t angry, he was nervous, nervous that after all we’d just shared, I would still turn away from him. I let my hand float up to his cheek. His eyes drifted closed as he nestled into my palm.

“Alina,” he began, still sounding pained, “I don’t want to do this without you. I can, but-”

I was ripped from him then, my body being hurdled away. I tried to reach out to him, but I could no longer feel his body against mine.

“Alina. Alina.” My name was being shouted, but it was garbled, as if I was underwater. I reached for Aleksander again; where had he gone? Where was I being taken?

“Alina, wake up. Come back, Alina.” The voice was yelling now, no longer muted, and I felt my body being shaken. Anger coursed through me. I would not be taken; I would fight.

I threw up my fists to ward off my attacker, and my fist met bone with a sickening crunch. Good, I thought, I could do this.

“Shit. Seriously, Alina? You were dreaming. Fuck, I’m bleeding.”

This didn’t make any sense. I tried to shake the confusion from mind, finally opening my eyes. 

Mal stood before me, hand cupped below his nose as blood slid into his awaiting palm. Shit. What had just happened? Had Mal caught me with the Darkling? No, we’d been in the palace, in the throne room. Realization dawned on me then as the room around me came into focus and I felt my presence fully sink back into my body. I was in the White Cathedral. How long had I been with him there, leaving my body forgotten in this tomb?

“Mal?” I didn’t mean for it to come out as a question, but it did none-the-less. My mind was racing- guilt, shame, confusion, frustration all swirling together. I tried to steady my breathing, to remind myself that it was unlikely he had any idea what had happened, what I’d been doing mere moments ago.

“What happened?” I managed, channeling as much of my confusion as I could, to try to mask the anger that was quickly bubbling up inside me. What had Aleksander been about to tell me? Later, I told myself. Later.

“What happened is that you just punched Mal in the nose, Alina,” Tamar responded, suppressing her grin. I grimaced as I realized Mal and I weren’t the only ones in the room. My face flushed, again concerned that somehow these people knew what I’d been doing in a throne room, miles from this place.

Tamar stepped up to Mal then, examining. “Don’t be such a baby, Oretsev. It’s not like she broke it. You’ll be fine.” I didn’t miss the smirk she tried to hide from Mal by turning to face me instead.

“Mal had come to check in on you, and we’d followed,” she said, gesturing between herself and Tolya, “just in case anyone tried to give him any trouble. Only, when we got here, you were out cold. We figured you were sleeping, so Tolya and I stood watch outside your door and left Mal to wake you up.” She glanced to Mal with a slight grimace, “When he started shouting, we figured the two of you were just arguing about something, but after a second we realized it was only Mal’s voice.”

I glanced at Tolya, standing by the door, arms crossed, and found he was nodding gravely.

Mal interjected now, apparently deciding his nose had stopped bleeding enough for him to speak. “You were mumbling and thrashing about, and I thought maybe you’d been poisoned or something, that maybe the Darkling had somehow found us down here and he was torturing you.”

I winced at the mention of the Darkling,wondering what the others would think if they knew I was, in fact, with the Darkling, but that it had been nothing akin to torture that he’d been giving me. Mal must have seen my wince because he moved to sit beside me on the bed and took my hand. “It’s okay, Alina, you don’t have to be afraid anymore. He can’t get to you here.”

How was I going to come back from this? I couldn’t tell my friends that something, everything had changed, because for them, nothing had. But I knew this was different now; our fight was different, I  was different, and I needed to sort this out. I needed to speak to Aleksander. We could work this out-- together.

“Hello, Alina?” Mal was waving a hand in front of my face, “Are you listening? Are you there? Saints, Alina, what happened?”

“I, I--” I didn’t know what to tell them. I didn’t want to lie to them, but I also couldn’t tell them the truth. Oh, it’s no big deal, I just went to see the Darkling. We talked, well, we didn’t talk that much, but we talked some. We made up. Everything is good now. We’re good. I don’t think he wants to be our enemy, so we can probably just call this war over and go home now. Yeah, that wasn’t going to work. And was that even the truth? I didn’t know. And I the reason I didn’t know was because Mal’s selfish ass pulled me back here into the hell that I couldn’t escape. My anger was boiling up now, threatening to spill over, and I tried to reign it in, to find details, shards of truth I could share without revealing my own secrets. Mal must have seen my anger though because he was up again, backing away from my bed, hands raised before him.

“Whoa, Alina. Are you okay? What the hell happened?”

“Maybe she’s pissed because she was getting some damn good sleep, and your stupid ass decided to wake her up,”Tamar interjected.

I snorted at that, allowing myself to regain the leash on my anger. These people are my friends, I reminded myself, not my enemies.

“I went to see him,” I finally managed.

“What?” Mal was the angry one now, and I found that pleased me.

“I needed to see what was happening, if he was as weakened as I was.” A half-truth.

“And?” Tolya this time. Ever the sun-soldier.

“He wasn’t.” I could see their disappointment at that. “He seems-” perfect, beautiful, impossibly good at knowing what I want-- “at his usual strength. Though I didn’t ask him for a demonstration.” At least not of that kind, I added in my head.

Mal was still skeptical though. What had he observed from me before he’d drawn the attention of the others? “That’s it? It took me twenty minutes to bring you back, Alina. Did he know you were there? Did you talk to him?”

“Of course I talked to him.” I was feeling defensive now, spinning out at the accusation despite knowing he couldn’t know what I’d done.

“And?”

“Why are you being so hostile towards me? It’s not as if I invited him for tea.”

“I thought he had hurt you again, Alina. I was scared.”

“Again? When did he hurt me before? He lied to me, yes, but when did he hurt me?” I was furious now-- with Mal, with myself, maybe even with Aleksander.

“He cut your arm the very first time you met him, Alina,” Mal spat the words as if I was a foolish child. He was right of course, but that had been a test, to reveal my power. Had there been other times he’d hurt me like that, times I’d merely brushed aside? Mal wasn’t finished though, and I soon got my answer. 

“He tried to enslave you with that fucking collar. He tried to feed me to the volcra on the Unsea. He used your power to spread the Unsea over half of Novokribirsk, killing anyone in its path. He had a nichevo’ya bite you when he captured us in Novyi Zem. Then he kept us apart on that Saints forsaken search for the sea whip. Is that a long enough list, Alina? Or should I continue?”

My eyes stung with tears at the unspoken accusation in his voice, and I fought to blink them away before they could fall. I would not cry, not for this, not for him.

“I’d like to be alone.”

“And I’d like to know what important conversation you were having with the Darkling while I thought he was torturing you in your mind.”

I looked to Tamar then, knowing she wouldn’t disobey. “I’m still disoriented from being brought back in that way. Can you three please give me some privacy? When I feel myself again, we can reconvene.”

“Of course, Moy Sovereign’ye.” She stepped toward Mal as if to lead him from the room, but he just shook his head and walked out. Tamar pulled the door closed behind them.

My mind was swimming with so many thoughts. Mal hadn’t been wrong, not exactly, but I also didn’t think Aleksander had done any of those things to punish me, per say. To him, they were just a means to an end, and though that didn’t excuse his actions, I also knew that he was ancient, and I couldn’t imagine how living for centuries without anyone to understand you could warp and twist your perceptions of right and wrong. I needed to speak to him; I needed to know what he’d been trying to tell me before Mal pulled me back to this hell hole.

I slowed my breathing, allowing it to steady the thundering of my heart as I layed back down on my bed. I closed my eyes and reached into my power, our power. I felt the antlers, the heart of the stag, the tendril of darkness I’d taken with me, and him-- I felt for him. 

Nothing. 

I tried again, feeling the bond that flowed between us, the one that had strengthened through the joining we had shared. I felt it all, brushed against the essence that I knew was him, and again, nothing happened. 

It was so easy last time, like walking through an open doorway, but this, this seemed more like a wall. I placed my hand against it, testing, trying to understand what was before me. It was hazy, as if I was looking through a foggy window. I used my hand to try to clear a space through which to see, growing frantic at this barrier that had somehow closed me off from him. It seemed that the haze was beginning to clear, so I kept wiping at the surface, willing my vision to clear. Suddenly the barrier was black. 

“No!” I shouted at him. “No!” I hit my fist against the wall that now stood before me, black obsidian glistening in front of me. I stumbled backward, not believing my eyes, wondering still what trick this was. 

I found myself in my bed again, curled into a ball, tears spilling down my cheeks.

“No, Aleksander,” I whimpered, “No.” How could I have been such a fool? It had been another trick. I had been that stupid, naive girl again, allowing myself to believe he wanted me, needed me. I was a fool. 

My tears fell slightly as I drifted into a fitful sleep. This time, no one came to wake me.

A/N: I thought about breaking them apart and sending Alina back the White Cathedral in the middle of things, but that seemed a torture too much for any of us to bare…I’m hoping to write the next chapter from Aleksander’s perspective!!! Thanks for reading!

Read Part 3

#our little secret #the grisha trilogy #the grishaverse #Darklina #alarkling #alina x aleksander #alina x the darkling #alina starkov #aleksander morozova #the darkling #tgt #leigh bardugo #fanfic #darklina fanfic