chapter two,    the king is a child

𝕯arkling

"THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS!" an abrupt snap was complemented by a loud thud of the doors and angry footsteps. Without giving it many thoughts, he calmly placed the letter on the table, raising his head first and only then averting the stare into a very hot-headed Squaller standing in front of his table.

"Let me guess... You are not content with our newest Grisha?" the Darkling leaned back in this chair, looking at the raven-haired beauty.

"Content?" she scoffed, placing her hands on her waist. "You know well yourself that she will not survive in here a day. There is nothing she can learn in here."

The man quirked his eyebrow, "Is that what you're worried about? Her ability to learn?"

Zoya winced, shaking her head in a frustrated manner, "We need soldiers. We need people ready to fight at any given point! Let's say she does learn something but are we supposed to point her in a direction of an enemy in a battle?"

The General noted that Zoya's anger was justified. Everyone knew well that Zoya was very passionate about what they were doing, about their purpose. She was one of the best Grisha roaming in these corridors, an inspiration for younger kids to get better and be like her. With that, developed a certain arrogance, but no one judged her, especially, since she had an amplifier.

"You haven't learned how to control your powers in a day as well. Give her a chance."

Something flashed in her eyes, making her squint them, "Others will rip her to pieces."

"Then make sure they don't."

Zoya stood there, puckering her lips. Silent.

The Darkling grinned, clasping his hands and pushing his index fingers to his chin, "By others you mean you will rip her into pieces."

The woman rolled her eyes, releasing a displeasing grunt, "Her place could be taken by a Grisha that is more capable."

"This is a place for all Grisha. She is a Heartrender and we must accept that. Besides," he stood up, his dark kefta moving in a satisfying manner as he walked to the window, clasping his hands behind his back, gazing through the window, "she is Genya's sister. She would never let her sister leave."

Zoya mumbled something incoherently and he didn't even bother to understand. He knew how Zoya viewed Genya and all about their quarrels. Zoya didn't like that Genya was the Queen's servant and Genya loathed the Squaller's arrogance. Most people here were competing with each other, little groups against other groups to see who was better, who came from a better background. It was ridiculous, but it wasn't his problem to solve as long as they respected him enough to not quarrel in front of him.

A knock appeared on the opened door, making the General mumble the invitation as his eyes were fixated on the garden that was visible through the window.

"General, the people are gathering up for the audience," Fedyor's voice reached his ears and he nodded.

Indeed, after the reconciliation of the Safin sisters, both the Little and the Grand Palaces knew about the newest addition to the Second Army. Most of the time, the King didn't care about the newest soldiers, but this time it was a different story—a discovery and Genya's sister. Everyone knew that the Royal Family was obsessed with the Tailor. In the worst ways only.

"An audience?" Zoya's voice slightly heightened in annoyance.

The Darkling turned around to calm her down, but he completely froze in his spot, forgetting what he wanted to do since beside Fedyor stood Liya. Or he thought so because she looked completely different.

Without any doubt the red kefta with the black embroidery harmonised with the auburn colour of her hair. It was beautifully braided, only a few strands framing her freckled face, without any visible bruises. Her face was smoothed, the dark circles gone, but done naturally without the effect of dullness. Genya did a good job making her sister look alive instead of a doll. The kefta was already adjusted to the bony structure of her body, tighter around her waist so it wouldn't hang as a bag on her tortured body.

Liya's hand was gently wrapped around Fedyor's arm, only this time she stood calmly, and her posture was straight. She no longer seemed so scared and intimidated. There was no need and lie in saying that the kefta didn't suit her because it did. The General didn't realise this yesterday, but the youngest Safin was a woman with exceptional beauty.

"General!" The impatient Zoya's voice snapped him out of his trance, making him blink a few times before averting his stare on the Squaller.

He didn't even notice that Zoya spent those few minutes arguing with Fedyor.

"The others are invited as well? He has really outdone himself this time," the Darkling finally responded that this wasn't a private audience.

"Should I be worried?" Liya asked, her voice much more soothing than yesterday.

"Yes," Zoya answered.

"No," Fedyor soothed at the same time.

The Safin sister loudly gulped, her shoulders slightly moving forwards and he couldn't blame her. Whenever it was Fedyor and Zoya in the same room, they suddenly became children.

The General walked to the Heartrender, noting the way her body reacted to his presence—she seemed wary, but not as intimidated as before. He couldn't quite understand the meaning of her furrowing eyebrows and the scrunch of her nose because he was so used to reading people and she was a little mystery.

"The King is just a big child, who loves to play with new toys."

Liya sucked in a gasp, pressing her lips together as if she was containing a peal of laughter that would be quite offensive in this situation, "Isn't that—wrong to say?"

The man curled his lips into a grin. He knew it wasn't what she wanted to say, but she was wary to speak her mind out in front of people she didn't know.

"It's not wrong if he is not here," the Darkling pointed out.

Liya raised her eyes and he almost flinched as soon as they met his. The grey circle around her iris seemed more faded in the daylight than it did in the dark. Her pupils seemed incredibly still, not reacting to the changing sources of light, but he saw the hidden joy in them. Before he could inspect her eyes a little bit more, the little creak of the wooden floor averted her eyes onto the source of the sound.

"That's called talking behind someone's back," Liya pointed out.

"So someone for you is our King?"

Liya winced disapprovingly, "Don't twist my words."

The Darkling almost thrived from the flustered cheeks of her. None of them knew what kind of person she was and all of them wanted to get to know her. For him, it was a necessity to do so for her to trust him and to know she will do whatever he will say. A little flirty comment, a tease here and there won't do much damage to get to know her better.

Zoya grumbled behind him and he had to grin wider. He knew that Zoya didn't like when there was someone better than her and when someone other than her shared his attention. A few nights were spent together and they both had a good time and the little winces of her jealousy didn't bother him. In fact, it felt good.

"Let's go to the King," the General suggested, making her release her hand from Fedyor and wait for the Darkling to lead the way. Instead, he gently extended his hand, wrapping it around her elbow and hooking it, feeling the way her body tensed.

"No," she gently pulled away, shaking her head, "Uh—I will be fine if you walk in front of me."

He didn't know if to feel pleased or offended that she didn't want him to touch her, but it confused him just a little bit why Fedyor could and with him, she chose the bigger possibility to trip on her way to the King. But on the other hand, judging from her tense muscles and slight tilt of her head, he could sense that she still felt a little bit intimidated by him.

That's why he slightly pulled her closer, hooking his arm around hers and she placed her hand on his arm, he gently leaned to the side, closer to her ear, noting their height difference as he murmured, "I won't let you fall. Trust me."

With a simple nod, they both left the room, finally feeling his back not burning from Zoya's stare. He quickly adjusted himself to the way of her walking. She wasn't slow, but her steps were cautious, her free hand slightly stretched out to the side. As soon as they made it outside, he noted that her hair shone nicely underneath the sun.

"Did you talk with Genya?" the Darkling asked.

"Yes," her voice was calm, but he expected for it to be more joyous.

"Was there something wrong?"

Liya walked silently for a few seconds, tilting her head to the left side where the garden was, "No, no," she shook her head, "I just haven't seen her in twenty years... It's just..."

"You don't know her," he finished her sentence.

"Yes... But that doesn't mean I am not happy for knowing that my sister is well. I am thankful for the chance to get to know her again."

The man could hear the gloominess in her voice. He knew what it was like to go through hell and lose people that he cared about. Only now he could sense how unfair it was for her to be dressed in a kefta, healed and pampered when she just escaped the biggest torture. Now, she had to show herself to the King who didn't care about anything else than seeing if the youngest Safin sister was at least as beautiful as Genya.

Liya didn't know where she was getting herself into and he was the one leading her to the deceit. There was a part of him that wished he could feel bad about this, for throwing her into the life of constant torment and competing, but he didn't know her well to feel pity for her. He didn't intend to get attached to her in the first place.

"Is she safe here?" Liya asked, silently.

"Yes, she is."

It wasn't a lie. This place was the safest for any Grisha.

Soon enough, he escorted her into the Grand Palace – the décor wasn't the best he has seen, in fact, it was quite bland. There was too much golden colour shimmering at every corner. It looked quite tacky and outdated, but so did the King who sat on the throne.

Walking up the stairs, he could feel her hand tighten around his arm, "What is going to happen exactly?" She quietly asked.

"The King wants to see you. Only speak when he speaks with you – he is very sensitive on that matter."

Liya suppressed a snort and he let himself smile a little bit.

They both entered the hall of the thrones where there were far more people than he expected. The Royal Family was already sitting on their thrones, a few closest maids around them as the other higher rank people and some Grisha were standing at the sides. He could sense the moment she realised that there were tons of people – she got tense, a straining vein popping in her neck. Her head was gently flickering from side to side as if she was catching the hushed whispers that surrounded them both.

Standing in the middle of the platform, he felt their eyes on them and he gently murmured for her to bow and soon enough everyone stopped whispering.

The King looked at the new Grisha with wide eyes. It took a lot of restraint to not snort with disgust at this man. He was wearing a uniform, with countless medals on his short and round body, looking more like a ball than a man. On top of that, he was a complete idiot when it came to the strategies of war and he trusted the Darkling blindly, making a few demands from time to time.

The General of the Second Army knew one thing – it should be him on that throne and not that fool.

Liya gently unwrapped her hand from his, straightening her posture as her breathing was quick. She softly pulled on her kefta, trying to hide the fact that she was horribly nervous and she waited.

They didn't have to wait long since the Queen spoke loud and clear, "Is she actually blind?"

Genya, who was standing behind the throne the Queen was sitting at, confirmed, "Yes, she is, Your Highness."

The Queen released a very distinct mph that had no meaning. By the look on her face which didn't even look real anymore from all of that tailoring, she seemed displeased, but she couldn't really furrow her eyebrows, so that was that.

The King, on the other hand, was publicly, without any shame, gawking at the youngest Safin. The Darkling had to admit that he saw some similarities in the sisters. They both were quite beautiful and had some differences in the colours of their eyes and their hair, but he knew well that what intrigued the King the most was that Liya Safin was younger.

"I thought that her hair is going to be a little bit lighter," the King finally spoke.

"I thought sightless people do not have colour in their eyes," the Queen added.

Liya froze beside him. Even the Darkling was surprised by their behaviour.

"What are you?" the King asked, slightly leaning forward.

"I—," Liya uneasily cleared her throat, rolling her shoulders back, "I'm Liya Safin, Moi Tsar."

The King smirked hearing the title come from her lips. Saints, he was a disgusting man. A little part of the Darkling felt relieved that she couldn't see how the King was gawking at her.

"I do not know if I am content with knowing there is a blind Heartrender. It's absurd, isn't it?" the Queen pointed out, receiving abrupt nods from the others.

Everything was absurd for the Queen whenever a woman stood beside the Darkling. He even knew that himself.

"I must assure you, Moya Tsaritsa," he started, watching the way her face ignited from hearing him speak, "I acknowledged her power myself. She is a discovery."

A wave of uneasy murmurs surrounded the hall. Liya put her hands behind her back.

"What can she do?" the round man asked.

The Darkling gave a brief look at Liya, who tried her best to look calm, but he could sense her trembling. "She can feel emotions. Of course, her powers are not known for us, so I ask for you to give me time to discover what she is truly able to do."

"She seems helpless to me," Tatiana, the Queen, mumbled.

"I vouch for her. I'll be monitoring her myself. I believe," he turned his head to look at the woman, "Miss Safin can be a new chapter in our books. Impossible made possible."

Liya slightly turned his head at him, a small smile on her face. The Darkling looked at the King, who looked as if he was thinking intensely, even if he knew that he had no ability to think about something for a long time. At the same time, he turned his head to look at Genya, who wasn't even hiding her displeased face. Genya didn't trust him. He didn't blame her, but he will have to gain her sister's trust anyways.

"Very well. I shall look forward to your powers, Miss Safin. The sooner – the better," the King answered and little murmurs echoed through the hall, breaking the silence.

As soon as the voices overtook the silence, surprising words and reactions created a little chaos, he saw how Liya slightly relaxed.

"You vouched for me?" She asked, turning to him.

"I believe there is something incredible hiding inside of you."

"What if there isn't?" She disagreed, a line appearing between her eyebrows.

The Darkling gently grabbed her hand, placing it on his arm, so she could hook it around it, "I have a feeling about you, Miss Safin. I hope you will the strength to believe in yourself too."

Through the chaos, he could hear her hold in her breath for a few seconds, "Can you promise me something?"

Oh?

"Promise you what?"

Liya took a deep breath, "If I do not exceed your expectations – don't try to hide that fact."

It wasn't what he expected she will say. "Why would I hide it?"

There was a painful silence and a sorrowful tremble of her lips that indicated that something has happened to her before. Taking a deep breath, she got his full attention, the need to understand what she has been through. Her silence, her obvious hesitation was getting him on edge—what has happened to her?

"Just promise me," she asked softly.

A glint of disappointment reflected in his eyes, but that only showed that she was wary, speaking about her past. She couldn't speak about Fjerdans and now this. And what's worst was, he wanted to know what happened.

"I promise."

The Darkling promised just because he knew she will exceed his expectations. But for the Saints sakes, what was hiding beneath the trembling of her lips?

author's note!

the banner is made by the talented -judeduarte
also, what do you think about Liya? How does she seem to you?
thank you so much for the support <3

m.n