[clever name]

Finished Works:

Silver (Prince Caspian x fem!reader) [The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian]

Enchanted (Prince Caspian x you) [The Chronicles of Narnia AU]

The Freak and the Jedi (Eddie Munson x fem!Henderson!reader) [Stranger Things: Season 4]

A Heartrender's Fire (Tolya Yul-Bataar x Lantsov!ofc) [Shadow and Bone: Season 2]

(Possible) Future Works:

That's Sir Gwaine to you (Sir Gwaine x fem!Pendragon!reader) [BBC Merlin] Webbed Hearts (Peter Parker x fem!reader) [Spider-Man Universe] A Galaxy Away (Cal Kestis x female!reader) [Star Wars Jedi: Survivor] Bittersweet Taste (Stella Yamda x female!reader) [Disney Channel's Lemonade Mouth] The Box Box Series (F1 drivers x female!reader) [Formula 1]

The Dawn Treader sailed over the bright waters at a fast pace. The sky was clear, the cerulean color almost fighting for dominance. The big purple Narnian sail stood tall and proud over the sea, sheltering the crew underneath. Even at a high altitude, I could still hear their laughs and yells, and a smile reached my lips at the sound. Something about that moment made me feel alive, which only got stronger when a shiny and familiar dark mop of hair made its slow way to my eye level. 

“Enjoying the view?” 

I couldn’t tell where Caspian’s pupils ended, and his irises began. His almost-black eyes glittered, nevertheless.

“I definitely am, now,” I winked at him, earning a laugh. His precious laugh. “I missed being at sea,” I commented, staring back at the horizon.

“I can tell,” Caspian noted. “You have barely been on deck since we parted.”

“Technically, I am on deck,” I grinned.

I reassured my grip on the ropes I was holding on to, and made sure Caspian’s were tightly wrapped around him as well. 

“Technically, you’re over deck,” he brushed a silver hair strand over my ear, his fingers lingering slightly on my cheek and chin as he slowly retreated his hand,

I rolled my eyes with a huge smile. “Now who’s being dogmatic?”

“You love it.”

“I hate it.”

“Keep telling yourself that, my Queen,” Caspian had gotten closer to me with every jab, and before I could respond, his lips were on mine.

One of his hands pulled me closer to him, making me lean completely into his body. For a moment, I almost forgot we were suspended in mid-air, trusting the ropes to hold our weight indefinitely with every lull of the ship. His arm only tightened around my waist as our lips danced together, sharing a fiery passion under the sun that sent an even bigger warmth through my skin. My only hand that wasn’t holding onto the ropes quickly moved to the back of his neck, and my fingers traced the same three words repeatedly on the tanned skin.

I love you.

The picture was pretty clear at that moment. Two young royals, at the top of their ship, for the rest of the world to see. And while normally I would have shied away, aware of the many people below us who could be watching, I didn’t care. As long as Caspian was with me, I couldn’t be bothered about anything else.

“I love you too,” Caspian murmured against my lips, pecking them once more. “Is it too late now to apologize?”

His question caught me off guard. “What do you mean?” I asked with a frown.

Caspian sighed. “I can’t even believe I ever told you to stay behind,” he said, looking into my eyes. “As soon as you set foot on the Dawn Treader, I knew I couldn’t keep you confined to your bed forever.”

I stared at him for a few seconds before answering. “Well… I’m not going to lie, it hurt that you even tried it.”

Caspian nodded in understanding. “I know. And for that I am terribly sorry,” he sighed again, looking for the right words. “I just… Things had been going so great… I don’t know, I guess I got scared for a second.”

I reached for his hand, squeezing it tightly. “Caspian,” I started, but he caught me off. 

He shook his head. “Look… I never told you this, but, even after all this time…,” the redness of his eyes was like a knife to the chest. “I still have… nightmares… of the raid.”

I suddenly felt lightheaded at his confession. “What?”

Caspian placed his hand on my cheek, stroking it softly with his thumb. “Lately, it has gotten worse, darling. I don’t know why,” his voice broke. “Knowing that it’s not even a nightmare, seeing you dead in my arms, but a memory…”

I shook my head, trying to get rid of the ghost pain in my body. “But I’m here now. Thanks to you,” I quickly dried off the tear that fell from his eye.

He nodded. “I know that too, trust me,” he breathed out. “And then, the other day, at the courtyard? For me, it was a sign,” his eyes scanned my face, almost committing it to memory. “But I can’t do that to you. I can’t tie you down, even though it’s killing me, because it would kill you too.”

I took his face in my hands, tasting his words carefully. “Caspian,” I begged. “Nothing is going to happen to us. We survived this much, and we will survive longer,” I stared into his eyes, wishing to take his anxiety away. “We have each other to keep and protect, and that is all that matters. We can’t change the past, but we can shape our future. And I don’t want it filled with dread and fear for what might wait for us around every corner. I want to live my life with you, and all it has to offer.”

Caspian didn’t answer immediately, but embraced me once again, resting his chin on my head. “I love it when you’re the voice of reason.”

I grinned at his words, closing my eyes as my arms tightened around his frame. “I love it when you’re all worried about me,” I breathed in, his scent overpowering me despite the wind around us. 

“I just love you.”

His lips kissed the top of my head, and once more, the sun embraced our bodies, giving us peace at our little hideaway, so far up in the sky that even I wondered if Aslan could be the only one who could hear us. 

But the peace did not last long. A little to our left, still far enough to fully understand what my eyes were seeing, something in the water was moving erratically.

“Cas,” I shook him, frowning at the lack of body contact. “Look.”

He squinted his eyes after opening them, looking down. “Dolphins?”

“I doubt it,” I frowned. “They usually swim closer to us, and don’t stay at the same spot,” I mentioned, racking my brain for an answer.

“Hold on.”

Caspian didn’t leave me any room to ask why because he quickly tightened his grip on my waist once again, and with one firm hand gripping the ropes, he jumped us from the sky. I couldn’t even scream in terror as we both plunged, for there was no time to register the wind flapping in my ears and the turning of my organs inside my body; one second, we were staring at the water from the mast, and the next, we were standing perfectly placed in the middle of the deck. Caspian was already calling the sailors to provide intel on the mysterious figure the Dawn Treader was sailing dangerously close to, while I could only stare dumbfounded at him. I was glad the rest of the crew seemed too preoccupied, for my body suddenly felt on fire as I stared in awe at Caspian.

“Are you alright, my Queen?” Reepicheep suddenly asked, sensing my confusion. 

I could only shrug my shoulders at him, feeling the mighty mouse’s smirk. Caspian had definitely gotten a lot bolder through the years. Not that I was complaining.

“Survivors!” Lord Drinian concluded with a glance through his spyglass. “Three of them!” 

Several sailors, including myself, ran to the other side of the deck, ready to assist them. My eyes scanned the surrounding water, frowning when they couldn’t find the remains of any sinking ship.

“Ready to dive!” Caspian called. “Go!”

Two men responded to his call, diving into the cold water and even splashing some of us in their wake. Right before I could also jump offboard, Caspian stopped me.

“You stay!”

“No way!”

Caspian had already taken off his coat, leaving it in a heap by my feet. With one more begging look in my direction, he plunged into the waters.

“Crew, help them up!” Lord Drinian shouted once he saw Caspian swim back to the ship. 

Caspian, together with two of our sailors, was floating near the ship, waiting to be hauled up onto the deck with us. He grabbed the ropes of the small platform and helped one of the figures up, but with the sun shining so bright, I couldn’t distinguish anything about the person Caspian was bringing with him.

“Can somebody bring towels, please?” I looked around, sighing in relief when a couple of sailors nodded and bowed rapidly, running inside to follow my orders.

That simple action relaxed me more than I wanted to admit. Even though neither Caspian nor I was the captain of the Dawn Treader, I could still command such respect. I climbed up onto the quarter deck and stood next to Lord Drinian, the two of us eyeing the sailors to make sure they made it back safely, while the rest of the crew helped the survivors onto the main deck. Towels were rapidly handed to them, and despite myself, I couldn’t help but eye Caspian down as his wet clothes clung to his body. I had to take a deep breath, hoping that nobody could see the shiver that ran down my spine at the sight.

The crew was blocking the view, but my heart stopped as soon as a familiar redhead stood next to Caspian, hugging the towel closer to her body.

“That was thrilling!”

I froze when I heard her voice.

“How in the world did you end up here?” Caspian laughed, throwing his arm around her shoulders and walking in my direction.

“I have no idea.”

“Caspian!” Another well-known voice called from the back. 

I had forgotten how to breathe all of a sudden. The fast beating of my heart made my hands tremble, and I had to grip the banister to regain my balance as I slowly realized that Edmund and Lucy were back in Narnia with me. 

“Are you alright, my Queen?” Lord Drinian asked lowly, his voice barely a whisper, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from them. I could only nod.

Caspian turned around, still smiling widely as he walked back, throwing his unused towel on the other raven-haired boy, and hugging him closer. 

“It’s great to see you.”

“It’s good to see you too,” Caspian grinned, looking up and meeting my eyes, not before winking at me. “Though I think someone else will be a lot happier.”

The Pevensie siblings, on cue, looked up, and as soon as our eyes met, time stood still. Reality hit me in the face so hard that my knees almost buckled, and the tears rushed to my eyes as I tripped over my feet, running down the stairs to meet them.

“Oh, Aslan,” I sighed, forgetting all etiquette and landing into a bone-crushing hug with the two of them.

Arms and hands gripped me as tightly as they could, the three of us melting into one as the tears fell from my eyes, adding to their already wet clothes. I didn’t even care that we were causing a scene in the middle of the ship, or that the sea was also now on my skin, for half of my family were in my arms, and I simply could not focus on anything else. 

“I’ve missed you so much,” Lucy cried.

“You’ve grown,” I commented with a pained smile, too many emotions fighting for dominance in my heart.

“Likewise,” Edmund laughed.

I stared at them for a few seconds, noticing the tired lines of their eyes and the inches their heights had gained over time. Edmund was already taller than I was, and Lucy was not that far behind. It could not have been long since they last left, but time had a funny way of working in Narnia. Almost unconsciously, I looked between them, ready to greet the older siblings, but my smile died as soon as I realized that neither Peter nor Susan would be coming back. I shook my head, hoping to rid myself of the thought, but an uncomfortable pain settled between my ribs as I remembered my last moments with them, three years ago.

Thankfully, Caspian filled the space, still too happy at the reunion to notice my evident frown.

“Didn’t you call for us?” Lucy asked, wiping some of the seawater off her freckled face.

“No,” Caspian answered. “Not this time.”

“Well,” Edmund grinned, looking at us. “Whatever the case, I’m just glad to be here.”

But the moment was interrupted by the most shrilling scream I had ever heard in my life. The entire ship turned to face the noise, coming from a younger boy twisting on the ground as he tried to fight Reepicheep off himself.

“Don’t touch me!” He continued to jerk around on the deck while the rest of the crew laughed at his antics. “Get that thing off me!”

He eventually managed to free himself from the valiant mouse, almost sending him flying away in the process. I still frowned at the sight, despite knowing Reepicheep was more than capable of handling things himself. He had always been my most loyal supporter, and I couldn’t bear the thought of anything harming him if I could do something about it. He quickly ran to us, throwing the screaming boy another curious glance before Lucy acknowledged his presence.

“Reepicheep!” 

The mouse, with a smile, quickly stood straighter, even repositioning his sword around his body. “Oh,” he started. “Your Majesties,” he bowed at them respectfully.

“Hello, Reep,” Edmund said. “What a pleasure.”

“The pleasure is all mine, sir,” the mouse continued. “But first, what to do about this… this… hysterical interloper?” He pointed back at the boy, who kept coughing up water in between his yells.

As if summoned, the boy turned around, pointing at him. “That giant rat thing just tried to claw my face off!”

“I was merely trying to expel the water from your lungs, sir!” Reepicheep said defensively.

The boy’s eyes widened even further as he stood up in panic, and he kept pointing at Reepicheep with horror on his face. “It talked! Did you see… anyone just hear that?”

It was like a lightbulb going on in my head as I recognized those eyes.

“Wait,” I said, not taking my eyes off him. “Is that..?

Edmund nodded, always quick to catch my train of thought. “Yep.”

“Oh, lord.”

Eustace, their now-identified least favorite cousin, kept on. “It… it just talked!”

“He always talks,” one of the sailors responded, for the amusement of pretty much everyone on deck.

“Actually, it’s getting him to shut up that’s the trick,” Caspian added, making everyone laugh.

Reepicheep looked back at him, ready to defend his honor, even if there wasn’t actual malice behind his words. “The moment there is nothing to be said, Your Highness, I promise you, I will not say it.”

Eustace continued. “Well, I don’t know what kind of prank this is, but I want to wake up right now!” He yelled, ranting about his rights and whatnots, but our little family had already tuned him out.

“Perhaps we could throw him back,” Reepicheep offered.

“Edmund!” Lucy chastised him, making me laugh at his face. Knowing Edmund, he had actually been considering the offer, and his silence only confirmed my suspicions further.

“I demand to know just where in the blazes am I!” 

Tavros, the only minotaur on deck, came forward, always willing to lend a helping hand.

“You’re on the Dawn Treader,” he answered. “The finest ship in Narnia’s navy.”

And with that, the boy fainted. I gasped as he went down, not expecting the Pevensies’s cousin to almost crack his skull within his first five minutes on the ship. Caspian walked forward, eyeing the passed-out Eustace on the ground and ignoring the laughter coming from the other sailors. Tavros, bless his naive and confused soul, looked back at his king.

“Was it something I said?”

Caspian smirked. “See to him, will you?

Tavros simply nodded, and with a bow, he grabbed Eustace by his legs and took him below deck, closing the door behind him while the entire ship went back to work.

“He hasn’t changed much, then,” I commented, making the two siblings laugh.

“He’s actually a lot worse, now,” Lucy added, and I winced at the thought.

Caspian patted Edmund’s shoulder as he came back to us, taking a few steps up the stairs to face the crew.

“Men!” He called to their attention, but his eyes were on me for a split second. “And my Lady,” he winked before returning to his announcement. “Behold our castaways… Edmund the Just, and Lucy the Valiant, High King and Queen of Narnia.” 

I snorted at Lucy’s smiley gesture while the entire ship bowed before them. A smile had permanently settled on my lips, eyeing the siblings next to me. I looked back at Caspian, who simply winked at me again with a huge grin, and I swore, at that moment, with Lucy and Edmund and Caspian and the sun bright above, that nothing could take away that happiness from me.

The door to the King’s cabin opened, and in came Caspian, Lucy, and Edmund, finally dry from their recent swim. I kept in my laughter as much as I could, for both Caspian and I had lent them some of our clothes for the voyage, and it was clear that, despite them having grown, the garments were still too big for them.

I tried not to think too much about it, but while my heart was elated to see Edmund and Lucy again, it still hurt to know that Susan and Peter were elsewhere. I feared for their safety and the war, knowing the eldest siblings had gone with their parents to America, and were waiting until the appropriate time to bring their youngest with them. Nevertheless, knowing that Eustace had been sucked into Narnia as well, I couldn’t help but wonder if Peter and Susan could have, somehow, come back too, had they been with Lucy and Edmund at the right time. I hadn’t had time to properly talk to them yet, as I had sent the three of them away to change into dry clothes in fear of them getting sick, and despite Edmund’s comments about me acting as a worried mother, making me laugh, I was still dying with questions. My mind was still spinning with conflicting emotions: happiness at the reunion, dread at the thought of not growing up with them again… My stomach felt queasy all of a sudden, and I had to make a great effort to push it aside and send those feelings to the back of my brain. I’d rather focus on their presence. I had my whole life to deal with their loss, I decided. Might as well make the most of this moment.

The Pevensies looked around the cabin with wondering eyes, seeing all the Narnian imagery in every corner. Caspian stood by my side, wrapping an arm around my waist and squeezing it as we looked at them, like two proud parents before their children. It had been my idea to decorate the cabin with their old stories, just in case they could ever see it. Even if they didn’t, it was still comforting for me to have a way to look back to the old days where I was simply the Silver Knight, and not the actual queen of Narnia. Thankfully, Caspian had agreed to my plan immediately, ordering the best sculptors and painters in the entire realm to do our bidding. 

“Look,” Lucy called. “Susan’s bow and arrows.”

As soon as she said it, I patted Caspian’s side, nodding at him before getting Lucy’s belongings. 

“Lucy,” I called her, my hands carefully grabbing the wooden box. 

She smiled. “My healing cordial!” She walked closer. “And dagger!” She made for them, but stopped herself at the last minute. “Oh, may I?”

I grinned. “Of course,” I offered them to her. “They’re yours.”

Edmund didn’t waste time either. “Peter’s sword,” he noted, walking closer to Rhindon, which was carefully resting on the wall next to the door. Some days, Rhindon never left Caspian’s side, much to my dismay. It still felt weird to see him wield it, even at Peter’s request, if I was being honest. 

“Yes,” Caspian commented, approaching Edmund while I helped Lucy fasten her weapons around her waist. “I looked after it as promised.” He grabbed the sword, handing it to Edmund. “Here, hold it if you wish.”

Yet, Edmund refused. “No, no. It’s yours,” he said, though his eyes glistened with an emotion I couldn’t quite place when he looked back at Caspian. “Peter gave it to you.”

Thankfully, my husband, ever the negotiator, quickly turned around, noticing the subtle shift in Edmund’s demeanor, and opened one of the cabinet’s doors. “I did save this for you, though.”

Caspian grinned as he threw Edmund’s torch back at him, who took it unenthusiastically in his hands. 

“Thanks,” Edmund responded, right before blinding himself in the eye with it.

“Since you left us, the Giants of the North have surrendered unconditionally,” Caspian explained, his hands pointing at the different places on the map.

The four of us, together with Lord Drinian, stood at the war cabin, updating and recapping the Pevensies on the newest Narnian victories over the three years Caspian had been ruling the kingdom. 

“And we defeated the Calormen armies at the Great Desert,” I continued, memories of those warm days flashing before my eyes.

“There’s peace across all of Narnia,” Caspian concluded.

“Peace?” Edmund asked, both excited and confused.

“In just three years,” Caspian confirmed. He looked at me. “We make a good team.”

I grinned, albeit still too shy. “That we do.”

“Hang on,” Edmund interrupted, much to my delight. “So, if there are no wars to fight, and no one’s in trouble, then why are we here?”

I frowned, also wondering what their presence could mean for the future and our voyage.

“That’s a good question,” Caspian agreed. “I’ve been asking myself the same thing.”

Edmund took the lead again. “So, where are we sailing to?”

I looked at him with a slight frown, not used to Edmund being the one to speak out first. That had been Peter’s job. Even though it felt like a lifetime ago, I still remembered Peter’s abrasiveness those first days back in Narnia during our second visit. I really hoped I was wrong, but the likeness between the two brothers left a bitter taste in my mouth, feeling like the Pevensie was raging a battle all on his own, much like his older brother had all those years ago. But then, Edmund wasn’t Peter, and I didn’t know what to expect of him right there. 

“Before I took back the throne from my uncle, he tried to kill my father’s closest friends and most loyal supporters. The seven lords of Telmar,” Caspian explained, turning around at the small board we had put up with the many different drawings. “They fled to the Lone Islands, and no one’s heard from them since.”

“So you think something’s happened to them?” Edmund asked, still looking at the drawings, committing their faces to memory. He had always been good at that.

Caspian sighed. “Well, if it has, it’s my duty to find out.”

I gently placed my hand on his shoulder, squeezing in support. He looked at me gratefully, sending me a quick smile while he put his own hand over mine, his rough fingers caressing my skin softly.

“Well,” Lucy began, grinning widely with her eyes trained on us. “What’s east of the Lone Islands?”

Lord Drinian, who had remained silent during the entire meeting, answered. “Uncharted waters,” he started. “Things you could barely imagine. Tales of sea serpents and worse.”

“Sea serpents?” Edmund’s face was priceless.

“Oh, now they’re not going to get any sleep, Lord Drinian!” I mocked them, earning a grin from the captain and an offended look from the Pevensies.

“Hey!” Lucy protested.

“Piss off,” Edmund laughed.

“All right, Captain,” Caspian appeased. “That’s enough of your tall tales.”

“Men,” I grumbled, watching Caspian and Edmund fight each other on deck with their swords.

Edmund had commented something about feeling out of shape for battle, and Caspian had jumped at the opportunity to help. Meanwhile, Lucy and I had been walking around the ship, our eyes rolling at the sight of all the men in the crew chanting and enjoying the friendly competition.

“They love their sword fighting,” Lucy laughed as we sat down, still eyeing the encounter.

“If only they picked up a book just as easily…” I sighed, earning another laugh from the redhead.

“Thanks for letting me borrow this, by the way, I love it thus far,” Lucy said, gripping the book closer to her. I had lent her one of my novels, thinking the girl could use some entertainment while on the ship.

I grinned. “My pleasure. I know what it feels like to be surrounded by men.”

Lucy smiled before getting back to the small tome in her hands. 

The fight, meanwhile, had obviously ended in a tie. Edmund, Peter, and I had learned our skills early on, being taught by the best swordsmen sworn to Aslan, and Caspian, despite years of Telmarine training, had also picked up some of my favorite tricks after all of our sparring sessions. Their combat technique was rather similar, hence the constant back and forth of their clashing swords, and while it had been interesting to see at first, I had quickly grown bored with it as soon as they started replicating each other’s steps. Spiritually, the fight had ended way before it actually had.

“All right! Back to work!” Lord Drinian yelled from his post, and just like that, the entire ship went back to its previous tasks.

Edmund quickly walked to us, taking a huge sip from a cup one of the sailors gave him.

Lucy closed the book and approached her brother. “Edmund, do you think if we keep sailing to the end of the world, we’ll just…” She paused. “Tip off the edge?”

I froze. “What the hell?”

“Don’t worry, Lu,” Edmund answered. “We’re a long way from there.”

Fortunately for me, their cousin came back on deck, dusting his pants off with a permanent scowl fixed on his face.

“I see you’re still talking nonsense, the two of you.”

Eustace walked to us and crossed his arms while leaning on the wall, still wary of his surroundings. Edmund was already rolling his eyes, and Lucy was the only one brave enough to face him.

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, no thanks to you,” Eustace almost spat his words. “It’s lucky I have an iron constitution.”

Reepicheep, ever the ghost, was already joining the conversation, quietly standing on the ropes beside me and acknowledging Eustace.

“As effervescent as ever, I see. Find your sea legs?”

Eustace scoffed. “Never lost them. Simply dealing with the shock of things,” he looked away. I had to hide my laugh at Edmund’s disgusted face, which he threw his way when his cousin wasn’t looking. “Mother says I have an acute disposition, due to my intelligence.”

Edmund, who had been taking another sip from his goblet, spat the water out at his cousin’s declaration, and even I had to look away as I gasped for air, not wanting the boy to hear me laugh in his face. 

Reepicheep only made it worse. “I don’t think he has ‘a cute’ anything.”

Eustace exploded at that. “I’ll have you know, as soon as we find civilization, I’m contacting the British Consul,” he exclaimed, walking away from us. “Have you all arrested for kidnapping.”

But he walked straight into Caspian.

“Kidnapping, is it?” Caspian asked, amused. “That’s funny, I thought we saved your life.”

“You held me against my will!”

“Ha!” Reepicheep laughed.

“Did we?” I asked, enjoying the scene.

Eustace tried to talk, tripping over his words. “In, what I must say, are the most unhygienic quarters. It’s like a zoo down there!” He argued, pointing down at the below-deck area he had come through.

“He’s quite the complainer, isn’t he?” Reepicheep noted.

Edmund looked ready to smack his cousin. “He’s just warming up.”

“Oh, dear,” I wailed. “So, who’s giving him the talk, then?”

“Not me,” Edmund immediately refused.

“LAND HO!” One of the sailors yelled from his outpost at the mast, and right then, the entire Dawn Treader fell into chaos.

Caspian immediately ran to the upper deck, and I, too, stood up quickly. The sudden movement made me slightly dizzy, but I didn’t dwell much on it. We had a land to explore.

“Lucy, your turn,” I sent her a look, to which she only sighed and nodded her head solemnly.

Before I followed Caspian, I heard her begin.

“So, Eustace, remember what we said about another world?”

A moment of silence settled between the two of them. They had quickly ditched the rest of their people after burning the Darkling’s body, limping away to exchange stories and fuse into warm embraces after surviving the ultimate war. Irina had immediately noticed the fast beating of her heart when she embraced her brother, another painful reminder of how much she had missed him. It had been the longest they had stayed away from each other since reuniting again at the Volkvolny all those years ago, and now, they were all there was left of their old home. 

“Can’t believe I’m a prophet, either.”

Nikolai scoffed at his sister’s words. “You’re a what, now?”

She laughed, even though her heart broke all over again. “Back when Alina and Mal boarded the ship?” Irina waited for her brother’s nod. “I said it felt like the beginning of the end. Never thought it’d all end like this, though.”

Irina bit her lip, staring back at the newly-repaired Hummingbird, the place buzzing with what little positive energy was left. The two of them were discreetly tucked away at one of the fort’s towers, overlooking the many soldiers and Grisha cleaning up after the wreckage, counting the losses, and cheering for their bittersweet wins.

“We did our part, at the very least,” Nikolai broke the silence.

“And what will we do now?”

Irina knew that Nikolai was almost as clueless as she was, neither of them thinking they’d ever find themselves in that situation. Years of training and preparing for something that would never be, until it was. They were the spare siblings, bastards of a crown that had never needed them, until it had. For the first time in Irina’s short life, she was utterly lost at what could possibly come next.

Nikolai sighed deeply. “Well, I guess I have a country to run, now,” he looked down at his subjects. “Someone has to do it.” He looked at her with playful upturned lips. “But you’re free to go.”

Irina froze on the spot. “What?”

“I’m formally letting you go of your royal duties, if that’s what you desire,” he answered, his hands behind his back and his posture straighter. Of course, his first order of the day as the new king would be making sure his sister could run as wild as she deserved.

“Wait,” Irina argued. “I am still the princess of Ravka. Don’t I have a duty to the people, too?”

“Fireball,” Nikolai’s eyes softened. “As long as I’m alive, that will be my responsibility. Not yours.” He put a hand on her shoulder, his fingers rubbing the scratchy fabric. “Should you ever want your crown back, it will always be waiting for you, of course. But don’t stay behind for my sake when your heart longs for adventure.”

Irina’s eyes watered. “What about Sturmhond, then? What about you?”

“I’ll find my happiness eventually,” he shrugged, his eyes glazing. “Turns out, I’m not that bad at giving orders. Instead of the Volkvolny, I’ll be commanding a much bigger ship.”

“But Sturmhond needs Ainthe!” Irina protested.

“Yet, Ainthe doesn’t need Sturmhond.”

Irina was at a loss for words. She had always longed for the day when she would not be used as a bargaining chip in her family’s schemes. Nikolai, now more powerful than ever, was giving her the keys to her freedom, away from a court that never treated her fairly, and yet, she wasn’t sure losing her brother in the process was the right price to pay. 

“But it won’t be the same!”

“I know,” Nikolai’s lip trembled ever so slightly. “Look, the days with you at sea were certainly the happiest of my life. Just because I’m not getting my happy ending doesn’t mean you can’t get yours.”

“It won’t be a happy ending if you’re not in it, Nikolai.” As soon as the first tear fell from her eyes, Irina couldn’t stop. 

Nikolai didn’t waste another second and pulled her into his arms. “You need to stop living in my shadow, Irina, whether as Nikolai or Sturmhond. You are so much more capable than you think. I won’t have you confined to a palace anymore, even if it means I won’t see much of you anymore, even if it kills me.” He gripped her harder. “I’m setting you free, sister. I am not going to hold you down when you’re meant to run wild. Never have, and never will.”

Irina closed her eyes, feeling the constant breaking and mending of her heart at her brother’s words. Another tear fell down her cheek.

“You’ll be the one confined to the palace, though.”

Nikolai smiled, if only to spare his sister from his own doubts. “I won’t follow the tsar’s footsteps. The court will be lucky if they can find me on the grounds.”

That earned a laugh from his sister, and that was all Nikolai needed to brighten his day.

“Glad to know that.”

“Besides,” he continued, his eyes now centered on the twin Heartrenders who were boarding the Hummingbird, welcoming the new sailors who were joining their crew. “You have a whole new life ahead of you.”

Irina’s cheeks warmed when she followed Nikolai’s line of vision, settling on Tolya. “Yeah, about that…”

Nikolai shook his head. “No need. I know how the matters of the heart work.” He eyed her mischievously. “Just… be smart, alright? And careful. If anything happens, you come back to me.”

Irina laughed loudly at her brother’s antics, her heart swelling at his protectiveness.

“Of course, moi tsar.”

“Oh Saints, I’m going to need to get used to that.”

The siblings laughed again, enjoying their last moments of banter.

“So, I guess this is goodbye, then.”

Nikolai’s smile dropped immediately. “I guess it is.”

She looked at him, her eyes red. “I’ll come back all the time, you know.”

“I know.”

“You won’t even have time to miss me.”

“I’ll miss you regardless, Fireball.”

“I’ll miss you too, Niko.”

With that, they hugged again, their hearts beating like one, perhaps for the last time ever.

–·–

Not long after, the Hummingbird’s twin skiff was ready to fly again. Thankfully, Zoya had taken good care of it when she took it inside the Fold, as now, the small crew had to return it to the Volkvolny. Irina frowned as she remembered the Squaller, almost finding herself missing the snarky Summoner after everything they had survived together. Their goodbye had been short and formal, and yet, Zoya had imperceptibly tightened her arms around Irina when the princess had thrown herself at her before leaving. Maybe she wasn’t so bad after all.

Nikolai and Irina were formally bidding farewell to those who chose to join their crew under the watchful eyes of the surviving army. Irina guessed her brother’s duties as the king had already started, presenting himself as poised and graceful, even if it was killing him on the inside not being the one boarding his own skiff back to liberty. Tamar and Tolya were supervising the takeoff, pretending they were not listening to their closest friends’ hearts breaking in real time.

Nadia, accompanied by her baby brother, stopped before the skiff’s entrance, turning around to face him. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” 

“These feet were meant for solid ground,” Adrik looked apologetic. He squinted at Tamar, standing grinning behind Nadia. “Take care of her.”

“I think she can take care of herself,” she answered, taking Nadia’s bag in her hands while the Squaller hugged her brother goodbye.

“‘But O! Wouldst thou weather all storms’”, Tolya began reciting. “‘Ride at the tides into the nights in–’” Tamar, as always, interrupted him, throwing at him Nadia’s bag.

“That’s enough poetry for today, get on with it.”

Tolya patted the bag before turning around and walking away. Irina tried to hide her laugh, making a mental note to ask her Heartrender about the poem later.

“Hold up!” Mal yelled at them from below.

The princess frowned at the sight of the tracker, but no Sun Summoner behind him. Nikolai only grinned at him.

“Well then,” he called at him. His outstretched hand firmly grabbed Mal’s, both of them sharing a moment. “This is good news,” Nikolai started. “It took me a while to come up with a nickname for you.”

“Nickname?” Irina wondered.

“I think I finally found it,” he ignored her, grabbing his lucky compass and handing it to Mal before Irina’s wide eyes. “Safe travels, Sturmhond.”

Irina gasped. “What?”

Mal scoffed, both parts impressed and nervous, glancing between the siblings with nervous eyes. “I’m not a captain. I don’t have the right to be–”

Nikolai shook his head, yet his smile never dropped. “No one said captain,” he said. “I mean, you wear the coat, play the part,” he glanced at Irina for a split second. “The world needs a Sturmhond.” He looked at the skiff, where his favorite twins stared at them. “And I need the Volkvolny’s eye on other countries. “Tamar and Tolya are in command. And of course, Ainthe will be the real captain,” Nikolai smiled at his sister, pride evident in his voice. “Do what she says, and she won’t throw you off the ship.”

Irina grinned when she heard the soft gasps from the Heartrenders above her, clearly happy about the princess’s decision. She hadn’t had time to talk to them after Kirigan’s burial, and her heart ached with excitement at the thought of the three of them reunited back at sea, as much as it pained her to leave her brother behind. 

Mal kept looking back between the royal siblings, almost debating his next move. 

“Shall we?” Inej joined, staring at Mal from the ground below, her belongings packed as well.

“I think we shall.”

With that, Malyen Oretsev chose his destiny, eyeing the skiff he would soon be navigating the True Sea with. He didn’t expect the chastising from the twins when he tried to pull on one of the ropes, just as he had done what seemed like an eternity ago.

“Don’t touch that.”

Irina laughed at Mal’s resignation, walking away to help Nadia with the flags as much as he could, eyeing the sky above him, already tracking their next route. 

Inej was the next one to stand before the king with a shy smile on her lovely face. 

“Glad to see you join us,” Irina commented with a glint in her eyes. She would always be happy to have more women on board with her, even if she would also miss the rest of the Crows.

They had almost evaporated after receiving their agreed payment, although Irina could spare a few seconds to hug Jesper goodbye, promising to find each other as soon as the Volkvolny docked in Ketterdam. Only Inej had chosen a different path, trusting the princess’s promise of a new life.

“Thank you,” Nikolai said to Inej, who simply grinned at him with a small bow before boarding the skiff. 

Soon, it was only the royal siblings left on the small landing platform, eyeing each other with sad grins on their faces.

“Let’s make this quick, then,” Irina muttered after noticing the trembling of Nikolai’s hands.

He sent her an appreciative glance before correcting his posture once again, serenity taking over. “So, captain,” he addressed her. “What will your first order be?”

Irina grinned. “We return the Neshyenyer, as we promised. Then we’ll see.”

The king nodded in agreement. “Good. There are reports of slaver ships heading up north.”

Ainthe bowed to him. “Well, there won’t be much longer, then.”

The siblings collided in another hug, far too short for their liking, but there wasn’t any more time to spare. Unwillingly, they pulled away, their eyes red and full of a thousand unsaid emotions. Nikolai pressed a soft kiss on her forehead, helping her up the few steps into the skiff, and reluctantly pulling his hand away from hers. Only the Saints knew when the next time they’d see each other would be. Certainly not soon enough.

Tamar threw an arm over her shoulders, pulling her closer. “Don’t worry, moi tsar,” she winked at Nikolai. “We’ll take care of her.”

“You better,” Nikolai said with a frown.

“On my life,” Tolya nodded solemnly, once again, far too dramatic for Tamar’s liking. Irina couldn’t help the hard thump of her heart. 

“Thank you,” Nikolai nodded at Tolya with appreciative eyes. 

Their smiles were enough, even if their words weren’t. 

–·–

Later that night, when Irina lounged at the captain’s cabin –her cabin–, Tolya would slip inside undetected. The Heartrender, instead of reciting poetry to her, would create it with his fingers, loving every inch of her as one would carefully skim the pages of an ancient book, kept in private and protected from the rest of the world. Their bodies intertwined in the candlelight, they would talk for hours, about everything and nothing, about their dreams and nightmares, about the secrets that somehow had been kept from each other after years of longing. About the past and their future, and about all of the adventures waiting at the other side of the door. Together, they yearned for extraordinary tales to bring back home to Ravka, where the other half of her heart remained. Because Irina’s heart was no longer hers; it belonged to her people: a royal brother, a stubborn Heartrender, and the man who held her fire in his large hands and always came unscathed. Looking back, the girl couldn’t believe just how far they had come, and just how much they still had ahead of them. 

Very few times had Irina Lantsov wished she had actually followed her brother’s advice and stayed at the ship. This was one of those.

“So,” Nina broke the silence, her eyes darting around as if too hypnotized by the sudden tranquil air. The calm before the storm, as they all knew. “How do we find them now?”

Her words died in her throat when the sharp blast of a bullet and the powerful glow of light burst from the darkness, a few feet away from where the women flew. 

“That answers your question?” Irina lifted an eyebrow, trying to smirk despite the fear. “Let’s go, then.”

“That was convenient,” Nina noted, her eyes following Zoya’s arms as they began their descent once again. 

Irina got her hands ready to summon, standing close to Inej, who had also unsheathed the Neshyenyer and stood readily at the prow. 

“You ready?” she asked the Wraith, her hands igniting when Inej nodded.

“As I’ll ever be.”

Once the skiff was low enough on the ground, the two girls jumped overboard. Inej fell gracefully on the ground, her skillful legs landing perfectly without a scratch. Irina, unfortunately, wasn’t as lucky. She felt the sharp pain in her left foot, wobbling slightly before regaining her balance. She hissed under her breath, swiftly rotating her ankle and feeling relieved that the muscles responded to her call. She’d deal with that later, if she survived as much. 

Inej, unprompted, took the Inferni’s arm and rushed her forward when she heard Irina’s silent complaint. Even though most of her face was now covered with her usual shawl, her dark eyes settled on the princess, a silent confirmation of her well-being, before the two of them started to run toward the Sun Summoner.

Two Volcra suddenly flew away from the ground in the other direction, thankfully away from them and the skiff, yet the two girls ducked instinctively at the sight. No matter how many times Irina had fought one of those creatures, she still shivered at the thought of them. She had no time to wonder about their future whereabouts, for then, one of the Darkling’s nichevo’ya was suddenly attacking the only two survivors in the courtyard besides the girls: Malyen Oretsev and Alina Starkov. It was when the monster grabbed Alina that Irina and Inej got to work. 

They circled the courtyard on opposite ends, Irina’s hands summoning a large curtain of fire while Inej brought Neshyenyer closer to her, her arms flexing as she raised it. Irina sent the fire toward the nichevo’ya, barely recognizing the dread that washed over her as she saw the shadow monster for the first time. The creature stopped dead in its tracks when her fire made contact with it. Irina wondered if she had hurt him, if somehow that colossal and ominous beast could be damaged, somehow, but thankfully, Inej played her part immediately after. With a clean cut, the nichevo’ya dissolved into thin air with a terrible howl, leaving nothing behind it. Nothing.

The couple stood up, a bit dazed from the fight. 

“Inej?” Alina said, completely out of breath. “Is that really you?”

The Wraith took her shawl off, revealing her beautiful features to the Sun Summoner. 

“Sankta Alina,” she had already bowed before her. 

Alina was quick to approach her, grabbing her hand to pull her off the ground. “Please, there’s no need for such courtesies,” she smiled. “Not amongst friends.” She brought Inej into a hug, which Irina knew would be the highlight of the assassin’s life. 

“If I may,” Irina made herself known, standing close to Inej. “Alina, you need to start covering your back, too.”

Alina’s eyes widened at the princess’s words, the smile on her face getting larger once she saw Irina standing there.

“Saints,” she too brought her into her arms, and Irina quickly reciprocated. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Likewise, sol koroleva.”

“I can’t believe you’re both here, risking your lives for me again.”

“Someone had to find this,” Inej raised the Neshyenyer, sheathing it back and attempting to put it in Alina’s hand.

She shook her head in refusal. “No one can wield it like you.”

That’s when Zoya made her dramatic entrance. “Yes, yes, happy reunion,” she lowered the skiff down, gently landing over one of the walls. “Can we get on with it?”

Alina smiled up at her. “Zoya, thank you. If you’d been a moment later, we…” but she stopped herself, once Nina’s red hair came into place. “Oh, hello.”

Zoya smirked, self-assured. “You know I’m not one to resist dramatic timing.”

“I remember you,” Alina eyed Nina curiously. “You were on the ship to Ketterdam.”

“Nina Zenik. Heartrender,” she introduced herself. “Big fan.”

“Long story,” Irina commented, hoping that Alina would catch the hint. 

Clearly, she did. “We need to get further into the Fold to destroy it.”

“Hop on, then,” Zoya answered, her hands already preparing for yet another take off. 

Irina still wondered just how long Zoya could go, for the Squaller had worked tirelessly almost since they left the Spinning Wheel days before.

“Wait,” Mal called. “We don’t have David.”

“Who’s David?” Irina asked, confused. “And what do you need him for?”

“Long story,” Alina mirrored her words before turning to Mal, lowering her voice. “We have each other, and that’s everything we need.” Alina gripped Mal’s arm. “You with me?”

Mal didn’t even hesitate. “Always. Hold on,” he said, moving backwards and grabbing a pistol from the ground. “Let’s go.”

“Alina!” Irina called her before they could leave. “Where’s Nikolai? And Tamar?” She lowered her voice, just so the rest of the girls wouldn’t hear her.

The Saint shook her head, wishing she had the words to dissipate the worry in the other girl’s eyes. “He parted with the Hummingbird earlier, and I don’t know where Tamar is. We separated before the nichevo’ya attacked us, and we haven’t seen her since.”

Irina’s lips trembled. “But the Hummingbird crashed! Kirigan’s Grisha are after them!”

“What?” Alina’s eyes widened. 

“The survivors made their way back to the fort. They should be here by now,” Irina was trying her best not to panic, but she couldn’t do much with the prospect of both her brother and her best friend missing. Or dead.

Mal shook his head in bewilderment. “This was his plan all along. Trap us in here, First Army and Grisha alike. Keramzin was only a sham to kill some of us.”

Alina’s face was fierce. “Then we need to stop this now.” 

Irina nodded her head, but her eyes betrayed her. “What do you need, Alina?”

The Sun Summoner took in her face, etched with worry and pain, and immediately knew what to do. “Find Nikolai, Irina.”

Irina froze. “Wait, what?”

“Not that I want you gone, because, frankly, we could use you in the Fold. But they need you here too,” her head quietly pointed back to the fort. “Nikolai needs you.”

Irina shook her head. “But…”

Alina cut her off before she could continue. “With the Fold covering the fort, they’ll need your fire.” She smiled at Irina, taking a few seconds to regard the girl she had taken a fondness for. “Besides, all the Volcra you get rid of here, the less we’ll have to fight over there.”

Even Mal could feel the relief radiating off Irina’s chest at Alina’s words. “You sure you’ll be fine?” She looked at the couple, her eyes dancing over the lovers as if she wanted to remember what they both looked like forever.

“You do what you have to do to protect the people you love, remember?” Alina quoted her brother, and Irina did not waste any time in grinning at her in appreciation. “So, go and protect them. We’ll do the same thing on the other side.”

Irina wasted no time and brought Alina into a warm embrace, desperate and tight, her heart breaking knowing she was leaving a dear friend behind. “Come back to us, alright?” She looked at Mal. “Both of you.” 

She extended an arm towards Mal and hugged him too, fusing the three of them in an embrace. Irina didn’t catch Alina’s grimace, but time was a precious commodity they were running out of. 

“Princess’ orders,” Mal joked, and despite the tear falling from Alina’s eye, the three of them laughed as they departed. 

“Go burn them down,” Alina nodded at Irina.

The princess smiled at them, and with a last nod, they took off in opposite directions. Irina quickly found herself running through the halls of the deserted fort, ignoring the bodies lying bloodied and mauled in every corner, hoping her heart would lead her in the right direction.

–·– 

Regrettably, Irina Lantsov did not get very far in her endeavor. The same two Volcra that had flown over her head just minutes before Inej and her landed to help Alina were now stalking after her, tripping over their big paws. The princess was running fast through the halls, sending fireballs at the winged creatures, but never stopping to check how effective they actually were. She thanked the Saints that she knew exactly where she was going, having visited the fort many times over the years, for she knew which route to take despite the darkness that hung over her. Her legs worked automatically, jumping over uneven ground and fallen artillery, expertly lighting more things on fire that she could use as burning weapons without straining herself too much yet. But her luck did not last long.

Irina had resorted to circling the fort on the inside, taking to the empty hallways around the courtyard in hopes of disorienting the monsters long enough to flee through one of the underground entrances, but she overestimated just how desperate for blood they were. Just as she turned the next corner, ready for another sprint to the other end of the passage, the Volcra had already figured out her plan. One of them was eagerly waiting for her at the intersection, ready to hunt her, while the other still chased Irina down behind her back. The Inferni had no choice but to run back to open air, a million curses going through her mind as she dodged the half-eaten corpses, and brought her hands close, summoning as much fire as she needed to lead the Volcra away from her. 

The two creatures quickly cornered her in the courtyard, trapping her in a dance the girl was not used to. She begrudgingly admitted to herself that she had started to rely a bit too much on her brother and trusted Heartrenders, for, even after many passages through the Unsea, this was the first time Irina was completely on her own against the beasts, and the odds were not in her favor. The Volcra inched closer, almost enjoying the sight of another prey to maul. But Irina was no prey.

Her hands created a huge fire ring, which enveloped one of the monsters just as it jumped at her. Irina expertly dodged to the side as the Volcra fell on the spot she had been standing on, powerful flames scalding its skin as it tried to roll on the ground to no avail. The stench was strong, and for the first time, Irina wished she could admire her work, for she had never seen a burning Volcra that close, much less one she had injured herself. If Irina had been paying attention, she would have seen the other monster come at her with all its might. One of its claws grazed her back as she jumped away again at the last minute, only alerted about the imminent danger thanks to the incriminating growl the monster let out during the attack. Irina felt the warm blood trickle down her clothes and stain the fabric, momentarily losing concentration, yet forcing herself back on her feet. Her slightly sprained heel made her fall to her knees, to this day, propitiously saving her from another scratch that could have ended her life right there. Nevertheless, the pain of the fall, combined with the continuous blood loss and the nauseating howls of the still-burning Volcra next to her, turned her into the perfect victim. 

Irina stared dumbfounded as the monster pinned her down, one of the claws piercing her waist and effectively impaling her to the ground. She could only scream in agony, feeling her flesh tearing apart and even more blood spilling from the newly opened wound on her side. Her body reacted involuntarily, trying to keep her away from the creature, but her will resolved as soon as the pain from moving became greater than the laceration itself. Her fire, on its own accord, was already burning her closed fists, but another claw pierced her arm, effectively dousing her attempt at defense when another wave of pain crashed through her mangled body. The Volcra only screeched loudly at her, almost delighted by its capture, its face impossibly close to hers. 

Irina, through fearful tears, barely registered the beast’s cutting fangs, its rotten breath scanning her body before becoming another casualty to the Fold’s unthinkable monsters. The edges of her vision were getting darker by the minute, either her body’s last attempt at protecting her sanity from the incoming death, or her wounds were already having their way with her. Through half-lidded eyes, she felt the claws exiting her body, one last piercing agony before everything stopped suddenly. 

Irina was still lying on the ground, unmoving and broken, but the Volcra was no longer staring at her with hungry eyes. With a relatively silent thud, the monster that had been seconds away from killing her was fatally dead at her feet, a familiar katana impaling it to the ground, and two axes sticking to either side of the beast. 

The princess coughed, groaning and whimpering as she tried to lie on her side, but she ached all over. Her stomach felt queasy, and her eyes couldn’t focus, yet her heart, usually fast and strong, was losing the battle. Fortunately, she wouldn’t have to hold on for much longer.

“I got you, I got you,” her head was now firmly grasped between two warm hands, calloused and scarred from years of service, yet they remained soft. For her. 

Her heartbeat slowed down again, but she recognized the work behind the sudden alteration, as if two loving hands were carefully cuddling the organ inside of her, prompting it to beat.

“She’s losing so much blood,” another voice stuttered. 

“We need a healer! Now!” A third voice, close and familiar. Irina wished she could stand and reassure him herself, but she could barely lift her head. 

“C’mon, we have to move.” 

Strong arms picked her up, and her body simply limped once she was in the air. 

Irina closed her eyes and allowed herself one single moment of respite amidst the chaos. She felt the motion of her savior moving decisively with her in his arms, her head tucked under his chin protectively, with her ear resting right over his heart. For a single moment, she felt safer than she’d ever been, despite being on the verge of death. Irina didn’t mind dying at that moment, if that meant she’d do it in Tolya’s arms.

She barely registered the echoing footsteps around the deserted hallways, the silence filled by the thumping in her ears as they walked. Tolya’s arms tensed suddenly at the waiting Volcra at the far end of the hallway, his hands unconsciously gripping Irina’s body tighter and closer to him. The princess could make out the creatures in the distance, and for a moment, she thought she might have been back in time, with her attackers still chasing and taunting her again. It was when the monsters spotted them that the Heartrender moved.

“In there!” Tolya quickly led the party through a narrow door, small enough for them to lock themselves in. 

The room happened to be the fortress’s chapel, usually used for any rite by those soldiers who dared believe in the Saints. Tolya gently placed Irina on a pew, away from the door and hidden in the shadows, before resuming his place at the door to help his twin. The Volcra on the other side, now catching up to them, were repeatedly crashing against the wood, trying to bring the door down, and both Tolya and Tamar were pushing against it to keep it closed as much as possible. Through a hazy vision, Irina knew they could not hold the Volcra forever with a simple wooden door. 

“Metal hinges,” Wylan noticed, grabbing Jesper’s arm as he pointed in their direction. “Jesper.”

The sharpshooter quickly stood in between the twins, and with his hands on the metal, he managed to seal the door from the inside. The door no longer moved, despite the Volcra’s attempts on the other side. 

“That should hold the Volcra,” Tamar commented without a second glance before moving to the princess, her hands already working tirelessly to keep the blood inside Irina’s body, rather than spilling on the pew. 

“We’ll see,” Jesper breathed out, shaking his head exactly after regarding his own work, useful yet graceless. It was moments like those that he regretted not having mastered his own abilities beyond leisure, as maybe they could now stand a much better chance at surviving the horrors on the other side of the wall.

Irina winced in both pain at her mending wounds and the realization that they were also trapped inside the chapel. She could only pray so much that Alina knew what she was doing on her side of the Fold, still feeling guilty at having left her behind to find her brother.

A warm hand grabbed her cheek gently. “You’ll be fine. Just hold on a bit longer, alright?” 

Irina’s eyes watered slightly at the sound of her brother’s voice, alive and breathing before her, looking at her with equal desperation. She noticed the blood on his forehead and the trembling of his hands, but frowned at the wince after he adjusted himself on the floor next to her, kneeling by her head. 

“You’re hurt,” Irina coughed, also pulling herself upright as much as she could. 

“No,” Tamar’s hand pushed her back down, her hands continuing her mending.

Nikolai’s hands were already stained red with her blood, but he shook his head, holding her head upright. “That’s not important right now.”

Irina closed her eyes, choosing to focus on the growling of the Volcra outside of the room rather than the pain in her body. 

“Will she be okay?” she heard Wylan whisper somewhere at the far end of the chapel, his voice soft and tense.

“Of course she will,” Tolya responded, firm and serene. “She’s a fighter.”

Despite the circumstances, Irina smiled. Mauled, battered, and on the brink of death, Irina was the center of Tolya’s entire universe. The giant, only shielded by his height and the stagnant obscurity, was fighting back tears as flashes of the attacks danced before his eyes: Irina barely moving on the ground, crying and screaming in pain, the Volcra looming over her broken body. The thought of losing his princess had never been as dire as it had been just moments before. One more second, and Irina would be no more. He had barely processed his next move. Reaching for his trusted weapon, throwing it at full force towards the monster, ending its miserable life with all the hatred the gently-natured Heartrender could muster. All in a single heartbeat, without any doubt, with single precision, all to save the one person his soul belonged to. 

Against better judgment, the entire party took a deep breath, oblivious to the far greater danger that was rising behind their backs.

It started as a cold whooshing of the rather stale air inside the chapel. Alerted, they all turned toward the source of the sound, eyes widening as dark swirling wind slowly formed one of the sights that would surely haunt each member of the group. 

“Everybody back,” Tamar, already at the front of the group at the first sign of danger, pushed them all behind her. 

Tolya quickly copied her movements, the twins standing protectively in front of Nikolai and the rest. They had silently left the princess hidden at the corner, yet still somewhere in their line of vision, anything to keep her safe. Nobody would be dying on their watch.

The more the darkness rose, the first resemblance began. 

“Kirigan’s shadow monster,” Kaz trembled, his eyes trained on the creature as it took its final form. 

The leader of the Crows had not had the displeasure of ever encountering the nichevo’ya before, nor was he sure how he was going to make it out alive after having to fight one, but in that moment, all he feared was Inej’s safety, out there, with only an unlikely sword to protect herself against such abominations.

“But, without a blade, how do you kill a shadow?” Wylan stuttered. Of course, no one had an answer. 

Adrik, bless his wiling hear, responded fast. “All we have is this.”

He immediately joined forces with his sister, both Squallers using their combined summoning to attack the creature. Apparently, it did the trick. The nichevo’ya dissolved in an instant, but Irina knew better. Not long after, it had reformed again, scarier and angrier than before.

“Shield your eyes!” Wylan shouted as he grabbed a small light bomb from his pocket. He threw it at the monster, who growled in rage as it got reduced to nothing.

When the explosion ended, Jesper was the first to celebrate. 

“Yes!” Jesper grinned. “My man!” He widened his eyes, looking at Wylan with fear. “I mean, we haven’t actually put a label on it, yeah?” He shook his head, staring back at his friends, the picture of pride. “I mean, he did that.”

But the growling didn’t stop. Once more, the shadow monster came back, and unfortunately, it was time for them to face it and fight with all they had. 

Irina hated to sit that one out. Still perched on the pew, she stared, helpless, at how her friends fought and stabbed and hurt and crashed into the monster, but it was all fruitless. The nichevo’ya barely reacted, attacking back with supernatural strength. Their combined abilities were no match for a Merzost-created monster, and Irina had to wonder just how powerful the Darkling was, and how Alina could ever defeat him once and for all. 

Wylan was lying semi-unconscious on the ground, supported only by Jesper’s trembling hands. Nadia was grabbing her stomach in pain and breathing hard, having been pushed to the farthest wall. Kaz was no help with his limp, and Adrik wasn’t powerful enough with a missing limb. Nikolai was still trying to shield Irina from the fight, hating to leave the fighting to Tolya and Tamar, who were only keeping the creature entertained. It felt like the Bataar twins were buying themselves time for something even Irina couldn’t tell. 

A sliver of hope ran through her as the sun, previously missing, suddenly filtered through the windows, momentarily distracting even the shadow monster. The now-illuminated stained glass, conveniently depicting the Sun Summoner herself in all her glory, almost made the nichevo’ya retract slightly. They all stared in wonder as the darkness surrounding them vanished, leaving light and warmth in its wake. 

“Saints!” Nadia cried. “She did it.”

Tamar breathed heavily, her eyes never leaving the creature, her eyebrows drawn in concern. “Why is it still here?”

“The sun can’t kill it!” Tolya yelled, in a mix of desperation and fear. 

Tolya then knew, just as Irina had already realized, that they had effectively dug their own tomb. Despite the Fold gone, they would not be able to keep their fight up any longer against an unkillable monster without Inej or Alina intervening directly. Nevertheless, he stepped forward, his katana still bathed in Volcra blood, trying to cut through the dark air, but the nichevo’ya dismissed his every attack like it was nothing. He sent Tolya through the air, who crashed into one of the wooden pews. The giant groaned in pain, his eyes closed in a grimace, and Tamar quickly kneeled beside him, checking his injuries, too preoccupied to know she was the next target in line. 

Nikolai followed. He grabbed one of the fireplace’s pokers and, leaving Irina’s side, lunged for the monster, waving the iron around as he tried to divert its attention away from his chosen family. Irina tried to stand, if only to follow after him and help him. The pain in her side exploded as she forced herself back on her feet, using the pews to support her weight and taking slow and careful steps towards the monster and her brother. She knew she was no match for the creature, but she also couldn’t stand there while it hurt her loved ones. As long as she was alive, she would always try.

She brought her hands forward to summon her fire, but her swirling head only allowed a small flame to graze her fingers. She frowned in disappointment; her lack of strength, although sensible, was yet another painful reminder of her own inadequacy. Had she trained harder, had she been smarter, had the Volcra not bested her, she would be the one fighting the nichevo’ya instead of her injured Otkazat'sya brother. However, she didn’t have any more time to feel sorry for herself, for Nikolai had screamed in fear and was now being hung in the air like a rag doll. The nichevo’ya had him by the shoulder, his hand firmly impaled on his pale skin. Even then, Nikolai fought. His other free arm was attempting to hit the monster repeatedly with the poker, with both Tolya and Tamar trying to make the creature drop him from the ground. 

“NIKO!” Irina yelled in desperation. And then, her fire responded. 

Her hands, previously unable to fight, were now burning with flames so high that even the ceiling blackened at the contact. Reactive sparks were dancing around her, never touching her, even though the temperature in her body almost made her feel like she was about to combust. Before she could let go, uncontrolled, Irina pushed the fire out and forward, hitting the monster right in the back.

It was a sight to behold. The nichevo’ya dropped Nikolai at once into Tolya’s strong arms, its shadowy arms trying to put the fire out, but the flames had quickly extended over its own body. Both princes collapsed on the ground, Irina in exhaustion and Nikolai in pain, while the creature centered its attention on the forgotten Inferni behind it, stalking her slowly. Irina barely had time to inspect the damage she had inflicted on the creature, for the monster was looming over her. The girl sent a final prayer to the Saints to make it as painless as her death could be, wishing she had had more time to say goodbye. 

But, finally, still taking her final breath, the creature dissolved into golden light before its arm could reach her. Irina felt the phantom of its claw near her face, but she only exhaled once she was sure that the nichevo’ya was perpetually gone. 

Tamar was next to her in an instant, grabbing the princess by her arms and keeping the younger girl upright, her gaze shifting between the royal siblings repeatedly, reassuring herself that both their hearts were still beating. 

Irina could only sigh, her brain slowly catching up. She recognized the golden hue that had taken the monster away.

“She did it,” she quietly said. The dizziness came back, and for the first time in a while, she didn’t fight it. 

“Kirigan must be dead,” Nadia heaved, staring at her brother, as well as the rest of the group.

Silence fell over the room, all of them panting in both exhaustion and relief.

Through gritted teeth, Irina looked at her brother. “You okay?” She asked, ignoring the dark spots around her vision as much as she could. 

Nikolai nodded. “Are you okay, Irina?”

She wanted to answer back before her strength left her completely. Her hands felt numb, and her lungs were almost gasping for air as her heart continued to pump with Tamar’s help. Blood was once again spilling out of her many wounds, and the stench was too nauseating for her tired mind.

“Wait,” Jesper stared at her in horror. “Irina Lantsov?”

With one final effort, she squinted her eyes at the sharpshooter. “Are you just finding out?”

She couldn’t hear his response, for her head lolled to the side, her body finally shutting down completely in Tamar’s arms, her family’s alerted yells distant and fading.

–·–  

She felt the warmth first. Her entire body felt heavy and stiff, and she swore she could have slept for an eternity, but the rigid mattress became unforgiving after a while.

The girl frowned after opening her eyes with some difficulty. Her vision took its sweet time adjusting to the light that filtered through the small window. A moment of panic washed over her when she realized she was alone in the small barrack, worn-out blankets covering her body up to her neck, keeping her as warm as was humanly possible.

Irina always thought it ironic: she had wildfire in her veins, yet she could never seem to ward off the cold. Whoever had brought her to the room and covered her in layers had known it, too. She fought the smile, already suspecting the only three limited options for suspects.

Her hands reflexively grazed her stomach, tracing the small scars that littered her torso. Flashbacks of the Volcra violently attacking her body swarmed her, but she did her best to push them away. She was alive, and so was her family, as far as she could remember. That was truly all that mattered. That was how the Lantsov crest operated: a moment of respite before dealing with the losses.

The princess groaned as she slowly got up. She was glad that the room was no longer spinning and that the pain she felt was a mere soreness in her joints. It was after she was finally on her feet that she noticed she wasn’t wearing her previous clothes. Her pants and jacket were piled by the end of the bed, dirty and bloody. She wondered where her shirt had ended up, although, by the looks of her better clothes, she knew her old blouse wouldn’t even serve as a cleaning rag anymore. One look at her body and she recognized the Second Army’s training uniform, old and dusty, yet clean. 

Irina had no time to look around anymore, for the door opened forcefully. She grinned, for Tolya Yul-Bataar was standing before her, looking at her with a desperation the girl had rarely seen on the Heartrender.

“Irina,” he breathed out, taking in the girl before him. 

Very few times had Irina Lantsov felt self-conscious about her own looks. She grew up as an anomaly in her own house, looking nothing like her family and hence starting her own lineage rumors, but that had been a badge she had always worn with honor. Her lack of Lantsov resemblance, unlike her older brother, had allowed her to blend in with any crowd, experiencing life to the fullest in the shadows while still benefiting from generational wealth and a loving brother. Ainthe brought the fire and passion Irina Lantsov had to hide, and not once had she felt like she had to perform in front of the Volkvolny’s crew, much less in front of Tolya. But then, standing before him, having been almost resurrected, dressed in someone else’s clothes in the aftermath of a deadly battle, Irina Lantsov wished she could have at least checked herself in a mirror first. For even if Tolya was looking at her like she was the only firelight in the darkest night, Irina couldn’t help the warmth that spread over her cheeks when she noticed the Heartrender’s intense stare. 

“Hi,” she awkwardly waved.

“You’re awake.”

“Yeah.”

There was a moment of silence. None of them moved.

“I thought I had lost you.”

His voice cracked. Irina flinched instinctively, for she didn’t remember a time when Tolya’s voice had failed him. 

She took a step forward, unable to come up with a solution to the pain behind his eyes. “I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “Don’t apologize,” he too stepped closer, yet the space between them was still far too big for Irina’s liking. “I should be the one apologizing.”

“Why?”

He scoffed. “I should’ve protected you. That has been my duty ever since I first met you,” his eyes landed on her stomach, as if he could see through her clothes. “You almost died, and I wasn’t there to save you.”

Irina came closer again. “You did save me, Tolya,” she frowned. “I am alive because of you.”

“But…”

“No,” she stopped him. “None of that now.” She took another step towards him. “I don’t want you blaming yourself for eternity. You protected everyone you could, Tolya. We all played our part. Sometimes we don’t come unscathed. But we’re alive,” she reassured him as much as she could.

“I just…” he sighed, his eyes back on her. “I wish you hadn’t been hurt. I wish those scars would fade over time, but they won’t.”

Irina shook her head. “That’s my burden to carry, Tolya. Not yours. Never yours.”

Tolya simply stared at her, her heartbeat playing like an anthem in his skull.

She’s alive. She’s alive. She’s alive. That was all he cared about.

“Are you hurting?” He asked, his voice impossibly soft. 

He walked the two steps that separated them, her scent invading his senses and almost making him dizzy with her presence.

She’s alive. She’s alive. She’s alive.

Irina shook her head, a small grin playing on her lips. “Not anymore.” 

Tolya finally smiled, happy. “Good.”

“Are you going to kiss me now, or should I just keep getting closer to you?”

Tolya laughed, barely missing a beat before he crashed his lips to hers, his hands cradling her face tenderly as he poured every unspoken emotion into the kiss. 

She had only had the pleasure of kissing the Heartrender once before, almost an involuntary reaction to the impending doom of the fight. It had been quick, and forceful, and desperate, full of all of the unsaid emotions they hadn’t had the time to express out loud before. It had left a bittersweet taste on her mouth, not knowing what the future would hold for either of them, not knowing if they would ever see each other on the other side. Their kiss now was the complete opposite: slow, deliberate, meaningful. Irina’s hands slithered over his back until they reached the back of his neck, softly caressing the skin and feeling the goosebumps that rose on the Heartrender’s body. One of his hands, in turn, dropped to her waist, bringing her closer as if he could fuse her with himself, his fingers gripping her back tightly. Their lips moved in unison; years of yearning and carefully memorizing each other’s existence made them equals in fire and passion. 

Tolya was the first to pull away, clearly in need of air, and Irina had to laugh at the sight. He looked positively wrecked, his pupils dark and wide, and his chest breathing heavily. The girl brought a palm to his heart, noticing, probably for the first time ever, how fast it beat.

“Aren’t you going to help yourself out?” She whispered, lower than she originally expected.

With another gasp, he shook his head. “I want to fully live this moment. I want to remember it forever.”

Irina’s face warmed at his words, grinning slightly before pulling his face closer to hers once again, their lips meeting in the middle.

Tolya couldn’t tell how long the two of them remained there, the rest of the world forgotten, too preoccupied with each other and making up for the lost time. They didn’t hear the footsteps coming closer or the small gasp by the open door.

“Well, well, well,” Nikolai coughed. “If that’s not a sight for sore eyes.”

Irina jumped back at the sound of her brother’s words, staring innocently at him with wide eyes. Even Tolya had the deference to stand straighter, as if he hadn’t been sucking the soul out of the King’s younger sister’s mouth seconds before.

Nikolai shook his head, amused. “Please, don’t stop on my account,” he looked at them with a glint in his eyes. “I just came by to see how my dear sister fared, but I see she’s already been rescued.”

Irina’s smirk didn’t take long to make its appearance. “What lovely gesture, my dear brother.”

His eyes softened as he stared at Irina, quickly walking to her and embracing her tightly. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

Irina took in a deep breath as she hugged him back. “For a moment I thought I was a goner.”

Tolya frowned at the princess’s admittance, but still regarded the scene with tender eyes. 

Nikolai spoke again, still embracing Irina. “I hate to break this cute sibling reunion; however, we have to go. We have royal duties.”

“Royal duties?” Irina questioned as she pulled away.

Nikolai’s face sombered. “Vasily’s dead. So is the King.”

Tolya lowered his head, bracing for the girl’s impact.

“What?”

“I’ll explain everything later, I promise. But now we have a body to burn,” they shared a knowing smile. “And we could use some fire.”

–·– 

Aleksander Morozova’s corpse was lying on the biggest pyre Irina Lantsov had ever seen. The Crows, together with Alina, Genya, and Zoya, stood on the opposite end, a flaming fire next to them that Irina had willingly lit for them.

Aleksander Morozova’s corpse was resting on the biggest pyre Irina Lantsov had ever seen. Only the small trusted party had gathered around it, and were all standing in solemn silence as Alina beckoned both Zoya and Genya forward. Irina stood straighter as she saw the two Grisha grab a torch each and walk tentatively toward the Black Heretic’s body. Zoya did not hesitate: she threw the wood at his feet and walked away without even a wink. Genya waited a few seconds, yet also carefully ignited the wood by his head. Contrary to Zoya, she took the torch back and handed it to the Sun Summoner.

Her expression was grim as she stood next to him.

“No grave,” she muttered. “Nothing left.” Smoke was already enveloping the group, yet Alina still bid her farewell. “Goodbye, Aleksander.”

With that, she threw the torch on his body, walking back to stand with her sisters.

It was Nikolai’s turn to speak. He was standing on the opposite side of the pyre, next to Irina and in front of the twins. The newly-appointed king was still limping slightly, but had cleaned up for the occasion, ready to lead. 

“Today is a new beginning,” he started. “For all of Ravka. Hell, for our whole world,” Nikolai rectified. “It’s a bit daunting, isn’t it? Knowing where to go from here.” He paused. “We’ve had a singular focus for so long. So much blood has been shed. After hundreds of years separated by the Fold, we can celebrate a unified Ravka.” Irina knew her brother’s eyes were watering at the thought. “Our neighbors to the North will see us united and will aim to strike. But often it’s not the battle that takes the most from us… It’s the aftermath.” Nikolai paused again. “The chance to put the pieces of our lives back together,” he looked at Mal. “When a Firebird rises from the ashes, it is not the same. But in that rebirth, is potential,” he looked back at the burning corpse. “Potential for new purpose.”

Even Irina had to take a deep breath at his words. Against better judgment, the Fold had always fascinated her, knowing how long it had stood and divided her people. She was glad to see it gone, but also couldn’t help the unease that filled her thoughts when she realized just how different her life was about to be from then on. The news of her favorite –and only one– brother being the new king of Ravka had left her rather shocked, but the more he talked, the surer Irina was that the Saints had been right to put him in charge after all.

“Thanks to what Alina has done for us, we all have a chance to better the world now that the Fold is gone. And above all, you must trust,” he looked at his sister, who smiled back at him with watery eyes full of pride and love. “Trust in each other. In yourselves. Trust in the fact that this is the start of better days to come.” He regained his composure. “And it won’t be easy, of course. Nothing is.” Nikolai looked back at his friends and gave them a grim smile. “I had hoped to end that on a more uplifting note, but here we are.”

But the message had been clear: it was up to them now. One by one, the party left in utter silence, some casting one last look at the source of their nightmares, and some simply limping away searching for a better future. 

Irina couldn’t resist herself. She summoned a large ball of fire in her hands and threw it to the base of the pyre, effectively making the wood explode with the impact, and the Darkling’s blackened remnants with it. Nikolai stared at her with a glint in his eyes, to which she simply shrugged her shoulders, following after Tolya and Tamar, and not once looking back at the source of her last nightmare, even if the horrors would never fade.