#( v. grisha )

[stromuprisahat]

I've blocked an anti yesterday, who claimed the Darkling abused Alina so badly he forced her to attempt suicide to escape him.

And just... No honey, how did you read that book?

Alina didn't try to kill herself to get away from the Darkling. She tried to kill them both, because she was forced to face the fact he's right, and they're truly alike in some aspects. That she loves her power and the power it brings her over others. She doesn't want to live in shadows of obscurity.

She wasn't some poor desperated teen victim, but a young woman avoiding unpleasant truths no matter the cost.

“I want this.” I need it. Sacrifice or selfishness, it didn’t matter anymore. ... “There isn’t any choice to make. This is what was meant to be.” It was true. I felt it in the collar, in the weight of the fetter. For the first time in weeks, I felt strong.

Siege and Storm- Chapter 23

And Aleksander isn't only a representation of her not being the perfect, nice, saintly nobody, he will never let her hide and forget it.

[krugecrow]

Kanej plague doctor au for @grishaversebigbang reverse minibang!!

Check out @nugget-hater ‘s fic Crotchety Remedies on AO3!! (Tumblr post)

[bitchthefuck1]

The fact that Jesper is like. a mid-tier fabrikator at best is actually so important to me.

So much of this story centers around the fact that these people are not chosen ones, that they have no sacred destiny or otherworldly power, but that they're children doing the best they can in a system that doesn't care about them, and all they have are their wits and each other. Jesper isn't an especially gifted grisha, and he has no formal training, but he takes that teaspoon of unremarkable talent and applies it to a skill he spent years perfecting to make something even greater and wholly his own. He isn't special because he was born that way, he's special because he made himself special.

[jaeger-pups]

Who gave Zeke “the talk”? Grisha or Ksaver?

[atomiqueen]

♔ — memes / accepting!

@tsareviich said: “you don’t know half as much as you think you do.”

        “I said I know a lot of things, not everything.” Lucy crosses her arms and shrugs. “If you have something to share, by all means...”

[wehavefoundthestars]

Plotted starter for @themerchliing

It didn't make sense to him that Wylan stopped attending their library meetings. They were starting to become friends he was sure of it. So why did he vanish?

Not too long after their last meeting, he heard that Van Eck had sent his son to a music school in Belendt. Given his talent with music, it would make sense but... Why hadn't Wylan said goodbye to him? He was kind and Elio was sure he wouldn't leave without saying anything even if it was just a note or a phone call.. Something...

And that was how he found himself wandering around the city, going further than he had ever gone before in the hope of getting an answer. This part of Ketterdam definitely was what his parents had warned him about. People begging for money, one bar after another, another brothel. Soon he found himself lost in the unfamiliar streets and then of course to top it all off he found himself cornered in an alleyway by someone trying to rob him.

"You can have everything I have on me!" Elio exclaimed with an unsteady voice while his trembling hand reached out to get his wallet. "Really there's no need for violence... "

[tsareviich]

canon (non-grisha) verse*

(*pretty much for stuff within canon but like take away all stuff that wouldn't make since if you haven't read the books or seen the show)

idk the exact details but he's the ravkan crown prince doing crown princely stuff. just like no grisha. parents still want him to find a wife, make alliances. set around 1800s-ish?

[paddyfeet]

cont from x bc i couldn't help it when i read it again | @oakthcrn

He knew it was a cheap shot as soon as he'd ghosted his lips against her cheek. Of course it was. But it had worked, hadn't it? Sirius was late to coming to the Little Palace, his own abilities had hid for years. Always the elusive, always the surprising. Always the repressed. The abuse he'd suffered at his mother's hands made it difficult to be.. well, normal. If normal was such a thing.

" It might work, miss. " He grinned wickedly as her back was turned. Sirius watched her retreating form and he took a step to follow. Hesitation. Would she cut off his head? Certainly not, though he might have deserved it. Sheathing his own sword, he did finally follow her. His steps were light and full of amusement; hers seemed to be quite the opposite. For a split second, he wondered if maybe he shouldn't have done such a thing.. but the feeling was fleeting. No regrets filled his chest nor his mind. Taking chances and making a lot of happy mistakes was what Sirius excelled at.

" Lark, Lark, " he said a second time, his voice huskier, smoother, than the first mention of her name. " Wait up, I've got an apology. -- Or a second round if you weren't satisfied with the first. "

[feveredblurs]

@apaise​​​ | ( continued. )

elinor would be lying if she said there wasn’t a small part of her that enjoyed the terrified look on the soldiers’ faces. there was once a time where she resented the way people kept their distance, avoiding her eyes but keeping her name on their lips as they whispered behind her back. with years of practice, she’s learned to accept it as a sign of power.

yet, for all the times elinor has reveled in her solitude, she finds she’s come to enjoy having beth at her side. the princess, despite her timid air, did not shy away from her as others did. she was always graceful and sweet when addressing even the darkling – never fearing her dark armor or the blood on her hands.

elinor wishes she was half as brave and dared to show beth all of her. the idea of her toll of death and destruction proving too much for the princess makes her breath falter, weak when faced with the possibility of finally losing something she holds dear.

despite her resolve to steel her features around the crown’s army, they soften easily at beth’s quiet remark. she holds elinor in too high regard – it’s addictive and dangerous, the darkling realizes as she attempts to will the warmth in her chest to go away. never did she want to be seen so desperately, knowing it could cost her everything.

she almost points out beth is the only one to think it a loss, but deems it a disservice to the other’s kindness. elinor gives a smile and a grateful bow of her own head instead. what must the soldiers see when they watch them from afar? two dignitaries exchanging pleasantries? would they be able to spot elinor’s subtle fidgeting, suppressing the urge to take the princess’s hand in her own?

brows raise at the remark that follows, surprised beth mentioned the bluebirds. it had been an afternoon in equal parts lovely and terrifying, with elinor offering her a secret so close to her heart. no one knew of her birds, not even her father. it was something she had always believed she’d carry to her grave, a softness she was not allowed. yet beth didn’t even spare it a moment of judgment – and there’s nothing if not gentless in her features when elinor dares meet her eyes now.

“ – i miss them dearly as well, ” she confesses, voice low and tentative. “ they’re quite independent, but i do regret not being able to ask one of the maids to look after them. ” despite being otkazat'sya, harys could command fear into the royal staff as well as any grisha general. they’d tell him of anything they saw out of place – including elinor’s own behavior. she’s lucky she can pass her meetings with the princess as mere courtesy.

“ i may stay a few more weeks, depending on how everything goes. ” as far as everyone knows, the general is here to oversee operations regarding the recent fjerdan attacks on the northern border. her letters to her father will detail whether the search for the sun summoner has proved fruitful after hearing hushed reports of a nearby sighting.

“ and yourself, your highness? ” elinor turns the question to beth. “ i’m sure your sisters will be happy to see you, but the soldier camps may grow quite dull after a day or two. ” she reckons the princesses are allowed to leave their post based on status alone... but elinor finds herself selfishly wishing for stricter rules, if it allows her to accompany beth during her stay instead.

[heartsdefine]

primary muse starter call — accepting! ↳ @korolnichevoya

        Sankta Sigyn of the Staying Power, Lady of the Healing Hands, has not had a visitor like this in many years. She steps lightly, barefoot, through her garden of many flowers, pale yellow gown trailing in the grass. She does not acknowledge him at first, focusing instead on selecting several blossoms from an overflowing shrub before she turns to him at last.

        "Young Prince of Springtime." She reaches out a delicate hand to gently tuck a pale green tulip behind his ear. "Green, for new beginnings." A second, colorless tulip is offered then. "And white, for my condolences." Clear blue eyes study his face, the former King of Ravka, her expression curious. "Why have you come?"

[barrelcrow]

{ ♠️ x @esotericdescent x}‌

What the hell had he been thinking? Had he been thinking at all? Probably not. It certainly didn't feel like it now that his heart was pounding painfully inside of his ribcage, and his lungs struggled to keep up with his panicked gasps. His hands were buried in his hair as he sat hunched against his bed, gloves still laying abandoned above on the blankets.

It had been a mix of curiosity and wanting to test his own powers. Heartrenders were capable of slowing one's heartbeat and altering moods. So it wasn't too far-fetched that, if he could do both at the same time and to himself, he might finally be able to overcome his own weaknesses. There was no room for weakness if you were one of the Darkling's oprichniki, after all.

He'd been practicing for a while now, spent hours controlling his own heartbeat until he could do it without much thought at all. Then he'd set his sights on controlling his own moods. That one had been a whole lot tougher and required several weeks before he felt confident enough. And Nina was the only one he felt comfortable enough around to try it out.

So, tonight was the night. Kaz hadn't told her, of course. This was between himself, his powers, and his weaknesses. He'd listened to her complain about something Baghra had done a few hours prior, and slowly peeled off his gloves while she was distracted. His heart had started to pound then, but it only took a couple of seconds to get it back under control. Then he'd reached out, had laid his hand on her arm. For a few moments nothing happened. There was a glimmer of hope, and he even grew bold enough to tighten his grip around her arm; but then it hit him, all at once. He'd let go of her as if she'd burned him, and seconds after slid off the bed to get as far away from her as possible.

"Leave." It was the only thing he could manage, besides a much quieter 'please' through gritted teeth.

[stromuprisahat]

Siege of Os Alta: *in a full swing* Royals: *slaughtered* Grisha traitors: *dead, dying or about to die* Sun Saint zealots: *bringing sticks into magic fight* The Darkling: Babe, come and join me! Malyen: ShE dOeSn't WaNt AnY pArT oF yOu! meanwhile Alina: His dark hair gleamed in the lamplight of the chapel. Summoning his shadow army had taken its toll. He was thinner, paler, but somehow the sharp angles of his face had only become more beautiful.

[criticalfai1ure]

how's pekka feel about his son?

wonderful question tbh!

pekka loves alby more than anything. i don't know that there is anything he literally would not do for him. he would, hypothetically, go so far as to see a young grisha and have her father killed so he can adopt her and raise her in ketterdam to stand at alby's side when pekka inevitably passes his crown on to his son.

[esotericdescent]

@barrelcrow | starter from Inej - sun summoner grisha au

   It was nearing a month since Inej had opted to leave the followers of Sankta Alina. After the battle in the fold, as a part of the Sun Saint's use of the third amplifier, her power had seemingly bled out of her entirely and spread to bless those who were still alive and fighting along side her. Inej had been one of the few and, to say it had been an overwhelming experience to feel the same power that had inhabited a Saint would've been an understatement.

   Learning how to control and utilize her powers properly at the Little Palace had been the path Sankta Alina had walked herself, so Inej firmly believed that was what she ought to do as well—despite the protests of the group. She'd tried to convince them, but the words of The Apparat were far too ingrained into their minds and their beliefs. She couldn't force them see sense; she did notice not all of them dismissed her intentions so readily and she hoped that eventually they would follow in Inej's footsteps. Sankta Alina was not there to teach them and those who too had gained her power had no knowledge of how to control it either.

   The thing Inej hadn't expected was to have one who had been rumored for quite some time to have been close by the Darkling's side as one of her mentors. Several people refused to be trained by him, insisting that his intentions were along the same lines as the Darkling himself, or that he was secretly a part of those who called the Darkling the Starless Saint, who were rumored to think he deserved to be among the rest of them. While she'd initially been wary of him,—her reasoning likely clear enough with the large, scrawling sun tattoo that'd nearly encompassed her entire right arm—she did not refuse. Perhaps it was wishful thinking, but ... Inej thought she could see in his eyes how much it hurt him to be spoken about in such a way.

   Originally, she'd been surprised that he was a combat instructor, given the cane and the limp—but Inej learned quickly that these things did not hinder his skill and proficiency. It was admirable and impressive and it was clear she had a great deal to learn from him. Inej made fast friends with Nina Zenik and learned that she and Kaz were close, like a brother and sister would be. Antagonistic, no doubt, but she could see the fierce care they held for one another underneath. She had asked Nina about him, and she'd told her some things, but ... she'd encouraged her to speak to him instead. Inej did not appreciate the look she'd given her along with the suggestion and she'd given Nina a playful jab with her elbow.

   She'd decided to seek him out on a day when she didn't have combat training with him—and she was pleasantly surprised to have found him in the library. It was quiet and peaceful and, maybe before she'd been encouraged to actually talk to Kaz, she'd done some of her own reading; however, much to her disappointment, Inej found very little. She spotted him easily enough, seated in a thick chair with a book in his lap, his expression intense and focused as it always seemed to be. She approached him silently, her movement purely instinct. She didn't have to think about being silent, she just was.

   ❝Kaz,❞ Inej began—and, with a tiny spark of delight, she realized she'd startled him. She tried very hard not to smile and averted her gaze downward, hands clasped behind her back. ❝I was hoping we could talk.❞

[ada1r-arc]

@stcrmhund said ' bruises can say quite a lot. '

" have to be able to read them, though. " she speaks thoughtlessly, attention mainly fixed on healing the deep, dark bruises that are littering the other's skin. " i think these mean that you got your ass kicked. " her hand is gently placed on one of the largest, so wide she was honestly worried about internal bleeding. she's not a healer, normally, but it needed attention. wouldn't do for him to keel over. " how close am i? "

[atomiqueen]

♔ — memes / accepting!

@tsareviich said: so you also lied to me about NOT lying ??

        Lucy's already wide eyes look buggy behind the many assorted lenses of her tinkering goggles. Sighing, she moves the contraption up to the top of her head and shrugs. “You asked a very personal and very dangerous question of a stranger. Were you honestly expecting the truth?”