#Sankt Juris | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

rose-sophia-isabella-rogers · 1 year ago

Text

A Steel That Went Through Hottest Fire: Chapter XIV - A Diamond Is Forever

Chapter Summary: The Saints explain the situation to you. Nikolai trains to once and for all get rid of the monster inside him. You and Zoya train as well, but to become better Grisha. Or maybe even something more. But when the ritual finally takes place, not everything goes according to plan. Well. It depends whose plan…

Pairing: Aleksander Kirigan/Reader, Nikolai Lantsov/Zoya Nazyalensky

Characters: Aleksander Kirigan, Reader, Zoya Nazyalensky, Nikolai Lantsov, Yuri Vedenen, Sankt Juris, Sankta Elizaveta, Sankt Grigori

Word Count: 5464

A/N: This chapter contains excerpts from "King of Scars". Inspired by prompts: https://pl.pinterest.com/pin/207306389089798509/ https://pl.pinterest.com/pin/207306389089792244/

Tag list (let me know if you want to be added or removed):

@budugu

@intothesoul

@mizelophsun11

@pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy

@zeeader

@marrymonrich

@wonderland2425

@chelseyyouraverageluigi

@thehufflepuffavenger1

@drinix

The sands carry you toward the palace. The closer you are to it, the more in awe and impressed you are. If the circumstances were different, you'd probably be glad for the opportunity to see such a novel architecture. Alas, right now you're more focused on wondering whether you're actually going to get out of this alive.

You finish your journey in a circular room. Sands become stone underneath your feet, while table and chairs emerge from it. You sit down and demand answers. While everyone talks, you only listen and ponder about what you find out.

Three Saints tell you they've been trapped here for four hundred years because of the Darkling. This place, a version of the Shadow Fold, has always been sacred. And they, woven into the fabric of the world in a way no other Grisha are, were drawn to it when Kirigan created his masterpiece. They cannot leave this place nor assume physical form anywhere but here. They believed it would end with Aleksander's death. But it didn't, because his powers live on in Nikolai.

The King questions why bring him here and not kill him during the battle if they need him dead. But it turns out they don't want him dead. One, they don't wish to destabilise Ravka. Two, the power might survive. It must be burnt out of Lantsov. Obisbaya.

'Congratulations, Yuri,' Nikolai says. 'Looks like you do get to put me on a pyre.'

'Pyre?' asks Grigori.

'No pyre,' denies Elizaveta. 'The thorn wood is older than all of us, older than the first magic. It is the wood from which the first altars were made and from which the walls of the Little Palace were constructed. I can raise it from the roots that survive beneath the Fold to begin the ritual, but then it will be up to you to summon the monster from inside and slay it.'

'You created those miracles,' you realise, speaking up for the first time. 'The bridge, the roses, the earthquake, the bleeding statues, the black disk, all of them, to bring us here.'

'The Age of Saints,' Yuri declares. 'Just as he promised.'

'Our power can still reach beyond the limits of the Fold, but only in places where we are still worshipped,' Elizaveta explains. You notice that her vine that is around the monk's shoulders curls a bit more tightly. You frown at that, ignoring the exchange between Juris and Zoya.

Nikolai says that the monster doesn't follow his orders. The Saints tell him he must teach it to do so, otherwise during the ritual the thorns will burn him inside out. It is dangerous and there is no guarantee the King will survive. But if he does, the life will return to the Fold, he'll be free and so will the Saints. But for them it means they're going to lose their powers, become mortal. However, after such a long life this is what they want.

'You will want to discuss it,' says Grigori. 'But make your choices quickly. Merzost is unpredictable and every day the monster inside you takes firmer hold.'

'There is nothing to discuss,' Nikolai denies. 'When do we begin?'

And so for the next weeks he trains with Elizaveta calling the monster and sending him away. They use Zoya for it. The Saint puts her in danger and the King has to change into the creature to save her. In time, he becomes better and better at it.

When they're not training with Elizaveta, the Squaller has her own training with Juris. He teaches her how to gain more power. True power of Grisha. How to become the storm instead of just summoning it. And when you sometimes observe their fights, you're amazed how it looks and how more powerful your friend already is.

'You'd like that as well, wouldn't you?' you hear next to you during one of your secret observations. You turn and see Elizaveta and her bees. She smiles kindly at you.

'It's alright,' she says. 'I saw the way you look at the palace, when you take a stroll around it. With a childlike wonder. And a mind of a Durast, desperate to learn how it was made. How to recreate it.'

'Sometimes I can't stop my mind from analysing things,' you say, shrugging. The Saint smiles and starts walking. She motions for you to follow her. You feel a bit weird around her, but you still go after her.

'You're already more powerful than an average Durast,' Elizaveta says after a moment. 'Mostly thanks to him, isn't it? He opened the door for you. And it's hard to close such doors once you open them.'

'He showed me I was meant for more,' you say after a beat. 'I might have made some wrong decisions in his name, but I will never regret making them, if only because thanks to all that I understood this.'

'And because you cared about him,' the Saint says and hums. 'It's alright. I can understand that, since I've met him.'

'I shouldn't be surprised you crossed paths, since you've both lived for hundreds of years,' you say after a pause. 'What was he like then?'

'Arrogant. Idealistic. Beautiful. I met him many times throughout the years and he adopted many guises to hide his true self. But the faces he chose were always lovely. He was vain.'

'Rather smart. People value beauty. They can't help but respond to it. But that's not why I followed him. I did it because he saw me. The real me. And he helped me see her, too.'

'And now, as you watch Juris and Zoya, you see there's still more for you to achieve, to have.'

'Isn't that the way of life? Shouldn't a person always learn, always aspire to be someone greater?'

Elizaveta smiles. She nods.

'Perhaps,' she agrees and thinks for a moment. 'Perhaps… It would be only fair if I showed you how you can become more, since your friend is being taught by Juris, don't you think?'

Your eyes light up. You're not a fool, you suspect it's a trap, that the Saint has some ulterior motive for it. But you're also not stupid enough not to take this opportunity.

'Are we going to fight as well?' you ask.

'Not at first,' Elizaveta says, shaking her head. 'But we may get to that part. First, you need to understand this: you must open the door. Stop thinking what you can make of something and become it instead. When your mind is free, the door to the making at the heart of the world opens. And you'd be able to do things Grisha can only dream of.'

'Well,' you say after a pause. 'Good think I have no problem in trying to think differently than I usually do.'

And so, you start your own training. When Elizaveta is not helping Nikolai, she's helping you. You quickly see the change in you and your powers. Sand changes into a solid rock at your mere thought and the other way around. You almost feel sad that your goal is to get out of here and say goodbyes to the Saints. Who knows what you could learn if you had more time?

The time has come for the ritual. You, Nikolai, Yuri and Zoya arrive at the place where it all started. But to your surprise only Elizaveta is there from the Saints. You find it suspicious, so once she calls the wood to the surface, you slip away and return to the palace. But the moment you enter it, walls surround you from all sides and the rock underneath you become an amber liquid that starts to rise.

'I knew not to trust her,' you sigh. The liquid rises, becoming more solid when it touches your skin. Soon, it reaches your waist.

'I did not survive two and a half years in prison, to go down like that,' you growl and bring your hands together. You frown and the liquid freezes. It tries to resist your will, but you're angry. It withdraws and the walls disappear. You drop your hands.

'You shouldn't have offered to teach me, Sankta,' you snort and hurry to Juris cavern. But once you reach it, you stop dead in your tracks.

The Saint is lying on the ground, dead. Zoya is kneeling beside him, mourning. Her kefta is torn. She's holding something in her hands.

'Zoya,' you call, rushing to your friend, whose head shots up at your voice. 'What happened?'

'Where did you go?' she asks, eyeing your clothes that are still covered with the amber liquid. 'You disappeared suddenly…'

'I went to find Juris and Grigori,' you explain. 'Once I got back here…'

You point at your clothes. The Squaller scoffs.

'She's given Juris fuel,' she explains. 'Only their own power can destroy them. His flames burnt him from the inside. He was almost dead when I reached him.'

You look at her hands. You see now she's holding his scales. You understand what happened.

'Didn't he condemn amplifiers?' you ask.

'Only if we don't give something in return,' Zoya answers. You glance at her torn kefta. Ah.

'May I?' you ask, extending your hand. Your friend eyes it for a moment. Finally, she gently passes you the scales. You take them and let them guide you.

You feel the shape they want to take. A crown. You smile. Juris, pushy to the last moment. But you know Zoya won't like it. Instead, you convince the scales to form two cuffs.

Once you're done, your friend offers you her hands. You put the cuffs around her wrists and seal them together. You see the change in Zoya immediately. You take a step back and wait for her to come back. When she does, she looks at you.

'What is Elizaveta trying to do?' you ask. 'And what happened to Nikolai?'

'He… he won,' the Squaller says slowly. 'And he almost destroyed the monster. But she stopped him. She never wanted him to get rid of it, get rid of the Fold. She wanted to… bring him back.'

'Who?' you ask, blinking. Your friend looks you in the eyes. You see hesitance in hers. And you understand. Your shoulders slump.

'Kirigan,' you whisper. 'She wants to leave the Fold, bound to him. But his body-'

'She saved it,' Zoya laughs bitterly. 'Switched it somehow, like we did with Alina. I don't understand exactly what she's trying to do, I can only guess from seeing his body. Nikolai is trying to fight back. Last time I saw him, he was attacking Yuri, who was apparently colluding with Elizaveta all this time. They both try to bring him back.'

She looks at you, tense. She's clearly wondering on which side you will stand this time. You look at her and once again offer her your hand.

'Over our dead bodies,' you say, your eyes burning. After a moment, Zoya smiles and takes your hand. You help her up.

'So,' you say. 'How are we going to get back there?'

You fly there on the storm of Zoya's creation. You don't scream. But you want to. Even more when you see Grigori trying to keep Elizaveta and Yuri away from Nikolai and his shadow self. Elizaveta's thorns stab Grigori, who keeps shifting, again and again. But the insects she unleashes are the one that cause him the real harm, slowly devouring him.

Finally, he shudders and collapses. Elizaveta shouts in triumph and descends upon the pinned bodies of Nikolai and the monster, both of them held in place by the wines of the thorn wood. But Zoya, who's been training with Juris to bend the borders of Grisha's orders, sends a gout of flame at the Saint, who rears back in surprise. You stand side by side, facing amused Elizaveta.

'I thought you were wise enough to run, Zoya,' she says. 'You're too late. The Darkling's spirit will soon re-enter his body. There's no reason for you to be a casualty of this battle. And you, [Y/N], should not try to stop this. Didn't his death break you?'

'Our king lies bleeding,' the Squaller says, as you glare at the Saint. 'We are his subjects and his soldiers, and we come to fight for him.'

'You are Grisha, Zoya Nazyalensky, [Y/N] [L/N],' Elizaveta says. 'You need be subject to no one and nothing.'

'Subjects to no one but you? The Darkling?' the Squaller asks. Elizaveta laughs.

'We will not be rulers,' she says. 'We will be gods. If it's a crown you want, take it. Sit the Ravkan throne. We will hold dominion over the world.'

'We saw his body on the pyre,' Nazyalensky says. 'We watched him burn.'

'I stole him from the sands of the Fold and left a facsimile in his place,' the Saint explains. 'It was well within my power.'

Zoya keeps her talking. You, in the meantime, slowly and discreetly use your powers. The sands move under your command, bringing the bier on which the Darkling's preserved body rested. In the corner of your eye, you see Yuri taking out a glowing thorn from the creature's chest. You'll deal with him later.

Zoya reveals her amplifier and starts fighting with Elizaveta. You're close, but not quite there. But that's alright. Zoya can move the rest of the way.

'I have the advantage of eternity,' you hear the Saint say. You whistle, letting your friend know it's time.

'I'll settle for the advantage of surprise,' Nazyalensky says. She raises the sands for cover and let herself plummet in a flash toward the Darkling's body. You move the torn wood out of her way. After a second, she lifts her arms.

'No!' cries Elizaveta. The Squaller thrusts her arm down and lightning flow in a precise, ear-splitting crack. It strikes the bier in a blaze of sparks and blooming flame. You see a shadow emerge from the fire, as if trying to flee the heat.

'What have you done?' the Saint screams. She hurtles at Kirigan as the thorn wood tries to lift him to safety. But Zoya makes the wood collapse on itself, burning it. Stalks twist around hers and your ankles. She burns them and you force them away.

Elizaveta tries to retrieve what's left of Aleksander's body. Zoya attacks Yuri and takes the glowing thorn from his hand. She immobilizes him with sands and rushes to Nikolai. You turn your attention to the Saint.

'It's too late, Elizaveta,' you say, walking toward her. 'You can't save the body.'

'How could you?!' she shrieks, turning to face you, her form shifting from bees to meadow to woman. 'Weren't you loyal to him?! Didn't you care for him?! Don't tell me you don't wish for him to come back!'

You don't answer her. You just look at her with pain and grief in your eyes. Thorns rise and try to pierce you but you stop them with your hands. The Saint snarls.

'You were an apt pupil, but I haven't passed you most of my knowledge,' she says. Vines quickly surround your body. Elizaveta flies at you and stops mere inches from your face.

'All of our training was just to keep you occupied so you wouldn't find his body,' she hisses. 'You're not a match for me. Maybe you would be if you weren't so lost, so broken. You're simply too fragile to face me and win.'

'Oh, but that's the irony,' you say and look at her with fire in your eyes. 'Broken people are not fragile.'

You have only a second. You use it to make the vines let go of you and grab Elizaveta. She gasps, surprised, and tries to change into bees. Part of her manages that, but her chest doesn't. Not in time to dodge the thorn you force to rise and thrust itself into her heart. Just as another one, guided by Elizaveta, pierces your chest.

Her eyes go wide. Bees fall onto the sands. You grit your teeth, trying not to cry out from pain. You feel blood soaking your kefta. You lean to the Saint's face and stare into her eyes that are losing light.

'Don't worry,' you say quietly. 'In a way, you'll get your wish.'

You snatch the bees that were a part of her and let them guide you. They change shape. And the moment Elizaveta dies, you make a necklace bind itself with your neck and you feel no pain, your wound already healed.

The Saint's power and strength flows through you. You open the door. You feel her past, her life trying to overwhelm and kill you. You surrender yourself, share your own life with her. Finally, she draws back, defeated. And you fall on the sands, letting out a soft sigh.

Nikolai is first to wake up. He sees you lying on your face in front of impaled body of Elizaveta that slowly turns to ashes. Same as the palace and Grigori's body. Zoya is lying not far from him, so he goes to check on her first. Once she comes to, they walk to Yuri, who's fainted. They consider what to do with him, when they feel the ground shake underneath them.

'What now?!' Zoya growls, grabbing Nikolai's arm to support her. The King turns his head, looking for you to see if you're in danger of falling into the sands. He finds you. But not fighting for your life.

You're on your knees, your palms pressed to the ground. You're causing the ground to shake.

'[Y/N]?!' Nazyalensky shouts, surprised. You don't even look at her, focused on whatever it is you're doing. And they see what it is a moment later, when something rises from the sands.

'Oh, you've gotta be kidding me,' Zoya scoffs. 'How many more are there?!'

Nikolai stares, stunned, at another bier with the Darkling's perfectly preserved body.

'All is not lost then!' Yuri, who's come to, cries in relief.

'Over my dead body,' Nazyalensky snarls and throws herself at you. She lands on you, causing you to fall and tumble down the sand dune you were on. You land on your back and she on top of you. Your eyes meet. Yours, calm but with a hint of guilt. Hers, full of anger and betrayal. For a moment none of you moves. Until a familiar voice says:

'Touch her and I'll break your neck.'

Your heart skips a beat. Zoya freezes, her eyes widening. She lifts her head and her face pales. You see in her eyes fear and disbelief. You almost hear her thoughts, begging for this to be a nightmare. Shocked, she slips from your body and stares ahead numbly.

You sit up. For a moment you stay still, fearing this is a dream. Finally, you slowly turn. You almost cry out in relief. You only feel tears filling your eyes. You still think this is not real.

But no, he really is there. Aleksander. Alive. Standing on the sand dune and staring at you softly with a small smile. You see his hand twitching, as if he wants to reach out to you.

'No,' Zoya murmurs next to you. 'It can't be true.'

You use that she's still in shock (and Nikolai probably as well) and jump to your feet. You throw yourself at Kirigan. You manage to notice his face relaxing in relief, before you land in his arms that enwrap you tightly. Safe. You're finally safe. And whole. No longer broken.

'Moya milaya,' the Darkling whispers in your ear and you almost whimper. 'It's alright. I'm here. I'm with you and I swear I will never leave you. Not again.'

His voice is shaking a bit and only thanks to his words you realise you're crying. You don't force yourself to stop. You just hold his kefta tighter and press yourself closer to him. You inhale his scent. Saints, how you missed it. How you missed him…

Suddenly, you feel him stiffen. You pull slightly away and turn your head. Nikolai is now standing next to Zoya, his revolvers in his hands. The Squaller's hands are shaking, but she brings them together. Their eyes are filled with determination. They're weak, tired. Nikolai is wounded. But they're still ready to fight the Darkling. And you if necessary.

You almost feel shadows shifting around you. Aleksander gets ready to defend you. You quickly grab his hands and look at him.

'No,' you say sternly. 'You promised.'

He stares at you for a moment. Finally, he relents. He sighs and shadows back away. He looks at Nikolai and Zoya. He smirks and spreads his hands, showing them his palms.

'I imagine you'd like to tie me up now,' he says. 'I won't resist, I promise. I do not wish to fight you.'

The King and his general narrow their eyes with suspicion. They talk with hushed voices. The conversation becomes heated. Finally, the Squaller huffs and crosses her arms, glaring at Kirigan. Lantsov puts on his calm mask and looks at you two grimly.

You, the Darkling and Yuri are bound and gagged. You think you walk for hours until finally you find shelter in some farmer's shed. The night has fallen while you were still walking. You fall asleep quickly and have no dreams, you're just so exhausted.

Before dawn, Zoya sets out for Kribirsk. She's not happy to leave Nikolai alone with you three, but the King is too weak to be the one to travel. So, she leaves and Lantsov turns to you.

'Alright,' he says after a minute of staring at you. He walks to you and gently lifts you to your feet. He leads you to the door.

'I won't harm her,' he says. You turn your head and see Aleksander staring at the King with his eyes narrowed, his body stiff. He looks you in the eyes. You nod, so he relaxes.

Nikolai takes you to a nearby plum orchard. You can see he's uncomfortable and you honestly can't blame him for what he's been through. He finds some stool and sits you on it. Then, he steps a bit away from you and stares at you with his arms crossed and a grim expression.

'I have many questions,' he says after a long moment.

'I can imagine,' you say quietly. He opens and closes his mouth a few times. He sighs, frustrated, and runs a hand through his hair.

'I have to admit, you're a brilliant actress,' he finally says. 'We all've been fooled by your act of feeling guilty.'

'That was not an act,' you protest. 'I am feeling guilty for everything I've done. Same as betraying your trust. I just don't regret it.'

'I can understand a Saint stealing the body from under our noses,' he says after a beat. 'But how did you do it? It was guarded all the time.'

'Oh, Nikolai,' you sigh. 'You gave me an opportunity yourself, don't you remember?'

His blood runs cold as he remembers your request to prepare the Darkling's body for his final journey. You looked so sad and vulnerable… he couldn't say 'no' to you. He curses under his breath. He brought this on himself. Didn't Baghra warned them, when she, Alina and Mal returned from Morozova's workshop?

Don't underestimate her. She may look meek, small and weak… but there is a reason she got his attention.

Nikolai assumed that after the Darkling's death, you have no reason to be their enemy. The conversation he had with you strengthen that belief. He clearly was a fool. He honestly didn't think you'd steal the body to bring Kirigan back. But…

'I remember you were guarded all the time,' he says, frowning. You smile wryly.

'Oh, that poor guard really never told you he… fell asleep… on duty?' you ask. The King blinks.

'What did you do?' he asks.

'Me?' you ask innocently and shrug. 'Nothing. At least not to him. All I did, was hiding Kirigan's body in the sands, preserved it.'

'You had help,' Nikolai guesses. 'I guess not his worshippers. They haven't existed yet back then. Someone from his army. Who- Oh. Right. We've never caught them.'

'Ivan and Fedyor,' you confirm, smiling softly. 'They got into my tent pretty soon after I was put there. They wanted to rescue me. But I told them I was exactly where I needed to be and asked them to get into the tent with the Darkling's body when I'll be taken there. They didn't want to leave me, bless them, but they did what I asked. They slowed the guard's heartbeat enough to put him to sleep. They found a dead man looking close enough like Kirigan that with their poor Tailors' skills they managed to make him look exactly like him. It wasn't supposed to be for long after all. Just enough to be burnt. I didn't anticipate Elizaveta stealing that body, though. Still, either she forgot how he looked like or Tailor powers work differently on dead bodies, or Fedyor and Ivan are better at it than I thought.'

The King wants to bang his head on a tree in front of him. Repeatedly.

'So, you weren't working with Elizaveta?' he asks. You scoff.

'I killed her, remember?' you ask. 'And she tried to kill me. No, we weren't working together. We weren't aware we have the same goal. More or less. I knew someone else is working to bring him back, but I wasn't aware who.'

'Did you have vision as well?' Lantsov asks doubtfully. Your look softens and you look away.

'I'm not sure I'd call it visions,' you say after a pause and Nikolai raises his eyebrows at the use of plural form. 'I… dreamt of him. I'm not sure how much of it was just normal dreams and how much was him talking to me. I will have to discuss that with him. But yes, during one such dream he told me about someone else trying to bring him back.'

'Did he tell you to kill her as well?' Nikolai asks. 'Because I'm sure she'd be a powerful ally for him.'

'He just told me to let the events unfold during the ritual and once at least a fragment of his power with separate itself from you I can do what I please,' you answer and your eyes darken. 'You may think of me what you like, but I care for Ravka. I didn't want Elizaveta to bring terror and fear to it. Nor I couldn't allow her to kill you. You're a great king, Nikolai. I believe you can fix this country. But not alone.'

'You told me that before,' Lantsov sighs, remembering your conversation in the tent. 'And since we're going to be at war… I'm going to need every resource I can have. The question is… is he going to help or fight with us?'

'I didn't bring him back so he could start another civil war. And he knows it. If he as much as tries to hurt any of you and take your crown… he loses me.'

'Forgive me, but why exactly am I to believe you're that important to him that he won't risk losing you? I mean, I know he confessed his feelings before he died- Oh. Oh.'

He snorts and shakes his head. They were so stupid.

'It appears our mistake was to assume that since he said it with his last breath, you were friends until the end,' he says and looks you in the eyes. 'But you weren't, were you?'

'We've been much more since David's escape,' you admit and sadness flashes in your eyes. 'But while I confessed my feelings, he did only admit them just before he died. But I knew he cared about me more than for a friend. I had some doubts, of course. Maybe I still do. But you can be sure that even if he does risk losing me, I also promised to kill him personally if he hurts any of you. He knows I won't hesitate. Not after everything I've lived through.'

Lantsov shivers at the look in your eyes. Nope. Never underestimating you again. Ever.

'One thing I don't get,' he admits. 'How did you even know it's possible to bring him back? I mean, you didn't know a nichevo hurt me back then.'

You smile. And Nikolai finds that smile very unsettling.

'Point your revolver at me,' you say. The King's eyes widen.

'I beg your pardon?' he asks, dumbfounded.

'Just point it,' you encourage him. 'Then I'll explain. Do it.'

He eyes you with suspicion. Finally, he sighs. He sure hopes so the Darkling won't come barging out of this shed and attacks him for pointing his revolver at you. But he grabs his revolver and starts raising it… but finds himself unable to make it go higher, to point it at you.

The monster that's still inside him snarls and causes him physical pain, stopping him from as much as pointing his revolver at you. He drops his head, exhaling shakily. He looks at you, stunned.

'Why?' he demands.

'I'm sure Baghra, Mal and Alina told you I could control nichevoy'a,' you say and he nods. 'Do you know why? When he created his first, he did it because I was being taken away by a Volcra. He created it to save me. And while he was their master and they protected him at all cost… protecting me came first. That's why they listened to me, even when my life was in danger. We became connected. So, when I saw Alina getting Mal back after he died and I felt this awful anger… I felt one nichevo ready for my command. I didn't know where it was back then. But when you walked into that tent… I knew somehow a part of it is in you. And that I could use it in some way to bring him back. My dream later that night confirmed it.'

Ready for my command…

Nikolai's face goes pale when realisation downs on him. You smile sadly at him.

'First time it took control… it was short after you were released from your cell,' he says. 'You were the one who caused it. You were doing it all this time.'

'Except for the last time,' you correct him. 'That was Elizaveta by Yuri. You know, so she thought she's the one pulling all the strings. That night I was supposed to just came across Zoya, Tolya and Tamar and follow them. To show I can control the monster, so you would take me with you to the Fold.'

The King stares at you speechless. He shakes his head.

'You've been very patient, I give you that,' he says. 'I mean… you couldn't have known we would ask for your help with jurda parem two and a half years after we had locked you up.'

'No,' you admit. 'But I knew you'd need my help for something sooner or later. And I was ready to wait a lot longer. Mind you, I'm glad I didn't have to. I fear I would eventually go mad in there.'

You twist a bit, starting to feel uncomfortable. Your necklace from Elizaveta shines in the sun. Nikolay eyes it.

'I picked a very wrong place for a conversation, didn't I?' he asks. 'If you wanted to, you could break out of your bonds and attack me with trees, couldn't you?'

'Not necessarily in that order, but yes,' you confirm. Lantsov sighs and massages his temples.

'What do you want?' he asks. 'In return for your and the Darkling's help in fixing Ravka, keeping our enemies at bay.'

'The same thing I've always wanted,' you answer. 'Him. I want a life with him. Peaceful. With no one threatening us, no wars, no fights, no deaths.'

'And how can you be sure he wants the same?' Nikolai asks. You stare at him with sadness.

'I'm not,' you admit. 'I just have to hope… that I'm enough.'

For a moment, Lantsov feels a need to hug you. But then he reminds himself how you played them all. He settles for a compassionate look.

'You, him and Yuri are going to be taken as prisoners back to Os Alta,' he decides after a moment of silence. 'Then… with others we'll decide what to do next.'

'As long as he's safe and alive, I'm at your service… your majesty,' you say, bowing your head.

'Can you say the same about him?' he asks. You smile slightly.

'He'll behave,' you say and look him in the eyes. 'You have my word.'

A/N: Thank you for reading! Let me know your thoughts! Reblog, like and comment if you could. Every comment makes my day!

This can also be found on Archive of Our Own: https://archiveofourown.org/works/52696933/chapters/134901757

44 notes · View notes

tsibeyantiger · 1 year ago

Text

It is time. Welcome, everyone, to my GrishaVerse wildlife analysis!

First of all some disclaimers. My comments are based on the books and since we are talking about a fictional world, not every rule from our universe must apply there. I remember a post about how it's stupid that Game of Thrones has got pumpkins because Westeros is European-themed and I call this bullshit. Westeros is inspired by Europe, but it IS not Europe, so pumpkins can be native there. Applying this logic, my assumptions about the GrishaVerse nature are limited. Just because Fjerda is inspired by Scandinavia, it doesn't necessarily have all the animals and plants that live there. But to make it easier, I will assume that Leigh Bardugo mentioned every animal she invented and everything else that lives there is a creature that exists in real life. And also, this is waaaaay too much stuff for just one post, so today, I will be only analysing Fjerda. The other countries will follow.

The Seawhip: Certainly the most spectacular animal, but actually kind of boring. It is unclear if dragons are a species in GrishaVerse or if the Seawhip is just one of a kind, just as the Firebird. Does it belong to the same species as Juris? Probably not, because they are pretty different. One must assume that there is only one Seawhip and this limits the influence it can have on an ecosystem. It uses to live in the Bone Road and preyed on probably anything. That's it.

Whales: There are at least two species of whales in the True Sea, but probably a lot more. They have dolphins that might even live as far north as Fjerda and are MAYBE hunted. But there's no doubt there is at least one big species of whales that is hunted by the Fjerdan and maybe also the Ravkan and Kaelish for probably centuries. A habitat as big as the True Sea allows much diversification and there will probably be whales that prefer deep waters as well whales that live close to the coast. These will have been the first one to be killed by humans, just as the right whales in our world, and they are probably already close to extinction during the time of the books. Hanne mentions whales in the bay of Djerholm. Whether they belong to the already rare species that lives close to the coast or to the one that usually prefers deep waters, they are probably unusual guests to Djerholm. The whales migrate, probably spend the winter somewhere south of Kerch, give birth and then swim north. The Bone Road carries ice even in summer, so it must be totally frozen in winter. This limits the range of the whales territory.

Bears: What kind of animals do live on the ice? Does the GrishaVerse have polar bears? We know that there are white bears in Tsibeya, but they probably aren't polar bears. They couldn't survive there. It is pretty likely that brown bears live in Fjerda, Ravka and Shu Han, with several subspecies. Ivan mentions a kodiak bear, probably from Tsibeya. Sankt Grigori also came across bears. The white bears might be a exceptionally bright subspecies of brown bears or there are two different species of bears in Tsibeya. If this is the case, it would be interesting to know the differences between their niches. Either way, it's safe to say Fjerda has got brown bears. Polar bears are more speculative, but I think they exist, too. There are many seals in the sea and something must prey on them.

Reindeers: It is canon that there are reindeers in Fjerda, and this totally fits to everything else we know about this country. The North of Fjerda must be tundra, it's too cold for trees. Reindeers migrate through the whole year, so they are probably roaming the tundra of Fjerda all the time. The sea must freeze in winter, so it's possible they spend the summer in Kenst Hjerte and move south as soon as the island is surrounded by ice. They are probably kept by the Hedjut, there isn't much else in the tundra a culture can subsist on. And THIS is really interesting, because you cannot force reindeers to stay at the same place all year. You must follow them. If they have got reindeers, the Hedjut are nomads.

Wolves: There are two subspecies of wolves in Fjerda. Grey wolves life in the south while polar wolves, the wild brothers of the Isenulf, follow the reindeers. The end of the forests probably marks the frontier where the land of the grey wolves ends and the land of the polar wolves begins.

Deers: How many species of deers can be found in Fjerda? The answer depends on Morozova's stag. The stag itself is apparently very old, but are the other deers also nearly immortal or are they just a population that survived since the days of Morozova? They are white, but they are no albinos. The one-million-kruge-question is: How do the other deers of Fjerda look like? Are they white, too, and this is just one population? Or are they brown and Morozova's herd is unique? Either way, there is at least one species of deer in Fjerda (wapitis?), maybe a second one, and they also have a lot of mooses. These might also be found in northern Ravka, or maybe Ravka had mooses, but they are extinct now. The deers do live in river valleys and light forests, but won't be found in the tundra, the Permafrost and Elbjen.

Seagulls: There are a lot of seagulls, probably more than one species.

Rodents: There a small rodents in the woods, probably mice and rats, also squirrels, because Fjerda's conifers offer them a lot of food. I'd also expect lemmings. There are also muskrats. Fjerda is also a great place for beavers, though we don't know if they actually live there, as well as groundhogs.

Fishes: The northern sea is very eutrophic and this isn't only appreciated by the whales and seals, but also by tons of fishes, squids, mussels and clams. Fish plays a huge role in the Fjerdan society. They've got herrings, squids, oysters, codfish, pollacks, salmons, haddocks and devilfish and perches, eels and sturgeons from the rivers. But apparently, they also eat narrow-banded mackerels, which is interesting, because these fish prefer warm water. So either there are warm currents in the True Sea or they import the fish or Fjerdan fishtrawlers navigate as far as the southern seas.

They must have owls and also birds that feed on fir cones such as red crossbills. There are probably eagles in Elbjen and maybe also in the west.

There are a lot of foxes in Ravka and they will probably also live in Fjerda. Maybe arctic foxes in the tundra. There is also certainly at least one small predator, such as a marten. Elbjen is a good place for chamois, ibex or mountain goats. We know there are lynx in Ravka, so they probably can also be found in Fjerda. As long as there are no very big predatory fish, there must be otters in the rivers.

The Fjerdan have got honey, so there must be bees. Fjerda cannot be a frozen country for the whole year. In spring, there are a lot of flowering plants blooming. It is canon that Fjerda has got lilies and I also expect lupines. Much of the landscape must look like a meadow in Sweden or Canada. There are mountains in the east and the northwest and in the North we have nothing but the tundra, but especially the area between Djerholm and Halmhend is probably pretty mild and has got a lot of agriculture.

The forrests are coniferous with a few broadleaf trees and include firs, larks and pines, but also willows, birchs and of course Djel's sacred ash.

And finally, since the Fjerdan use wool, there must be sheep. Fjerda doesn't offer particularly amazing meadows for sheep, but it could be a good place for moorland sheep or something.

A big thank you to everyone who kept on reading! Next time, I'm gonna analyse Shu Han.

#grishaverse #fjerda #ravka #shu han #the True Sea #Sea whip #Morozova's stag #six of crows #shadow and bone #Djerholm #hanne brum #Grishaverse wildlife analysis #trassel

19 notes · View notes

stromuprisahat · 1 year ago

Note

I don't even think it's Zoya's daddy issues tbh. It's arrogance. She is soooo beautiful and sooo hardworking and soooo 'smart', why wouldn't everyone want her and only her.

She despises her father for being weak, never fighting for her against her mother and her treatment of Zoya, then she goes to Little Palace, where she's trying to earn love the same way she did with her mother- by being the best, the hardest-working... and who's the highest-ranking figure there? Oh yes, the Darkling.

Surprisingly, she admits she wanted him to notice her. She wanted the Darkling's approval specifically. And once he "lets her down" too, who's the next older powerful male she becomes attached to?

Oh yeah, ancient dragon Saint she literally lets inside her head in a way she has to fight for reign over her own body...

If this doesn't spell unresolved daddy issues with catastrophic consequences, I don't know what does.

I'd agree with you about R&R!Zoya, but since LB decided to rewrite her as insecure and vulnerable inside, the arrogance is only an armour.

#reply #Grishaverse #Zoya Nazyalensky #grishanalyticritical #Suhm Nabri #The Darkling #Sankt Juris #anti Zoya #just to be safe #I'm in no mood for her fanatic worshippers...

25 notes · View notes

samthepotterhead · 2 years ago

Text

that's a very, very long finale aftermath... I'm not complaining, though.

note that we can already see the set for the weird dragon saint plot - and the bee! they are doing really well with the easter eggs and foreshadowing in this show.

the whitewashed sankta alina in the stained glass window... that's so accurate when it comes to churches, though.

I obviously love that we get to see so much kanej, but I hope they don't start defining the characters through their love interests. it's also quite crowded romance-wise already in this season/the show in general. but the "without armor" scene was the first one I was able to speak word for word :) a different setting, but still great! freddy and amita are definitely giving us the right chemistry.

#sam watching #shadow and bone netflix #season 2 #episode 8 #sankt juris #sankta lizabeta #inej ghafa #kaz brekker #kaz x inej #shadow and bone netflix spoilers #s&b spoilers #fantasy

2 notes · View notes

esssteee · 1 year ago

Text

WIP Tag Game

Thank youuuuuuuu @goatsandgangsters for the tag!! Took me a while, but here goes!

I've hit a mean writer's block these past months that I hope will lift away some fateful day, but that does not mean several of these listed wips aren't marinating in my head day and night soooooo ONE DAY I'LL BE BACK!! but anyway, these are all GV fics (and i realise that i have NO folder for my wips so it's just a pure hazard opening my main doc folder each time, should def work on that)

RULES: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

the cabin au (where alina and aleksander must hole in during a fjerdan blizzard that interrupts the first book stag hunt and where aleksander is injured and alina is just done with the shit hand life continues to throw her way. lots of spite and hurt/comfort and mutual frustration in that one, which is a killer combo imo)

we are the wild youth chasing visions of our future (that epic AU darklina fic that i will one day finish!! i swear on my life!!!!)

the darkolai priest/demon modern AU that @darkolaism and i fantasise about (so hannigram-konstantin/medved mashup i guess)

PORTFOLIO M (darkolai modern AU photographer/muse)

the three body problem (darkolina follow-up of my of monsters and men series. yuuuuuup, i loved alina too much in that series to not include her more in this no longer only daydreamt epilogue)

as of now the unnamed jurisander second part where aleksander joins juris in his travel to sankt feliks' grave and where he ends up learning more about his own roots and history

And that's it! not a ton of fics, but still too many for my current much too low energy. I've realised I put way too much info related to each title, but fuck it. Anyway, one day, my man will come back from the war (my man = writing mojo, the war = fuckin life)

Tagging: @for-want-of-a-nail, @aloveforjaneausten, @storm-elf, @yletylyf, @iamstartraveller776, @aquitainequeen and anyone else who wanna play!

#tag game

7 notes · View notes

doyouknowthis-grishaverse · 1 year ago

Text

Avatar crossover poll

#grishaverse #shadow and bone #my polls #fandom polls #grishaverse polls #atla #avatar the last airbender #sankt juris

5 notes · View notes

ragingstillness · 2 years ago

Text

Grishaverse reference

Hi Grishaverse moots, idk if someone has already done this before and if they have, sorry, guess we've got two cakes now.

I recently finished reading lb's written version of Lives of the Saints and I have many thoughts. The following are my guesses on nation of origin and grisha power for the saints mentioned in the book, based on the stories provided. There isn't a ton of information, but these are my best guesses, feel free to put these interpretations in your fics!

Also lb's grasp on Russian is tenuous at best, so keep in mind that this list is written letter for letter the way the chapters were titled, not the way these names would be properly spelled.

Sankta Margaretha - Kerch, likely Durast

Sanka Anastasia - Ravkan, likely Healer or Alkemi

Sankt Kho - Shu, Durast

Sankta Neyar - Shu, Durast

Sankt Juris of the Sword - presumably Ravkan but he dates back to before Ravka was a country, his story references one of his miracles not his actual story of sainthood so his Grisha designation is unknown, we do know that he's a two-souled Grisha bonded with the Dragon

Sankta Vasilka - probably Ravkan due to her being described as the first firebird, likely a two-souled Grisha with a firebird, maybe a Durast or Squaller

Sankt Nikolai - unclear nationality due to his being on a ship from an unknown port, potentially Ravkan, Squaller, maybe an Alkemi too

Sankta Lizabeth of the Roses - Ravkan, maybe a Durast, maybe a two-souled Grisha with bees, maybe an Alkemi with plants

Sankta Maradi - Zemeni, Tidemaker or Squaller

Sankt Demyan of the Rime - Fjerdan, Durast

Sankta Marya of the Rock - Suli, Durast

Sankt Emerens - Kerch, maybe Alkemi or Heartrender

Sankt Vladimir the Foolish - Ravkan, Tidemaker

Sankt Grigori of the Wood - Ravkan, Healer, potential Durast, two-souled Grisha with a bear

Sankt Valentin - unknown nationality, potential Squaller or Heartrender, potential two-souled Grisha with a snake

Sankt Petyr - Ravkan, potential Inferni or Heartrender

Sankta Yeryin of the Mill - Shu, likely Durast or Alkemi

Sankt Feliks Among the Boughs - Ravkan, likely Alkemi, the Thornwood grew where he died, two-souled Grisha with a hawk

Sankt Lukin the Logical - unknown, potential merzost-using Healer or Heartrender

Sankta Magda - Ravkan, Healer or Alkemi, maybe secondary Squaller gift, saved Grisha children from pyres

Sankt Egmond - Fjerdan, Durast, forced to create the Ice Court

Sankt Ilya in Chains - Ravkan, merzost-using Durast, potential Healer/Heartrender too

Sankta Ursula of the Waves - from an area in Fjerda where she is called a princess but we known her mother is Baghra and her father a sildroher, making her half-sildroher half Ravkan, Tidemaker

Sankt Mattheus - unknown nationality, Alkemi or Heartrender, turned wolves into dogs, possible merzost using Heartrender or two-souled Grisha with a wolf

Sankt Dimitri - unknown nationality, likely a merzost-using Healer or Heartrender (or a Squaller playing a joke due to his? skeleton being found in a room still praying and also talking)

Sankt Gerashim the Misunderstood - likely Ravkan, potential Durast, his vow of silence makes me think it's more likely that he was attacked and made mute because it says he stopped talking at 15 and didn’t say a word in his defense before he died

Sankta Alina of the Fold - Ravkan, Sun Summoner, obviously

The Starless Saint - Ravkan, Shadow Summoner, obviously

Extra thoughts I had reading the book:

“Half of novokribirsk was lost” - this is how the Darkling moving the Fold was described so I guess we have a better grasp on where the Fold moved to and how many people died

The story with Alina isn't about her own sainthood but about people praying to her, specifically Grisha children who are being sold to Kerch slaver, what a surprise that Alina didn't fix everything governing Ravka (I am bitter as hell and this is sarcastic)

Ulla being described as a princess is odd because what is she the princess of?

We know that dragons and sildrohers exist in the grishaverse but nebulous "demons" are also mentioned as taking over people's bodies. It's unclear how real these might be or whether they were trauma responses or mental health issues.

A ton of these people are hermits, likely because it helped hide their powers.

Lots of saints being accused of conspiring with the “demons,” lots of the saints are described as “witches.”

The prose feels like I’m reading propaganda written by the Apparat. ex: All the saints are described as pious and this is what their actions are attributed to despite clearly being the result of Grisha powers.

It's interesting to me personally lb even included Aleksander or allowed a story to exist that showed how his expansion of the Fold benefitted a Ravkan citizen.

Most Saints are described as weak and sickly, wonder why that is (wasting sickness from hiding their powers).

The Tula valley was desolate before the Fold because Feliks died there and many crops rotted after his death.

A lot of these stories have townspeople and noblemen turning on the saints, also lots of stories of people fighting for royalty then being betrayed by the same royalty (what a sucky trend for Grisha).

Many saints are said to be monks and scholars, this might be Apparat propaganda but it also might be an extension of them being in hiding about their powers.

Lot of saints are Durasts and Alkemi, likely because Materialki powers are the easiest to hide. Possible Etherealki Saints probably didn't survive long enough to be remembered.

A surprising amount of saints were Squallers. This may be because wind is harder to predict than other natural forces and is more likely to be dismissed as nature rather than Grisha power.

Only one saint is a potential Inferni. Probably because it's arguably the most difficult power to hide.

Some of these legends definitely seem older than others because they reference each other and lb does not make it clear where in the historical timeline they fall in relation to each other.

Some of the saints are only described with their miracles not their stories of sainthood, this is a curious choice and I wonder why it was made.

Some of the saints' deaths are written as fade to black while others are described in excruciating detail. Another weird choice.

#ref #grishaverse #grishaverse ref #fic ref #shadow and bone #sab #s&b #aleksander morozova #alina starkov #ilya morozova

6 notes · View notes