Isa follows Alina towards the gate to the palace grounds. Standing at the closed gates is a mass of people. Some dressed in the brightly colored keftas while others are dressed as commoners. Palace guards are trying to keep them back. Alina looks at the crowd before them. Her eyes settle on one person.
"Fedyor," Alina gasps. A man steps towards the gate, a smiling growing on his face.
"Alina! So the rumors are true. You're alive!"
"Let him through," Alina orders. "I want to talk to him."
The guards hesitate for a second before letting him in. Fedyor slides in before embracing Alina.
"Let's talk," Alina tells him. She motions for Isa to follow and the three head walk over to the stretch of woods. There is a gravel path that supposedly leads to the Little Palace. Though Isa hasn't had a chance to see it in person yet. The rest of the travel party has gone that way, but there had been news of Grishas gathering at the gate.
Isa leans against a tree while Alina looks between the two.
"Um... Fedyor, this is Isa." The red head waves and smiles at him. "Isa. This is Fedyor. He was one of the first I met when came here."
"Pleasure to meet you, Isa," Fedyor tells her.
"Nice to meet you too."
"Kerch? Guessing by your accent."
"Is it really that noticeable?" Isa laughs.
"It's the way you annunciate," the man tells her. "Similar to most Merchants I have met."
Isa laughs, shaking her head.
"So who do you have with you?" Alina asks, getting to the point.
"Grisha from all over Ravka. None of them agreed with the Darkling, but commoners still blamed them for what happened."
"And you trust them?"
"As much as I can. I was also surprised by what happened, Alina. I need you to believe me."
"I do."
"Everyone in the group heard that you were rebuilding the Second Army and wanted to join."
Alina nodded her head, processing what she had been informed.
"You know I am rebuilding the Second Army to take down the Darkling, right?" she states.
"I figured."
"That would mean having to also fight those you trained with."
Fedyor looks solemn at the comment, but nods his head. That would be difficult for anyone to agree to. From what Isa had learned from Nikolai, some of the members of the Little Palace had been there most of their life. They not only trained together, but grew up together. Isa watches the two of them closely, trying to catch any subtle shifts in body language. Alina requests for a moment to think and Fedyor rejoins the other Grishas. Once he is out of earshot, Alina turns to Isa.
"What do you think?" the Sun Summoner asks.
"You're asking me?" the Shadow Summoner quickly responds in shock. "I don't know him."
"That's why I asked. You are separated from the situation."
Isa looks out towards the trees, thinking. A small smile shows on her face.
"You know, no one on Volkvony knew who I was. Not fully anyway. Except one person. He was willing to take the risk I was like my father when he invited me on the ship."
"Is there a point to this?" Alina asks, chuckling. "Cause otherwise, we can save the story for later."
"Shit. I'm sounding like Nikolai."
"Just a bit."
The two women laugh.
"What my point is that the risk can be worth it. That we should try to embrace others with open arms."
"Last time I tried that, I was forced to take on an amplifier and was used to expand the Fold."
"True," Isa mutters. She places a hand on Alina's shoulder. "But now you have me by your side. As well as a prince, a set of twin Heartrenders, and a tracker. So I think you're set."
Alina laughs again.
"Fair enough. Though you need to get your ability under control."
"You don't need to point out the obvious like that," Isa responds, faking being offended.
"Remind me to introduce you to Baghra later. Your grandmother is tough, but a good teacher."
With that, Alina walks off towards the gates.
"Wait!" Isa shouts after her. "My what?"
Alina briefly talks towards the guards and the gates swing open. Grisha swarms in, heading straight past Isa. They seem to know exactly where they're going. Alina walks over to Isa. The redhead offers her arm and the dark hair Grisha accepts it. The two of them walk behind the crowd and into the Little Palace.
It takes all of Isa's will power to keep her jaw from dropping. The place is beautiful. Though smaller than the main palace, it's still amazing. They enter into a hexagonal hall with a golden domed roof. There are four tables in the room, forming a square. Everyone automatically gathered here, waiting for some instruction it seems. Alina separates from Isa and moves towards the center. Isa finds the twins and join them.
"Listen up everyone," Alina's voice echoes through the hall. The room falls quiet and everyone faces her. "I would like to welcome you to the Second Army."
"Why should we listen to you?" someone shouts. "Didn't you work closely with the Darkling?"
"If I remember correctly, you two were very close," another shouts. More join in, yelling reasons on why they shouldn't follow her. Most of them have something to do with her working with the Darkling. Oh they're gonna have a time when they find out who Isa is related to. Isa goes to take a step forward, but Tolya grabs her shoulder, stopping her. Alina sends a band of light, hitting the ceiling. The gold dome starts fracturing and sunlight peaks through.
"Enough!" Alina snaps. "If you don't want to work with me, you can leave!"
"We can't blame her," a voice says. A woman with black hair and in a blue kefta steps through the crowd. She is absolutely stunning. "The Darkling tricked all of us. Alina was not the only one. So if you have a problem with it, remember where you were standing six months ago."
There is a murmur spreading through the crowd. Them realizing the truth. Alina looks Isa in the eyes and the red head nods her head. The Sun Summoner turns to the crowd.
"You not only have to accept being under, but also Isa Hendriks. She will be my Second."
Isa's eyes widen at that. They had not discussed that. She figured Alina was looking for permission to say who her father is.
"She is also a Shadow Summoner, like her father."
There it is.
"The fuck?" the dark hair Grisha reacts. "What do you mean 'like her father'."
"Technically I'm the spawn of that psycho," Isa pipes up, causing everyone to turn towards her. Fedyor looks at her with wide eyes. "Never met him until recently though. I lived in Ketterdam my entire life with my mother."
There is more outrage and Tolya grabs Isa's arm; ready to pull her behind him if something happens. He is being more protective than usual.
"Enough!" Alina shouts, causing everyone to stop. "You know where the exit is. If you can't accept it, leave." No one moves from where they are. "Very well."
She walks over to the trio.
"We should probably fix the roof," Isa jokes.
"Maybe not fully," Alina weakly jokes back. She lowers her voice. "Can we go to the rooms now?"
Isa smiles and nods her head. The four of them start down a hall with Alina leading them. The place has so many corridors, it's a miracle that she doesn't get lost. Mal is waiting for them by a set of dark doors.
"I was informed this is the General's Suite," he states, pushing the doors open. The room is covered in dark wood and has a bed with black sheets on it. There are a few different doors and Mal opens one. Isa pokes her head in and there is another room with a couple of beds. It seems to have its own exit as well.
"The Oprichniki must have stayed here," Alina concludes.
"Well Tolya, Tamar, and I will be your guards," Mal states. "So it makes sense this is our room now."
"And what about me?" Isa jokes.
"I think you being my second in command earns you your own room," Alina jokes.
"About that, were you gonna give me a heads up?"
She shrugs before exiting the suite. Isa quickly follow her with the others in tow. They stop in front of a set of white doors. Alina pushes them open. The room is bright and has a lighter color scheme than the other. Besides some books and papers, it seems plain. Though there are clothes thrown around some.
"This one will be yours," Alina said.
"I think someone lives in here," Isa responds.
"Lived," Alia corrects. "This was my room. I should probably move my stuff."
"I'm surprised the king didn't have it destroyed," Mal states.
"I am too. Well I'm exhausted so I will see you in the morning."
Alina grabs her stuff before leaving. Tamar and Mal follow her.
"Will you be okay in here?" Tolya asks her.
"Probably," she responds. "Though I know where to find you if I'm not." He smiles at her before going to leave. "Um, Tolya." He stops and turns. "Thank you. For everything."
"Of course. Get some rest."
With that he leaves. Isa looks around the now empty room, taking it in. She sits on the edge. This is the first time in two years she's been truly alone. And now it's odd. It's something she's probably gonna have to get use to now.