𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

ⅲ 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒚𝒓

FINALLY, THE GROUP LEFT THE SMALL CHURCH. The sun shone down over the greens grass. Bodies littered the ground, now lined up for people to pray to and pay respect, to say goodbye. Adrik and Toyla helped Nikolai walk as Tamar kept a tight hold on Nadia's hand. Jesper secured Wylan in his arms, whsipering soothing things to calm him down. Brey and Kaz walked beside each other. He kept looking down at her, wanting to say something but the words kept getting caught in his throat.

"Long may the night carry our souls," Toyla recited as he help Nikolai to sit on a crate. "Until the dawn renews us."

"Rabinov," Kaz recognised as the group came to a stop. "Canto Sixteen."

Brey looked up at Kaz, furrowing her eyebrows slightly. "Seventeen," Breydon corected and Kaz shrugged softly.

"Seems we share an appreciation for life's beauty," Toyla said with a nod, looking between the two.

Nikolai groaned slightly and Tamar moved to his side, rubbing his shoulder in comfort. "Are you okay?"

"A moment of sun before we deal with our losses," Nikolai said solemnly. "Dominik..."

"He did exactly what any of us would have done for each other," Tamar said softly. "For you."

Wylan looked up and cleared his throat. "Breydon," Wylan called, nodding behind her. Kaz and Brey turned. Mal, Alina and Nina walked down the small hill, Inej and Ace with them, Inej holding both blades.

A total feeling of relif washed over Breydon as she saw Ace. Their red coat was gone and they only had one necklace with a vial on it, but the stone necklace was still in place. Breydon stepped out, stopping by Inej who ran to her. Inej took her hands and squeezed them, smilling up at Breydon. "I'm fine, go to them," Inej insisted. Breydon nodded and dropped Inej's hands and ran to Ace.

Ace smiled softly, "Brey-"

Breydon wrapped her arms around Ace, squeezing them tightly. Breydon let out a soft breath as Ace laughed softly. "You're alive! Thank the Saints, demons, heretics, Titans, gods, whatever!" Breydon rambled. She stepped back, running her hand down Ace's hair, smoothing it out as her eyes scanned Ace's arms. "You're bleeding," Breydon recognised, her eyes dropping.

"A couple of scratches," Ace assured, bringing their hand up and running it just below a cut on Breydon's forehead. "You're bleeding as well." Ace dropped their hands and motioned to Kaz and the others. "Let's go, I must see Tamar."

Ace and Brey walked closer and Tamar sprung to her feet, running to Ace and squeezing her tightly. "Ah! Ha-Eun, you devil. I haven't seen you in forever!" Tamar shouted, her Shu words melding together slightly. "And now you come back to save Ravka?"

"Among other things," Ace said softly.

Tamar walked back to Nikolai and Ace walked to Breydon's side. Breydon smiled and brushed back some of their hair that fell inftont of their eyes."I need a hair cut," Ace groaned, brushing their hair back.

"When we get back to Ketterdam," Breydon promised as they stopped at Kaz's side.

"And Kirigan?" Nikolai asked, looking up at Ace and Inej.

"Dead," Inej comnirmed. "Zoya is protecting the body. Alina wants it burned."

Nikolai nodded and stood, Toyla supporting him. "Thank you. My country might have been sunk if you hadn't arrived... Again."

Kaz smiled softly, tilting his head. "We'll settle those thanks in gold," Kaz said slyly.

"Sankta Breydon," Toyla called stepping forward.

"Indulge them," Ace said quickly and Brey shut her mouth.

"You may not like the title, but you are a saint. You turned Merzost creatures into fragments of time," Toyla said, his smile growing as Inej and Ace's eyes widened. "It has been an honour to fight beside you." Toyla and Tamar bowed and Breydon nodded softly.

"And I must thank you, you saved my life, multiple times. I have no other way to repay you," Nikolai said softly.

"Gold is good," Jesper shrugged.

"I appreciate the gesture and the promise of more gold, but I have a more important request," Breydon said sternly. "Keep my identity a secret." Breydon turned to the Squaller twins. "All of you. I have a life I want to live before claiming the title."

Tamar nodded. "Of course, Sankta Breydon." The three walked off the Squaller siblings following, who also mutterd an agreement and another round of 'Sankta Breyson's.'

"You hated every second of that," Jesper muttered once they had walked away.

"Very much so," Breydon agreed.

"If you hate it so much, why am I allowed to call you that?" Inej asked, looking up at Breydon.

"I like you," Breydon shrugged softly and folded her hands in front of her. "And you only use it when necessary."

"He's right, you know," Jesper said as Wylan walked towards them. "We do have our adventures. We should hire a writer to jot down our story. What will we call it?" Jesper took a deep breath and gestured with his hands. "The Six Charming Rogues of Ketterdam." Jesper nodded to himself. "Yes."

"There's seven of us," Kaz said softly, looking over at Nina who rested with the dead soldiers.

"Right," Jesper clicked his fingers. "Seven Of Crows."

Breydon pulled her lips tight and shook her head. "Doesn't sound right."

"What does?" Wylan asked, holding his bag in front of him.

"Six Of Crows," Ace suggested. "But it's not the right number."

"Seven Snakes?" Jesper suggested.

"Seven Feathers."

"Seven Ghosts."

"Seven Sexy Beasts."

"How long will this last?" Wylan asked, looking up at Brey.

"Depends," Breydon shrugged as Jesper and Ace continued their back and forth. "Jesper can talk and Ace is slightly stubborn."

Wylan nodded but suddenly opened his bag. "I have your book," Wylan remebered, searching through his bag. "No, no, no..." Wylan pulled out the book, trying to wipe at the cover. "Dye spilt on it. I'm so sorry. Crap. Breydon I..." Wylans hands fumbled as he tried to use the cuffs of jackets to clear the leather cover.

Breydon grabbed Wylan's hand gently. "It's alright Wylan," Breydon assured, taking the book. "It's just the cover."

"Silver Seven!" Ace shouted.

"Shocking Seven!" Jesper shouted.

"We're Crows," Kaz finally said, rolling his eyes. "It doesn't matter how many of us there are."

𓅨

THEY HAD ALL REUNITRD AT THE CENTRE OF WHAT WAS ONCE THE FOLD. Sand had consumed the base of the old buliding that once stood there, only the tops of the old statues seen above the sand. Breydon walked to Zoya who looked over Kirigan's body, a Ginger woman with deep, crack-like scars that covered her whole body and an eyepatch covering her right eye stood with her.

Breydon cleared her throat, making her pressance known. Zoya looked up smiling softly. Breydon looked down at Kirigan. "I suppose this offers some sort of comfort," Breydon said softly, walking closer to Zoya.

"It does, Sankta Breydon," Zoya said with a smile. "Sorry I mean-"

"It's fine," Breydon insisted. "With how I want everything to go, this will be my final trip to Ravka." Breydon took Zoya's hand. "You can call me Saint for a day. Also Ace said to be nice." Zoya laughed softly and turned to the ginger woman.

"This is Genya Safin, Tailor and healer" Zoya introduced. "Genya this is Breydon Hanser, Saint of Time."

"Sankta of Time?" Genya repeated, smiling softly.

"A Tailor?"

"It's not as interesting," Genya insisted.

"My father was a Tailor. I know how gifted one is." Nikolai with the Shu and Squaller siblings joined the Ravkan pair, Mal and Alina following. Breydon nodded at Zoya and turned back to the crows, moving to stand by Ace.

"That was kind of you," Ace said softly.

"At your request," Breydon said with a smile.

Nikolai and the others stood on the stone steps and the three Ravkan girls stood in front of the crows. In the centre of it all Kirigans dead body lay on top of a pile of wood and sticks and three torches were placed just to the left of it.

"You go," Alina insisted, nudging Genya and Zoya on. "You both have every right. For David." Genya and Zoya picked up a torch, Zoya igniting the end of the wood before tossing the torch on top. Genya stepped up, lighting the sticks near Kirigan's head before passing it back to Alina. Alina took the torch and stepped closer. "No grave. Nothing left." Alina tossed the torch on top. "Goodbye, Aleksander." Alina turned back, standing by Genya. Zoya turned and picked up the final torch before stepping to Breydon.

"To burn a Hertic, all Saints present must participate," Zoya explained and Breydon took the torch.

"It feels wrong," Breydon said softly.

"Our scars with Kirigan may run deeper," Zoya said with a nod. "But I heard what he said to you on the skiff. I saw the blood you lost to protect us." Zoya took her hand back and moved beside Genya. Breydon walked closer to the burning body, watching the skin of his cheeks start to melt. The small cut on his left cheek was still there, just beneath the scars of the Merzost.

You are Kaelish, you should know the dangers of Otkazat'sya people.

What would you know?

Breydon tossed the torch on top of his body, watching his Kefta start to burn. "What would you know?" Breydon muttered. "May the Saints send you to hell." Breydon turned and walked next to Zoya who gave her a nod. Nikolai walked down the steps, looking between the burning body and the people in front of him.

"Today is a new beginning," Nikolai started. "For all of Ravka. Hell, for our whole world. It's a bit daunting, isn't it? Knowing where to go from here. 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. Our neighbours 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. The chance to put the pieces of our lives back together."

Nikolai turned and looked at Mal. "When a Firebird rises from the ashes, it is not the same. But in that rebirth, is potential. Potential for new purpose." Nikolai turned back to Alina, smiling softly. "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. Trust in each other. In yourselves. Trust in the fact that this is the start of better days to come. And it won't be easy, of course. Nothing is. I had hoped to end that on a more uplifting note, but here we are."

Kaz turned, starting to walk away, the other crows following. Breydon turned to Zoya and the others. "May the future be more kind to you," Breydon said softly. Breydon nodded and followed after her Crows to the Hummingbird.

𓅨

❝ i am never bound by 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 ❞