Sneaking out of the palace grounds was easy now Alina could make herself and now her friends invisible. It likely was not the intention Baghra had when she'd taught her how, but the woman wouldn't care what she did. Even though her son certainly would.

In many ways, Katya fortifying their drinks using her Alkemi skills had been an inspired idea. In many others, it was a disaster. Particularly as the average age of their group was about fifteen, and none of them were used to drinking massive amounts of alcohol.

Alina, Nina, Katya and Viktor had gotten so outrageously drunk that, for Alina at least, much of the night was a blurry haze. There was far too much teasing about her and Yuri Vasiliev; her friends had not let that one go, unfortunately, and it had become a running joke. They were kicked out of one tavern, and banned from a gambling den, that much was certain. She wasn't quite sure of the order of events, but she remembered starting a fight after someone insulted her eyes; yes, that had ended in her being thrown out in the street. But what about the other? Oh, of course. Viktor had been caught cheating at cards, and had vomited moments later, which sealed the deal even if the cheating did not.

She remembered pulling a knife on someone at some point - shit, no, she had stabbed clean through the man's hand! Alina was not sure why she had done such a thing, but was sure he deserved it. She'd have to ask Katya later.

And - saints! She remembered catching the eye of a handsome young man only a few years older than her - this was earlier in the night, when she wasn't too drunk to stand - and following him into a backroom, pushing him down onto a chair, his lips on hers, his hands under her clothes. Those memories were more enjoyable than anything she and Yuri Vasiliev shared, though not quite as heated; there was nothing like sleeping with someone you hated, after all. A shame she didn't know the stranger's name. She had gone back to her friends afterwards, intending to act like nothing had happened, though was of course subjected to an interrogation. She had been tight-lipped at first, but the more she drank, the more she spilled, and Nina's questions in particular were almost enough to make her blush.

It was a shame that Zoya and Kasper had decided to stay at the Little Palace, as perhaps they would have kept the rest of them from going completely off the rails. Both were too scared of breaking the rules. Not that either had phrased it like that; Zoya had sniffed that she didn't view stumbling drunk around the outer city as 'fun', whilst Kasper had said he didn't want anything to do with the Darkling's precious Sun Summoner leaving the palace grounds. In all honesty it was the smart thing to do, but Alina had often ignored what was smart in favour of making bad decisions that promised her some entertainment.

The goal was to sneak out and sneak back in again without anyone realising that they were gone. But Alina had underestimated how hard it was to concentrate on making oneself invisible - let alone three other people - when deeply intoxicated. The oprichniki had caught them before they even reached the gates.

Nina, Viktor and Katya had been sent to their dormitories to be scolded by the matron, whilst Alina was frog-marched to the Darkling's study like a prisoner on the way to the gallows. A very drunk prisoner, staggering so much she had to be half-carried. She thought she had the worst end of that deal, being sent to the General of the Second Army - the Black Heretic himself, a centuries old Shadow Summoner - rather than an angry old woman.

His study was lit only by a few dim lamps when they carried her inside. He was sat behind the desk, having been going over some documents, or was that just for show? She rather spitefully hoped they'd dragged him from his bed. Though she wouldn't be surprised if he didn't actually sleep, merely lay down with his eyes wide open, arms crossed over his chest like some kind of vampire. Even when they had shared a room on the expedition to Tsibeya, she had not been able to disprove that theory.

The thought was funny sober, let alone in her drunk state, and he clearly didn't appreciate her biting back a grin. The Darkling rose from his chair and glided towards her - how did he do that? - as the shadows in the room flared. Or maybe the room was spinning. It was hard to tell.

"Something funny, Alina?" Oh, he was furious.

She tried to look at him but the muscles in her neck wouldn't work properly, and she gave up, head lolling on her chest as she sagged in the arms of the guards. Gods, this was pathetic, but she could only find the absurdity of this whole situation hilarious.

Alina barely registered him grab her by the hair, none too gently, hauling her head upright. The room really was spinning, and his face was barely in focus. Or maybe her eyes weren't opening properly? She reached out, trying to touch him to make sure.

The Darkling caught her wrist in an iron grip, face hardening even further at the state she was in. "Take her to her chambers. She cannot even stand," He sounded disgusted. "And someone bring me a Healer,"

As one oprichnik left, another murmured something and she felt herself being lifted into their arms and carried like a rag doll into her chambers. The man - Boris, she thought, though wasn't sure - carefully set her down on her bed, propping her up against the pillows and making sure she couldn't topple over. Once again, she was very glad she was friends with the guards.

"Moi soverenyi, would you like me to fetch a maid to help her undress?" Ever the gentleman.

"No," The Darkling, ever the bastard (literally and figuratively), was a dark shape looming over her bed. "Wait outside. Knock when the Healer arrives,"

Well that was not promising at all. Boris seemed to hesitate for a moment before he bowed and left, leaving them in silence. Aside from the ringing in Alina's ears, and the thumping of her heart; was this what it was like being a Heartrender? She felt the bed shift as he sat down beside her.

"Why is there blood on your clothes, Alina?"

"Stabbed s'meone," She managed to mumble. That wasn't even the thing he'd be most furious about her doing tonight. If she told him that she'd fucked a stranger in the backroom of a gambling den, enjoyed a man being underneath her, inside her... No, she couldn't think that, or she would tell him, just to see the look on his face. Which wouldn't end well for anyone.

"You stabbed someone?"

"Oh. Not - not n'a bad way," She fought to clarify. "Just his hand. D'served it," She remembered why now. "He grab - grabbed - " She couldn't find the word, so mimicked the action, patting her hip.

Even Alina, drunk as she was, was able to recognise the deathly silence dragging on after that.

"Did you not think, for one second," The Darkling's tone was cold when he finally spoke. "Of not only the incredible danger that you, as the Sun Summoner and as a young girl, would face drunkenly cavorting around the outer city, but also what it would do to your reputation to be seen drinking, fighting and stabbing someone in the hand?"

"N - noone knew 'twas me," She hadn't worn her kefta, and besides, everyone assumed the Sun Summoner was a typical Ravkan beauty with lily-white skin, big blue eyes and golden hair. Even in Os Alta, the few people who had seen her in person would either have only seen her from a distance, or they would not be lurking around the outer city.

"You are impossible to speak sense to in this state," He said, disgusted. "I will deal with your punishment in the morning. For now, I will stay to ensure you do not choke on your own vomit until the Healer gets here,"

"Not... gonna vomit," She lied, scowling. Her head was becoming ever so slightly clearer after the low she had reached in his study, but Alina was still miles from anything approaching sober. Not to mention her stays were incredibly uncomfortable; how did otkazat'sya women wear these things every day? She knew Nina had done the laces too tight. Fabrikated underthings were far more comfortable.

She tried to sit herself upright, reaching around to loosen them slightly, but this would normally have been a struggle alone, never mind in her current state.

"What are you doing?" The Darkling asked irritably.

"N-nothing," She slurred, continuing her task. "Go 'way. 'M not gonna... die. An' I wan' to... undo this i-in peace,"

"You are not going to undo those laces like that," He said. "You've just tied a knot. Tempting as it is to leave you in that all night - which is no more than you deserve - come here,"

Before she could protest, he had batted her hand away and was unlacing her stays - and her dress, to get to them - himself. Sober Alina would have had a lot to say about that, but drunk Alina supposed it was unusually helpful of him. Even if it was frustrating that she couldn't do it herself.

There was a strange look on his face when they caught each other's eye, and suddenly she felt awkward at the whole situation. Luckily she was flushed already from the alcohol. To cover that up, she tried to speak with her usual bravado.

"How d'you... know s-so much 'bout w'men's under-things?"

"I am closer to five hundred years old than four hundred, Alina, and you think I've never unlaced a corset before?"

Judging from the sounds she had heard from his chambers over the years, he had a point. But she knew she was coming slightly more back to herself when she smirked and managed to say, "Y-you seem the... type to m-make them... do it,"

He just scoffed, finishing loosening her stays enough that she could sit comfortably but not enough that she revealed far too much. Not that she had much of a chest to boast of anyway.

"Where did you get all these clothes? They're hideous,"

"Th-that's the point. We had t'dress l-like we're from the... out-outer city," She wasn't going to tell him where they had sourced the clothes, lest anyone else get in trouble. Alina was drunk, not stupid. It took more than hours of Alkemi-fortified drinks to be susceptible to the Darkling's mind games.

"You look like a harlot," He said. Charming. "It's a wonder you were not dragged off the street," No, I dragged a man off instead.

"If anyone tried, I'd... I'd stab them," She said. "B'lieve it or... or not, 'm quite good at d'fending my...self,"

"I know you can defend yourself," The Darkling said. "Sober, you're on your way to becoming one of the most formidable Grisha alive, let alone for your age. Drunk, however, you can't even sustain invisibility and I doubt you could focus long enough to summon the heat to fry an egg,"

"I love it when... when you say n-nice things to me. G'on, say s-something else,"

Her sarcasm did not impress him. He stared flatly at her, then shook his head at the sound of a knock on the door. "A Healer is here for you. I will see you first thing tomorrow, to discuss your punishment,"

"Can't wwwait," She waved listlessly, as the Healer quietly entered the room. Thank the saints it wasn't Sofia. Despite the fact that contraceptive tonic had come in quite useful, she was not quite over the mortification of that conversation.

*

Alina awoke the next day feeling absolutely fine. The Healer had done a good job. There was no headache, no nausea, only a little tiredness, and a pleasant ache between her legs from her, ah, encounter. Yet her day had been ruined regardless. The Darkling's punishment was creative, something he knew she would absolutely despise; Alina was to attend church with the Apparat for an entire week.

She supposed it was a mark of how the Darkling trusted her not to be influenced by that man, and religion in general, that he sent her there at all. He had the nerve to ask her to report back anything useful the Apparat might let slip. Alina was tempted not to, purely out of spite. It had crossed her mind to act like she was genuinely convinced by the faith after the week was over, that she was now a devout follower and wanted to commit herself to the church. Funny though that would be to see the look on the Darkling's face, she probably wouldn't be able to force words of praise for the saints through her teeth without being sick.

It had been hateful, every second. Her kefta was apparently not permitted while serving the church, so she chose to wear a dress in an unholy shade of garish yellow instead. It had a low neckline, lace sleeves, and was fitted so that the shape of her backside was under no doubt. Despite setting her the punishment, the Darkling had actually seemed rather amused when he had seen her that morning (his disdain for religion winning over his dislike of her in revealing clothing). Eyebrows were certainly raised amongst the priests as she entered the church.

The Apparat seemed oblivious, however. He had droned on and on about the importance of knowing her faith, and how glad he was that she had finally come around to spiritual matters. There were also many things she should be doing but currently wasn't. Smile benevolently and offer blessings to those who saw her as a living saint. Offer performances with her light in churches around Os Alta, so both highborn and common people could see her 'miracles'. Worship devoutly on her knees twice a day (imagining the obscene comment Viktor would make at that phrasing had her biting the inside of her cheek to avoid laughing).

She did not know where he got his conviction from, least of all his belief in her. It must be an act. Alina saw the look in his eye sometimes, and remembered their tense encounter after she had been kidnapped; he was an intelligent man, out for power. For there was no way he looked at her - her obnoxious lacy dress, her scowling face, her closed mouth as the congregation sang - and saw a devout, holy girl who had seen the error of her ways.

Even after her week of saintly hell was over, the Darkling was still angry about her drunken jaunt into Os Alta. That was fine; he was often angry at her. Besides, they had to attend a court ball that night, and it was important to appear as a united front to all the leeches here. Any grudges would have to be put aside.

But Alina was bored, and perhaps (probably) unwisely decided to push her luck. They were engaged in conversation with a genial but deathly dull lord - or rather, the two men were conversing whilst she shuffled her feet and glanced around, bored senseless - when a song she liked started to play. Which presented the perfect opportunity.

"Oh, I love this song," She forced a wide, girlish smile on her face - a smile she never wore in earnest - tugging on the sleeve of the Darkling's kefta. "Please, moi soverenyi, just one dance with me?" He raised an eyebrow at her uncharacteristic behaviour, and she just knew he was going to say no. Alina pushed on, making a good show of casting her eyes down, acting humble. "Although I'm sure your conversation is far more important. I'll go and find myself a dashing young courtier to dance with instead,"

That got him. Anger flashed in his eyes, and his grip on her arm tightened. Alina hid a smile.

"Oh, lighten up and dance with the girl, General," The benevolent old lord chuckled. "A word of advice - invitations from such a pretty little thing don't come often after you reach a certain age,"

It was a struggle not to laugh or grin at that, as his grip tightened even further. Not only was the Darkling infinitely older than this man, he no doubt resented anyone calling her pretty. Alina resented 'little thing' more, but it broke up his conversation at least. The old man had drifted away already.

"Are you happy now?" He muttered in her ear, but to her delight and amusement led her onto the floor regardless.

"Very," They faced each other along with all the other couples. He bowed - not deeply - and she dropped into a less-than-respectful curtsey, grinning up at him. "You can dance, can't you? This will be embarrassing for both of us if not,"

His look of disdain as he took her hand made her laugh aloud. "I have spent centuries at court - what do you think?" They began to move through the choreographed steps with everyone else. "Besides, I would hardly let you coerce me into this if I was going to make a fool of myself,"

"I can coerce you, now? I'll bear that in mind,"

"Wretched girl," But it wasn't said with any venom.

They moved closer together as the dance demanded, his hand just below her shoulders, hers on his. The height difference was a slight obstacle; he was a couple of inches over six feet, whilst she was only just five and a half.

"If this is your way of making me less angry at you, it will not work," He said. "You cannot easily charm someone who uses the same tactics on others every day,"

"I hadn't thought of it like that," She said, honestly. "My intention was to provoke you. I was bored,"

He didn't roll his eyes, because he was centuries old, but she liked to think it was a close thing. "Of course it was,"

"I'm glad you found my invitation charming, though,"

He actually stepped on her foot for that, making her laugh in surprise at the unusual display of immaturity. "I thought you disliked attention. Dancing with me is not the way to avoid it. Half the room is pretending not to watch. The rest are openly staring,"

They must make an interesting sight. He rarely danced at all, and she did so only reluctantly when she couldn't avoid invitations. Darkling and Sun Summoner, matching in black.

"Yes but I don't have to speak to any of them while I'm dancing," To prove she didn't care, she made a halo of soft light appear around her head, ignoring the gasps from those around them. He just shook his head as she smiled angelically up at him. "You're going to be fending off invitations from hopeful young women all night after this. The Black General has proven that he does in fact dance," He was quite good, although she would never put it like that. "Not too bad either, for a man who predates this palace and most of the city. Let me know if your creaking knees become a bother,"

"You are the most bothersome thing in this room," His disdainful tone made her laugh. "Perhaps I will take one of these women up on their invitation, and leave you to the mercy of the - what do you call courtiers again? Leeches?"

"Go ahead," She shrugged. "As I said, I shall have to find a dashing young Duke to dance with me instead. And if you're so preoccupied, he will have to escort me back to the Little Palace too. I'll get lonely on the walk," Her smirk made it very clear what she meant by that, despite the innocent tone.

"As if you would be lonely. You are friends with all of your guards, and Fedyor. Even Ivan is fond of you," He spun her, and she adopted a wide-eyed expression.

"He is?" She pressed a hand to her heart in mock-delight. "I always knew that stone-faced stare was hiding deep affection all along. However, I will still need extra company. Later on, when - like the upstanding gentleman you are - you gallantly escort your new lady love to your chambers, I will need someone to talk to, to distract me from sounds I'd rather not hear," She would likely just visit Yuri's dorm in that instance, but he certainly did not need to know that.

It was a mark of how caught off guard by the latter part of that sentence that he barely registered her saying she would bring a man back to her chambers (which would normally earn a disapproving stare and cold remark). Caught off guard for the Darkling was merely his face going stony as his mind raced to come up with a response, but she had known him long enough to be able to tell.

"You - " He stopped himself, but she knew what he would have asked.

"Your chambers are not that far from mine, and you're too used to being the only one to sleep in that wing. I've heard far too much, over the years," Oh, it was nice having something over him for once. She bit her lip, continuing nonchalantly. "Not to worry, though. I can put up with five minutes of noise every now and again,"

He smiled coldly at that, dipping her gracefully as she laughed at her own joke. "Liar," He wasn't referring to her ability to put up with the noise. "I should drop you,"

"Do that and I'll kick your knees out in front of the whole court. You know I would,"

"Don't be childish Alina,"

"But you - !"

"You forget that you are still in disgrace for your drunken foolishness the other night. You are lucky no one here knows of that unfortunate event. Publicly threatening to assault a General on top of that is ill-advised,"

She scowled at him, despite the fact she knew he was... well, not quite joking, but near enough. "Undressing a fifteen-year-old saint while she's too drunk to see straight isn't exactly a glowing public image either. Not when half the court already whispers that I'm your little pet," That was an exaggeration - he hadn't undressed her, merely loosened her stays - but he liked to twist things in the worst possible way so why shouldn't she?

The bastard just smiled coldly. "And yet they do nothing except gossip, which shows how far their care for their precious Sankta Alina extends. I could get away with all manner of things, and the lords and ladies of Ravka would just sit and whisper behind their hands,"

She pulled a face, wondering what Sofia would say if she heard that. "Saints, you're pleasant company tonight. Please, whisper more sweet nothings in my ear,"

That actually wrung a laugh from him. Alina couldn't help but grin.

*

"Saints, you're beautiful," Yuri groaned as his eyes raked up and down her naked body above him.

Alina managed not to roll her eyes but could not hold back her sharp tongue. "I still hate you, you know," That was accompanied by a particularly hard grind of her hips, that made both of them gasp. "You - shouldn't - say that,"

He smirked. "The feeling is mutual, trust me. You're obnoxious, unstable and far too easy to provoke,"

"You're a nasty little snitch who thinks far too much of himself,"

"You'd be more at home living half-wild in the woods than in a palace,"

"If you weren't Grisha, you'd still sucking your mother's tits,"

"If you weren't Grisha, you'd be nothing,"

She slapped him across the face for that, but he just grinned up at her, pulling her in for a fierce kiss.

"See. I can hate you and still find you attractive," Yuri said a while later, as she pulled on her clothes. "You obviously feel the same about me,"

Perhaps. He wasn't bad-looking, and knew what he was doing enough to make it relatively good for her too. And there was some form of rush in sleeping with someone you hated. But beyond that... eh. Now she had someone else to compare it to, her rushed encounter in a backroom of a gambling den had been more enjoyable. At least Yuri was happy for her to lead things, do things her own way, on her terms. At least she could slap him without him expecting anything more or less.

"He'd kill you if he knew, you know," She wasn't sure why those words came out of her mouth in that moment. "The Darkling,"

Yuri laughed. "No he wouldn't. You're only saying that to try and scare me,"

"You got me," She did roll her eyes then.

Unfortunately he took that at face value and seemed to push the thought from his mind. Did it make Alina a terrible person for not correcting him of that delusion? Probably. Did she care overmuch? No. If Yuri Vasiliev was content to be an idiot, who was she to protest?

*

As if Alina wouldn't grow into a wild child. Ah, to be fifteen again and staggering home drunk trying to hide it from your parents... although I suppose Alina has a much harder time of it than most kids. Their interaction in the ballroom was one of the first scenes I wrote for this story, back when it was meant to be a fun writing exercise, and it set the tone for the majority of their interactions.

I hope you enjoyed, as this is low-key one of my favourite chapters, so please let me know what you think!