"You're not gonna tell me who I am. I'm gonna tell you who I am."

──┅┅┄┄*ೃ:.✧✲ﾟ*｡⋆─── ⋆✩⋆

Present Time

LOUD thunder could be heard from the Shadow Fold and the coldness from the darkness spreads out the void. It was created centuries ago by the powerful Grisha known as the Black Heretic, the Shadow Fold is a sprawling void filled with shadow and monsters. It's home to the beasts known as the Volcra - winged creatures who feast on humans and can smell blood from miles away. The darkness ate everything that comes in contact with the shadows inside of it, as if it was created through pain and hate.

A young man and a young woman were standing in front of the Shadow Fold. Both looking at it with wonder and curiosity while the girl lifts her hand to touch the shadows who didnt harm her at all. Her brown wavy hair was cut in bob style and a small ponytail that kept her strands from her face. She was wearing a black uniform with gold and red fragments with black gloves and black ledger boots - also a short red cloak was on her right shoulder side and a sword was on her left hip.

Another side the young man with dark brown hair and chestnut eyes was wearing the same uniform like the girl just with two swords, two guns inside his jacket and a annoying expression on his face. Both were at the same age of 22 who were here to fight along side Grishas and Otkazat'sya, the twins were not happy to fight for a war that arent interest in. They both were orphans in a small village in Novyi Zem close to Weddle and came with the ship to Novo Kribisk from there with horses towards Keramzin, of course not through the void more outside. After working many years for Grisha and non Grisha, the twins gained more power - being since the young age in the war, you could gain easily ranks from the lowers one Private. Right now was her brother Eugene a Commander and Ira was a Captain, after all she was a woman and cant gain power easily no matter how much she works for it.

"Eugene, you know the plan?"
Her amber eyes looks at her brother who was taller then her with a smile and pats his shoulder teasingly. "Of course, gaining trust by all and trying finding out the past and true identity from us." He adds and slaps her hand away with a chuckle while they still stood in front of the void.

"Do you think we will find the complete true out?" Eugene asks her curious when he touches the shadows who now surround him at his feets like they listen to him. Ira watches him and nods yes; "We will but we need to hide our powers from all, no one knows what they would do to us. Let alone use us for their ugly benefits. We are just mere Grisha who can not do much magic and also have more similiarties to non Grishas. Just hold onto the plan and everything else will come to us. Believe in the flow." She jokes a bit in the end with a teasing smirk when her brother ruffles her hair.

Ira slaps his hand away and fix her hair while she looks back at Eugene. "Are you really a woman? You sound more like a General." He jokes and wraps an arm around her shoulders while they walked back towards the camp of Soldiers.
"Woman can be badass yet staying soft and we are better then men."
She conterns with a wiggle of her eyebrows and winks at him who chuckles at his sister.
"Ah, no men will have it easy with you. Dont come crying to me when you stay single in the age of 50. "
She pushes her brother gently away and rolls her eyes;
"We both know i don't settle with any men, I'm not for the weak and we both know i'm hard to get and keep."
She says proudly and sways her hand in the air with a smirk.

Both start to laugh and continue to walk until a boy appeared in front of them.
"Commander! The Generals want to speak to you."
The boy salutes and Eugene pulled away from his sister.
"Tell them I come."
He nods and walks back where he came while Eugene turns to his sister.
"Tea on 8?"

Ira rolls her eyes and pats his right shoulder. "Tea on 8."
Eugene wiggles his eyebrows and starts to walk where the boy went while the brunette watches him walk away.
She turns around to walk towards her tent when she sees two girls steal food from the non Grisha Generals tent without getting notice by others - beside of Ira.

The brunette was amused by the two girls and walked to them without getting notice. She was direct behind them when she pats the right shoulders of both girls and smile at them; "You have good skills not getting caught by the General for stealing food but whats with the Grisha?

Both girls got scared as they look at Ira with wide eyes while the pale woman behind them smirked.
"Shall we make a bet? If you get into a Grisha General tent without getting caught and steal some letters, I will you give free food and a place where you can call home."
Amber eyes points at a black tent that was not far away and looks back at them who where talking to each other.

Words like "Free food" and "Can we trust her?" could the 22 year old hear from both girls who seemed older then her and weren't soldiers or Grisha.
One with dark brown hair and dark brown eyes turned towards her while the blonde one with brown eyes was looking at her shoes.

'Shy? No, more like embarrassed for being catched'

"We will do it but you promise not to tell anyone what we did."
The dark haired girl said as she furrows her eyebrows at Ira showing her that she wasn't pleased with the situation.
"I promise, so do your work."
She adds casually and crosses her arms in front of her chest smirking at them.

The blonde one huffed when both walked to the black tent Ira had point earlier to get the letters for her.
Of course, the woman knows it was a risk to steal from a Higher Grisha General who commands the Second army but what should she do?
She needs to find more key information for herself and her brother.

Thirty minutes later both came out and handed Ira in her tent the letters.
"Thank you, here is your reward."
She takes the letters and showed the girls a huge table of the best food and drinks.
"Enjoy it, I'm not poisoning anything. I was once also poor like you - so be free."
She adds when she sits down across from them and reads the letters carefully.

"Why are you helping us? Because you feel pity? We aren't -"
The blonde one said irritated by Ira as she grabbed a apple to bite into it and looks at her with a neutral expression.
"I don't feel pity for anyone, I helped you because I saw a opportunity to get something I want, while I also know how it feels to survive on your own without any friends, money or support. So see it as you want it but I hadn't a bad attention to it."
Continuing to eat her apple and reading the letters - everything was quiet.

Only the chewing could be heard when a voice interprrut the reading.
"My name is Adha and that's Penelope, we are sisters. You were right, we are orphans. Our whole life we needed to fight on our own because we are a half-blood. Not many like us and since we are women, we don't have many opportunities to get something stable for us. We steal to survive."
Adha the dark brown hair girl spoke serious and watches Ira with curious eyes.

"Halfbloods..interesting. How old are you two?"
Finished reading the letters and putting them like there were before - her gaze focused at the sisters who stopped eating.
"I'm 24 and Penelope is 26."

Ira eyes slightly widen at how old there were but still looked young.
She giggles and continue to eat her apple with small smile.
"I'm 22 years old,much younger then you two oldies. Ah, by the way my name is Ira."

Her smile got a bit way when she heard a male voice ordering a soldier to find the stealing item from his tent.
"Yeah, can't get any better."
Sarcastically she takes the letters and winks at the girls while she walks out her tent.

'Please Mythical Creature who lets Eugene have so many women as lovers even he is a ugly ass, let him believe me..'

Her praying was like a mantra that she repeat it in her thoughts.
She went to the Grisha Generals tent only twenty minutes later - on her way to the black tent she collides with a hard chest who grabbed her wrist.
"A lady should know where she steps into."
A male voice could be heard when Ira looked up to see a man who has brown eyes and dark brown, nearly black hair, which is styled sideways. He is quite tall and continuously wears a red Heartrender kefta.
"And a man should know where he goes instead of bumping into people for pleasure."
She adds sarcastic with a smile as the man tight his grip on her wrist when sees the Letters of General Kirigan.
Before she could say something he pulled her with him to the black tent and hold her wrist to tight for her opinion.
"General Kirigan, i found the thief."

"First i'm not the thief, I found them. Second let go of my wrist or my feet will find a area you won't like."
She glares at him while he glares back at her.

"Fedyor, let her sit down and we ask her, no? You know when she is lying."
A smooth male voice could be heard when Ira looked up she saw a man with black hair and dark brown eyes with fair skin who was wearing a black Kefta and black cloak.
He seems fit but not to much, not to muscular but good. A mix of a attractive, smart, charismatic and magnetic man.
One she could fall in love with if she could be naive enough to trust his silhouette.
"Yes, Sir."
Fedyor pushes Ira on a chair and still had his hand on her wrist while he took the letters of her.

The General Kirigan turned his face towards her and watches her while he takes the letters from Fedyor.
"So Miss..?"
Amber eyes look at both men with a 'are you serious' expression and rolled her eyes.
"Ira Kradea."
She tells him and Fedyor nods that she said the truth.

Darkness. This was the first thing Ira saw in this tent from General Kirigan - it seems he finds comfort in the shadows, how ironic. "Did you steal my letters?" His voice cut her thoughts and she looks back at the man who stood in front of her with a unreadable expression. She returns the face expression and shakes her head no; "No, i havent stolen them." His onyx eyes looks at his fellow Grisha with the red Kefta and saw that the brunette said the truth.

Black haired man puts his cloak over his chair to his desk that was not far away and put the letters on it. "Where did you got them?" His questions were direct in a interist way - as if he tried to make her nervous somehow with the way he handle things. The young woman watched him but stayed unaffected since she saw more terrible ways to ask someone if he commit a crime.
"I found them in a box not far from here at the muddy street since the name was written on it and thought I give them the person who the letters were Addressed to."

Fedyor tight his grip on her wrist and checked if she was lying or not and also this time she didnt lied. "It seems she is truly not the thief." He pulled this time his hands away and let the brunette free. She rubs her wrist gently and glares at Fedyor for hurting her like this without a good and rational reason. "May I go now?" Ira asked the General impatiently and stood up from the chair who she sat the whole time. His onyx eyes scanned her a bit and turned fully towards her. "You may and I apologise for the trouble my Heartrender did but I hope you understand. The circumstances makes everything a bit complicated." He told her and stood in front of the amber eyes girl who listens to him with a raised eyebrow but nods.

"Of course I understand, yet a General should know how to treat a lady instead like this." She says with a small smile and turns towards the exit while she walks out the tent she could feel his eyes on her that were following her movements and continue walking back to her tent that was only ten minutes away. A shiver run down her body as she lets out a breath and rubs still her wrist.
"He has a grip like a monkey."
She mumbles and looking at the red skin on her wrist.

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Days later,
Ira was taking a nap since she couldn't sleep at night because of a nightmare.
She was the first time relaxed and could sleep in peace but someone interrupted her sleep.
Something was tickling her ear and she tried to hit it away and rolls on her side to get away but then someone pushed her out the makeshift bed and she lands on her back.
"I swear who ever was it will know my wrath."
She groans and furrowed her eyebrows while she opens her eyes to see her brother already holding his laugh.

Eugene was sitting on the bed and starts to laugh at her while he holds his stomach - so that he doesn't fall from the bed.
She glares at him and sit up to push him out the bed.
"You are so annoying."
She continues to glares at him and sits now in the bed while she wraps the blanket over her body like a sushi roll.

Her twin brother puts his hand on her head and she felt the warm from his palm.
"You know Alina Starkov? The small girl who is now seventeen years old? Who used to follow you around with Mal?"
He asks her and she was confused why he brought Alina up.
The girl raised a eyebrow at her brother saying that he should continue talking but he made a break and became serious.
"How it seems is she a Sun Summoner like you and Alina ask me that you should be with her. Right now they bring her to the General Kirigan's tent."

Ira was taken back by the fact that the little Alina was a Sun summoner.
"Eugene, I have all light this means moon, stars and sun - so I am not a Sun Summoner. But how?"
She was surprised and stood up to put her boots on while ruffling her hair to a nice style.
"I dunno but I will check on Mal while you go to the tent. Tell me everything and stay safe, I don't trust anyone."
The young man stood up and kissed the head of his sister when both got out her tent.
"Stay safe."
She adds while waving goodbye to her twin.

Her legs guided her to the Generals tent and went directly inside without much care.
Amber eyes catch the scene in front of her when she heard Kirigan saying; "Bring her closer."

'He truly doesn't know to act like a Gentlemam..'

The brunette stepped closer to Alina who was scared and confused by everything.
Her dark eyes catch the familiar person close to her and smiled.
"Ira! You came, thank you."
She tried to reach her but General Kirigan's voice interrupted them.
"Closer."
Alina stepped closer to him and was confused.
"Well?"

"Well, what? Sir."
The poor seventeenth years old didn't understand him at all.
"What are you?"
He asks her bluntly and Ira rolled her eyes at him while she understood the poor girl completely.
So she decide to talk for her right now since no one stepped to protect her somehow.
"She is a female, Sir. Can't you see?"
She steps next to Alina and raised a eyebrow at him.
His onyx eyes stare at Ira with irritation but didn't let it out.
Everyone was quiet and didn't dare to speak while Alina looks between Darkling and Ira.
"Alina Starkov, Assistant Cartographer, Royal Corps of Surveyors."
She answers after Ira's sassy remark.
"They're all gone. It's my fault.
That's why I'm here, isn't it?"

General Kirigan steps forward and stood in front of Ira and Alina.
"Answer the question."
He furrowed his eyebrows and looks at Alina.
"What are you?"
Everyone stared at them and Alina didn't understand what he means while the older woman next to her got enough of his game.
"If you haven't heard clear, she is a a mapmaker, is the age taking your hearing?"
Ira responds with sass and everyone start to laugh while the man in front of her got more and more irritated with her.
"Quiet."
Everyone stopped laughing and he turned around to ask what happened exactly when he turned back to them.

Onyx eyes scanned Alina then looked at Ira while he asked: "Where did you grow up?".
Alina was worried about the brunette since she saw how the man in front of her looked at the woman who was like a sister to her.
So she answered shortly; "Keramzin."
He turned to walk to his desk to get something when he continues to ask questions.
"Hmm. And when were you tested?"

The girl stayed quiet and Ira watched her with a worried expression.
"You don't remember?
Well, let us just make certain."
He turned back to them and walked towards both girls.
Kirigan nods his head and grabbed her arm tightly.
"Lift up your sleeve."

'He really is testing her here...what an ass'

"Ira, What's happening?"
Alina ask her worried and confused while the poor brunette had a pity expression on her face but turned serious.
She grabs the arm of the dark brown haired man.
"Don't hurt her."
His eyes locked with the amber once and wait a few seconds to read her then turned back to Alina.
"Your sleeve. Please."

Her hand was still on General Kirigan's arm to make sure he doesn't hurt her if he does - she will burn him, no matter the consequences.
He pushed her sleeve very up to her shoulder when he cuts in her arm, light was shining through the cut up to the roof.

'Its true, she is a Sun Summoner...'

Everyone was shocked and stared in awe while others were not pleased.
Right now Ira turns her gaze back towards the General who was surprised to see the light but what got the brunettes attention more was his furrowed eyebrows as if he has some kinda of headache.
"Get her to Little Palace immediately and take Ira Kradea with her."
He orders his loyal soldiers Feydor and Ivan.
"No thank you, I will stay here."
Ira replied when Kirigan grabbed her wrist and looks into her eyes deeply.
"This wasn't an invitation and I didn't begged. It's an order."
She looks with a deadpanned expression back towards him.
"You are not my General, you can't order me around."
The brunette fights back when he glares at her.
But the pleading look of Alina and how she said her name;"Ira..", made her think about it and huffed.
"Only for her."
She took her wrist out his grip and followed Ivan and Fedyor out the tent.

Darkling was watching the girls walk out the tent when he rubs his forehead.
"This woman.."
He mumbles and walked back to his desk to get what he needs.

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──┅┅┄┄*ೃ:.✧✲ﾟ*｡⋆─── ⋆✩⋆

Hey beautiful people, i hope you like the chapter!

What do you think about Ira?

Does Aleksander like Ira?

Why did Aleksander ordered Ira to come also to Little Palace?

How you find the bond between Alina and Ira?

Are the Twins cute siblings?

Comment down below what you think and what you like.

Thank you for your support beautiful readers!

Here is the map to have it clearer how far the twins have come.

P.S
Credits for the outfit goes to the artist: Eggperon.Deviantart.com