┌────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────┐

GOLDEN LIGHT

└────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────┘

"𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱,"

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

━𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐒𝐄𝐓.

When the sun turns orange and paints the world with an outstanding golden yellow shade. This is the sunset.

Raina sat on the horse with General Kirigan's arms wrapped around her as they galloped along the path shrouded in a glow of light.

Slightly behind them was a panting Alina, "Can we stop? Please."

"Why?" Kirigan asked without turning back as he stared down at Raina who was leaning against his chest, exhausted.

"My tailbone is killing me," Alina groans.

Kirigan slightly huffs, disappointed as Raina moves her head away from him to look at Alina with a smile across her face. "Sure".

As they stop along a riverbank, Kirigan gets off his horse before offering Raina a hand which she gladly accepts.

The two horses stray across the field nearby as Alina watches Raina giggling at something the General said as they talked to each other in close proximity.

Alina clears her throat which catches Raina and Kirigan's attention. "For your face", Krigan offers a handkerchief to Alina. As Alina wipes the blood off her face she questions, "What happened back there?"

"Drüskelle," Raina answered as she reached forward, grabbing the handkerchief from Alina. Raina gently grabs Alina's chin turning her head to the side as she cleans the blood remaining on Aina's cheek. "Elite members of the Fjerdan military, trained to infiltrate deep behind our lines and kill or kidnap Grisha."

As Raina stepped back from Alina who was looking at her in awe, she felt General Kirigan grasp on her waist a bit tighter. "I meant how you sliced one of them in half from a dozen paces," Alina snapped at the General rudely. To her surprise, he began to chuckle "Would you rather I used a sword?"

Alina's lips parted as she tried to form an answer. Would she have wanted him to use a sword instead?

"I don't know," she muttered as if in shame. "Sorry."

Raina, slightly bored by the conversation, went to the field.

"There is matter to everything, even air. Or shadow. Too small to see. The Cut is something a Summoner can do, but it requires tremendous skill. And I would only use it as a last resort. Like that ambush." General Kirigan explained to Alina as he watched Raina bending down, reaching onto a handful of beautiful white lilacs.

"Saints..." Alina breathed out. "Is this my life now? Hunted wherever I go?"

"You get used to it" Raina answered as she handed the General the white lilacs for him to hold onto until they reached the little palace. Alina watched with furrowed eyebrows as he took one of the lilacs and placed it on one of Raina's small braids.

The fearsome General? Affection? Flowers?

Shaking the thoughts away, "How did they even know about me?" Alina asked.

General Kirigan let out a sigh as he removed his gaze from Raina who had a visible shy smile before looking at Alina, "Your little light show in the Fold was visible from miles away. Whatever their original mission was, they must have diverted to find you. That's why I'm traveling with Raina...and you."

"Why?" Alina questioned. The General replied back, "You may be the first of your kind but we've always had a name for you, for what we hope you can do. Enter the Fold. Destroy it from within. With proper training, some amplification, you could well be.."

"No," Alina cried out as she interrupted the General. He raised his eyebrow, "No? No, what."

"I don't want any of this. Why can't you get rid of it? Even Raina can, she's one of the strongest Grisha's." Raina's eyes widened at this outburst before she averted her gaze down, avoiding contact with either of them.

General Kirigan looks at Raina, who looked lost in her thoughts, he could see the haunted memories coming back to her that lied deep inside. He looks at Alina with a challenging stare before scoffing annoyed, "I know what Raina is and how capable she is, thank you very much. And do you think we haven't tried, Miss Starkov?"

Alina stutters as she looks at Raina for help, but frowned when she saw Raina avoiding her eyes. Kirigan continues, definitely done with Alina and her mindless questions, "If I enter the Fold, I'm a beacon for the volcra. All I can do is make it worse..." Kirigan ends in a sigh which caused Raina to snap out of her thoughts and take his hand while rubbing it in soothing circular motions.

"Th-Then just...uh- Can't you use some Grisha science to transfer this to someone who can use it?"

"You would give up your gift?" Kirigan asked, perplexed by that thought.

"Gift?" Alina splutters in shock. "You dragged me away from my only friends and now I'm going to be a target for the rest of my life. You want to know why you've never found someone with this power? Maybe it's because they don't want to be found!"

Raina sighs as she lets go of Kirigan's hand and rubs her head. The shouting match has caused her a headache.

"I'm going to ask you again. Were you tested as a child?" Kirigan questioned as he raised his voice.

"Okay. Enough" Raina huffs as she walks between the two. "I have been using my powers the whole day and am in serious need of sleep, so unless you two want to stay here waiting for a group of Fjerdans to attack, please be my guest."

 As soon as Raina finished, she turns in the direction of the horses and walked away; leaving General Kirigan and Alina staring at the retreating figure in amazement and slightly scared.

□ □ □

As soon as the gates opened, Raina hopped off the horse leaving the General to shout after her to slow down.

The little palace stood in its glory as Raina ran towards the garden before coming to a stop. She started to whistle a little tune she made by herself which is also known throughout the palace as the "dog whisperer".

Soon enough a golden fuzzy ball ran towards Raina and tumbled across her feet. "Cooper" Raina screamed in delight as she picked up the small dog who whined and buried its head on her chest.

Raina giggled before it was quieted down by a tiny growl from Cooper. "I know. I know. I'm sorry I left you with Ivan." Copper let out a happy sound as if approving the apology causing Raina to kiss his head and bring him closer.

"Raina" the call of her name interrupted the happy little reunion between her and Cooper. Kirigan motioned her to come over where Alina and he were standing. Alina looked slightly frightened by the small dog as it growled at her, gritting its teeth. Raina petted Cooper on the head as she whispered soothing words, "Sh Coop, she's one of us".

"You will be safe here. The palace is the most secure building in the whole country. I made sure of it." Kirigan continued as he stopped to smile at the sight of Raina and Cooper, himself missing the puppy.

Raina looked at him with sleepy eyes, causing him to get worried about her sleeping schedule. The General called one of the guards to escort Alina in and went towards Raina, petting Cooper on the head before placing his hand on Raina's back. Before he could stir Raina away, Alina interrupted in a nervous tone, "Where are you going?"

Kirigan huffed; interrupting is one of the things the sun summoner was getting good at, and that annoyed him. "Take her to the vezda suite," he told the guard.

Alina looked around, not trusting any of the guards or the General himself. "Uh-c-c-can Raina bring me there instead", Alina interrupted..yet again.

The General turned to Alina with a look that said are you serious, can't you see how tired Raina is, yet before he could speak up, Raina nodded and took Alina's arm. General Kirigan started glaring holes onto the touch, he quickly stated, "Raina cannot take you since she has pressing matters which needs to be handled immediately".

Raina raised her eyebrow yet before she could ask him about what matters, Alina looked slowly around and asked one of her most important questions, "Am I a prisoner?"

"All of Ravka is until we banish the Fold," General Kirigan answered back in a final tone before nodding at the guard to take her away. As soon as the entire hallway was empty, Kirigan felt someone's weight on him and as he looked down the sight left him in awe and chuckles.

Raina was asleep and that too standing while Cooper was staring at him with confused eyes. Kirigan held Raina on one hand before taking Cooper on his other and setting him down. He got Raina in a bridal position, taking her to his room with Cooper following them.

Kirigan placed her on his bed, taking off her hair tie and shoes, then he softly landed a sweet kiss on her forehead. "Sleep well love".

As he went to the bathroom to get changed, the soft golden light of the sunset concealed Raina's sleeping figure. 

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞!

✰please do not be ghost readers✰

vote and comment

even though raina didn't talk much in this; the power move she had felt amazing to write hehehehe.

let me know your thoughts

xoxo NS