Being stationed in Kribirsk was amazing for Valeriya. She spent her time split between the Little Palace and Kribirsk, but she always enjoyed the atmosphere with the First Army. At the Little Palace, people were always too stuck up and judgmental.  Valeriya longed to be free and act the way she wanted, but with the name Grisha attached to you, it was next to impossible.  At least when she would spend time with the first army - more often than not glued to her companions' side - she could roll in the mud fighting and having a laugh.  The time she spent as the Prince's "guard dog" in Kribirsk under the General's order.  Being removed from that position removed the fun out of being at the front lines of the fold.

It wasn't long after Valeriya was removed from the Prince's guard that he ended up leaving.  She'd been late to join him in the ranks, so she was still rather new when the Prince had risen through the trenches and decided to get an education in Ketterdam.  Valeriya still remembered the day she was forbidden from accompanying the Prince on his guard.  

The letters he sent only stopped coming a year ago.

♕

The tent that belonged to the Grisha was extremely lavish - even when it wasn't compared to the flimsy cloth protecting the First Army.  Valeriya had spent the night in the First Army tents before and she honestly believed the Grisha shouldn't get such nice accommodations.  It would probably knock some egos (and bastards) off their high horses to sleep on the creaky cots made for the Otkazat'syas.

Valeriya was sitting on her bed when Zoya stormed through the entrance of their portion of the tent.  Valeriya wasn't entirely sure what Zoya was doing, but based on the way the heavy fabric of the tent move as she barged in - it hadn't been pretty.

 Zoya Nazyalensky was a difficult person, but Valeriya adored that about her. Zoya was a beautiful girl and many noticed her for her beauty.  She had long dark hair, gorgeous bronze skin, and dazzling brown eyes. It wasn't Zoya's looks that had first caught her eye, it was her attitude. Zoya held herself with this screw you, leave me alone, I don't care attitude and it had intrigued Valeriya back when she was new to the Little Palace. Now, she realized that Zoya was a bitch with a soft side and she still loved her for it.

"Good evening Zoya, out tumbling some poor First Army boy?" Valeriya asked, covering her face with her pillow to shield herself from the grape she watched fly from Zoya's hand.   She peeked her eyes out from behind the pillow and watched her dear friend fling her kefta on to her own bed.  

"He turned me down, wanted to go see if his friend was alright and to bring her some stolen grapes," Zoya replied, gracefully sitting on her bed.  Once she was sat, she fell backwards onto her bed, her legs still dangling. 

Valeriya laughed. His friend either was going through the fold or nervous for others who would be crossing the Fold tomorrow. To be honest, so was Valeriya. It wasn't like she hadn't crossed the Fold before. Both she and Zoya had ventured across many times. They always volunteered to go, Zoya so she could visit family, and Valeriya always went for the chance to be free for a while.  Possibly even see her prince in Ketterdam, always without success.

She pulled a small metal box from under her bed. She ignored Zoya, who was describing the First Army boy while getting ready for bed. They had an early start tomorrow, but Valeriya had to look at the letters. She did it every time she felt nervous. Valeriya sensed Zoya's intense stare without even looking up.

"Are those the letters from your prince again?" Zoya asked. She pulled back the covers on her bed and laid down.

Valeriya set down the open letter and shot Zoya a harsh glare. "Bite me."

"I thought that was his job?"

Valeriya scowled, but let Zoya have the last word - opting to stew in her own nerves rather than bicker with her best friend. 

"Night Vale," Zoya mumbled, tugging her quilt over her head.

Valeriya looked up from her letters and replied, "Nighty Night Zoya."

♕

The next morning was one full of nerves. Valeriya could barely stomach her breakfast. The steaming oatmeal sitting in front of her disgusted her. She ate the small pieces of fruit passed to her across the long table from Zoya. The girls were quiet, listening to the mindless chatter of the Grisha around them.

Even if Valeriya crossed the Fold a thousand times instead of the mere few times she'd gone, she didn't believe the unease in her stomach would ever settle. It rose in her throat, churning her stomach and pinching her mind. Zoya took notice of Valeriya's hidden nerves and kept her foot on top of Valeriya's boot to comfort her. They were on opposite sides of the table, both sitting up straight on the cushioned bench seats. Neither girl ever liked to show their true feelings to others - especially when nerves and anxiety took over - so they became experts in reading each others' emotions and subtle nuances.

Valeriya finished her meal quickly, wanting to get on the skiff as soon as possible. The Grisha were allowed to board before the First Army, and she wanted to find her place before the skiff became chaotic. This skiff was a new design, and it was supposed to be faster than the ones before.

She had packed the things she needed for the trip the night before (Zoya hadn't and had to wake up earlier than Valeriya to do so). Her pack was already on the skiff, and she was to report there soon. Valeriya checked her watch and turned on her heels to speed walk to the skiff.

Being on time wasn't Valeriya's strong suit. She was a Corporalki, the highest order of Grisha besides the Darkling, so she could generally get away with it.

"Sorry!" She exclaimed as she bumped into a Shu girl with a blue scarf. Odd. It was unusual to see someone Shu - especially with the current tensions between the countries. The girl must've been partially Shu, or else she would not be allowed into the camp except in chains. Ravka had been at war against the Shu for quite some time now.

Surprisingly, Valeriya wasn't the last Grisha to arrive. She wasn't the first either.

Valeriya walked over to Zoya and squeezed her hand. It was their silent good luck. Her post was on the edge of the sand skiff like the other Heartrenders. They needed all the manpower they could get once they entered the Fold. She took her place, leaving Zoya behind her, and finally faced the monstrosity that was the Fold.

Her stomach rose into her throat. The Fold was menacing to look at, but nothing compared to what lay within. Hundreds of shipwrecks and volcra. Those damn volcra. They scared the hell out of Valeriya -and she could stop hearts- so she couldn't imagine the fear of all First Army soldiers stepping aboard the skiff.

The First Army was all Otkazat'sya or those who didn't practice the Small Science. The Second Army was the Grisha, the people who could use the Small Sciences to their benefit.

In the back of the large skiff was that same Shu girl and the burly boy who Valeriya had seen with her earlier. They appeared to be arguing about something. Valeriya decided against focusing on schoolyard drama and moved her gaze upward to the Squallers. They stood there, waiting for their signal. Zoya wasn't with them, she was standing at the bow of the skiff, her back to Valeriya.

Once all the First Army soldiers were loaded, the gate to the skiff closed. No turning back now. Not that Valeriya would ever do that. She was pretty sure that walking off a Fold-bound skiff was considered either insubordination or desertion. Neither was good.

"Sergeant! What now?" The boy with the Shu girl asked, walking away from her and up to a man who was apparently a Sergeant.

"The Grisha will tell us," he replied.

The girl looked at Valeriya, who was staring in her direction. Valeriya's eyes widened and she shook her head. She wasn't in charge and had no desire to lead a fold-bound mission - even when she'd previously been asked. Zoya had joked that Valeriya wasn't compassionate enough to consider the feelings of the first-timers.

"Not her. The Inferni," the sergeant said, pointing at Natacha, who was standing in from of the mast.

Natacha took that as her cue to begin talking. She clapped her hands together and said, "Here's how it goes. We go into the Fold, it gets dark, but we like it dark."

She started walking forward glancing around at everyone who was on the skiff. Valeriya smiled at her.

"That keeps us from drawing attention. That's how we travel. The only light we use is the blue one at the mast. It's weak but safe," Natacha continued, pointing at the light.

A girl standing with the group of cartographers walked up to Natacha and asked, "But you're an Inferni, right? Why are you here if we're supposed to keep things dark?"

Natacha gave her a look, "For when the dark comes to keep you." Valeriya smirked. Natacha had a certain flair to her and very interesting dramatics. It was one of the things Valeriya enjoyed about the girl.

That same boy piped up again. Did he not know when to shut the hell up?

"Where's your general? Kirigan?" he asked.

Valeriya rolled her eyes and rubbed her hands over the fabric of her kefta. It was typical Heartrender colors, red with black embroidery at the cuffs. Underneath her kefta, she wore a typical black skirt Grishas wore with a grey long-sleeve blouse.

Anyway, if the boy had asked her that question and not Natacha, she probably would have said that Kirigan was sipping tea in his palace of faeries. Who would think that the Darkling would accompany them on a trip across the Fold? Idiots, that's who. He was the General - he didn't need to accompany them. Plus, it was a test - Generals don't come on "tests".

The sail on the skiff was released, showing the Ravakan double eagle painted on it.

"That's our cue," which was all Natacha responded.

The Squallers, who Zoya finally joined, lifted their hands and pushed air into the sails. The skiff lurched forward.

There was no turning back now.

author's note!

Sorry for the late chapter everyone!  I've been super busy with school and so I didn't have time to get this out!  I will try to get next week's update out on time.  I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!!!

(edited 26.07.2023)