The Act of Duplicity [General Kirigan]

one

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    It was dark inside the Grisha tent, its black exterior keeping out almost all of the sunlight. Despite the darkness, two of three main colours represented the theme of the clothes inside it. Blue for Etherealki, the Order of the Summoners, purple for Materialki, the order of the Fabrikators, and red for Corporalki, the Order of the Living and the Dead.

    One stood out amongst them, the one being in clad black. No one but him wore black as black was the Darkling's colour. Black boots, black pants, black and beautifully embroidered kefta, black hair, and the blackest of eyes. His skin was awfully pale as a contrast to all the darkness he was wearing. The more one stared at him, the more details could be noticed. Yet the Darkling was only known for his actions and for what he put out, what he let people know, no one knew what was behind his cold stares, behind the dark eyes, inside his dark mind. That's what he thought. That he couldn't be read not even by the ones he kept closest for his own protection, not even the ones he once trusted.

    Her eyes moved away from looking at his black kefta and she looked the opposite way at the flap that was closing the tent, separating the space inside from the camp outside. With everyone in the First Army moving outside, living their lives it was always noisy. The tent kept out some of the noise which only made the tension thicker. A few of the Grisha were chattering here or there and the atmosphere felt as if they were waiting for something.

    Nataliya frowned and looked at her feet for a few moments to gather her thoughts. It wasn't long since she came to the camp and inside the tent, she came and was informed that the skiffs had already gone into the Fold. She brought her hands up and smoothed out the red kefta she was wearing. Some could say red was her colour, not in the Grisha group sorting but red was Nataliya's colour. Red hair, red kefta, red cheeks, red for the blood, red for the heart, red and black for a Heartrender.

    Nataliya never liked how her red wavy hair fell on the red of the kefta, the two colours were never the same and it just didn't look as good as some Grisha with dark hair. Her thoughts were broken when the flap of the tent opened and in stepped Zoya and a few other injured-looking Grisha. Zoya and Nataliya looked at each other without an expression before Zoya moved past her and stepped up to the Darkling. The whispers grew louder but Nataliya kept silent and waiting.

    ''Have you heard?'' Another Corporalki stepped over to her.

    ''What?'' Nataliya tilted her head sideways and furrowed her brows.

    The healer didn't know how to decide between displaying panic or happiness. ''The skiffs were attacked, but there was something that saved them. A Sun Summoner.''

    Nataliya took in a sharp breath and stilled her breathing completely as she stared wild-eyed at Valeria, the healer. She closed her hands together in front of her and squeezed tightly to keep them in place and not repeat any of her nervous habits. But still one she could not avoid and she did unconsciously was to look to her left at the General. She wasn't even surprised to see him looking at her just the same as he received the news from Zoya.