𝑺𝒎𝒐𝒌𝒆 | 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑲𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒂𝒏 𝒙 𝑶𝑪

Six

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 1,000 READS

"You'll be safe here. The palace is the most secure building in the whole country. I made sure of it," Alina walked in front, the general close behind and Jolana lagging a bit behind, watching things from a bit more of a difference.

"Where are you going?" Jolana asked. She almost ran into him because he abruptly stopped walking. Alina turned back around.

"Take her to the vezda suite," he commanded the guards.

"Am I a prisoner?" Alina asked quickly.

"All of Ravka is. Until you and I banish the fold," he then walked out.

"So no pressure," she muttered she started to walk gesturing for Jolana to follow and Jolana tried to but she was quickly stopped by the guards.

"Where am I going to go then?" Jolana said calmly

"Yeah, where is she going to go?" Alina then asked dramatically

"We have no orders on that yet," one of the guards said

"She's coming with me," Alina said forcefully, grabbing Jolana's arm and taking her with her.

They walked into the room escorted by guards.

The room was grand. This whole room was just meant for Alina, it was big enough it could've probably fit a whole from the first army in it. All the linens were clean, the floors were shiny enough you could probably lick them.

"I have to freshen up real quick," Jolana flopped down on the couch in the room and sighed. This couch was so much more comfortable than her cot.

Alina tried to smile but Jolana could see it was forced. Alina walked to the bathroom. Jolana didn't know about the silent sobs that came out of Alina. Once she came out of the room you could see her eyes were redder than before and her face was flushed. She looked around the desk, looking for some paper and when she couldn't, Alina caressed the scar on her hand.

"What's the story with that?"

"With what?"

"The scar,"

"Oh long story, I don't want to talk about it right now," Alina set herself on the bed.

"Yeah, I get it," Jolana started to get up, "I'll get out so you can rest," 

"You don't have to leave," Alina said softly "You seem to like the couch,"

"It is surprisingly nice considering it's just a couch," Jolana offered a small smile as she moved to rest her head on the edge of the couch, "You're being so nice, you really don't have to be,"

"You're all of home I have left,"

-

Alina woke up with a gasp after an odd reoccurring dream, Jolana woke up when a whole team of people burst into the room. Jolana sat up and heard,

"Saints! Have you ever bathed? And what happened to your face?" The voice came from a redheaded woman in a color of kefta Jolana had never seen before. "This is going to take more work than I expected,"

The girl with the colorless kefta commanded half of her attendings to start taking care of Alina. Alina was caught very off guard. Then the woman walked over to her, "You don't look much better than her," and the other attendings started to fiddle with things with Jolana's appearance. 

"What are you doing with me?"

"Same thing that we are doing with Miss Starkov,"

"And what exactly is that?" Alina called from the other room.

"In an hour, you'll be presented to King Pyotr and General Kirigan has asked that I make the pair of you look presentable,"

"I am to meet the king?" Alina asked

"In an hour,"

"Oh." she said shortly

"Yes oh.

"I'd start by making hey eyes less Shu, Miss Safin,"

This ticked Jolena off. It didn't matter if she was Shu, she was a sun summoner for saint's sake. It seemed to tick "Miss Safin" off as well because the attendants were kicked out shortly.

"Wait why me?" Jolana asked

"I don't know, but General Kirigan requested it,"

"Why on Earth would he request a random Inferni for the king and queen,"

"I don't know but he requested it so can you please quickly bathe yourself while I fix Miss Starkov up,"

"It's just Alina, no Miss Starkov necessary.

"Then it's just Genya," Genya smiled, "...and you?" 

"Jolana," she said from the bath as she scrubbed.

When Jolana got out of the bath she looked at Alina and Alina looked great. With whatever Genya did, Alina looked radiant. Her skin fresh, her hair full, her cheeks pink. 

"Your turn," Alina said with a small smile. They switched places and then Jolana was given similar treatment. Her dull ginger hair became a robust red. Her skin became more even showing the freckles that dusted her cheeks. 

The pair of girls who looked like they were starving workers in the army actually looked healthy and normal.

"Now time to show them what you're made of,"