Shadows: A Six of Crows Fan fic

Chapter three: Inej

The wind whistled through the ropes and the sails, grasping onto clothes and hats with open fingers, pulling at her hair and lifting it off her shoulders. Inej stood at the prow of the ship, her ship, with her eyes closed soaking in the feel of the sea around her and the taste of salt alighting on her lips. As the sea breeze blew through her hair, she remembered the times when she would be standing on a tight rope and a wind just like this would blow. Her gut would twist, preparing to fall, but then following trained instinct she would shift her weight ever so slightly, adjust her footing just right, so that she would not topple. So that she would be strong upon the wire; an immovable force that not even nature could push around. A sad smile came to her face as she thought of the old days. The days that were so much simpler.

In the weeks she'd spent with her parents, Inej had had several moments like this where the memories of what had once been, would sneak up on her. And, for a while, she would walk in them and think about what having that life again would mean, but then she'd look at this ship. At this glorious vessel that was going to take her to amazing places and allow her to find the justice she so deserved. A gift from a broken boy who deserved justice for his own past and who she would help get it whenever she was granted the chance; and knew she couldn't go back. It was really the only way that Inej figured she could repay Kaz for all he'd done.

Not only had he trained her, given Inej her armor, and saved her life a number of times, but he'd also gifted Inej her freedom and the chance for her to finally live a life of purpose. Most of all, Kaz had given her her parents back. The first few days with them hadn't been easy. Explaining everything that had happened to her had been a long process full of tears and heartache on both sides. At first, Inej had been too ashamed of what had happened to her to tell them, but with time she'd been able to tell her story. What had finally pushed her to speak her past was the words Kaz had spoken to her on their third night in Ketterdam.

She and her family, along with Wylan and Jesper, had spent the whole day touring the city and, in the evening, they had gone back to the Van Eck mansion where they had been staying to eat and spend most the night laughing. The first two days had been full of mostly eating, resting, introductions, and a similar merriment, so they'd had very little time to talk seriously, but Inej could tell that her parents were getting very curious about where she had been all this time. They'd asked a few questions here and there, but for the most part she'd been able to evade them and change the subject. As the third evening had come to a close and her parents had excused themselves from the table a knock had come from the door.

They had all paused to see who had come calling so late at night and, honestly, she had been surprised to see Kaz being led by one of the servants to the dining room. Aside from their initial meeting on the dock, Kaz had yet to show himself to any of them since. He was dressed in his usual immaculate suit and his eyes were as serious as ever. He'd greeted everyone civilly and when he was asked by Wylan to what they owed his appearance to, he'd surprised her once again by saying "I came to check in on your parents. I would have come sooner in the day but I got tied up with buisness. I hope you all have been finding the city to your liking."

He'd been leaning heavily on his cane, his breath was a bit short, and his hands fidgeting on the crows head. That was when she noticed that once again, he'd worn no gloves. His bare hands were showing and they would not stay still. If she hadn't known any better she would have thought he was nervous. She'd tried to catch his eye and silently ask if he was okay, but his gaze stayed firmly on her parents and they exchanged pleasantries for a while. It was just as shocking then as it was that first day on the docks to see Kaz acting so polite and gentlemanly. It was difficult for her to restrain her laugh. After a few more minutes of light conversation, they bid each other well and her parents started once more to their room, her mother signaling Inej to follow with a nod. Kaz only looked at her briefly as he went to converse about something with Wylan and Jesper, and she to her mother. She couldn't help glancing at his hands once more and wondering what it meant.