The Act of Travesty [General Kirigan]

two

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    The Black tent was even creepier than the General himself. Nataliya tentatively moved the large flap out of the way and stepped into the darkness that was behind it. It was far bigger than what Second Army tents were for soldiers to sleep in, although this one suited more as a temporary war room than anything else. The great majority of it was empty, on the left and the right side of the rectangular-shaped tent were cushions and small tables usually used by Grisha who were high enough rank in the army to deserve to be in this tent. Yet currently the space was vacant. Further up at the far wall was a small podium that raised a table to a higher level. That table was messy with papers on one side and a three-dimensional map of Ravka on the other.

    In front of it stood General Kirigan, facing the tent and with it also Nataliya. The room was thick with tension as Nataliya felt his dark eyes on her figure, every slow step she took deeper into the tent and closer to him. He was the only one wearing black. Black was his colour. Black boots, black trousers, black kefta with black embroidery, black eyes and a set of slicked-back black hair. The beard completed the look of the man with a chiselled jaw and a dark look.

    ''Nataliya,'' he said lowly as if he was testing how her name sounded coming out of his mouth.

    Nataliya found much interest in watching her hands and only nodded once, otherwise, she stayed quiet. She heard a few papers rustling on the table.

    ''You have just become a soldier in the Second Army.'' He stated.

    Was it a statement? Nataliya asked herself, or was it more a question for her to confirm or deny? She looked at him for a split second. ''Correct.''

    By the look on his face, he knew well enough how intimidating he is and he liked it. Yet Nataliya still couldn't summon the courage in her and look him in the eye. There was little to wonder why a newbie soldier like her would get called into the Black Tent. She was getting demoted, booted off, fired from the army. There was no other way. Nataliya messed up on the first night, she got stupidly drunk with her friends, the General saw her and on top of that, she was late to the morning meeting so she's done for. She only assumed he saw them but the whole night was rather blurry.

     Then a question passed her mind. If that was true, then why is she the only one standing here? Why not Nina and Stefan as well?

    General Kirigan cleared his throat. ''I was convinced that freshly graduated students had a will to be in the army. That they wanted this job so bad they proved worthy of it from day one.''

     Was he mocking her? He was definitely mocking her.

    ''I have seen generations that proved so.'' The General pushed off the table and took a few marching steps closer to Nataliya. ''So what went wrong with you, I wonder?'' He stopped at a safe distance, arms behind his back, a questioning look in his eyes.

    Nataliya raised her head and realised she was supposed to answer this particular question. His eyes were so intimidating she couldn't look at them for more than a few seconds, so she opted for looking at his forehead instead, hoping she didn't look ridiculous.

    ''I was over the moon when I found out I got recruited into this division.'' She had to clear her throat to speak more strongly. Kirigan raised an unimpressed eyebrow. Was she really going to tell him the truth? ''I maybe celebrated a bit too much, which is why I was late to the meeting.'' She conceded.

    Kirigan took another step closer, now mere feet from her. ''Do you wish to be in the army?''

    ''Yes.'' Nataliya didn't dare to hesitate.