Flower of the North [Kaz Brekker; Six of Crows]

chapter 9

AN: I am...wow I'm depressed today. If you've seen my announcements you know one reason why. But for that reason I'm going to post another chapter to make myself feel better. Lots of love for you guys.

Cecilia stood to the side, eyes observing every inch of Kaz's office in the Slat. It was nice. The dark decor suited his style. Her eyes caught on a small vase atop a shelf with a long decayed bunch of flowers in it. Cecilia didn't have to guess that it was the ones she gave him.

"You know...you can press flowers and herbs to make them last. You put one between a few sheets of paper and stack some books over it for a few weeks. It dries out the moisture of the flower but the flower still retains some color to it," Cecilia said.

Kaz followed her gaze to the vase, slowly nodding, "I see."

"How's your leg doing?"

"Shouldn't you know? Since you and the Wraith are best friends now or whatever," Kaz said with bitterness in his tone.

Cecilia ignored his slight, "No. You never came up. You wanted to cut off all ties with me. We respected your wishes. Inej didn't talk about you or the details of your missions. So, don't worry, you can still trust Inej."

"I don't trust anyone," Kaz said as he leaned against the edge of his desk, his cane beside him.

Cecilia gave him a sad smile, "That must be very lonely."

"It's safe."

"Mm...perhaps. How's your leg?" Cecilia repeated.

"Fine."

"I'm sure. But, if I had to guess, I'd say it starts to hurt in cold weather or after extended periods of use." Cecilia sighed, "I wish you would've at least still taken the medicine I made for you. I tried to find a way to give it to you without seeing you, but you're quite evasive, aren't you? I still make a vial now and again hoping I can give it to you. I'll grab it before we depart."

"You aren't coming," Kaz gave her a stern look.

"I recall that I told you if you ever needed me I would make myself available to you. It seems like you need me now. So I'm available. And Valan is an excellent curator of poisons and other mixtures," Cecilia told him.

Kaz let out an annoyed sigh, "Cecilia, you know that this is a suicide mission. The likelihood of you making it out alive is slim to none. I won't take that chance."

Cecilia laughed under her breath, "Two years past and you still care so much for me. You can't even hide it when you try. Kaz, I can take care of myself. You know this."

"You can't 'pressure point' your way out of this, Cecilia. You won't get close enough to anyone to try."

Cecilia tilted her head, a glint of amusement in her glowing eyes, "Oh, my dear sweet Kaz, you really think that's the only trick I have up my sleeve? I'm much more capable than you give me credit for. Besides, my brother can take care of long-distance just fine."

Kaz stood up and approached her slowly, "The answer is still no."

Cecilia straightened up, looking him straight in the eye, "I'd like to see you try and stop me."

Kaz's face didn't change, though he couldn't stop thinking about how attractive she looked right then. She had certainly grown up in the past two years.

Cecilia sighed, "Kaz, if you can honestly tell me that you don't want or need me here, I'll give up and go. I respect and care about you enough to honor your wishes. But remember, I can read you. So if you're lying I won't back down. So...say it. Do you or do you not need me here with you?"

Kaz kept his mouth shut. He knew that if he said he didn't want or need her here it was a big fat lie. One that she would catch immediately. He never wanted her to leave in the first place all those years ago. It was his own stubbornness and idiocy that did that.

Kaz turned away, "Do what you want. Inej, Jesper and I are leaving to get our last two members. Get ready in that time. If you aren't back by then, I won't wait for you. Wylan will still be here in the meantime."

Cecilia smiled brightly, "I'll be here."

Cecilia followed him back to the other room and the others knew who won just by their expressions.

Valan stretched his arms, "Guess we'll have to get our things then."

Kaz ignored him, "Inej, Jesper, we're leaving."

Inej threw him a smug look and nudged Cecilia lightly as she passed her, "Glad to have you with us, Lia."

Jesper pushed his hat down on his head, "If all we needed to make Kaz do things was have a beautiful flower girl talk to him, we should've gotten her here a long time ago. Never leave, please."

Cecilia held in a laugh, "I'll try not to, Jesper. Be careful. I don't want to see any drastic wounds on you all when you get back."

Jesper gave her a salute as he walked out the door, "Yes, ma'am."

Cecilia's eyes laid on Wylan, "Good to see you, Wylan. Your next request should be here by the time we get back."

"If we get back," Valan added, pushing his sister to leave, "Come on, we better get everything and come back so that guy of yours doesn't have an aneurysm or something."

Cecilia rolled her eyes at him, "Oh please. Don't be so dramatic. Behave if you want me to heal whatever injury you gave yourself this time."

~

Cecilia packed a few vials of medicinal mixtures into a small pouch. She was a healer, but it was still good to have back ups. Especially since they were going to such a cold area. She might have to treat illnesses. And Kaz's leg would certainly give him problems, so she had to bring the medicine for that.

Gerelt appeared in the doorway, watching fondly as his children got their things together. This would be the first time they traveled away from Ketterdam. And it would be without him. He didn't know every detail, but he could guess that they weren't going on a picnic or frolicking around anywhere.

Gerelt cleared his throat, "My two precious children are leaving the nest."

Cecilia threw him a smile, "We'll be ok, father. Val and I will take care of each other. Like we always do."

Valan nodded, "Yeah, I'll take care of Lia and pick up her slack."

"What slack? You're the only one here who slacks off, Val. Need I remind you who did all of the store front work this week? And I had to clean up after your big mess in the perfumery."

Gerelt dragged in an old chest, the scraping sound quieting the twins' bickering.They recognized the chest quite easily. Valan used to pick the lock on it when they were kids so that they could play with their parents' old Shu Han memorabilia.

Gerelt unlocked the chest and flipped open the lid, "Go on then. Have at it. Take anything you want."

Cecilia was hesitant, "Are you sure? A lot of that stuff was mom's. I don't know if we should take that stuff."

"We wouldn't have kept it if we hadn't already decided we were going to pass it down to you," Gerelt said, "You're mother wasn't exactly the sentimental type."

Valan dashed over to the open chest, "Well i've got no issues with that."

He started dragging out every single thing and Cecilia stood behind him, remembering each object and their stories with fondness. Gerelt did well to tell all of their stories to them as children. Cecilia and Valan adored those tales.

Valan lifted up their mother's katana and handed it to Cecilia, "For you."

"I'm surprised you don't want it," Cecilia commented.

"And whack myself with it a million times over? No way. I'll stick with my bow and arrow, thank you very much," Valan said.

Cecilia ran her fingertips along the black sheathe until she reached the edge of the red tassel that was tied to the handle. This was a blade her mother had used for years in her battles. It was forged especially for her by a Fabrikator. It was made so that it wouldn't break or falter. It was perfectly balanced. And now it was hers to wield.