Kvas and friends

Kaida was walking around the corridors trying to find Nikolai, she really wanted to talk with him.

"Kaida," Nikolai called. She turned around, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Personal guard? What about "I need time" you don't understand?" she asked madly.

"It was the only way I could keep you out of jail," he said.

"Oh, great. And what's that about that Alina wants to command the Second Army? Are you out of your mind?"

"She asked me to," Nikolai said.

"She had nearly been a Grisha of a year and she want's to command the Second Army. I know Grisha that had been living in the Little Palace since they were five years old and they have way more right to command the Second Army than her. She isn't even able to control her small science with the second amplifier. She doesn't know how to command," Kaida said.

"She will be fine," Nikolai said.

"That's not the point. The Grisha won't agree," Kaida said. Nikolai smiled. "WHy are you smiling?"

"It's been the longest conversation we had have in the last few days,"

Kaida shook her head. "I'm sick of this," Kaida said.

"Come on Kaida, I'm truly sorry, but I can't stand being like this with you, I miss you," he said.

"I don't care," Kaida said.

"Would you prefer being Vasily's guard?" Nikolai snapped.

"Right now, yes," Kaida said. "Now, if you would excuse me, Moi tsarevich. I want to take a shower and after that I will have to become your shadow," After that Kaida left.

Kaida walked through the corridors and passed a door but she walked towards whens he saw a group of Grisha and Alina in the room. She entered the room.

The first person she saw when she entered was her friend Zoya and a big smile appeared on her face.

"Zoya," Kaida said.

"Kaida, good to see you," Zoya said with a smile. They didn't hug, they didn't touch, but they knew how much they missed each other and how happy they were to see each other.

"What's going on here?" Kaida asked.

"Alina just told us that she is going to rule the Second Army," Zoya said with mock.

Sergei cleared his throat, "Alina, you are the Sun Summoner, and we're grateful for your safe return, but you aren't qualified to run a military campaign."

"Qualified or not, I have the King's blessing."

"Then we will petition the King. The Corporalki are the highest-ranking Grisha and should lead the Second Army."

"According to you, bloodletter." Zoya said, joining the conversation. "I speak for the Etherealki," said Zoya. "And we will follow the Sun Summoner." Kaida looked at her surprisingly.

"Not all of us," Marie piped up weakly.

Zoya gave a disdainful laugh. "Yes, we know you support Sergei in all his endeavors, Marie. But this isn't a late night tryst by the banya. We're talking about the future of the Grisha and all of Ravka."

"That's enough, Zoya," snapped Sergei.

Another Etherealnik that Kaida didn't recognize took a step forwards.

"Marie is right," he said. "You don't speak for all of us, Zoya. I'd prefer to see an Etherealnik at the head of the Second Army, but it shouldn't be her." He pointed an accusatory finger at me. "She wasn't even raised here."

"That's right!" called out a Corporalnik. "She's been a Grisha for less than a year!"

"Grisha are born, not made," growled Tolya.

"Sorry, Alina but I have to agree with them. But being the Sun Summoner doesn't make you able to rule an Army," Kaida said.

They all started a discussion, some of them wanted to follow Alina and others didn't think it was fear, Kaida didn't think it was fear but she would follow Alina no matter what.

"Wait," One Corporalnik said. "How do we know if Kaida isn't spying for The Darkling?"
"Pardon?" Kaida asked with a frown.

"Yes!" another Grisha shouted.

"We all know she shared bed with him," the same Corporalnik said with disgust.

Kaida clenched her hands into fists in anger and in one swift movement punched the speaker in the nose. The Grisha gasped in surprise.

"You should learn to keep your mouth shut. All of you. You want to question my loyalty to the crown, to Ravka. Okay. But I've been the one who's been facing him while you cowards have been hiding behind these walls. You can't talk about loyalty when you have done nothing to defend this country." Kaida snapped angrily and left.

She found her room and took a hot shower and washed her hair. When she got out from the bathroom she saw a kefta on her bed, but she didn't want to wear a kefta, not anymore.

She walked to the closet and opened its doors finding clothes.

She decided on a pair of navy blue tight pants that to her surprise were more comfortable than she would have expected. A white silk shirt that she did not tie until the end leaving a little bit of her cleavage visible and a brown leather vest with blue details that accentuated her curves and a pair of boots that came a little below her knees. When she finished dressing she tied her hair in a high ponytail and as usual her small bangs on each side of her forehead.

Finally ready, she took a deep breath getting ready for what it would mean for her being so close to Nikolai not being able to talk or do something.

⚜️⚜️⚜️

The days went through and for Kaida being Nikolai's personal guard was being a torture and for her bad luck today was the day when Nikolai announced his engagement with Alina.

Upon this time she made good friends with Mal, he understood her so they become friends.

Kaida was in the library with a book in her hand and a glass with kvas in her hand. Kaida had been in the library for hours but the only reason she had gone there was to get away from people and forget about Nikolai for a while, of course the kvas helped.

Kaida's head was leaning against the library table with the bottle of liquor in her hand which had less than 1/4 left when the library doors opened.

"Here you are," Zoya said entering the library. "I've been looking for you for hours,"

"Zoya!" Kaida said drunk.

"Saints," Zoya rolled her eyes. "Kaida, the dinner starts in less than an hour you need to get ready,"

"I dooon't wat," Kaida was about to drink more from the bottle but Zoya took the bottle from her hands. "Hey!" Kaida said annoyed.

"You are not going to drink more," Zoya said.

"Leave me alone," Kaida said, putting her head on the table.

"This is because Nikolai and Alina's engage. Isn't it?"

"How did you know?" Kaida said with a smile.

"Well, I know you don't like it, we must go to dinner," Zoya said.

"But I don't want. I don't want to see how that handsome, smart, funny and handsome. I already said handsome? boy gets married,"

"Saints," Zoya said, annoyed. The girl walked out of the library to the corridors and for her good luck Tamar was there. "Tamar was?" Zoya asked. Tamar nodded. "I need your help,"

"For what?" Tamar asked following Zoya to the library.

"With her," Zoya said, pointing Kaida who was sleeping with her head on the table."She is completely drunk,"

"The dinner is in less than an hour," Tamar said.

"Yes, that's why you are going to help me to take her to her room so we can put her in her shower," Zoya said.

"Okay, come on," Tamar said, walking towards Kaida. They each slipped Kaida's arm around their shoulders and began walking toward Kaida's room. When they arrived they left her in the shower and turned on the cold water faucet which ran over Kaida's head causing her to wake up and her sobriety to drop.

"Wake up, it's a new day," Zoya said, her arms crossed over her chest. Kaida looked at Tamar and Zoya and let out a frustrated sigh, letting her head fall back. "Don't look so defeated, we have a dinner to attend,"

"You have to attend, I don't," Kaida said.

"You also have to go. We all must go," Tamar said. "I leave you with her. I have to go," Zoya nodded and Tamar left the room.

"So, that's your plan, get drunk so you can forget you love Nikolai?" Zoya asked, looking at her friend.

"Yes," Kaida said standing up from the shower. "And love is a strong word,"

"Whatever," Zoya said, rolling her eyes. "Come on, we are going to be late,"

⚜️⚜️⚜️

Nikolai entered the room where the dinner was taking place with a smile and instantly he started looking for Kaida around the room.

He found her in a corner of the room wearing a long red dress with v-neckline, a semi tousled chignon and ruby earrings. Her lips were lightly painted red and her features were marked due to the makeup. She had a glass in her hand with what appeared to be kvas and her gaze was focused on the glass until Tamar reached over and snatched it from her hands causing Kaida to protest. She looks amazing. He thought.

"She looks amazing," Alina said looking at Kaida who was now talking with Tamar.

"She definitely does," Nikolais said.

"Why do you insist on marrying me if you love her?" Alina asked.

"Why did you accept it if you love Mal?" he asked back. Alina didn't answer. "We have the same reason, Ravka,"

"Nikolai, she had defended Ravka the most and she is also a very powerful Grisha, marrying her or marrying me would have had the same impact," Alina said.

Nikolai said nothing for a few seconds. "Let's start the dinner," he said.

"Tamar, give me my glass," Kaida said, annoyed.

"No, you had already drink enough,"

"Uhg," Kaida protested.

"The dinner is about to start, everyone please take your seats," A man said.

Kaida rolled her eyes and went towards the table where the guards and Grisha were seated and sat next to Tolya and Zoya, Mal in front of her.

"Zoya, I want to ask you something," Kaida said. "I know that you are going to follow Alina, but do you really agree with her being the leader of the Second Army?"

"No, I don't agree, she doesn't know anything about how to command, but she is our only chance to save Ravka," Zoya said.

"Yeah, it was extrange for me to you being in agreement with Alina," Kaida said, taking the glass of the table with kvas.
"No, that's enough," Zoya said, taking the glass from her hand.

"Are you kidding me?!" Kaida asked, annoyed. Zoya laughed.

"I'm not sorry for you," Zoya said.

"Of course you are not," Kaida said, rolling her eyes.

The sound of silverware hitting a glass brought their conversation to a halt. Nikolai stood up.

"Good night everyone," he said. "We have all gathered here today not only to have dinner but also to give the news that the war between the Grisha and the Oprichniki has come to an end since the commander of the Second Army is under the protection of the Lantsov family name. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to announce the marriage union between me and the sun summoner." All the people looked surprised and shocked but started clapping.

Kaida took her galls with kvas and drinked all of it in ounces.

"I need air," Mal said and left the room.

"I need air too," Kaida said and went to the gardens.

After walking for a while she saw Mal standing in the middle of the front yard. Kaida walked towards him and stood by his side.
"How do you do it?" Mal asked.

"What?" Kaida asked, confused.

"You look as if you don't care that the man you love is going to get married to another girl. How do you do it?"

Kaida laughed and Mal looked at her. "You think I don't care? Mal, I've been drunk the whole night. Zoya and Tamar had to take me to my room almost unconscious and Zoya had to drag me to dinner. I do care. A lot, but I can't do anything to change it. That's why after today I'm just going to be Nikolai's guard, if I continue fleeing like I feel when I'm with him I'm going to end up bad. And Ravka needs me right now,"

"I wish I could do that," Mal said.

"It's easy when you have hid your feelings for a long time," Kaida said looking at the moon. "Now, if you would excuse me, I have to go and visit someone," Mal nodded and Kaida walked down the hill and past the lake where Baghra's hut was.

"It took you longer than I thought," Baghra said in the darkness.

"This is completely dark. Why don't you put out a candle or something like that?" Kaida asked, taking a candle and turning it on.

Kaida turned around to see Baghra and she gasped when she saw that the usual green color of her eyes was gone.

"What did he do to you?" Kaida asked in shock.

"You know what he did. He left me blind," she answered.

"I'm so sorry, I tried to stop him, but I didn't get in time," Kaida said, taking a seat in front of her.

"What happened to you girl? I feel you are stronger, your small science got stronger," Baghra said.

"I have an amplifier," Kaida answered. "He forced me to put it,"

Baghra stayed quiet for a few seconds. "You are a very powerful Grisha, and we don't know much about your small science I don't know what that amplifier might do to you but it's going to be very surprising, that's for sure,"

"Well, when I was in the Fold I was able to control the Volkra's minds," Kaida said.

"Extraordinary, you might can do it as well with humans,"

"I don't know, I didn't try it," Kaida said.

"Well, you should,"

After talking with Baghra, Kaida went back to the Palace and walked towards her room, she took her dress off and put on her pajamas and went to try and sleep.

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Kaida's outfit!