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A little delay in the flowers

Summary:

If the Darkling is a little delayed in getting to Alina with the flowers and Inej and Kaz walk Alina out of the Little Palace succesfully.

Notes:

Unfinished, up for adoption if anyone should want a go, unbeta-ed

Work Text:

Outline:

Inej and Kaz knock her out and take her out in the carriage.

Mal stays in the war room - he's the reason the Darkling was late - so he's not taken to Baghra. His mate is still killed though. The Darkling starts looking for Alina, can't find her and starts a low-key search. When Ivan finds him with news of the Conductor's assault on Marie. With Alina missing and now evidence of enemy operatives in the Little Palace the search is ramped up. Though not publicly (not wanting the Tsar to know the Sun Summoner is missing) They interrogate / torture the Conductor. But don 't kill him, instead the Darkling goes to Mal, remembering Alina referencing his tracking ability which Mal has just proven by finding the stag. So he tells Mal Alina is missing / kidnapped. Mal wants to track her immediately. The Darkling means to gather several Grisha and Oprichniki.

Inej, Kaz and Jesper keep Alina shackled but treat her well. But when they make their way out of Os Alta they get stopped on the road (By Pekka Rollins) and are forced to surrender Alina. Inej gets badly hurt, the idea is that the Darkling will follow Kaz and his crew while Pekka and his crew get away. 

Inej convinces Kaz not to run, to go to the Darkling. She needs a healer to survive and Inej does not want to have the sun summoner in Pekka's hands. Knowing that the Darkling might well kill them all for their role in this debacle. So they wait for the Darkling catching up. (He doesn't have a couch, everyone is on horseback) He doesn't kill them, ever heals Inej but does take them into custody. They catch up to Pekka Rollins after a wild chase, just at the edge of the Fold - how did Pekka cross originally? 

Pekka takes Alina hostage, knowing about the Cut. Heart renders need line of sight? so he would retreat into the Fold on foot? Alina would need her hands free to summon, or he bleeds her for Light? The Blood would draw out the Volcra and Alina's light isn't nearly enough to keep them away but if the Darkling goes into the Fold they would focus on him. Alina knows this and tries to stop him as he follows after her and Pekka. She gets away from Pekka, he gets taken by the Volcra she rushes to the Darkling, saving him from the Volcra in turn (with the cut?) and drags him out of the Fold protected by her Light.


“Kaz,…”

"Inej," He cut her off, voice sharp. She looked down at the young woman slumped at their feet, then back at him.

Jesper and Inej lifted her into the couch. Kaz, lifting himself into the seat, taking out the set of cuffs from the bench. Turning the young woman onto her stomach as Jesper got the couch rolling, he closed her wrists into the shackles


Inej feeds Alina breakfast, does not say much when Alina asks why there doing this. Where they are taking her. what they have planned. Kaz can see it's breaking Inej's resolve and orders Alina to be quiet or she'll be gaged. They travel at break neck speed for the rest of the night and day. Kaz has a few tricks up his sleeve to throw off their pursuers.


"Rollins," Kaz ground out, glaring at the other man, hand cramping on his cane. Half a dozen men raged around them, Inej was crumbled on the grass, blood spreading between her fingers. Jesper was cursing, holding one hand cradled to his chest.

"So this is the supposed sun Summoner." Rollins mused, looking the girl up and down.

“I'll grant she looks the part." He reached out, grabbing hold of the collar of the black Kefta. Casually forcing the girl off balance as he rubbed the fabric between thumb and forefinger.

"Sure feels like real core cloth."

Then he looked at the man holding her upper am.

"Take it off," The man spun her around, but even as the girl started to protest he almost casually hit her full force in the face. The punch knocked the girl for a loop and she slumped back. With little protest they unhooked the restraint but at least weren't stupid enough not to take precautions. Two men each taking hold of one arm holding the dazed girl up as they dealt with the clasps before taking the Kefta off, leaving her in a thin sleeved undershirt. They handed the garment to Rollins who carefully examined it as his men hooked the restraint back on, locking it behind her back this time. Rollins folded the Kefta over one arm, nodding to the hair do.

"Jewelry too," The men proceeded to remove the necklace, hairpiece and a ring, handing each item to Rollins. He examined the necklace and hairpiece each for a few moments before tucking them away. But frowned for a long moment at the ring before turning and tossing it to Kaz. He caught it a reflex, watching as Rollins smiled at him.

"A little something for your trouble, enjoy it while you can."

Kaz's hand clenched around the bit of jewelry as he glared at the other man. Rollins only smirked before turning back to his men.

"Let's see if our crow got the right Grisha."

He pulled out a knife stepping forward and grabbing the dazed girl by the chin. And cutting along her cheek, blood dripping down her face as Light burst forward.

"Well," Rollins stated, patting the girl's uninjured cheek before whipping the blade on her undershirt and stepping back.

"Pack her up." He ordered, his men lifting the girl off her feet and walked over to a large trunk. When it became apparent they meant to actually stuff her inside she started a dazed protest, only for another punch to knock her out. The now limp girl was packed away into the trunk, the men closing and locking it. They loaded it onto the wagon, hopping up after. Rollins looked back.

"Be a good boy, Brewer, and lead the witches on a merry chase." He glanced down at Inej, smiled, "You might even escape if you throw your birdies to the wolves."

Kaz clenched his jaw, saying nothing as Rollins hopped up on the cart, leaving them at the side of the road.

...

"What are we going to do, boss?" Jesper asked, as he helped Kaz get Inej lent back against the coach wheel. Kaz didn't answer, pushing her hands away to check the wound. She glanced down, then looked up, nothing needed to be said. Inej knew there was little chance she'd be able to survive without immediate help. Help that was nowhere nearby. She certainly wouldn't be able to ride or walk. He pulled his scarf loose, balled it up and pressed it down. Inej hissed but folded her bloodied hands over his gloves.

"Leave me, go,"

"No," He countered, not even needing to think about it.

"Boss, the Grisha are going to catch up." Jesper countered.

"Yes, with Healers."

"Who are going to do jack-all, boss, we took their sun summoner, these people want to tear us limb from limb."

"No," Kaz countered. "Because we'll give them Rollins."

"They're not going to need all three of us for that," Jesper countered "There not even going to need one of us to cooperate for longer than a minute for that."

"So go, if you want to go." Kaz snapped at the gunslinger.

Jesper sighed, then sat back. "Ah, well,... "