A misunderstanding and Alina
When Mal finally found Valeria, the sight that met him, wasn't one he expected.
He found her cozying up (well in his mind) with two Grisha men, two Corporalki.
Specifically laughing at what one of them was telling her, the smaller one.
Mal did not like that whatsoever and then glared at the smaller man, when he spotted him laying his hand on her arm suddenly.
No, this was definitely not what Mal had in mind when he was looking for her.
Not at all.
What he did not see, was the other man, the larger Corporalki, glaring at the hand his lover laid upon her arm.
"You don't have to guard and bring us to the camp, Valeria, we're heartrenders. We'll be fine and we'll find our way, really! You can go back to your friends that are eagerly waiting on you, I'm sure." Fedyor finally said , while putting his hand on Valeria's arm, smiling gratefully at the girl next to him.
She gave him a smile in response, while ignoring the heated glare Fedyor's lover was giving her behind them both.
"For my own sake of mind, just let me, Fedyor."
They were heading to where the other Grisha were stationed. With Fedyor deciding not to hand her over in gratitude for her saving them, and especially healing him. Which he also threatened Ivan to leave her be, the grumpy man had no choice in the matter with his lover being very vocal about it, Ivan was done with it all and wanted to pull his hair out in frustration at the situation he suddenly found himself in…their order up and flew away, like it never existed to begin with…
He hopes the General will never know of this.
Of their disobedience.
Giggling, Fedyor then complies, all the while beaming at Valeria.
His focus once more, naturally, on her, and only her.
His lover, his better half, Ivan, who is entirely focused at the sight in front of him with gritted teeth, and is forgotten once more by his lover.
In favor of the girl.
The witch.
But what they all weren't aware of was someone else heatedly watching the whole interaction, with the wrong assumption on what was really happening in front of him.
So when he finally came out, striding in a fury to their direction, they did not expect it.
"Get away from her."
Valeria blinked, were her eyes deceiving her? Because surely, Mal isn't in front of her right now? When she specifically asked them, pleaded with them, to stay safe inside of her shield.
Right?
He did not leave Alina behind, did he? Alina, who likes to weasel herself into situations when left alone, and who Merlin, has the same luck as her for getting into situations.
Right?
But then she saw Ivan stand in front of Mal threateningly, and had to finally accept the situation in front of her.
Finally standing in between both of the men, who looked standoffish and were posturing to one another like two pigeons, she scoffs at them both.
"Leave him be, Ivan, this unfortunately, is one of my dearest friends I told the both of you about, before. Who I specifically asked to stay behind where I could protect them." She finally bites at the end, while pointedly glaring at the boy in front of her.
Mal.
Seeing the expression on her face, Mal then retracts from his stance and sheepishly looks at Valeria, forgetting what he saw before, because of Valeria's suddenly quiet tone that is slowly turning into anger.
No rage is the better word for it, Mal thinks.
His face is slowly turning pale for what's to come.
Valeria being angry is never a good sign.
"Now Mal, did you or did you leave our dearest friend, Alina, behind?" she then continued while gliding towards the boy in front of her, who gulped in fear, "Alina, who we both know will try to weasel herself in any situation. Mostly a situation where it'll bring her in trouble?!" she finally hisses at the end in his ear.
The boy is now sweating in front of her, while the two Heartrenders are entertained and amazed at what they're witnessing in front of them!
Ivan has to admit, that the woman has fire in her. He respects that.
But that still doesn't mean he likes her, he thinks while staring in irritation at his lover next to him who is watching the whole exchange starry-eyed.
Specifically at the woman in question.
There was a time when Fedyor would only look at him in that way, and only him.
Yes, Ivan definitely doesn't like her. AT. ALL.
Okay, Alina admits, this was a mistake.
She thinks while running away from the man, the Fjerdan, chasing after her.
Dodging an axe that was suddenly thrown at her, one she dodged by a hair breath away.
She thanks the saints for Valeria teaching them how to defend themselves for these types of situations.
Yes, thank the Saints for Valeria.
But then she retracts the thought, when she remembers that if Valeria knows, that she'll kill her and Mal for disobeying her request to stay inside the shield, for their own protection.
'No.' Alina then furiously shakes her head in her mind, 'I won't hide, not anymore. '
She then turns around in determination at the man behind her,
'I'll face you head on.'
"And how do you know where to find her again, Valeria?" was Fedyor's curious question at the girl, who he once more is walking beside.
The boy, her friend, Mal, on her other side, is also looking at the girl, giving her his undivided attention, whilst pointedly ignoring Ivan and his existences.
He's a fun one, that one.
Valeria, who kept her gaze focused on the path in front of her, seeing something they all don't, finally gives him her attention.
Fully.
And once more, he is forgetting Ivan on his other side.
(Yes, they're all walking in one horizontal line.)
"My magic." She then simply says.
And then Fedyor is excited by the existence of magic once more, he thinks he'll never tire of learning and seeing more of Valeria's magic.
'She's incredible!', he thinks while still looking at the girl beside him in awe. He'll never not be in awe of the girl, he admits.
The both of them are then discussing the subject of magic once more, while the two men beside them are giving them a glare for taking the attention (of their respective: partner and friend/sister), once more, away from them.
But before they could continue their discussion, Valeria finally felt that they were near.
Where Alina was situated.
They all gave one another a nod to prepare themselves for what to expect behind the treeline in front of them, both Heartrenders then concentrate on how many people are present in front of them.
"Three." Ivan who was in deep concentration, finally replies. "Two near each other, while the other one is a bit further away from them."
Valeria then nods and braces herself, "Alright, let's go."
And then they all walk before them, out of the treeline, to the destination where Alina is, with tight expressions on their faces and in preparation for what's to come.