( songs for this chapter:
there she goes - the la's
Spectrum - florence + the machines )

A hunderd years later Rosalie Spivak still stood tall, dressed in military attire and in the back of a wagon surrounded by those of the first army.

After that fateful night outside the Grisha base camp where she had made a promise to herself so profound it might as well have been written in blood. Since then she had never stayed in one place long.

Rosalie had gone by many names since the creation of the fold, "Isadora Rui", "Sansa Lyn", "Alice Carter, and she had taken up many occupations; barmaid, assassin,pirate, but her travels always seemed to take her back to a past she desperately wanted to forget. Today she wore the mask of a first army soldier, Viktoriya Verskovski; a ghost operator, squished tight into a wagon full of mapmakers on their way to the first army camp.

"Excuse me, Verskovski?"

"Yes, Alexei?" She sighed after a moment of silence as she flipped the page of her journal onto a blank one.

"How old are you?" He asked her naively before stumbling over his words, "Wait — that's not what I meant! I mean because your just so . . ."

"So what?" Rosalie looked up to peer at him sharply, he shrunk back in his seat slightly under her gaze. "Please, by all means continue, Alexei. You've struck me curious."

"Just so. . .wise?" Alexei shrugged, unsure of his own words.

She stared at him for a moment she smiled, "A compliment I shall hold close to my heart." She said sarcasm dripping from her tone.

Some people around them who had been observing the interaction snickered lightly.

The boy was silent,"That doesn't answer my question."

"You didn't ask one." Rosalie answered simply, her pencil tapping loudly against the pages of her journal.

"Yes, I did. . ."

"Did you?"

"Yes...?"

"Well?" Rosalie asked eyebrow raised.

Alexei frowned, "Well what?"

"How old am I?"

"Yes. That's what I asked you." Alexei nodded, brows furrowed.

"Yes." She hummed, absentmindedly drawing multiple swirls along her a page. The boy next to her shook his head in pity for the blonde boy. While some others laughed at her antics.

"Um, yes?"

"No, Alexei." She answered. Alexei groaned and threw his head back in annoyance while the girl next to him giggled slightly as she focused on the map in front of her.

"You should never ask a woman her age, Alexei, It's rude." The girl hummed and Rosalie stared at her for a moment, brows furrowed on deep thought before she glanced away quickly. The girl was obviously of Shu Han descent with her close-set hooded eyes, and slightly rounded cheekbones. Rosalie looked back down at her journal, hastily taking notes. The courptling concluded long ago that there was quite a lot of Ravakan in her also with her eyes more sharpened at the angles, and how the roundness of her cheeks angled sharply further down you went.

Alina Starkov, her name was, ( Roselie found that out a few weeks back when she caught glimpse of her mindless sketching, and had been studying her ever since ), an orphaned junior map maker for the first army — childhood acquaintance, Malyen Oretsev (Possible lover?) Family? Most likely deceased. Fixation on drawing the Morozova stag. Rosalie skimmed over the swirls of lead written in her journal and landed on one question. What could a junior mapmaker want with the Morozova stag? She was keen on finding out.

"Alina, how can you do that in here?" Alexei asked the girl and Rosalie rolled her eyes, subtly tapping her head against the wall of the wagon. Did the boy have extreme affection towards his own voice or was he just daft? Rosalie pondered on this for a while.

"Bumps help with the texture," Alina answered as she used her finger to smudge out the lead on her paper.

The boy seated in front of her was studying his map before he frowned and looked up, peering at Alina, "The fold looks different on mine," he said he gaze flicking back between their maps. He sneered at her as he continued, "I need to get a better view from your country."

Alina's brown eyes shot up at him immediately, there was a sharpness in her gaze that had Rosalie wondering if the girl would retort.

She didn't.

She seemed to swallow it, much to Rosalie's curiosity. Alina Starkolv was a puzzle she was determined to piece together.

"Come on, she grew up here!" Alexei instead jumped to her aid from where he was seated.

The boy didn't seem steered as he looked Alina up and down again, "The Shu Han didn't want her either."

Rosalie sighed loudly as she rubbed her temple, "I have a migraine, so please keep your unwanted opinions to yourself." She said with a glare, more specifically directed at the
Racist boy.

"It must really be hard to have to be you all the time." He turned to her and scoffed.

She hummed, playing with the journal in her hand "Well honestly, it hasn't been a picnic." People who observed the scene laughed at her antics— something he didn't seem to take lightly about as his glare hardened.

He eyed her up and down with a sneer. "You think your so much better then everyone. Don't you comrade?"

"— I don't actually. I know I am." She cut him off. The boy opened his mouth to speak again, but Rosalie silenced him with a sharp look, she held up a single finger. "We are all on the same side here — we all want our freedom, comrade, so get that mangy pencil out of your arse and do your job."

The insulted boy scoffed and for a moment Rosalie thought he was going to speak his dull thoughts again — She raised an unassuming eyebrow at him — but he and his bruised ego instead retreated back to his sketching.

"Thank you."Alina said quietly. Rosalie waved her off, "Twas nothing." She replied simply. She reopened her journal and left the confused Shu girl with silence.

Alina eyed her curiously. Viktoriya Verskovski was a mystery to everyone, an enigma shrouded in secrets. She opened her mouth to ask something but the lieutenants voice beat her to it.

"Cartographers, listen up. We're almost there. Pack up your stuff and be ready to leave," They glared sharply at all of them as they began to do as ordered. "And if you lose anything you will not be getting a replacement."

Rosalie quickly closed her journal and slipped it in the black leather satchel that she nestled between her legs and as the carriage came to a stop she was the first one out.

She looked up at the menacing shadow that tainted the land, memories of the beginning of its cruel existence plagued her mind. However, in The Folds cruelty she could still decipher the bone chilling beauty that swirled beneath its sickening shadows. For a moment, she just stood there and listened. To Rosalie their tormented wails seemed like a distant calling.

The volcras sounded like tortured mortals trapped into an eternity of a hunger for blood and flesh. There was truth in that, Rosalie supposed, once mortals now filled with a howling hunger for death and despair. Maybe their own talons clawed at their mortal souls, she wondered for a moment.

"Viktoriya!"

"What." She said harshly and turned to the girl as if nothing had happened.

"I asked if you are okay?" Alina frowned, and eyed the woman worriedly. Rosalia almost felt bad for her, almost. "It's just you looked lost for a moment."

"Memories, I suppose." She answered simply.

"Of the fold? Have you been?" Alina asked before momentarily scolding herself for asking such a stupid question—

"A long time ago."

Alina blinked, "But that would mean—"

"Alina!" The two girls turned toward the shout, and Roselia spotted a familiar boy. She turned to Alina who beamed at him. He ran toward them as he slipped on his coat.

"When did you get in?" Alina asked the boy who seemed to brighten in her presence.

"Yesterday. Everyone's getting their assignments," He tackled the Shu-girl into a one-armed hug.

"Suppose Cartographers headed back south?"

The two friends were caught up in one another when Alina perked up, "Oh! Mal this is—" She paused and glanced around to find Viktoriya nowhere in sight, "Viktoriya? How does she do that?"

"Viktoriya?" Mal asked with furrowed brows, "The ghost operator with no intention of lowering herself to a simple conversation? That Viktoriya?"

"She's not that bad. I think she's just shy!" Alina defended the girl and jokingly wacked her friend who sent her a deadpanned look.

"Shy? I heard that girl once berated a fully grown man into tears!" Mal cried mockingly and Alina laughed. "That sounds more like her, doesn't it?"

~+~

"Hey, where have you been? Their about to start." Alina scolded as the Aruban haired woman as she squeezed herself though the crowd. Rosalie stood beside the Shu-girl.

"The Materialki forged a new and improved light to enter the unsea, did you know?" She smiled a strained smile, "No doubt going to cost the lives of the pitiful souls chosen to board it I venture." She chuckled humorously and mindlessly diverted her gaze around the tent. This caught Alina off guard. So off guard that her original question slipped from her mind. It was a rare sight to see any emotion on the enigmas face, even if it was a fake one.

"You don't think it will work?" Alina asked curiously.

"People are saying the darkling has high hopes for it. Maybe he'll actually enter it this time around?" Mal chimed in hopefully and Alina nodded.

"The king wouldn't risk losing his precious lap dog." Rosalie scoffed so harshly that the two childhood friends — and others close enough to witness it, flinched at the hatred in her voice. It was uncommon for the well reserved woman to snap like that, and the display peaked concern amongst those in attendance. Most notably, Alina, who glanced wearily at Mal and received a stiff shrug in return. "I doubt he was even in is carriage, and it was all for show."

There weren't many who did not fear the man shrouded in shadows. After all, It was a known fact that the black general was a merciless man, and did not take insult lightly.

"Alright, listen up," The lieutenant stepped up on the makeshift podium, "I know some of you have been on the road for a week, so I'll make this quick" He paused —  "Most of you will continue north to the Fjerdan frontlines. Or south to the Shu Han border. The Second Army, however, has a shiny new solution to our food shortage, and it sails tomorrow for Novokribirsk. If this model works, it means a full meal for everyone in this tent next week. It means bullets for your guns and sugar for your tea."

Rosalie rolled her eyes. What a lousy motivational speech!

"How about some whiskey?" A voice shouted from behind her in the crowd, and laughter broke out.

The lieutenant gave a tight-lipped smile, "Yes, that would be nice. But don't hold your breath.

"So, some of you will be assigned," The lieutenant stated, and the crowd shifted with unease.

"There's nothing to fear." Mal mocked from beside Alina, "I will now be selecting names for what I call the 'nightmare lottery'." Rosalie raised an impressive brow at his antics, however, she completely agreed with his opinion the 'nightmare lottery'.

Rosalie straightened in her place, "Sergeant Yure Teplov. Tracker Malyen Oretsev!" Her eyes shot back to where Alina stood. Only to see the girl looking devastated as she stared up at her childhood friend. The general continued to list names. "That's it, dinner in one hour."

Rosalie turned to Mal with a hand struck out, shocking the orphanages duo slightly. He took it, though he had no idea why. "It's been a pleasure, Malyen Oretsev. Your exceptional tracking abilities will be well missed, I'm sure." She said with a tight lipped smile that made the orphan boy slightly uncomfortable.

"Thanks...?" Mal frowned, retieving his hand quickly. He glanced at Alina questioningly, "I'm confused. Was that some twisted good luck speech?"

Rosalie reeled back slightly, blinking rapidly, "Merely a good bye. For you're as good as dead." she clarified, confused. The two orphans stiffened. Had they not realized to enter the fold was to approach death itself?

"Viktoriya! You can't just say things like that..." Alina gasped, glaring at the woman who merely scoffed in response. She looked at Mal pleadingly, "it has to be a mistake. Your in my unit!"

How sad, Rosalie thought as watched Alina's bottom lip quiver. To be so gut wrenchingly naïve to the cruelty of the world — of life. Though, she was once like that too, Rosalie supposed, once full of smiles with eyes bathed in wonder. Alina had that same look in her eyes and Rosalie wondered how long until it would be extinguished.

"It didn't sound like an error." Mal shook his head and Alina's frown grew deeper.

Rosalie cringed. She had never been good with social interaction, especially if they required tears and snot.

"I'll be taking my leave now—" Rosalie paused, yawning dramatically, "—It seems I must retire to bed, sleep well. Oretsev, Starkov." She curtly nodded toward the two and made a quick exit amongst the mass crowds without so much as another word.

~+~

Rosalie wanted too throw up.

She didn't even want to dwell on where the first Armies cook had conjured the slop on her tray from and forced her self to take another bite. She gagged one last time, tossing her tray away as she leaned back on the moldy log she sat against. Her uniform would no doubt be dirty once she got up but she didn't care. She had the perfect view of the fold.

Still the same divine inky darkness from all those centuries ago, and yet Rosalie swore it looked different. Rotten and twisted with secrets it was, yet something entirely different lurked within its depths the harder she stared and a sickening feeling bubbled in the pits of her stomach—something was coming and the fold sensed it too. However, what it was Rosalie couldn't foretell and that made it all the more worse.

Distantly, she heard the laughs of a few soldiers in their tent and she pulled her jacket tighter around her. Perhaps she was envious of them, their carefree lives and silly beliefs. Or perhaps all the centuries she spent on her lonesome had finally driven her to insanity. Rosalie scoffed to no one, and stood from the ground, dusting herself off. It was time she actually retire to bed.

As she marched past the various tents pitched along the grass side by side, weary of the strings holding them up, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She slowed her walking, eventually coming to a halt. Harsh whispering cursed her ears, filling her mind with secrets lost and some anew. Could it truly be? She thought, quietly stalking closer to the opening of the tent. It was considered a black sheep compared to all the others pitched beside it. Tall, much larger and stained with most deepest black Rosalie could only compare to that of the fold.

Her pale fingers reached out, brushing lightly against the tents fabric, mere millimeters away from its shadow filled opening. Rosalie could scarcely draw breath, her eyes to fixated on the shadows that danced within, unmoving. Standing in the entry way, madness prompted her to speak.

"Hello?" Her soft quiet voice echoed throughout the tent before throwing itself right back into her face.

"How could you?"

"How could YOU?!"

"HOW COULD YOU?!"

Rosalie jumped back, a feeling of dread mending its way in her bones, "I don't—I don't understand?"

"I wanted so badly to believe you . . .but now I'm inclined to believe them."

The voice suddenly sounded so familiar. A comforting sound that she could not decipher over the loud thumping of her heart. Thump thump thump.

"They were right about you, Rose." A pause, "You are nothing but rotten, filthy, corrupt witch with cursed blood and pretty smiles."

His words cut into her like a blade and she felt nauseous at the familiarity of them. And although the night was cold it wasn't the chilly wind that made the tiniest hairs on the nape of her neck stand but the echo of his voice.

"No, stop it." She had not meant to whisper, to sound so weak and she cursed herself for it.

"ROTTEN

ROSEALIE,

ROTTEN

ROSEALIE,

LOOK AT HER CRY!!"

Suddenly Rosalie was centuries back when the children in the village near her home would sort her out only to mock her with cruel words and tormenting chants.

"No! I will not hear it!" She shouted into nothing with her hands clasped over her ears and tears welling in her eyes. She would not let them fall, she told herself, over, and over, biting her cheek.

"Do you still hear them rose? Their childish melodies replaced by shrilling screams. What happen to them, rose?" The voice asked tauntingly.

"It was an accident!" Rosalie yelled, attempting to sounds her powers to no avail. She pleaded to the darkness but it held no sympathies for her tears.

"ROTTEN

ROSEALIE,

ROTTEN

ROSEALIE,

LOOK AT HER CRY!!"

Gasping for breath, chest and back slick with sweat, Rosalie sat up from her bed. She blinked rapidly, attempting to asses and recognize her location. It seemed she had in fact made it to her tent last night.

"Verskovski!"Rosalie head snapped to the sound of the dramatic gasp, brows furrowed. A pale girl with blonde curls that reached just above her shoulders and big brown eyes stared back at her, mouth agape.

What was her name?

Kate?

Katia?

"What." Rosalie snapped harshly making the girl flinch. "Katrina. . .?" She said more softly, shaking her head in attempt to cease her distortion.

Katrina nodded, moving toward the woman, "Didn't you hear? Your unit has been moved on the skiff!" She said with furrowed brows.

Rossi's squinted, eyeing the girl accusingly. "Why?"  She asked sitting up from her bed and swinging her legs over the side of it.

"There was a fire and maps were burnt and so—"

"A fire? What imbecile would be so daft to do such a thing?" Rosalie muttered, shaking her head in disbelief, "Do they wish death upon themselves? and everyone else why they are at it?"

Katrina blinked,"Um—an accident, apparently?"

Rosalie pursed her lips. Certainly not, she thought as she recalled a certain raven haired girls desperation and worry for her tracker friend.

"Has the skiff left yet?"

"No— " Katrina stammered, watching as the red haired girl hastily move around the tent curiously, "—but the luentent will not be happy, he doesn't like tardiness!" She shouted but the woman had already fled the tent.

~+~

A\N

Rosalie my poor awkward and weird baby :(((
Whose voice do you think she heard in her nightmare?? Also I haven't proof read this so...Don't forget to comment and vote !!