The halls of the Grand Palace were always alive with servants rushing in every corner, mainly in an attempt to satisfy some ridiculous demand of the King or Queen.

Odette knew her parents ridiculous demands all too well.

As she walked past servants and guards she wondered what ridiculous request they would ask of her now. Though they hardly asked much of her. At least nothing of true importance.

As soon as the royal guards saw her approaching they opened the grand doors to the throne room, where the king and queen of Ravka were seated upon their thrones. It was well known that Odette was blessed with her mother's beauty, however she was a mystery herself as many had not seen her outside the palace.

Odette's eldest brother, Vasily, was already standing before their parents. Everything about his posture reflected his indifference about wherever their little meeting was about. Odette however, knew that for the four of them to be gathered together meant that a serious discussion was about to take place.

"What is it now?" Vasily questioned.

"There have been discussions with the generals of the First and Seconds Armies about the recent rumours of a succession in the West." The king declared though nothing about the declaration was surprising. It was well known that Ravka was suffering. The country was split in half, East Ravka lacking in supplies forcing dangerous expeditions across The Unsea for supplies from West Ravka. Being surrounded by the enemy only continued to make Ravka look weak, especially with Fjerda hunting their Grisha and Shu Hanperforming terrifying experiments on them. "It has been decided that representation from the crown is necessary to quiet these rumours."

Vasily shared a brief glance at Odette, he clearly didn't seem to understand why this information was important even if it related to the future of Ravka. "Meaning?"

"That one of you must make a trip to West Ravka."

"You cannot actually believe that I will go to West Ravka?" Vasily exclaimed.

"No it will be Odette." Their mother stated not exactly meeting either Vasily or Odette's eyes.

Now it was Odette's turn to be stunned as she looked up at her mother and father with wide eyes. Even Vasily seemed speechless at their parent's declaration. "Pardon?"

"You will go to West Ravka." The Queen clarified.

"That would require me to go through The Unsea."

"You know your geography," The King declared with a sense of self-pride at what he considered to be a good joke. "good to know that the tutor's' work has not been in vain."

Only now did Odette realize that Nikoali had the right idea in finishing his studies in Ketterdam. Something that she had begun to resent considering that it had now been years since he had stepped a foot in court. Or maybe she was simply envious of the freedom he possessed, though her youngest brother had always been a free spirit.

"And what of Vasily?" Odette questioned in disbelief as she gestured towards her eldest brother who looked like he would be anywhere but in this room.

"Vasily is soon to be king, he cannot be risked and Nikolai is away. It must be you." The Queen replied in a rather bored tone as if what she was saying was obvious. "You will return before the wedding."

The wedding plagued Odette's mind from the moment she awoke in the mornings to the moment she closed her eyes at night. Marrying the prince of Novi Zem was her duty and the only real accomplishment that she would have as princess of Ravka. The knowledge that she would aid her country in some way was her only comfort.

"You may go now." The King said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

Odette had so much more that she desired to say, yet the words seemed stuck in her throat. With a single nod she silently followed Vasily out of the throne room. Both siblings came to a stop as the large doors closed behind them.

"You actually are accepting to get shipped off to West Ravka?" Vasily asked slowly as he turned to look at Odette who was still processing what her mother and father were asking of her.

"If it helps alleviate the tension and thoughts of succession, then yes." She said though there really was no way of disguising the fear she felt at the thought of having to cross the Shadow Fold.

"Little sister you do realize that you may not return."

"Not exactly the way I wished to be freed from my engagement." She muttered as a pathetic excuse to lighten the mood. Very few skiffs made both journey's through the Fold, a fact that she would not like to think too much about.

Vasily was quiet for a moment seeming deep in thought. Odette was hoping for some kind of comfort from her older brother, though she should have known better than to expect such a thing from Vasily. "If you die then that would only get Nikolai closer to the throne."

Odette was once again left speechless by the foolish things that tended to leave her brother's mouth. Of course, he was entirely oblivious of how foolish he could be as all that tended to be on his mind was women and horses. "You say that as if our brother would murder you to become king."

"He might."

"He wouldn't have to," She replied as she began to walk down the hall hoping to get away from anyone who may be listening. "he would only need to outsmart you. We both know that would be no challenge for him."

"We both know the throne cannot go to a bastard." Vasily claimed his poisonous words cruel and reckless.

It felt as if Odette's blood was boiling from her eldest brother's words as she looked around the hallway to ensure that no one had heard such a statement, as true as it may have been. There were already nasty rumours about their youngest brother. "Watch the words that leave your mouth Vasily."

"Seems I hit a nerve." He replied with a smug grin and Odette did not miss the meaning in his words as there were rumours about her too. Rumors that carried plenty of truths.

Vasily turned ready to end what has soon to become a terrible argument, but Odette stepped in his path unable to allow him to have the last word. "A bastard he may be but we both know that he is more fit to be king than you. You are a coward Vasily."

Adjusting his coat unfomortably Vasily looked away for a moment before meeting his sister's eyes once again. "Even so he'll never see the throne as long as you and I live."

Odette could not understand the hatred or jealousy that Vasily felt for their youngest brother. Only that it had existed their entire childhood.

She loved both of her brothers dearly but she could not deny that her bond with Nikolai was much stronger.

"I have no desire to rule." She replied instead, wanting to change the subject before any more reckless words left his mouth. Arguing was pointless and Odette had no desire to fight with her brother.

"That is not a choice for you to make," said Vasily. "after all, you will soon rule Novyi Zem."

"You are cruel," She replied, aware that his words were meant to wound her. Vasily was well aware of Odette's displeasure with her engagement with the Prince Cathan and he never wasted an opportunity to remind her of her inescapable future. "Just as cruel and incomptent as our father."

"My father." Vasily corrected.

His words cut like knives. It wasn't the thought of possibly not being the true daughter of the king but that Vasily believed her less his sister because of it. "I have no desire to have a claim over blood so repulsive."

Vasily looked a step forward, a dark look coming over his eyes as he did. "Now you are the one who should watch the words that leave your mouth sister."

"Is everything alright?" A gentle voice questioned, and both Lanstov siblings turned to find the Grisha tailor, Genya Safin, standing at the doorway. Her glittering white Kefta sparking from the sunlight of the open window, she almost looked angelic and not just because she arrived just in time to stop an argument that was moments away from becoming ugly.

"Genya." Odette greeted attempting to ease the situation and not make it seem as serious as it was.

"This is none of your business Grisha." Vasily said, his irritation clear. He made no attempt to hide that fact that he thought little of the tailor as he looked down at her with what almost looked like disgust, though there was something much deeper in that look.

There was no was no way of escaping the gossip that spread through the Grand palace about the king and Genya. It was a well known fact to everyone on the palace grounds that the king and queen were in a loveless marriage. Both of them involved in scandalous affairs that were secrets kept tightly by servants and Grisha, none of them wanting to face the consequences of being declared a traitor to the crown.

Seeing the marriage between her parents was what Odette feared would be a glimpse into her own future. She had yet to meet the prince of Novyi Zem, but she hoped that love would come with time.

"Of course." Genya replied with a bow. "Excuse me your majesties."

The two Lanstov siblings watched silently as their mother's favored Grisha disappeared down the hall. "You have no right to speak to her like that."

Vasily rolled his eyes unsure of why Odette would be defending the Grisha servant. "She works for us."

"That does not make her any less human."

"She's a Grisha."

"And you're a prick." Odette defended entirely aware of the fact that she was taking her brother's words personally and that this was no longer about defending Genya.

Before saying anything that she would soon regret Odette walked away from Vasily and down the hall. She felt tears of frustration forming but she refused to shed any tears for her brother's cruelty.

As she began her descent down the golden marble staircase she came to a sudden stop. Odette had been seconds away from colliding with the general of the Second Army. A gasp had escaped her lips though he seemed as composed as ever as he looked down at her with questioning eyes.

"Tsarevna." The general greeted with a slight smile and a well rehearsed bow.

Odette was stunned for a moment. Her interactions with the general of the Second Army were few but as beautiful as the man was there was something incredibly unsettling about him. Maybe it was his ability to summon shadows or the fact that Odette believed he suspected her secret. "General Kirigan."

"I'm sure you've been informed about your trip across the Unsea."

"Yes." She replied simply unsure of why the general of the Second Army had any desire to speak to her about the journey she would have to make across The Fold. A journey that she had no desire of thinking too much about at the moment knowing that fear would take a permanent hold on her if she did.

The man offered what she was sure was supposed to be a comforting expression, though nothing could really comfort her now. But she could not deny that he was charming for a man whose ancestor was responsible for The Shadow Fold, the thing that was the reason why Ravka was lacking supplies and was slowly falling apart.

"You have no need to worry, only the best of my Grisha will accompany you across The Fold. You're in good hands moi tsarevna."

"Thank your general, that is a great comfort." Odette lied, but still felt some level of assurance that he intended to ensure that she would be well protected. Her parents had seemed rather indifferent of the fact, something that Odette had to admit stung. 

General Kirigin offered her another bow before continuing his way up the staircase undoubtedly on his way to see the king before he departed for Kribirsk for the latest supply run to West Ravka. Usually he didn't visit the base, however everyone was hopeful that the latest skiff made by the Little Palace's best Fabrikators would prove itself.

Now more than ever did Odette hope that the skiffs would complete their missions successfully because in a few weeks she would be traveling across The Shadow Fold on one of those very skiffs.

A/N: Might be a bit of a slow chapter but there are so many fun things that I have planned for this story. There will be to main characters in this story Odette and Zaira who will go on two different adventures. So excited for you all to meet them especially Zaira who's character development and story arc is going to be out of this world. Again these will be slow burns which is very on brand for me but the angst will be well worth it.

(As another side note as far as Odette knows the king is only involved in affairs with servants and Genya, not that he forces himself on them.)