CHAPTER FIVE.

The journey from the Camp had been quiet. Liliya and Aleksander had been following a few metres behind the carriage. They were keeping a safe distance to ensure Alina's safety but not alert anyone of their presence. Ivan wouldn't like to know that he was being watched.

Aleksander had been quiet, focusing on keeping track of the carriage. Liliya eyes flicking across the forest and spotting any threats before they came. It had been surprisingly calm but with the wind making her eyes tear up, it wasn't great to see much.

Then Liliya saw him. He darted between the trees and she gritted her teeth, pulling her horse to a spot. It wasn't long before she also spotted the Fjerdans. Her hands clenching the reins before she let her fingers relax, her head turning to Aleksander who had stopped. His horse facing her as she stared up at him.

"Aleksander, there are Fjerdans," Liliya warned. The man followed her gaze and he saw them. His jaw set and she looked back towards Isaak. He hid behind a tree as the Fjerdans look in that direction. The Druskelle would certainly be after Alina now, "Isaak is following them. Protect Alina. I need to speak to him," Liliya said as she reared her horse away from the dirt path. Aleksander watched her for a moment before turning his horse from her.

"I will meet you at the Little Palace," Aleksander said. His voice wasn't loud enough for Isaak to hear but she still heard him. Liliya nodded and glanced back, adjusting the cape so it didn't cover her arm as much. She needed as much movement if she was going to catch Isaak before he caught the Fjerdans.

"Don't get her killed," Liliya said, looking over her shoulder. A tentative smile on her face. There was no way of knowing what Isaak could or would do to her. He nearly used the cut on Lev so she was in much more danger. However, at multiple attempts on her life, she had come to terms with the idea of her own death.

"Don't get yourself killed," He retorted before he bolted off towards where the carriage had stopped. Liliya then squeezed her own horse and it began to canter through the forest. Weaving through to catch-up with Isaak before anything went wrong. He spotted her coming so she lifted her leg over the horse and slid off.

Taking him on foot and bounding after him, discarding her cape on the floor. It would only restrict her movement and get caught on a tree branch. Neither of which would be ideal if she was chasing him. Her boots pounded against the forest floor, a chill in the air but it only propelled her to go further.

That was until she lost sight of him. Coming to a quick stop, flicking her head side to side before she heard a twig behind her. She turned on her heel and moved her hands quickly, throwing shadows towards Isaak. He was surprised by her control but was able to brush them off with relative ease. His head tilting.

His hair was greasy, falling in front of his eyes. His stubble had turned into a scraggly beard that was far too long to suit him. His hand gripping a dagger and she made sure to keep wary of it. There was only so much that she could protect herself from especially if he used it unexpectedly. She was not Aleksander.

"Lev told me you were back in Ravka. Why?" Liliya asked as she held her hands up slightly. She was ready to throw shadows towards him again if he tried anything. She doubted that he was but he had become unpredictable, irritable.

"Don't ask me stupid questions, malysh," He snapped. The redhead narrowed her eyes and threw shadows towards him. This actually caught him off guard and he quickly fell to the floor. His head smacking against a rock.

"Answer the question," Liliya said as she stepped closer. Her voice was even but laced with hints of anger. Her body loomed over him until she felt his shadows tug her back. Her body was thrown across the forest like a ragdoll. Tree branches cutting up her arms before she landed on her back. A soft cry escaping her lips.

"Tomas told me you were a prolific tracker yet you didn't find me. I can't say I wasn't disappointed," Isaak said as he brushed down his clothes. They were ragged, a little cut up but he certainly could have looked worse. Liliya's head throbbed, his words sounded far away but he was getting closer. Her hands pressed into the forest floor and hauling herself back up.

"I've never been able to track you," Liliya said as she pushed herself against the trunk of a tree. Her hand pressing into the back of her hair, brushing the cut on her scalp. Blood on her fingers when she pulled it back. That explained why it stinged so much.

"So you remember?" He asked. Liliya nodded and brushed the blood onto her kefta. Aleksander wouldn't like that but she didn't care, "Did you try and look for me after the Fjerdans found me?" He questioned. Liliya shook her head and pushed herself up, using the tree as a crutch. Isaak nodded and pushed his hands into his pockets, wanting her to elaborate.

"You told me I was like you. If they took you for being you, I didn't want to die and the General's Grisha found me quickly after you left," Liliya explained as she met his gaze. The memories of Isaak's capture were vague and her memory was spotty but the feelings were something she had tried so hard to escape. But now she couldn't even try. They would never leave and the door was wide open. It would never close again.

"At least you remembered something. Your General clearly made you soft. Stand up, straight!" He commanded. Liliya gritted her teeth and followed his instructions. She wanted to ignore him and attack him but her head throbbed, her hands ached and there was no way she could defeat his shadows. Not alone.

"General Kirigan has made me stronger. He taught me what you never could," Liliya responded. Isaak chuckled and then he smacked her across the face. Her head snapping to the side as she bit back a whimper. Her cheek stinging as it reddened. That sort of pain wasn't something she was used to. In fact, she almost wish he would have punched her.

"Show me a little respect, I raised you after your whore mother ran away because she was scared. I should have thrown you in the river and let you drown like my brother did with his little boy but I didn't. I thought you had potential, now look at you," He snapped. His hand gripping her chin, his nails digging into her cheeks. Her eyes squeezing shut, biting her lip to prevent any pained whimpers from escaping.

"Kill me if I'm so unworthy," Liliya said, opening her eyes. Blue meeting blue as she set her jaw. Trying to ignore the pain that he was inflicting, "or do you still need me?" Liliya questioned. Her eyes showed her defiance and she was not allowing herself to give in. If she was going to die, she would die fighting him.

"I need you to tell your General to let the Sun Summoner go or you will all die a sticky fate," He said before dropping his hand. Liliya scoffed and pushed his shoulder. Her shadows coming to assist her and throwing him a further few steps back.

"I'm not your lackey," She snapped. Then the dagger came for her but she threw her hand up. A wall of shadows appearing and the dagger clattered to the floor. Her smile widened slightly and then she sent the wall of shadows for him. He didn't have time to react before it had smacked him and he fell to the floor disorientated.

Liliya whistled and her horse came bounding through. She grabbed a hold of their reins and hauled herself up, getting as much space between her and Isaak as she possibly could. The threat on Alina was enough for her to want to kill him but he would certainly be able to kill her first if she tried. She needed Aleksander and more practice. Then she could kill him, make him pay.

***

Night had long fallen by the time Liliya returned to the Little Palace. She slid off the horse and took him to the stable. Doing everything necessary before she headed back inside. The blood had congealed in her hair and her cheek was slightly bruised but she came out relatively unscathed. Well, apart from the aching all over. Being thrown to the floor was certainly not something she wanted to experience again any time soon.

When she walked into the room, she expected Aleksander to be asleep but he was awake, staring at the ceiling. He tilted his head when he saw her and his face seemed to brighten. He then slid off the bed and pulled her into a hug. The silent gesture of relief for her return. She returned it but when his hand pressed against the cut on her head, she hissed in pain.

"I didn't come out entirely unscathed," Liliya mumbled before she pulled back. Aleksander nodded and then moved his hands to her kefta, unbuttoning it as she just got used to him being there. She was sweaty, exhausted and had been alone for a few hours. It was boring and just seeing Aleksander was better than nothing.

"I am presenting our Sun Summoner to the King tomorrow. Rest until I return," He said as he looked into her eyes. Liliya nodded, a little disheartened that she couldn't go with them but not entirely surprised. He undid the last button and then pulled the kefta off her shoulders. She took it off completely, whimpering softly, "Would you like a bath?" He asked and she was quick to nod. He then disappeared into the bathroom.

Liliya worked on the rest of her clothes and the bruises revealed themselves. They were worse than she thought. Dark splotches covering most of her arms and legs. Her collision with the forest floor must have been harder than she first perceived.

"Are you coming?" He asked. Liliya hummed in response before walking into the bathroom. Surprised to find that Aleksander was ready to get in with her but the smile appeared nonetheless. She pulled her pants off, discarding them before following him over. He got in first and she stepped in after him.

Their bodies slotted against each other. Her back pressed against his chest as she tilted her head against his shoulder. His hands resting against her legs as the warmth water swarmed around them. Warming her sore muscles and washing off the smell of horse that she definitely smelt like. He pressed a soft kiss to her head before leaning back.

"He's stronger than I remember," Liliya said after a moment of silence. She then leant over and grabbed the sponge and soap from the side. Then she began to watch herself, Aleksander not noticing until he reopened his eyes. He allowed to do as she pleased but leant forward a little. His hands moving to run across her sides.

"You were young when you last saw him," Aleksander responded. Liliya hummed in agreement and rubbed the sponge along her hair before hissing when she pressed a little too hard. Aleksander sighed and then leant forward, taking a hold of the sponge. He then gently ran it along her arm, careful of the bruises.

"I thought I could rival him but he threw me across the floor like a doll," Liliya mumbled. Aleksander continued to rub her arms with soap, pulling her hair up so he could run it along her back. Bruises littering her skin there too, "I won't be able to kill him without you. He is stronger than me, there is no way," She continued. Her hands resting against her lap. Letting her fingers push against the water, feeling the slight resistance before it let up. Her mind occupied and overthinking.

"While Alina is trained by Baghra, I will continue our lessons. There is much you need to learn. You will beat him, milaya," He said as he finished with the sponge. He then placed it in the water, allowing it to sink as his hands moved to her hair. His fingers pushing the red hair to the side so he could see the cut that had appeared.

She winced when she felt him pull the congealed blood out of her hair but calmed herself when she realised he was only helping. He seemed pleased that it wasn't worse so pressed a kiss to her neck and reached out for the sponge again.

"How bad is it?" Liliya asked. Her fingers weren't a good indicator of the size of the cut and she was sure her mind overexaggerated it's true length.

"It should be healed in a day or two. Keep your hair down for now," He said. Liliya nodded and let her hands rest in her lap as he washed the soap off with the wet sponge. Once he was done, she turned around to straddle his waist. His bath tub was big and she was suddenly very thankful for that.

Her hands moved to cup his jaw and she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. Her forehead resting against his. He kissed back just as gently before pulling away. His hand resting on her hip, rubbing circles with his thumb.

"You smell like horse," She mumbled softly. When she opened her eyes, she spotted the mild offence before she grabbed the sponge from him, "Don't worry, I can fix that," She chuckled as she slid back on his thighs. He slid forward a little and allowed her to wash his chest. Her movements were slow but precise, enjoying the motion and how close they were. It was the soft moments like this that she yearned for.

"Did Isaak allow you to leave?" Aleksander asked after a moment of silence. The sponge was now running along his arms. Her fingers intertwined with his as she ran it up and down, making sure every inch of him was covered in soap. The smell of horse was never a pleasant one especially if they were going to be sleeping.

"No," Liliya said before she dipped the sponge under the water. She then began to wash the soap away with his assistance, "He was distracted and I spoke back to him. He didn't expect it and I used a wall of shadows to disorientate him," She explained. A part of her wanted to tell him the threat of Alina but she didn't know if that was a good idea. If he found out, he might try to go after Isaak now and that would be worse. Isaak had a plan, Liliya just didn't know what.

"Are you hiding something?" Aleksander asked, raising an eyebrow. Liliya looked up at him, her eyes wide and attempting to portray her innocence. She shook her head.

"No, just shaken up and everything hurts," She lied smoothly. Aleksander didn't believe her and she knew it so she spoke again, "Isaak said something. He threatened you and... Alina," Liliya muttered. Aleksander sighed and lifted her chin, not allowing her to avoid this. He then ran his thumb along her jaw before lifting her face, pressing a kiss to her lips.

"I thought we said no more lies," He mumbled. Liliya nodded and then ran the wet sponge across his chest again. Letting the soap run down into the water. She knew that but she still wanted to. Isaak was always so unpredictable. His words could have meant nothing. Liliya didn't know and she didn't want them to waste time on something that could be nothing.

"Isaak is unstable, unpredictable. He changes his mind quickly. His threat on Alina, it might not mean a thing. He has a plan, he isn't killing me as soon as he sees me so he wants something. I need to find out what before we find him," Liliya said as she let the sponge drop into the water. Her body slumping a little but she kept her perfect posture as always. Her hands rested in her lap and then she felt Aleksander's hands, pulling her back to him.

"Then we wait," He said simply. She smiled at his words and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. She was glad he at least understood.

"Good," She mumbled. The two of them finished their bath in silence and eventually got out. Aleksander finally saw the true extent to her bruises. The brown was even more evident against her flushed red skin. He didn't stare for too long and instead passed her a towel. He took one for himself and wrapped it around his waist before strolling into the other room.

Liliya crossed to the mirror, staring at herself. The bruise on her cheek was healing already but still there. Her fingers skimming along it before she pushed her fingers through her hair. Genya could help, she just needed to speak to her. She didn't feel like going to a Healer but she wanted her face to look better.

"Milaya," Aleksander called. Liliya pulled her gaze away from the mirror and crossed over into the bedroom, pushing a smile onto her face. He was already sliding into bed so she was quick to change into her pyjamas.

It took her a moment but she was soon ready and moved into bed beside him. Her hands resting against her stomach as he watched her. He could see that she was thinking so he wanted, his smile widening just a little more.

"I want to be the little spoon," Liliya muttered as she rolled onto her side. Aleksander didn't object and silently moved closer. One of his arms resting around her waist, the other resting between his two stacked pillows, "Wake me up before you leave," Liliya added. Aleksander hummed against her hair in agreement. A smile spreading across her face before she closed her eyes, praying that sleep would take her easily that night.

***

author's note! isaak really said 'hey' this chapter and came to ruin our day but ITS FINE, everything is fine, we got some soft lilikiri to make up for it, i've wanted them to take a bath together for forever so i just did it cause why the hell not, we're getting more show plot BUT liliya is still gonna get her own stuff going on, we may get the return of roma and lev again, we shall see, honestly this plot is much less thought out, like i have a vague plan but imma just see what happens so will arina, lev or roma return? IDK MAN but something's gonna happen! i hope you enjoyed the chapter, love y'all! <3