#darkling redemption

[the-abominable-sociopath]

Ben Barnes ig stories:

This man really out here fighting for our Darklina rights

[bridgertonbee1814]

I'm just gonna say it: I'm gunning for a possible Darkling redemption. Show Darkling has fucked up royally so far but things can change and the iconic Ben Barnes is really pushing the envelope with his portrayal of him👏If he's onboard, then I am

Look at this man and you tell me there is not someone in there who wants to be better!

[juneisafantasyaddict]

A fic where Alina chooses to stay after Baghra tells her all that crap after the winter fete. Alina stays because she’s tired of her life being controlled by other people’s choices, so she stays because she wants to find out for herself what Aleksander really wants from her. When she feels like she has gathered enough information about what Aleksander’s plans are for Ravka, Grisha, The Fold, and her, she confronts him during one of their many nights in his bed chambers. That’s when he tells her about Luda, how he mistakenly created the fold, how having the fold has helped Ravka and Grisha, how Baghra doesn’t give a shit about anyone who isn’t immortal like them, etc. Alina decides to stay, help him control the fold, and help him find a better way to achieve their goals (you know, without killing more people than necessary). Also, she falls in love with Aleksander without all the annoying guilt all the time. Like, she obviously doesn’t condone he past bad things, but she’s also not going to pretend that it’s not complicated. Also, this is more show centric than book centric.

Mal dies at the beginning at the fold (or dies helping her get the 3rd amplifier) (I really don’t want Mal there), and Alina and Aleksander get the soulmate, light/darkness complimenting each other story the gods intended. Also, Alina is actually powerful and isn’t afraid of her power, so there’s no pages and pages of her being scared of her fucking power. She has her amplifiers and she actually uses her powers for things other than practice and a conversation piece. Did I mention Alina and Aleksander are like together together? A lot of darklina love, romance, tether, angst, smut, dark Alina, prioritizes the protection of Grisha Alina, Alina and Aleksander ruling Ravka and finally fucking Fjerda and Shu Han up for hunting and killing Grisha. Also, no Nikolai or Mal pining or anything like that, because it’s unnecessary.

Ok, I don’t know if this fic exists, and I’m sure this is a long prompt, but can anyone please write a long-ish fic with this?? Ok, thanks! I really really appreciate it!😌☺️

[writs-posts]

Mal and Alina are the definition of soulmates!!! Nobody can tell me different!❤️✨

[brownandebony]

THE DARKLING: Why he deserved better- an essay

(Warning: Grishaverse trilogy spoilers. Don’t read if you haven’t read the books or even watched the show)

The Darkling died in the end (of the trilogy, not KOS & ROW): Fine. BUT I wished so bad he had someone who could tell him, “I see you, your feelings are valid. You have the right to be angry but you’re safe now. You can let the guards down.” I MEAN?? It isn’t so difficult, is it? He had an unloving, insensitive mother- emotionally absent and overexpectant, just look at how she teaches for example (I absolutely love Baghra, don’t misunderstand me). No dad in picture because it was her mother’s choice but it still leaves a cavity in someone’s life. Childhood plays a huge role in building someone’s personality/life long psychological state. Half of the time he had to live in fear and fight for his life and the ones he loved for just being different and half the time he was feared so much that even when anyone came close, they had ulterior motives.

Alina as a character was kind and self sacrificing but- and fight me all you want- she had a number of instances where she could’ve convinced Aleks that the fight is over. If he does any more then there won’t be any difference between him and the people that hurt him. She didn’t have to go marry him, but she could’ve been a friend. I don’t think people understand the significance of the line, “Fine, make me your villain.” Because it’s so easy to make him your villain, so easy to put it all on him- as humanity always does- if you can’t solve the problem, find someone to blame.

One of the most frustrating things when it comes to Alina is that she sees things, she can read between the lines but she always chooses the easy way out. Be it talking and sorting shit out with Mal, offering someone comfort, or all those times when she saw the hurting boy in Alexander.

He just wanted to be loved, to be understood, to be seen. He wasn’t hungry for power. He was yearning for respect, loyalty, safety and most of all love. He wanted the Ravkans to love him. To just have anyone to love him even, just one person. And that could’ve been Alina. Not that she was obliged to do anything, but she had the same power in terms of rarity, she had the same-ish struggles of being different, same eternity to live. There could’ve been people he loved in his backstory but none of them could hold on for eternity even in the best case scenarios.

So, if Alina can be attracted to him and have all those feelings, she could’ve been understanding and supportive too. If she couldn’t stop herself from reaching him telepathically or be angry at him or cry in front of him while HE held her- she could’ve made at least ONE attempt.

Alexander wasn’t making Alina a monster, it was her own conscience. Because there were various other factors who were also stopping her from succumbing to the darkness but Aleks had none. She could’ve helped heal him. ESPECIALLY, when he said things like, “You might make me a better man” so many times. Don’t you dare tell me there wasn’t hope for him. Alina may have all the circumstances and power to do it, but basically as person she was unfit for this and that’s the tragedy. All that hope finally after centuries of wait but in wrong hands. (I’m just saying she couldn’t live up to it. At the core, she didn’t have what it took, maybe she was too young with too much on her plate. I still adore her because when we love, we love them with their flaws as the Darkling should have been)

And the show stopper, Aleks did have kind in him because till the end he was there for Grishas despite his evil (like when he bluffed about putting the Grisha children in danger but obviously didn’t and wouldn’t do it) but Alina had darkness in her always because she would always sabotage anything or anyone as long as it meant Mal’s safety (for instance, when Aleks expanded the fold and she abandoned the skiff for Mal). What’s the difference between their morals then? If the power hadn’t been scattered from her, I bet you she would’ve been the next big bad villain. (Not that I wanted her power gone)

What affects me the most is that despite everything, whatever Alina could’ve done for Alexander, HE did it for her (in his twisted way sometimes). He told her he understood her, he told her he saw her, he held her when she cried, he gave that unconditional love and support because however it may have looked on the surface- he never hurt Alina. Physically at least. He did a number of absolutely horrible things, most of coming from a place of payback for betrayal.

(Also, you can sense I have a huge issue with ever loved and all cherished protagonists who are victims of circumstances- all kind and selfless and martyrs- but I can see they are just as flawed. Personally, Alina’s fine though, because she’s real. That’s human, that’s what could’ve happened. I’m just acknowledging the parts of her that are easy to overlook. Because again- as humans, as much as we want to blame someone to make things easy, we also put people on pedestals and all our problems on them expecting them to be the saviour.)

[whatnonsense]

My whole TL is filled with-

*in a british accent*

Ben Barnes is a Daddy

Ben Barnes is a Daddy

Ben Barnes is a Daddy

Ben Barnes is a Daddy

Ben Barnes is a Daddy

Ben Barnes is a Daddy

Ben Barnes is a Daddy

Ben Barnes is a Daddy

Ben Barnes is a Daddy

[paradisian2803]

Darklina make me crazy in 1…2…

[corrieander]

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter 1

I’ve jumped ships! If you’ve been following me for BuckyxSarah--whom I still love!--I’m sorry, I’m shifting gears to a different ship for a little while.

So... Ben Barnes in Shadow and Bone, amirite? He and Jessie Mei Li are so great!

Description: The first time Alina goes into the Fold and comes out as the Sun Summoner, when she is sent away to the LIttle Palace by the General... she dies. The Druskelle succeed in killing the entourage and her. Then she wakes up in the barracks again, the morning of the crossing. There's Alexei on his cot, totally fine. No one is looking at her or for her... she is free again.

But she knows what's going to happen, and she can't do nothing. How can she fix what happened?

Chapter 1

The first day, after the Fold, the Light, and the General... the Druskelle did kill Alina.

She didn’t know it at first.

They’d drug her out of the General’s carriage, into the deceptively sunny, life-filled forest, and murdered her.

When she awoke with a jolt, the taste of iron and horror still in her mouth, she was confused.

She didn’t remember, thankfully, that last blow, but she could still smell the bad breath of the Druskelle thug who’d attacked her. She could feel the damp cold of the ground at her back, the panic in her stomach, the pounding of her head.

Alina rolled over on the cot, grabbed the night pail and emptied her stomach.

A faint, early morning light showed outside the walls of the barracks.

The First Army barracks at Poliznaya. They’d brought her back! Mal!

Perhaps they had realized there was a huge mistake.

She spit to clear her mouth and rubbed her tired eyes.

Around her were the normal blanketed lumps of others sleeping on cots, but her eyes didn’t immediately focus. Had they brought her back to camp and just left her in the barracks? That seemed odd, but she wasn’t going to argue!

She rolled to a sitting position.

Her head ached a little, but her roving hands could find no injury on her head or neck. Had they used a healer on her? She thought of the blow she’d seen coming, the dreadful weapon raised, savage and unforgiving...

Alina’s stomach roiled again and she breathed through her nose slow. She could subdue nausea, she had practice.

Her vision was resolving now and she saw—to her amazement—Alexei’s head sticking out of his blanket!

She stumbled to him and sank down next to his cot, gently touching his shoulder. Tears leaked out and she held back a sob.

She would let him sleep, who knows what he’s been through after he jumped off the skiff yesterday, but she needed to touch him. To see that one of the ones she’d thought lost forever was still here.

Alexei wasn’t sleeping heavily, however.

He blinked up at Alina and her tears. “Saints, Alina, what happened? Is it your tracker?”

“No, I think he’ll be fine. I’m so sorry,” she wiped her nose on her sleeve. “I’m just so glad you’re alive. Did you run back through the Fold all alone?”

“Run back?” He sat up, gently pushing her off him. “How much kvas did you drink last night?”

“What? Not any. I don’t even remember getting back to camp. Who else made it back on the skiff? The General didn’t give me any time to ask questions.”

Alexei’s brow was deeply furrowed now. “Alina, what the hell are you talking about? The skiff leaves today.” He lowered his voice. “Did you talk to the General?”

“I did after…” Alina looked around. All her team. The usual people who slept in the barracks here near the Documents Tent.

The camp outside was waking up, she saw through a window. Men were heading to the latrines, soldiers slapped dust from their coats, others headed to get a small breakfast in the mess tent. It was grim but calm.

As if… as if there had been no word of a Sun Summoner. No failed Fold expedition. No casualties among Grisha and First Army.

“The skiffs go through the Fold today?” she repeated.

Alexei eyed her with concern.

Alina stood abruptly, feeling the blood rush from her head. She clutched one of the wooden supports while dizziness struck her. “I need to find Mal.”

She stumbled out into the camp.

No one looked at her. No Grisha came to check on her or lock her up or spirit her away to the Little Palace.

Alina’s slow steps turned into a jog. When she saw Mal, a hundred yards away, slapping his friend Mikhael on the back, she broke into a run.

She slammed into Mal, holding him tight. “You’re alright.”

His arms automatically came around her. “Of course I’m alright. Did you hear otherwise?”

She stepped back a little, keeping her hands on his shoulders. Looked him up and down. Nothing. He’d been so injured, back and chest laid open by volcra claws. He could barely walk.

“Mal… the Fold, is it today?”

“Yes. Last night we talked…” He put a hand on her forehead. “You don’t look good. Are you sick?”

“No, I’m not. You didn’t— Yesterday, did I—“ She stuttered to a stop. “The sun summoner.”

Mal rubbed a thumb between her eyes, to smooth out the anxious wrinkles she got there. “What about it? What’s wrong?”

Mikhael chuckled darkly. “Other than the obvious? We’re all goin’ into the Fold in a couple hours.”

Alina shook her head. “We can’t. A huge swarm of volcra, terrible losses…”

“Nightmare?” Mal asked. He pulled her back into a hug. “This is real. I’m real. You’re going to be fine. You’re tiny, no volcra will even notice you.”

Was it a nightmare? No. It couldn’t be. She could still hear the Volcra screaming, she could feel the flow of the skiff, its bounces and shudders over the pale death sand of the Shadow Fold. The still, cold darkness pressing on her.

She’d never been in the Fold before. How could she have such sensory memory from a dream?

She knew exactly what General Kirigan, the Darkling, looked like, sounded like.

She knew the faces of Ivan and Fedyor, who’d been locked in that carriage with her…

It couldn’t be a dream… But what else could it be?

Vague memories of saints and prophecies floated back to her from early childhood. Maybe a vision? A prophecy?

It was definitely something.

But now she could feel the warmth of Mal through his undershirt. She could smell the vaguely woodsy, unwashed smell of him. It was comforting.

Mal seemed to sense she was doing better. He released her, smacking her lightly on the back of the head. “Alright then? Let’s get some food before it’s gone.”

“Yeah. You go. I need to check something. See you soon.”

Alina waved Mal off and went to the cartography tent. She passed it, still in thought.

If she’d had a vision of the future, she ought to do something. But had she?

Alina needed to prove it to herself. She certainly wasn’t going to make a fool of herself over what might(?) have been the most lifelike nightmare of her life.

She went all the way to the Grisha part of the encampment.

She could in no way barge into the Darkling’s presence. She’d probably be heartrended to oblivion before she said three words. But surely something could tell her if it was true.

She walked as confidently as she could, but head down, as if she had business here, but didn’t like it.

As she passed the Grisha pavilion, she saw several oprichniki guards standing outside. They were chatting with two red-coated Corporalniki. One of them was broad and handsome, the other tall and blonde—

“Fedyor!” Alina called recklessly to the smiling man. He was the nicer of the two.

His head jerked toward her at the sound of his name and he frowned, though he didn’t look angry, more confused. “Yes? What?”

“I— sorry. Nothing.”

Alina spun and left with the Grisha staring after her and some laughter.

She was probably lucky they let her go; perhaps they thought she’d come on a dare or some silly thing.

But she had confirmed that her dream vision was real. She would never have known his name otherwise.

Alina found an empty space between two tents. She looked at her hands. Some ink stains on her fingers. Slightly grubby.

That pretty much described her whole person.

Yet in her vision, light had come from her, both in the Fold, apparently, and when the Darkling held her wrist and cut her arm.

Alina had never wanted to be Grisha, never hoped for fire or water to flow to her like sand in an hourglass.

But if her vision was true… was ALL of it true, being the Sun Summoner? Being at risk of Fjerdan spies or Shu Han assassins?

Or Druskelle terrorists?

She rubbed her neck convulsively. She had to know.

Alina made fists, calling to whatever it was inside her that lit up the Grisha tent. Her skin was pale and soot streaked. Her knuckles like pebbles, her fingers not graceful and beautiful, but thin and sticklike. Also much like the rest of her.

She snapped, she clapped, she clasped her hands like a supplicant.

No light.

Alina took a deep breath, rubbing her face hard. What had it felt like when the Darkling called her power out? The pain of the cut she remembered. There had also been a call which pulled up a rising tide in her, an overwhelming rush of warmth that erupted into light through her skin.

She dug her nails into her palm, bit her tongue, even slapped herself as hard as she could.

Nothing.

Except a passing soldier grimaced as he glimpsed her. Probably thought she’d gotten lost in her mind, hurting or cutting herself as some soldiers did.

She stopped. Pain she caused herself didn’t seem to do anything.

With a grimace, Alina closed her eyes and forced herself to relieve the Fold. The screaming and flailing as the volcra picked off the Inferni. The shots. Mals screams. It would happen today, again if she didn’t do anything. The volcra, Mal...

Alina felt it. The depths of her stirring, like silt being stirred up at the bottom of a well, like a slumbering bear waking with the twitch of a paw, the canting of an ear. There was a beast in her, a power she had never acknowledged.

Wake up, she cried, both desperate and reluctant. She never wanted this, but now she knew what would happen today. If she did nothing, many would die. Alexei, and several other assistants. The inferni and soldiers. Mal nearly lost—possibly lost for good if she did nothing. Was her vision a prophecy or a warning? Did it matter?

She poked the bear. Wake up.

When Alina cracked her eyes open, her skin was glowing. It wasn’t a blazing light but it was there. She wasn’t crazy.

She was the Sun Summoner.

But what does one do when fate or the saints send them a vision of the future and the power of the sun?

It was one thing to learn stories about saints and martyrs, another thing to have their burden. Who would believe her, even if she could make herself glow a little? And if they did, what then?

Stop the skiffs, she thought. That would be enough for today.

She would worry about the rest of her life tomorrow.

#

Alina didn’t want to go back to the Grisha pavilion. She felt far more comfortable with the First Army. She belonged to them, they owed her something.

But... most of them felt the same way she did about the Grisha. Unnatural. Uncanny. Despicable.

Still, Colonel Raevsky had taken her—in the vision—to the Darkling. He respected Grisha enough—or feared the Darkling enough—to immediately turn her over to him.

With this in mind, Alina headed for the Colonel’s private tent.

There were two guards on duty out front, so he must still be there.

“I must speak to the Colonel,” Alina said.

The bigger guard scoffed. “Must you? Get lost.” He muttered something that sounded like, Shu Han rat.

“Got a message?” the other one asked, bored.

“Yes... yes. From cartography.”

They both looked at her. She waited.

“Well, spit it out,” the first guard said. “We’ll pass it on.”

“No, I’m—I’m supposed to speak to the Colonel himself.”

“If it’s so important, the Senior Cartographer would’ve come himself. For all we know, you’re a Shu Han deserter. Worse, a spy. Shove off.”

Alina balled her hands into fists. She was far too small to push past them. Little mouse, Mal sometimes called her.

That’s redundant, she would retort.

She tried to summon the light, but it just... didn’t come. Not enough, not fast enough. Not with the light already growing as the sun rose over the camp.

What was the point of being a light summoner if she couldn’t do anything but make her skin a little less sallow?

The first guard brought the butt of his gun up and shoved it into her shoulder. “Move along.”

Alina winced a little. That was going to leave a bruise.

Still, it was nothing compared to the volcra clawing at her back...

She began to step away. Then she twisted around to dart behind the second guard and into the tent.

She was little and fast, and she made it past them.

But as she was ducking past the opening, she heard the sharp report of his rifle.

Her last thought was surprise that he’d discharged it facing into the Colonel’s tent. He must really have thought she might be a Shu Han assassin.

#

When Alina awoke again, the dim light of morning creeping into the barracks, she lay still this time. She let the nausea pass before she sat up.

What. Was. Happening.

She saw Alexei sleeping nearby. She slipped out of the barracks and walked forward. From a distance, she saw Mal leave the Grisha area of the camp and come toward the mess tent. He was joking around with Mikhael and Dubrov.

She’d interrupted them last time.

This time she wandered blankly into the mess tent. She took her roll and tray of soup and sat at a table.

It was happening again. The same day.

Prophecy, vision, fate: something was determined to get her through the day.

Was it worth it? Did she have a choice?

She’d died twice now.

How many times would it take?

She ate her food slowly, savoring the dry bread. Her body seemed alright, but she felt like she hadn’t eaten in days.

The situation hadn’t changed. If she did nothing, many people would die today.

When she went to the barrel and use the dipper to refill her canteen, she also splashed some on her face. This was real, wasn’t it?

Alina ran into Mal as she was leaving.

“Hey,” he said. “You alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Not yet,” Alina said. “I’ll—I’ll see you on the skiff. I’ve got to check on something.”

This time she went to the Grisha encampment.

The same set of oprichniki and corporalki were chatting in front of the large pavilion.

Alina marched up to them.

“What, girl?” asked one of them.

She looked past him. “Fedyor, yes? I need to speak to... General Kirigan.”

There were exclamations, but Fedyor frowned. “How do you know my name?”

“Ivan,” she said, taking a risk. If Ivan was just inside the tent, this was going to go badly, quickly.

Fedyor cocked his head. “What is it?”

“Obviously I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have to. I am supposed to speak to the General. A development about the crossing today.”

“Why didn’t they send a runner?”

“I don’t know!” Alina let her own frustration show through. “I have no idea why they sent me but its my life if I don’t follow through.” Apparently, she added under her breath.

“It might be your life if you do follow through,” one of the Grisha joked. “General’s not in a great mood this morning.”

“Is he ever?” another added.

“Bold of you to assume he has moods,” said a third.

“Fedyor,” she said again. “Please let me through. Accompany me if you have to. You can heartrend me in a half a second if I step out of line. Do I look dangerous?”

“You look like a waste of time,” said the first Grisha.

Fedyor held up a hand. “Drop it. It’s on her head if she’s wrong. Come on, girl.”

Alina breathed deeply as she entered the opulent pavilion. Its splendor was lost on her today. She hadn’t tried her power again since she’d awoken.

Would it come at all? She should have tried again!

They led her to the black throne at the back. Didn’t call it a throne, but it obviously was. For the king of the Grisha, the Darkling.

He wasn’t in it, however. He was leaning over a table, looking at a map.

He glanced up at them. “What?” he asked mildly. He must have a soft spot for Fedyor, she decided. Good to know.

“This girl says as its her life if she doesn’t speak to you this morning.”

The General’s gaze flicked over her. “Well?”

“We must hold back the skiffs from crossing today,” Alina blurted out. “It’ll go terribly if we don’t.”

He straightened slowly. “We? In what world is there a we between you and me?”

Fedyor coughed, uncomfortable.

Alina was already trying to summon her light, but it was so slow, so imperceptible. She could feel the bear stirring, waking, but nothing was obvious yet.

“I’ve had a vision,” she said. “About the crossing. About the—the Fold.”

Damn! Where was her light?

“I don’t care for visions,” the Darkling said. He waved a hand at Fedyor to remove her.

“No,” Alina said, “Please wait—”

But Fedyor’s hand was anchored to her upper arm. “Come along or you’ll regret it,” he hissed. “He’s letting you go.”

“No!” Alina’s adrenaline was surging. She twisted out of Fedyor’s grasp and lunged the few steps to the Darkling. She grabbed his wrist, below the cuff of his jacket. If she touched him, it would call out her light and then he would believe her...!

The Darkling gasped and straightened as her fingers closed around him.

It didn’t immediately work, she didn’t light up the room, but it was about to, she could tell.

And so could he. His mouth opened in surprise. The feeling of their power feeding off the other caught him so off-guard that he stumbled back into the table.

As he got control, she felt the call ring through her as it had the first day.

But she also felt... A tug in her chest. A ringing in her ears. A sudden sharp, horrible pain in her heart.

She looked back. Fedyor—shocked by her attack on the Darkling, and probably more so by the Darkling’s gasp and stumble—was heartrending her.

“NO!” the Darkling screamed. “Stop!”

#

And Alina awoke on her cot in the barracks.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/31744579/chapters/78574798