"That depends on who's doing the eating."

Giggle. "The volcra are absolutely not up to my standards."

"Good to know."

Grin.

"Will you be traveling with us?"

"I expect so."

"Hopefully the Little Palace is better suited for celebrations, then."

"The beds are better than anything I've ever seen on campaign."

"They'll be better than anything I've seen period, then."

"Much to look forward to."

Soft smile. "A new experience."

"Quite."

"I'll leave you to watch over Private Starkov. Feel free to use that knife on anyone who's not me or the Darkling."

"You don't like a bit of knife play?"

She winks. "Only if I'm the one with the knife, darling."

Smirk. "I rather like it either way."

"Good to know."

"I'll keep my own knife pointed at people other than you, though. Promise."

Nod.

Then Elvira should get back to her duties before they're called to move on.

Probably, yeah.

And Val will keep to hers. 

Preparations are occurring quickly, and most of the delay actually involves sending out decoys and scout - even with gossip about what exactly happened tamped down on, something was visible for miles - their enemies will be looking for them. 

And the Darkling has orders for Elvira, too. "You will be traveling with them," she says, briskly. "Ensure Private Starkov reaches the Little Palace at all costs."

"And as for Corporal Oretsev... Subvert her, by whatever means."

"I'm working on that. Sir."

"Yes. I've liked the initiative you've shown."

Her other tasks for Elvira mostly revolve around coordinating moving their new grisha - a route and several alternatives to memorize, what information the Darkling already has on enemy cells in the area. 

Fjerdan witch hunters receive a sentence only a few steps less horrendously brutal than attempted regicides. They keep trying, though, and they'll certainly be looking for the Sun Summoner. She has less information on them; if she knew where they were, they'd wish they were dead. She has more information on informants and potential assassins from Shu Han or other interests; she usually leaves those in place.

Their route is more circuitous than one might guess from the sense of urgency she's been projecting. They'll be traveling with a wagon disguised as a medical evacuation train until Private Starkov wakes and is mobile; there's a point here where they can leave the wagon and requisition good horses, then from there along these back trails... The Darkling will meet them there - she's first setting out ahead of them with several of the skiff's crew. 

There are, of course, fallback orders. If Private Starkov doesn't wake quickly. If there's trouble on the road. If the Darkling doesn't meet them at the designated place and time...

As always, plenty of contingencies. Elvira is by now fairly practiced with juggling the many branches of the Darkling's orders.

She'll see the prize safe.

As expected. 

She is dismissed. 

Then she has a hospital caravan to arrange.

(Svetka still hasn't woken by the time they're leaving. Makes the medical evacuation slightly more believable, at least.)