Chapter 10-Gone

Alina

I couldn't sleep had I done the right thing? I knew Nikolai was dangerous there was something wrong about him as if he was not whole but my self-recrimination was interrupted by the sound of the alarm.

"Alina," the Darkling voice called, a note of desperation in his tone.

"What is it?" I responded as I made her way to the door.

He enveloped me in a crushing embrace as soon as my door opened.

"I was afraid you had gone with him," he told me not entirely making sense.

"Who?" I questioned.

"Lanstov has fled; he used one of his flying machines to escape," he responded.

"What will you do?" I asked him urgently.

I felt his shoulders tense as he prepared to reply;

"You know what I should do Alina, you know what a danger is to me. I cannot allow Ravka to descend back into the chaos of war."

"This is my fault," I told him, "he knew I would betray him." The Darkling looked at me questioningly."I would do anything to save Ravkan life. It serves no one for us to start to kill each other."

Aleksander

I couldn't believe she was still here, I was certain she would have fled alongside him. yet here she was, could I dare hope she trusted me?

"This is my fault," she had told me. I couldn't accept that; it was my fault I should never have freed him. I should not have allowed my feelings for Alina to cloud my judgement.

But she had stayed, she had chosen me or at least Ravka over Lanstov.

I snapped out of my reverie as her pleading broke into my consciousness.

" Try to bring him back alive," she said. I didn't need to say it but I wanted to be sure she understood.

"I can't promise you that Alina there is too much at stake."

"I know," she said despondently.

Satisfied she was safe I had set out to hunt Lanstov down before he could do too much damage but it was a fruitless task he had disappeared into the ether.

Days later, tried and sore I returned to the Little Palace. Alina stood, like a Queen waiting to greet me.

She caught my gaze a question on her brow. No, I silently intoned, we have not found him.

Alina

I met him in the war room, he looked weary and care worn.

"What do we do now?" I asked

"We?" he said raising a brow, "am I finally to understand that you will work with me?"

"To keep Ravka at peace yes," I confirmed, "but not at any cost," I cautioned.

"What price will you be prepared to pay Alina?" he demanded, "would you be prepared to become my queen?"

"I don't see how…" I began

"it would help maintain stability, if you are with me it would counter the painful truth Lanstov will doubtless spread. I have fought long and hard for this peace. Long and hard to restore my name and reputation."

"We can none of us change our past," I told him.

"No but we can atone, I can atone, help me Alina. Stand at my side as my Queen."

I almost said yes. For a fleeting moment I was tempted to say I would but I held back still unsure of him.

"I should have known," he said bitterly without waiting for my reply, "I destroyed your trust a long time ago. I understand now Alina-it is too late. You are welcome to remain here for as long as you wish. It is your home and I will make no further demands of you."

I stood there frozen, an ever growing voice inside me was screaming, tell him, tell him not to give up hope but I couldn't break my paralysis.

"Aleksander," I finally whimpered but it was too late he had gone.

Aleksander

It was a fool's hope. I had been a fool to every think I could win her back. The wounds I had made were too deep-she would never trust me. I felt morose I considered releasing my sexual tension, finding a willing girl but I knew it would be pointless. It would not be Alina.

Despite my misery I felt myself succumb to sleep, as Morpheus slowly crept across my room I felt it, the tug on our bond. I fought to ignore it but it was insistent.

"Aleksander," her voice pleaded, "be patient with me."

"Patient," I scoffed, "I have waited one hundred years and half a millennia before that. I have no patients left." I told her I knew that I would still give her a little while yet, because I was a fool but I determined it was time to make my end. I had lived too long.

Alina

I could feel the sadness and despair. It rolled of him in thick waves and I was fearful of what he might do.

"He is lonely," I berated myself "and you rejected him."

But could I be his Queen? I asked myself

I knew I couldn't it would be the ultimate betrayal; Mal had fought and bled and suffered to keep me safe from the Darkling. I could not betray that love.

Saddened I prepared for bed quickly slipping into an exhausted sleep.

It seemed to be no time at all before I was startled from my rest.

"My lady," Marie's voice broke me from my slumber as she hammered on my door.

"What is it Marie?" I asked rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"You need to come immediately, the Darkling needs your council."

"Have they found him?" I demanded.

"Who my lady?" Marie asked.

"The Tsarvich, Nikolai?"

"I do not think so," she told me.

"Then what?" I asked rhetorically neither waiting for nor expecting a response as I tore down the corridor towards the War Room.

"Not there my lady," the Darkling is in his chambers.

As I entered the Darkling's chambers he sat his head in his hands. I knew something terrible had happened.

"Is he dead?" I questioned expecting the worst.

"I wish it were that simple."

I approached him settling myself in the vacant chair beside his fire. He looked up took a long swig of his drink and announced;

"The Shadow Fold is expanding."

Author's note

i know that this fandom is not as popular as some and despite not getting much feedback I promise to complete this story. It would be great though if some of you who are reading could review.