Disclaimer: I do not own Shadow and Bone or any of the characters. I only own my OC.

A/N: Shadow and Bone has recently become my obsession. So of course I came up with an OC. This story will follow the Netflix Show. I've read the books, so of course I'll throw stuff from there as well. That'll help the close friendship she'll have with Jesper. He and the rest of the Crows are my favorite characters, followed by Nikolai of course.

Although Nikolai wasn't in the first season, along with a bunch of other characters from the second book Siege and Storm, I'm excited to see who they'll cast as him for season two. Obviously my OC will have a connection with the Darkling, and she'll figure out what she is to him later on. I have mixed feelings when it comes to the Darkling. We all know he's manipulative, and extremely toxic in the books. The show did a good job making his character somewhat differ from that, obviously by not that much because he's still manipulative. But I like the show's portrayal of him. Like he's obviously not one hundred percent good but there are moments where you think you see a flicker of humanity in him, and that's what intrigues me and why I came up with this specific OC.

My face-claim for my OC is Ana Golja.

Anyways, enjoy the prologue. Let me know what you think. The next chapter will perhaps take a bit longer because I'm going to try updating one of my other stories.

Prologue: The day he lost his little shadow

Centuries Ago

"Aleksander!"

A light brunette haired woman and an adolescent girl with dark hair and matching eye color came running out of the house they were taking shelter in. They approached the dark haired man who had climbed down the horse he'd been riding.

"You're both here." Aleksander let out a relieved sigh at the sight of them. "I was worried about the two of you." He said bringing them into a hug. When he pulled back he stared into the younger girl's eyes. The hair wasn't the only thing they had in common. They also shared the same eye color. When he stared into her eyes it was as if he were staring at an endless void of darkness, only he didn't feel any discomfort.

Quite the opposite, actually.

There were moments though, where if he focused real closely, as he was doing now, he would be able to find a certain shine in her dark eyes. That made him care for her even more.

"Hello, my little shadow." Aleksander murmured before gently kissing her forehead.

"I'm happy you've returned." She smiled, looking up at him as she backed up a bit. "Nothing's happened to us. Luda and I are unharmed."

"Yes, we're fine." Luda assured him with her own smile. Hers, however, appeared wistful. "I'm not as fragile as I once was. And Kira's strong. She gets stronger everyday."

"I know." Aleksander responded and then redirected his gaze at the adolescent dark haired girl, Kira, with meaningful eyes. "And I know you're strong." He told her in an even softer tone that was usually only reserved for her.

Just not as strong as me. Not even close. Not yet. Aleksander was well aware that she had a long way to go in order for her to be exactly like him. Things would have gone faster, and been a lot easier, if they had an amplifier. But they didn't. If he could amplify her power himself he would have, but unfortunately that couldn't be done. Call it an ironic punishment for having her exist in the first place.

His dark eyes shifted onto Luda. There was no mistaking the concern he was showing the older woman. The same concern that he'd shown for Kira. Possibly a bit more because Luda, although Grisha, wasn't necessarily like him. She wasn't even like Kira, who hadn't even reached her full potential. "Not fragile. Just mortal." He quietly told her, head shaking.

The way Luda's features softened brought him back to the seriousness of the situation. "It's not safe out here." Aleksander began pulling them forward. "Let's get inside."

"I could live a long life." Luda suddenly said, stopping them in their tracks. "With training, with an amplifier. I could see another one hundred years, maybe more."

Kira smiled again, liking having heard that and Aleksander saw just how content the idea made her. Having Luda with them, by their side. The two were close, and he was glad for that. But he knew the sad truth, and another one hundred years in the long run for Luda was nothing compared to the many centuries Aleksander would live. And Kira too. Once she got a handle on her power.

Although Luda would be there to witness Kira succeed, she wouldn't be there forever with them. Unlike with Kira, the amplifier could only help a Grisha like Luda so far.

"That seems a long time to you, I'm sure." Aleksander finally replied in a low voice.

Kira's expression turned anxious. Her head snapped towards the woods. "Do you hear that?" She asked, alarmed.

"Soldiers. Likely at Sikursk." Luda informed with a distressed frown. "They raided our village yesterday calling for all known Grisha. A few of us got out."

"And Baghra?" Aleksander questioned evenly. From his side he heard Kira take in a shaky breath.

"She led the others to the sanctuary." Luda answered.

That was enough to diminish the worry he had for his mother. "Come, we must head inside."

Not wasting another second standing out there in the open, the three of them hurried indoors.

Kira began helping them by packing whatever she could get their hands on. Despite having made this little cottage like their secret home, they sadly could no longer stay anymore.

"Darkling!"

The three of them froze in place.

That yell saying that name, along with the other low voices outside meant only one thing. The King's soldiers had found them.

"I know you're in there!"

Kira swallowed the lump in her throat. Her nervous dark eyes wandered over to Aleksander. He was looking at Luda.

"Remember Ryevost?"

Luda remembered well enough. "The same plan?"

Aleksander nodded his head and then turned to head outside.

Kira reacted instantly. She reached for his hand. "Wait―"

Aleksander turned to face her, making her halt. "I'll be back." He softly told her. He gently put his hands onto her shoulders and stared down at her. Even at eighteen years of age she was still smaller than him. And he was perfectly fine with that. "Don't you worry, my little shadow. Stay with Luda. All will be well." He squeezed her shoulders, and without saying anything else he marched outside.

Kira took a deep breath, but it wasn't until Luda had taken a hold of her hand that she got it together. She let Luda drag her to the window, where they'd crouched down. The dark haired girl remained close to Luda as they watched what was happening outside.

Aleksander was speaking, and it wasn't until he finished that the soldier that was closest to him responded. Kira almost let out a scream when she watched the soldiers shoot arrows at him.

Luda felt the girl tense beside her. "It's alright. I got him." She whispered to her. The older woman began swiftly healing Aleksander, just as they'd planned to do before he left. Kira watched with relief and awe as Aleksander pulled the arrows out of him. She'd seen Luda heal others before, but she had yet to not find it fascinating.

Aleksander was shot with another round of arrows but just as before Luda was quick to heal him. Kira watched as he got up to his feet, stepping forward towards the soldiers. Just then she was pulled away from Luda, her arms put behind her back. Kira turned her head, and she saw that it was a soldier who had detained her. And he wasn't alone.

Luda reacted and tried reaching for Kira, but she wasn't quick enough. She was put in the same hold as Kira by the other soldier who snuck up on her. The two females' protested as much as they could. However, that didn't stop the soldiers from dragging them up front with the rest.

"Stand down, Grisha!"

Aleksander stared in horror as both Kira and Luda were brought outside.

"Here's the little witch who's been stitching him back together."

Luda quietly apologized to Aleksander for her failure as she was dragged past him.

"And this one was hiding with her." The soldier that was holding Kira tightened his hold on her causing her to wince. "She's wearing his color. Little witch must be very important to him."

Aleksander's expression was one of fury from seeing them detained by the King's soldiers. He stepped forward again but was stopped by one of the soldiers.

"Hands at your back! Or the next arrow will do its job."

The soldiers that were holding crossbows aimed at him. Aleksander had no choice but to follow the order. His eyes were stormy as he looked at the soldiers.

"You have three prizes for the King." Aleksander spoke with indignation as a soldier started to restrain him. "You want a promotion to lieutenant, take us to the palace."

The soldier gave him a harsh push. "I only need you. Not your Healer, or your little witch in training." A kick behind his knees made Aleksander fall onto the ground with a grunt.

"What?" The soldier mocked as he walked into his view. "You thought the two of you could just quietly train witches, like that girl, among us?"

"You want my cooperation, you bring the three of us in." Aleksander said in a firm voice. "Is that understood?"

The soldier simply stared at him with a bored expression. "I told you, those were not our orders." He then backed away to where Luda and Kira stood, a menacing look making its way onto his face. Aleksander started to blink rapidly, and he shook his head.

"No. No, no, please. No, I'm begging you, please!" As much as he didn't want to, he started to plead now.

But none of the soldiers showed him any mercy. The soldier that was holding Luda stabbed her in the stomach, twisting it while hearing her groan. At feeling her sway, the soldiers dropped her without care.

Aleksander's yells mixed in with Kira's.

"Luda!" Kira cried out, voice cracking. "No Luda! Luda!" Tears streamed down her face. The dark haired girl desperately wanted to run to her. To hold her the way Luda would whenever she was sad. But she couldn't. She remained restrained, and had to watch as Luda finally stopped moving on the ground. The blood from where she had been stabbed kept spreading on her clothing, and Kira just wept more. She felt anger takeover though when the soldier behind gave her a push.

"You monsters!" Kira cried out. Luda was innocent. A Healer. She wasn't the savage witch these soldiers claimed her to be. She healed, never harmed. But now she was dead….and it seemed Kira would soon follow. The adolescent sniffled.

"We're not the monsters here, little witch." The soldier that was holding her hissed in her ear. "You are."

Kira felt her blood grow cold at the feel of a knife on the right side of her stomach.

"No! Don't you hurt her!" Aleksander shouted. His voice sounded so broken, and why wouldn't it be? After seeing one of his closest companions die in front of him. And now Kira? Begging hadn't worked before but he was desperate. "Please just let her go!"

There was silence between them, and Kira foolishly thought that maybe, just maybe, all would be well, like Aleksander had promised. How naive she was.

"No, Darkling." The soldier sneered at him. "I don't think I will." He plunged the knife onto the right side of Kira's stomach not once, but twice. He made sure to give it a twist, and it had her crying out in anguish.

Aleksander's mouth opened, apologies vehemently spilling out. His eyes were blurry but he was able to see how she was dropped onto the ground as if she were trash. He hated that. He hated that Luda had been treated like that as well. Neither of them deserved that.

"You still have a message for him?" The soldier in front of him taunted.

Aleksander looked away from Kira, and stared at him. His expression had turned cold. "Yes."

The anger he felt on the inside had reached a new height he thought was not possible. But he welcomed it, and he let it blow up, finally breaking the retrains on him. He glared at the soldier who looked frightened that he had freed himself. "This!"

Aleksander was able to do the one thing he hadn't mastered yet with his power. He unleashed the Cut, ruthlessly taking down the group of soldiers. He didn't show any emotion to the beheaded soldiers. He instead walked over to where Luda and Kira were.

It pained him to get confirmation that Luda indeed wasn't breathing anymore but he could see that Kira was. Her breathing was quick and shallow, signifying she didn't have long. He got on his knees and gently cradled her face.

"No, no, no...not you. You can't….you're not supposed to…." Aleksander choked in between his tears. You're not supposed to leave me. Not now. Not ever. That wasn't the plan! "What am I going to do without you by my side? My little shadow." His tears landed onto her face and he was quick to brush them away with his thumbs.

Kira tried lifting her hand to his cheek, but failed to do so. Her lips quirked to the side, and he had a feeling she was trying to say something comforting to ease him, but instead she said one final word as she took her last breath. A single tear of her own slid down her face.

"Papa."

Aleksander watched as the light in her dark eyes vanished. He let out a heart wrenching cry, wrapping his arms around her. He buried his face into her neck, and lost his composure completely.

Kira was gone.

His daughter was gone.

Now, more than ever, did he truly feel alone.