Alina woke up with a cold wind hitting her. One moment she was in her bed with her husband, after putting their little boy in bed and the next she was outside with the hard ground stinging her back. She could hear people calling for help and heavy footsteps pounding on the ground near her. She slowly opened her eyes and was blinded by the sunlight with a black ring in her vision. As her eyes focused and got used to the light she realised she was staring straight into the barrel of a rifle. She went rigid. ''What is going on?'' she yelped. This was not the first time she had stared down a barrel but it was usually not the first thing she saw when she woke up. Alina scrambled backwards and looked around frightently.
The heavy black curtains she looked at when she fell asleep were nowhere to be seen. And neither was Aleksander.
The soldier yelled over his shoulder, ''She's awake!'' His rifle still pointing at her.
He was joined by two more armed soldiers, the captain of the skiff and a Corporalnik. They were wearing the old uniform of the First Army before the Darkling completely wiped them out. Her senses were screaming at her to run but the soldiers quickly grabbed her by her arms and pulled her up roughly. She couldn't remember the last time a man touched her without her husband disintegrating their hands. Their fingers were digging into her arms painfully and pulled her to a large black tent.
Horror dawned on her as she saw the old symbol of the Darkling embroided on to the heavy fabric.
She remembered seeing the symbol twenty years ago for the first time and it covering everything her husband owned. After he became king a new symbol was made that represented both the Sun Summoner and the Darkling. The only place the symbol was still used was in their bedroom on the black curtains that surrounded their bed.
''Who is the king?'' Alina asked desperately.
The soldier to her right gave her a questioning look. ''Alexander Lantsov.''
Adrenaline shot through her veins. Oh, Saints. She recognised the wounded as the people she tried to cross the Fold with many years ago.
She knew that her husband would be sitting in that tent - future husband- since they hadn't met before this day.
Her arms started to go numb from the tight grip on them and she writhed in the soldiers' hold. She tugged on her powers to give her some comfort but was only met with a soft heat. Alina was used to using her powers everyday, from entertaining their son, to warming the room, to just letting sunlight dancing between her fingers. Feeling her powers so weak was disturbing to her and her usual hot skin was cold to touch.
The captain of the Skiff disappeared behind the flap of the tent and reappeared with the Colonel Raevsky. Alina remembered he was one of the core leaders of the rebels soon after Nikolai's death. Her husband quickly dealed with him, much to her disagreement that they should negotiate with him to become more loved by the people as rulers.
''What are you?'' The Colonel bit out. She knew he wanted her to say the Sun Summoner instead she gave him her name. ''Alina Starkov.'' Using her old surname after so long feels strange on her tongue. 'Assistant Mapmaker, Royal corps of Surveyors-''
He cut her off. ''What are you.''
She was not used to such a harsh tone after being the queen of Ravka over the years.
''A mapmaker, Sir,'' she repeated.
He scowled and turned around opening the flaps of the tent. ''Let's go.'' The soldiers holding were still holding her and pushed her forward and where she was greeted with the familiar colors of the Keftas of the Grisha. She was grateful for the familiar sight and had a soft smile when she saw several Grisha she had met in her time at the palace, who served her daily and walked with her around the lake. In her own time they were in their late thirties but here they were still wrinkle-free and had an easy going smile on their face.
After the war it was rare to come across such a smile.
As Alina kept surveying the crowd she was met with crystal blue eyes. Zoya. Her skin was like porcelain and still scar free. During one of their confrontation in the Fold a Volcra had attacked the beauty and ripped a large gash that covered a large part of her face and had cost her an eye. Her guttural scream and the blood gushing over the ground was a sight few could see without being sick. Alina hadn't been part of those few.
Zoya and a couple of Squallers snickered at Alina when she walked past. Alina threw a pitiful look at Zoya and quickly looked away when she saw red flash her vision. Zoya caught the look and her smirk slid of her face.
Alina slowed to a halt at the front of the dais and looked up to meet dark grey eyes. He looked at her without any expression and she felt herself grow worried. He didn't recognise her and continued to tap the right arm of the chair with his hand. He looked years younger than she remembered looking at last night. All his scars were gone and his eyes were clear and focused. She often missed this version of her husband but loved him as he was, especially after he gave her the most important thing in her life. Their little son.
The Colonel walked over to the chair Aleksander was sitting and spoke in a low tone so only he could hear. She looked over the crowd of wounded and sought out a familiar face. A dark brown mop of hair stuck out of the crowd and her heart tightened at the sight. Mal.
His death was one of the one that took her the longest to get over during the war and seeing him back alive was a jarring sight. She knew she no longer loved him the way she did when she was younger but seeing her friend after all these years made her regretful. She knew that she had lost so many people during the war so to be back in a time where they were all alive made her feel miserable.
Alina looked up when the Colonel finally stopped talking to Aleksander and made his way down the dais again. He looked past her and made his way to where the captain of the Skiff was standing between the other wounded stood. Colonel Raevsky ordered, ''Kapitan, report.''
The captain stood at attention and answered in and expressionless voice: ''Approximately thirty minutes into the crossing, we were set upon a by a large flock of Volcra. We were pinned down and sustained heavy casualties. I was fighting on the starboard side of the Skiff. At that point, I saw. . .'' The soldier hesitated, and when he spoke again his voice sounded less sure. ''I don't know what exactly I saw. A blaze of light. Bright as noon, brighter. Like staring into the sun.''
The crowd erupted into murmurs. The survivors of the skiff were nodding, agreeing with the man.
''The Volcra scattered and the light disappeared. I ordered us back to dry dock immediately.''
''And the girl?'' asked Aleksander.
''I didn't see the girl, moi soverenyi.''
He raised an eyebrow and turned to the survivors, ''Who actually did see what happened?'' he asked almost disinterested. The crowd erupted into murmurs but slowly the Senior Mapmaker raised his hand. Alina remembered the man and was suprised by his willingness to speak.
She watched as the old man tried to explain what he saw on the Skiff and the Darkling grew more interested. He started sitting more upright and was nodding along with the story. As it continued on and on his eyes eventually slid to her and looked her up and down. She could see he wasn't impressed with what in front of him.
After living for years in the Palace, her frame had started to fill out and her powers gave her a deep glow from within. Something her husband made sure to let her know he appreciated often. Now she was a small girl weighing not more than two large sacks of flours and her power was laying dormant, eating away at her soul.
''Tell us, girl. Are you Grisha?'' The Darkling asked with a condensending tone.
Alina hesitated to answer. She looked down and tried to concentrate as she tugged at her powers but they wouldn't budge. She looked back up and saw Aleksander had gotten out of his seat and was approaching her with a newfound curiosity.
Her instinct was to approach him but the tight grip the soldiers had on her arms was stopping her and of course the fact that he had no idea who she was.
The Darkling see he struggle against the grip she was being held in and waved the soldiers away with a type of arrogance she often saw in him. At least he was consistent with his behaviour in each timeline.
She felt blood flow again as soon as the tight grip that was on her arms was released. Her fingers tingled at the sensation and felt herself becoming slightly more at ease.
The Darkling had almost reached the bottom of the dais and was close enough to her to touch him. His broad chest was covered with a black kefta she hadn't seen him wear since their earlier years of marriage. When Alina had asked one day why he didn't wear her color but only his own when she wore both his and hers, he wouldn't leave their chambers without him wearing a ridiculous amount of gold woven into his clothes. Seeing him now in all black made for a strange sight.
She reached out to touch the Darkling bare hand. His eyebrows shot up at this gesture but he didn't pull away. Soft gasps were heard throughout the room.
As her skin touched his, surety flowed through her and she felt her powers grow and wanting to find a way out of her.
''Make it dark,'' Alina whispered.
He didn't hesitate for a second and the entire room was engulfed in darkness even though it was day out. A few squeals were heard from the younger Grisha who were immediately silenced by the older Grisha.
You could hear a pin drop.
That's when she sighed and let all of her powers flow out and feel her muscles warm. The light shattered through the darkness with ease. Alina pushed harder and let all her memories she and Aleksander had shared, enter his mind and twisted through it even though shadows were trying to keep the light out.
She couldn't see his face in the bright light but felt him squeeze her hand tightly to the point of pain.
Alina slowly pulled back the light and cheers erupted from the crowd. They had finally found the solution to destroy the Fold. People were estatic to finally not fear a part of their own land anymore.
The Darkling was looking at her with confusion and fear and quickly let go off her hand.
''What the hell did you just show me?'' He looked at her with squinted eyes and tried to create more space between.
She hadn't thought about what to say him if the memories didn't convince him. Looking for words, she looked over at the crowd looking for that familiar face again but couldn't find him.
The Darkling was now approaching her quickly with black tendrils seeping through his fingers. He got close to her face.
''I said what the hell did you show me!'' He yelled.
A shadow from the crowd jumped on top of the back of the angry leader of the Second Army and pushed him to the ground.
It was Mal.