Glossary: Sol Koroleva - Sun Queen, Moye Serdtse - My heart
When morning came I was still very comfortable laying here in Aleksander's bed where it was just us. We laid there like that for just a bit longer but then we heard the sound of the door opening. I opened my eyes not moving as I felt Aleksander adjust on his side looking towards the door seeing Zoya there with two plates. The smile that was on her face was soon replaced with a frown as if she'd been set up to see us like this in his bed. Then I remembered that Aleksander had talked with Ivan last night before we'd left.
Did he intentionally set her up to see this? I thought
I sat up as I watched her, Aleksander walked, overseeing her shock as he took the plates before she could drop them. Zoya looked like she was going to attack me or something and I couldn't figure out at first why. My hand moved on the black silk sheets and then it dawned on me that he might have kept most women out of his bed. I stood up as I looked at her while I fixed my hair from where I was asleep.
"You can go Zoya." Aleksander said in a dismissive tone, that caught her attention as she looked at him his back to her as she looked hurt. Most girls knew he was never committed to them but that was different with me. I looked at her wrists out of curiosity seeing both were blank that she hadn't found her soulmate yet. Aleksander might have been hope for those he'd convinced with time to give in to him. "So this is really how it is?" Zoya asked
Aleksander sighed as he walked over to me and he took my right hand before showing my wrist. I knew she would never understand that his initials were AM but she looked at it. "Those are not your initials." Zoya said, he was without his shirt and he showed his wrist by mine revealing AS. "I don't need to remind you that there are things I don't share with everyone." Aleksander said to her
The hurt among her eyes was pretty clear and I knew that there was just so much I could do. I wanted to just disappear for a few moments but she didn't seem to be wanting to give up. "So when is the wedding?" Zoya asked, "we haven't decided." I said as I wasn't going to rush soon, "Possibly in a few weeks." Aleksander said
I looked at him knowing that I just said we hadn't decided but then he seemed to be set to send a message to Zoya. "Well the youngest tsarevich is going to be returning." Zoya said as she left. I remember Genya talking about the royals. Prince Vasily was here and the other one that I didn't know his name she referred to as the sobachka which I thought was pretty rude. Looking up at Aleksander he didn't seem bothered by this but he wasn't calm either that I could tell. I got close putting a hand on his cheek which made him look at me as I leaned up kissing him as I felt him kiss me back along with calming down.
"It will all work out." I assured him, he leaned his forehead against mine for a moment. "Moye Serdtse, you seem so confident of this and you haven't even met the sobachka." Aleksander said and I didn't see why everyone referred to this Prince as a puppy. Walking over to the table we sat there just as Ivan came in, setting down drinks and I felt like royalty, not a Grisha engaged to the General but this was normal for him.
"Ivan, have the fabrikators make something presentable for Amira to meet the sobachka when he arrives." Aleksander said to Ivan, "Of course General." Ivan said as he left.
I ate without saying much after all what was there to say when everything was being decided for me except the wedding details. I hadn't noticed if they had the dress done yet or not. Maybe that was what held me back was my uncertainty of what it would be like. Maybe I wanted to make sure Aleksander was truly what I wanted even though we were connected through the stag's bones. Even when I thought about the stag I couldn't shake that feeling of failing to save it but it was with me.
"Amira, you control the amplifier a little more than I thought you would. How is that possible?" Aleksander asked, "I am the one who killed it so I should have most of the control." I ate a bit while thinking before I smiled with a slight tilt of my head "I could have killed it, but I chose to spare it. I'm not a killer, I have never killed anything innocent in my life but it chose me. I already had part of its power before you had the necklace." I said as I saw his surprise but I just continued eating my breakfast.
"You have a good heart, something I am trying hard not to corrupt." Aleksander said as he ate from his plate, "You can ease your way into places the royals would never let me go being the Dual Summoner. Also since people call you Sol Koroleva, it allows more places where you are welcomed. " I finished my breakfast but I could pick up He was threatened by that, that there were other options. "Are you threatened that the youngest Prince is heading to Os Alta and knowing what we know people look at me as the solution." I asked
Aleksander didn't say anything right away as he finished his breakfast and his drink. "I won't allow the tsarevich or the sobachka to interfere with us." Aleksander said, I finished my breakfast but I knew that Zoya wasn't going to give up yet. '' Once I was done I walked over and kissed his cheek "I need to go but I will see you soon." I assured him
Going back to my room, I sat there looking at myself in the chair knowing Genya would show up. As if on queue she walked in and started to do her work as I was glad to get back here. Genya seemed to notice I was in a rather good mood and she smiled.
"You look good, what has put you in such a good mood?" Genya asked, I shrugged a bit "I guess it's seeing Zoya's expression when she found out General Kirigan is my soulmate. It was rather amusing but I saw a hint of disbelief that it isn't my initials but someone else's around here." I said to Genya. Genya watched my expression as she had me close my eyes for her to do what she needed with her kit.
"You seem to be enjoying this time with the General, but then you seem very close like there are things only the two of you can talk about." Genya said, "You're no longer a soldier in the army but more than what we could expect. A symbol of the future."
I questioned those words a bit knowing there was a lot to still do. Then there was a knock on my door when Genya went to open it. There were three boxes brought in as they left. Walking over we opened them, seeing everything inside them, noticing that one was my wedding dress. I blushed a bit. The other is my new kefta for my promotion status once General Kirigan's wife and a new outfit to wear today.
"Well one way or the other they wanted a new Kefta on me." I said
We got me dressed for the way things were going today and I just went about my day as I would. When I walked out to be with the others Botkin looked at me seeing I was dressed in a little better clothes. "Dual summoner, you have the time to grace us with your presence. I heard you were in a fight with Fjerdans and lived. Good for you." Botkin said, I nod as I knew there were so many people I didn't know.
I almost felt normal for once but then I saw Adrian was struggling and without a Kefta since he wasn't even part of this. "Why is he out here?" I asked, "they saw him using Grisha power, so they brought him out to train." Botkin said as I knew I could say otherwise. "No." I said as I looked over "Adrian over here." I said
Adrian's fight was stopped as he came over as I put my arm around my cousin "Botkin, he went up against a Fjerdan with me. I don't need him to work so hard when I am going to work to get Grisha back where it needs to be." I said, "Everyone needs to know how to fight, what is he to you?" Botkin asked as I knew Adrian came with me. "My cousin." I said
Botkin backed up as it was known that Aleksander proposed to me, all of the summoners knew so they were able to tell. I walked away with Adrian knowing that this was not going to be the end. More was coming and I just needed to get us through but I still wanted to wait. My authority would always be questioned until I was Aleksander's wife.
"Did you need to do that?" Adrian asked, I smiled "yeah, we're going to Baghra, she can help you out a bit more than they can. I'll work with you on Physical fighting and when you're ready we'll get you your own Grisha Steel weapon." I said leading him down the path
When we reached Baghra's home I was going to walk in with him as we stopped listening to her talking. "She knows how to use the stag, she really is the future." Aleksander said as he was pacing. "You must remember she can change her mind about this whole arrangement if she wants to." Baghra said but it was only him pacing. "I am well aware of everything, mother, but she wants you at the wedding. Look at it like a mercy that I don't do something more." Aleksander said
Baghra was calm from what I could tell "She's more powerful than you if she chose to be. She doesn't want all this and you can't push her into it. If she walks down that aisle I will watch knowing that I prepared her for all your manipulation tactics." Baghra said, I couldn't see but I could just tell from the voice. "Yes, she is perfect because she keeps me from going too far. I wanted to send the fold into West Ravka and she stopped me." Aleksander said as I smiled, even I heard Baghra chuckle "Good for her, maybe she is your redemption." Baghra said
I opened the door, making our presence aware, surprising him as we walked in "Amira, I had no idea you were coming here." Aleksander said, "Yes, I thought Baghra could train my cousin. Don't you think Aleksander?" I asked with a smile. He didn't say anything, just composed himself and he nodded. "Of course, I couldn't ask for a better teacher." Aleksander said as he started to leave but not before kissing him. "See you later." he said before leaving
he used my words right back at me. I thought
