Glossary: - soverenyi - sovereign,
A/N: I would love to put in picture references but those are not an option.
Tomorrow is my birthday, another year and I will be nineteen. I wonder when my birthday won't mean much to me..probably when I reach around being in this country for a hundred or so years. I thought
We went to bed not long after that and I slept peacefully now that he was back, it was like all the sleep I didn't get was catching up. The Shift in the bed was easy to tell but I adjusted in my sleep as I heard him leave. I wondered what he was doing but my energy wasn't to where I could just follow him. Not sure how long I laid there before I felt the bed shift again and felt him kissing my neck as I opened my eyes with a smile.
"Aleksander." I said to him as I turned to face him as he claimed my lips in a kiss. "Happy Birthday Amira." Aleksander said as I laughed a bit but then the door came open as we looked over to see who came in. Ivan had brought the food for us to eat as he didn't even look at us. "Happy Birthday, Moya soverenyi." Then he left as I kissed Aleksander again. "I am never going to get used to that, but it's better than him talking down to me." I said to him just before he got up off the bed and helped me up.
I chose my outfit for the day which was the black dress with my design on it as he seemed to approve. When I walked over to the table he grabbed my wrist then pulled me to him as he looked at me. "What?" I asked as he spun me around for a minute before he smirked. "Just admiring my beautiful wife in her dress of my choice." Aleksander said as I laughed.
When we went over to the table I started to notice that he was looking over things and a present was there for me. "Another present?" I asked as he nodded while we sat down. I questioned just what he could have come up with this time as he gave me jewelry and clothes already prepared by the Materialeki there wasn't much else he could give me, right? Well, I figured I was about to find out as we soon finished eating.
Aleksander presented it to me and I took it, questioning just what he could have come up with. I opened it and when I saw what it was I gasped seeing it was another bracelet, this one was silver as I picked it up and checked it out noticing the gems on it were blue like mine but what caught my attention was the stag bones that represented the animal that he'd killed to give us the amplifier power. I looked at him wondering what his deal was and why he'd do this but he sighed.
"I know it bothered you that the stag was killed, I thought this might make it better." Aleksander said as he took the bracelet and my hand as he put it on my wrist. "Jewels as blue as your eyes and something to remember the creature you showed mercy to." I knew the stag's power was within me and in his hand as I felt more connected to the power than he did. He never used it, I embraced that power that I had.
"Thank you, but I should be going to meet with Marie and Nadia." I said to him as he nodded before leaving. I almost forgot about Genya had she not come in when he was gone, I sat down and let her do what she wanted. "It's your birthday, you should be happy, you're married to the most powerful Grisha at the little palace." Genya said
I smiled as I looked at the bracelet he got but it reminded me of my failure to save the stag. It always was with me even when I felt that the stag was at peace. "I know, and I am happy but his gift kinda reminds me of the stag." I admitted while she was finishing my hair. Once she was done she worked on my makeup for the day as I relaxed.
"Will you go see your friends?" Genya asked as I nod once she was done and opened my eyes. "Who knows what they have in store for me today. Also Baghra will plan a party, you'll be there right?" Genya smiled as she seemed to be in thought before she looked at me. "Of course, Amira. Whatever the General's wife wants." I didn't want his position to give the reason "Genya, we're friends. So no matter what, if the King tries anything I'll protect you." I assured her "With his illness it's unlikely he'll survive much longer and if he recovers Aleksander and I will protect you."
I knew Aleksander knew how much Genya had become important to me and he would not want to upset me while I was so...human as he'd say. "You sound so confident, you should worry about yourself for a while." Genya said as I smiled then when she was done I walked away to see everyone that was there. Walking for a bit I saw the three of them which surprised me that Alina was there.
"Amira, there is she is." Nadia said as they smiled at me and I smiled at them as I looked at Alina and nodded. "Happy Birthday Amira." Alina said as I smiled. "Thank you." I said to her as I looked at the two of them. "We're going to be joining when you travel the next time to the west." Nadia said, "We need to as your guards." I nod knowing that the next time we go I couldn't guarantee that we would see the west ravkans survive. It lingered within me that he was wanting to kill the first army general through the volcra. "we must be ready for anything when that day comes." I said
The day we went to our usual spot and we let Alina come along as we talked and Nadia spoke how I expanded the light around the island one year. "She hasn't done it since." Marie said, "it's hard to do such things when it's sunny." I reminded them as soon as Baghra came out but noticed we had an extra to our small group. "Come on,we don't have all day, you know what happens."
Marie and Nadia led as I stayed walking behind Alina "So being married to one of the most powerful men in Ravka, how does it feel?" Alina asked as I shrugged. "The saints chose him but I was promised to him way before I was born so it's a bit of good and unrealistic." I said to put it blankly.
When we arrived I noticed that there were people all over the place, the small party I expected was bigger than last year! I could always tell when Aleksander was close though and I realized he was here. So this was his doing and it wasn't the usual small party. I walked in the group till I found somewhere to sit as I sighed a bit.
I heard footsteps approach where I was when I felt the person pick up my hand and have me stand as I was led to the floor. I looked to see who and saw it was my husband as we danced to the music he must have planned out. "Are you surprised?" Aleksander asked, as we danced and I just looked at him. "I am, but I was okay with just a small gathering." I said as he spun me and then held me close. "Nonsense, my wife's celebration should be where she is celebrated." Aleksander said
Is this your way of making up for your jealousy last year? I thought
Though I wasn't used to being the center of attention and I eventually did have fun with everyone there. I stopped thinking about how it was just a big gathering and got some punch as I enjoyed the time with everyone. I noticed someone spiked the punch cause after a few drinks I was staggering a bit but I felt someone catch me.
"I got you." Aleksander said
I leaned into him as I smiled a bit and I kissed him as he kissed me back until he got a taste of what I had to drink. "The punch is spiked, why would they do that?" Aleksander asked as I shrugged. The rest of the night became a blur and when it was all over I was asleep in bed but when the next day came I felt it as I pulled the cover over my head.
I wasn't sure how long but when I felt someone get me up, the first thing I felt was that they had me drink something. I didn't have a choice but I did once it was down then not long after I felt better. When I looked up I saw Aleksander as I got up, I didn't have much to say as I sighed. I noticed food was there but he'd already eaten as I ate.
"Tonight is the masquerade party, be wise about your choice of words tonight." Aleksander said, I worried about going around with my wedding ring but then I remembered that there was a mask so no one would know me. "Ok so we go and make sure people get a good impression." I said, as he snuck up behind me and kissed my neck. I hummed a bit as I swallowed what I was chewing then turned around and kissed him.
"Maybe we can do something else to pass the time." Aleksander said
I knew Genya would come but he must have told her later as he kissed me and I returned it. He picked me up, leading me back to the bed as we used our time wisely. A few hours passed before we laid there and I smiled knowing that as long as we had each other there was nothing more important as he wrapped his arm around me.
"this is all we need, each other when it comes down to it." Aleksander said as he looked at me as leaned in to kiss me. "Shadows and Sum Summoner/Tidemaker, there is no one else that we need."
I imagined the world I'd want my future kids to live in, and it didn't have a gate to keep the outside world out or to keep them in. Grisha had new opportunities in life but the fold was another story. I adjusted where I hovered over him as I kissed him and felt him kiss me back as we probably would have gone again had the door not opened.
I felt Aleksander pull the cover-up over my shoulder as he sat up holding me close as we both wondered who walked in without knocking. Ivan and Zoya were there as Zoya just seemed to stare at me, since we'd done the wedding away from royals it wasn't fully disclosed. Zoya didn't like it cause I was the one tumbling with him when he wanted to.
"Is there a reason you two came in without knocking?" Aleksander demanded as he knew this was not what I expected. "Some of the Grisha are having problems General." Ivan said as Zoya had her hands behind her back. "A fight started between Grisha over their attire for tonight's party." Zoya said
Aleksander sighed as I looked at him, seeing he was annoyed as we didn't get a lot of annoyed time but this was the fate we had since he was General. "Alright, I will handle the Grisha who got into a fight but both of you. Out! My wife and I need to get dressed." Aleksander said as they both showed respect to him before leaving.
I went to get up off the bed as Aleksander pulled me back down kissing me as he pulled away to look away. "I didn't say you had to leave, we don't get much time. Tomorrow, we'll go horse riding. How does that sound?" Aleksander asked as I smiled. "I like it." I said to him as I kissed his cheek before going to bathe but then I stopped as I got some thoughts then looked back "Want to join me?" I asked
His thoughts were somewhere else but when I asked he looked right at me, it was so easy to get lost in those eyes. So dark, like the power he had and yet I couldn't resist as I smiled. He got up as he walked over picking me up as we went in there. A little later we both were sitting in his tub as the hot water was nice. "This isn't really tending to your 2nd army." I reminded him while he sat there behind me holding me close as he helped me clean. "If I can't spend time with my wife when I want, then I don't deserve you." Aleksander said as I felt so confident with him.
After so long though we had to get out of the tub and get dressed as he went to tend to the Grisha. Genya came as she was going to be hanging with me until the masquerade party. We talked and when she mentioned she didn't have a dress for the party due to her being in service. I went with her and insisted they had a dress ready for her for tonight then we left as we went about a few things. Then we came back to the room where she did my hair and makeup for the party as I got in the dress and she noticed the color.
"Black but the materialeki color." Genya said, I looked in the mirror as it was being put on. I was glad it fit and I was glad that I didn't seem to be showing any signs yet even though we have tried. "Yeah, I like the color better and since I wear black most of the time it's good to have color." I reminded her as they knocked on the door and presented her dress as we waited. I let her quickly change as she came out with her dress and mask as I had mine on.
"Oh Genya! I think tonight is the night you should try to talk to David!" I said encouraging her.
"Who is with you?" Nadia asked, and I chuckled a little, "It's Genya." I said as they looked shocked. Genya smiled but then went into the crowd as we all got lost in the crowd. People were dancing and masks were worn so it was nice to see that there were a lot of people. No one seemed to realize who I was and I was glad for that.
I spent time with my friends before we all were suddenly approached by nobles to dance. I hesitated but they went as I went along too. Dancing wasn't a big deal but when we changed partners it was when I looked up seeing Aleksander with a mask on. "I see the nobles got you and your friends out here." Aleksander said as we danced. "Well, I hesitated." I admitted as we kept going and he smiled. "You are more confident now, but there is going to be the winter fete soon." Aleksander reminded me
I hated to remember the fete but that was to be expected as we kept dancing, the rest of the night you could say was mingling, dancing, having food, and just enjoying the night. I didn't ask about what was going on.
