Darkling POV
Walking hand in hand Alina and I turned our backs on the royals to head home to the little palace. When we got near the doors when a third person steps out of the shadows and into our path. It took me a second to understand that it was the youngest prince in the way. Gazing straight at Alina I had to put a stop in this now.
"Prince Nikolai how can I help you? We are just returning to the little palace." Instead of looking at me he kept staring straight at Alina answering. "I was hopping to have a moment of the sun summoners time but from the looks of things and the way you left things with my father and brother I doubt I will get that moment without you near by or the kings army near by."
Before I could answer Alina spoke very clearly "no prince Nikolai I am sorry but you're correct. You won't be getting a moment alone with me. I for one will not keep secrets from the man I love and for two I am not going anywhere without someone I trust. Currently there is every few that I trust and the general is one of the few people I trust completely. You however I do not trust no offence your majesty. So if you wish to speak with me he must be there."
I wasn't sure who to look at the stunned prince or the stone faced Alina. I felt full of pride and love but hid it minus squeezing her hand. Finally the prince nodded moving out of our way allowing us to continue to leave. Not before adding just above a whisper "Be safe the road you take is no longer safe. The ones sworn to protect seek to take" and walking away looking back to nod making sure we understood.
She squeezed my hand as we walked out of the grand palace to find that Ivan had sent the carriage back for us. The ride back was short and neither of us said a word. We were both trying to figure out what the puppy prince had said. Tension grew the closer we got to the little palace and the closer to the end of the seat Alina got.
Outside the window I could see our scouts moving through the woods on horse back trying to keeping up with the carriage. Sending Signals and shouts to the scouts further out that it was time to come in. The journey to the little palace wasn't a long one but there was at least thirty people on horses by the end of it.
Once at the little palace grisha poured out to greet us and to see the safe return of the sun summoner. I got out first trying to keeping Alina inside for just a moment after seeing the entire kings guard just outside the ring of my guard. Keeping the flood of grisha to a minimum while trying to get closer to the carriage while somehow maintaining to appearing inconspicuous. I then understood what the young prince had said but not quick enough.
Sure enough as soon as Alina stepped out the kings guard surged forward trying to grab at her. They were knocking out or killing any grisha that stood between her and them. Suddenly there was chaos someone sent up a flare and our bells were going off, Ivan came off the stairs standing by my side, and grisha/non-grisha alike were panicking not sure if they should run or fight. I was frozen till I heard her scream.
Alina Pov
I couldn't stop thinking about what the puppy prince said(don't let him hear you call him that!) So I barely felt when Aleksander tried to keep me in the carriage. At first I couldn't believe my eyes when the fighting came out of nowhere. Aleksander seem to be frozen as well.
Just as I started to move my hands in a move I had never used before hands grabbed me from behind. Someone was trying to pull me back thru the carriage. In a moment of fear the only thing I am sad to say I did was let out the loudest scream I could manage.
As soon as they heard my scream both Aleksander and Ivan turned around reaching for me to keep me from being pulled trough. Aleksander's face was pure rage when he nodded slightly to Ivan "I can't use the cut for risk of hurting her. You will need to use your gifts."
Soon the pressure of the first pair of hands to leave me. Only to be followed by groaning sounds and the release of the second pair leaving him free to pull me into his arms. Doing as he promised in the throne room he covered the already dusk covered courtyard in booming shadow.
Next thing I knew I went from the safety of his shadows to the safely inside the little palace. Not only inside but behind a line of Aleksanders closest guards with him turning to walk away to go fight. "I will not stay in here and hide while you and others are fighting and dying for me." Sighing he turned back "the kings guard are here for you. We must keep you safe. Will you please just this once go be safe in my room?"
"No Aleksander I will not go and hide I will fight with you. Lets us go show them that we fight together as we told the king that we would." Shaking his head "no you must stay in here and you must stay safe." Getting mad talking thru clenched teeth "unless you can give me a valid reason other than I am the hope of the country I am walking back out those doors to help fight with or without you."
He stopped looking at me trying to grab my hands "I can't explain right now but just please just know that I need you safe in here. You must be protected at all cost and not because you are the hope of the country or the love of my eternal life. Just know I wouldn't ask this if it wasn't needed." Pulling out of his grasp moving out of his reach. "Move out of my way, i'm going out to fight with all our other grisha." "Alina stop you might be pregnant you can't go fight."
Nothing else could have stopped me in my tracks.
Darkling POV
The words flew out of my mouth before I realized what I had said but she responded. Okay so not with words but at least she stopped walking towards the doors. She was standing so rigid I thought maybe something was shocking her till realized it was what I had said that had shocked her that badly.
Moving closer to her she spoke without looking at me. "What do you mean I might be pregnant?" Sighing "my sun I don't have time to get into this now I need to go fight with our grisha." shaking herself "NO YOU CAN NOT spring the fact that I MAYBE PREGNANT then walk away. You will answer me and answer me now."
Pulling her in my arms "fine I've had Ivan look into dream visions more while we were at the camp and on the road. They are only known to show up once you are pregnant with your first child. You can continue to receive the dreams after you have had the baby. However it is said you can't start having the dreams till then.
Seeing as I was your first you couldn't have been pregnant by anyone else before now. So it would stand to reason for whatever reason you are pregnant now. We will have to talk about this later I have to get out there and fight." I couldn't have been more relieved when she nodded and I walked out the building confused.
Confused because I was fairly certain Alina would not cheat on me but I have never gotten a woman pregnant in over a hundred years. Lovers I've been with have check their self's turning out just fine thinking it had to be me.(not that I wanted kids with anyone except maybe luda.) So how is it now the love of my eternal life is now possibly pregnant.
Once outside I saw the tides had turned back in favor of the grisha as the kings men were not as plentiful as the number of grisha. As I am back down the step I heard sergeant major call up "bring her back out darkling put an end to this fighting it is not your problem to deal with." Laughing "I will not hand her over to the rapist king or rapist prince when she said no."
By this time we were gathering a crowed including the sergeant from the first army and the captain of the city guard. This was my one chance to get them on my side seeing as they were already listening. "The sun summoner has chosen who she loves and where she wants to stay. It is my problem the king does not wish to honor someone who everyone in his kingdom has deemed a saint.
The king does not want to honor someone who can heal this country just because she does not want to tie herself to a rapist prince who would force himself on her. As he has already try to do once already. So it is my problem because she is my soulmate and she loves me and I love her. So no I will not be handing her over to the king. I will protect her, I will protect my soulmate, I will protect the saint this kingdom has chosen."
"She will come to the grand palace and marry the prince weather she or you likes it or not. The great king has spoken and she is no saint she is a devil in disguise. You can either bring her out or after we kill you we will go in and grab her." Either he wasn't paying attention or he didn't care but victor was making the crowd madder screams were coming from the crowd. Leave the sun summoner be, the sun summoner is a saint, down with the king.
Alina POV
After Aleksander walked away his guards made quick work of putting me in his room(gently of course they heard our private conversation). From his windows I couldn't see what was going on but could hear yelling. It sounded like they were yelling down with the king/saint Alina for Queen. What had he pulled in the twenty minutes since he walked away.
Waiting was torture with not being able to see anything outside the windows so i went to pacing. When pacing could no longer help keep me calm I found the box full of my clothes. After going through everything I settled on a black silk nightdress. I quickly went behind his changing screen and stripped. Slipping into a black silk nightdress was easy it fell loosely around my body. I pulled on my kefta deciding I would wear it till my dark angel came back to me. Also it covered my body in case anyone had to deliver any bad news.
It took another hour for him to return but return he did. "I had hoped to find you had fallen asleep in my bed. Instead I find you curled up in my chair with a book my sun you need your rest. We have been on the road for days, you had been attacked, kidnapped, locked in a trunk and a cabinet, and you were on the roads the first time for days as wells. Then I tell you, you maybe pregnant. Why are you not resting my sun?"
I got up and ran to him happy he was safe and back with me. He wrapped me in his arms lifted my chin with his hand. I can tell he is looking at me waiting on answers. Sighing "I am ready for bed all I have to do is slip off my kefta and slip in bed. I couldn't sleep until I knew you were safe my dark angel. Aleksander I still do not understand how I could be pregnant I've only ever been with you and I've been told you couldn't have children.
Anyways I was doing some reading on it myself since I couldn't get to Baghra. Did you know you have three books that have references on the subject?(No) Anyways all three of them agree to what Ivan told you and what you told me. I have not found anything on blood oaths between families or blood oaths period. Aleksander what Ivan said goes along with these books in order to have these dreams of my mother I would have to be pregnant but how."
As I said that I broke away but kept eye contact just needing space. He tried to reach for me but I moved out of reach. "Alina, my sun I don't have all of the answers right now but I can promise you that we will figure this out. For now lets just rest while the people do as they will."
"What do you mean Aleksander?" He didn't answer and would not answer until I laid down in bed. Slipping off my kefta first to make sure I was comfortable. Then slipping in after me he cuddled up to me and stared answering my question.
"The people, the first army, and the city guard heard the kings guard and rallied behind you. They are calling for both the kings and prince Vasily's head. As well as calling to make you Queen. At this rate you may have to make me your king but I am completely okay with that my love. The grisha and guard have the little palace secure to keep you safe. For now let us just rest and in the morning we shall find Baghra and get all of the answers."
