Author's Notes: This will just be based on the TV show, as I have not read the books. I did not love Mal in the show, and when I looked up reviews of the book series to see if I should read it, his character annoyed me even more. I liked the whole Mal/Aleksander/Alina love triangle and wish the show had drawn that out more. The whole light/dark thing between Aleksander and Alina has so much potential. I also love the idea of Aleksander redemption fics, so if you know a good one, let me know! I couldn't get this idea out of my head, so I had to write it! More chapters to come. I'll post them here if anyone reviews or likes this. Otherwise I might just keep the story in my head, lol.
"I was nervous at first, but talking to Genya I realized what this demonstration means…Now I finally feel like I belong," Alina said, "and not that I just belong here, but to something greater. That we can offer Grisha and Ravkans hope for the future."
"That means a lot to me, Alina." Aleksander replied. He was always Aleksander in her head now. General Kirigan, the man whom the whole continent feared, was someone else. When she looked into his eyes, there was still a small thrill of fear, but it was overpowered by stronger feelings. His shadows called to her light.
You mean a lot… to everyone," Aleksander replied. For the first time in her life she meant something and she belonged. Feeling overwhelmed with emotion, she strode forward and kissed him.
"Not many people surprise me, Miss Starkov," Aleksander replied with a smile. His dark handsome features marked with amusement and pleasure made her head spin, until the door opened and she quickly regained her composure.
Aleksander cleared his throat, and then had a word with Ivan. Alina strode off to find Genya. She needed to finish getting ready for the feast and her presentation.
It was the best and worst night of her life. It had started out perfect. She had summoned the light, stunning all of the guests and impressing the king and queen.
She and Aleksander. She had kissed him, then later he had taken her aside and returned the favor. They would have ended up in his bed by the end of the night, but that knock that drew him away ruined everything. Baghra ruined everything. No, it was Aleksander who ruined it with lies from the beginning.
Alina curled tighter in the chest she was hiding in, starting to shiver; she knew it wasn't from the cold.
Baghra could have been lying. She didn't trust the woman enough to wait for help from Baghra's loyal Grisha. The picture she showed Alina did look exactly like General Kirigan, and Baghra's dark power showed her to truly be his mother. Why would she lie about her son? Why would she betray her son?
The Black Heretic. If the general had just lied about that, she could possibly forgive him, but the rest…
"I'm trying to save you from living the rest of your life as a slave.
I'm trying to save you from Aleksander.
He intends to expand the Fold and use it as a weapon.
That's what he created it for in the first place.
With you at his command, he'll be able to enter the Fold and weaponize it as he always planned.
He'll be unstoppable.
He's had centuries to master lying to naïve girls.
He isn't a boy at all. He is eternal.
And you never stood a chance."
Tears worked their way down Alina's cheeks, but she quickly wiped them away. She didn't have time to cry. She would cry when she was free.
She leaned against Mal, huddled up to him for warmth in the snow. Learning that he had written her, and that he never received her letters made her even more mad at General Kirigan. How dare he keep those from her! It was so good to be with Mal again. He had always made her feel safe and like she wasn't alone.
He had been her best friend, her only friend, for a long time. She wanted to tell him everything about the Little Palace and General Kirigan, about her friends there, and how she felt like she belonged in a place for the first time. About the Black Heretic's betrayal, about his mother, and about her own Grisha powers.
She had expected him to ask more questions, but he seemed satisfied knowing that she was in one piece and back with him. For some reason that bothered her, and when she examined her feelings, she realized she was finally coming to terms that they were different now. She was different from the girl that left Mal months before, and he would never fully understand her Grisha powers. He didn't seem to want to.
Mal shifted next to her and whispered, "Quiet, I think I heard something." He slowly grabbed his gun and stood.
Suddenly the stag stepped into a clearing, the moonlight reflecting off of him. Alina couldn't tell if the magical creature glowed or if it was a trick of the light. Mal offered her the gun, but she brushed it aside, and approached the stag. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. It's eyes locked with hers, and she felt warmth and acceptance flood into her. She reached out her hand and it stepped closer, but before she touched its nose, a loud noise range in the air, shocking her.
The bullets pierced the stag and she saw it fall, and hearing a scream next to her, quickly turned to see Mal fall to the ground, bleeding out. Alina let out a guttural roar, and protected them with a shield of light. The Grisha stopped advancing, but the darkling general came into view. Alina felt as if her heart would stop.
"Alina, I have no wish to fight you. Take down your shield, give me the stag, and I will heal Mal. You know he will die otherwise."
"Stay back! I don't trust you!"
"Alina, we must talk, but first you must lower the barrier if you do not wish your friend to die. You are not a healer, but I have healers with me," the general said. Alina stared at Mal. She could tell he was dying and there was nothing she could do about it.
"Only if you swear not to kill the stag as well," Alina said.
"Alina, you know I cannot swear that. I need the stag to keep the Grisha safe."
"You do not need to kill it to have its power. You must listen to me!" Alina shouted, but she panicked seeing Mal turn paler.
"Alina, the most I can promise you is your friend's healing, and I will hear you out before killing the stag. I do not promise that I won't kill it, if I deem it necessary," Kirigan said.
Alina only hesitated a moment longer before dropping her light barrier. The Grisha stormed in, grabbing Mal roughly. The general moved towards her.
"Stop, you said you would heal him!" Alina said, looking at Kirigan accusingly.
"I am a man of my word Alina. You will carefully take him to the healer Fedyor," Kirigan said, offering Alina a hand up. She ignored him, and pushed herself up.
"Ivan, put the stag to sleep. We will take it back with us," Kirigan said. Alina sagged in relief and almost lost her footing in the snow. She was wet and cold from laying in it. "Come with me," the general said, grabbing Alina's arm and taking her towards his carriage.
"Mal!" Alina yelled as she saw him carried into another carriage, "Let me go to him!"
"You will be in my carriage Alina. I will not let you out of my sight. Your friend will be healed as I promised," Kirigan said. "You need to convince me before we reach the Little Palace why I should keep the stag alive."
Alina glared at him, but entered his carriage. Kirigan entered behind her and closed the door. It was just going to be the two of them. She was stuck in a carriage with the Black Heretic; the man who created the fold, who was eternal, and who wanted her as his slave. She shuddered, but then took control of herself. She would not show him weakness. He looked at her expectantly.
"You only need to kill it if you cannot get its blessing. The stag wishes to give me his powers, which is why he appeared in my dream," Alina said.
"People have been using bones of magical creatures for years to gain their power. You are telling me, they just had to ask nicely? That doesn't make any sense. There are no records of that," Kirigan said.
"Maybe other creatures are different, but the stag has the ability to gift his powers to another. I think he ceases to be a magical being, but he can live. The stag chooses someone, and he has chosen me. You can take his power by force Kirigan, just as you can take a woman by force, but that just makes you a monster," Alina said.
Kirigan frowned, staring hard at her, then looked out the window. He seemed lost in thought for a while as the carriage bumped along the dirt path. Soon they would get to the smoother paths and she wouldn't have to hold on so tightly for fear of being knocked into Kirigan.
"Why did you leave?" he finally asked, making eye contact with her again. His dark gaze was unreadable, but intense.
"I found out who you really are, Black Heretic, and that you have been lying to me this whole time!" Alina said seething.
"I have not told you everything, and have misled you about my identity, but do not believe everything you have heard. The source is biased," Kirigan said angrily.
"Are you telling me I can't believe what your own mother says about you?" Alina asked incredulously.
"Baghra has lived a long time and cares nothing for Grisha or for human feelings. She misinterprets all I do for she does not understand me," Kirigan said with a tinge of sadness in his voice. "She wanted me to let all the Grisha die."
"Do you admit to creating the fold!" Alina asked, half question, half accusation.
"I was in pain and desperate to save the Grisha…I," Alina interrupted him.
"No! You do not get to tell me more lies! Baghra told me you just wished to make me your slave, to use me. You will tell me anything to gain my sympathy. I will not be the naïve little girl again. I will not hear you," Alina said angrily. She would not allow him to use her sympathy and pity to defend his choices, and she would not allow him to manipulate her.
"I see. If you will not listen to my side of the story, then there is no use talking," General Kirigan said. In that moment, he was fully the darkling general; his voice was dark and icy, and the carriage seemed to grow darker. His face could have been carved of stone for the expression on it.
The heavy oppressive silence weighed down on Alina the rest of the carriage ride. She had nothing else to say to this monster, but she wanted to say something to break the silence. Somehow it felt like he had won an argument. The Little Palace came into view, and they entered through its gates.
"You will spare the stag?" She suddenly asked, grabbing Kirigan's arm, then dropped it immediately.
He looked at his arm for a minute, then into her eyes, "I will keep it in a cage, until we can run more experiments. I am not a rash man," Kirigan said in a cool tone. Alina stared at him. He was listening to her; she hadn't expected that.
He opened the carriage door and gestured for her to exit. She stared at him a moment longer, then whispered a quick, "Thank you," as she left the carriage. She did not make eye contact with him. He didn't deserve the thank you, but the stag would live for now, and she was grateful.
"Your welcome," he whispered in her ear as he brushed by her. He walked towards the palace, obviously expecting her to follow. She felt like refusing to budge just to irk him, but knew this was a useless fight, and followed behind him with a sour expression on her face.
He led her to her old room, which surprised her. She thought if not a dungeon, she might get a downgrade for running off. Everything in the room looked as she had left it, as if no time had passed.
"There will be guards outside your room at all times. You are not allowed to leave, unless you send me a message asking permission, and I may or may not give it," Kirigan said.
"So I'm even more of a prisoner now, and this is my cell. What of my training?" she asked in a desperate attempt to have a reason to leave the room.
"I will send someone to continue your training. I have an inferni in mind for it, and I will check on your progress when I have time," Kirigan said.
Alina wanted to ask if she could see Mal, but Kirigan disappeared before she could form the words. She was just a possession to him that he would check on occasionally, nothing more. For some reason hearing that confirmation from him, made her heart ache.
