Where The Spirit Meets The Bone

Twenty-one: Alina Starkov

Twenty-One:

Alina Starkov

The wedding dress had been delivered. It came in a black bag, delivered by one of the stylist's assistants. One of the maids had gotten it for her. Alina was coming down the stairs when she saw the delivery girl arrive. Her stomach clenched. The week had gone by in a blur of Lord Morozova coming and going, late-night dinners with him, and getting to know him. She had almost forgotten that she was being forced to marry him.

But the wedding dress was a reminder. She was being forced to marry him in.... tomorrow.

"Are you alright, Miss Starkov?" the maid asked. "You look like you're going to be ill."

"I'm fine," she answered, "I'm just...I'm going for a walk."

The maid raised an eyebrow. "I don't know that Lord Morozova would like that. You don't have a guard yet, and he has some powerful enemies. But if you really need fresh air, there is a wonderful garden out back that you might want to enjoy."

"Thank you," she said.

Alina tried hard not to think about not being able to go outside. She would have to talk to Lord Morozova about that later. Instead, she clenched her teeth and went out to the backyard. It was summer, and the air was deliciously warm against her skin. It was nice to be outside for a change.

Alina took in her surroundings. The garden was really a large maze, made up of rose bushes. Wanting a time to be alone, she started walking into the maze. She found a place and laid down, staring at the wide, blue sky. That wasn't how this summer wasn't supposed to go.

She wasn't supposed to be getting married, let alone to someone she didn't know. She was supposed to be preparing to go to the Royal University, or maybe spend a year backpacking, and here she was preparing to get married to someone she barely knew and hadn't chosen.

"Alina!" she heard a voice calling.

She sat up and she looked around, trying to figure out where it was coming from. "Alina!" she heard a voice calling her again.

Alina brushed the grass off of her and went looking for the sound of the voice. She heard the sound of rustling, and then through the bushes, she was surprised to see Mal coming in her direction.

"Mal!" she said, running towards him. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled. "I told you that I've been keeping an eye on you. That's what your father wanted. He might not let me in the house, but that doesn't mean that I can't be outside of the house."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't count on that. He could call the stad watch and have you forcibly removed."

He smirked. "Don't worry about it. I'll figure something out. But I wanted to make sure you're okay."

"I don't know," she said, "I need to get out of here. I feel like....it's all too much, and I'm supposed to marry a total and complete stranger."

Mal smiled at her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You can't think of it like that."

"How should I think of it?"

"You're saving the Prince of Ravka," he said, "somehow, even though you're not marrying him, Nikolai still gets you. Haven't you seen the papers?"

Alina frowned. "I haven't exactly been reading the paper...I've been preoccupied."

"Everyone's talking about it," he said, "they're calling you Santka Alina, because you saved the Prince from The War Machines wrath."

Alina blushed. "That's not.... that's not what's happening."

"Well, that's what they're making it out to be. Of course, they're also saying that Lord Morozova is in love for the first time and that you've made his heartless dark because of the pictures."

"What pictures?" Alina asked.

Mal hesitated.

"Mal, what pictures?" she demanded.

He sighed and took out his cell phone. He pulled up something on it and shoved it at her. There were pictures.... pictures of the night that she had gone out to dinner with Lord Morozova. The ones of them entering the restaurant weren't that fantastic. Lord Morozova was scowling, looking like he would murder anyone that came near her. But there were others.

Alina groaned. "Oh no."

"What do you mean, oh no?" said Mal.

She blushed furiously. "This was after I drank too much wine. He was carrying me. I got sick on his shoes."

Mal laughed. "How romantic?"

"He actually took care of me later that night," she said, "the wound on my head, remember?"

"Oh yeah. I'd almost forgotten. It's looking better."

"Thank you for showing these to me, Mal," she said.

"Anytime," he said, "I just...I want to make sure you're okay, Alina. You're one of my oldest friends. And I'm sorry I---"

"Sorry about what?"

He shook his head. "Never mind. You're getting married tomorrow. It doesn't matter. Anyway....I just....I wanted to make sure you were okay. You're okay?"

She smiled. "I'm okay. Thanks, Mal."

He smiled at her. "Anytime."

"You better get out of here though. I don't know what time Lord Morozova is going to be home, and if he catches you..."

"Right," he said with a nod.

He snuck through the bushes again and was gone. Alina watched him go, her heart clenching a little. Once upon a time, she thought that she had been in love with him. Had daydreamed about the two of them ending up together. But that was her past. She took out her cell phone and looked up those pictures that Mal had shown her. She saved one of Lord Morozova saving her.

They were going to say what she wanted to say. But at least when she forgot, she had a reminder that there was a possibility that he did care. That maybe if she tried, even if it was forced on her...she could find happiness with him.