Where The Spirit Meets The Bone

Twenty-five: Alina Starkov

Twenty-five:

Alina Starkov

"Nikolai, you can't be here," said Alina, "you're the reason that I'm in this whole mess."

"I know, Alina," he said, "and that's why I'm doing the right thing. I'm running away with you and we're going to get married and live happily ever after. The War Machine wouldn't kill a newly married couple, surely."

"No, but he might make me a widow like he vowed," Alina said.

"Can you tell me that you honestly want to marry him?" Nikolai demanded.

"I didn't want to marry you!" Alina blurted.

Nikolai frowned. "You....what?"

"Nikolai, you've been a great friend to me, but we never really were together. We went on a few fun dates when you were trying to make Zoya jealous and that was it. Frankly, I never saw myself as getting married, but....I also don't want to see one of my dear friends murdered either. So here I am."

Nikolai sighed. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Do you really think it's possible to turn down the crown Prince of Ravka?" Alina said. "Besides, it's just as well its Morozova. Knowing my father, if it weren't him, or you, he'd try to marry me off to some other powerful asshole. At least this way, I get to stay here. And he's not...."

"Don't say he's not so bad. Please don't say he's not so bad. You know the things they call him, right?"

"Like the things they call you?" she returned.

Nikolai scowled. "You know, your bluntness was one of the reasons I thought you'd make a good wife actually."

"You like me insulting you?"

"Not particularly, no, but I thought you might keep me levelheaded. Or even it out."

She laughed. "Have you met you?"

He sighed. "It would all be a lot easier if Zoya would...."

"She'll come around," said Alina, "Zoya's not my favorite person, and she's prickly beyond belief, but the only thing she loves more than her country is you. Just take time with her. She isn't exactly the type of girl to swoon because you offer her your hand in marriage. Just, offer her something irreplaceable."

"I tried offering her the Lantsov emerald. She wasn't exactly thrilled by it. Tossed it back at me."

Alina rolled her eyes. "I was talking about you, you overgrown toad."

He chuckled. "See, there's the Alina I----"

"If you say love, I'll punch you."

"Don't let my guards hear that."

"Like you would let them stop me. You like it, you pervert."

He winked at her. "Well, you know I've a pain kink." He sighed. "But are you really sure you don't at the very least want me to help you runaway? I know of a girl in Ketterdam with a particularly fast ship...."

Alina shook her head. "I won't go back on the deal I made. But if you could take me to the church, that would be lovely."

"Fine," he said, "I'll take you to----"

There was the sound of screeching breaks. "Did the car just stop?" Alina asked.

"I believe it did," said Nikolai.

Alina raised an eyebrow. "Was it supposed to?"

Nikolai frowned. "No, it wasn't." He tapped on the panel in between the front and backseats. "Driver, is everything alright----"

The door opened. "LANTSOV!" Lord Morozova bellowed. "GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY FIANCE."

"Aleksander!" Alina called.

Aleksander whirled his head around and locked eyes at her. "What did you call me?"

Alina shrank back. "A-a-aleksander," she repeated.

He furrowed his brows. "You've never called me that before."

"No," she said, "I haven't. I don't think."

"Then why would you run away with him?" he demanded.

"I wasn't running away with him!" Alina shouted. "He decided to take this little rescue mission upon himself."

"And you didn't agree to any of it?" Aleksander said.

"No," she said.

"Which means he was kidnapping you," he said.

"Rescuing her," Nikolai said.

"I didn't want it!" Alina shouted, glaring at him.

"Ergo, kidnapping," said Aleksander, "which means I am going to kill you."

"Aleksander!" Alina shouted. "Stop. Both of you. I agreed to marry Aleksander to save you Nikolai, and you trying to kidnap me isn't romantic. It's creepy and you should have asked or tried to tell me about it."

"How was I supposed to?" Nikolai demanded. "He had you trapped in that house like a prisoner."

"I have her trapped in that house because until she is Lady Morozova, I can't hire a guard for her," said Aleksander, "and I don't trust the one that works for her father."

"Mal's trustworthy," Alina said.

"That's another issue, for another time, Alina," said Aleksander, "are you sure I still can't punch the brat?"

"CROWN PRINCE," Nikolai reminded him, "and I can still have you put in the tower, Lord Morozova."

"I'd like you to try," he said with a sneer.

"Will you two please stop?" Alina demanded. "I made my choice."

"That wasn't your choice," Nikolai reminded her.

"But it was," said Alina, "I could have tried to escape or gotten out. I haven't, because the last thing I want to do is to watch one of my friends die. I've made my peace with this Nikolai. The question is, can you?"

Nikolai glowered at Aleksander. Aleksander glowered at Nikolai.

"If you hurt her, old man, I'll kill you," Nikolai said.

"If you hurt her, you impertinent brat, I'll put your head on a spike and put it out my bedroom window."

"If either of you hurts me, I'll get Baghra to let me borrow your cane and I'll hurt you both myself," she said.

They both stared at her, slightly alarmed. "Noted," they both said in unison.

"You can get out now, Nikolai," he said.

"I need a ride to the wedding," he said.

"Walk," Aleksander ordered.

Nikolai sighed. "You're not all-powerful, Morozova. Even Kings can fall and you're nothing but a King's advisor with a fancy title. You'll fall too. So, marry her. But one way or another----"

"Nikolai," Alina begged, "Nikki..."

He glanced her way and his gaze softened. "Fine. I'll go. But only because I'm a gentleman."

He got out of the car, and when he was gone, Aleksander slipped in.

Alina locked eyes with her fiancé. "Isn't this a little unconventional? The bride and groom arriving together?"

He smirked. "Who said that we were conventional?"

Alina laughed. "I suppose you're right."

Aleksander closed the door, then hit the partition separating them from the driver. "To the church," he ordered, and off they went to get married.