Our Past Life

Three

This one is kind of shorter but I'll make some of the next ones longer. Also in this the Darkling was never romantic with Alina.

Alina arrived at the training rooms with Nadia and Maria.

"I just know she's going to be an amazing grisha, who else would capture the general's heart," Nadia was gushing.

"Oh I bet he saved her one time and that's how they met, he probably swooped her off her feet with his cold stare and strong arms," Maria responded.

Alina personally was feeling a little nauseated with the current topic, and felt that there was no way Kirigan had swept Queen Susan off her feet immediately, she was too strong a woman for that. However the prospect of having to take part in Botkin's training exercises was Alina's main focus right now.

The whole group of grisha were gathered in the room, preparing for a hard day's training. They started running, going through a course that was set up for the room, and soon were moving to hand to hand combat. Alina was paired with Maria, thank god, so they were going relatively easy on eachother. Suddenly the doors creaked open, and, to no one's surprise, the queen and general entered the room. Although General Kirigan was in charge of them all, he rarely stepped foot in the training rooms. Truthfully he rarely interacted with any of the grisha. However Susan's willpower seemed to be pulling him out of his shell.

As she saw everyone stop to look at them Susan spoke up, "I don't mean to be a bother sir, I was simply receiving a tour and wished to see your facilities."

Botkin straightened himself up, "It is no bother, Majesty. General has gift." While Susan turned toward the General, Botkin went to the back of the room and opened a box hidden there.

From anywhere in the room you could see the beautiful white bow and horn laying in the box.

"Caspian," Susan breathed. She looked over at him with love and admiration, "How?"

"I have had them kept safe for every year you were gone, I had the urge to blow the horn at times, but it seems I didn't need to for you to return."

Susan ran to the box and pulled the items out for further inspection, but Kirigan wasn't done.

"Perhaps after I beat you in a spar, we can go outside and see how your aim has gotten," he said with a cocky air.

"Oh you think you can beat me do you?" The queen was smiling herself, "And my aim can't get bad, it's magic." She twirled her fingers and stalked towards the general.

The whole room was backing up to watch this fight. Other grisha that had been diligently working finally stopped as the two circled each other.

"You may be a general but you grew up being served upon every day in that pretty castle, sure you can take me on," Susan teased. The general didn't seem too concerned about what the queen was talking about, but it confused many of the surrounding grisha.

"Yes and on my seventeenth birthday there was an assasination attempt, I think I'll be fine," this was delivered so casually it could have been talk of the weather.

Alina was astonished by this statement, despite knowing the hardships grisha faced. She could see Zoya staring at the couple with confusion from the other side of the room. However there wasn't room to discuss the odd statement, as this seemed to be Susan's cue to jump into the fight. They were a flurry of movement, smooth jabs, and clean punches. The fight seemed to last ages, while only taking a few minutes. Both had such grace and power behind each movement. At one point, when Kirigan threw Susan into the air, the gathered crowd was sure she would land harshly. Instead the queen twisted mid air and landed lightly on her feet. When the general drew in once more Susan didn't fight it. Instead, to everyone's astonishment, she drew him into a kiss. The general relaxed into it for a moment before she flipped him on his back and straddled him, holding him until he tapped out.

"Already forgetting my first lesson," the queen hummed as she stood up, "never get distracted."

"Yes well you are very good at that," the general huffed out as he joined her, "May I borrow them for a demonstration of their gifts in the courtyard, Botkin?"

Alina, along with every other grisha, turned to see with delight the old trainer nodding his head. Everyone followed the couple as they led the way into the courtyard, eager to show off what they could do.