LACUNA [ THE DARKLING ]

012. - letters and pranks

flashback; 

It has been close to a year since she arrived at the little palace and Ravenna was bored. There was nothing she could do there except training and working. Although she had several good friends, no one could beat Alina or Mal. Genya was probably the closest friend she had right now, but she was busy attending the Queen which meant that Ravenna couldn't spend lots of time with her.

She had been spending too much time with Aleks that she realized they already felt like a married couple, and that was not good. She tried to put some distance but he kept on sending people to bring her to him. She needed a vacation.

"Ravenna! There's a letter for you," Ivan said as he knocked on her suite's door. It must have been from Alina.

She opened the door to grab the letter from Ivan and just slammed it on his face without saying thank you. Flopping on her bed, she opened the letter and began reading it.

Dear Ravenna,

It's almost a year since I heard back from you. Mal has given up on sending you letters, but I will never. He told me that you probably rather spend more time with your new friends at the little palace than writing us letters. But I will never lose hope that one day you will reply back, maybe one day we could've even met again.

I'll be going to the First Army with Mal. I have been accepted as an Assistant Cartographer in the Royal Corps of Surveyor. The three of us would have been together if you're still here.

If you are reading this letter, which I hope you are. I wanted to say that I miss you. I think Mal misses you too but he just doesn't want to admit it, what a man.

With much love,

Alina

Ravenna had made up her mind after reading Alina's letter, she needed to meet her best friends immediately. She missed them too much and she would rather spend her time with Alina and Mal rather than with her new friends. She should send apologies to Genya for thinking that. She heard that there will a fold expedition soon with the First Army, that will be the perfect time to slip away and meet her best friends. She would probably only get a couple of hours before Aleksander found her, but at least it will still be worth it.

It was time to take her long-awaited vacation or should she say, reunion.

-

present;

"So you are punishing him because he ate dessert?"

Ravenna and Alina were standing in front of a fountain in the courtyard of the little palace. They were waiting for Mal's letters to arrive, it's been weeks and Alina hasn't received any. Ravenna decided to accompany Alina as she was pissed at Aleksander.