The Pomegranate Society

Forty-seven: Alina Starkov

Forty-seven:

Alina Starkov

In the morning, after a sleepless night, Alina found herself forced to get up and dressed. The family was down at the dining room. "Alina!" Nikolai said, getting up from his seat and walking over to her. "Are you feeling better? Did you sleep well?"

She smiled grimly at him. "I'm afraid my stomach hasn't quite settled yet."

"My poor darling," he said, kissing her on the forehead, "you aren't going to want to do much today, are you?"

She shook her head. "I'm afraid not."

"Well, we've got some porridge for your breakfast. I told cook all about your stomach problems and she said this was the best thing for it, along with home water."

She smiled. "You're sweet."

"Everyone else is going to the water, but I suspected that wouldn't be something you were up for. I've got your favorite books here and we'll get you set up in the parlor so that you can sit there while your stomach recovers."

"Oh Nikki," said the Queen, "you can't possibly leave the poor girl here all alone. She'll want some company."

"Well, I can stay if----"

"Nonsense," said father, "we've important people here on this trip, Nikolai. You're going down to the water with the rest of us. The girl won't mind, will she?"

Alina shook her head. "Not at all, your majesty. I wouldn't want to spoil anyone's fun or anything important."

The King smiled. "There's a good girl."

"Well, I don't want you to be alone," said Nikolai, "perhaps Genya could---"

"I'll do it," a voice offered from the table, "Miss Starkov is my assistant and my student, after all. I can stay behind and make certain that she isn't falling behind on her classes while on vacation. I've never been one for the beach anyway."

This came from Aleksander, who was sitting next to the King on his other side. His father patted him on the shoulder. "There's my boy," said the King, "taking one for the team. And you'll enjoy a day in the chateau with books far more than you will being out by the water with the rest of us."

"My thoughts exactly, father," said Aleksander.

Alina wanted to protest but what could she do without it looking strange? She smiled. "Thank you, Professor Morozova. That would be nice."

"Please, we're going to be family, Miss Starkov. You should be calling me Aleksander."

She blushed. She was going to kill him. "Of course."

Nikolai smiled. "I knew it was a good idea, inviting you Aleks. Keep my dear girl entertained and try not to fall in love with her, won't you?"

"But of course. Everyone can have a fun, relaxing day on the beach. I can spend some time getting to know my future---"

The King laughed. "Don't get ahead of yourself, son. That announcement is for Solstice dinner." The King winked, and everyone else laughed.

Everyone knew what was going to be announced. She already had the Lantsov emerald on her finger, it was just a matter of formalities. Alina sat down at her seat, and tried eating her breakfast, but even the porridge wasn't sitting well with her. That, and she couldn't sit there with Aleksander staring at her the whole time.

"If I may," she said, "I'm afraid my stomach still isn't doing well. Could I be excused early?"

"Of course my dear," said the King, "go up to your room and rest. No need to keep us entertained."

Nikolai kissed her on the forehead. "I'll come check on you at luncheon," he said.

She nodded, and then slipped away from the group, going upstairs to her room. She lay on her bed, clutching her stomach. Pregnant. With Aleksander's baby. What did that mean? Was her child the next heir to Ravka? Would Aleksander be made King because of it? Would she have to marry him? She didn't know what to think of it all.

She dozed off, despite her stomach torturing her. She wasn't sure how long it had been but she woke up to see Aleksander sitting next to her bed reading a book. She groaned. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

He looked up from his book and smiled. "Hello, Zolotse. How are you feeling?"

Alina grimaced. "Terrible, and I hate you."

He smiled. "That's understandable. You'll feel better once the baby is born."

"What makes you think I'm keeping it?" she said. "I haven't even decided."

He frowned. She braced herself for anger. She expected that he would throw a fit at the mention of her not having the baby, but instead he seemed to struggle with himself momentarily. Then he said, "If that is what you want, I can arrange it for you. But don't you have any faith in me?"

She frowned, burying her face into her pillow. "I don't know what to think, Aleksander. You have me marrying your brother. And you've got some crazy plan that I don't know about. That no one consulted me over. Everyone is trying to make decisions about my future, including my stomach oh Saints-----"

There was a plastic bowl shoved in front of her that she puked into. "Thank you," she said, after she finished puking, "what---how...."

He smiled. "I grabbed one before I came up here."

"Thank you," she grumbled.

He reached out and stroked her face. "You've got to trust me, Zolotse. I am talking to my father this evening. Everything will sort itself out."

"And yet you wanted me to sleep with Nikolai----"

His gaze narrowed. "Not now. Not now that you're pregnant with my child. No, Alina. You'll see. I'm going to make it so that the only man you ever had is me. And we're going to rule Ravka together."

"Why can't I just be enough?" she demanded.

"Because there are things bigger than you and I in the works," he said, "but everything will work out for the best, you'll see." He started humming then, an old folk song she remembered her mother singing, and Alina drifted to sleep to the sound of his voice.