Sword & Succession - A Darklina AU Fanfic

Chapter 13

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𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕝 𝕂𝕚𝕣𝕚𝕘𝕒𝕟

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The Winter Fete had arrived.

I could already hear the bustle of excited crowds outside. I sighed.

The Winter Fete had always brought back bad memories for me. Memories of the first and last time I'd celebrated it with her. But nevertheless, we celebrated it every year, because the Grisha deserve a day to just celebrate. There was a soft knock on the door. "Come in," I called, shrugging on my special silk kefta that all Grisha wore at events such as these.

The door swung open gently and Reagan slowly drifted in, looking around the room curiously before his eyes rested on me.

I took a breath inward. He looked stunning in his brand new silver kefta, the hems lined with gold and black thread that swirled in an intricate pattern. The silver silk made his already colourless eyes look white and his ink-black hair darker. "You look amazing," I said and watched the uncertainty and worry wash from his features.

"You told Tony to bring me here?"

"Yes," I walked across the room until I was standing only a few steps in front of him. "I wanted you to enter with me. Together. As father and son." My heart skipped a beat or two at the last words. Words I never thought I'd say. And from the looks of it, words Reagan never thought he'd hear.

I held my hand out to him and he took it.

"Everyone will be waiting for us in the throne room."

"The Little Palace has a throne room." Reagan said in surprise. Guess he had yet to figure out where all the Little Palace's doors lead.

I led him out into the empty hall, glimpsing the crowds of Grisha and ambassadors gathering outside from the window. "It's not as big as the Grand Palace's."

"Then why don't we celebrate there?" Reagan looked out the same window to the gigantic palace in the distance. It was empty, the lights weren't on. It was looking at the ruins of a century old castle, except this one was still fully intact. "That was the old palace, of an old and unfit king. We do not go in there."

"Then why keep it?" He asked as we continued to walk. "Why not just demolish it."

"It serves me as a reminder."

"A reminder of what?" He asked.

I peered down at him. When we had first met, he had barely been able to meet my eyes. It was nice to see him more comfortable in my presence. "A reminder of my accomplishments. This is now the new palace of Os Alta." I gestured to the space around us. "So, we celebrate here. We grow up here. We train here. We rule here. Here we are safe."

"I have another question," he said, curiosity spiking his youthful voice. "If you dethroned the previous king, why don't you go by 'your majesty'?"

"I'm not a fan of kings. So, I go by general." I glanced at him sideways, holding his gaze. "And so might you, one day."

Reagan went silent. Taking in my words.

We reached the staircase the curved down to the floor where guests were already talking, drinking and spreading the latest gossip. They were so loud I could hear what almost every person was saying, and I wasn't surprised when I learned Reagan was the most popular topic of conversation.