𝑫𝑹𝑰𝑭𝑻 [currently being edited]

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝟏 - 𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒏

The full moon lit up the lake and the girl in it. The girl, Aruna was in her element. The moon shining down on its counterpart and the waters feeling the pull towards their moons. The lake glisten and sparkled as if millions of tiny diamonds decorated the surface.

The tidemakers observed from a distance, watching the girl control the water, completely obvious to the crowd watching her in awe. Watching the slow twist of her body, seemingly as natural and flowing as a piece of fabric whipping in the wind.

Aruna had been here since she was discovered at age thirteen, but every month everyone seemed drawn to the girl on the full moon.

Every month they watched the girl in her element, she acted without a care in the world.

But to one she was their world.

The girl's heart shone brighter than her powers could ever.

She truly had a heart of gold, or sliver as she told everyone, loving the embroidering on her kefta.

But she didn't let it set her apart, she never acted like she was the only one permitted to wear his colours.

And everyone adored the girl, no one, no matter how old or cruel could find it in their old broken hearts to hate her.

They made an event of watching Aruna in her element, setting up blankets and preparing food to snack on. Tidemakers watched and learned from her manipulation of water. Displaying control that they could never achieve. An impossible connection to the element that could make the saints cry.

Her skin glowed, a soft haze of light, unlike one of a candle or Grisha light, but entirely magical. It was as if the moon was blanketing its child in light, one fit for the saints.

Some thought she might be a saint. Sankta Luna, Sankta Aruna, The moon summoner. Everyone wanted to worship the girl, no matter the title, but who could blame them, she had a heart of silver that glowed with kindness.

One Grisha, in particular, wanted to be surrounded by her glow, be responsible for the blush that coated her pale cheeks. Be anything she would let him just to be embraced in her aurora.

That Grisha watched, not with all the others on the lake, enjoying a night relaxing. No, this Grisha stayed in the very thing that made him lonely, separated himself from others, his shadows.

After spending centuries alone, with only his shadows for comfort he finally had something to shine on.

In the background, shrouded in shadows, darker than the night sky, Aleksander allowed his little moon to shine even brighter, despite his darkness. 

Watching as the objects of his affection bask in her element was his favourite pastime. Watching the once scared girl, the girl who cried when she found out where meat came from,  to see her manipulating the water, dancing with her element.

The sight was truly incredible, particularly if you were head over heels in love with her.

Everyone knew that the big scary Darkling had his eyes on Aruna. The man would trail behind her like a lost puppy. And well Aruna seemed obvious to it all.

But who was anyone to spoil the fun of watching the Darkling try and woo Aruna? It provided quite the entertainment for others surrounding them, an unspoken rule that was sustained after every encounter between the two.

Watching the ever so stoic and impassive Darkling stubble of his words while looking at the saint's gift to the world was quite a sight.

He watched in the cover of his shadows, the very same shadows that were craving to feel her touch, attempting to skim across the water so they too might bask in Aruna's touch.

As the moon gave way to the sun, the Grisha packed up and left to start the duties of the day, some scrabbling to gain a few more bells of sleep.

Only three remained, Aruna, Ivan and the man in the shadows. Ivan always stayed, he and Feydor looking after the girl as if she was a sister.

Aruna was smart, she could read people and had read every book in the library. However, her kind heart often led people to believe she was a naive girl.

She was not a naive little girl. She had faced horrors, horrors that had led her to the Little Palace. No one knows the true extent of what happened in Aruba's first thirteen years of life.

They knew about the last ten, surrounded by Grisha, the kind girl who helped anyone. They knew the girl that worked hard, seemingly never sleeping and always had a book or pencil in her hand.

Never about why the girl seemingly never slept, never about why the girl hated carriages and always rod on horseback.

Everyone but one assumed these were just her little quirks or thought a girl that happy had to be as happy as she made others.

If only they knew.