The Dual Summoner and the Darkling

Dinner and Banya

I smiled at his compliment even though I didn't feel like telling him about what Baghra told me about. I wondered if he knew though as I know Baghra said it was done when he was a boy. So there was a chance that he knew the truth. Maybe that was why he was always trying to show such a claim toward me even though Zoya was around. Zoya, just thinking about her made my mood mixed.

"Thank you." I said

"I figured you would like something different, do you like it?" Aleksander asked

"I do." I said, "But I have not worn a dress since I was a child."

He led me to the table where food was already prepared and ready along with candles. If I didn't question what he did I'd almost say he was a good romantic. I knew that he hadn't fully let me in on his plans for the fold. I knew he'd told me the truth that it could be weaponized if he wanted to. He led me to my chair and pulled out my chair for me.

"Thank you." I said as I took the seat and he sat across from me.

We ate in silence until he seemed to be thinking of something, I knew that there was something he was hiding from me. I just wanted to get through this dinner with ease as we ate but everything seemed a bit tense. I wondered if there was something that happened while we were away but he didn't seem to bring it up.

"Something on your mind?" Aleksander said

"Sort of. The conversation with Baghra was different." I said

"What did she say?" Aleksander asked

I hesitated telling him as I knew there was so much going on. I just shook my head but I heard him get up and walk around the table as he approached me and had me look at him. His concern in his eyes knowing his mother said something and I wasn't saying bothered him clearly.

"Amira, tell me." Aleksander said

"Your mother..made a deal with my father." I said

"Mother makes a lot of deals with Grisha, what about this one bothers you?" Aleksander said

"It's not just about me, it's about us." I said "She wanted my father's daughter to be your wife. According to her you were just a boy at the time it was done."

My shock had already happened and now it was his turn as he looked at me hearing that this was a bit of an arrangement. Letting me go and walking back over to his seat we both started to eat but he didn't say anything at first. I knew that there was always a possibility that he didn't know and his surprise said he didn't.

"So she goes that far." Aleksander said "and yet she hid you all these years."

"I was a child when I came here but still she did hide me." I said

We both started to eat and for a while it was calm but there was still the matter of his healer. Baghra had mentioned she'd been killed and I could only come to think he loved this healer, his first love. I figured it must have been hard for her but I knew the truth that Heartrenders and Healers were more human than the other Grisha. I took a sip of my drink when I felt his hand on my other hand as I looked at him.

"No rush, Amira. It has to be when you're comfortable and feel it's the right time but that would give people a lot of hope." Aleksander said

I nod "No rush." I said

Aleksander removed his hand and we were finishing eating when the doors to his chamber burst open and I looked up with food on the fork as I looked up seeing Zoya. Zoya was one of the people I avoided since returning but she seemed like there was something important when she looked at me. The black silk dress with my design and the necklace was easy for her to see, I thought her just walking in without knocking was rude.