The Dual Summoner and the Darkling

Heading to the Skiff

We laid like that for a bit falling asleep but I felt him stir and leave the bed as I opened my eyes. I couldn't sleep so when we went to look over his war plans I left the room without him seeing. Walking I walked the halls wondering just what was bothering me as I kept walking till I made it to our church connected to the little palace. No one was supposed to be here but I needed to clear my head, I'd never really been here because no saint had been in front of all of us and yet now they thought I was.

The Sun Queen, that's what people call me but it's not true. I'm not just a Sun Summoner, I'm a tidemaker too so what does that make me? I thought

The fact I came from a bloodline of sun summoners was the secret that no one was wanting to talk about. I was born in a mixed bloodline of summoners, my grandfather was Inferni and my grandmother was Sun Summoner, between those two my dad had inherited the Sun Summoner from his mother and I'd inherited both of my abilities from my parents.

As I looked at the tapestries I stopped at one, a man with chains on his wrist with the amplifiers on it. Sankt Ilya Morozova, Aleksander's grandfather that people said was dead but then again I didn't completely think that was true. My senses knew dead was never dead as the black Heretic was supposed to be dead and Aleksander was very much alive. I was so focused I didn't even hear the sound of footsteps walking in there until he spoke.

"Having trouble sleeping, Milaya?" Aleksander said

I couldn't help but blush at his words as I felt his hand on my shoulder while he saw what I was looking at. I was never really that big of a believer but this power the people had to worship and believe was clear to see. Aleksander didn't say anything right away as I just stared at the tapestries and I questioned if this was right. Was I rushing into marriage because of obligation, because of finding what fate decided was my soulmate?

"Are you having second thoughts?" Aleksander asked and I sighed, "Would you be upset if I thought we were rushing into this?" I asked without looking at him.

He made me turn around to look at him and I saw in his eyes a bit of anger with our arrangement. I was to be his wife and if Dual Summoners were found I was to lead them and here I was second-guessing myself. I knew he was the only person I'd been interested in, there had been no one else.

"I think Nico is a bad influence on you, he'll be sent back to the first army." Aleksander said as I looked at him shocked. "Nico risked his life to keep me safe, to lead me to the stag." I said in a defensive tone.

I'd lost so much already and I was having a debate but I knew my powers were still my own. He wanted to bridge us together someday but it was on my terms because I wasn't a foolish girl he could manipulate. "You can't send him back to the first army; they will kill him! I need allies and he is one of my allies." I said

Aleksander seemed threatened by Nico just being here because of him being a man, I didn't look at Nico the same way but I knew there was a lot already. I went to walk away as Aleksander grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. I felt the cool of the altar in the church against my back as I looked at him.

"Aleksander, why'd you do that?" I asked, he just walked over as he kissed me, I kissed him back as I put my arms around his neck feeling him lifting me up to where I was sitting on the altar. I pulled away as I started realizing he was getting ideas and I tried to push him back.

"Why are you scared?" Aleksander asked as I looked at him, I knew there was so much going through my head but I was scared of making mistakes. If I was going to be looked at like a saint I thought I needed to act the part and yet he tempted me from those. He made me look him eye to eye as if questioning me "Are you afraid what they'll think if they find out the truth about me? That you will be the Black Heretic's wife?"