Sword & Succession - A Darklina AU Fanfic

Chapter 23

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𝔸𝕝𝕚𝕟𝕒 𝕊𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕠𝕧

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I woke to the sun streaming through the thin gap in the curtains. Blinking I rose slightly, pulling the covers over me and enjoying the smooth feeling on my skin. I looked around and suddenly remembered where I was.

Aleksander's room was exactly how I remembered. Little had changed since the short amount of time I'd spent in here during the Winter Fete. Who would've thought that a few rushed minutes was all it would take? The next thing I knew, I'd had Reagan.

I turned, to see Aleksander's sleeping form beside me. He was on his side, head facing my direction. They really did look uncannily similar. Despite the lack of stubble, Reagan's shoulder-length hair and height difference, the two could almost be mirror images of each other. My heart gave a little jump as I silently slid from the covers and picked up my nightdress, lying in a messy pile at the foot of the bed.

The events of last night came crashing back on me. What had I been thinking? I'd fallen under his spell again. Like I did every time I saw him. Only this time, I was certain he'd felt that same pull between us too. I quickly exited the room, slowly closing the bedroom door behind me.

I leaned against the war room's giant, map table and sighed. I ran a hand through my tangled hair and rubbed my eyes of sleep. What had I been thinking? I asked myself to question over and over again.

I'd left this life behind me. I'd left him behind me. All this was supposed to be in the past. So why... Why was it that every time I saw his face, I wanted to run to him again? The longing for him to hold me like he did last night was impossible to ignore.

"Morning."

I flinched and spun around. Aleksander stood at the door, buttoning his shirt and striding towards me. My heart did that annoying flutter again as he bent down to kiss me. I should've pushed him away. I should've thought of Mal and how I was betraying his memory. I should've thought of why I was supposed to hate him for all the things he'd done and the things he planned to do. But my head went empty as I felt his soft lips on mine. Oh, how I hated him.

"Are you hungry?" He asked after I somehow found the will to take a step away. I nodded, unable to form words and unable to look away from those cool, quartz eyes. "I'll get a servant to bring us something. Unless you'd like to join the other Grisha in the dining hall."

My mind flashed to Reagan. Perhaps he'd be there? But then I remembered the look in his eyes the last time we'd talked. The hate and disgust. I don't think I could put up with that again. "Here's fine," I replied.

A few minutes later and we were settled at his table, the servants bringing in two silver trays of food. I forced myself not to blush as the servant with my tray inspected my nightdress before leaving the room. Silence ensued for a long moment. The two of us stared at our trays quietly. Apparently, neither of us were that hungry. Aleksander shifted in his seat. "Alina-"

"Please don't tell Reagan," I blurted.

"Huh?"

"Please," she begged, eyes glued to her plate of toast and eggs. "He's already upset with me being here. I don't want to confuse him, or give him the wrong idea."

"I'm sure he'd be happy to know you're on our side now." I glanced up at him and wish I hadn't. 'Cause he read me instantly and knew my allegiance hadn't changed. He sighed, staring down at his own tray. "I won't say anything. I promise."

I forced myself to bite into my toast and swallow. But I barely tasted it as it went down. 

"Reagan and I are leaving tomorrow," he said suddenly.

"Where?"

"Fjerda." My fork slipped from my hand and hit my plate, tumbling to the ground with a clang. "I told you this was going to happen."

"I know. I just... I didn't expect it to be so soon. Must you take Reagan with you?"

He turned his head, staring out a window. "He's the key to winning this war," he said in a loud whisper.

"A war that you started." The words came out in a half-hiss that made Aleksander flinch. "So is that all Reagan is to you? A weapon."

His widened eyes displayed his shock. "No!" He inhaled sharply. "Reagan is far more to me than that! Alina, please! You must understand that I care for Reagan, just as much as you do. Alina, before he was born, I was doing all this for my kind. Now... Everything I do, I do for my family. That includes you too." I looked straight down at my plate. "I'm trying to build a safer world for our son to be himself in. I want a world where he can live without fear or doubt. Don't you want that too?"

"Of course, I do!" My voice raised as I looked up to meet his colourless eyes. It offended her how he could ask that question as if she ever wouldn't want Reagan to be safe.

"Then why won't you help me achieve it?" His own voice grew louder as well, eyes sharpening as his shoulders tensed.

I threw down my knife, hands bawling into fists on the table. "Cause this isn't the way to do it!" I shouted so hard my throat stung. "For Saint's sake Aleksander! Think of all the people you're going to hurt! What if Reagan gets hurt? What if he's killed in the process?"

Aleksander rose from his seat so hard his chair tumbled backwards. He looked ready to shout, but at the last second, he inhaled slowly. On his exhale, his whole body stilled and relaxed. "I will never let that happen- You know that." I wanted to love this man. I wanted to have him with my whole heart. But deep down, past all the caring words and the love he might share for me, he was a monster. Did loving a monster make me one too?

Aleksander strode over, picking up his kefta and shrugging it on, not making eye contact with me the whole way. "If you really loved our son, then you'd join us tomorrow."

The words, although spoken softly, felt like daggers in my heart. "If anything happens to my boy out there. It'll be all your fault." He glanced back at her, his expression forlorn before he left the room.

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Hey Readers!

Sorry for the sad ending, but these two have got
a lot of stuff to sort out, am I right?

Loving all the kind, and sometimes funny, comments!
Thank you all so much!

Hope you're enjoying the story.
More is on the way!