𝑫𝑹𝑰𝑭𝑻 [currently being edited]

chapter 25 - mirror

When Aruna looked in the mirror every morning she was glad that she did not see her mother. She did not see her mothers eyes, nor nose or complexion.

While Aruna's mother was undoubtedly beautiful, Aruna was a different type of beauty, 'ethereal' as Aleksander would call her.

Her eyes were always a dark blue, nearly black but in the sun you could swear that you saw stars. Dark brown hair, almost black and skin a mix of what must be her fathers Suil heritage mixed in with her mothers pale complexion.

Aruna was truly beautiful, yet she had never looked at a person and saw a mirror of herself. On a few occasions she saw herself mirroring her mothers looks, twitching her eye when she laughed too hard or her quick reflexes.

Yet she never saw someone mirror her head tilting back as she laughed or nervously playing with their hair when in an awkward or nervous situation.

Habits, natural to her since birth, but completely unknown.

Thinking about her father was something that Aruna did not do often, after her mothers confession thoughts about her father seemed to surface.

That information was the most Aruna had ever heard pertaining to her father, no one in the tiny village even gossiped about him. No little whispers or side comments, a rare occasion for a single mother.

Had Aruna craved for a father that would sweep her away from the salt mines and into a castle to be a princess, yes. Or a baker that comes and teaches Aruna to bake, yes.

But Aruna went to the kitchen's to learn how to bake, she felt guilty telling the staff that she wanted to learn in case she needed it to survive. But in reality she wanted to complete something that got her through the cold nights, through the salt mines.

Indulging in the little things that she wouldn't even imagine the luxuriousness of having as a child. Sugar in tea, a full belly, sweet sugar pastries, and luxury dresses that she knew Aleksander commissioned the grisha women to make.

Before they were even together one of the seamstresses had let it slip that all the amazing dresses Aruna wore to events were chosen by Aleksander, always requesting that it make Aruna's eyes sparkle.

And boy did they sparkle when King's birthday ball arrived. The biggest event in the year, merchants, princes and queens alike came to the Grand Palace. Games of politics and poker ensued, scandalous affairs and drunken officers.

Grisha always made an appearance, and this was the first time that Aruna would be on Aleksander's arm, as his equal.

What were they? All Aruna knew is that they slept together in the same bed every night, that Aleksander commissioned a painting of Aruna's favourite constellation in her bathroom and that he was in their chambers before Aruna every night. They ate dinner together, laughed as a couple and dreamt as a couple.

Could Aleksander become a poet with his nightly 'appreciate Aruna time', no.

But did Aruna fall in love with the man even more, yes.

It wasn't just his sweet little words, it was his actions that showed he cared, stargazing and horse rides became a weekly thing. Threatening to push Nikolai into the fold for touching Aruna too friendly seemed to be a daily occurrence.

Why? Because he was there. Aleksander was there with Aruna, hand in hand. Hands together under the table in the war room, little notes when he had to wake up before her to ensure that he was still thinking of her, including little drawings of 'his little moon'.

Aleksander was there, and that meant Aruna was there as well.

Aleksander, still ensuring that her new dress made her eyes sparkle, still desperate to live out her story with the princess and her dark haired prince.

And the dress did make her eyes sparkle, and the light reflecting off the chandeliers in the crowded ballroom, people were everywhere.

Yet Aruna loved to stay on the side lines and watch people, watch the couples interact, the filthy rich mingle. The perverted men praying on the staff, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Until Aruna saw a man, a man who mirrored her head tightly back as she laughed, and then variously playing with his hair as the crowd reacted to his joke. A man that mirrored her skin tone, and eyes and with hair that was dark brown but not black.

A man that spoke with a Kerch accent, her staring must have been noticeable, so noticeable that Aleksander came up and asked if she was alright, a concerned gilt in his eyes.

Yet when he turned to see what Aruna was so blatantly staring at, he too stopped and starred.