When We Were Young

Sixty-two:

Sixty-two:

Aleksander bolted up in the middle of the night to the sound of someone rummaging through the apartment. He glanced over at Alina, who was wrapped around him tightly, and completely naked. There was the sound of shattering glass, and Aleksander froze. Someone was in the apartment. "Alina," Aleksander hissed.

Alina muttered something in her sleep that Aleksander couldn't make out. "Alina!" Aleksander hissed again, and Alina bolted upright.

"What, what is it?" she said.

"Get dressed," Aleksander said, "there's someone here."

The two of them got out of bed and quickly pulled their pajamas on. "Who could possibly be here?" Alina said. "Could it be your mom?"

Aleksander shook his head. "Not a chance. She doesn't break things. She breaks people and souls."

"Well that's bleak."

"Stay here," he said.

Alina gripped his hand tightly. "That's not happening."

Aleksander scowled. "Please. If something happens to me, you can still get out of here. Please, just stay here Alina."

"Aleks----"

"Please," he begged, cupping her face in his hand and then kissing her deeply. There was the sound of shattering glass again.

"Fine," she said.

Aleksander went to his closet, and he pulled out a baseball bat that he kept in there from his high school days when he'd played. "I'll be back," he said, "I promise."

Alina walked up to him again, and kissed him one more time. "You'd better come back in one piece, Morozova."

"It's going to be fine," said Aleksander, "call the stad watch for me, yeah?"

"Okay," Alina whispered.

Aleksander gave her one, last look and he went out of the room. As he made his way down the stairs, he saw someone moving in the darkness. The lights flickered on and sitting on the leather chair that Aleksander had in his living room was a man Aleksander thought looked vaguely familiar. "Your taste is very...cliché, Mr. Morozova. Exactly what I expected, and yet somehow I am disappointed."

The stranger had blond hair that greyed at the temples, with blue eyes.

"I wasn't the one that decorated it," said Aleksander.

The man chuckled. "I guess that's true. I looked up the name on this place. You don't even own it. It's owned by your mother. She gives you, what, an allowance?"

Aleksander frowned. "She used to. Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Jarl Brum. I'm a messenger."

"From where?"

"From Fjerda, of course. Your Princesses fiancé has sent me here to issue a warning to you."

Aleksander raised an eyebrow. "I don't know any Princesses."

Jarl Brum laughed. "Yes, you do. She's the one that I'm sure is naked, or at least half, in your room upstairs."

Aleksander glared. "There's no one upstairs."

"Of course not. I should hope not, that would be improper, especially since she is engaged to another man and has been since she was a child per the request of her grandmother, the Queen of Shu Han."

Aleksander shook his head. "That arrangement was made without her consent. Her parents must not have wanted it, because they specifically put stipulations in their will to make it so that her family couldn't contact her. From what I've gathered, Alina's only obligated to marry your Prince if she takes the money from her inheritance. Alina wants nothing to do with your arrangement, or the money."

Jarl shook his head. "You don't know what you're getting involved in, boy. I can make you disappear so that you never see her again. If you want to avoid a lot of heart break, I suggest that you walk away. Perhaps you can do it alive, even. Or with all of your limbs intact, if you are lucky."

"You're trespassing," said Aleksander, "and I don't think this arrangement with Alina is about Alina. I never have. If it were, I don't think someone would have paid me to ruin her back when I was still working with my mom."

Jarl Brums eyes widened. "What are you talking about?"

"I was getting money from both sides. Which means someone knows the truth about this little arrangement, and that its more than an alliance, and that they don't want it to happen. Alina is with me, and she's going to stay with me. There is nothing that you could do to make her give us up."

"I wouldn't be so certain, Mr. Morozova. Everyone has a price. Including the poor, little orphan from Keramzin. Her little friend Malyen certainly did have a price. I imagine a young girl that grew up with nothing would do a lot to secure her future."

"Aleks?" Alina called out. "Is everything okay?"

Alina appeared at the top of the stairs, wearing his boxers and a Ravka U t-shirt. She saw the Jarl Brum sitting on the black, leather chair Aleksander had, and her eyes went from him to Aleksander. "Who is that?" Alina asked.

Jarl Brum stood up from his seat and smiled. "Miss Starkov, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm an emissary from your betrothed, Prince Rasmus. I was simply telling your young man here how it would be much easier for everyone involved if he were to back away. Prince Rasmus does not want to make things difficult, but he will if he has too, Miss Starkov. You have been promised to him since birth."

"Not by my parents!" Alina snarled. "I don't know who did---"

"Your Grandmother, the Queen of Shu Han, very much wishes for the alliance."

Alina flinched. "I'm sorry. My grandmother what?"

Jarl Brum grinned. "Your family wasn't supposed to tell you or interfere. But I am not your family. You are the granddaughter of the Queen of Shu Han, and it was she who arranged for your alliance. The Lantsovs tried to say that you belonged to Ravka, because you were born here, and your mother wished it. But you have royal blood in you, Miss Starkov, and the Queen of Shu Han wishes for you to have the best out of life."

Alina glared at him. "The Queen of Shu Han ignored my family my whole life and left me to rot alone for years. Tell the Queen, and your prince, that they can both leave me alone. Because I want nothing to do with them."

Jarl Brum laughed bitterly. "Oh Miss Starkov. You've no idea what you've just done."

Alina walked down the stairs to where Aleksander was standing, and she gripped his hand tightly. "Ravka is my home. Aleksander is who I love, and who I'm going to be with, and no one is going to stop that from happening. Now, leave my home, before I call the stad watch and report you for trespassing."

Jarl Brum stood from the seat he'd been in. "Fine. But this matter isn't finished, Miss Starkov. One way or another, Fjerda will get what it wants."