When We Were Young

Eighty-eight:

Eighty-eight:

"You should be relieved to know I have no intention of marrying you." Those were the first words her 'fiancé' said as she was roughly thrown into his room by his guards. He was an eerily gaunt young man, with long golden hair, blue eyes, and high cheek bones. "That was never why I agreed to participate in this ridiculous arrangement. I will not marry a little orphan nobody."

Alina glared at him. They had dressed her up for the occasion of this first meeting. Her hair was down, and she was wearing a simple, white sun dress with pearls around her neck making her look ever the image of the engaged princess. She was two months pregnant, and she had no intention of marrying the person that stood before her even if she had to do something drastic to keep that from happening. "My grandmother believes otherwise. She believes the engagement will take place."

Rasmus laughed. "Your grandmother is a fool. No, I will marry someone from Fjerda. From one of our noble lines. Certainly not the bastard of a marriage that wasn't even blessed by The Apparat."

Alina scowled at him. "My parents were married when they had me."

"Yes, but they weren't supposed to be. You know that don't you? Your mother was supposed to marry Petyr Lantsov, and when she ran off with your father, Prince Asahi Kir-Taban, it threw everything into chaos. It's part of why there will never be peace between Ravka and the Shu Han did you know that? It is no wonder that no one wanted anything to do with you, a living, breathing reminder of your mother and fathers' defiance? No. You would be too dangerous to have around in court. It's a good thing your family left you in that orphanage, where you couldn't cause trouble or remind people of rebellion."

Alina clenched her fists together. "What is it you want from me, then?"

Rasmus arched an eyebrow and walked forward closer to her, with his hands behind his back. "You are a cartographer, are you not, Miss Starkov?" he said.

She nodded. "That was my major in school, yes."

"Well, your parents were working on a little project before they died. They were trying to do the impossible----they were trying to map The Fold. They believed that there were ancient trade routes all through there, connecting all of our countries together. They thought that if they could find them, they could be used to restore peace and prosperity to the continent. I, for one, should like to find those tunnels and use them for a far better, more glorious purpose."

"A more glorious purpose?" Alina said.

Rasmus nodded. "War, Miss Starkov. I want to use them to defeat my enemies. If you wish to continue to survive, you will keep on with your parents' work. You will map The Fold for me."

Alina's eyes widened. "But that could take months, years even."

"Yes. And you will be out of my hair, doing work for Fjerda and I will be able to convince my family that you are.... too involved in your pursuit of The Fold to try and take marriage seriously and be able to marry someone else. Everything works out in the end. I will give you all of the supplies you need, and tomorrow, you will be taken there."

"To The Fold?" Alina repeated. "You're insane."

He grinned. "I am not insane; I am merely a prince who knows exactly what he wants. I want victory for Fjerda, Miss Starkov, and I will have it. Because, If I don't, you have no idea the kind of pain and misery I will bring to you. So much so you won't be suited to be anyone's bride let alone mine. Not that you ever were in the first place, since you have a bastard of your own coming, don't you? Do you think the babe will survive, if it's born in the dark?"

He laughed, and Alina wanted desperately to lunge at him but she knew that she couldn't. Tamar, who was her official guard now asked, "What would you like me to do with her now, your highness?"

"Escort her to her room. After all, she has a long journey tomorrow."