✨ Tattered Wings ✨ Kaz✖️OC.

No other sadness in the world would do

The Shu carriages were of exquisite Maltese, the black lacquer shimmering green in the sunlight. The guards rode in processional beside the carriages. The lead coach rolled to a stop and Aeolian emerged, her black hair falling in lustrous waves as she wore a headpiece made of gold. Her giant emerald engagement ring was unlike any other, it had put the Lanstov emerald to shame. When the engagement took place, the Empress had passed down her very own ring following the Taban tradition.

Aeolian was quickly flanked by two guards in dark green. Nikolai bowed, then he took her hand on his. "Welcome back to the Grand Palace, my consort."

Aeolian felt like she'd descended into one of the plays of the Komedic Brute. Nikolai's behaviour was getting more and more unnerving, with every step he grew more bold, standing too close, kissing her hand. He clearly wanted to show that; this marriage was not just another lifeless royal marriage but a marriage born out of love.

Nikolai had thrown a lavish dinner party for her arrival, they ate cold soup from jeweled cups, the Empress would've flinch at the obnoxious looking cups. There were the roasted lamb slathered with currant jelly, mushrooms baked in cream, brandied cuckoo. The Ravkan's and the Shu's were completely the opposites when it comes to fine dinning.

Being a vegetarian, she didn't find any of the foods appealing as she continued having her cold soup. But she found the centerpiece that ran the length of the table impressive: a living miniature forest rendered in elaborate detail, complete with groves of tiny pines, a climbing trumpet vine with blossoms no bigger than a fingernail, and a little hut that hid the salt cellar.

After dinner the real party began with music, wines, dances and gossip. Aeolian pleaded a headache and quietly made her escape. But Nikolai caught her at the doors. "You should stay," he said. "This is good practice for the monotony of court."

"I need my beauty sleep." She said.

"Are you planning to sleep under a rosebush?" he asked, glancing down toward the garden.

"I've been a good little dancing bear, Nik. I've done all my tricks, and now it's time for me to say goodnight." She looked at him.

Nikolai sighed. "I just wish I could go with you."

Nikolai wore full military dress, a pale blue sash across his chest. The light from the parlor glinted off his medals and gilded the edges of his golden hair. He was playing the role of the polished King tonight. But standing there, he just looked like a lonely boy who didn't want to return to a party by himself.

They took the curving staircase down to the sunken garden. Walking side by side on the manicured grounds, scanning their surroundings. Until Nikolai spoke. "You look beautiful. I've been wanting to say so since I first saw you."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"Walk with me down the lake?" Nikolai said, "I promise I won't drop to one knee and start composing ballads to your beauty."

She squinted. "I'm going to push you into the lake."

Aeolian loves being around the waters, it brings her memories of Ketterdam. Who'd have ever thought she'd miss that saints forsaken city, the barrel, the thugs and the thieves—that life, but she did. And she missed her friends painfully. She'd been keeping track of their lives and they'll seemed to be doing pretty good. Nina being a spy in Fjerda, Wylan running an empire with Jesper by his side, Kaz being the person he deserved to be.