ECLIPSE, grishaverse

x. light in the dark

               YELENA STARKOV WASN'T MUCH of a drinker, but when her nerves were at edge and not even a cup of tea could calm them, she needed something stronger to soothe her. She'd barely ate after what went down in the dark corner of the garden and seeing the Darkling again. She had gone directly to the library after dinner and picked up every book with information about volcra, amplifiers and anything that could give her a hint of what was happening to her. She took them to her chambers and ordered the servant to bring her a bottle of something strong as she started going through the yellowish pages.

Yelena was sitting on a chair in front of the dark wooden desk in her room, a pile of papers to sign and another already signed were on a corner, then the rest of the black surface was covered in books,— some open, some already discarded,— and a glass filled with amber liquid between them.

When Nikolai came into the room after a yell from the other side of the door, he was confused with the scene.

"I see you started without me." he said, that was when Yelena looked up to find his hazel staring at the brandy on the table. Then her eyes flickered to the dark bottle in one of his hands, and the crystal glasses in the other. She furrowed her brows.

"What's that?" she asked as she stood up and started tidying up the desk, closing and piling the books.

"Well, you are clearly stressed and if I recall correctly, you were very happy with a glass of wine on your hand back on the Volkvolny." Nikolai spoke, he left both cups on the desk and opened the wine, then he poured the clear liquid in them.

Yelena sat back down on a chair and let her back rest against the wood while sighing, her gray eyes following Nikolai's silhouette and movements until they fell on the drinks.

"Is it white?" she asked.

"Yes. Best stuff from Kerch." He handed her a glass and pulled another chair closer to hers before sitting down with his drink.

Yelena's fingers brushed with his but she was to perplexed to acknowledge the warm feeling creeping on her stomach. She brought the glass to her lips and inhaled its sweet scent before taking a sip. The familiar taste caressed her tongue and swam down her throat while memories from Ketterdam flooded her mind. It was the same wine she used to drink in the Crow Club's bar, with Nina and Inej in the White Rose, and her very personal favorite.

She'd probably done a satisfied face because Nikolai mumbled, "that is something I would like to see every day."

Yelena chuckled, taking another sip. "You might. After all, you already seem to know the way to my heart."

Nikolai side smiled, his hazel eyes locked with Yelena's gray. They fell silent and enjoyed the wine for long minutes. The prince's orbs inspected the books covers and the rest of the papers on the desk carefully. Yelena might've tried to play it cool, but he knew something was off, and he also knew she would deny it. So he decided to move on to another topic.

"What did you and Vasily talk today?" Nikolai asked, his hazel going back to the General as they ran down her silhouette, taking every detail of her and making a mental picture, trying to capture her relaxed side.

"Not much. We might've talk a little about you..." She mumbled, a small smirk decorating her lips.

"I hope only about good things..."

"Well, sorry to disappoint you." Yelena pressed her lips together, even tho a chuckle escaped from between them. Nikolai was about to ask more but the General cut him short. "He said something about us— older siblings, having to stick together and..." the girl fell silent as she remembered Vasily's words and that voice in her head spoke. What if Nikolai wasn't who she thought he was? What if he was lying to them all along? Yelena wouldn't admit it out loud, but Senior Lantsov's little speech in the gardens had made her slightly doubt the man in front of her. Maybe she was saying too much, maybe she should listen to Vasily this once.