𝕬𝖗𝖘𝖔𝖓𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖘 𝕷𝖚𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖇𝖞 - [𝗞𝗮𝘇 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗸𝗸𝗲𝗿]

𝐱𝐥𝐢. 𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘺𝘦𝘷𝘰

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄 — nichyevo

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 𝐍𝐈𝐊𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐈 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐕'𝐒 𝐁𝐈𝐑𝐓𝐇𝐃𝐀𝐘 had been an affair lasting for well over a week. While he might have had whispers taunting him behind his back, questions of his true blood, of his legitimacy within the royal family... but that wasn't enough for the Queen — a rather dreadful woman — to turn up her nose and cancel the celebrations.

 When the day finally arrived, and Nikolai flounced about the palace in his familiar sky-blue attire dotted with sprigs of gold, Aleksa had been greeted the moment she awoke beneath the glare of a sunbeam.

 At first, she'd thought Alina had come to blind her for all the jests and jibes Aleksa had made at the Sun Summoner's expense... but no, it was dear Zoya Nazyalensky. The delightful Squaller had tossed the fluttering curtains aside, grinning when Aleksa — rather Lissa — had swatted the tricking sunlight as though she didn't have the power to banish the stream with a mere wiggle of her fingers.

 "Saint's," Aleksa groaned, burying her face within the plush pillow, "Why do you spite me, Zoya?"

 "Spite? No, no, I'm... preparing, let's say. After all, you are expected to dine with Alina and the royal family." Zoya tossed her billowing locks of black hair over her shoulders. The pale embroidery crawling over her blue kefta practically glistened like diamonds, "I'm doing you a favour. You should be thanking me."

 Aleksa dragged herself higher, fingers tangling in the black hair pouring from her pale head. It was still strange to wake with a frock of obsidian trailing the length of her back, to see fingers as pale as Fjerda sprouting from her hands.

 It was expected of Aleksa to be there tonight, to represent her own bloodline and the ties it had made with Ravka. To show loyalty... to prove that she was no longer following the commands of her — of the Black Heretic.

 Nikolai had personally invited her with as much suave as he could muster. His charming face had concocted such a dazzling grin, one truly befitting a prince that could corral the masses to kneel before him.

 He'd poked and prodded at Aleksa's silence, and she had simply let him. It was rather... well, fun to watch a prince slowly descend into madness all to capture her attention. She'd left him with a fleeting sigh and said, "I have to be there."

 "You'll have such charming company, I can assure you!" He had called, voice bellowing through the ground smothered in sweet rose bushes.

 "Of course I will, Alina will be there!"

 He'd been left to grin to himself after that, all the while Aleksa had walked away with a growing, taste of bitterness on her tongue.