The Tsar, The Princess And The Tailor

A Better Reunion

Nikolai found himself in a dream - well, Sturmhond. His crew was around him, blurred but there. He could hear Tamar chastising Tolya for his poetry somewhere in the background, beaming as he flew The Hummingbird over miles of sea below. And then, like it happened on their way to Keramzin, they were suddenly hit by a searing ball of fire.

Screams. The feeling of gravity pulling his stomach up into his chest. He tried to join them but no sounds left his lips. The world was dark, illuminated only by the flame still set to the sail. He turned to his crew, hoping to help them but watched, helpless and unable to move as they were picked up one by one in the dark, bodies hanging limp. He tried to cry out again, his body going stiff once he caught a glimpse of himself in the water.

It was that thing. The shadow monster. Just him and just it, all alone, blood and flame the only thing around for miles. No one could save him now. It killed everyone else. He had killed everyone else.

Nikolai woke up, coughing and panting, dragging a weary hand over his face. Why sleep if he was only going to end up more tired? He considered calling out to the creature to ask it if it had done that on purpose somehow, leaking into his subconscious and putting together such a harrowing picture. But no. He only blamed himself.

The truth was, powerful or not, the prospect of being in control of shadow like the Darkling was frightening. He'd seen the evil that man was capable of and he could tell that the thing inside him was growing stronger. That had become obvious when he looked at his back in the mirror and saw the black lines beginning to flow into his bloodstream.

Merzost. The beginning of the end.

So was he dying? Would he be punished for an ability he didn't even ask for? Only time would tell but he certainly wasn't going to let anyone know. There was already doubt about his leadership. This would ruin everything - heck, even Alina would probably kill him without hesitation if it meant destroying the last remnant of Kirigan in their world.

He felt like crying, again. Instead, he got himself ready for the day. There was much to do. What the Fjerdan woman had done was a challenge to his nation, he knew that much. The question was how, not why. There was no way to combat such power unless he knew more about it. And he'd already sent a letter to his crow friends in Ketterdam, asking for any information they could get.

"Why, your majesty and greatness, are you forgetting about someone?" He froze, a smile tugging at his lips when he heard Alina's voice. He spun around, resisting the urge to pick her up and thank her for the distraction.

"Apologies, fiancée. Good morni- Ixora." He paled once again, shaking his head when she reached out to him. "Sorry. I'm fine. I just... Give me good news, please?"

"It is good. She's okay. But she's also been helping out with the survivors since yesterday which means she must be exhausted." He gritted his teeth for a moment. She was supposed to be convalescing. She was a victim of that unheard-of level of power, too. Yet, it sounded just like her to push her needs aside to do what was best for others. She always said she wasn't royalty material but he'd never believed it for a second. "It might help if you maybe suggested that she pace herself?"

"I'm busy, Alina."

"Of course, you are. We always are but that doesn't mean you can't spare her a few minutes."

"Alina..."

"Some seconds, then! You haven't seen her in so long! I'm sure you must have missed each other." Why was she so invested in this? He felt almost irritated at the fact that she was more eager for him to go see Ixora than he was. All he felt at the thought of a second reunion was fear. He had to fix everything, first. Or what was left of things. After that, he could go to her with his tail between his legs and ask her forgiveness for putting her through such a traumatic experience.