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" Is it cool that I said all that?
Is it chill that you're in my head?
'Cause I know that it's delicate,
(Delicate) "
―I WALK WITH my arm linked in Nikolai's, the two of us peacefully strolling the palace gardens. Trust the Lantsov prince to be the one to remember that I love roses as we pass the gorgeous, vibrant flowers. Somehow, my mind has associated the scent of rose petals with my first ever kiss, and I can't help but feel as though all of the dreams I've dreamt as a child have been achieved. Here I am with a real prince in the palace gardens while I wear the most beautiful, excessive gown I've ever been granted. Perks of being the future queen, I suppose.
But the only real perk I care for is the prince I'll have to share a bed with one day.
Saints know how bad I wish it were Nikolai I was engaged to instead.
"I have to say, I'm impressed with your idea of bringing the Materialki into combat," Nikolai says, breaking the peaceful silence.
"It was Zoya's idea," I admit.
"But you brought it to life," he counters.
"I won't engage in a compliment battle because I know I'll win," I state matter-of-factly, eliciting a sly grin from Nikolai.
"I must be quite amazing, then."
"Don't flatter yourself," I mutter.
He laughs and it's as though the world brightens and the flowers bloom at that beautiful sound that compete with even Rusalye's singing. A few Grisha are on the fields training together and I stare out, wondering who I could have been if I hadn't spoken to Sturmhond that day on the whaler, if I hadn't agreed to help him aboard the Volkvolny.
It's almost scary how different things could have been had I made one different move. I could have been the one that Nikolai was preparing to vanquish instead of the Darkling.
"You've been acting strange," Nikolai says, tucking my hair behind my ear. "You can tell me things, you know."
"What if someone hears?" I glance around.
"They won't. What stays in this garden stays here."
I pause slightly. "You have a lot of faith in a few rose bushes."
"It isn't as though I haven't come here before. Princes have off days as well," Nikolai hums, fingers tracing the petals of a newborn rose. "Though an off day for Vasily is more like not getting the pony he planned on gifting to his seventh lady."
"Sounds horrifying," I say with a grin.
"Oh, it is. He stomps around like a child all day."
I laugh as a gust of wind blows past, the rose bushes rustling as if there are tiny little flowers dancing around together, lacing vines with vines as though holding hands.
