Sunshine and Shadow - A Darklina Fanfic

Sleep Deprived

A/n: Don't worry guys, Aleksander's POV will come soon in the later chapters, I hope you guys are liking it so far! Please vote and comment, I will do my best to reply. Also, I love reading your reactions to some of the lines, and I would also appreciate some feedback or point out some editing mistakes. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

Alina's POV: 

It felt like as soon as I fell asleep again, I woke up. When I sat up, I realized how tired and groggy I was. 

"Oh- saints, Alina, you have never looked worse." A disdainful but friendly voice said from where my dresser was.

I looked up and rubbed my eyes to so a woman facing away from me with unmistakable red hair.

"Genya?!" I whisper-shouted, afraid that if I was too loud, she wouldn't be real.

"Yes, Alina. It's me." She said, her voice breaking down. She was staring at herself in the mirror, which I couldn't see yet.

I shot up from bed, eager to see my best friend, not caring that she was on the Darkling's side.

I grabbed her arm, and she flinched. 

My jaw dropped as I saw her face when she turned around. 

Genya's famillar beautiful face was overrun with scars, her face looking like cracked glass.

My thoughts drifted to what Aleksander told me last night. 

What did you do to her? 

Only what I needed to do

"Oh Genya-" I said in disbelief as I embraced her. "What did he do to you?" 

She hugged me back, and I felt safe, something I haven't felt in a while.

"There's nothing I can do about it now. The Darkling showed me mercy by letting me stay with you. He knows that I wouldn't try to revolt against him again." She admitted, her eyes pleading to not ask more.

"Well, what does the Darkling want?" I asked with fear.

Genya stroked my arm, "It's nothing big. He just wants me to help you brighten up before you go on your week-long trip."

My brows furrowed in confusion. "Week-long trip? He didn't tell me anything about a trip-"

This changes things. If I'm not at the palace I can't find my allies.

I'll just have to wait a week until I get back. 

"Do you know anything about this trip?" I asked Genya as she sat me down in a cushioned chair.

She shook her head, "Unfortunately no. But he was very insistent that no one should be in the room when he was discussing it in the war room." 

I wracked my brain for any information, or clues that Aleksander might've dropped on what this mystery trip was, then mentally smacked myself for forgetting.

I gulped down my fear and anger. We were going to expand the Fold. But where in the fold? Where Fjerda is? Or where the Shu Han is? 

"Alina, you look back to normal now." Genya said in a light tone, and she was right. The battle and the stress leading up to it had taken a toll on my appearence. 

Usually I didn't care, but I was a queen now.

Yes, I was a queen now. I thought in my head. I needed to let that sink in. 

Genya handed me the black kefta that was hanging over the chair all night. 

"Here." She said as she helped me put it on. It had a slightly different feeling than the other kefta I had.