{BOOK 1/3 of The Triumvariate Trilogy}
Adaline was living a normal life moving from military camp to camp as she tried to help anyone in need. Everyone needed her medical advice for she was the best doctor in the country.
But when the Grisha of Rav...
"Do you have any idea how worried we have been for the past weeks!"
"Liv-"
"How could you just leave? What were you even thinking?"
"Mother, that's enough." Surprisingly, it was Maria Lanstov who spoke up.
Adaline looked up for the first time at the gathered royals. She was escorted to the Strategy Room immediately as she stepped into the Grand Palace. Stefan had tried to talk to her but she had avoided eye contact very carefully.
She wasn't Adaline Chernoff, and she definitely wasn't Isabella Dominik. She was and always would be Sophie. That was her truth.
The Darkling had tried to make his way through the gathered crowd to get to her before she was overrun by the royals. Her place was in the Little Palace. She was supposed to be with him. He needed to talk to her.
Seeing her walk towards the castle with a certain determination in her eyes, he was only reminded of Sophie. But she was Adaline. The situation was very confusing but all he needed was to hear her voice again.
"I'm not sorry." Adaline spoke, receiving a long, cold stare from the queen. "I'm not sorry for leaving a place that I never wanted to live in. I'm not sorry for escaping through a secret route when I found out that both my parents were dead." She stood up from her chair. "I never wanted to be a part of any of this."
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"But my dear girl," The softness in the Queen's voice broke her heart. She had no idea what was coming their way. "You already are a part of this."
That was true, but not in the way any of them thought. "I don't want to be. This isn't who I am. In the past few months, I haven't been able to treat anyone. I'm a doctor, nothing more."
"Adaline-" Stefan started.
"No." She said. "I needed time to think about....life and how uncertain it is." She looked at the King and Queen. "That's why I escaped. And it was exactly what it was - escaping. I don't belong here. Os Alta isn't where I imagined myself to be. This isn't who I am."
A silence filled the room.
"Maybe we should continue this tomorrow." Maria suggested. "We could all use some rest for the Annual Ball now that the...." She was going to call Adaline names but decided otherwise. "Now that Adaline is back."
If there was one thing that united Maria and Adaline, it was their love for Ravka and Stefan. "Thank you." Adaline mouthed.
Maria nodded as she led her father out of the room while they talked about the possibility of things changing around them. They let the uptight people make these decisions. They were more worried about what was going to happen if Adaline decided to stay or leave.
