No Winter Can Last Forever (O.C x The Darkling)

s i x

The Little Palace was thrown into chaos, preparing for the arrival of the alleged sun summoner. Thankfully with Amadora in charge, there wasn't much to worry about in terms of organization. She had the Okatzat'sya prepare the Vezda suite for the girl.

Alina was her name.

Amadora had done research on the origins of her name which traditionally meant light or sun. It made her laugh when she realized that both of their names had almost prophesied their abilities.

Due to the mass amounts of planning that needed to be done, Amadora handed off her training duties to Edita for the week, much to her student's dismay. Edita was a fine fighter but she wasn't nearly as kind and enjoyable as a teacher like Amadora was. Her students continued to get distracted by a glimpse of her red hair flashing past the archway to the courtyard, hoping that maybe she would take a moment to come in and observe them. But alas, she didn't, storming off down every corridor, giving somebody orders on the way things needed to be done.

Her mind was running a mile a minute as she wanted to make sure everything was perfect for Aleksander and Alina's imminent arrival. If she was in fact the Sun Summoner, her life was about to change.

That was one thing Amadora knew well. Being plucked from your former life and taken to the little palace, only to be told you are something of a myth and legend. Treated with the utmost respect and alternatively treated like dirt all at the same time. It reminded her of when Aleksander had brought her to the Little Palace many years prior.

If her timing was correct, they were set to arrive just before sundown so Amadora sat herself down into the war room. The updated maps had just been delivered from the cartographers in Chernast and Kribirsk earlier that morning, meaning things needed to be updated. She delicately moved pieces around to match the maps. One particular map caught her eye, the name A. Starkov was signed in the corner in beautiful cursive.

A Cartographer?

Amadora had been imagining her as a young girl but if she were a part of the First Army, Alina would have to be no younger than 17. The same age as she had been some years ago.

The sound of horse hooves galloping across the ground could be heard from outside her windows. She rushed out to greet her love and their new arrival, who looks awfully disgruntled.

Aleksander recognized her confused look immediately. The couple's ability to understand each other on full display, "Fjerdans." He explained simply, "Must have caught wind of our journey and switched tasks--"

Alina's head snapped between the two, staring at both their direct and indirect forms of communication.

"How many dead?" Amadora asked, already knowing there were fatalities. There always was when the Druskelle were involved.

Nasty men in her opinion. The Druskelle spent their lives hunting Grisha for "prosecution", which in their home country was far from a fair trial. It reminded her much of the treatment of Grisha back in the Wandering Isle, hunted wherever they went.

"3, A heart render and two Inferni.."

Alina stood sheepishly beside the horse, almost afraid to speak.

Amadora, with a warm smile, side-stepped Aleksander to meet her eyes, hoping to encourage her to speak. With an extended hand, she spoke, "Hello Alina, it's wonderful to meet you--" Alina slowly looked down at her hand, relaxing slightly at her hospitable appearance but not taking her hand, "--I'm Lieutenant Zima, but you may call me Amadora, that's what everyone around here calls me," She smiled, retracting her hand. Most people would have been offended by the lack of reciprocation but it didn't bother Amadora. Even without touching her hand, Amadora could feel the uneasiness radiating off her.