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

t w e l v e

The bush the surrounded Baghra's "fortress" as Amadora liked to call it, seemed to grow thicker with every step she took. She kept her pace slow though, admiring the flowering plants and greenery. Baghra was forced to keep to herself for the most part but Amadora could understand the want to make your almost "Prison" beautiful. She found herself wondering if she would do the same if it were her banished to the depths of the palace gardens.

Despite the small amounts of kindness Amadora had given Baghra in her words to Alina, she still had little trust in the woman. Ever since the creation of the fold and Aleksander's inevitable arrogance, Baghra had refused to see the bigger picture he had planned.

But she could see it. Amadora had always seen it.

Though the Morozova ring sat on her left hand, Baghra would never accept the fact that Amadora felt no need to change who Aleksander was.

He was her darkness and she was his frost.

It also wasn't unlike Baghra to attempt to disrupt their plans. In fact, Amadora was sure she had already begun trying. That was why it was so important to her to grow her friendship with Alina, the more she trusted Amadora and Aleksander, there was less chance of sway if Baghra got to her.

It wasn't at all because she had actually grown to like Alina as a person and confidante.

Was it?

In the oncoming distance, she could make out the shape of the wooden door surrounded by dirt walls. Knocking on Baghra's door was no easy task, it sent Amadora's stomach down to her toes. The natural sickly feeling that came with her hut flooding her body. Sheepishly, she knocked her knuckles against the door, awaiting permission to enter.

The door swung itself open with only two knocks, startling her backwards. She ducked her head into the hut and glanced around its spacious interior, searching for Baghra who was hidden away in an adjoining room, furiously writing what seemed to be a letter.

"Hello?" Amadora called out, her voice echoing back to her slightly. The door shut behind her with a slam once again making her jump. "Baghra?"

"Sit darling," Baghra shouted, quickly signing off her letter, "It has been much too long since we spoke last."

Still searching for the body attached to the voice, Amadora nervously sat down, tucking her kefta underneath herself, "It truly has been too long, I came as soon as I received your request... I hope that's alright?"

A small chuckle left Baghra's lips as she finally emerged from behind the curtain that was previously hiding her. Using her large wooden cane, she sat in the seat directly across from Amadora, "Of course it's alright, my Saints you really are breathtaking," Baghra mumbled, filling the girl up with compliments.

Amadora could sense the underlying deceit in her words, she couldn't place why but it was there, "Was there a particular reason you called for me?" She said, her jaw clenching. Her dismissal of Baghra's comment was out of the ordinary for her but her instinct was telling her there was going to be nothing friendly about their chat.

"Oh you know, I just wished to catch up with my future daughter-in-law, seeing as Aleksander is wishing to go public with it shortly after the Winter Fete--" Baghra subtly spilled, hoping Amadora would jump at the reveal.

She couldn't stop her face from dropping slightly as Baghra revealed the information to her, "I'm sorry but what you mean by that?" They had never agreed, nor even spoke about revealing their engagement to not only the Grisha but the Monarchs and Nobles as well. The conversation had never come up, the winter fete was going to be the final push for Alina in the public eye. It would be incredibly reckless to announce not only their relationship but their engagement to the people.