Just hold me || Shadow and Bone || The grishaverse

Chapter eleven

Notes:

Another chapter and a lot of problems: Alina doesn't take well Mal's death, Vasily is just a little pushy and Baghra is not quite Baghra.

-Flora

Alina had just finished a lesson with Botkin and was sore everywhere. She was getting better at fighting but she was still a beginner in comparison to the others.

Since she began using her light, everything had started to seem easy: she ate more (not that the herrings was growing on her), she was never weak after a set of stairs and she had started to put on some weight, both fat and muscle.

She was still too thin in Genya's view, so she was spoiled sometimes with pastries that were stolen from the Queen's chambers.

It was almost magic how her mind had started to compartmentalise. She hadn't thought about Mal all morning and she was going on with her life as if nothing had happened the night before.

Her legs that day, although sore, brought her around the gardens for a walk as she enjoyed the last glimpse of the daylight.

The day had started so well but everything fell apart fast when Valisy blocked her on the garden path.

"Miss Starkov, what a pleasure to meet you," he extended his hand. Reluctantly she extended her's also so he could kiss it.

"A pleasure for me also, what a nice day it is," she said with a tight smile.

"Quite."

"I was going to my room, if you'll excuse me, I'm rather tired after my fighting lesson..." she started to walk backwards but he grabbed her arm.

"Miss Starkov there's something that we should discuss."

"If it regards Ravka's interest we should discuss it with the Darkling and your Father, moi tsarevich."

"It's more of a private matter."

"Maybe you should go to the Apparat to come clean with yourself, " she gulped.

"It is not that kind of private matter," he cleared his throat.

"You are of marriageable age, and it's in Ravka's interest that you marry someone of importance. That will grant you a powerfull place in society," he said matter of factly.

"Yes, moi tsarevich, I understand, though I plan to marry after I've done what I ought to do for our Kingdom. I believe there's still time to think about it."

"I'm sure if you find the right person you'll want to marry earlier than that."

"Duty before romance, moi tsarevich."

"I'm sure you think so, that's why I'm proposing to you today-"

She interrupted, "I'm sorry I must have heard wrong-"

"-the union between us would be a blessing for Ravka. You'll be the next queen when my time comes and you'll be a guide for people, a beacon of light for their faith."

"I'm sorry, I don't think I'm feeling too well, maybe I should go."

"Alina," the way he said her name made a shiver run down her back, not the good type of shiver, "we would be perfect together, we are so similar-"

"You don't even know me, how can you be so sure?"

How could she deny a prince?!

"I'm sure there are better candidates than me for your consort, better schooled and properly raised."