A year after Alina Starkov tears down the Shadow Fold, she is finally able to settle into her peaceful life. There is no more war with Ravka. The Darkling, once her enemy, is now a loyal, protective husband, and a father to their adoptive daughter...
'Tis a whole 17 page chapter this time, all in the Darkling's perspective, so enjoy :)
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Aleksander's POV
I ᗯOᑌᒪᗪᕼᗩᐯE TᕼOᑌGᕼT this, her stubbornness over the situation, would pass by now. Alina isn't eating. She isn't drinking anything. She looks like a ghost, and she might as well be one. She doesn't present herself unless I seek her out. There have been few words shared between us, and when there are, it always progresses into an argument.
I just have to make her see that this is a good thing. I'll admit that this was sprung on her quite suddenly, but truth be told, I had been debating this course of action ever since I discovered the existence of that group that worships me while they loathe Alina. Those ignorant people believe that she holds me back. I used to think that as well. It took me far too long to realize that she is my strength, not my weakness.
When I was informed by one of my spies of the band of citizens who think that by killing the Queen, it will keep me in power forever, I hadn't thought much of it. There are plenty of treasonous groups around Ravka, but nothing ever becomes of them. They are never foolish enough to cross me. Except for this married couple, one of which worked in my palace. I let that woman into our home. Then, she poisoned my Alina. They tried to murder her. So after she recovered, I saw to it that all known members of this group were killed, of course, without Alina's knowledge. After all this time, she still can't accept that mortals die every day. They are fragile and weak. Whether they die upon my blade or old age, death is inevitable for them, but not for us. I can protect her from it, from death, if only she'll let me. But to do that, I can't have her running off where more crooked thinkers lurk in the shadows, just itching to harm her. It is why I took the precautions I did. However, there are things about this situation that do not compute enough for me to be satisfied. Something about this couple that made an attempt at Alina's life and their motives seem odd like I am trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.
Regardless, the immediate threat has been neutralized, so I am content for the moment. And if something more should arise from this situation, I will handle it as needed. Alina is the first glimpse of happiness I've had in a long time. I won't lose her to an otkazat'sya fool. I was made to protect her. It is what a good husband is meant to do.
I hear what argument Alina would make to that statement in my head. Husbands are meant to make a wife happy.
I sigh at the thought as I sit down in a chair made of wine-red velvet in my quiet parlor which I only come to when I need time alone. This parlor is too far from the main part of the palace for any servant to interrupt or any soldier to report in or ask worthless questions. I've also been using this secluded room to further investigate the new Morozova amplifier since I know Alina would prefer I leave it alone. The mysteriously gifted amplifier of Amelia's sits in my palm as I think about Alina.
