#general kirigan oneshots

[kasagia]

My love will never die

Pairing: Aleksander Morozova/General Kirigan/The Darkling x moon summoner! reader Summary: You knew Aleksander before he was a Black Heretic, a foldmaker. You married him and promised to be by his side through thick and thin. And you never, ever regretted your choice. However, one day, your paths parted in an unfortunate way, and you both believed that the love of your lives was gone forever. After many centuries, you meet again with a man very similar to your Aleksander. And you start to wonder... maybe your love never die after all? Warning(s): ANGST, de@th mention, the reader yearns for Aleksander, and Aleksander yearns for the reader :c I USED FRAGMENT OF THE SONG "Jeg Saler Min Ganger" FROM THE SERIES "LOKI" Nonsense from me: So this is request from @morrigan-crowmwell Thank you so much, I was super excited to write this! I hope this is more or less what you asked for and that you like it.♡♡ I'm sorry it took me soooo long! ♡♡ Word count: 13k

"Aleksander Morozova! You'll be late to meet your mother!" you squealed as he stole another long kiss from you. "We don't have time for this, Sasha." you moaned, when he moved his lips to your sensitive neck.

"Nonsense… I always have time to properly say goodbye to my wife before I leave." he murmured against your skin, sucking on your weak spot behind your ear. He smiled slyly, hearing the sweet moan coming from your red lips, swollen from kissing.

Saints, he could stay in your arms for the rest of eternity.

"As much as your wife loves your goodbyes, she'd rather her mother-in-law didn't wander in the middle of one, looking for her spoiled son."

"This is how you say goodbye to your husband, lapushka? Calling him spoiled and hurting his feelings?" he asked indignantly, hovering over his beautiful wife and looking at her intently. He wanted to burn the view below him into his mind until he was back in her arms again.

"I have been "goodbye-ing" you for three hours, Aleksander. Don't you think that's enough for a 4 day trip?"

"I need at least one more hour to enjoy you." he murmured, placing more kisses on your already-marked neck.

"If Baghra finds us…" you moaned as he bit your neck gently, effectively silencing you, and got out of your head all the reasons why he should go now.

"It would be helpful if you would stop thinking about my mother while I try to kiss every inch of your gorgeous skin. Besides, don't worry about her. She likes you—sometimes even more than her own son, I have to admit. If anything, she'll blame me."

"Don't worry, sobachka (puppy), you'll always be my favourite." you smirked, flipping him onto the mattress of your bed and straddling him, marking his skin with your lips, making sure you'd give him back the same favour.

"I thought we didn't have time for this?" he purred meanly, pleased with your attention.

"Shut up and kiss me, Sasha." you demanded with an equally malicious gleam in your eyes, knowing full well how this would end. Bagra was right. You had him wrapped around your little finger. Which was good considering how many female Grishas wanted to catch his eye.

"As you wish, milaya." without a second's hesitation, he grabbed your cheek and pulled you into a kiss, pinning you back under him on the mattress.

Disappointment, as usual, overtook you after waking up from this beautiful dream. During those few centuries, flashbacks about HIM only became more frequent. Someone should hang that fool who said time heals all wounds. In your case, it only made it worse.

You'd give anything to go back a few hundred years and not let him go alone with his mother on this trip. You didn't even remember why they went to Aleksander's sister.

You had a vague memory of that day, only remembering the morning with your husband and the fragments of the Fjerdans' attack on your village.

But the moment you found out you were a moon summoner will forever be etched deep in your memories.

You helped your best friend's family and herself escape when the men attacked you. You defended yourself using all the tricks and attacks Alexander had taught you, but it wasn't enough against a band of trained soldiers.

Just as he was about to slash his sword at you, you felt heat radiating deep from your chest. You screamed, falling to your knees as light began to emit from you, blinding some soldiers and killing those close to you. The first time you've used the cut and your power.

You escaped with your friend and her brother - the last survivors, and hid in the city, pretending to be siblings who managed to survive the great fire caused by Grisha.

It was hard to pretend to hate your own people and even harder to hide your new powers. But the hardest thing was going through all this without Aleksander by your side.

You tried to contact him, search in every possible way. But the world was different back then. Your attempts in advance were doomed to failure. And you knew it. But your stupid heart made you search for your husband until the end.

And you did. Until the news of the Black Heretic, the shadow summoner, who died while creating the fold, spread across the world.

You mourned Aleksander for a long time. Your life went on, but the wound of losing your husband never healed. And you knew it wouldn't. He was your great, true love. Your end game. It was impossible to let him go, to make place in your heart for someone new.

Time passed, and everything around you slowly changed. Except you. Your friends got old, grey, and wrinkled. And you remained the same as those decades ago. Then you discovered your second curse. You were immortal.

You and Aleksander could have lived together forever if not for Shu Han's and Fjerda's people.

It was the time when you vowed to finish Aleksander's work at any cost. His sacrifice will not be in vain. You were supposed to build a Ravka safe for the Grishas. All you needed was a sun and shadow summoner.

So you waited. At any sign of the sun summoner's presence. You knew Aleksander's lineage was fine. People often spoke of the descendants of the Black Heretic. You've never come close to them. You didn't want to relive the pain that would be associated with being with a member of his family. Aleksander had no children, but his sister probably did; maybe even Baghra found someone - you weren't sure about the old woman's fate.

The past centuries have not been kind to you. But this month was fruitful in terms of good news. The sun summoner has been found, the king of Ravka was ill, and your men were on the trail of Morozova's deer.

And that's how you were on your way to meet Alina Starkov and the descendant of the Morozovas, General Kirigan.

You were supposed to change the world together - in memory of your Aleksander.

~•♤♤♤•~

Aleksander had never been in such a hurry to get home before.

He was so desperate to have you in his arms again that he even ignored all of his mother's taunts, remarks, and other snide comments. All that mattered to him now was coming home to you.

That's why he bravely endured his mother's teasing remarks as they rode horseback towards your cottage.

He was excited, only moments away from returning to the love of his life.

He missed you more than he dared admit to anyone. And he was a little ashamed of how an ordinary woman without Grisha's powers, like you, could have such power over him.

NO. You were not ordinary. You were his wife, friend, lover, support, rock, asylum, home. The only one to whom he entrusted his heart and soul voluntarily and without the slightest hesitation.

And with this gift his sister gave him, Aleksander will make sure you stay with him forever. That you'll live as long as he does. Neither of them, nor he, Baghra, nor his sister knew if this "gift" would work.

But Aleksander would be damned if he didn't try to keep you in his arms forever.

It didn't matter how many times he failed, trying to make you his equal, trying to turn you into a Grisha with similar powers to his. He was ready to do everything for you.

Aleksander sped up seeing your house. In his haste, he didn't even notice that he had lost his mother and that the scenery around him seemed to be getting darker and more frightening.

He practically leapt off his horse and raced to the door, opening it and rushing inside as fast as he could.

"Y/N?! Sweetheart, I'm home!" he shouted, expecting that as soon as you heard his voice, you would come running, throwing yourself into his arms.

But he was greeted by nothing but a terrible, deadly silence.

The scattered things in the corridor made him slightly anxious, but he dismissed his dark thoughts by saying that you were a little mess. However, after he still didn't hear any response from you, he started to worry.

He entered the living room only to find shattered furniture, an overturned bookshelf, and a broken window.

He panicked. He went mad with fear, screaming your name and running around the house like crazy, looking for you or any clues to where you might have run away.

His heart stopped when he found your battered body under an overturned wardrobe.

In the blink of an eye, he got you out from under the furniture and took you in his arms, trying to bring you back to consciousness.

"Y/N, please, Y/N, open your eyes! You can't leave me, not like that! Y/N! My sweet wife, my heart, please open your eyes!" he was shaking you in panic, begging all the saints to prove his dark suppositions wrong.

"Aleksander?" your quiet, tearful whisper both relieved him and broke his heart.

You lived. He hasn't lost you yet.

NO.

He couldn't lose you. He has to take you to the healer.

"Yes, love, it's me. Everything is fine now. I got you. Just stay with me until I get a help."

"You promised to protect me... why didn't you protect me, Aleksander? Have you stopped loving me?" your desperate whimper tore his soul in half. He began to shake all over, despising the feeling of helplessness and distress that had completely taken over him.

"What? No, I'll always love only you..." he felt your body suddenly go limp in his arms. He gripped your shoulders even tighter, shaking you in his panic attack. "Y/N? Y/N?! Y/N open your eyes! Y/N no! Don't leave me! Darling, no!" he screamed desperately in pain, burying his head in your hair and crying as he knelt on the floor and rocked with your cold body in his arms.

~•♤♤♤•~

Aleksander sprang from his bed.

The general was breathing fast, trying to calm himself after another nightmare involving you.

His beautiful wife. His epic love.

For hundreds of years, the day he lost the only love of his life played out in his nightmares in different ways. This time, his subconscious was kind enough to let him talk to you for a while. Usually, he finds your body either impaled or dismembered. He never managed to save you. With none of those dreams.

His dreams might have macabred the events of that day, but he had never, in all those hundreds of years of his life, forgotten what really happened. He has not forgotten the grief, anger, sadness, and despair that overcame him when he and Baghra found their village burned to the ground without any trace of you.

Despite his search, he still didn't know what really happened to you, and he doubted he'd ever find out the truth. If all this had happened a few years later, if he hadn't been a boy just discovering the true power growing within him then, but the man he is now, you'd never despair like that. You'd never leave him to mourn over the future you two could have if only he was more powerful.

He was trying to fool himself. Telling himself that if you survived, you would have lived a much better life than you'd lived with him by your side. What could he have given you, then? An uncertain future, living in hiding, being hunted by the king's men? You were worth much more. You were worth all the jewels and treasures of this land, safety, peace, family, and happiness. Aleksander couldn't give you that. Not then.

He couldn't remember how many sleepless nights he'd spent wishing he could meet you now, to have you by his side, when he was this powerful man who could look after you properly, who would throw the world at your feet or burn it to the ground, depending on your humour.

But every time the sun came up and he had to continue playing his new role, the bitter reality made him realise that he would never have you again. He will never feel your soft skin under his fingers again, never lose himself in those beautiful, mesmerising irises, never run his hand through your hair, never take in your wonderful, intoxicating scent, and never taste your alluring, feisty lips again.

He was alone. And he will be until the end.

Until he widens the fold and makes sure no more Grisha dies at the hands of common otkazat'sya. That none of his people will repeat your fate.

He was supposed to change the world - in memory of his Y/N.

And then, maybe fate will be kind enough to reunite him with his beloved wife on the other side.

~•♤♤♤•~

Alina Starkov was a pain in the ass.

It took the girl only 15 minutes to run away from Kirigan's Grishas and get herself into trouble. She has damn luck that you decided to follow her and rescue her sunny ass.

You disappeared as soon as you made eye contact with her after you burned the Fjerdans with your pale, white light.

You wandered through the forest, cursing under your breath at the carelessness of both sun and shadow summoners. You didn't know which was worse, the impetuous girl or the thoughtless general who just let her get away.

With helpers like that, you'll have to work twice as hard to make the fold bigger. Fate really had no mercy on you.

You stood by the river, sighing in relief as you washed the blood from your face with cold water.

Your moment of peace didn't last long, however. You sensed an additional presence—someone creeping towards you. You took out one of your daggers and braced yourself for an attack.

But the moment you turned to face your opponent, you froze.

Aleksander...

He was standing in front of you. In a black kefta, a man so like your husband that just looking at him hurts you more than any blade could. This gaze, this face, were hunting you each night, every time you closed your eyes. And now he was standing right before you.

And the worst of it all was that it wasn't your Aleksander.

Only his descendant looking just like him. A shell that resembles the only man you've ever loved.

In your rage, you attacked him first, taking out your anger on him for the saints for continuing to play you mercilessly by putting your husband's doppelgänger in your way.

But Kirigan did not give up so easily. As soon as you moved towards him, he too snapped out of his strange daze and drew his dagger as well. The clang of metal echoed across the clearing as you both tried to find the other's weak spot. Oddly enough, you both did it at the same time.

"Put that down and I'll consider whether or not to spare your life." he growled, holding your arm in a tight grip as he felt your nails digging through the skin on his hand.

"Femoral artery. You'll bleed out faster than me." you replied with a malicious smirk, ignoring his threats.

"Who are you?"

"My mother taught me better than to make friends with the stranger freak in the forest, sir. Especially when they have a dagger dangerously close to my back." you kicked him, pushing him away from you, and attacked again. The clanking of steel against each other echoed across the clearing as your daggers met halfway. You growled in frustration, pushing him away.

"Your mother should teach you not to attack everyone you meet. You may encounter someone much stronger than you." Kirigan recovered faster this time, storming at you.

You ended up in a rather uncomfortable position as you held the steel against his heart and he wrapped his arm halfway around you, pulling you close. You didn't know if you were more dissatisfied with the metal digging into your chest or with his hands on you.

"And yours that you shouldn't raise a hand against a woman. I guess they both failed."

Did you both just say the exact same thing when you first met your husband? Yes.

Will he get lenient treatment from you just because he looks like your Aleksander? Absolutely fucking no.

Taking advantage of his moment of inattention as he stared at you distractedly, you pulled out the second hidden dagger and placed it against his neck. You tried to push his hand away from you, but the man, feeling the extra-cold blade against his skin, woke up from his trance and grabbed your left hand aggressively.

He moved your blade away from his neck and pinned you to the tree, slamming your left hand hard against the trunk, making the weapon fly out of your hand and bury itself in the ground near his foot.

Kirigan pressed his dagger to your side, leaning closer to you. He stared intently into your eyes, and for a brief moment you saw longing flicker in his dark eyes, which then gave way to rage and frustration, equal to the one that exploded inside you the moment you saw him. The moment you noticed that saints still played cruel with you by creating someone so damn similar to your husband.

He has no right to have the same face and eyes as your lost love.

"What. Are. You?" he asked, pausing on each word to intimidate you and bring his face closer to yours. But you didn't care much. You have hundreds of years; nothing, especially the doppelgänger of the man you love, could scare you.

You stared at each other with hostile eyes, and for some reason (other than your dagger at his thigh), he had some sort of hatred for you as well. So much so that he didn't notice how your powers reached for each other where your skin touched.

Strangely, it felt familiar to you. HE felt familiar.

You stared into each other's eyes as you unknowingly leaned in closer. You were about to try to break free from his grip when a sudden snap of branches caught your attention.

"That's you! She saved me from the Frejdans, sir." Alina's voice pulled him out of this strange moment between you two.

You wanted to find a sun summoner. You spent several hundred years on this, but the girl had hellishly bad timing.

Kirigan moved away from you, but you both continued to aim your daggers at each other, not trusting each other for a moment. Even though Alina just admitted that you saved her life.

"Why did you do that?"

"Someone so powerful like you should recognise when they stand before their equal, general Kirigan." you sneered, glancing for a moment at the woman standing next to both of you. Fortunately, nothing happened to her. She had a few scratches, but nothing that even the most ordinary medic couldn't heal.

"And how exactly are we equal?"

You smirked mischievously as you slipped the dagger into your sheath.

You linked your hands, focusing on the warm feeling of your light coursing through your veins, and without taking your eyes off the general's, you pulled them apart, revealing a thread of white light. You spread your arms wider, causing the rays to illuminate the clearing around you.

They both stared at you in amazement as your light turned into stars, which then arranged themselves into constellations. Figures of saints ran around you until you flicked your wrist to make them disappear.

"Melinoe Petrova. Moon Summoner. I think the three of us are going to change the world together."

You watched the speechless Alina with satisfaction, but your smile faded as you shifted your gaze to Kirigan. You had some difficulty reading him, but even more so understanding the longing in his eyes.

It seems your problems with a shadowman have only just begun…

~•♤♤♤•~

Kirigan didn't trust you.

You weren't surprised by it, but you hoped it would be easier for you to manipulate him. Apparently, the descendant of Aleksander inherited family cunning and distrust.

It's been a month since your little encounter (and fight) in the woods. In the meantime, you've been living in the Little Palace with the other Grishas; you met the king and got your own fancy kefta.

Black kefta. With moons, stars, and so on.

You wouldn't care about the colour of the fabric if it didn't turn out that only Kirigan wore one. Bloody Alina was the first to find Genya and get herself a blue one. So you stayed in your black kefta, pretending the general wasn't trying to mark you as his property.

But the son of a bitch liked your look in his colours too much for you to accept it.

It didn't help that he was too much like your Aleksander, either. Many times you've held back from taunting, making snide comments, or yelling at him just because those fucking dark eyes looked at you, taking you back hundreds of years to the time when HE was by your side and looked at you like that.

The similarity between them was not only in appearance. They had a lot in common when it came to character traits. Stubborn, mischievous, prescient, well-read... sometimes, when you spent too much time in his war room, you found yourself thinking of him as your Aleksander.

So slowly, despite all your self-loathing, you fell in love with the general.

That's why you were hiding from him in the library, hoping Alina, Zoya, or anyone else would keep him busy tonight enough to forget that you were supposed to meet him after dinner.

You had to suppress that stupid feeling. He was not Aleksander. He was just your husband's doppelgänger. Just a shell of your lover.

"Mel? Are you okey?" Alina's soft, concerned whisper snapped you out of your thoughts.

"I'm fine. Another nightmare?" you asked, patting the space next to you and opening the edge of the blanket for the girl to sit with you.

Your beginnings with Alina were not colourful; the sunny girl irritated you and could easily throw you off balance. But as time passed, you became friends to the point where you comforted her after her nightmares about the fold and the deaths of her loved ones. Sometimes you would read her old Ravkan fairy tales or sneak into the kitchen for hidden sweets. In more critical situations, you would drag her outside to the gardens, where you would sit on the pier by the lake, watching it gleam in the moonlight.

In a way, you too found solace in comforting the girl. It was nice to have company after being alone for so long. Fighting your past, which was showing up in your dreams, was easier with a ray of sunshine by your side.

"No. This time I can't sleep."

"Are you bothered by overly comfortable pillows, or maybe our princess felt a pea under the mattress?" Alina snorted, shaking her head. It took her some time to realise that your sarcastic remarks were not intended to offend her but merely to make her laugh.

"I'm thinking about Mal."

"Oh yeah… your boyfriend and childhood friend, what's up with him?" you asked, slamming the book shut to turn all your attention to the black-haired girl.

"He's not my boyfriend. We are only friends." she murmured, blushing, obviously awkward at your apt comment.

"Sunshine, I can recognise the face and eyes of a woman in love. You can't hide your feelings from me."

"Well, you're not the only one with this gift. Kirigan also gives you an infatuated man's look. Don't deny it! Even Ivan can see it. I think that already half of the second army knows about their general's fondness for the moon summoner." she teased you with a cocky smirk on her face. You rolled your eyes, returning your attention to your book.

"Please, half of the Grishas look at me like that."

You knew what Alina meant. Kirigan looked to you as the solution to his fold problems - as did the other Grishas. Little did they know that instead of being their saviour, you gonna be their worst nightmare... a White Heretic.

"No, not in that way. They look at you, at us, as saints, as saviours who can destroy the fold. He admires you, not your power. And judging by the fact that you're still wearing a black kefta, he's not indifferent to you either."

You inadvertently snuggled deeper into the black material. Alina was partly right; maybe you didn't want to get involved in any romance, but it would definitely be easier to manipulate the general who is infatuated with you. You could have taken advantage of the fact that seeing you in his colours put him in a strangely pleasant mood. You've used your black clothes more than once as a weapon in your negotiations with the dark general.

"I have a black kefta because some irritatingly fast sun summoner found Genya first and got herself a dark blue one. You didn't leave me much choice, Alina."

"How sorry I am for that. By the way, Kirigan asked about you. He waits in his chambers, longing to finally see you after you've been ruthlessly ignoring him all day."

"I'm not done with you, Starkov!" you shouted after her, but the girl was already at the door, sticking her tongue out at you.

"See you in the morning, Petrova! You will tell me about your meeting with the General." she said as she walked away, slamming the library door.

"That little bitch." you muttered under your breath, wondering if you should go. You could have lied to him and said that you didn't meet Alina and forgot about your meeting. You only doubted the sun summoner's loyalty to you...

However, you started gathering your things, knowing full well that you would have to leave the library anyway.

You frowned as you heard soft footsteps behind you that probably no normal human would have heard… at least not one who hadn't lived at least a hundred years of hiding and running.

"Ivan." you greeted him without turning to face him. The man stopped, obviously surprised that you sensed his presence. However, he quickly returned to his unemotional mode.

"Miss Petrova. The General requests your presence in the war room."

"I was on my way." you replied, knowing full well that the man knew the truth. More than once, he chased you around the Little Palace at the general's behest. Fortunately, he had enough sense in his head not to make Kirigan aware that your memory was reliable and you didn't meet him only out of your own reluctance (actually, a huge desire to see him). "Alina just told me he wants to see me."

Ivan nodded and waited for you to escort you to the war room.

~•♤♤♤•~

Considering the fact that you were a regular visitor to Kirigan's war room, you should know the way to his chambers. But each time, you seemed to take a completely different route than the last time.

Ivan had to repay your elusiveness by making the longest trips to the general's room.

But this time, heartrender quickly dropped you off at his general's door and, wishing you good night, disappeared into one of the corridors.

You sighed, not wanting to face your growing infatuation and subsequent attempts to manipulate the general into carrying out your plans today.

You opened the door, entering the "vestibule". You pricked up your ears as you heard Kirigan talking to someone very familiar. Zoya.

"You used to call on me. On times like this. Your table wasn't messy, and in bed, it was me instead of these books. I can help you make it all right. Just let yourself relax." without knowing why, you wanted to go in there and interrupt whatever plan she had to seduce him. And not because you felt jealousy eating you up inside. You were supposed to be the one to lead him by the nose to do whatever you wanted. Not that windy bitch who was ruining your plan.

"I shall relax when my moon summoner comes here to help me with this. With her by my side, you don't need to worry about me anymore. I'm with the perfect helper." you chuckled internally, wanting so much to see the look on her face after he had rejected her. You figured this would be the perfect time to step in.

"Am I disturbing?" you asked as you walked inside.

If Zoya was an inferni, the general's room would probably go up in flames at the sight of you. Kirigan, on the other hand, seemed very pleased to see you. His eyes were focused only on you. And your black nightgown, over which you threw on (also the black) kefta he ordered.

"Not at all. Zoya was about to leave a few minutes ago."

"General." he said. Kirigan did not even glare at her as she bowed to him. She walked past you, giving you a hostile look, which you only smirked at.

"Didn't you forget something?" Kirigan's sharp question broke the silence between the three of you. Zoya stood immobile, as if engraved. She stared at the general for a moment, then clenched her hands into fists and bowed to you.

"Miss Petrova." she growled, then stormed out of the war room, slamming the door.

"It wasn't necessary. You'll only infuriate her more by forcing her to show me respect." you said, turning to face the general, who was suddenly right behind you. He was the only one who could sneak up on you. A skill he used extensively.

"You're the moon summoner… you'll get all the respect you deserve. I'll make sure about it." he murmured, tucking a strand of your hair behind your ear.

"You can't make people do it. Respect is something that has to be earned, something that has no meaning if it is given involuntarily." his silence surprised you. He usually answered your words with 10 of his. But now he was staring at you silently, which didn't help your already fast-beating heart. "So what do we have on the agenda today, general? Arguments about whether we really need First Army soldiers or you don't know where Loavana is."

"I know where Loavana is. I was tired then, and besides, you were the one who turned the map and misled me."

"Of course, general." you snorted, smiling teasingly. You moved to the other side of the table, tactically increasing the distance between you. "So, did you summon me for any reason other than staring at my natural glow? Because honestly, I'm getting a little bored." you said as you sat down on the table and casually reached for one of the orders he had written.

"Always impatient." he muttered, suddenly appearing in front of you and gently taking the paper from your hand.

"Always too mysterious."

"This may surprise you, but I have other things on my mind than your natural glow, little moon."

"What a shame." you murmured, placing your hand over your heart in a hurt gesture. But you became serious when you saw him staring dully at the map. "What's bothering you?"

"The Fjerdans have moved closer to our border."

"How many?" you asked, jumping off the table and turning your full attention to the distressed general.

"Several branches. Enough to get our attention and attack one of our regiments." he replied, pouring himself a glass of liquor and handing you your own.

"We need to speed up Alina's training. Before all hell breaks loose and our great king orders our troops to be divided to fight the Fjerdans. The fold case must be finally closed. Before we go to another war. For now, we have to send some of our healers and additional troops there. If there are more of Grishas there, no Fjerdan will dare attack them. They will shift their attention to the soldiers of the first army, and this will no longer be a direct problem for us." you turned to him, confused by his silence. Kirigan stared at you with a gentle, tender smile on his face and a longing, dreamy look. The silence between the two of you and the gaze he was giving you embarrassed you. "What? Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?"

"No." he grunted, shaking his head as he blushed slightly when you caught him staring. "I just... I was fighting this war alone for so long."

This was the moment. You had to cast your net over him, surround him at his most vulnerable, and make him fall for you.

But you forgot to guard your own heart in the process...

You grabbed his hand. Your powers combined as usual when your skin touched, causing you to be enveloped in the utter darkness of his shadows, with only the white light emanating from your joined hands illuminating your faces.

"You're not alone." you whispered, afraid to break the spell between you. Afraid that the moment your voice reaches him, those damn hypnotic eyes will tear away from yours. Afraid your mind is about to scold the stupid heart that beat for the man before you. A man who, for the sake of your sanity, was too much like the husband you loved.

"I've been waiting a long time for you." he replied just as quietly, afraid to break the sanctity of the moment. Afraid it was another of his cruel dreams where he would have your dead body in his arms again. But the reality was even more brutal for him. Because the woman who stood before him, the woman who looked exactly like his wife, wasn't her at all. And that didn't stop his cold, centuries-old heart from beating for her.

"Believe me, not as long as me." you whispered. Tears began to gather in his eyes, threatening to spill out as he raised his other trembling hand and cupped your cheek. The feel of his cold hand on your face made you realise what you were doing. He was not Aleksander. He wasn't yours. And you will never be his. "I think I should go." you grunted, stepping away from him.

His shadows returned to him, as did your light. Everything has returned to normal. Except for the frantic beating of the hearts of the two of you.

"Don't forget about tomorrow's ball. We're supposed to put on a little show for the king and his nobility."

"How could I forget that we're supposed to be circus monkeys tomorrow?" you asked with a pugnacious smirk, to which he just shook his head in amusement.

"Don't let anyone else hear it. I don't want to visit you in a dungeon… however tempting you look in chains." his bold suggestion shocked you, but you decided to play on without giving him a chance to have the last word. You walked over to him and, ignoring his intense gaze, whispered in his ear with your lips brushing his earlobe.

"I'm not that easy to put in chains, general." you brushed his cheek with yours and disappeared from the war room at the speed of light.

It was something you could do. Game, flirt, chase, challenge—all kept away from any emotion other than lust. It was a game. Manipulation game. And you were going to win it. For your Aleksander and other Grishas.

~•♤♤♤•~

Your dress was so beautiful and wonderful. You admire Genya's skills, but what she did for you this time was indescribable.

With trembling hands, you smoothed the fabric of the dress around your waist, admiring the intricate embroidery of the constellations. The white and silver threads shone in the candlelight like real stars on your dark blue dress.

You didn't like getting dressed up, getting your hair up in a fancy hairstyle, or wearing those uncomfortable ball gowns. In fact, you've only worn formal clothes a few times in your life. But only twice did you feel like a true goddess, a queen. Today and on your wedding day.

"Who put that veil on you?" Baghra's grumpy tone snapped you out of your thoughts as you looked at yourself in the mirror. You had a lovely dress, even considering that neither you nor Aleksander and his mother had as much money compared to other families. But it didn't matter. Not for you. The most important was Alexander and you. And not the judgmental looks of other people. It was your day and no one could ruin it for you.

"Myself. Something's wrong?"

The woman sighed as she walked over to you and unfastened it with unusual delicacy for her, mumbling something about your blindness as she adjusted your crooked veil.

"Now. You look almost properly. You're missing one thing."

"Which is?"

She reached into the pouch strapped to her side and pulled out something shiny. She gestured for you to turn towards the mirror. You did it while watching a woman put the most beautiful necklace you've ever seen around your neck.

"Bagra is… it's wonderful. I can't…"

"Yes, you can. And you will be. I won't let that old hag gossip about my daughter looking like a poor peasant on her wedding day."

"Thank you." you whispered in a shaky voice, more concerned that the woman called you her daughter than the ridiculously expensive and beautiful necklace.

"Come on. Don't cry, or you'll turn red and scare everyone, including my son. You'd better hurry up. The boy is about to have a heart attack if you're another minute late. If it wasn't for Ulla, he would have run here 10 minutes ago."

"Did she manage to come?" you asked as she took your arm with the obvious intention of walking you down the aisle.

"Of course. That's my daughter. She wouldn't waste the opportunity to tease her crazy-in-love brother." you giggled, not missing her little smile. The woman stopped right in front of the exit door, giving you a serious look. "Y/N, are you absolutely sure you want this? You know our true origins, my boy's character, and all the dark things our family has been through. Are you absolutely sure you want to join this mess? 'Cause once we walk through that door, there's no turning back."

"I think we both know the answer to that question, Baghra."

"No. I need to hear it. Do you truly want this?"

"I dream of nothing more than marrying Aleksander, and spending my whole life with him, no matter how long or short it may be."

The woman nodded silently and opened the door.

A wide smile appeared on your face as soon as your gaze met the clearly nervous Aleksander. He calmed down the moment he saw you, an equally goofy, in-love smirk playing on his lips. And when he finally had you at arm's length, he didn't hesitate to grab your hands in his firm grip, never taking his eyes off yours for a moment.

It was just you and him. Lost in your love.

And so began your little eternity together... shorter than either of you would have liked.

You'll always remember that day, even if it was associated with bittersweet memories of your all-too-short marriage. A single tear fell from your eye. You wiped it with the sleeve of your dress.

Your hand automatically wandered under your dress, absently stroking the Baghra's necklace to which you had attached your wedding ring. The only memento of your past.

In another life, you and Aleksander could have had it all.

"Little moon? Are you ready?" Kirigan entered your room." We're going... soon." you could see in the mirror how he froze as his eyes met your reflection in the silver mirror.

You turned to him, making a sweeping movement with your skirt. You wouldn't waste your chance to be a diva. However, you yourself soon succumbed to a similar blackout as his as soon as you assumed the general's appearance.

The saints really liked to torment you.

There was no other explanation for why the man in front of you looked almost exactly like your husband on your wedding day.

Aleksander couldn't take his eyes off her. She was perfect. Ethereal, otherworldly, and breathtaking. His Y/N... No. She wasn't her. No one could be her, not even a woman with her face. Which didn't stop him from giving himself to this dream that it was his wife standing in front of him. He spent hundreds of years in suffering; maybe this one night he can afford to live in his most beautiful dreams, where SHE would still be with him.

He cleared his throat, snapping you both out of the strange, nostalgic atmosphere.

"You look amazing." you blushed as you turned back to the mirror, pretending to consider the truth of his compliment.

"Thank you. Genya makes wonderful dresses." you reached for the kefta thrown over the armchair, but the man beat you to it.

"Please, allow me." you nodded to him. You turned your back to him, waiting for him to put the kefta on your shoulders.

He smoothed it out, letting his hand brush the fabric of your bare collarbones for a moment too long. You shivered as you felt the tiny touch of his fingertips on your bare skin. Good thing the kefta covered most of your bare arms. You didn't want to give him satisfaction for how he was affecting you.

But judging by his dilated pupils, you weren't the only one who felt the attraction between the two of you.

However, you will definitely not be the one to give in to such trivial desires. He was not Aleksander. Nobody could.

"Thank you again." you murmured as you pulled away from him, smiling. You preferred to act oblivious to his advances rather than risk giving in to the lust that was evident between the two of you. Although you knew there would come a point in your little game where you'd have to seduce him a bit to lull his guard down. And you feared that moment more than entering the fold.

"Anytime, love. Shall we?" he asked, offering you his arm. "I hope you spare me at least one dance." he murmured, smiling at you with that flirty twinkle in his eyes as he kissed your hand.

Wonderfully. Now he was supposed to be your personal bodyguard for all night.

You sighed, grabbing his arm. Kirigan pulled you closer as he escorted you through the maze of corridors.

It was going to be a really tough day. - you thought, allowing yourself to steal a glance at the general who was already watching you. - Especially with those eyes so focused on me.

~•♤♤♤•~

The Kirigan left you alone for a moment just before entering the ballroom. You were to wait for him and Alina, and then the three of you were to give little shows of darkness and light.

So you waited patiently until someone bumped into you, knocking you to the floor.

"Watch where you walk!" you growled, dusting yourself off as you got up off the floor. The hooded figure stopped and turned to you. You both froze when you saw your faces.

"Y/N?" Baghra asked in disbelief. "It is impossible." she whispered, coming closer to you and catching your hand in a strong, bruising grip, only to grab your necklace later, which had slipped out from under your dress after you fell. She looked at him tenderly, shifting her gaze to you.

"Hello mom." you whispered uncertainly, fearing your mother-in-law's reaction. She liked you, it's true, but in the meantime, you managed to disappear without a trace for hundreds of years. You didn't know what your relationship was like now. But rather, neither of you could be hostile to the other.

"It's really you… But how? I… we thought you were dead, child. Where have you been all this time?"

"A little here, a little there. Forgive me for not writing or coming. I think you understand perfectly well why I didn't."

"Not even a bit, actually." she replied, confused. You frowned. You've never seen Baghra confused. It was a strange sight, to say the least, and definitely worth remembering.

"You know how dear he was... Aleksander is to me. After his death..."

"Death?" she asked. You didn't know if you misheard or if the surprise in her voice was genuine. She rather knew about his death, didn't she?

"Yes. While creating a fold." you explained, looking at her intently. But Baghra's face never betrayed anything. Not any single emotion. She tucked the necklace under your dress and grabbed your shoulders.

"Oh, my dear child. For all this time..."

"Baghra!" Kirigan's scream echoed through the empty corridor. The woman stepped back from you like she was burned, watching the general with contempt as he approached the two of you. "What are you talking about with my moon summoner? I hope she didn't bother you too much, Miss Petrova."

"Not at all. Actually…"

"I was just leaving, moi soverenyi." the woman interrupted you, giving you an enigmatic look, before she turned her back to you two. "Enjoy yourself, Miss Petrova." she threw over her shoulder as she walked away.

"Crazy woman. But he teaches the young Grisha well. What did she want from you?"

"Nothing special. She asked where I was from and what I was doing here. I don't think she's heard of the new moon summoner yet."

"Probably you are right. Let's go. We've got a show to play."

He took your hand gently and led you to the centre of the room, where Alina was already waiting for you.

You had a simple task. Kirigan summons shadows. Alina, on the other side of the room, her golden rays, and you, the white moonlight that was supposed to connect with her powers, then break up into several constellations.

A child's trick and spectacle for the common folk who treated you like toys all rolled into one.

Everything was going smoothly. Suddenly, the room was completely dark. You waited patiently for Alina's light to appear on the other side of the room. When suddenly someone approached you from behind.

"It's okay, it's me. It's just me, you're safe."

"What are you doing?" you asked as he wrapped his arms around you from behind, taking both of your hands in his.

"Don't you think this is the best place to watch the whole show?" his question confused you. You turned in his arms, miraculously seeing those bloody, dark eyes in the darkness. The mischievous sparks both made your chest feel warm and terrified. The bastard was up to something.

"I doubt it; with my light, you'll barely see Alina's trick."

"Works perfectly for me, my little moon." he whispered against your ear. You tensed as you felt his soft lips on your earlobe.

Suddenly he leaned in, the tip of his nose tracing a path from your ear down your skin, sending shivers down your spine as he inhaled your perfume and those damn distracting lips slid from your ear to your neck.

He started placing small, wet kisses there. Your brain has melted. It stopped working while the general was kissing every sensitive spot on your neck. He read your body so damn well that if it weren't for his quick reflexes and his hand over your mouth, your loud, obscene groan would have echoed in the darkness of the ballroom.

You felt the light involuntarily escape from you and thanked all the saints that you lost control just as Alina finished her part.

You tried to push the shadow summoner away from you, but your attempts were so futile (and reluctant) that you quickly gave up, focusing on doing your job with his intoxicating mouth and roaming hands on you.

The son of a bitch was lucky to stay in the shadows, unseen by anyone but you.

You internally cursed yourself for how much easier it was to do the whole trick with him around.

To your great disappointment, he moved away from you just before the grand finale. You were panting, trying to calm your wildly beating heart, and breathing as the light began to take over the ballroom.

And those fucking dark eyes and smug smirk were the first damn thing you saw when you and Alina lit up the room.

People started applauding. Kirigan came up to you and grabbed your hand, and after Alina joined you, you bowed to everyone, gathering an ovation. You glanced briefly at Kirigan, who was staring at your neck. You just hoped he didn't leave a hickey in plain sight. But judging by the way his smirk widened and the way he ran away from you as soon as you were surrounded by a crowd of people, you assumed you had a new, not-so-visible yet bruise on your skin.

You'll kill him as soon as you get your hands on him.

~•♤♤♤•~

You stand in the darkness of his war room, waiting for him to finally appear. You played with the dagger in your hands, contemplating meeting Baghra. You felt something was wrong, something was missing. The woman's behaviour both helped you and, after the general's arrival, gave you a lot to think about. She was hiding something. But what?

you sighed. If only Aleksander was here. It would save you a lot of trouble. Among other things, intimidating his doppelgänger, who started to stick to you too much - much to your tacit approval.

But you were aware that this attraction was only due to his resemblance to your Aleksander. In a few decades, Kirigan will die too. And you will be completely alone again.

The sound of his boots hitting the floor snapped you out of your thoughts. You braced yourself for an attack and jumped on him just as he flanked the door and stepped inside. You pinned him against the wall with a dagger to his neck as he gave you a surprised, amused look.

"Hello, moonlight. Do you like the ball?"

"What the hell was that?!" you growled, pressing the blade against his skin as you made a small, harmless cut.

"You put a dagger to my neck far too often, darling." he noted, frowning as droplets of blood decorated the silver metal.

"Don't change the fucking subject! You have no damn right to act like this. Lay your hand on me like that again, and I'll make sure you don't have anything to summon your shadows with, general."

"So my lips on your incredibly alluring soft skin were no problem for you, my sweet moon?" he asked maliciously, raising an eyebrow. You growled, irritated by his arrogance. You guessed you preferred it when he responded to your attack with his own dagger.

"Do that again, and you won't live to see another moment to find out."

"You forget..." he mumbled, suddenly grabbing your hand holding the blade and wrapping his other around your neck. He pinned you against the wall, making sure there was no space between you two. "That you're not the only one with power here."

"You'd better let me go, little shadow, before you unleash hell you can't stop." you growled, summoning your light, which immediately met his shadows. You fought, jostling with your powers and staring hard into each other's eyes. You weren't going to lose this fight.

"You underestimate me, darling. I'm more than able to face any of your hell."

You didn't know why, but that sentence, the confidence in his eyes, the arrogance in his voice, and the same immense need that was hiding under both yours and his mask of restraint changed something between you two.

His already dark eyes were practically taken over by black pupils that stared at you lustfully. The intoxicating smell of his perfume, the warmth of his body, and those damn big, cool hands on your hot skin only made you accept your spur-of-the-moment decision.

With his hand still tightly wrapped around your neck, you leaned forward and pressed your lips against his.

You both groaned in unison. Your only consolation in this situation was that before your hands hooked on his strong arms, holding on tightly for fear your legs would give out, you could hear his dagger first drop to the marble floor, seconds before your blade.

You only broke apart for a moment before quickly removing the other's kefta and catching the other's lips again. You fought for control, biting into the other's lip every now and then, which only met with more resistance and the will to fight. Neither you nor he were made to lose.

At one point, he grabbed you by the waist, wrapping your legs around him as he carried you to the nearest flat surface—the war table. With one flick of his hand, he swept all the maps, papers, and other stuff off him onto the floor and practically threw you onto a wooden table.

You gasped in shock as your body suddenly hit the wood, which Kirigan quickly took advantage of. He dug into your mouth, his tongue grazing yours as he tried to dominate you once again.

You growled, grabbing the back of his black shirt and tearing the fabric to get to his skin, where you didn't hesitate to leave blood crescents in the shape of your fingernails.

He hissed away from your kiss-swollen lips and bit into the same damn spot on your neck where he had dared leave a hickey before.

Aleksander...

You froze. It wasn't Aleksander. It will never be your Aleksander again. No matter how damn similar they were.

Kirigan continued to kiss your neck when you finally decided, with a heavy heart, to push him away with a gentle kick.

You both stared at each other, gasping for breath. Kirigan took a hesitant step towards you and raised his hand to gently stroke your cheek. But you jumped off the war table before his skin could touch yours and start your kissing session all over again.

You had to escape from there. As soon as possible.

"I... I should go." you mumbled, shoving past him to pick up the kefta that had been thrown on the floor by him.

"Wait a second..." he followed you but stopped the moment his eyes met yours again. You both wanted each other. You were both held back by the very same thing that attracted you in the first place.

"We have a hard day tomorrow. Make sure Ivan wakes up Alina; she's not such an early riser after all." you mumbled in panic, backing towards the door.

"Melinoe." he tried to stop you, but your hand on the doorknob was faster. You opened the door, and without looking back, you threw over your shoulder:

"Good night, general."

You ran to your room, and before anyone could stop you, you shut the door. Tears began to flow freely from your eyes as you slid to the floor.

For a moment, a fleeting little moment, you were Y/N again. You were that 20-year-old girl kissing her husband again. But Kirigan could never be Aleksander. And even if you gave him your heart, he would shatter it to pieces over time when he, like other descendants of your Aleksander, reached old age. You were doomed to be lonely. But the fact that a person with eyes, a face, and a mind so like your husband was at your fingertips wasn't helpful to your already broken soul at all.

You just wanted to have your husband in your arms again. Was it so much for the saints to accomplish? You sobbed piteously until you fell asleep on the floor from exhaustion.

Little did you know that a few floors above you, someone was also mourning their dead significant other. And he also cursed fate for putting in his path a woman so similar to the one for whom he would give everything he held dear.

One thing was certain. The longer you stayed in the presence of the other, the more you lost your mind. But neither of you was ready to deprive yourself of the toxic pleasure of seeing the living face of your beloved, lost spouse.

~•♤♤♤•~

As planned, the next day you headed towards the border with Fjerdans. Neither you nor the general spoke to you most of the way, which Alina and Baghra noticed. Yes. Baghra went with you. The general was just as shocked as you, but surprisingly, he didn't argue with the woman about her unannounced presence.

The only thing you were afraid of during this trip was crossing the land where your village used to be. Aleksander's house and yours. It also didn't help that you were supposed to be there on the exact anniversary of his death - the creation of the fold.

You thought it would be easier for you to ride a horse through the only place where you were happy, but the wave of memories flooding you did not allow you to pass by indifferently.

"You'll never catch me!" you run away from him, laughing.

"If I catch you, the game will be over. But since you're insulting my capabilities…" you yelled as you ran away when Aleksander rushed to you.

You ran along the river, looking over your shoulder every now and then to make sure your boyfriend wasn't right behind you.

Suddenly, a cloud of shadows appeared in front of you, from which your Sasha came out and grabbed you by the waist. You thrashed in his embrace, causing you both to fall to the ground, laughing.

"Aleksander! You shouldn't use it in public!" you scolded him, punching him lightly in the chest.

"We are in the middle of the forest. There are only us and some animals."

"Still it is risky for you. Don't make me tell your mother about this."

"Could you please stop threatening me with my own mother?" he groaned, throwing you off him, to which you squealed indignantly. You stared with your daggers at the man lying before you with a mischievous smirk and an amused twinkle in his eyes.

"Since I found out she likes me and trusts me more than you? No, it's too funny, my grumpy shadow-man." you laughed. You rolled your eyes as you watched his expression growl. You climbed on top of him and kissed the crease that had formed between his eyebrows from your comment. "I'm soooo sorry, Sasha. You know how much I love you, right? You're the most important person in my life, Aleksander Morozova."

"And you in mine, Y/N Y/L/N." he murmured, grabbing your cheek and pulling you into a sweet, slow kiss. You purred, enjoying the feel of his lips on yours - something you'll never get tired of. He pulled away from you far too quickly. He licked his lips, looking at you nervously. You raised an eyebrow, questioningly. "Y/N... can I ask you a question?"

"Right now? I thought you gonna kiss me a little longer, but if it's so important." he chuckled, shaking his head, as he leaned down to catch your lips in a kiss again.

"Happy, lapushka?"

"Not really, but I'll try to survive a few minutes without your lips on mine." he chuckled, but you knew from the features of his face and the gentle clasping of his shoulders that something was bothering him. You just hoped he wouldn't have to leave with his mother again... "What did you want to ask me?" Aleksander cleared his throat, taking your hands in his trembling.

"You know that I love you. I can't imagine how my life would have turned out if you hadn't put that dagger to my throat five years ago right here."

"I knew I recognized this place from somewhere." you cut him off, looking around the clearing. Aleksander laughed, catching your attention again as you blushed at how stupidly you interrupted him. But it seemed to help him relax, judging by the way his hand confidently reached out to cup your cheek.

"You make me laugh. Even on the darkest, worst of days. Just one look at those wonderfully beautiful eyes is enough to completely change my mood. One word from you and all my plans and beliefs fall into oblivion. You are the light in my darkness. The only good thing that happened to me. The only person who isn't afraid of what I can do. The only person who looks at me with such adoration despite my shadows."

"You know I love them. I love all of you, Sasha. Nothing will change that." you replied with tears in your eyes, suspecting what his confession would lead to.

"I know I have nothing worth you and that the life I can offer you is nothing compared to what you deserve, but you know me better than I know myself... I would go crazy if I wasn't the only man who has the privilege of seeing your face first thing every morning and falling asleep in the presence of your beauty. I'd go crazy if someone else could be called yours..." Aleksander took a simple gold ring with a small black gem from his pocket.

You gasped, knowing full well how much money he must have spent on even such a simple engagement ring. Baghra was supposed to skin your fiancé when she figured out what he wasted their money on.

"Sasha..." you whispered, crying, moving your gaze towards him.

"Y/N, kei onolich yash (will you marry me)? Will you be my wife?" too moved to answer him, you pulled him into a kiss. You both smiled like idiots. "I'm guessing it's yes then, but I'd rather hear it from you before I tell everyone else."

"Yes. Yes, I will marry you, you idiot. You didn't have to buy me a ring, Sasha. I would say yes without it."

"I wanted to make sure you wouldn't reject me." he replied with a mischievous smirk, putting it on your finger. You huffed and punched him lightly on the shoulder. The ring sparkled in the moonlight. Your face hurts from smiling. "I promise you, Y/N one day I'll give you the prettiest, flashiest ring in all of Ravka."

"And I will still prefer the one you gave me today." you replied without a second of hesitation, pulling your fiancé into another kiss.

The Kirgian ordered a stop, which everyone accepted with gratitude. And when others Grishas dispersed to their tasks, you decided to go to the place where your house and Aleksander's once stood.

Since you were already a stupid girl, as Baghra so nicely called you, this little trip shouldn't hurt you. You'd rather be stupid and crazy—completely mad from love—than ever forget about Aleksander and move on.

And that's how you got here. By the river, close to the place where you used to be the happiest in the world, and now you were shedding a sea of tears over the life you lost.

"I will build you a palace."

"What?" you asked, giggling as you looked away from the stars to your husband lying next to you on the grass.

Sensing the movement of your head, he turned around to look at you closely. You both loved nights like these. Your hands intertwined as you both lay on the ground looking at the stars and talking about your day, your plans, and your dreams. It was a sacred ritual between the two of you that you performed at least once a week.

"A palace. For you and our future children. A safe place where we can live with our little family."

"Sasha... I don't need a palace to feel safe with you. You are my shelter. My protector. What we have now is more than enough."

"That little hut where we barely fit in with our stuff, even though we don't have much anyway? NO. You deserve all the treasures of this world, Y/N" he murmured, stroking your cheek tenderly.

You sighed, pressing your cheek against his hand, enjoying every ounce of his attention. It's been getting more and more dangerous around here lately. You seldom had time to spend together; you were too busy with the Grisha needing your help. But you didn't mind. As long as Aleksander's eyes gave you that loving, adoring look at least once a day, you were ready to face anything to get back into his waiting arms.

"I already have one." he raised an eyebrow questioningly, looking at you in surprise. You just smiled, pulling him to you by the chin and connecting your lips in a kiss. Aleksander rolled over and hovered over you, not breaking your tender kiss. You placed your hands on his cheeks and gently pulled him away, looking into his eyes. No stars in the sky could match the brilliance of his dark irises. "You are my treasure. With you by my side I want nothing more. You're all I need to be happy, Sasha." you mumbled, stroking his cheeks with your thumbs. Aleksander buried his face in your hands, closing his eyes for a moment and surrendering to this tender gesture.

"You deserve much more, milaya. And I promise, by all the saints and stars in the sky, I'll give you the world."

"Everything in time, Aleksander. Now, kiss your wife and show her how much you love her." you giggled as his long hair tickled your cheeks as he dutifully caught your lips in another sweet kiss.

"Was he really worth it?" Baghra's question cut through your sobs. You wiped your tears, not wanting to cry in front of her, and turned to face her. "Wouldn't you rather curse him for creating a fold and for leaving you than mourn the bastard that was my son? Y/N, child, you have eternity ahead of you. An eternity where you can be happy. Is Aleksander worth wasting it?" you laughed bitterly, knowing the answer to her question all too well. Nothing has changed over the centuries. And you knew nothing would change your feelings.

"You know very well that I will never know happiness again. Not without him. I've never done that in all these years."

"There had to be a moment. Even the smallest." she tried desperately to convince you. You dropped your head, remembering those few moments between you and Kirigan in Little Palace.

"There was. Next to a man who looked like him. But after a while, it dawned on me that he would never be Aleksander. Call me and think about me however you want. Pathetic child, crazy woman… But the truth is, I loved your son, Baghra, and I will always love only him. Our hearts were created by the saints as one and divided in two, placing one in Aleksander and the other in me. There is no one in the world I could love like him, with whom I could be truly happy. This type of love never dies, Baghra. Even separated by a grave."

"What if you got him back? If he was with you, but he wasn't the same man you remember?"

"It wouldn't matter. We are all changing. I know I would love him as much as I did then."

"I just hope you know what you want, child. And that maybe he'll go back to who he used to be because of you." she sighed, leaving you alone with your grief. You frowned, analysing her vague words.

It wasn't until it started to get dark that you got up from your knees and brushed the dirt off your clothes. You were about to leave when the crunch of branches caught your attention. A foolish hope rose in you and you lifted your head, only to meet your eyes with the Kirgian.

"General. I was just returning to camp." he nodded his head without a word.

Taking that as your cue to leave, you turned to take one last look at what used to be your home. You sighed tremblingly as a lone tear rolled down your cheek.

And you whistled.

It was a fragment of an old Ravkan song about lovers returning home after a long journey to throw themselves into each other's arms, longing for separation. You and Aleksander adored it. And you decided that every time one of you left home, you would whistle that particular verse that stuck in your mind.

In storm-black mountains, I wander alone

Over the glacier I make my way

A cool breeze caressed your hot (from crying) skin. But the goosebumps that formed on your arms weren't from the cold at all.

"In the apple orchard stands the maiden fair and sings, When will you come home?"

You froze. Incapable of anything but breathing. You misheard. It's just one of your stupid fantasies, your mind playing tricks on you, or another cruel dream about how you got back the man you loved. It couldn't be true. It couldn't be real.

But the man holding your arm in a tight grip and turning you around to face him felt very real. AND ALIVE.

"Sasha?" you whispered tearfully, shaking all over, and if it wasn't for his strong grip on both of your arms, you probably would have fallen to your knees in front of him long ago, unable to do anything other than stare hopefully at the man in front of you.

Aleksander's heart shuddered and threatened to burst as the pet name, unused for hundreds of years, reached his ears. In an instant, you were on his chest as he hugged you with all his might. With your ear to his heart, you listened to his beating, and for the first time in hundreds of years, you cried WITH HAPPY.

"It's me, milaya. My sweet Y/N, my moon, my heart, my wife. It's me."

You heard him through a haze, too intent on his eyes to understand anything more from his speech. It was him. Your Aleksander. All this time. He was saying something to you, but you completely ignored him as something gold around his neck shimmered in the moonlight. You pulled the chain from under his jacket, sighing as you saw his wedding ring hanging securely on his necklace. A sob of disbelief escaped you. It was really him.

His hand cupping your cheek caused your watery gaze to shift back to those dark, beloved eyes.

"No more tears, milaya. You do not have to worry. From now on, I will never leave your side again. Not for a single bloody second."

And that was enough for you.

Grabbing his hair, you pulled him closer to you to feel his lips on yours as soon as possible. It wasn't one of those soft, gentle, unhurried kisses that lovers share after they meet after some separation.

It was intense, desperate, and needy, expressing your deadly longing for each other's lips through those painful years without each other. You didn't have the strength to hold back, to pretend you didn't miss that exact feeling all those lonely nights.

It didn't matter that your tears mixed and you could taste their salty taste on each other's lips. It didn't matter that your lungs were burning for air. It didn't matter that you had already fallen to your knees, too shaken by the feeling of the other's lips, but both of you longed too much for this closeness between you to deprive yourself of the warmth of the other's body even for a millisecond. It didn't matter if your lips were too swollen to decently go back to camp and pretend nothing had happened between you two.

You sincerely doubted that you would be able to take even a step towards the camp. Not after you trembled in Aleksander's lap as his hands caressed every inch of your skin.

But the moment came when you had to pull away from each other, cursing the need for air. You rested your forehead against his, inhaling his scent and clinging to his kefta to be as close to him as possible.

You both knew that there was no way you were going to be an arm's length away from each other. And you were seriously considering sticking with him permanently. His dark cloak looked big enough for you to hide under it too.

You couldn't believe your luck. He was here. With you. You had his arms around you again as you both clung desperately to each other.

Your Aleksander. Your husband. Your loved one. Your heart.

He had you again. His wife. His soulmate. His sanity. His equal. HIS EVERYTHING.

You wanted to pull away for a moment to look at his face again, but something tugged at your neck, bringing your head to Aleksander's shoulder. You looked down. Your necklaces are tangled.

"Seriously? It couldn't have happened a month ago?" you groaned as you tried to untangle your chains. You smiled, hearing how your husband laughed carelessly for the first time in centuries, since the day he lost you. "We'll never hear the end of it from Baghra, you know about it Sasha?" you asked, resting your forehead against his as you gave up on releasing the two of you. It didn't matter that everything was against you again. At least now you finally have Aleksander with you. YOUR real Aleksander.

"She had already called me a blind fool before she made me come here. I think we'll hear a lot from her about our stupidity." he murmured. You shivered as you felt his fingertips on your neck as he untied your intertwined necklaces effortlessly. He unclasped yours and, with great delicacy, placed the ring on your finger.

"Remind me to thank your mother for making you come here later." you replied, making sure his wedding ring was on his finger as well. Maybe you won't scare all the bitches away from him, but at least you'll make it clear that he belongs only to you. After hundreds of years without him, you have the right to be territorial.

"Later?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You don't think I'm going anywhere other than your tent and your bed right now, do you?"

"Our bed." he murmured before grabbing you in bridal style and heading for your tent. "By the way, I must commend you for how bravely you resisted the charms of someone who wasn't me. I barely managed to kiss you properly before you pushed me away."

"I don't know what I should do to you. Slap you for groping someone who had my face, or kiss you for only being attracted to my beauty."

"You have to admit, you didn't resist me much back then, my little saint." he murmured, kissing you again. He ran his hand through your hair, pulling you all the way onto him so he could feel your weight on him. You were with him. Body and soul. And it wasn't a dream. "Let's go to that tent before I have my way with you here and now." he muttered, getting up.

"Wait." you grabbed his hand. He turned to you, giving you a questioning look as he found you still kneeling on the grass. "Before we do anything. We both agree that we are not going to destroy the fold, right?"

Aleksander held his breath. He forgot how damn perfect you were. How you fit in and understood him in every way. And only the slight ounce of control he had left was keeping him from lunging at you right now as you kneeled in front of him with those beautiful, mesmerising eyes staring at him.

But after all, Aleksander was only human. A man whose cruel fate separated him from his beloved wife for many centuries…

He pulled you close to him in one swift motion. You crashed into his chest, completely unprepared for the sudden movement, but his intoxicating lips on yours compensated for your shock.

You moaned into his mouth as he pulled away from you so as not to lose his control completely.

"Saints, you have no idea how much I've missed you, my little moon."

"I'll take it as a yes." you replied, giggling as he put his arm around you. As you'd guessed, you fit perfectly with him under his cloak. You sighed, intoxicated by his scent.

"You know so well that I'll do anything for you. The fact that our plans coincide only proves that we belong to each other. And only to each other."

"Always, Sasha. I'm yours for eternity." you replied, smiling slightly as you turned to steal a glance at him.

"And I'm yours for the rest of our lives and beyond." he murmured, kissing your forehead.

You practically ran through the camp, ignoring Baghra's knowing, malicious look and the shocked expressions of Alina, Zoya, and Ivan (at which you giggled, causing Aleksander a small, tender smile) and Fedyor's smirk. You entered his tent, laughing as you started kissing while taking off each other's clothes.

"I hope you realize we don't leave this tent for at least a week?" he asked as he laid you down on the bed. However, the bastard didn't wait for your response, stealing a kiss from you.

"They'll be looking for you, Sasha." you mumbled between your kisses and grabbed his cheeks to make him focus on something other than your lips.

"What a pity I'll be too busy with my wife to notice anyone else but her." he lowered his head to your neck, making your hands tangle in his hair. You sighed, feeling his tongue on your skin just before he gently bit you.

"I thought we had a battle to win." he suddenly stopped all his movements. He intertwined your ringed hands and cupped your cheek with the other, forcing you to look into his eyes.

"My little moon, I'll postpone any goddamn war for you. There is nothing in this world more important to me than you and never will be." he promised, pressing his lips to yours.

You moaned, enjoying the long-forgotten feeling of his skin against yours as well as knowing that your love would never die.

#aleksander morozova x reader #aleksander morozova x y/n #aleksander morozova #general kirigan #general kirigan x reader #the darkling #general kirigan x you #darkling shadow and bone #darkling #the darkling x reader #darkling x reader #the darkling x you #shadow and bone #alina starkov #angst #love #oneshot #kasagia #aleksander kirigan #kirigan x reader #baghra morozova #lost love #angst and fluff #darkling x y/n #darkling x you

[heliads]

HEY HEY HEY!! can u make a the darkling x reader soulmate au?? one where reader is a powerful grisha and has lived nearly as long as he has? they walked the earth and met each other a few times, not knowing they were the same people. sometimes, a romance almost happened, but because they knew they would outlive them, it never happened. How about aleks meets reader by chance in a village near fjerda and they recognize each other for the first time and realize they are each other's soulmate? ♡ U!!

HEY HEY HEY!! your au is that your scars stay on your soulmate's skin.

masterlist

You would think that the centuries would go by faster once you’d experienced enough of them. When you grow up, it’s like the years pass with greater and greater speed, but there must be a leveling point to that mad exponential curve, because you reached it a long time ago. The decades don’t fly by anymore, they drag like the heels of your boots in the soft mud connecting the Wandering Isle to Novyi Zem.

That particular sinking earth is gone, much like most of the places from your memory. The land bridge between the two nations, which was already tentative at best back when you were born, has long been pulled under the current of the True Sea. Now, the recollections of old work boots falling into dirt have just as much hold as the place itself. Everything you knew is gone, constantly replaced by newer, flashier people and cities.

It haunts you sometimes, more often than not. You lie awake at night with a melody stuck in your head, one you haven’t heard in over two hundred years. There’s no chance that anyone remembers it except you, so you hum it to yourself, wondering if the ghosts of friends past can hear you or if they, too, are just ash and dust by now. Supposedly, they would have been folded into the welcoming arms of the Making at the Heart of the World, but you still harbor a hope that they’re still looking out for you.

Hope is all you have. As if it doesn’t mess with your head to trust your footsteps through a Ravkan town you’d lived in for decades, only to find that it’s doubled in size and population since you were last there. Or, when you finally remember that you owe a neighbor a favor, only to recall that their great-great grandchildren died out a century past. Nothing in this world is yours, not in the way that it was at the start. You can keep reinventing yourself, but it’ll never make anything stick.

All that musing over places long gone, and you still can’t convince the hours of the clock to turn by any faster. You’d like nothing more than for the years to skip by, to finally bring about your end of days or at least a change in them, because if you have more centuries under your belt, it’ll mean you’ll have searched all of the lands as many times as you can, and maybe then, you just might be able to meet your soulmate.

That, of all things, might calm your restless spirit. If it were not enough to have far more centuries in which to live out your life than the rest of the Grisha, you have to do it alone, too, knowing that most everyone you pass has someone out there built for them, someone to keep them company in a way you will never understand, no matter how many generations you live.

You often wonder if your soulmate might be out there somewhere. It’s an easy matter to spiral over. They could have been alive at the very start of your life, and died centuries before you could even meet them. Maybe there were only a few days in which your lives overlapped, or maybe you were born on the exact same day and never knew it until they died and you stayed, relentlessly, alive.

Or, worst of all, they could still be out there now, forever condemned to orbit the land at the other side of you, forever crossing paths but never meeting, always one step behind or hours ahead of schedule. There is, hypothetically, a way of telling if the person before you is your soulmate, but it only works if you have the fellow in front of you and the certainty only mad love can bring you.

In this world, in a world full of pain and pleasure, power and pride, the only way that you know for certain that you are connected with your soulmate are your injuries. They’ll show up on your soulmate’s skin, exactly at the same time and the same places as you receive them. They won’t feel the sensation of hurt as you do, and the bruises and cuts will fade as yours do, but in the minutes and hours in which you are bloody and damaged, they will be, too.

Scars last. That’s how most people know. When you see a childhood injury reflected on someone else’s knee or arm, you can tell it’s them. It’s as if a hook has been pulled through both of you, tying you together in a celebration of glitter and gore. It’s horrific, and it’s love, and no one has dared to mess with the process for the millennia in which soulmates have been around.

Least of all your soulmate. They marked you a long time ago, and although you weren’t there to see it happen, you can’t help but wonder at their rationale now. A scar curls around your left hand ring finger. It looks like a burn, and it must have been a serious one too, judging by the fact that it’s lasted this long. 

You can imagine your soulmate somewhere out there, forcing a white-hot band of metal around their finger and keeping it on despite the unendurable pain until they knew the scar would last forever. Imagine what that must mean to them, to you. There is a message that they’re trying to send to you, patterned in the syllables of their scorched flesh:  I love you to the point of agony, and past it. What a terrible sort of devotion for a soulmate. What a devastating burden of love for you to bear.

It makes you sick to your stomach, at times, and other days, it just makes you numb. Perhaps this is what you get, the Saints’ way of evening the scales. Everyone knows that the greed of a Grisha never goes unchecked, and maybe this is your diving retribution at last. You strove for too much too quickly, and now you have an excess of time in which you can ponder your failings, all alone for all eternity. It would make a sad sort of joke were it not at your expense.

After all, you should have died a long time ago, soulmate be damned. You started out life as a Heartrender, although you left the typical roles of that particular type of Corporalki behind long ago. At first, you merely shattered bone and spilt blood, but then you learned how to do more. Why kill one man when you can end dozens of lives with just as much force? Then, why kill when you can turn your attention towards yourself, healing not just surface wounds but deeper things, erasing the signs of age and wear until you were just as strong as you were at your prime?

Some would call it immortality. Others would curse it as witchcraft. You don’t need anyone’s misguided explanations anymore, though, your power will long outlive both them and their whisperings. It is power, plain and simple, and it is yours. You don’t just transmutate flesh and bone anymore, you shape life itself. Your life. Your life, extended forever, waiting for a soulmate who can keep up with you or die trying.

At times, you hate it, this prolonged life that you’ve given yourself. At the same time, the thought of dying without accomplishing all that you could is terrifying. The easiest thing to do is to keep living, keep drawing breath and wondering when things will change. If they don’t, well, at least you were here to see it. 

After all, have you ever been satisfied with your lot in life? You send a silent plea to any Saints up there, if they're still listening at all or merely content to keep pulling their strings and directing you down darker, rougher roads. Let me rest. Please. They send only one word back, after everything:  No.

So you continue your journey. Ravka needs your attention for a time, then you cross the True Sea to Kerch and Novyi Zem, and another century has passed by the time you think about returning to the eastern shores. The Shadow Fold makes things more difficult, certainly, but death is no enemy of yours, so you find ways of crossing, even if they take a while.

This time, you decide to cut through Fjerda on your various journeys. The wintry landscapes take your breath away, as they always do, but it’s a little difficult to marvel at the wonders of the country when they’re so fiercely dedicated to exterminating your fellow Grisha. You take it upon yourself to take out a few branches of the witch hunters, those treacherous drüskelle, and so you have a purpose for at least a little longer.

You get to take action upon this initiative while stopping in a small town close to the Fjerdan border for the night. While attempting to book a room in a local inn, you can’t help but pick up on the uncanny sensation of racing hearts somewhere closeby. You step away from the inn, distracted, and chase the sound of blood pounding through veins until it takes you into the surrounding woods.

There, you stumble upon what had been causing you such an uncanny sensation. A young woman, a Grisha Tidemaker by the looks of it, is attempting to evade capture by two upstart drüskelle captains. She hasn’t yet mastered her gift, and they’re well armed, so the situation is not good, to say the least.

Grisha are your people, even if you’ve become somehow separated from them by your many years. You fling out an arm and the two drüskelle go flying into the distance, clutching at their hearts as they burst in their chests. One more witch hunter materializes out of the gloom, but before he can fire off a round at you, a wave of shadow cuts off his breath and he falls to the ground, choking into stillness. The Tidemaker runs off the second the coast is clear, leaving you alone with this new stranger.

You turn around slowly, but the man emerging from the woods doesn’t seem to be a threat. He’s some kind of Etherealnik, but you’ve only heard of so many Shadow Summoners in your time. Perhaps there’s another one again.

“I came out to help,” he says, voice relaxed despite your hands raised at him in anticipation of a strike, “It appears that you didn’t need it, though.”

He doesn’t seem inclined to attack you, but you don’t trust the way he’s still hanging back in the shadows. You can’t see much of his face, nor his demeanor. “I’m no stranger to the drüskelle. They’ve always been the same sort of fools.”

“Always?” The stranger asks, allowing a note of humor to enter his words, “Have you been around long enough to judge them, then?”

You sigh. “Longer than you’d think.”

Instead of being put off by this, the stranger just grins, moonlight flashing on his teeth. “You’d be surprised what I think. I’m older than I seem.”

You look curiously at him. The man steps out of the shadows and into a patch of moonlight. Your breath catches in your throat. “No. That’s impossible.”

He’s not lying when he talks about being older than his appearance. You’ve seen this face before. Several times, if you’re not mistaken. A rebel against the Ravkan king a few centuries ago. A scholar of the Saints. A son trying to care for his mother. He’s been here whenever you passed through Ravka, but you never dared to assume that he could be anything but a familiar face passed down through the generations.

For some reason, on this night, you stop letting yourself doubt. This is a man who has been alive quite as long as you have, if not longer. Perhaps it’s the unearthly shine of the moonlight on the Fjerdan snow, transfiguring this scene into one of your memories, or perhaps it’s the fact that he’s taken his gloves off so he could summon his shadows, and you can see the imprint of a burn around the ring finger of his left hand.

No. It couldn’t be. After all this time, your soulmate cannot be the same young man you’ve crossed paths with half a dozen times before. What a cruel joke to play.

“Y/N?” He asks slowly, eyes as wide as yours.

You told him your name in one of your lives. He trusted you enough to say his back to you. “Aleksander?”

“Show me your hand,” he tells you, voice as steady as it’s always been.

When you hesitate, he crosses the clearing in a flash, standing in front of you. One of his hands curls around your wrist, holding it still, while the other holds up your fingers to the moonlight. He looks at the burn there, his burn, and at last, he smiles. It’s a proud look, almost vicious.

“You know,” he says slowly, “I always thought I’d marry you. I was a child then, and foolish, but I find I don’t mind the idea much anymore.”

He cocks his head to the side, staring openly at the scar he’d bound to both of you. You had wondered if you would fear your soulmate when you first met him, but instead, you just feel whole. A broken half has finally been reunited with its other part.

“Do you remember when we were both in Kribirsk together?” You ask slowly, haltingly, “I got a house right by the Unsea so I could study it. I think you were there for the same reason. We were the only two people in that whole town who weren’t afraid of it.”

He nods, eyes white with moonlight. “You fascinated me even then. When you left, I didn’t know how to live with myself. I started a whole new life just so the old one wouldn’t have to figure it out.”

You’d done the same thing. It took every bit of strength in you to go. You hadn’t wanted to leave the little house with the captivating man next door, but the other townspeople were starting to ask why you hadn’t aged since you’d shown up there decades ago, and the questions are only ever the start of your downfall. You’d cursed his name and yours in turn for the next few years until the heartbreak subsided.

“Before I left, though. We were alright.” You whisper.

He takes your other hand. “We’ll be alright again. It’s us now. Just us.”

“Just us,” you repeat, and for once, you let yourself believe it. You have it, your soulmate, him.

And at last, after centuries of wandering the land and sea alone, of second-guessing every shadow, of wondering what you did to deserve so much time by yourself without love, you realize that it has come to an end. All of it. There is no more solitude for you. Here by your side stands your soulmate. The long day has passed, and the rest of a quiet night shadows your threshold. It’s time to go home, so you think, but you’re already there.

requested by @cassiecrown, i hope you enjoy!

grishaverse tag list: @rogueanschel, @deadreaderssociety, @cameronsails, @mxltifxnd0m, @story-scribbler, @retvenkos, @mayfieldss, @eclliipsed, @gods-fools-heroes, @bl606dy, @auggie2000, @baju69, @crazyhearttragedy

#the darkling #the darkling imagines #the darkling x reader #the darkling oneshot #aleksander morozova #aleksander morozova imagines #aleksander morozova x reader #aleksander morozova oneshot #general kirigan #general kirigan imagines #general kirigan x reader #general kirigan oneshot #shadow and bone #shadow and bone imagines #shadow and bone x reader #shadow and bone oneshot #grishaverse #grishaverse imagines #grishaverse x reader #grishaverse oneshot #soulmates au #grishaverse soulmates au

[candy-necklace]

⁀➴ dark paradise

⌞ general kirigan x fem! healer reader ⌝

summary : The reader has been instructed by the king to help tend to general Kirigan's wounds after his long battle from Fjerda. With such close proximity might something ignite? perhaps the beginning of a flame. word count : 2.4k a/n : Hello! this is my first ever oneshot on tumblr, i do realize this is quite short. Do let me know if you like it or if there's any thing else you'd like to see written! This fic was definitely inspired by the song 'dark paradise' by lana del ray. It means the absolute world to me that you're reading this <3

" there's no remedy for memory , your face is like a melody " 𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒ “May I go in?”- you ask patiently waiting outside the general’s chambers. After the long battle with the Fjerdans, you were specifically instructed by the king to aid the general upon his return. Being a healer wasn’t necessarily the best but you couldn’t help but feel your heart flutter in your chest at the prospect of being so close to the general.

One of the guards standing outside the general’s door nods in acknowledgement of your presence, and then moves out of the way so you can step inside the general's chambers. The general was not warned that you were coming, so he looks up curiously with his dark eyes fixated on you with a piercing stare.

“I’m here to help”- you start nervously 

General Kirigan leans back and crosses his arms. He seems less brooding than he was a few moments ago as he watches you step into the room. His gaze is steady and his look is intense, but there is a hint of something else in his expression that you have not yet been able to pinpoint.

“I heard our army won the war” You make your way to the general walking past the table onto where he stood. You raised your eyebrows when you saw the maps splayed on the table. “Yet you seem to be plotting on another”- you say studying the maps. 

General Kirigan nods his head as you study the maps on the table. "Indeed we have succeeded in our mission to liberate Fjerda, yet there is something troubling me," he pauses for a moment and glances over at you with a look of contemplation. "You are quite observant, Y/N. I must admit it has been a while since someone has caught an anomaly so quickly." I smile shyly in response, focusing my attention on him. “The king sent me to help you with your battle scars” 

General Kirigan leans forward slightly and stares into your eyes intently. They meet yours for a long moment without him blinking and then he finally nods. “I see. The king sent you to ease my injuries. Quite thoughtful of him don’t you think?”- he says proceeding to remove his kefta. 

I look away pretending to study my surroundings as he undoes his shirt. “Of course”- I reply softly, fidgeting with the hem of my dress nervously. 

“I must say I’m quite pleased you accepted to offer your help Y/N” You turn around and notice the general seated on his arm chair. He casually leans back making himself comfortable. Immediately your eyes fixate on his body.  You take in the way his pale chest glistens under the chandelier lights. His chest rises and falls with every breath and all of a sudden you’re unable to form words. The heat seems to have risen in the room.

You seat yourself next to him and subtly ask for permission to inspect his arm. “Tell me about the war”- you say softly, attempting to make conversation just so you could keep your mind distracted from any foolish thoughts. He simply looks at you intently and nods. 

“We grisha are difficult to eradicate” You frown as you gently run your hands over his scars tracing his arms to his shoulders. “Though they put up quite a show”- He answers smiling in amusement. 

You hum in response as your mind is preoccupied in healing him. You were too fixated on what you were doing to realise the general’s gaze was upon you the entire time. You work your way to his muscular torso. He sucks in a sharp breath when your hand lingers over his chest. You snap out of your trance and look at him in guilt “Does that hurt?”

The general's breathing grows heavy and he swallows tightly as your touch lingers on his chest. When you ask if he feels pain, the general shakes his head slightly. "It does not pain me." He closes his eyes and tilts his head slightly. The general glances down at his torso to see where your hands are resting, but instead notices that you are looking at him. He smiles softly. 

You blush profusely under his gaze and nod continuing your work. "You're very brave"- you say sitting up inspecting his body for any more wounds. 

The general is quiet for a moment as he watches you inspect his body for any more wounds. His breathing is slow and steady, and his eyes seem to be gazing right through you. He is clearly enjoying your attention.

Finally, he speaks up, but you cannot help but notice that his voice is still deep and dark in tone. “Brave?” The general glances down at the scar on his torso and back up to you. “I don’t really think of myself as brave. I simply have the best interests of Ravka in my mind. It’s my honour to serve the kingdom” 

You smile amused. "Not a lot of people are brave enough to lead a battle" Your eyes lock with his and you quickly look away "There is a cut on your face, may I?"- You ask politely 

The general nods his head slightly as he hears your question. “You may.” His eyes follow your hands as they reach towards his face, and they meet yours for a moment when your hands make contact with his skin. The general’s features remain stoic as you begin to treat his cut and your fingers move across his face. His heartbeat quickens. 

His hand envelops yours that’s on his face. “Y/N”- he starts leaning in gently. “Thank you for your help” He hastily stands up and you’re taken aback. His face is expressionless and you’re unable to comprehend what had just happened. 

You clear your throat and nod unable to meet his eyes. “I must return to my chambers, I’ll be sure to send the king your regards”- you said quickly, turning away clearly hurt. 

Just as you take a step he grabs your hand. “Wait” You turn around sighing only to see him staring longingly at you. He gently tugs on your hand and pulls you closer until your faces are inches apart. 

“General I-”

“Call me Aleksander”- he replies sternly 

As you’re about to say something he places his finger upon your mouth. “Shh”- he whispers, his breath heavy on your neck.  Your eyes flutter close and you lean in. The general leans forward towards you and his lips meet yours in a slow and heated kiss. He slowly slides his arm around your waist and pulls you in closer to him, your bodies now pressed tightly against each other. His lips linger on yours before he pulls away and looks directly into your eyes.

You blink as if in a trance and a smile forms on your face. The general seems overwhelmed by your smile and he looks at you for a long moment without saying a word. He looks as if he is trying to find the right thing to say.

Finally, he clears his throat and looks away. His face is slightly red and he speaks quietly.

“I hope to see you again Y/N”

“I hope so too”- You reply and make your way out. Your cheeks are still tinted red and there are countless thoughts in your mind. You linger for a moment more outside the door and walk away smiling. 

#shadow and bone #aleksander morovoza #darkling x reader #general kirigan #aleksander morozova x reader #the darkling x reader #ben barnes #soc #grishaverse #the darkling #the darkling x fem!reader

[marvelmusing]

The In Another Life series is complete!!!

Find the full series masterlist HERE

And a very small bonus scene under the cut

(though I am still writing more bonus scenes and oneshots for this au as well - but this was my original final scene)

»»---------------------►

“I have a present for you.” Aleksander says, and you lift your head up from the arm of the sofa in the bedroom you share with your husband.

He shrugs his kefta from his shoulders, hanging it beside yours in the wardrobe before he begins to remove the rest of his clothes.

“Oh you do, do you?” You remark playfully, scouring his figure with eager eyes. He laughs softly, shaking his head.

He nods towards the vanity table beside him as he pulls on a fresh set of nightwear.

“The right hand drawer.”

Frowning, you stand and move towards the vanity table, wrapping Aleksander’s bathrobe tighter around your body as you do.

Opening up the drawer, you see a book lying on the top of the rest of the contents. Picking it up, you admire the silver embellishments pressed onto the deep green cloth that covers the sturdy front and back of the book.

The title is written in Old Ravkan, which you’ve been slowly learning. But in all honesty, you prefer asking Aleksander to translate it for you, mostly because you love the sound of his voice.

You recognise the word ‘life’ and that is all.

When you open the book, it’s pages are filled with what looks like a story, but once again, it’s written in Old Ravkan. With confusion in your eyes, you turn to your husband for answers.

Aleksander, now dressed in one of his nightshirts, wraps his arms around your waist, and rests his chin on your shoulder as he also looks down at the book in your hands.

“Sasha, what is this?”

“You found Alina’s story in the library, despite the fact that it was written in another world.” He begins to explain, and you nod. “Well, I wondered if there might be a world where someone wrote your story.”

“And this…?”

Your voice fades as you realise what you’re holding. Aleksander nods, pressing his lips against your temple.

“I didn’t want to pry, so I haven’t read it all. But it most definitely is your story.”

“Our story.” You correct him with a smile as you turn in his arms. “Would you read it to me?”

He smiles widely, and nods.

Together you settle under the covers, Aleksander propped up against the pillows with you tucked beside him, nestled under his arm as you lean your head on his chest.

Warm candlelight illuminates the pages as Aleksander begins to read you, his voice soft and comforting.

“I need to speak with General Kirigan.” He reads aloud, and excitement fills you at the chance to relive your adventure. Especially now that you know it has such a happy ending.

»»---------------------►

marvelmusing Tag List: @dreamlandcreations @blanchedelioncourt @idaofinfinity @slytherheign @ellooo0ooo @vixenofcourse @dumb-fawkin-bitch @jane-arthur

In Another Life Tag List: @parabatai-winchester @dangerousbluebirdpoetry @jambolska-grozdova @mxacegrey @budugu @cynthianokamaria @scarlettqueen190 @eloquentree @sharp-cheekbones-locked @sorrow-and-bliss @biblophilefox82 @tartiflvtte @rainbowgoblinfan @savagejane1 @sande5098

Aleksander M Tag List: @nyctophiliiiiaaa @jazmin2211

BB Characters Tag List: @rachlovesactors @noortsshift @aikeia

#in another life au #aleksander morozova #aleksander morozova x reader #the darkling #the darkling x reader #the darkling au #shadow and bone #shadow and bone x reader #shadow and bone au

[iamstartraveller776]

Fanfic Asks for the New Year

I snagged these questions from @jackiebelle73. Thought it would be fun to play.

1. Do you have a word-count goal for the upcoming year?

I have fanfic goals, but not any that have to do with word counts.

2. Will you participate in any fandom exchanges or fic challenges, etc? 

Not this year, sadly. Real life is a beast that rears its head at the most inconvenient times lately.

3. Do you anticipate writing for a new fandom this year? Which one?

Not this year.

4. Do you think you’ll stop writing for a fandom this year? Which one?

Yes. Two, in fact: Shadow and Bone and The Rings of Power. I didn't write much for either of these fandoms to begin with and lurked at best. I still will read fic by my fandom friends and reblog all the cool things, but I won't be writing anything new for either (after I finish my SAB fic exchange story).

5. Which WIP is first on your list to complete this year? Will you post a snippet?

The aforementioned SAB fic exchange story, The Truth in Our Hearts.

“General Kirigan,” the Apparat says, “I worry that the king will be most displeased to be excluded. Perhaps we can postpone until the royal family can attend. A week, maybe two at most. Surely a man of your standing should have a proper ceremony.” Alina looks up, a germ of hope taking root in her chest. “There have been festivities enough,” the Darkling bites out. “I will not delay any longer.” “And if I would delay?” She tries to infuse the question with as much backbone as she can muster, but her trembling voice gives away the truth. She’s afraid. Angry, but terrified. The Darkling looks at her, and she wishes he would take off that abominable mask, bare whatever savage face he’s hidden beneath so she can read his expression. “Begin,” is all he says.

6. Which yet-to-be-started fic is first on your list?

None. 2024 is the year of completing several of my already-posted wips.

7. Will you change anything about the way you interact with other writers?

Nope. I will still happily read fandom friends' stories and squee and rave and give all the love.

8. Is there a story idea in your mental vault that you’ve never been brave enough to try writing? Is this the year? Can you tell us about it?

Not for fanfic. All of the daunting project ideas I have are for original fiction. (And the answer for that would be an idea for a sci-fi epic that spans several worlds. I'm not sure I have the skill set yet to tackle it the way I want to.)

9. Short term goals… what do you hope to complete this week or in January?

Finish The Truth in Our Hearts. It was meant to be a oneshot and it got rudely plotty. My goal is to finish outlining the rest of it this week (nearly done) and finish both the rough and final drafts before the end of the month.

10. Will you keep a record of all the fics you write and/or post this year?

AO3 does that for me already, lol! But yes, I have a couple writing trackers that I use to help keep me motivated. There's enough of a numbers girl in me that I love seeing charts and spreadsheets.

11. Would you like to try any new fanfic genres or tropes this year?

After 20 years in fandom, there really isn't much I've wanted to try that I haven't already.

12. Will you change anything about the way you edit or rewrite this year?

Yes. I started it in November with Nanowrimo. I used to solely be a discovery writer as well as someone who edits as they write the first draft—which is fantastic for short stories (my bread and butter), but hell for writing longfic. I've left readers hanging for 17 multi-chapters (some of them for years) over 5 fandoms, and it's eating at me. That and the fact that I've lost a significant amount of free time in recent years has forced me to change the way I write/edit/etc. As a long time pantser, I never thought I'd be a planner, but the new methods (complete rough outline -> complete first draft -> rewrite for final draft) are working fantastically!

13. Aside from fanfic, are there any other fan works you’d like to try creating? Fanart, or fanvids, gifsets, or podfic? 

Probably not.

14. Have you ever lost large chunks of your work in the past, due to not backing up your work? Will you change your methods this year?

Not recently, but yes I have lost work before and it was devastating. I back up my work all over the place now. I also plan to eventually print out and bind my stories, but that's not this year's project.

15. Do you foresee any personal or professional obstacles this year, that would keep you from creating fanworks? 

Yes. 100%. I have some crazy stuff going on in real life. Writing is part of my self-care program, but I can only do as much as I have time for (which isn't much).

16. Do you have that one fanfic that you wrote a ton for, ages ago, but never posted? Will this be the year, come hell or high water, that it WILL get finished and posted?

Nope. I am weak. If I've written enough for a chapter, I've posted it. This is a habit I'm hoping to change!

17. Do you typically answer all comments/reviews individually? Do you plan to change the way you interact with your readers this year?

I do! Sometimes it takes me a while to reply (thanks to that stupid real life I've talked about). I love interacting with my readers. I have no plans to change that.

18. Do you typically post multi-chapters as you write, or finish it all and then start posting? Would you like to change your posting method? 

Previously, I've posted as I write, but I'm changing that. This year, I'm only posting (or updating, as I'm not posting anything completely new this year) once the story is finished.

19. Would you consider non-fandom writing events, like NaNoWriMo or writing contests? 

Nanowrimo, probably.

20. Any plans to work on original fiction this year?

Yes. My goal for this year is the first draft of an original fiction novel for my firstborn. It's currently in the nebulous world-building stage, missing characters and plot.

21. Will you try writing software, like Scrivener or those programs that won’t let you stop writing?

I will keep using what I've always used: Microsoft Word and Scrivener.

22. Do you plan to take writing classes this year?

Not this year. I've done several before over the years (and even helped teach an online one).

23. Would you like to go on a writing retreat?

I would love to! But I don't think I have either the time or the budget for it this year.

24. By the end of this year, you want your fandom to think of you as “that author who _______.”

F I N I S H E S. That's my sole fic goal for 2024: finishing wips. As many as I can.

25. If you answered questions from this list last year, find your answers and compare your goals to your results. How’d you do?

N/A

#fanfic asks for the new year #about me

[starsaroundmyscarsblog]

Hey All!

@starsaroundmyscarsblog here!

Nice to meet you all.

Uh, cue background music!

*Anti-Hero starts playing*

Not that one, it'll give them the wrong impression

*music cuts abruptly*

*the 1 by Taylor swift plays instead*

*cue nervous laughter from anon*

Anyway, that was kinda a little skit I came up with lol but nice to meet you. I've been writing for a while and I have fanfics on Wattpad and Q, but I wanna use this acc to write stuff for other people (and kinda for myself a little bit lol) because I know most of the time life does not life and we all need a little mental healing, now and then, right people?

Anyway, send in your requests, and I'll write whatever you want: drabbles (though idk what that is) headcanons, oneshots etc.

See you on the flipside!😆

*starts vibing to 'the 1'*

Fandoms:

Marvel:

1. Bucky Barnes

2. Thor

3. Loki

4. Peter Quill

5. Moon Knight System

6. Steve Rogers

And anyone else I have the capability to write. What I mean is, as of now, I haven't seen daredevil yet, but when I do, I'll be able to do his character justice. I just can't do it at the moment because, I don't like getting character personality wrong. So, if there's a character in any fandom that's not on the list, just ask me if I can write about them 😊

Game of thrones

1. Robb Stark

2. Jon Snow

3. Theon Greyjoy

4. Jaime Lannister (I don't like him cause of what he did to little bran🥺but that's another story for another time)

Lord of the Rings

1. Legolas

2. Aragorn

3. Boromir (rip🥺)

4. Frodo

5. Sam

6. Merry

7. Pippin

Grishaverse:

1. General Kirigan

Pirates of the Caribbean (minor fandom)

1. Jack Sparrow

2. Will Turner

(P.S. just to let you all know, I don't write smut).

#marvel #bucky barnes #steve rogers #moon knight #steven grant #marc spector #jake lockley #thor x reader #mcu loki #100 days of productivity #x reader #legolas #boromir #aragorn #general kirigan #grishaverse #lord of the rings #lotr elves #lotr x reader #lotr #bucky fluff #bucky x you #bucky x reader #marc spector x y/n #marc spector x reader #jake lockley x reader #steven grant x reader #iron man #tony stark #tony stark x reader

[reidmyspencer]

My ideal weight is Ben Barnes on top of me

#billy russo x reader #billy russo oneshots #billy russo imagines #ben barnes oneshots #billy russo imagine #billy russo #ben barnes imagines #shadow and bone imagines #shadow and bone #ben Barnes #Prince caspian #Caspian #Narnia #The Punisher #general kirigan #aleksander kirigan #kirigan x reader #shadow and bone netflix #shadow and bone oneshots #general kirigan oneshots #general kirigan imagines #the darkling imagines #the darkling oneshots #the darkling

[embrassemoi]

Imagine Being Loved by Me || The Darkling

“Say it,” his voice was low, nothing more than a whisper but it came out as an underlying threat that sent shivers up her spine. “Tell me you love me.”

Pairings: The Darkling x F!Reader

Word Count: 2k

Content: Smut, hint of religious imagery, power imbalance, hint of angst, unprotected P in V, dom/sub dynamics, mentions of blood and death, love confessions

A/N: I listened to Hozier's song 'Talk' while writing this. For full affect, listen along while reading!

【 Masterlist || Navigation || ao3 】

Disclaimer: Do not use these stories as an educational reference and always practice safe sex!

The first time they slept together, neither uttered a word. She had been pacing around in the war room, thinking about the next upcoming strategies needed to protect Ravka. They were in a vulnerable situation compared to its bordering nations and both she and the Darkling were bickering over how they should proceed. She wasn’t quite sure how exactly it happened, but the Darkling came closer, and her body leaned into his. Her eyes closed for a second, mind on overdrive as it concentrated on his heartbeat.

His face was close, licking his lips in the darkness as if he was getting ready to speak before she pressed her lips onto him, effectively rendering him silent. And then suddenly, she was hoisted on the table, his mouth grazing every inch of skin with newfound urgency.

She can still remember touching her lips afterwards, tingling with the ghost of his memory. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel it.

She remembered her heart beating quickly, threatening to burst at the seams.

She couldn’t quite recall the other times where they were tangled with each other, but it was a cycle that neither could break and nobody wanted to acknowledge; never addressing it head-on.

She couldn’t quite recall the other times where they were tangled with each other, but it was a cycle that neither could break and nobody wanted to acknowledge; never addressing it head-on.

And now, separated for weeks on end, once they had finally reunited, they both ignored each other. But it was useless. They were both so attuned with each other; every thought, every movement — every fibre of their being were keenly intertwined. If they were to ever push, the other would pull back. They didn’t even have to make a sound, almost like an ancient drive forced them to be bonded together. However, not a word was ushered between them again, aside from forced proximity due to meetings or their performance for the Winter Fete.

He had returned to her once more in the late hours of the night. She was hyper aware of him as she pried her eyes open, her mind snapping out of her dreams. She sat up, pushing the covers off and peered up.

He was fixated on her, eyes staring directly into her’s in nothing but the pale moonlight. The few buttons at the top of his kefta were undone, hair tousled, unlike his normal neat image.

There was a look in his eyes that she’d seen many times before — desire, power, need — but it was never as intense as his. It was like looking into the blackness of a bottomless well, so far down that it could reflect a sky full of stars.

There it was again, the tantalizing and dangerous allure of the Darkling.

She sighed, the sense of disquietude flaring as the uncertainty of what to do grew. All the silent words, lingering stares, the sleepless nights filled with soft moans and unspoken promises, what did they mean?

What did he want them to mean? Because she knew what she wanted. Her every thought was of him. She wanted more than just secret nights between silk sheets.

“What is it?” She finally asked. The cold from the winter slowly seeped into her bones, but maybe that was his doing.

After all, his shadows loved to watch her greedily.

His face was twisted in longing, an expression she wasn’t used to seeing. She wanted to reach out for him but forced herself to remain seated.

Her eyes close in slight annoyance when he makes no move to speak. Instead, she concentrated on his striding footsteps. With each step, her chest rose and fell rapidly, getting a sense of his intention. The bed dipped and his hand cupped her chin to tilt her head up to stare at him directly.

Countless deaths and blood laid on his hands — kefta scrubbed clean, free of blood. She watched him kill multiple men with a single flick of his wrist and watched the splatter of blood hit his face.

But with his murderous hands, stained with lives haunting him and burdened by perpetual lifetimes, he worshipped her tenderly like she was precious jewels.

“Darkling —”

“My name,” he said, stilted. “Please, my name is Aleksander.” His speech was slightly broken as if he had never told anyone before. And maybe he hadn’t.

Her breath hitched.

“Aleksander…” She tried, testing his name on her tongue. “I wouldn’t have assumed you had such an ordinary name.”

He breathed out, mimicking a half-hearted chuckle. “I’m sorry to disappoint.” His hand moved, knuckles brushing against her cheek before cupping the side of her face.

Everything about him, his touch, his earthy scent, his lips — was insurrectionary, making her want to surrender to temptation.

“Speak my name,” he commanded. There was a pleading tone that bleed into his voice. She couldn’t deny him.

“Aleksander.”

He leaned in closer. “Again.”

“Aleksander.” Finally, it earned her a soft peck to her lips. “Aleksander.” Another peck. And another. “Aleksander…” And then it prolongs, turning into heated kisses as she finds herself melting into his touch. Everything about him was cold, freezing, but his lips were warm and inviting; sultry.

To Aleksander, her voice was hypnotizing, laced in spun gold and made an ache break loose in his chest, basking in her warmth. He felt his heart patch over with the inexplicable glow of sunlight, replacing the loneliness that had drilled so deeply within him for centuries.

Whenever it was her, he felt consumed with uncontrollable longing and need.

They take their time and Aleksander lets her lead. One of his hands snakes around her waist, pulling her flush against him while the other supports the back of her neck. Her fingers ran up his chest, before threading through his hair.

“Moya lapushka,” he moans into the kiss. “Tell me what you want.”

“Please —”

“Please what?” He pulls back from her lips reluctantly.

“Please, I need you. Now —”

“Milaya,” he coos, ignoring her requisition entirely. “Repeat that?”

Bastard. She clicks her tongue.

Aleksander chuckles at her reaction. His lips brush against the column of her neck, fingers gliding over the fine silk of her black nightgown before looping beneath her ribbon straps, pushing them off her shoulder. Her breasts were exposed, nipples hardening from the cool air. Aleksander’s hand shoots to knead her breast, and she has to hold back a gasp as his fingers, littered in silver rings, brushes over her nipple. After a particularly hard swipe, her body twitches as his thumb rubs incessant circles over the sensitive nub, similar to how he would play with her clit.

“I love it when you beg.” He mused.

The fact that she wore black made him tick further. He never wanted to see anyone in his colour until her. A wrapped, perfect present just for him.

His kisses until that point were gentle, but he pressed a particularly hard one, laced in possession before laying her flat on her back. He positioned himself on top of her, hands pinning her wrist to the bed.

“I missed you.” A kiss and he’s suddenly vulnerable again. “I thought about you every day.”

And her heart ached. “Missed you too.”

He dips his head, burying his face in her chest meanwhile his tongue continues to lap at her nipple, swirling it around with his tongue, then sucking. His free hand finds itself between her legs as he rubs her clothed clit, spreading her legs wide.

She buckles in his hold from the feather-like touch, but he’s so strong that she hardly budges out from him.

She’s already dripping and she can feel him smile against her skin.

“So pretty, aren’t you? Always desperate for my touch.”

Impatient, Aleksander, slides down her panties. He rubs slow circles on her clit and he’s more than pleased to hear the little sighs and moans that leave her, each louder than the next.

He moves to hover back over her face, letting her hands free as he’s too busy devouring her lips. He pressed a leg between her legs and her hips to move involuntarily, grinding on the fabric of his trousers.

Aleksander finally relents, pulling back as he descends across her body, nestling himself between her thighs. Her glistening folds sparkle in the starlight.

It’s like he’s examining her and embarrassment flares until he blows cool air to her entrance, placing a tentative kitten lick. He finally wrapped his lips around her clit, fingers gliding through her slit.

He groans, sending vibrations through her pussy. One hand flew to grip his hair, the other cupping her breast.

“Aleksander,” she moans sweetly. It causes a chain reaction, setting something deep within him to crack.

He held her in place, unable to move while his finger slid through her fluttering hole as he pushed in. He sucks harshly against her, fingers pumping quickly.

He slipped in another finger and she felt her skin heat. Having him still clad in his formal attire gives Aleksander an edge, leaving her completely exposed or his eyes to feast on her.

Aleksander groans loudly while he feels her cum on his tongue, listening to her suddery whines. It flooded his senses, and all he could do was watch, wanting to imprint the memory into his mind forever. Her moans, resounded by pleasure, sound like music to him. He only pulls away when she’s left trembling.

He rids himself of his kefta, “Do you want my cock?” He taunts slightly but frowns when she doesn’t respond, still too dazed from her high.

“What, now you can’t speak?” He undid his trousers, reaching to take his cock in hand, stroking himself languidly.

“Want you.” She sounded sweet, smooth like honey and he can’t help but indulge in her more.

She lets out a whimper of pain at the stretch as he enters her. His lips claim hers, drinking in every sound, feeling him sink in inch by inch.

“So good for me. Taking me so well,” he praises. She moans as he hits a spot so deep inside her that it feels delicious. His movements are so controlled and precise, and it’s clear he’s going to take his time; milking every second.

She drags her hands down his back, nails digging in, leaving red scratches in their wake. She’s never felt so full before.

One hard thrust had her slapping a hand over her mouth, making her choke on a moan. But Aleksander frowns, ripping her hand away.

“I need to hear you, milaya devushka. How else will I know you’re feeling good?”

Unlike the other times, something was different. She exploded him thoroughly before. She’s taken him in her mouth, on her knees; fingers clawing his hand, trashing either on top or beneath him…

This time, it felt intimate, full of yearning from Aleksander’s end and it caused an electric sensation to fill her body.

His hands grip her jaw, turning her head to look at him. “Say it,” his voice was low, nothing more than a whisper but it came out as an underlying threat that sent shivers up her spine. “Tell me you love me.”

“I love you.” She says for the first time, and she means it wholeheartedly.

“Yeah?” Aleksander could feel his treacherous heart exploding into blazing white light and eyes softened by her words. He slows his pace significantly, fingers rubbing circles on her clit that has her crying. Adjusting his position slightly, he pressed his chest against her, his cock unremitting.

“Mmhm!” His heart clenches together from her eagerness. “Of course! I love you. Love you, love you!”

He leant forward, teeth grazing her bottom lip, nibbling until pressing a searing kiss against her. His pace picked back up.

He bites and kisses her neck, furiously rubbing her clit. The way she clenches around him has his head thrown back, panting and looking down at her with a gaze so warm, idolatry, that it could set the sun ablaze.

“I love you too, moya sol koroleva.”

And he means it. She was almost a prayer, a mirage he thought he could never touch, never quite grasp. But here they were, colliding with one another.

She’s his.

© gotkindabored 2021. Do not repost, translate or modify

#the darkling x reader smut #the darkling x reader #general kirigan x reader #general kirigan x reader smut #the darkling #general kirigan #shadow and bone x reader #shadow & bone #ben barnes x reader #ben barnes #the darkling smut #the darkling x you #general kirigan smut #general kirigan x you #aleksander morozova #Aleksander morozova x reader #the darkling imagine #the darkling oneshot #grishaverse smut #the darkling fanfiction #Aleksander morozova smut #the darkling x y/n #shadow and bone fanfiction #general kirigan imagine #general kirigan fanfiction #fanfiction #reader insert #smut #general kirigan oneshot #shadow and bone smut

[refiwrites]

Wanna Be Yours

Pairing: Aleksander Morozova x Implied Fem! Reader (but can be gender neutral!)

Summary: You wanted to make sure Aleksander was yours, but you couldn't help but feel jealous when you see him and Alina together.

Word count: 1.1k

Warning/s: allusions to sex, mention of alcohol, jealousy

Note: it's been a while since ive posted, but ive been wanting to write for the shadow and bone fandom after watching the show so idk have this? im sorry if its shit i just thought of it really quick lmao. please like and reblog if you enjoyed, feedbacks are welcome.

GIF is not mine, credits to the owner!

“Aleksander…” You muttered as your hands raked through his jet-black hair, his lips traveling farther down your neck.

I wanna be your vacuum cleaner

Breathing in your dust

The tangled sheets were enough to tell things were being heated, you were loving every second of it. You could tell Aleksander was too, the way he grips your wrists forcefully down on his lavish bed, his hot breath ghosting over your lips.

I wanna be your Ford Cortina

I will never rust

All it took was a glance from him and you already felt yourself crumbling.

If you like your coffee hot

Let me be your coffee pot

Aleksander’s slender fingers made their way to your cheek, you pushed down a gulp as he smirks down at you.

You call the shots, babe

I just wanna be yours

A mix of heavy breathing and gasps filled the room, the only source of light being behind the curtains on the windows, your body now huddled up against his side as you lay your head on his shoulder, his thumb tracing unknown shapes on your arm.

“I promise you; you and I are going to rule the world.” He mutters as he finds your eyelids closed shut, telling you were fast asleep as he lays a soft kiss on your forehead.

Secrets I have held in my heart

Are harder to hide than I thought

Maybe I just wanna be yours

That was a few nights ago before a woman with the name Alina Starkov came, a Sun Summoner.

It felt like the past few days never happened as you stared at Aleksander talking up Alina, giving his smile you were fond of seeing for yourself yet now they seemed like they were made for her.

Your eyes darkened as your heart twisted.

I wanna be yours

You would’ve been lying if you said you hadn’t fallen for the Darkling himself, it pained you how much you wanted to tug him out of the room then and there and show him just how much you love him.

He’s too busy being with Alina that you couldn’t help your thoughts at bay, for the love of Saints it felt like he barely even gave you a glance throughout the day.

I wanna be yours

Wanna be yours

You clutched your wine at hand, tearing your gaze off of the pair as you sipped, sending fake smiles along nobles who greeted you.

After their little show was over, you felt like getting some fresh air so you stepped out, climbing up stairs to move yourself towards the balcony.

Wanna be yours

Wanna be yours

Breathing out, you traced around your cup as you looked up at the sky, stars and clouds littered against one another.

Let me be your ‘leccy meter

And I’ll never run out

Let me be the portable heater

That you’ll get cold without

Were you jealous? Without a doubt. Should you actually be worried? You weren’t sure. You trusted Aleksander but you happen to rethink if this thing going on between the both of you was serious that you almost thought of throwing your glass out the balcony.

I wanna be your setting lotion

Hold your hair in deep devotion

You heard the sound of footsteps approaching you from behind then suddenly you felt a tug and now your back were pressed up against someone’s chest.

At least as deep as the Pacific Ocean

Now I wanna be yours

“What do you want?” You almost spat and you felt a deep chuckle rumble from behind.

“I was trying to find you back there, instead I find you here, is something wrong, lapushka?”

You grit your teeth, oh how he had you wrapped up in his finger.

Secrets I have held in my heart

Are harder to hide than I thought

You kept your gaze solid on the sky as you felt your grip around your cup tighten.

“Don’t mind me, why don’t you go back and ask Alina? I bet she misses your company dearly.”

Maybe I just wanna be yours

“Are you jealous?” He whispers near your ear which sent shivers down your spine, your body fighting back a shudder.

When you didn’t answer, Aleksander began to get impatient, hand going to tug at your arm as he pulls you to face him, chest to chest with nowhere to escape from his strong grasp.

You kept your glance anywhere but into his eyes.

I wanna be yours

I wanna be yours

You felt your chin being raised up yet your glance remained elsewhere.

“Moya lyubov'.” He called which you automatically give your attention to his, staring into his eyes that bore down on you that almost mirrors a void, a void in which you sunk yourself deep into without hesitation from the first time you’ve met him.

“Answer me.”

Wanna be yours

Wanna be yours

Wanna be yours

You looked down, letting out a sigh before gazing back up at Aleksander. “You know better.”

He chuckles, you almost felt the rumble at the proximity of your bodies together.

“Do I? Suppose I just wanted to hear it from you… are you?” His face seemed even closer to yours than a few seconds ago.

“Who wouldn’t be.” You whisper enough for him to hear.

You could almost feel his ego swelling out of his smirk, hand coming down to wrap against your waist as his lips brushed yours, you closed your eyes, trying to trick your mind in thinking of something else.

Wanna be yours

Wanna be yours

Wanna be yours

“(Y/N), you don’t have to worry about nothing.” He spoke, what felt like a huge weight had just been lifted off of your shoulders.

“She’s merely just an instrument to ensure our future, together.” You frowned at his words, still, you couldn’t resist the temptation of finally having a future with him, maybe a family even.

“I’m only yours, moya lyubov', no one can take me away from you,” He continued, placing a slow, hungry kiss on your lips which you savored with a light moan which made him smile into the kiss.

“I only love you.” Aleksander finishes after you broke apart in such a heated action. Foreheads stuck together as you both had your eyes shut. Hearing music and chattering from below.

“I love you too.” You respond, hands going up to cup his face, tracing his features.

I just wanna be yours

“I’m yours till the end of time, my darling.” He confessed.

“So am I.” You respond before capturing his lips again to show how much you mean it.

I just wanna be yours

I just wanna be yours

#general kirigan x reader #shadow and bone x reader #aleksander morozova x reader #general kirigan imagines #shadow and bone oneshots #ben barnes x reader #ben barnes imagines #x reader #shadow and bone #one shots #imagines #imagine #fic #fanfiction #refiwrites

[sehnsuchts-trunken]

Can you please do a part 2 for the darkling x summoner story where she tellls him about what happened plss

Something Impossible - The Darkling

first oneshot for the christmas requests <3 

pairing: Darkling/Aleksander Morozova x gender neutral!sun summoner reader

wordcount: 2.5k words

triggerwarnings: can’t think of any!

summary: after finding out that Kirigan is the Black Heretic and making a choice that was as easy as it was hard, you are surprised by yet another layer of your power that binds you to him.

second part to “I Am Light, I Am Power” - can be read separately though~ also if you dont have nikolai screaming “improbable” at you in your head after kirigan says “impossible”, i hope both sides of your pillow are warm tonight

Your heart beat frantically against your chest. You had taken the first steps slowly, and then you had suddenly been running up the stairs, back the way you had come, up and through corridors until finally you stood in front of the portrait again. You couldn’t tell if it had been a minute that you had been away or eternity - it felt as though time had stopped and the clocks began ticking just as you sat foot into his chambers again. The room was brightly lit, though perhaps it was not bright, but in comparison to the dark corridors you’d just escaped, it seemed like the sun itself was placed in its middle. Until you realised it was you who shone, at least. Quickly you pushed away the power that caused you to light up the way you’d done before on that stage, not even a day ago, though it felt like years had passed from then to now.

Without your light, the chambers were still glowing in faint yellow, the lamp Kirigan had lit illuminating the table, the walls, the doors to other rooms. Nothing had changed. You let out a breath. Silence. No sounds but your heartbeat and your steady inhaling, no faint voices from the hallways or music that found its way here. You hadn’t realised just how quiet it had been before. Utterly quiet. No wisp of wind or laughter, no footsteps against stone.

You fell to your knees. You thought your heartbeat would quicken, thought you would start to sweat, thought you would tremble, thought that your mind would shout and yell and scream - but nothing happened. Your breath came normal, your muscles relaxed, and your head was as quiet as it had rarely been before. You were empty. Somehow, there was no emotion where you grasped for it, no thought where you wanted to chase one, no words when you tried to speak. No tears came, no shock, no sound left your throat, not one of the things you would have deemed perfectly right reactions to learning what you had learnt. To deciding what you had decided. To feel a burden lift from your shoulders where it should have been placed. To being free.

You closed your eyes and counted. You didn’t know for what, or to what. Waiting, perhaps, for destiny to claim you, or for Kirigan to come back, or for that emptiness inside you to fill. You didn’t know what it was. That utter emptiness. It was nothing bad, as one would have assumed, but it was nothing good either. It seemed to be you, but it was something wholly different at the same time.

Power. Your power was there, and you could not tell if it was the emptiness, if it was with the emptiness, if it fought it or cherished it - you could not think and could not feel, but your power, you knew, was still there. That well of power, sizzling in your hands, tickling your skin, putting your mind into a haze, your body into a trance. So much power. So much power you had declared worthy of the world’s death.

A laugh escaped you. Curled your lips into a smirk, forced your eyes open. There you were. On the floor of Kirigan’s chambers, the portrait behind you opened wide, revealing the darkness of corridors you had signed whole countries’ defeats in. Defeats for the power that filled you and the bond that remained when the rest of you was gone.

The door swung open, thundering into the wall and then back into its place with so much force the whole room seemed to shake. You lifted your head, not slowly, not carefully, not fearful in the slightest. What was there to fear? The rage of a man whose own death yours would be?

His gaze was fixed upon you, not even a single look behind you to the opened portrait, but you knew very well that he was aware of it. You met his eyes in determination, the miserable smile still on your face, your hands beside your knees on the ground.

“Kirigan”, you greeted, an amused edge to your voice that did not meet your eyes at all. “The Darkling, yes? Or should I say The Black Heretic?”

His expression was emotionless, assessing, almost, and you felt his power prodding yours carefully, as though to test the bond between the two of you. You let him.

“Your dear mother told me so much about you”, you went on. His shadows flickered for just a heartbeat, but you noted it just as well as if they’d faded for a decade. Ah. So he did not know. Your grin grew wider, wicked, now. “So much that I believed at first she was out of her mind. Seems that she has figured you out quite well - or have you shared your planning with her? Family, what a beautiful thing, isn’t it?”

You lifted and flicked your hand as though to dismiss an argument he had not yet given. The smile vanished from your face, only to be replaced by the cold emptiness you felt inside.

“Don’t worry”, you said, sounding almost bored. “I won’t be the one to stand in your way.”

You lowered your gaze to the ground and got up, straightening your kefta and brushing away imaginary dust. Silence arose once more, and it was only when you looked up again and leant on his table with one hand that he responded.

“I have heard-”, he started, but you chuckled and interrupted him. “I’m aware. You’ve heard once. I felt... you. I felt that you did.”

You tapped into your power just slightly, the overwhelming urge to use it stinging you physically, but instead only reached out for his. You wanted to melt as they met. You felt as though it belonged, right there, with his - dark and light not against, but with each other. No matter how empty you felt, how betrayed.

He lifted a hand, and you allowed him to step closer, to brush a finger carefully along your cheek. It was a firework, a gunshot, a key to a lock long forgotten. You closed your eyes at the familiar tingle that spread, at your power that welled up inside of you, begging for you to release it. So you did.

Not in any way that you had before, no - not to reach for the sun and summon the light, not to glow and shine; you did not call for brightness at all, not for your power to be released. Instead you threw it the other way. Into his darkness, into his shadows, into the very core of his soul.

The effects of it reverberated in yourself. You pulled back in pain, pressing a hand to your chest as you coughed.

You’d seen... him. For the first time, you’d actually seen him, all of him, to his heart and his head and back. It was darkness, all of it. It shouldn’t have surprised you as much as it did - wretched, his mother had called him. Wretched indeed. And still there had been a glimpse of light - your light. Light that had spread as you threw yours into it, and as you retreated in fear you wondered what would have happened if you had used more than just the edge of your power. You had lingered merely half a second, but you had seen so much of him that you felt as though it had been years.

You had no idea what you had done. You didn’t know how it was possible, or what it was that you’d made possible. You didn’t know why you were able to be inside of his mind. As suddenly as you’d thrown out your power, you pulled back, and you opened your eyes at once.

Kirigan had his fist balled against his chest, expression one of utter pain. What had you done? How had you been able to?

Your breathing came ragged, but it was nothing against his as he slowly straightened his back again and loosened his grip on his kefta. You had expected him to rage, to scream at you, to do anything but lift his gaze and brush his hand once again along your reddened cheek.

“Do it again”, he whispered. You wanted to shake your head, yell at him that in no way would you endanger him, scream and run and heal, but instead you closed your eyes and dived back into your power.

Light greeted you. Blazing light, so much of it, everywhere. This was yours, your power, your light. And there, deep down, there was his sliver of darkness. You touched it carefully once, then gathered bits of your power, and slowly, very slowly, so much more careful, you let it slither along that bond you shared with him. Farther down, down into his darkness, until there was barely some of your power left, and you spread it so reluctantly it took far longer this time that you could see anything but his shadows.

Your heart picked up its pace as you found the bit of your light in the darkness like the bit of his darkness was in your light. And then you reached it. Not through the explosion you had before, but thoughtfully now, thoroughly.

You gasped for air, feeling nothing of the arm he slipped around your waist to keep you on your feet when you found your way into his mind.

You could see yourself through his eyes. See the way you stood slumped against him, your hand that grabbed the edge of the table, your hair so much messier than it had been when you had last looked at yourself in a mirror. Before the show. Before the kisses. Before... A lifetime ago.

What’s happening?, you whispered. Did not whisper. Your lips did not part, your mouth did not move, yet the echo you heard inside his head was real. What am I doing?

Something impossible, he answered, and you watched yourself physically flinch at how close his voice sounded. Not close to your ear, at all, but as though it was all around you, inside of your own mind.

You pulled back at once. All your power, all that you had carefully tugged inside of his, came crashing back into you. It wasn’t much, but enough, it seemed, to knock the air out of you and the last bit of stability out of your muscles. You gasped for breath, swallowing air in great gulps before even opening your eyes. When you did, the room was spinning. You’d retreated too quickly. There had been too much power slamming back into you.

You could barely grip Kirigan’s arm as you stumbled even further against him, almost hitting your head on his chest. It took you quite some time to regain control over your own body, for the pain to go away and your own voice return to you. Your arms were still heavy, your eyelids still droopy, but when you tilted your head up to look at him and he was fixing you with his gaze, you already felt your power boiling inside of you again. You stared at him in silence for what could have been seconds or days. And with no thoughts in the back of your mind, you rose to your tiptoes and kissed him.

Your power exploded. It wasn’t like those times before, when you had felt as though you were being ripped to pieces, as though your body was suddenly not enough for you. This time it was different. It finally filled the emptiness inside of you, not in golden light but in power white and shining and midnight black all the same. All the thoughts returned. Your head screamed. There was no more silence, no more emptiness anywhere. Emotion hit you at once, and you had to physically recoil, pull back from him because it was just too much. Too much to have all of you return in a split second.

“I don’t care”, you whispered breathlessly against his lips. “that you lied to me. I don’t care what you are and I don’t care what happened and what you’ve done. Make me a weapon, make me a toy, make me a tool - use me all you want as long as I can have you too. Destroy the world and rebuild it from ash, slaughter armies and spill innocent blood, but do it with me at your side, not in shackles behind you. Take me, but let me love you the same. Make me a monster.”

A slight smile tugged at his lips, and he leant down again, slowly, but as he kissed you and your power reached out for his almost in reflex, he cupped your cheek with one hand and instead sent out his power to find yours. It was a different sensation than when you had done it to him. It wasn’t being him, it was... being with him. You felt him in your mind, your power sizzling, pulling closer to him, yanking so hard that you seemed to be thrown into his darkness. He felt not like a visitor, but neither like an intruder - he belonged there, belonged there in your heart and in your soul.

You don’t understand, he muttered. His voice came from nowhere and everywhere, the echo to a faint sound that grew and vanished again. I never wanted to use you. I never planned to keep you a prisoner.

And despite his lies, despite everything you’d come to learn, despite what you should have done and what would have been the right thing to do, you trusted him. You believed him.

Let me love you, you repeated. It was strange - you heard your voice inside your head and his, just as you’d done that time before, with Baghra deep down in the corridors of the Little Palace. You would get used to it. Someday, perhaps you’d get used to your own power.

Let me make you a monster, he asked.

You pulled away from him just to breathe and kept your eyes shut tightly, unwilling to lose the bond through the lack of touch - but nothing happened. Nothing happened except for your power going stiller. His shadows remained in your light, and you felt his presence in your mind more than you did your own thoughts.

You wanted him. You needed him. More than any mortal, than any otkazat'sya, more than any grisha could understand. This was not love. This was far more powerful than a single word could describe.

“Please”, you whispered. “Please.”

#the darkling x reader #the darkling oneshot #the darkling #aleksander morozova x reader #aleksander morozova #general kirigan x reader #general kirigan oneshot #general kirigan #kirigan x reader #kirigan #kirigan oneshot #shadow and bone #shadow and bone fanfiction #s&b #s&b fanfiction

[kasagia]

In the darkness

Pairing: Aleksander Morozova/General Kirigan/The Darkling x fem! Alina's sister! Sun Summoner! reader Summary: After you and Alina destroyed the fold, she killed Aleksander and became queen at Nikolai's side, you took the place, tittle and chambers of the General of the Second Army. And then... strange things starts to happen in the darkness. Warning(s): obsessive behaviour; toxic relationship; voyeurism; Aleks manipulates the reader, the reader gives in to him; the reader is alone and needs someone *cough* her Darkling; fight; violence; dark reader; Word Count: 9,2 k Taglist: @aoi-targaryen ~•♤♤♤•~ Aleksander Morozova's Masterlist ~•♤♤♤•~

You won. Alina won. The fold did not exist anymore… as well as he. Ravka was safe. And the new royal couple was supposed to provide it with peace and splendor. That's what they were saying.

Nobody talked about the fallen. About the thousands of Grishas still living in fear. About thousands were imprisoned by Fjerdans and Shu-Hans who experimented on them.

All that mattered was that the Darkling was dead. The darkness disappeared. The shadows left with their last summoner, whose body he begged you to burn.

And maybe, after all, he was cruel. Maybe he knew that despite everything he had done, you still loved him, and his request (as well as his staring at you as if you were his only light and the only one thing he wanted to look at before his death) would completely break your already battered heart.

Maybe that was his last act of manipulation and control over you. A pleasure he couldn't slip out of his fingers. Maybe seeing you sobbing over him was the last goal he set for himself, before he leaves this world after the centuries he has lived. Centuries of constant fighting and flight. Centuries of leaving in his own shadows, in hatred, each time he looked at the fold, he was reminded that he wasn't able to achieve his goal.

That he was utterly alone...

Just as you are now.

Or maybe he just loved you, and you didn't want to admit it to yourself...

And now, laying on the bed in which he used to sleep, on the bed he used to hold you, on the bed he spent with you many sleepless nights and long, late mornings, you know that no matter what renovation this room will have, it will always remind you of him.

Your Aleksander... your equal... your monster.

You shiver as the cold, winter air comes to his... your room. You get up from the bed and walk to the window to close the door.

You look at the palace gardens and immediately remind yourself of the days before you found out he was Black Heretic, before that fatal Winter Fete.

Two years ago, Aleksander was chasing you around gardens, laughing, snowballs fighting, and doing all the stupid things he couldn't do in the daylight.

Two years ago, your life looked like a fairytale, and you were blessed to live in it. Now it is much closer to tragedy. And knowing how the events would turn out, you would have definitely cherished those simple, peaceful days with Aleksander by your side more while they lasted.

You sigh, absently stroking your right hand where Aleksander ordered David to physically embed the amplifier into you a few months ago.

You were pathetic. Missing the man who manipulated you, who hurt your sister, who wanted to kill your friends, who hurt Genya... but that was why you couldn't fully hate him. He did everything to achieve his goal. He hurt everyone who stood in his way.

Except you.

Never you.

And it hurt more than if he had physically hurt you.

He always held you up as his equal. The son of a bitch even had his kefta re-stitched to have gold embroidery to represent your power. He wore your combined colours with pride. Just like you did before you discovered how many sweet lies he had fed you since the day you first met him.

Tears come to your eyes as you remember how that fucking bastard, moments before Alina drove the shadow sword through his abdomen, lunged at his Nichevo'yas to stop them from attacking you. You saw the vulnerability and the fear in his eyes until your light drove the shadow monsters away from you. And relief, which was replaced by painful shock when Alina took advantage of his moment of inattention and killed him.

It had never occurred to you to hurt Alina before... except that fateful day.

You wipe the tears from your cheeks with your hand and turn to go back to the bed. You had a meeting with several colonels, including Fedyor and Ivan. The two were also torn apart by the war.

At least Fedyor still has his Ivan alive to atone for his sins. - you think bitterly, even jealousy, as you somehow manage to fall asleep in this big, empty, cold bed.

And when you close your eyes, the candle that was lit on the nightstand that once belonged to Aleksander goes out as you fall into a deep sleep.

If you had been a little more alert, you would have seen shadows that created a curtain covering the window, thus blocking the moonlight from entering your chamber.

"I have no intention of punishing them, Alina." you tell your sister as you work at the war table. Aleksander's plans were somehow still preserved. And you review them, updating and changing them according to your needs.

"They fought alongside the Darkling. What kind of general are you? What example will you set by not punishing those who defied the crown and followed their Black General?"

"That's why I have no intention of doing anything about it, your majesty. You were Grisha yourself before you lost your powers. Whose side would you fight for—the king who hates them or the general who gave them a safe place? And please try to put aside our personal prejudices and see the whole thing, not just a little peace through the prism of your hatred towards him, because we both know damn well that Aleksander was many things. A good commander was one of them."

"I never wanted to be a Grisha." Alina says this with pain in her eyes. You know this very well. You wouldn't have wanted to be a Sankta or general either... if it weren't for Aleksander.

"But you were. You can't just forget about that, Sol Koroleva."

"You're definitely not making it easy for me." she sighs tiredly, smiling at you. She sits down in the chair next to you and takes your hand. "If I could turn back time and... not bring Mal back to life and not lose my power, I would. I wouldn't leave you alone with this, you know, right?"

"I know... but that's not how things went..." you say, swallowing, as you let go of the papers and look at your sister. "But that's okay. I will keep an eye on your children and grandchildren... Maybe one of them will become the next Sun Summoner? Who knows?" you laugh, trying to lighten the mood, but by the look Alina gives you, you know that your tone wasn't as carefree as you wanted it to be.

"Y/N... I'm sorry." you interrupt her before she begins to pity you, before her compassion overwhelms you to the point where you sink into your own pain and suffering, which inevitably entails an eternity ahead of you. And that was just the beginning.

"You don't have to... I... I can always die somehow. I don't have to live forever."

"We both know that's not in your blood to give up. You will fight till the end... till Grishas and Ravkans will live as equals in a safe country."

"Maybe yes... or maybe I will throw it all to hell and go around the world. I remember that Kaz once proposed to me to join their little group of thieves. It could be fun."

You both laugh at that. Then Alina gives you a sad, apologetic look before asking you a very dangerous and… hurting question.

"Do you miss him? Aleksander?"

A dead silence falls between you after her whispering question. As if his name were something forbidden to say out loud between you two. You play with the sleeve of your white kefta with gold embroidery, wondering how to answer this obvious question.

"Sometimes... but I guess it's only because I don't want to... to be alone like him..."

"Did you love him? At the day I killed him?" she asks, assuming that you stopped loving him at the moment he stopped breathing; at the moment when his black, poisoned by Merzost heart stopped beating… as it was just that simple for you to forget about him. The man who made you who you are now. The man who was first to show you how extraoridnary you are. Who understood you more than your sister - your supposed closest person in the world.

"I care more to have someone by my side through all of this that's about to happen… someone who will stay for longer than almost a century. I guess I'm starting to understand why he was chasing after us… why he wanted us by his side in his damn glorious purpose."

"He was chasing after you. He only cared about you. Not only because you were a Sun Summoner." she says it so lightly and so obviously that you start to wonder if she's deliberately trying to break you.

But if Aleksander taught you anything, it was how to keep your true emotions deep inside your heart. So you put your lips into a mocking smile and reply to her in a joking tone.

"Maybe. We will never find out. Anyway, I don't want to."

Fedyor's and Ivan's arrival rescued you from this unconvenient conversation. You nod to Alina as she leaves. She gives Ivan a hating, untrusyful look before guards close the door behind her. You look at the two heartrenders.

"It's good to see you both. I have some questions about these plans, and as general Kirigan's closest people, I assume, you both can explain some things to me, which I don't quite get right now."

You clear your throat, trying to forget about what you and Alina were talking about and focus on what the two men in front of you are saying. But it's hard to look at the Dark General's notes and plans and just not think of your Aleksander... Especially when those damn wooden soldiers are just as spread out on his war table as they were on the night of the Winter Fiesta when you run away from him.

And you have neither the heart nor the strength to move it to another place…

"Fedyor, can you leave us both for a while? You can wait for Ivan behind the door." you say after you've gotten through most of the stuff. Fedyor gives you a surprised look but doesn't question your order. He goes out, leaving you with Ivan, who has been giving you an unfavourable, almost hostile look since he sat down in the chair. You wouldn't care if the situation didn't require you to cooperate with him. After all, he was Aleksander's right-hand man. He probably knew the most about war tactics in the entire Second Army. And now that the fold was gone and you had to defend and fortify yourselves on all fronts, you would need all the help you could get. "Why are you looking at me like that? What's your problem?" you ask the heartrender, watching him carefully.

You both stared at each other for a moment. Ivan tries to hold back something, but the moment he notices Aleksander's ring—the only souvenir you let yourself leave after him—something inside him breaks.

"How dare you sit in his chair, having his tittle, want to do exactly the same things in the Second Army, using the same tactics as he did? You all are no different from him. Actually, you are much worse, and you call him a monster when everything he did was for us. For our safety, so that we can finally break free from the power of Otkazat'syas."

"I know you were loyal to him, but..."

"He had done nothing wrong. And you know it." he cuts you off before you can say anything else. The feeling of guilt awakens within you again, the uncomfortable lump in your throat every time you talk to someone about him growing stronger again. "I hope you also know that you and your sister destroyed everything he was working at. That Ravka will spill blood under your rule. That Lantsov prince will be the same as his father, as every king from their dynasty was."

"Be careful how you talk to me. I am your general now, Ivan. You should probably get used to it, before I change my mind and let Alina execute you." you say it coldly and grab a glass from the table to drink the whisky. "You can leave now."

"Of course, general." he said coldly, but before he stood up to leave, he put a black envelope on your desk.

"What is that?" you ask him, but he just bows to you and leaves. Only when the door closes behind him with a bang do you allow yourself to take the envelope in your hands.

Seeing Aleksander's seal—the eclipsed sun—makes you release the envelope from your hand as if it was burning you. You let it fall to the desk; your eyes focused only on it.

You hold your breath as your fingers land on the seal and stroke it tenderly. You remember the first letter you received from him... right after your first night together, when he had to leave the Little Palace for a while on important matters. He wrote to you every day until he came back again, heading straight into your arms and ignoring the fact that the General of the First Army and the colonels were waiting for him in the council chamber.

With trembling hands, you take the dagger and cut the envelope at the top so as not to break the last seal he left behind and get into the contents of the envelope.

A pendant falls from the envelope with a clatter onto the table. You leave the envelope with the letter and take the pendant in your hands, looking at it carefully.

It is a silver, convex oval with some vines engraved on the front, decorated with small, round pieces (your favourite gemstone). Initials are engraved on the back: A.M. You huff, realising that even in death, he wanted to make sure you were his in some way. And you're about to put the pendant down and hide it somewhere, where you would never find it again, but then suddenly you press something and it opens.

You gasp as you see what's hidden inside. Bone. A medium-sized, most likely from a wrist, finger, or other small part of the skeletal system.

You rummage through the envelope, and, apart from the letter, you find a small note that was probably attached to the necklace.

In case you need a reminder of your real power...

You lift the bone and feel your power flow through you, amplified. You sigh, feeling just like those months ago when his skin pressed against yours as he let you draw on his empowering abilities. You feel a tear roll down your cheek as you tremble with an overwhelming, long-forgotten feeling.

A knock on the door makes you panic, opening your desk drawer and gathering all your items into it. You close the drawer just as Zoya walks in, followed by your colonels. You rub your forehead, mentally getting ready for the next meeting.

However, you can't stop thinking about the envelope and necklace from Aleksander hidden in the drawer.

And if you were more observant, you would notice how shadows are hiding in the corner of the war room, watching you attentively, waiting for the right moment when they can come out of their hiding place. Or at least a bee that flew out of an open window.

You lie in your bed late at night. You stopped trying to fall asleep a long time ago. You laied on your back, breathing calmly with your eyes closed as you were wondering about the new informations from the camps close to the border.

The war was comming. You had right. Aleksander had right. Fjerdans and Shu-Hans wanted to use occasion and attack Ravka, since a fold has gone and now nothing stopped them from attack a West Ravka. If you lost your ports and supplies of food, raw materials and gold, you will lose that war and many will lose their lifes.

You were laying there, wondering about your next move in upcoming war. You shiver suddenly, feeling oddly. A strange chill spread through your body as you went into a more alert mode.

Subconsciously, you look around in the dark, trying to spot the dark, familiar irises. You're doing it under some irrational delusion that he is able to observe you even when he is dead. That he can watch your every move even though you watched his body burn...

Although he has already proved many times in his long, many-centuries life that he is capable of anything he wants...

With a flip of your wrist, a ball of light appears in a room. There was no one. Just you and your paranoya You frown and remove the ball of light as you lay back on the bed.

You sigh heavily, lying on your side. You watch a candle burning on the nightstand on the side that used to be Aleksander's. You watch the fire for a moment, admiring the colours of the flame and how it goes along with a soft wind from the opened window, and then blow it out. You close your eyes, listening to your surroundings, and just as you're about to drift off into blissful unconsciousness, you hear something like a cold whisper in your ear, which makes you shiver.

They are going to lose. They can't rule this country. They know nothing about the pain of war.

That tought appear in your mind, sounding extremaly like somebody you used to know very well... you shake your head. You were not going to imagine his voice on your head. You weren't go mad, were you?

Besides, that was a stupid tought. You will figure it out with Alina and the rest, just as you always do. Grishas will be safe. You will sacrifice your life to make it happen. Horrifyingly, you realise that someone before you has taken a similar oath.

Yet still, you can't help but look at the side of your chamber where Aleksander's letter is, hidden in your desk's drawer. You are so tempting to read it, even after all that happened between you both.

"Get out of my head." you whisper to yourself, as he was still linked with you somehow. As he was still able to appear in a room with you at any second.

You missed him. You admit it to yourself in the darkness of the bedroom you two used to share. But that didn't mean that you would bring him back in some way. He was too dangerous for the good of other people and too unpredictable. Irronicaly, he cared too much. And you were afraid that you were inevitably walking in his path; you were in the same place as he was all those years and centuries ago. But, contrary to him, you will have no one by your side. You will be utterly alone.

You try fall asleep, closing your eyes and ignoring the tears that fall on your pillow. If you learned anything from Aleksander, it was to let no one witness your suffering. They wouldn't understand your pain anyway.

There were no others like you. And there will never be ever again…

Against your better judgement, you quickly get up from the bed, and, before you can change your mind, with a ball of white light in your hand, you walk to the desk, illuminating your path.

You open the drawer and pull out that damned letter, hoping that reading it will give you some kind of closure you need.

You hold it with trembling hands, trying to ignore the fact that Aleksander's familiar handwriting was less refined and more cursive and simpler. There were also black traces of his blood in some places on the page. Even before you start reading, your heart sinks as you think about how Merzost was slowly killing him, as he was completely alone after Baghra's death—as alone as you are now.

And the first line is enough to bring the first pitiful tears to your eyes.

Moya milaya. Moya soverenyia,

The damn bastard knew you would take over his position. He was probably having a lark in hell right now, watching you cry over his letter, how you regretted every decision you made that got you here, and how you tried so hard to hate him with all your heart, but you just simply couldn't. And that made you hate yourself more when, despite everything, you entered the trap he had prepared specially for you while he was still living and clutched the letter in your hands, trying to read it despite the tears constantly appearing in your eyes and blurring your vision.

He wrote to you what you have already heard. That he isn't sorry, that he would do the exact same things except that he would make you his equal, that he wouldn't let you escape his grasp so easily, that he would kill all your loved ones just to be your only shelter where you could go in case of any danger, or simply when you were too overwhelmed by loneliness, like he was many times in his very long life.

And you should hate him. You should be disgusted by this toxic relationship, by his obsessive desire for possession, and by his fear of abandonment. And you could already feel yourself being filled with spite and resentment towards this man, a man who had ruined the relatively peaceful lives of you and your sister... But as you read the last lines of his letter, your feelings towards him became more unclear than before reading that damn letter.

I will be waiting for you. With open arms.

Maybe time will help you realise that there is no other way and that my actions will be yours in the future… that I was not the villain in this story, even if I seemed to be a monster to you, my little Sankta.

Maybe you will finally come to accept that you and I are unity and that we belonged to each other even before the saints decided to create the two of us.

Eya fyela chi(I love you), moya solnyshka.

I always did.

Yours,

Aleksander

You didn't sleep anymore that night. Instead, you lie in bed, your thoughts filled with this damn man who, even after his death, continues to abuse your already bleeding heart for him.

Midnights become your afternoons, that were the hours when your brain works best. You stoped burning candles at night. Surprisingly, you were thinking much better when you were in complete darkness, where the only light comed from the moon shining through the open balcony door.

You spent many nights in bed writing in a notebook, taking notes and plans that came to you as the moon hung in the sky and most of the Little Palace fell asleep.

It has become your little ritual. You sipped kvass or whisky, thinking of military tactics and other manoeuvres in case Ravka was attacked by its neighbors. You often had Aleksander's old notes spread around you. And even more often, you twirled his necklace in your fingers as you pondered over your plans.

You stopped visiting Alina in the Grand Palace. You were less and less likely to be seen by her side. But you were almost always in Alexander's library, the war room, and the training field, looking after the young Grishas who trained under the supervision of Ivan, Fedyor and Zoya.

Without knowing why, you always waited until dusk. It was your favorite time and you couldn't even say why…

Maybe if you noticed that every time you fell asleep, tired, over your notebook, thoughts that didn't belong to you suddenly appeared on the paper; maybe if you noticed how your rooms were covered with more and more shadows night after night, blocking out the moonlight, to get you to sleep faster; and maybe if you noticed how the blanket wrapped tighter around you as you drifted off to sleep and your forehead was tickled by the touch of something soft and warm; then you would realise what was inevitably to come.

Or rather, who kept his eyes on you each night, hidden in the darkness and shadows of the chamber...

Kissing someone else's lips seemed sacrilegious to you. You felt like you were doing something wrong, like you were desecrating and breaking all moral laws. But after all, you were a free, single woman, a general leading her people to war.

You could have relaxed and slept with some handsome Inferni who offered to worship his saint, couldn't you?

As it turned out, you couldn't.

You kissed the man hungrily and threw off his kefta. The moment he reached for the buttoms of your own, he unexpectedly stumbled and fell straight into the spear that was in the rack for swords and other weapons.

You stood there in shock for a moment, wondering how on earth he did this. And if you had been more attentive, you would have noticed how the shadows quickly fled from your gaze, and two dark eyes watched intently as you helped Inferni stop the bleeding enough for him to make it to the healers' tent.

You sigh in frustration as the man disappears from your sight. You clean up his blood and wash your hands before taking off your clothes.

It gives you chills. Not because the cold air of the tent hits your hot skin, but because you feel a slight tickle at the most sensitive point of your neck.

You turn and look around the tent carefully.

For the past few weeks, as soon as you left the Little Palace, you had a strange feeling that something was fleetingly brushing against you from time to time. The feeling of this strange, ghostly touch accompanied you both day and night, whenever you were alone with your thoughts. You thought it was some kind of paranoia and tried to brush this feeling off. After all, no one could touch you if you were clearly alone in the room, with no sign of another living soul.

Once you're sure you're alone, you rub your hands over your arms. Your arousal and desire quickly fade as you remember the battle that awaits you tomorrow—the first as a general of the Second Army. You make sure your weapons and combat kefta are ready and in place before you go into bed and fall into a fitful sleep.

A few hours later, as you lie there, dreaming deeply, your tent fades to black. From the shadows emerged none other than Aleksander.

The man slowly walked towards you, careful not to make any move that would increase your vigilance. Ever since you left the walls of the Little Palace, it has become easier and easier for him to make his way to you, thanks to the bond he established between the two of you by giving you a piece of his bone in a necklace.

It boiled inside him when he saw you with another man. He acted rashly and instinctively, pushing him onto the spear. He was glad that you were careless enough not to notice his presence.

You weren't ready. Not yet.

And this time, he knew better than to push you forcefully into his plan.

"My little Sankta." he whispers, his hand gently brushing your curves hidden from his eyes under the blanket.

He doesn't do anything inappropriate. He would never take advantage of you or touch you against your will... well, at least not in any invasive way. He had several scenarios prepared in his head about how the night would go, when you would finally admit your true feelings and abandon the façade of a righteous Sankta of Ravkans and Grishas.

"Soon you'll realise what you're really missing." he whispers as his fingers tips caress the skin of your collarbones.

He picks up the necklace he gave you that you wore around your neck. He lets his shadows surround you, allowing the moonlight to shine on you enough for the silver pendant to reflect it, making it seem like it was glowing, as if it were a source of your powers.

"I will wait for you… until you finally come to me willingly and accept the obvious truth—that we belong together. I promise you, moya milaya, I won't let you forget this even for a moment. You're mine. You were mine the moment you entered that damn tent—the moment our eyes met before you went on the ship through the fold. You can't deny the connection between us. And soon, you will come to accept that you need a monster by your side. That without me, there will only be suffering, loss, and eternal struggle waiting for you. I've spent centuries struggling with all of this and much more… let's see how long this charming and annoying stubbornness of yours will last, lapushka. I have all the time on earth to watch you struggle with the hatred of this world all alone…"

He pulls the blanket tighter around you and takes the opportunity to inhale your scent, which he had missed so much during those months he had been hanging between the worlds of the living and the dead. He clung to his life with his claws... just to be this close to you again. And he knew he would do the exact same thing in a heartbeat if it led him close to you.

"And in time, when you realise that your little friends of yours are not enough for you, I will be back to you. And I will take you into my arms without hesitation. We are destined to be together. Sweet dreams, moya soverenyia." he whispers and places a tender kiss on your forehead.

You jump out of bed, screaming. You take a few quick breaths and put your hand to your mouth, trying to calm yourself down and not let the tears fall. Your tent is in complete darkness as you try to calm down from your nightmare in which all of your Grishas died in the battle, in which everyone blamed you and started to hunt you and chase after you, just like the king once chased after Aleks...

You let yourself cry silently into your pillow, unaware of the figure sitting next to you and a lifting hand that was just above you, moving as if stroking your back soothingly.

Eventually, you fall asleep, shaking. The shadow of your enemy and lover watches over you and keeps an eye on you without you being even slightly aware of it.

Two years, four months, one week and three days. That's how long the war with Fjerda and Shu Han lasted.

That's how long it took them to take over Ravka.

You have failed. Both the First and Second Armies.

Nikolai was dead. Alina was either dead or in hiding like you, although judging by the recent public execution of Zoya and Alina's other guards, you suspect they had her locked up somewhere until they caught you.

And they were doing very well, considering you were currently running through the forest, escaping from a group of Drüskelles.

You ran through the forest, the cold air stinging your hot cheeks as you made your way through the snowdrifts, occasionally sending a ball of light behind you to daze your pursuers and lose them, if only for a moment. But covering up your tracks was the worst thing—a nuisance worse than the cold seeping into your bones through your soaked clothes.

You hear a gunshot. You groan as the bullet bounces off your kefta, most likely adding another bruise to your collection.

Then everything happens quickly. You are surrounded and forced to fight with both your power and your melee. You're doing quite well when suddenly one of them twists your arm. You groan in pain and use one hand to summon a cut, but it is so weak that it only reaches the lesser half of the men.

As if in slow motion, you see one of the Drüskells pointing a gun at you. Then the clearing becomes dark. You step back in fear and stumble upon the body of one of the men you killed.

Everything goes quiet. There is a deathly silence in which you can only hear your wheezing and breathing. You summon your light and dispel the shadows to see the last person you expected to see... at least when you are still alive.

"But... I saw your death... I watched you burn..." you manage to stammer.

Aleksander just walks towards you, like it was a casual thing for him to do. His black kefta with gold embroidery is intact, at least compared to yours, which is blackened from bullets and patched in a few places. He looks practically like the day he died... except his face is devoid of black scars.

"Won't you even say hello to me, my Y/N?" he asks maliciously and extends his hand for you to take it and stand up with his help. You've seen this scene before. You've been in this situation before, and you promised yourself that you would never step into the same river again.

"You should be dead." you snap at him coldly and stand up on your own without his help. You see him frown as he takes a closer look at your dilapidated and miserable state as you try to move away from him as far as you can.

"Moya lapushka... do you think I would let something like death to keep me apart from you? That your little Sol Koroleva could ever kill me? After I lived a hundreds lifes? Fake a hundred deaths?" he asks mockingly, walking over to you. He cups your cheek in his hand and strokes it tenderly with his thumb. "No. I have too much experience with eternity, milaya. I promised you that you and I will change the world. I intend to keep that promise. As well as the one where I will always come back to you, remember?"

"You were here all this time... you watched me..."

"Simply keeping an eye on you." he interrupts you, and you give him a mad look, knowing full well that he's lying as you realise that all the random things and disasters that were happening around you were his fault... just like the few times you felt someone's ghostly touch on you. "Well... maybe I had also done a little bit more. But don't dramatise... after all, I have to look after what's mine."

"I was never yours." you say furiously, causing a hostile tension to arise between the two of you.

His presence brings you some relief, despite everything. But you know this feeling too well; you know HIM too well to let him manipulate you so he can use you in his plans again.

"Leave me. Live your life. I doubt anyone would be insane enough to resurrect you a second time." you growl angrily and run past him, hitting his shoulder with yours.

Before you can get away, he grabs your elbow. You hiss in pain, making him automatically let go of you. But he steps closer to you and carefully grabs your wrist, observing the blood seeping from your forearm and the swollen, bruised elbow—the result of your hand being twisted and falling to the ground—and the hard roots of the tree that had somehow broken through the now-red snow.

"You need a healer." he says calmly. He seems worried, as he is trying to stop the bleeding from your wound.

"I can handle it. Let me go." you say firmly. His dark-brown eyes meet yours, and you mentally curse yourself for how they can still charm you.

"Let me help you." he says it with such tenderness that you want to immerse yourself in his sweet words again, to surrender to that attraction that has always been present between you. "You don't have to be alone, moya milaya."

"I'm not alone." you deny quickly. However, you give in partially when the logical part of you allows him to give you a band-aid; this is something you are willing to accept from him.

"Aren't you, Y/N? Don't you feel a the weight of the fate of all Grishas on your beautiful, delicate shoulders? Haven't you misssed me all these single nights? When you were dreaming of my touch, of my voice..."

"And where were you when I really needed you?! When your people were dying on the borders! When innocent people died when they took Ravka! Where the hell were you then?!" you shout at him in anger and move away from him before he can tie a makeshift sling around your arm from the black shawl he untucked from around his neck.

"Making sure that YOU will not kill yourself, while playing a hero." he replies calmly, his gaze unwavering on you as his composure throws you even further off balance.

"If you care about me so much, why didn't you stand by my side? Why didn't you help me save Grishas?"

"You said yourself that you don't need a monster. That you can handle it perfectly well on your own, little Saint. I told you and tried to warn you that you can't do it on your own, and neither can I. But you had to be stubborn. These are your words: 'Let them come.' I did. I let them come. Are you satisfied?"

"You let all these people die to just prove your point?" you ask, shocked. He takes advantage of your momentary lapse in vigilance to bandage your arm and place it in a sling made of his black shawl.

"No. I let all these people die to make you see the truth that you are trying to avoid so hard."

"Which is?"

"Don't pretend, moya milaya. I am a patient man, but we lost enough time. Can you honestly claim that you are against me? That you would choose these fools over me again? That you didn't wish to have an equal again? Someone who will stand by your side no matter what? Someone who will protect you? I can be all of this to you and even more. All you have to do, lapushka, is accept that we are all we need. That you and I was enchanted to unite a long time ago. I want you to see all these things from my side of the story, to understand why I did what I did, and why I intend to continue what I have planned."

He talks so smoothly about death, as if it were nothing. And you would have the right to feel outraged by this fact and hate him again if the smell of the metallic blood of the people who hunted you wasn't in the air. People you killed without blinking an eye.

As he caresses your cheek tenderly and stares at you with affection and an understanding you haven't seen in anyone else's face since his death, you can't help but wonder... if he was actually right when he said that in time his actions would be yours.

He leans closer to you. Your noses brush as he rests his forehead against yours. You shiver, feeling his warm breath on your cheek.

"Aleksander..." you whisper shakily as his scent reaches you, his warmth warming your body, frozen from the cold and the exertion of running away. You feel like you're just realising that he's really here. That he's alive.

And you welcome the familiar tingle of your power inside you that he brings back to life with his amplifier powers as his lips capture yours.

And you wanted to move away. Really. You wanted to remain indifferent towards him and laugh at him for still feeling something for you. Scold him for even hoping that you would just melt back into his touch after what happened between you, how he hurt you, and how obsessive and possessive he was.

But all you do is moan against his lips as you respond to his kiss.

It's not one of those hungry, greedy kisses stolen in moments when you were completely alone and couldn't fight the growing tension between you any longer and just had to release it by consuming each other with your desires.

It's gentle, so much so that you're afraid that the butterfly feeling of his lips on yours will disappear in any moment and you'll find that he never came back, that he was just a sweet, cruel delusion of your exhausted mind.

But the moment he tangles one of his hands in the hair at the back of your head and puts the other on your waist to press you against the tree so gently as to not hurt you accidentally, you know it's real. And you can't stop responding to his kiss or pretending that you don't want to caress his lips with yours just as passionately. Or pretend that the thought of pulling away isn't sinful to you.

You pull away from each other after a long moment. Not far, though. His nose brushes against yours as you breathe heavily, both of you with your eyes closed, drinking in the other's warmth and scent after so many years of fighting with each other and your desires... after so many years of being utterly alone.

Your shaky breaths come out of your mouths in grey clouds and merge together. Only now do you notice how warm he is compared to you.

"Come. You can't stay here." he says, taking off his warm coat with black fur sewn to the hood. He puts it on you and pulls the hood over your head.

"You don't need to..." he interrupts you, picking you up in bridal style. He holds you close to his chest and walks in a direction unknown to you, a clear plan etched on his face as he scans the surroundings for any danger in your path. "Hey! Put me down! I can walk by myself! Besides, I don't want to go anywhere with you!" you protest, struggling in his arms.

"I know, milaya. Rest. I promise I won't do anything you don't want me to. I'm just making sure you will be safe when I'm gone. That's why I'm taking you to Grishas' camp. They will cure you there. Besides, your followers anxiously await your return, my little Saint. You are their only hope now."

"When you gone?" you ask slightly panicked and shift your gaze to him.

The weight of responsibility settles on your shoulders once again as you realise how many lives are counting on you... and the one person you can look to for support is, inconveniently, now something of an enemy to you.

But... can you feel towards your enemy the way you feel for him? Can you kiss an enemy as passionately as you did just a second ago? Can an enemy look at you with such care and adoration?

"Do you wish me to stay with you, lapushka?" he glanced at you briefly, just enough to ask you his question.

A dead silence falls between you. You don't need words to understand each other. And it was something that had always both terrified you and made the bond between you more and more irresistible. He knows the answer to your question. He knows you'll never admit it out loud. Or at least not at this moment.

Despite all this, he still holds you close. He leans down to place a kiss on your temple and whispers in your ear:

"I am... a very patient man, Y/N... I can wait, and I will. You will come to me yourself. And when you did... you wouldn't be able to resist or deny the truth about your feelings for another damn second. I will have you by my side. I can assure you that it will happen sooner than you think or are willing to admit."

You don't argue with him anymore. You just don't have the strength. Instead, you lean against him and fall asleep, wrapped in his scent, his warm coat, and his arms that make you feel safe. You decide to hate yourself later for what you feel right now.

After so many years, months, weeks, and days of fighting for your people and country completely on your own, you could afford the comfort of feeling his arms around you for just another few minutes, couldn't you?

It's been three months since you last saw him.

He left you at Grishas' camp just before the sun rose with a kiss on your forehead and a promise that you would meet again and that you would call for him again. Which you highly doubted. You already despised yourself and him enough to stay away from him... or at least pretend that's what you wanted.

During this months, you managed to save and lose many people—many good soldiers. And although you don't want to admit it, this time it makes you even more aware of the truth that Aleksander was trying to drill into your head before you destroyed the fold.

You wandered around like a child in the fog, trying to keep your morality, set an example for people, and play the role of a Sankta who abhors all evil and darkness. Only he had survived enough to know that morality could only be keept in human conditions—when you didn't have to worry about food, a warm place to sleep, or whether every breath you took wouldn't be your last.

But what really broke you wasn't the constant death, suffering, and screaming around you. It was the news of Alina's death.

It was this terrible emptiness, this feeling of helplessness and loneliness that grew inside you with each day, with each Grishas lost, with each drop of blood that soaked into your kefta.

And then you gave up.

"You won! Do you hear me?! YOU WON!" you screamed in your room at the camp after you returned from another mission to rescue imprisoned Grishas, which ended in the bloodiest of all. Which ended with the death of the last person you cared about. "Just come here… I can't… Aleksander, please. Please, I need you."

In your rage, you throw the bottle of alcohol against the wall and scream, falling to your knees. You wrap your arms tightly around yourself and cry, feeling the dried blood on your clothes.

You have enough. You had enough of this war. You didn't want to see your friends lose their lives. You were fed up with constant wars, fighting, and deaths around you.

You only knew one thing: you couldn't stand this alone. You simply must have had him by your side again Somoeone who will stay by your side and simply just be there for you. Someone who won't require you to save the world all by yourself.

"Aleksander, I beg you... please..." you whisper desperately while holding a pendant with his bone tightly in your hand. Maybe the fact that you never parted with that stupid necklace was a sign of what was inevitably to come.

Your failure. Your ruin.

But still, all you can do is melt into his arms as he comes to you through your bond and embraces you, pulling your shaking body into his lap and as close to him as possible.

"Shhh... it's okay, moya milaya, you are safe." he whispers in your ear as he holds you close to his chest with a hand on you mouth so you can make a sound. "As long as I am here, nothing will happen to you. You are not alone anymore and you never will be again, lapushka."

He strokes your hair and whispers words of comfort. A sweet nothing meant to calm you down. You still can't tell whether he does it out of love or because he needs you in his plans. And the scariest thing was that you didn't care as long as he held you, stayed by your side and didn't let you be alone.

If you were any less grief-stricken, you would wonder about the irony of this situation. The irony of how he foretold your fate. How he fulfilled his promise. How he became your only shelter.

"I will take care of everything. I'm not going anywhere. It is you and me, my Y/N. It's only you and me against them all. And we are all we need anyway. I will take good care of you, solnyshka. No more tears; no more lies and betrayals. Our life together is getting started exactly right now. And I can already promise you it will be an incredible future... moya tsaritsa. Ravka will be ours. We will free our people. We will made all of them pay for what they did to our kind. Grishas will enter their golden age under our rules. Nothing will stop us."

"Just... please come back." you sob into him. He tightened his arms around you and pressed his lips against your temple.

"I'm on my way, lapushka." he whispers, his lips brushing against your ear.

You shiver as the warmth of his arms suddenly disappears, and you're left alone, kneeling on the cold floor. You couldn't afford even the slightest remorse. All you could think about, and all you could wait for, was the moment he would come back here in the flesh.

You realised that loneliness was too dangerous an enemy for you that you (or anyone) were unable to defeat. Aleksander has been patiently waiting for years for you to come to this conclusion. A conclusion he understood the moment you fled the Little Palace with Alina and the crows, just before he could have a proper chance to propose to you.

But this time, he won't make that mistake again. He won't let you go of his grip once you came back to him.

The world needs a monster.

You understood his words the moment you created your own fold. A fold of white, pure light which killed anyone who tried to walk past it.

You saw the fear in everyone's eyes. Even your Grishas, whom you swore to protect. Only Aleksander's dark irises stared at you with admiration. Only he doesn't turn away from you, doesn't show any traces of dread.

Only he was brave enough to walk to you, and after that, he kissed you greedily after you all realised you won. Ravka belonged to Grishas. And the new fold that you create will make sure no one will ever think of attacking your people again.

And now you were standing in front of the mirror in the Little Palace. Your people bravely dismantled what was left of the Grand Palace and worked to rebuild the house of Grishas and expand it.

You were entering a new era. And the flags with the eclipse of the sun that now fluttered on the masts of the palace reminded you of that, as did your black and gold dresses, keftas, and the crown that had recently become an extra burden on your head. Just like two rings on your finger.

"I knew you would look stunning in the crown, moya Sol Koroleva." he whispers, making you shiver at his sudden presence. He wraps his arms around your waist, pressing you against his chest. Shadows circle lazily around you as his dark eyes catch yours in the mirror.

"You could at least pretend you didn't plan this from the beginning."

"I didn't plan it. I didn't want to be king. But when the dynasty kept taking advantage of us, I had no other choice. I had to start planning to take over the throne. Taking on the burden of power to make sure that the Grishas are finally treated as they should be. And then you appeared. My sunshine, my ray of hope, my little saint."

"A candidate for your queen and a means to a desired goal." you finish bitterly, resting your head on his shoulder to rest for a moment from the irritating weight of the crown. Looking in the mirror, you reluctantly admit that he looks handsome, dressing all like a king.

"Don't be so mean, milaya. You know very well that you shattered any evil plans I had for you when those lips of yours enchanted me. You made me feel like I could control it all for the first time in hundreds of years. That my plans will finally come true. We've come a long way, my Y/N, but we both know this is where we were meant to be. Next to each other. Equals. Together at the helm of Ravka. We are the only ones who will ever wield such power and who can stand next to each other forever."

You sigh. He is right. He is all you have. And you both know that you won't let go of each other anytime soon. You hated solitude. You knew yourselves so well that even for a second, consider leaving the only person who could ever stick so long with you. The ones who understood and were willing to share the burden the world put on the arms of the two of you.

So you turn in his arms, place your hand gently on his cheek, and after caressing his skin with your thumb, pull him in for a kiss.

He pulls you closer to him; you both need the other's touch and tenderness, the reassurance that after so many wars, fights, and betrays, you are finally together and that you will rely on each other to build the greatness of Ravka, leading your Grishas into the years of glory.

Not just as king and queen, tsar and tsaritsa. But also husband and wife. Partners. Equalls. Summoner of the sun and shadows united for the good of all your people.

"I love you, moi sol ye tselai. My Y/N." he whispers into the skin of your neck, placing kisses, especially where was the necklace he gave you, which you didn't dare to take off for so many years, afraid that the last connection and the memento you had left of him would disappear as soon as you lost it from your sight.

But behind these great goals was one common need, to which you agreed only for yourself. The need to love and be loved. The need to have a shelter that will last through the eternity that awaits both of you. And you finally had to admit that despite the darkness in your life and the problems and disasters mostly caused by your new husband, you couldn't imagine anyone else next to you.

"I love you, Aleksander. I've always have." you admit as his hands roam over you, caressing you. Shadows surround you, creating a protective bubble as you kiss passionately, forgetting about the rest of the world for a moment and you give in to your deepest desires.

The prospect of loneliness and everything that you went through in your life have effectively killed any sense of guilt or morality inside you. You could have allowed yourself that one selfish act. Especially when being with him in the darkness was such a tempting and blissful experience after years of loneliness.

#oneshot #darkling #general kirigan #the darkling #aleksander morozova #aleksander kirigan #aleksander morozova x reader #aleksander morozova x y/n #shadow and bone #the darkling x reader #darkling x reader #the darkling x you #the darkling x y/n #darkling x you #darkling x y/n #general kirigan x reader #general kirigan x you #manipulation #toxic behavior #toxic relationship #toxic love #dark romance #romance #sab fanfiction

[heliads]

So, Before You Go Masterlist

Completed sequel series to Time Can Heal (But This Won't)

previous series masterlist

Hellas is gone; so too is your life as a cartographer. You and the Darkling must quell Alina Starkov's attempt at an uprising in order to protect the Grisha of Ravka. However, your gods are not as dead as they seem, and that which you have taken for granted will soon prove to be quite unpredictable indeed.

Chapter One: First Call to Arms

Chapter Two: Warnings of a Bygone Era

Chapter Three: Forgiveness is a Difficult Fire to Burn

Chapter Four: War on the Spinning Wheel

Chapter Five: We Are Quiet, and We Are Cold

Chapter Six: One More Body to Burn

Chapter Seven: The Walls Close In

Chapter Eight: Every Golden Age Will Rust

#the darkling #the darkling imagines #the darkling x reader #the darkling oneshot #the darkling series #aleksander morozova #aleksander morozova imagines #aleksander morozova x reader #aleksander morozova oneshot #aleksander morozova series #general kirigan #general kirigan imagines #general kirigan x reader #general kirigan oneshot #grishaverse #grishaverse imagines #grishaverse x reader #grishaverse oneshot #grishaverse series #shadow and bone #shadow and bone imagines #shadow and bone x reader #shadow and bone oneshot #shadow and bone series

[aurelia-thoughts]

Severed String Part 2- Darkling x Reader

Word Count: 607

A/N: It makes me so happy that all of you enjoyed the first part so much. I feel like I didn’t do this part justice, apologies beforehand, but hope you enjoy it. 

Severed String Part 1 

It had been weeks since the incident, and not a word had been spoken between you two, neither of you knowing the right thing to say to each other.

In contrast to you, Aleksander seemed perfectly fine. Aleksander and Alina seemed to get closer by the second, which felt casually cruel to you. They somehow made it more difficult by the day for you to let go of the severed string.They managed to plague all of your thoughts, but today, you had decided, would be different you were finally going to let go.

You stood in front of the mirror gaping at yourself, it felt like you were looking at a stranger, someone unrecognizable. You never thought you would be wearing this kefta again, but here you were. It still fitted you perfectly, as if it had been waiting for you to come back to it.

As you walked down the stairs of the Little Palace, everyone’s gazes were on you, whispering, wondering about your sudden change in keftas. But you only cared about one, Aleksander’s.

As you made your way down, everyone piled around you, asking questions. You didn’t have the time to address any of them though, because the next thing you know, a certain someone's hand is pulling you towards him.

“If you’ll excuse us, I need to discuss something with Y/n”

Even after weeks had passed, his touch still had the same effect on you, and you hated it. You hated the control he had over you.

And just like that, you found yourself in the war room with Aleksander, reminding you of the recent events that occurred in this room. You had known Aleksander for years, yet even now you had no clue what was going through his mind. 

There was a deafening silence for a couple of minutes.

“Are you going to say something, or are you just planning to stand there and stare?”

He seemed taken back by what you said.

After some hesitation, he finally spoke his first words to you. “Y/N, I never intended to hurt you.”

You only raised your eyebrows in response, letting him continue what he was going to say.

“Alina is just a means to an end. That’s all.” You wanted to believe him, but you couldn't. 

“We both know that’s not true, Aleksander.”

“Y/N, please..”

“I don’t think that’s-”

He hurriedly reached for your hands “Listen to me, I can’t do this without you, so please, just stay, say you’ll stay with me.”

You were at a loss of words, after all those years together not once, had you heard him beg, but a part of you knew that you couldn’t take him back as much as it would hurt to lose him, he wasn’t yours to lose anymore.

 “I’m not sure if that’s best for either of us”

“Don’t say that.” His voice held more order this time around.

“Well, what am I supposed to say?!?”

He looked at you with a somber expression “Say that you won’t give up on us. Just say you’ll give me another chance, and I promise this time I won’t leave room in your mind for doubt.”

You never really could say no to Aleksander, could you? And if he was so willing to try, then the least you could do was say yes. You would do anything for Aleksander, even if it pained you to be with him.

“Okay” you let out, voice barely a whisper. 

“Okay?”

“Okay, I’ll stay.”  He erupted into a grin as he pulled you close. It felt good to be in his arms again, to feel loved by him. Maybe the severed string could be mended, after all.

#shadow and bone #aleksander morovoza #the darkling #general kirigan #general kirigan x reader #aleksander kirigan #darkling x reader #shadow and bone fanfiction #s&b show #darkling imagine #aleksander morozova x reader #the darkling imagine #the darkling oneshot

[marvelmusing]

A Little Dream of You

Pairing: Aleksander Morozova x Reader

Summary: An Inception inspired AU. The King of Ravka hires you to infiltrate the dreams of the Second Army’s General, and find out all you can about him. But what happens when you slowly begin to fall for your target?

A/N: this started as a series of bullet points but then it ran away from me so I turned it into a oneshot, sorry if the pacing is a little weird because of that

Warnings: mild threat and violence

My Masterlist

When the King personally invites you to return to Ravka from your exile, you’re certain he wants something in return. Nevertheless, you pack your bags and catch the next flight to Ravka.

The allusive General of the Second Army, known only by his code name of Kirigan, is your target and the King wants any information you can give him. You specialise in dream manipulation, going into people’s dreams and altering them to reveal things to you. You’re good - one of the best in your field.

The General travels extensively for meetings and security talks with Ravka’s neighbouring countries, providing you with the perfect opportunity.

The private airline is more than accommodating to your requirements, ensuring that the General is put under, without his knowledge, as soon as possible once the plane has taken flight. They store all the equipment you need, and either provide you with a passenger seat or allow you to sit with the staff.

He never seems surprised with how quickly he falls asleep; the poor man never seems to get enough rest. Quite often you find yourself looking at his peaceful expression and the darkened circles under his eyes as he sleeps. Then you go to work.

Aleksander’s memories are scattered, as if he barely wants to think of his life outside of work. The majority of his thoughts are occupied with trying to improve the lives of everyday Ravkans.

You have to start from the beginning. Observing from a distance as a background figure, to find out what will pique his interest or provoke a reaction.

You watch little Aleksander playing alone with a tattered teddy bear, while his father grows distant and then completely disappears. You see his mother telling him he will never amount to anything. You see his only friend abandon him in favour of the high school social hierarchy. He loses his first love to illness. His second to another man. All through his life, loneliness follows him like a spectre.

Despite this, he never fails to prioritise the people still in his life. You see him help Genya to personally organise the flower arrangements for Ivan and Fedoyr’s wedding. You see him donate enough money to the University of Ravka for them to fund David’s projects. You see all the acts of kindness he hides from his friends and the rest of the world.

The fact that he’s a good man makes your job all the more difficult.

You begin to appear in his dreams as yourself. Just walking by him in the street at first, a casual glance between you both, his dark eyes locking onto yours. Slowly, so that he becomes accustomed with your presence, you begin to increase your interactions. With every dream, every new scenario, you grow closer.

In a bookshop, your hands meet while reaching for the same book. The entrance to a coffee shop is where you stumble into him, spilling his coffee down his white shirt. As he becomes more accustomed to your presence, you become a more prominent feature of his dreams. Restaurant dates, a first kiss in the rain, cuddles and ice cream when he’s had a long day.

It makes your heart ache for something you’ve never had. Not only are you giving Aleksander exactly what he wants, you’re inadvertently filling a hole in your own heart.

Somehow, even when you’re not working, when you’re in your own bed at home, you find him in your dreams where you have no control over what’s happening. Soft sheets, lazy kisses down your bodies, and a pair of arms holding you safe.

In his dreams, you search through the desk drawer in his apartment in Os Alta. Open every book in his office at the Little Palace. It’s obvious he isn’t a fan of the Lanstov’s, neither were you, but he certainly wasn’t planning anything that the King should be worried about.

You don’t understand it - why him of all people was considered a threat to the Lanstov’s.

It’s Aleksander himself that reveals the answer to your unspoken question. In a dream ballroom, where the two of you dance the night away he tells you how close he is to the line of succession. That his mother is the King’s cousin. With Nikolai being illegitimate, should anything happen to Vasily, as the next male heir Aleksander would inherit the throne.

You’re stunned.

You spend several days mulling this information over in your mind, before you’re summoned to the King, who demands answers.

You don’t give him any. You hadn’t found any damning evidence but the King didn’t seem to care for that, he wanted anything personal that could be used against Aleksander. You refuse yet again, trying to skirt around giving him anything of importance. You couldn’t give away parts of Aleksander, not when he had trusted you with them.

His guards push you backwards, dangling you over the balcony while you gasp and thrash your feet, searching wildly for the floor that’s just out of your reach.

The King surveys your fear filled eyes as you scramble for any sort of balance, nails digging into the arms of his guards. He demands results after your next job. You agree pitifully.

As you’re walking out of the palace, tears in your eyes and body shakily violently, you spot Aleksander. He appears to do a double take as you disappear into the gardens, and looks as if he’s about to follow you until someone calls his name.

Aleksander’s next flight is to Shu Han, and you’re there with him when he falls asleep. The dream you create is simple, just the two of you spending long hours in bed, kissing and holding one another. The sun is warm against your skin as you walk hand in hand with him down a cobbled street, and he feeds you some freshly baked bread. It’s perfect, and you enjoy every second of it.

On the day of his return to Ravka, you hesitate in the airport. You hesitate again as you’re boarding, and even once you’re sitting down in your seat you hesitate. Fingers thrumming nervously against the arm of your chair, you don’t notice any of the people boarding or the man who sits opposite you.

Until he speaks,

“Nervous?”

It’s Aleksander.

Breath catches in your throat at the sound of his voice. It’s a little deeper, stronger than in his dreams. There’s no recognition on his face, and you breathe a little easier knowing he’ll be able to forget about you. You nod.

“A little.”

The stewardess walks down the aisle with a tray in her hand, Aleksander’s usual drink placed on it. The drink that will ensure he’s asleep so that you can join him in his dreams. She offers him the tray with a smile, and your stomach twists.

“That won’t be necessary, thank you.” You tell her, placing your hand over the glass before Aleksander can take it. She raises a brow at you,

“Excuse me?”

“I’m getting off.” You state, standing up and reaching for your bag. “I’m not going back to Ravka.”

“I’m afraid that’s not up to you.” A man remarks and you glance over at him as he blocks the aisle with his arms. You recognise him as one of the King’s guards, and swallow nervously.

Raising your chin defiantly, you toss your bag at him, hitting him square in the face, and turn to run in the opposite direction. Only for another man to be waiting for you. You try to fight him off, but his hands lock around your throat and you’re clawing desperately at him.

Then you’re released, and slump to the floor as you gasp for air, forehead pressing against the rough carpet of the plane. There’s a crash as someone collapses and you tense as you roll onto your back to accept your fate.

Aleksander kneels beside you, cupping your face carefully, dark eyes searching your body for any serious injuries. Further down the aisle, you can see Ivan holding the other King’s guard down on the floor.

Tears spill down your cheeks, as you realise Aleksander had planned this. He had known about you.

“I’m so sorry, Sasha.” You whisper, sobbing as you curl in on yourself. He knows you had tricked him, manipulated him into caring for you. He tucks you against his chest immediately.

“It’s alright, my love. I’m here.” He presses a kiss to the top of your head. “I forgive you.”

“I’m sorry.” You repeat, shaking as you cling to him. His arms are firm around you, and you suddenly realise this is the first time he’s held you, prompting you to cry even harder.

“It’s alright.” He insists firmly, though his tone is still soft, as if he’s afraid of startling you. “Now, let’s get you somewhere safe.”

It isn’t long before the two of you are settled into the master suite of the best hotel Aleksander could find on such short notice. He holds you tight against his chest, as you lie on the huge bed together and he explains everything.

“The King is ill, not many people are aware of it but I doubt he has very long left. After his death, I have plans for Vasily to be caught up in an accident at his summer home.”

“Leaving the throne to you.”

Part of you feels saddened, that the King’s suspicions about Aleksander were right - that he wanted to steal the throne for himself.

“My first order of business will be to establish a functioning government. I’ll remain in office until the elections are over, then I plan to abdicate.”

You blink a few times, trying to process everything he’s just told you. He didn’t want the throne. He wanted to help Ravka. You knew he was smart, and good, but this exceeded your expectations of him.

“How did I never find anything about this in your mind?” You ask quietly as you fiddle with the buttons of his shirt, voicing what had been plaguing your mind. Maybe you were losing your touch? Or had you just been blinded by your own feelings for him?

“You never found the safe did you?”

“A safe?” You shake your head, pausing to think for a long moment. “Not many people keep their thoughts in a safe.” Tilting your head up, you rest your chin on his chest as you look at his face. “You knew I was coming.”

He nods.

“As soon as the King called you back to Ravka, I had my people begin looking into you. Your old mentor, Botkin, helped me make the safe and tested it himself.”

“I can’t manipulate a dream if someone knows I’m there.” He nods slowly as you frown. “The only way I would be able to change your dreams…”

“Would be because I let you.” He finishes. Lips parted, your brows crease in confusion.

“Why?”

“Perhaps, I was curious about what you would do.”

The two of you are quiet as you think over the time you had spent with him, in his dreams. The conversations you’d had; the moments you’d shared. Despite the reason for why you were in his mind, you hadn’t demanded anything of him.

You place your palm on his chest, directly over his heart, feeling it beat beneath your touch as you tell him something that you desperately need him to understand.

“It was real for me, Aleksander. All of it was real.” His own hand lies over yours, his fingers curling around your own as he says,

“It was real for me too.”

»»---------------------►

marvelmusing Tag List: @dreamlandcreations @blanchedelioncourt @idaofinfinity

BB Characters Tag List: @rachlovesactors

#aleksander morozova #aleksander morozova x reader #the darkling x reader #the darkling #the darkling au #the darkling x you #the darkling x y/n #inception au #the darkling moodboard #shadow and bone au #shadow and bone x reader #shadow and bone

[cheekygreenty]

15&16 from the fluff promp list for Darkling?? If you want to you don’t have to.. thank you

Sunrises - The Darkling x Reader

Fluff so sweet my teeth hurt 💓💓💓

Sunrises were never your favourite, they symbolised a start to a new day, a day where you had to wake up alone in your bed before a day of work. There was no morning cuddles or stolen kisses. The sun coming up put a stop to your dreams which were filled with a perfect life with that perfect someone. Something you never thought you would have the luxury of experiencing.

But now? You no longer needed your dreams to be happy. You had everything you'd ever fantasised about, mornings full of intimacy and pure unfiltered love with your perfect person. Sunrises now meant you could wake up in Aleksander's embrace with rays of light streaming into the room, they meant another day with the person you loved most.

He looked so peaceful sleeping, all those years of war and stress disappeared, leaving his beautiful face; innocent and relaxed. You slowly lifted your head from his chest and studied him more. You lightly traced the faint scar on his jaw then the one on his cheek. He was breathtaking, a work of art that took hundreds of years to craft before you had the honour of calling it yours. Yours.

'Must you stare?' His morning voice broke you out of your trance.

'Of course. Art is meant to be admired' He let out a short laugh and turned his full attention to you, tiredness still evident in his eyes. His arms tightened around you and a sigh of content left his lips.

'I have to leave later, I have business in Kribirsk'

'I know, you told me already, twice.'

'I think I'm hoping for you to stop me from going, or come with me' Quite ironically, his lazy smile could have lit up the room like the sun.

'I'm quite comfortable here, in this bed.'

'You'd better be here when I get back' His nose nuzzled itself into your hair. The flowery smell always brought him comfort.

'Have I ever not been?' You laughed.

A comfortable silence enveloped you. The faint sound of the Palace waking up could be heard in the distance but right now, you two had all the time in the world.

'I love you Y/N.'

'I love you too' The answer was automatic, you didn't even have to think about it.

His hand went to your finger where a heavy black diamond rested on your finger and held it up in the morning sun. The halo of regular clusters of diamonds sparkled brilliantly but were overshone by the black jewel.

'You're lucky its beauty makes up for its weight General,' you laughed.

The ring was heavy and hefty, but he wanted the best for you, no exceptions. He brought it to his lips and left a lingering kiss.

'Everything you do amazes me Y/N, truly. If I had the option, I would have made you my wife months ago.' Your heart swelled tenfold.

'And I would have been more than willing to be yours. I already am, I don't need an official paper stating so.' He hugged you even tighter if possible but you revelled in the feeling of home.

You both watched the sunrise, soaking in the last minutes of peace before you both had to face the day.

You loved Sunrises with your Shadow-Summoner but you loved him more.

#shadow and bone #grisha #imagine #the darkling #the darkling x reader #alexander morozova #alexander #fanfic #general kirigan x reader #oneshot #promts #fluff

[celinchen-uwu]

The Darkling x Reader

A/N: Aaand another Darkling scenario. Please enjoy :)

Summary: Imagine... you are a sassy girl who was captured by some Grishas and taken to the General. You unleash feelings in him..

You‘re walking on a field of flowers next to a little brook. Your (l/h) flowing in the wind. To others, you look like a wood elf. But in your village you are an outsider.

Not less because of your cheeky mouth... But you simply do not care. You stand up for yourself, no matter what others think of you. Long walks, while the sun warms up your skin, you like best alone anyway. You need your peace and would give anything to keep it. Even if that means being excluded.

You sit down by the stream and watch the little tadpoles, which try to swim against the current.

Lost in your thoughts, you don't notice the small group of Grisha approaching you. You are torn from your thoughts when you are roughly grabbed by the arms. Startled, you look at the two ‚gentlemen’ who have disturbed your peace.

"Hey, let go of me right now! I didn't do anything, so let go you jerks!" You try to kick them and break free, but despite your attempts to get free, they hold you ironclad and pull you towards the forest.

"Come on guys, I'm on your side," you try again. "Where are you taking me? I haven't done anything" After about ten minutes, you've had enough.

"Am I speaking Chinese? Where are you fucking taking me?" irritated, as you finally want to go home, you look at them emphatically. "Just shut up“ one replies annoyed. "Pardon? What nice first words", you say sarcastic, eyes rolling.

Completely confused when you arrive at the camp you ask one last time „Come on guys, i‘m not a Fjerdan or whatever, so you can let me go already...?“

When you enter a tent you do not resist. At first amazed at the size and the magnificent war table lying around. You almost overlook the tall man dressed in black. Almost.

"General Kirigan! We found this girl nearby some village, which has been attacked by rebells“, he says humbly and let go of you. You have no idea what is happening here, all you see is this 'general' looking now at you arrogantly from above. "What? Do you need a photo or what?", you drive at him. -hah, I guess you don't look so dumb anymore!- you think to yourself defiantly as his arrogant look replaces itself with an irritated one. -okay, that look isn't much better.. oops-

The grisha-guy leaves the tent, as the general startet to talk. „Tell me... why were you near the village, as it was burned down? What are you? A fjerdan? A rebell? Why are you the only survivor?“ as he spoke, you hear his voice. Sharp like a blade.

Stunned, you look at him... "Are you kidding me? Do I look like a rebell?"

You straighten up, ready to go, you start walking as the general grabs you by the wrist. You squeal in surprise and look him straight in his black eyes.

It becomes dark around you. His eyes sparkle angrily. In a low voice, he asks you again "What are you?"

"A human being?" you answer sarcastic. Fascinated, you look into his black eyes. The shadows creep across the walls, swallowing any light, but you don't notice it at that moment. You are to drawn in, in his eyes at that moment.

As your faces come closer and closer, and the tips of your noses almost touch, you awaken from your rigidity and jerk back. Overwhelmed and flustered you look at him and turn around. Taking flight, you run out of the tent and dodge a few soldiers. Heart pounding, you reach the forest. All you hear is "Don't let her get away!" as you run deeper into the forest.

You admit you were curious about what would happen if your lips touched. How far it would have gone. You didn't miss the dark and dangerous atmosphere. His looks. As if you were his prey.

~When General Kirigan saw you running away, he felt something he thought he had lost years ago.... he would no longer be able to hold on if he couldn't have you.

-Run as fast as you can. When I see you again... feel you again... you’ll be mine. Little elf- ~

Rushed, you run on, shuddering at what would happen if you stopped. -I don't want to give up my freedom... if he finds me, this is truly my end-

#shadow and bone fanfiction #the darkling #aleksander morozova #general kirigan #general kirigan x reader #grishaverse #freedom #oneshot #scenario #imagine