𝑫𝑹𝑰𝑭𝑻 [currently being edited]

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝟐 - 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒏

Aruna's kefta was black with silver embroidery, a moon summoner. A moon summoner that was simply a myth,  until a beaten and malnourished girl stumped into the gates of the Little Palace, claiming that she was a Grisha.

The girl said she didn't know what powers she posed, only that she glowed in the moon and could control the water. For many moons she was trained as a tidemaker and wore a blue kefta with blue embroidery, ignoring the way she glowed around a full moon. 

That was until she was spotted on a full moon, dancing with the water, the moon lighting up her dance floor. The Grisha stood around in awe.

The next day a black kefta with silver embroidery arrived at her door. Aruna wore it with a proud and content smile, although the Darkling did have to convince her that others wouldn't resent her for it. That was the first time he had spoken to her, other than the night she arrived.

They would not speak for many moons, divided by rank and age. The occasion mission brief or update on training is all that was spoken between the moon and the darkness. 

But after arriving from a long political trip to Shu Han the Darkling arrived back at the Little Palace, only to see the little moon. 

The little moon was the name given to her by the Grisha, the little moon, a ball of happiness and kindness and a soft serenity that reminded them all of the planet that made the girl glow.

That was the night he noticed her, he was always curious about the moon summoner, the kind girl he heard other Grisha speaking about. Aside from a professional interest in her abilities and capabilities as a moon summoner, Aleksander had never possessed a personal interest in the moon summoner. He had only attended the month moon show once, on the night her abilities were discovered. Aleksander knew that many of the Grisha and other inhabitants of the Little Palace took the night as a night off and one to be enjoyed, and he respected that his inferiors would like a break from his rule. 

Why would he need to watch a Grisha play around in the water under the light of the full moon?

That thought quickly disappeared when he saw her. She wasn't merely splashing around in the water, the water danced with her. In a complex mix of beauty, light and darkness. He had the sudden urge to let his shadows dance with her water. No painter could perfect or attempt the capture the beauty of the moon summoner, there was no comparison to the dance, the flow of water. The only thing that Aleksander thought could come close was silk dancing in the wind. 

The glow from the moon made her look ethereal, at first glance she looked like a saint, sent to visit the earth. In many ways she was a saint, glowing and dancing with the water, without a care in the world.

Too wrapped up in her own to watch the fascinated faces of the Grisha, he finally understood why the Grisha came to watch her every month. She was truly mesmerising, and he felt the pull to go join her in this otherworldly dance.

The gravitational need to be near her, to watch this incredible balance of the elements.

That night was three years ago, and every full moon since the Darkling cleared his schedule, and spent the night watching the girl and the moon, all from the shadows that desperately wanted to dance with her glow.

But now that wasn't the only time he saw the little moon, she was raising up in his army. 

The Darkling took pride in his creation, the Second Army. He knew the name of every Grisha, making sure to interview them every year. And slowly it started. 

He made sure to stay in the shadows and listen to the whispers travelling down the hall. On nights in which he ate with the other Grisha he heard them talk, and if you looked closely you could see how his ears would peak up slightly at the mention of Aruna.

Yet, in all of his inquires and interviews he had never heard a bad word spoken about her, at first he thought he was being a tad obvious about his growing feelings towards the girl and that no one wanted to face the wrath of his anger, which was a reasonable conclusion. Aleksander was oddly jealous and possessive when it came to his little moon.  

But as he listened closer he realized that no one had any reason to speak bad against Aruna, it seemed that she was really a saint.

He remembered telling her that no one would resent her for wearing his colour, he knew that was a lie. This was a world in which jealousy painted the walls green and angry and competition thrived. The girl was concerned about angering somebody or making them upset, he had never encountered a kind selfless soul like that before, anyone else would've jumped at the chance to wear his colours.

Yet as the years went on, nobody seemed to find fault with the girl. She was smart, and there were countless stories of her kindness, helping servants, and encouraging younger Grisha. It seemed that every day there were new good deeds that she had accomplished.

The little moon was truly a gift from the saints. That was his first thought when he felt the pull to her. She just seemed to be a life force, one to be reckoned with, and one he could not resist.

Even the Darkling had to admit that he might've made his feelings obvious, but instead of being embarrassed, he couldn't find the heart to regret his actions. There were meetings that he dismissed early because Aruna looked tired, or cake coincidently served on her birthdays.

Little actions from the Darkling himself allowed his feelings to blossom. Yet it seemed the object of his affections did not notice or did not reciprocate.

She was always nice to him, even going as far as to crack jokes with him.

Aleksander had not had an inside joke with anyone until Aruna.

She would take his horse if she was walking by when he returned from trips, and when on trips she would always play cards or entertain him with some stories.

There were times when the Darkling found himself red from the tips of his ears at the mere thought of Aruna, other times when he would stumble out of a conversation with her.

Aruna thought that the Darkling was simply this man to everyone, obviously, he had his professional tone and attitude, but she didn't release that he only smiled when he was in her presence.

The man was simply weak at the knees for her.