𝑫𝑹𝑰𝑭𝑻 [currently being edited]

chapter 20 - willed

Aruna's mother was not the only unexpected guest to arrive in Ravka that night, a certain blonde fox arrived through the night. Desperate to see the girl he called his best friend and willing to put away the red hair for the blonde army cut, Nikolai arrived at Aruna's door just as the sun rose.

Greeted with the red and puffy face, Nikolai went straight into 'best friend mode', calling up the surprised maids to order a hot chocolate, Aruna's favourite and taking the time to listen to the emotional Aruna.

Hours passed between the two secret friends, tears and laughter, spilled hot chocolate and lots of restraining Nikolai from attacking Aleksander.

By lunchtime Aruna had calmed down significantly from her 'mothers' visit and willed her emotions to be happy that Nikolai returned, willed her emotions to not think about the fact that Aleksander was not the one ordering her hot chocolate and offering a shoulder to cry on.

After all she didn't believe that everyone was replaceable, and as much as she adored and appraised Nikolai she craved the comfort of Aleksander's calming scent and warm arms.

But she was not everyone, and she was replaceable. Her relationship with Aleksander was evidence enough.

Yet that was not going to weigh her down, she was down waiting up at night in an empty bed, only for Aleksander to kiss her cheek in the morning as if everything was alright.

She had finally gotten closer to the person that affected her the most, her mother was gone for good. The memoirs and her voice in her head might not yet be gone, but there was time to grow.

Aruna had spent winters in a sack in a cold corner of a shack, she had spent every waking moment of her childhood in those damn salt mines since she could remember.

She had learned to read and write, becoming a reoccurring visitor of the library that once imitated her. She made friends with the people that didn't initially like her, and helped them never make that same mistake with others.

She hoped she was kind, she tried her best to help others who needed it.

She was not going to let everyone see her affected by the actions of the man who controlled the shadows. If he didn't want her, if he replaced her, she was replaced. She might cry, her heart might break but she would not let everyone see.

She still had her pride, she liked people and people liked her, knowing that the man that everyone thought was so in love with her was replacing her, the man that pined over her, the man that gave her cake on her birthdays, the man that hid in his shadows when she was gone with the moon, seemed to be gone, she knew that but other would not.

Aruna refused to be embarrassed because a man did not want her anymore.

She would tell him, she would fix this, something would happen. Talking with Nikolai opened her eyes, Aruna was still so desperately head over heels in love with the man and was willing to fight for their relationship. Voicing her insecurities to Nikolai who promptly told her 'if he replaced you, don't replace him but let him see what he replaced'.

And with that attitude in mind Aruna, for the first time ever, apart from that one time she rescued a cute puppy, Aruna stormed into the Aleksander's chambers and she was met with quite the sight.