DAWN, nikolai lantsov

₁₉. charting battle

"What do you mean?" said Nikolai, and suddenly the way Morana was looking at Mal when they'd arrived yesterday, the way she was looking at him like she was grieving, made sense. But it couldn't be—

"It's Mal," said Alina quietly. "He's the Firebird."

Nikolai's breathing hitched. "That's not... I'm sorry, Alina."

Alina let out a sob, closing her eyes tightly and Nikolai fumbled with what to do, settling on tugging her close and hugging her to him as Alina gathered herself. Finally, she stopped shaking and pulled away, wiping away her tears.

"If only I had stopped. I was so driven by power."

"You couldn't have known it was him."

"I was warned that there would be consequences. I just... I never thought it would... It'd be him," she said, sniffling as she wiped away another tear. "I was such a fool."

Nikolai was starting to feel extremely guilty for being so happy that morning. Especially as he saw Alina blink away tears and clench her jaw, trying to not seem weak. "Alina—"

"We can figure out the Fold later," she said. "First, we must deal with our immediate problem. All forces can be put on Kirigan at Keramzin."

Nikolai nodded. He hesitated with his next words but if didn't speak them now he didn't know when he'd be able to. "Alina, as long as I remain king, you'll always have a place as the General of the Second Army, but—"

"You can't marry me," finished Alina with the smallest smile she could muster, nodding in understanding. "I know, Nikolai."

"It's not exactly the right time for this talk," he said gently, and Alina let out a small laugh, and even though it didn't quite reach her eyes Nikolai knew the end of the engagement was far from the reason she was in such despair. He couldn't imagine the possibility of Morana dying; it was the last thing he'd like to think about.

"Promise me, Nikolai," said Alina, "that you will survive this battle. One of us has to. And... Morana needs you in her life. You need her too."

Nikolai was about to answer when there was a knock on the door and it opened, Dominik walked in, "Apologies. Didn't mean to disturb."

"Not at all," said Nikolai waving him off, "Come in. Do we have news from the front?"

"Kirigan's forces have fortified their hold at Keramzin," said Dominik.

"We must act. Quickly," said Alina, and Nikolai nodded, giving her a smile before leaving the room with Dominik and venturing into the halls.

They were nearing the exit so they could walk outside when Morana walked through the doors, decked in her usual pirate attire, trousers tucked into her boots that went all the way to her thighs, a corset over a white shirt and after last night Nikolai had never thought about ripping that corset off her more. His compass was hanging from her neck and she looked up surprised as she saw both of them walking down the hall.

She nodded politely at Dominik and then at him, a little smile playing on her lips, "Moi tsar, have you seen Alina?"

Nikolai was well aware of the fact Dominik was watching their every movement with blatant curiosity and amusement, but he did not care in the slightest. He grinned at Morana. "I'm not exactly king yet, darling."

"No?" she feigned surprise. "Well, I must've mistaken your ego for a crown, Captain."

Dominik let out a choked sound, mixed between a surprised gasp and a laugh and Nikolai smiled in amusement before turning to Morana again. "Alina's in the war room, Morana."