Nikolai had already proposed three times. Now, kneeling before her, it appeared as if he were trying a forth. She still remembered the first time he had asked for her hand, a year after the battle on the Fold.
"Alina, dear Alina, will you do me the honor of becoming my queen?" She had to admit, it was a compelling offer.
"Nikolai, you already know my answer." She sighed.
"That's not true. Although, you're high opinion of me is extremely flattering. A mind reader, Alina? I am many things, but that is not one." He was always one to joke, but she could still see the strain in his eyes. Being king had taken it's toll on him, and she knew he was under a lot of pressure to make her his queen. The people wanted Sankta Alina to sit upon the throne and bathe their kingdom in light. It was a beautiful thought, really.
Would it be so bad to be queen? To marry Nikolai? She quickly pushed the thought away when Mal's face appeared in her mind. Yes, she thought, because marrying him would mean forgetting Mal.
"I'm sorry Nikolai, but my answer is no. I can't, not when my heart still belongs to him." Nikolai put his hand on her shoulder to comfort her.
"I know." He told her sadly. "I know it's hard. I cannot force you to forget the past, just as I myself can't forget, but I promise you that I will always be here to help you. And if you ever choose to say yes Alina, I will love you with all my heart." His words made her heart hurt. They sounded so much like something Mal would say. All she could manage was to give him a small smile.
Now, four years later, it appeared he was going to try again. Circumstances had changed in recent months, and it was becoming increasingly important for a queen to be crowned. There had been whispers of a dark force forming somewhere in southern Ravka. Rumors claimed that large amounts of Grisha were going missing and allegedly joining a powerful leader near the Shu Han border. The last thing they needed was another war.
Nikolai's royal advisors stressed the fact that it was crucial for the Alina to be queen. The country needed hope; hope that only their beloved Sankta Alina could provide. She knew this, and knew that she needed to decide what she would do. Would she put her country and future first and marry the king or would she continue to live in the past with those she had loved and lost?
Looking at Nikolai, she couldn't help but admire him. Not only was he her friend, but he was also breathtakingly beautiful. His hazel eyes bore into her and she couldn't help but stare at them. Golden blond hair framed his beautiful face and for some reason she felt the strong desire to run her hands through it. She would never be over Mal, he was her first love, but she needed to move on. With Nikolai, she believed she could.
Before he could even ask her the question Alina spoke the words he had so desperately wanted to hear.
"Yes."
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All you Alina/Nikolai shippers out there, this one's for you. Sorry to all of you who want some Mal/Alina moments, but since Mal got her in the book I figure Nikolai and the Darkling deserve some time in this story. Don't hate me!
As you probably figured out, the pic is Nikolai! <3
Leave me some comments, let me know what you think and if you have any requests for how you want the story to go.
Thanks for reading!
All my love,
SunSummoningAssassin
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Darkness Never Dies (A Grisha Story)
Fanfiction~ A Grisha Fanfic ~ Where there is light, there will always be darkness. It has been five years since the battle on the Fold, when Alina had done what she thought was right. The only problem was that she had failed. The Darkling had survived their...
