Notes:
This little story is strictly related to the TV series (though I read the trilogy and may be influenced by it).
I wrote 2 other fictions that I think come along with this, they are in my Series The Darkling's thoughts, though you don't have to read them before this. This story's not only from Aleksander's point of view but also from Alina's (although I must admit I have a soft spot for Aleksander's POV).
This is my third English fiction. English is not my primary language, so bear with me and please tell me if there's any mistake.
But now (19 July 2022) I have a Beta!!!
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After thinking of what happened that night, and what could still happen, Alina was a little dazed. She waited for Aleksander for what seemed like hours. It was probably fifteen minutes.
All the emotions of the day and her little demonstration got the better of her and she was exhausted.
Alina took the liberty to use his bed and she did so without even contemplating the chamber. She took off her boots and dozed off.
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Later, Aleksander came back to his room and asked the guard if she'd gone away. After hearing the negative answer, he dismissed him.
When he entered, closing the door behind him, and did not find her in the main room he felt his heartbeat speeding, he didn't know if it was fear that she wasn't there or excitement that she could be in his chamber.
"Alina?" He knocked on the table to announce himself but she didn't answer. He went into his bedroom and realised he was extremely glad to find her there in his bed.
She was sleeping in his bed, so calm and serene, like nobody had just made an attempt on her life.
She had stripped off her black kefta that was now covering her upper body like a blanket. So beautiful.
He put a knee on the mattress and approached her, touching her shoulder lightly to wake her up.
"Alina" he whispered.
She slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him, "You're here," she said softly smiling.
"You're here too," Aleksander said smiling back.
"I told you that I would wait for you," she said rubbing her eyes. Meanwhile, he took off his boots and got on the bed, lying down facing her.
He smelled like the day he saved her. It wasn't a bad smell but something was... grim. She didn't know how to describe it. It was like he smelled of death.
"Did you... did you just kill someone?" She asked lightly. She didn't know how, but that was the truth.
He really didn't expect that question and his eyes went wide and that was her confirmation. She lowered her eyes.
They were on his bed, lying down one in front of the other. She was right in front of him; it was too late for Aleksander to deny, so he asked her, "How can you tell?"
After a few seconds of hesitation she answered, "I really don't know, it's more of a sensation. Like I could smell it on you. I felt the same thing when you saved me in the forest."
He was quiet, looking at her impassively, but his head was full of questions and excuses.
"So... what happened?" she asked stretching a hand towards his face and lightly brushing his cheek.
He gulped, he didn't expect her to have that reaction after his confirmation. He thought she would recoil from him. Instead, it was as if she didn't blame him for killing a person, as if she trusted him to do what was necessary.
"Someone tried to kill you tonight... he was hired by a man in West Ravka." He knew he had to tell her that the Inferni was dead but didn't want to.
"He wasn't alone, there were three people with him that wanted to abduct you, Alina."
"Did anyone get hurt?" She asked frowning anxiously.
"Of course, you would be more worried about other's lives and not your own", he told her trying to deflect the question.
"I know I'm safe here, but I can't know about others," she said matter-of-factly.
He crawled closer to her, putting a hand on her hip, drawing her to him.
"Do you feel safe here?" He asked. They both knew he meant both in Little Palace and with him.
They were so close, Alina could only see him: his eyes, the place where her hand was buried in his beard, his lips, his eyes again...
Her previous anxiety was all gone, as well as all thoughts not related to him.
"Yes, I do feel safe here," she said softly. In Little Palace, in his chamber, in his arms, she felt safe. Safer than she had ever felt. Because, although Aleksander was a dangerous man and she couldn't trust him completely, he wanted her safe and by his side. He wanted to save the country with her and bring peace to all the neighbouring countries.
"Good," his deep voice came out raspy, and only a few seconds passed before his lips were on hers, tasting her again for the third time that day.
He was gentler than before. His lips danced on hers slowly, wet. Her heartbeat was fast, but she felt at ease: she didn't want to be anywhere else.
"Aleksander," she murmured his name like a prayer. But it was him, who was venerating her. She felt like she was venerated: a piece of art to touch lightly, to caress slowly but thoroughly. That's how he was making her feel. It was the first time in her life she felt like a goddess and she loved it.
"Alina," he kissed her cheek, "my Alina," he started kissing her neck, "say my name again," he tightened his grip on her hips, thrusting her, still gently, toward his body.
"Aleksander," this time she whispered it directly into his ear.
He thought the sound of his name on her lips was the most beautiful sound in the world. Her body was flush against his, soft and not thin like when he saw her for the first time. He returned to her lips sealing them into a long melting kiss, then they parted for air. Their foreheads touching, eyes closed, heartbeats slowing.
"I was going to ask you if I could come to your room tonight, but you directly invited yourself into my bed," he said chuckling.
"Well, maybe if your business took less time you could have found me awake, at least," she answers jokingly but realised too late what she actually said. His eyebrows quirked up.
"I-I mean! Sorry, forget what I just said!" She was so embarrassed, covering her face with her hands.
"It's ok Alina, I know you were just a little distracted..." he said slyly.
She poked him in the chest.
"By the way, no one got hurt, right?" She asked again.
He just thought she would forget it. Obviously, he was wrong.
"Alina..." he said again like a prayer. This was a prayer for forgiveness. Don't make me tell you, it will ruin this moment.
"What happened?"
"Can't I tell you tomorrow?" He said hopefully.
"What happened?" She repeated.
"...The Inferni, Marie, she was attacked and... killed on the spot."
"What?!" She got on her seat, bracing herself with her arms behind her on the bed. He copied her and got up.
"Really? Are you sure? Maybe-" "Alina," he stopped her babbling with a serious eye.
"I- of course, there's no mistake. It's just-" her voice was tremulant "She died because of me! If I hadn't-"
"She knew what she was doing. You have to understand, Alina, that if it had been you..." If it had been her, what would he have done?
What would he do if she died?
"You are more... precious than her, if something happened to you, all Ravka would suffer. Not only those who care for you" he cupped her cheeks looking directly into her eyes.
"I know that. I really know that, but it doesn't make it less painful," she said closing her eyes, which were on the verge of shedding tears, and leaning into his touch.
"I know," he concluded. He really knew what it felt like to lose somebody and be the cause of it. With time he'd learned to accept it and kept himself form growing too fond of other people.
He fondled her cheeks, and leaned closer to kiss her forehead "I know."
She took hold of his kefta, hers was on her lap now, forgotten. She shivered with cold.
"Are you cold? Do you want me to accompany you to your room?" he whispered, withdrawing from her to look at her face. He didn't want to part from her, but he knew she was shaken and needed to rest.
She didn't look at him, didn't open her eyes only tightened her grip on his kefta and rested her forehead on his shoulder, "Can I stay here?"
She preferred to stay with him. How had he done that? How had he managed to become important to her in so little time?
He never believed in destiny, but it felt like she was his destiny.
"Whatever you want," he said with a little smile. It had been a long time since he consoled someone.
"Just-just hold me," she whispered, her voice broken.
"I think I can do that, but wait a minute," he said and got up to take off his kefta and switch off the lantern near his bed, he didn't bother changing clothes. She was looking at him now with eyes wide open.
He took ahold of the blankets of his bed and lifted them to get on the bed.
"Come here, Alina," he said tapping on the uncovered spot on the bed beside him. She moved, crawling beside him and he started taking off the big ornament in her hair. She tried to help but he was quick and placed it on his bedside table in a flash.
He tucked in the covers over them.
Alina was a little embarrassed, "Are you sure it's ok if I stay?" She asked when he got to her under the blankets.
"There's no place I'd rather you be than with me," he said facing her.
She smiled and inclined her face to kiss him lightly on the lips. "Thank you, Aleksander."
He smiled and lay on his back, bringing her to rest on his chest "Tonight you won't need hot stones to warm you up," he said mocking her.
His chest was in fact quite warm.