— Chapter 11
Your kiss, my cheek
I watched you leave
Your smile, my ghost
I fell to my knees
When you're young, you just run
But you come back to what you need
— This Love by Taylor Swift
“ Aleksander” Milene spoke quietly as it was already night time. The Little Palace was resting.Her only one hope is Aleksander still awake.
The door was open, and as she entered, she saw him facing the table in the middle of the room which contained many strategic maps that she didn't really know well.
“ Milene”, He said looking up to her. “ As much as i love your late night visit, please my dear don’t wander around the hallways by yourself. Just Call Ivan up and I'll be by your room before you know it” Aleksander walked up to her, kissing her forehead. Then guided her to the War room.
“ How can i help you tonight my dear” He played with her hair, twisting it , feeling the soft brown hair through his fingers.
“ I have heard a rumor about the Morozova Stag, will you use it for Alina’s Amplifier?” The General froze, “Who told you that?” He asked hesitantly. He doesn't really want her to know that he was going to use her friend for his benefits, whoever told her will be handled tomorrow morning.
“ I heard it from Alina who was told by the Apparat when she read the book ‘The Lives of Saints’. Baghra also mentions it to Alina in her training session. Milene replied. “ Was it something I shouldn't mention?” She realized that the look on the face of the man in front of her was grim.
“ No, there is nothing wrong with asking about it love”.The girl nodded in relief, and wrapped her hand around his waist , looking over the table as well. The contents of it fascinated her, she did not know why but it felt so calming to watch him plan out his next strategy.
"What's on your mind?
Can't sleep?" The girl asked again, murmuring softly as the room gloom with only a candle as the source of light.
Aleksander could only sighed deeply and gripped the edges of the table, his knuckles turning white. "Our very own people are turning against us," he whispered. "I have been fighting this war alone for so long."
Milene quickly noticed, the shadow in the room started to expand, creeping up the walls and threatening to take over the room.
She placed her hand on his, and instantly, the shadows retreated. He looked over at her, and it pained her to see her soulmate like this ,how much suffering his eyes showed.
"You're not alone," she said, reassuring him. "I might not be out to help you yet, hopefully soon I could lend you my help. So it will ease your mind," she lifted her hand and placed it on his cheek, caressing him.
His eyes shone with tears, slowly, he cupped the girl's cheek gently, affectionately."Finding you has been a gift for me. Milene my love, you just made my life brighter and also made me the luckiest man on earth," he said, staring deeply into her eyes.
She stepped closer to him and hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest as he held her close to him, one hand on the back of her head. "You have no idea how much that means to me," she mumbled through the fabric of his kefta, and he could tell that she was crying from the way her shoulders shook.
For years she has wanted love like this. She may have her brother's love, her best friend's love. But many times past still she feels empty in the gap of her heart. She knows that both Mal and Alina love each other so much. They didn’t even know it yet, spending time with them sometimes makes her feel so lonely. She is afraid to be left alone.
"Let's go to bed and get some sleep, tomorrow will be a tiring day" he whispered softly, not removing his hold on the girl, still the wrapped hand on her waist,guiding her towards his bed, in which he laid her down gently. Before joining her, he decided to light a candle that is placed on the counter beside the bed. Then, he lay down right next to her and he instantly put his arm around her, making sure she felt comfy and warm in his embrace.
"Aleksander?" she asked sleepily, tracing a pattern on his exposed chest.
His grip tightened upon hearing his name fall from her lips. "Yes, love?"
"I'm so glad that you're here," she said softly. "I'm so glad that we met, I am so glad that I healed your wound that night. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me."
The General kissed her hair, leaning his head against hers. "Me too my love, thank you for existing," he breathed out, and the two once again fell asleep in each other's embrace, like many times before. In his dream
_____________
AS WINTER DREW to a close, talk turned to the King and Queen’s fete at the Grand Palace. The Grisha Summoners were expected to put on a demonstration of their powers to entertain the nobles, and much time was spent discussing who would perform and what would make the most impressive showing.
“Just don’t call it ‘performing,’” Genya warned. “The General can’t stand it. He thinks the winter fete is a giant waste of Grisha time.”
The Materialki workshops buzzed morning and night with orders from the palace for cloth and gems and fireworks. The Summoners spent hours at the stone pavilions honing their “demonstrations.” Given that Ravka was at war and had been for over a hundred years, it all seemed a little frivolous. Still, Milene hadn’t been to many parties, and it was hard not to get caught up in the talk of silks and dances and flowers.
On the day of the winter fete, Both of them were excused from their classes, but Alina went to see Botkin anyway. She was too anxious about her part in the demonstration. Being around the other Grisha didn’t help.
Marie and Nadia talked constantly about their new silk kefta and what jewels they intended to wear, and David and the other Fabrikators kept accosting Alina with Milene by her side to talk over the details of the demonstration.
Tonight ,Milene had a quick dinner in the domed hall and then, she hurried up to her room, already thinking of her beautiful sunken tub. The banya was fun, but she’d had her share of communal bathing in the army, and privacy was still a novelty to her.
When she’d had a long, luxurious soak, she sat down by the windows to dry her hair and watch nightfall over the lake. Soon, the lamps lining the long drive to the palace would be lit as nobles arrived in their lavish coaches, each more ornate than the last. She felt a little prickle of excitement.
Years ago, Milene never thought her dream would come true : watching a performance, playing dress-up with hundreds of beautiful people in their beautiful clothes.
Pulled out from her thoughts, a knock sounded at the door. But it was Genya, her tall frame swathed in cream silk heavily embroidered in gold, her red hair piled high on her head to better display the massive diamonds dangling from her ears and the graceful turn of her neck.
“Well?” she said, turning this way and that.
“I loathe you,” Milene said with a smile.
“I do look remarkable,” she said, admiring herself in the mirror over the basin.
“You’d look even better with a little humility.”
“I doubt that. Why aren’t you dressed?” she asked, taking a break from marveling at her own reflection to notice Milene was still in her robe.
“My kefta hasn’t arrived.”
“Oh, well, the Fabrikators have been a bit overwhelmed with the Queen’s requests. I’m sure it will get here. Now, sit down in front of the mirror so I can do your hair.” Milene practically squealed with excitement, but she managed to restrain herself.
she’d been hoping Genya would offer to do her hair, but she hadn’t wanted to ask. “I thought you would be helping the Queen,” she said as Genya set her clever hands to work.
She rolled her amber eyes. “I can only do so much. Her highness has decided she doesn’t feel up to attending the ball tonight. She has a headache. Ha! I’m the one who spent an hour removing her crow’s feet.”
“So she’s not going?”
“Of course she’s going! She just wants her ladies to fuss over her so she can feel even more important. This is the biggest event of the season. She wouldn’t miss it for the world.”
The biggest event of the season. Milene let out a shaky breath.
After a moment, she said softly, “We all feel it, you know.”
“Feel what?”
“The pull. Toward the General. But he’s not like us, Milene.” She was tense. Genya kept her gaze studiously focused on the coils of her hair.
“What do you mean?” she asked. Even to her own ears, her voice sounded unnaturally high.
“His kind of power, the way he looks. You’d have to be mad or blind not to
notice it.”
“Who wouldn’t?” Her eyes met hers in the mirror. “But I’d never let my heart gets involved.”
Milene gave what she hoped was an indifferent shrug. “Of course not.”
Genya raised her flawless brows and tugged hard on her hair.
“Ouch!” she yelped. “Will David be there tonight?”
Genya sighed. “No, he doesn’t like parties. But I did just happen to drop by the workrooms so he could get a peek at what he was missing. He barely looked at me.”
“I doubt that,” Milene said comfortingly.
Genya twisted a final piece of her hair into place and secured it with a golden Hairpin.
“There!” she said triumphantly. She handed me Milene a little mirror and turned her around so that she could see her handiwork.
Genya had piled half of her hair into an elaborate knot. The rest cascaded around her shoulders in shining waves. she beamed and gave Genya a quick hug.
“ Thank you, thank you sooo much. You just made me look like a princesses” Milene said as she let out a small giggle”
“ You're welcome, now I must be going. I need to do Alina’s hair and make up, hopefully this time she already took her bath”. Genya said while fixing her dress and walking toward the door.
“ Milene”, Genya said, stopping her track and looked back at her.
“ Beware of powerful men”