Alina
It was late in the evening and Mira was still sulking as she sat in her bed, turning her head away from Alina and folding her arms.
"Come on Mira, you know you are still my best friend," Alina said.
"But you spend all your free time with him!" Mira pouted.
"That's because I spend the whole day working with you," Alina sighed in exasperation. She couldn't believe that Mira was really jealous of Alex. "I can only see Alex in my free time which I don't really have that much of. And he's my friend too. But it doesn't mean I love you any less. You are still my favorite person in this house." Alina put an arm around Mira's shoulder and pulled her close, urging her to stop sulking.
It didn't take long for Mira to give in, and her sweet smile soon shone on her face. The two girls giggled and shared a hug, only to be interrupted as Klara suddenly entered the servants' chamber. The chatter within the room died at once and all the girls turned to look at her in alarm. Klara never showed up at the servants' chamber late in the evening unless there was deep trouble.
"You," she pointed at Alina, and Alina's heart sank. "Head off to Lord Tristan's chamber," Klara ordered, just like that.
Alina remained fixed in her place, looking blankly at Klara, trying to translate what she had just heard. The girls were staring in shock between Alina and Klara. This had definitely never happened before. Servants were not just asked to go to Lord Tristan's chamber late in the evening.
"May I ask why?" Alina found her voice at last.
"No, you may not," Klara simply said. "Now get moving."
Alina was still frozen after Klara left. Was she in trouble? Had she offended him? She tried to think of all the things she had done wrong since the summer festival, but she couldn't find anything deserving of punishment.
"Why would he want me in his chamber now?" Alina asked as she turned to Mira in concern.
"Don't worry. Perhaps he just wants to see you," Mira whispered excitedly. "I told you he likes you!"
"I don't think that's the case," Alina said.
"Well, then perhaps you should work on making it the case," Mira winked and Alina rolled her eyes.
"I am definitely not interested in that," Alina scoffed, while her heart thumped at the thought. Well, perhaps she was a little bit interested. But it was very unlikely that Tristan would even care...
"I think you better go quickly if you don't want Maggie strangling you as we speak," Kat said calmly as she sat next to Mira. Alina didn't even need to look at Maggie to see the murderous glare in her eyes.
***
As Alina entered Tristan's chamber, she found him sitting at the low table before the fireplace, watching the flames as they burned and crackled, casting dancing shadows against the walls.
"I can't sleep," Tristan said and Alina raised a curious eyebrow at him while he still sat staring towards the fireplace, the reflection of the flames flickering in his black eyes. "I want you to entertain me," he continued, finally turning to face her.
Alina was numb for a long moment as she tried to get his meaning.
"You can ask Virginia if that's what you need!" she snapped, her legs shaking with fury as she attempted to turn and leave.
"No." His firm voice stopped her in her tracks. "I don't need that kind of entertainment. Now sit down," he ordered, and Alina reluctantly turned around, looking at him suspiciously. "Sit. Down!" he repeated.
Alina clenched her fists and stomped towards him, before she got down on her knees by his side and folded her arms.
"Can you sing?" he asked as he turned back to watch the dancing fire.
"No."
"Can you dance?"
"Hell no!"
"Can you do anything at all?" he scoffed.
"Other than dropping trays and spilling drinks? I guess not."
Tristan chuckled at her words.
"Well, you're definitely good at talking I see. Keep talking then! Tell me a story," he said as he leaned back against the cushion and stretched his legs, getting a bit too comfortable. "Tell me your story. How did you end up here?"
Alina stiffened at his unexpected question.
"I... don't think that's exactly an entertaining story," she said, carefully.
"Whether it's entertaining or not, is for me to decide."
"I don't want to talk about it," Alina clenched her fists, trying to remain calm. That was definitely the last thing she would be willing to talk about.
"Whether you want to talk about it or not, is also for me decide," Tristan taunted her. "You are a slave. You just do as you're told."
"Is that so?" Alina turned to him with a scowl.
"Yes, it is so."
"Very well!" she snapped. "If you must know, I was married to a cruel and savage bastard who enjoyed killing little children, and whipping his slaves, and torturing his own little brother, not to mention raping and beating the hell out of me, and when I tried to escape his hell with my human lover he captured us, killed my lover, cut off my wings, and sold me into slavery. How entertaining does that sound?" Alina said it all at once without stopping.
"Wait, you were married?" Tristan sat upright, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "And you had wings?"
"Do I have to repeat everything again?" she retorted.
"No, I mean... is it true? Was your husband that bad?"
"Worse!" Alina said, tears of frustration rising to her eyes.
"I'm sorry," Tristan said, looking unexpectedly confused and somewhat regretful. "I... I shouldn't have asked you."
Alina was unsettled by the genuine concern in his eyes.
"So, you've lost your lover too," he sighed.
"Please, I don't want to talk about it."
"No, of course not," he said gently. "I've lost someone I love too," he added, almost whispering.
Lady Olivea, Alina thought.
Tristan reached for the bottle of wine before him and poured out two cups. He silently handed one to Alina while he gulped his own down in one shot.
Alina took a few sips of her cup, watching Tristan in wonder, intrigued by the sudden sadness in his black eyes.
"And you had wings you say. You were a winged Northgirl," Tristan pondered. "Well that explains a lot of your behavior."
"Please!"
"Right, right. I won't talk about it. I'm sorry," Tristan said, pouring more wine.
Indeed, he hadn't pressed her to speak any more of her past, and neither did he speak of his. He must have known how painful it was, to lose something precious. He was suffering the same. He must have understood how she felt. And for that she was grateful...
"We are leaving for Grytia tomorrow," Tristan said after a long while of drinking in silence.
"I have heard," Alina replied. "I shall pray every day for your safe return."
"Return? Why would you want us to return, woman?" Tristan scoffed. "Returning would only mean that we lost the battle. We are going there in order to stay."
Alina remained silent, not sure what to say. Surely she should pray for their victory, but she couldn't wish for such a thing, knowing this would mean that Hilda and her family would be forced out of their home once again. She didn't care for the Northmen getting defeated anyway. The Northmen who had falsely branded her a sinner and banished her from her home. But she cared for Hilda. Hilda was good. Moreover, if Tristan was going to stay at Grytia, where would that leave Alina? Would that mean she would never see him again?
"Just pray for us to be victorious," Tristan said. "And then once we settle things in Grytia, everyone here come and stay there as well."
Alina smiled widely as Tristan answered her unspoken question.
"I would love that very much my Lord," she said, although she still didn't feel quite right about taking Hilda's home. Forgive me Hilda.
And then she suddenly remembered Mikal. If they were going to fight the Northmen at Grytia, wouldn't that mean Mikal was in a dangerous situation?
"I... heard you have a valuable Northern prisoner at the castle."
"It seems you heard quite a lot."
"I'm just curious, since you are going to fight the Northmen, what would his fate be?"
"It depends," Tristan said briefly, and Alina frowned. That was not a very helpful answer.
"Will he be killed?"
"Not if he keeps to his word."
"What word?"
"What kind of slave girl cares that much for such things anyway? Do you even know who that prisoner is?"
"No, but I just heard he is a very important leader in the North," Alina answered with confidence.
"Well, he used to be. He is no longer an important leader in the North or anything. He belongs here now. And he will not be killed, if that makes you feel better, although I do not see how that should concern you. Now find something else to talk about before I suspect you for being a spy."
Alina laughed in response to hide her nervousness, knowing that Tristan was probably joking about the spy part.
"I would love to talk about many other things indeed, but I am afraid it is getting quite late," Alina smiled courteously. "I believe I should be heading back to my chamber already."
"Why?" Tristan asked.
"Why? Well I can't stay here all night long," Alina chuckled. "What would the other servants think?"
"They will think that you slept with me," Tristan said, out of nowhere.
Alina's smile disappeared at the sudden turn of their conversation, and she looked up at him in horror, her body frozen and her face blushing deeply.
"What's wrong? Is sleeping with me such a terrible thing?" he asked, his voice so soft yet so strong, so deep yet so low.
Alina's heart raced as she found him moving in closer towards her, his hypnotizing black eyes unsettling her to the core. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, and she feared touching him as much as she longed for it.
His hand reached for her face and she held her breath as his fingers touched her cheek. Her heart was pounding so hard in her ears now, and she found his other hand touching her other cheek as well. Her eyes widened as she realized he was cupping her face and leaning in so close to her, almost touching her. She could feel his warm breath against her lips, and next she found his mouth closing unto hers.
The kiss at the banquet was one thing. And the kiss she had now was something else entirely. This time, it was a real kiss. A kiss unlike any other kiss she ever had before.
Tristan held her at the nape of her neck, while his lips dominated hers, kissing her hard and deep. Her whole being spun, and she rested her hands on his shoulders, his skin feeling so warm through his thin shirt, and his muscles hard and firm beneath her touch. A soft moan escaped her, and next she found him wrapping his strong arms around her and thrusting his tongue into her mouth.
Her own arms flew around his neck as she pressed her body closer to his. She was not herself anymore. She was drowning into a dark mysterious sea with an endless depth of puzzling pleasure. How could a simple kiss do this to her?
Alina was a little disappointed when he ended the kiss, a bit too soon for her liking. She could still feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment and desire. She looked at him shyly and found him looking back at her with a tenderness that melted her heart. He gave her a weak smile and sighed while he lightly caressed her cheek.
"You may leave now," he simply ordered, and Alina blinked back at him in confusion. What?
And next, Tristan rose and turned away from her, as if she didn't even exist. Alina's heart sank at his sudden coldness. Did he not like her kiss?
She managed to rise despite her shaking legs, while he stood before the fireplace, his back turned to her.
"Leave!" he said, still not facing her, his voice suddenly icy and cruel.
Without a second thought, Alina quickly turned and fled outside the room, tears of embarrassment and frustration rising within her eyes.
***
Everyone gathered in the great hall to wish Lord Tristan a safe journey and a great victory, for today, he was leaving for the castle, from where he would lead the Vausterian forces to Grytia. Alina stood timidly next to Mira, watching Tristan as he gave final instructions to Klara while he held Merina in his arms. He looked around and smiled at everyone his eyes met. Everyone except for Alina.
"What is taking Jared too long?" Tristan asked one of his guards, and Alina noticed that indeed Jared was not looming behind Tristan like a huge shadow as he always did.
The guard barely shrugged, exchanging troubled looks with his comrades, before Jared appeared striding into the hall, wearing his signature scowl.
Alina looked up at Jared in shock, and so did everyone standing there. For right next to him was a beaming Alexander, walking so close by his side. Holding his hand.
"Let's go?" Tristan simply said, raising a questioning eyebrow at Jared.
And next, without warning, Alex flung himself at Jared and wrapped his arms around him. Alina's heart sank for a moment, dreading Jared's reaction. But to her utmost shock, as well as everybody else's, Jared returned the favor, closing his huge arms around Alex, and furthermore bent down to land a kiss on his temple.
"That is... very unusual," Mira barely whispered to Alina, her face a distorted mixture of shock, and confusion, and dread.
Tristan cleared his throat, and Jared taking the hint finally let go of Alex.
Tristan hugged Merina tight and kissed her forehead one last time, before he handed her over to Maude. And then he turned to leave, followed by Jared and the rest of his men. Without a second glance at Alina.
Alina barely had time to dwell on the emptiness that filled her heart, when she found Alexander leaping towards her and grabbing her by the hand.
"Oh Alina I have to tell you everything!" he almost cried in excitement as he pulled her along behind him. "Don't worry, I will spare you the dirty details," he laughed as he led her to the backyard, away from prying eyes. "We stayed up all night, talking and talking! Can you imagine? Me and Jared talking! Well I was doing most of the talking of course and he was just nodding at everything I said," Alex paused to catch his breath.
"And he fucked me three times! Wait, I think there was a fourth time, wasn't there? I guess I got too drunk by then so I don't really remember," Alex chuckled. "Oh Alina, you have no idea, he's so... he's so sweet! I mean he's as strong as a dragon, yes, but his heart... his heart is so soft like Abby's sweetest fluffiest muffins..." Alex sighed as he looked up dreamily towards the sky. "Isn't it just so sad that when we're finally together he has to leave for battle? I'll definitely fall sick with worry, knowing he's out there in danger."
"But at least you know that he loves you back," Alina smiled, holding back tears.
"I suppose so," Alex mused. "This is probably the only thing I can hold on to while he's away... Oh and did I mention he calls me his little bunny? Can you believe that?" Alex laughed again.
"I am so happy for you," Alina struggled to keep her smile, only to fail and break into tears.
"Alina, what's wrong?" Alex gasped, deep concern replacing his earlier laughter. "Are you alright?"
"I... I think I might be in love with Lord Tristan..." she finally confessed.
*******************
Alina and Tristan finally had a real kiss! But why do you think Tristan ignored her afterwards?
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