Chapter Text
„Here we are again, Alina. Your army against mine.” The Darkling stood over them surrounded by his nichevo’ya. Alina could hear the sounds of screams and glass shattering behind her in the Spinning Wheel. “Do you think your soldiers will fare any better this time?”
She ignored him and shouted into the misty grayness in front of her. “Nikolai!”
“Ah the pirate prince. I have regretted many of the things I’ve had to do in this war,” said the Darkling. “This is not one of them.”
A shadow soldier swooped down. Alina recognized in horror that it held Nikolai struggling in its arms. Any bit of courage left had evaporated. She couldn’t see Nikolai ripped limp from limb.
“Please.” The word ripped tore from her without dignity or constraint. “Please don’t.”
The Darkling raised his hand.
But the nichevo’ya didn’t attack Nikolai. It tossed him onto the terrace. His body hit the stone with a sickening thud and rolled to a stop.
Alina ran to where Nikolai lay, falling to her knees beside him. He moaned. His coat was torn where the creature’s claws had shredded the fabric. He tried to push himself up on his elbows and blood dribbled from his mouth.
“This was unexpected,” he said weakly.
“You’re okay,” she said. “It’s okay.”
“I appreciate your optimism.”
Alina caught a movement from the corner of her eye. Aleksander’s shadow fell over them. “How interesting.” He pushed Alina to the side with more care then she liked to admit and pulled Nikolai up by his collar.
“Don’t…” Alina tried to separate them but a shadow wrapped around her hand and pulled her back.
“Relax,” Aleksander told her. “If I wanted him dead he would be.” He leaned into Nikolai’s neck and took a deep breath. “Fascinating. Your smell seems quite befitting the beta prince of Ravka.”
Nikolai tried to smile. It looked rather pitiful. “Are you telling me I smell good? Buy me a drink first…”
“Your smell would be befitting the beta prince if you wouldn’t be an omega.” Aleksander interrupted him casually.
Nikolai’s smile fell. Alina could understand the terror in his eyes. Omega’s had short and miserable lives in the world they lived in.
“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Nikolai’s smile was back. It looked brittle.
Aleksander pulled him up unto his knees and growled. “Don’t lie to me. My shadows have infiltrated you to your very core, you hold not secrets from me.” Then his face softened. “I cannot imagine the king was to happy learning of your designation. I understand why you hid it.”
Nikolai laughed – it sounded hysterical. “You understand nothing.”
It was Aleksander’s turn to smile. “I finally understand now how to reunite Ravka without any more bloodshed. If your first army and Alina’s Grishas want to follow a Lantsov so desperately then I shall become one.”
Alina frowned. “What are you…”
But Nikolai was several steps ahead of her. “I will never marry you.”
Aleksander chuckled. “You forget your place, omega. After the law established by your very father I do not need your consent to marry you. Neither…” His head turned just enough to smile at Alina who took a step back. “…am I restricted to only marry one omega.”
From somewhere Nikolai got the strength to push himself to his feet and stumble away from Aleksander. “If you want to marry a Lantsov I must disappoint you.” He laughed and opened his arms wide showing off his ripped jacket, pants full of soot and torn boots. “Sadly I have just found out that I am a bastard after all. Ask Alina if you don’t believe me, she is a terrible liar.” He turned to her and shrugged. “Sorry.”
Aleksander looked him up and down with a hungry expression. “So you are a bastard. Good for you. I wouldn’t wish it on my biggest enemy to be related to that monster of a king. But we both know it will not make a difference. After all you were trying to kill me and takeover the throne heritage be damned.”
Alina couldn’t watch anymore. “Because no one knew about it. But if you force Nikolai into this I will tell everyone. We will tell everyone.”
“You will do no such thing if you want the tracker to remain alive.” Aleksander answered. “The same…” He turned to Nikolai again. ”…goes for your crew.”
Alina helplessly turned to Nikolai the too-sly fox who had found his way out of any impossible situation yet but he only stared back with empty eyes.
Aleksander turned around. “Ivan, put both of them to sleep and make sure they remain that way until we reach the palace.”
Alina felt her heartbeat slow and the walls of the rooms around her seemed to close in. As she sank to the ground the last words she heard where. “There is a wedding to organize.”
“You look good in white.”
Alina looked at herself in the mirror again. Hundreds of artfully arranged golden stitches let no one forget who she was even in the traditional white gown. The dress fell artfully around her so long it was dragging over the ground when she tried to walk in it. Impractical. She wouldn’t be able to run in it. Maybe that was the point. It wasn’t like she could run anyway.
She forced herself to smile as she turned to Nikolai who was only spared the indecency of wearing a dress by fighting tooth and nail against the palace-tailor. In the end Aleksander had threatened to cut the man in half if he wouldn’t let go of the long held tradition that omegas no matter the gender had to wear dresses in court. The long white coat the prince wore over the ridiculously done up white waist coat didn’t make moving much easier for Nikolai than for Alina but it was obvious he felt much more comfortable in it than a dress.
“You don’t look to bad yourself.”
“No need to lie.” Nikolai smiled self-consciously.” I look ridiculous. I mean look at those buttons.” He pointed at his waist coat and trousers which were both buttoned up. “There must be a hundred of them at least.”
Alina couldn’t help but chuckle. “They might have slightly overdone it.”
“Slightly.” Nikolai turned on his heel to show off all the glittering metal on himself. “The Darkling will have to cut me out of this costume if he wants our wedding night to happen today.”
Alina’s smile fell. “Have you ever… have you ever… done it before.” Her cheeks reddened and she hated herself for it. She had seen countless deaths, had send her comrades and friends to their doom but she could not talk about something so normal without becoming a blushing maiden.
“Sex?” Nikolai ended her sentence. “I have. Several times. Always under different names and identities. Wouldn’t want anyone to find out the designation of the spare prince.” He sighed. “A bit late for that I guess.” He turned to Alina with a compassionate smile. “Considering how you talk I’ll assume you haven’t…”
“No.” Alina interrupted putting her arms around herself. It did little to soothe her. “Do you think... Will Aleksander…”
Nikolai put his hands on her shoulders. “I swear to you that I will do my very best to make sure he will not hurt you.”
Alina’s hand wandered up to where the stag’s antlers rested only centimeters from Nikolai’s fingers. “I fear you might be a bit too late.”
There was a knock on the door. “It’s time.”
Nikolai gave Alina a shaky grin. “They used to be more respectful to me.”
She smiled back. “The perks of being an omega.”
He held out his arm to her.
Alina raised an eyebrow. “That is not a proper gesture for us.”
“If Kiligan wanted proper omegas he shouldn’t have chosen us, should he?”
The walk to the throne room felt impossibly long – Alina was sure the only thing keeping her upright and moving was Nikolai’s arm in hers. Finally they came to a stop in front of the gilded doors to the throne room. A small group of Grisha awaited them.
One of them looked at Nikolai’s and Alina’s crossed arms and scoffed. “You cannot possibly think you can walk in there like that.”
“Leave them alone.” Fedyor interrupted. “Grisha do not care about race, gender or designations.”
Alina scoffed. “This does not feel like it.”
Fedyor smiled. “Do you honestly think that General Kirigan wouldn’t have married you if you were a beta or alpha?”
Alina avoided his gaze, she knew the answer.
“This is all very heartwarming.” Nikolai pushed himself in front of Alina. “But what exactly are you all doing here?”
“The bride is given away by their family.” Ivan answered curtly.
“I don’t have family.” Alina responded.
“The Grisha are your family.” Fedyor disagreed. His eyes shifted to Nikolai’s. “And yours.” The group of Grisha parted to reveal…
“Tamar.” Nikolai exclaimed. “Tolya.”
“We have followed you in any battle so far.” Tamar said solemnly. Only now Alina recognized she was dressed in a red Kafka. “You won’t get rid of us so quickly.”
“Wonderful.” Fedyor clapped his hands together and gestured to the doors with a small bow. “Shall we then?”
Alina’s grip on Nikolai’s arm must have been painful as the door was slowly pushed open revealing the rows on rows of people dressed in their finest silks and standing between the two thrones of the Tsar and Tsarina a figure in black.
One step forward.
Then the next.
Breathing felt impossible.
Alina would have thought Nikolai was perfectly calm if her hand hadn’t rested on his pulse point making her feel the fluttering of his heart.
One step more.
Half the way there.
She couldn’t do this.
She had to do this. For Mal. For Ravka.
Her foot caught in one of the long folds of her dress and she stumbled. Nikolai next to her surprised by the sudden shift and hindered by his own clothes sank under her weight until two strong hands pulled Alina two her feet. She looked up at the handsome face of Aleksander. She had never seen him smile so brightly – you would have thought he was capable of summoning the sun. The crown on his head shimmered in the candle light.
“Alina,” he said. “My Queen.”
The priest took an awfully long time talking about an omegas duty to serve their alpha. Alina’s feet hurt in the small high-heels she had been forced into and the stares of the guests made her skin crawl. She risked a glance at Nikolai who rolled his eyes making the corners of her lips twist slightly up. Then her eyes shifted over to Aleksander who stood in the middle between her and Nikolai and whose gaze had not shifted from her face since he caught her in his arms. His eyes made her breathe stutter. He seemed human. Happy.
“The omega shall always be ready to satisfy their alphas every need or desire and agree with their every word trusting he knows best…”
Alina gave the priest a glare angry enough it could have burned a hole through his head. She heard a small chuckle next to her and turned expecting Nikolai with some joke on his lips but instead seeing Aleksander’s lips curled in a small smile. Now her glare was directed at him. He gave her an apologetic shrug then Alina felt him tugging against the tether connecting them.
“I apologize.” His voice spoke into her ear. “The image of anyone trying to force you to shut up and obey their every word was just very amusing.”
It was hard speaking without using her lips but her anger managed to let her project the words quite clear. “Can’t you shut him up?”
“It is part of the ceremony, beloved.”
“Ceremony?” She repeated. “You tore this country apart, killed countless innocents and forced me and Nikolai into this sham and you tell me you won’t break with a sexist ceremony?”
“As my lovely wife demands.” Aleksander turned to the priest. “ENOUGH!”
It was as if everyone in the hall held their breaths at once.
“But…” The priest stuttered.
“Come to an end.” Aleksander demanded.
The priest bowed his head. “As you wish.” He turned to the side. “The rings.”
A nervous looking young girl stumbled up the steps to the throne holding two golden rings on a red cushion. Aleksander took hold of one decorated with a green emerald then he held out his hand to Nikolai. The princes starred at the ring in shock before very slowly putting his hand into Alekansander’s.
“Until death do us part.” Aleksander spoke the traditional words as he put the ring on Nikolai’s finger. There was something dark and sad in his gaze. These words meant something very different to him than anyone else in Ravka.
Then he took hold of another gold ring this one decorated with a big black stone in the middle and smaller golden ones around the edge. He turned to Alina and went to one knee. She stared at him in shock as mumbled became loud around them. This was not how any of this was done, this was unheard of. As Aleksander smiled up at her she saw the young boy underneath his mask. “May our love be everlasting.” He gently took hold of her hand and pushed the ring unto it.
Then he slowly stood up. “Ivan.”
His guard stepped forward holding a cushion with two crowns – when did he leave to get those?
Aleksander took hold of the smaller one – Alina was sure she had seen Nikolai’s mother wear it at some point or another and turned towards the prince. “Nikolai Lantsov I give you this crown as your birthright demands and your actions deserve. You have never tried anything but protect Ravka to the best of your abilities. May we bring peace and prosperity to the country.” Nikolai looked at him in bewilderment as he put the crown unto his hair. Aleksander leaned in closer and whispered quiet enough only he, the prince and Alina could hear. “I might not have always agreed with you, little prince but you are my husband now and I protect what is mine.”
Then he turned towards Alina. The big, golden crown felt heavy on her head as he put it upon her. She felt disorientated as Aleksander gently pushed her backwards until she felt something pushing against the back of her knees.
“I promised you a throne beside me.” Aleksander said and pushed her unto the golden decorated seat. “This is very you belong.”
He took two steps to the side and sat down on his own throne next to hers leaving Nikolai standing. The prince blinked twice then his eyes narrowed. His gaze wandered over his surroundings, the two thrones on the pedestal with no other seating arrangement. At the bottom of Aleksander’s throne someone had put a cushion that Alina only now saw. It was blending with the background well enough but it was obviously put there to force Nikolai to sit at the Darkling’s feet. Nikolai’s lips twitched before he started to smile again.
He slowly turned to Aleksander, took one deliberate step after the other until he was standing right in front of him and turned around to sit - right in his lap. Nikolai made it seem artful, both legs hooked over Aleksander’s, his arm around his back and his head resting on the alpha’s shoulder close enough to Alina she could feel his hair brush against her shoulder. Nikolai’s mouth barely moved as he whispered in Aleksander’s ear. “I have grown up at court - you cannot win against me in my own game, Kirigan!”
Aleksander smiled as he turned his head towards Nikolai and pulled him into a kiss. “How about you start calling me Aleksander?”
The rest of the festivities rushed past Alina without leaving much of an impact. There was food, some dancing she luckily didn’t have to participate in and then countless people came up to congratulate them. Aleksander accepted all of them with a self-satisfied smile while Nikolai talked to most of the people coming up as if he had known them for years. He knew their history, served with them, knew the names of their wives, husbands and children. And half of them ignored him for his efforts. It turned out knowing the kings omega consorts was not worth half as much as the second prince who could potentially inherit the country at some point. Alina saw the hurt in the stiffness of Nikolai’s shoulders, in the tenseness of his voice. Aleksander either didn’t recognize it or didn’t care.
That was until one of the Generals stepped up whose name Alina didn’t care to remember. He looked at Alina with a knowing smirk. “Seems like you finally managed to put a leash on your sun summoner, my king.”
“Have care of how you speak about your Queen.” Aleksander’s voice had gotten dangerously quiet.
The General didn’t seem happy with the answer but his gaze wandered to Nikolai who still lounged in Aleksander’s lap as if it was a throne. “I understand making someone as powerful as her into your queen it seems like you have the position of your omega whore already filled.”
Nikolai flinched only the slightest amount.
The room slowly darkened around them. Shadows stepped out of corners, slipped from the chandelier and took hold of the General. “You have managed to insult both of my mates in only two sentences.” The General’s cried out as one of the shadows broke his leg forcing him to his knees. “I would be impressed if I wasn’t so disgusted by the mere thought you could measure up to either of them.” The shadows broke an arm.
“Aleksander!” Alina stood up but Nikolai’s hand on her shoulder pushed her back into his seat. She turned to him. “This is not right.”
“He has insulted the Queen in war time.” Nikolai responded quietly avoiding her gaze. “He undermined both your and the kings authority by doing it. He committed treason.”
Alina shook her head. “I am not worth…”
“You are worth far more than you could imagine.” Aleksander answered calmly as the General in front of him was ripped apart.
Alina’s stomach twisted but she had seen far more violent things happen in front of her for it to do more than that. Nikolai starred resolutely ahead.
“My strong omegas.” Aleksander turned Nikolai’s head towards him with a finger and pressed a chaste kiss against his lips. Then he pulled him unto his feet with the greatest care and turned towards the crowd. “My mates and I will retire now.” He held out his hand for Alina and she hesitatingly took it. As he pulled her unto her feet he spoke in her ear. “I am sorry for all of this mess but I promise the worst of it is over now.”
Alina wished that was true but sadly she couldn’t believe it. The wedding night laid still in front of them.
As they reached the royal chambers you could have cut the tension in the air with a knife. Aleksander opened the door to Alina and Nikolai who stepped through one after the other. Nikolai had been in these chambers many times but in contrast to him Alina couldn’t quite resist staring at the marble walls with golden decorations plastering every centimeter.
“I know.” Aleksander said light heartedly as he closed the door. “I promise we can redecorate it soon. Rich people simply have no taste.” He pointedly looked at Nikolai.
As always the prince – king, consort? - had a funny response already ready on his tongue. “Technically you have just become the richest person in the whole of Ravka.”
Aleksander smiled. “Then let’s hope that when I wake up tomorrow I will not discover a sudden interest in garish decorations.” He turned to Alina with a twinkle in his eye she had never seen before. “You might be the only person in the world able to stop me so please promise me you will put my head straight should I ever lose my senses that badly.” He took a step towards her and she flinched back. As his gaze darkened she recognized her mistake.
“Alina?” He took another step with a worried frown.
She had to be strong now she had always known how this night would end up: With her on her back, legs spread on the royal bed. She pushed her head up to meet Aleksander’s gaze. She could do this.
And then Nikolai stepped in between them and pulled Aleksander into a deep kiss. Alina saw the new king frown and then slowly relax into the kiss. Nikolai started pulling at the black Kafka Aleksander wore.
“I fear you will have to help me out of the monstrosity I am wearing.” Nikolai mumbled as he trailed kisses down Aleksander’s neck. He clearly knew what he was doing. “With the amount of buttons it might be better if you just ripped it off me.”
Alina saw Aleksander let out a small sigh of pleasure, his eyes half closed as Nikolai bit the spot right under his ear. His hands gripped Nikolai’s waistcoat, fingers flexing with shadows ready to tear it apart and then Aleksander froze. Aleksander’s eyes opened fully and over Nikolai’s shoulder he looked directly at Alina. She swallowed hard as she felt a tug at their tether again but this time she pushed against it as hard as she could. She couldn’t… she wouldn’t… Aleksander may have her body but she couldn’t have their connection open as he took her.
Nikolai was unaware of what was going on in their minds but he clearly had felt Aleksander stiffen underneath him. “Moi Tsar.” He mumbled in Aleksander’s ear as he tried to push his Kafka off.
Aleksander’s hands wrapped around his and forced him into stillness. “You are trembling, Nikolai.”
Now Nikolai tensed as well - only for a heartbeat - before he forced himself into movement again. “It’s just nerves, moi…”
“Stop!” Aleksander’s voice was quiet but didn’t leave room for disagreement. “You might be good at disguising your smell even without your chemicals but Alina might as well carry her heart on her sleeve as much as her fear is stinking up this room.”
Desperately Nikolai pushed at his Kafka again. “Ignore her. I am way more fun anyway.”
“More fun at what?” Aleksander seemed generally exasperated as if he really couldn’t understand why the people in the room had suddenly decided to act so confusingly.
“Aleksander.” Alina spoke up tugging at her uncomfortable white dress nervously. “This is our wedding night.”
She saw the second recognition entered Aleksander’s eyes and he pushed Nikolai off him hard enough that the men stumbled backwards. “You thought…” Aleksander’s eyes were wild as he looked in between Alina’s resolute stare and Nikolai’s trembling fingers. “You think I would force you into my bed?”
The room darkened with his anger.
Alina blinked. She had not expected that response. “Alexander…” She stepped forward not knowing how to calm him down. “It is our wedding night. What… what else would happen?”
“I am no rapist.” Aleksander said out of gritted teeth. “I will not force you into this.”
Nikolai scoffed. “Why stop now?”
“Enough of this.” Aleksander shouted and both Alina and Nikolai flinched back as shadows danced along the walls. The darkness slowly backed away as its master took a calming breath and let it out again. Then he turned to them with a face that could have been carved from stone. “Clearly this has been a very tiring day and both of you are exhausted. I will go next door to take a bath and once I return I expect you two to have stopped with this nonsense and get ready for bed so we can retire for the night. A good night’s sleep will do us all some good.”
He turned around with a flourish his black coat billowing behind him.
“You know,” Nikolai shouted after him. “If we take it literally you are still forcing us into your bed.” The door to the bath chambers slammed shut.
Alina let out a disbelieving laugh. “Did you have to say that?”
Nikolai’s smile was quivering a bit. “You know me: I always have to have the last word.”
Alina ran to him and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you.” She whispered. “Thank you for stepping in front of me. For being willing to do… that.”
“Any time.” Nikolai answered hugging back. “We are all that we have right now. We have to have each other’s back.”
Alina’s fingers tightened around his jacket. “We will.”
They stood there for a few seconds before Nikolai said. “But seriously I will not get out of my clothes without your help.”