Chapter Text
The lightening cracked, causing the sound to echo through the little palace. The thunder rumbled and shook the ground, causing objects to fall and bounce from bookshelves and desks. The rain was so heavy it clanged on the roof, like a million bullets being shot down from the sky. It was possibly the worst storm Ravka had ever faced. The lightening lit up the dark and gloomy sky every ten seconds, the dark misty clouds looming over. Everyone was sound asleep. Except for one person.
Alina shook in her bed, covers held up to her nose as her little eyes peaked out and watched over at the tall window. The curtains were drawn but there was a crack in the middle where she could watch. The wind whistled so loud that it was as if someone was stood beside her and whistled next to her. This was Alina’s first ever storm. She had come to known rain and wind but never thunder and lightning, and it terrified her. she whimpered softly under the covers, her small teddy clutched between her legs, and she peaked over the covers as the noises died down for a minute. It sounded like the storm had gone away.
But then the biggest crack boomed, and a flash of lightening lit up the room like a big electric shock. Alina screamed under the covers, her voice hitting the highest note and piercing through the walls of the little palace. Her throat became hoarse and dry with the single scream and small tears began to run down her cheeks. She pulled the covers tightly over her head, protecting herself from the giant storm raining down. Amongst the screams and thunder, she couldn’t hear the running footsteps leading to her bedroom and the squeak in her bedroom door being open.
“Hey, hey, hey, hey” the soft and gentle voice of Aleksander spoke through the thuds and booms and Alina felt someone take the edge of the covers, pulling them down gently to not scare her even more. Aleksander stood by her bed, dressed in his black night garments, hair ruffled and eyes wide. He had been sleeping soundly throughout the storm until the piercing and ear-splitting scream he knew all too well woke him. He didn’t take a second to think before jumping from his bed to run to hers.
“Shhh, shhh, shhh, it’s okay Alina” he whispered as she flung herself at him, wrapping her small arms around his waist although they didn’t meet and buried her face in his side. she sobbed softly into his night garment, soaking it with her tears and snotty nose. Aleksander sat on the edge of her bed, cradling her, comforting her.
“Shhh, it’s okay, it’s okay” he repeated, reassuring her that she was fine. The storm wouldn’t hurt her, only frighten her. Aleksander admitted this was the worst storm he’d ever seen, and he’d been alive for centuries.
“Nothing’s going to hurt you, it’s just the storm” he whispered into her hair, his hand gently stroking it and soothing her cries. They turned to hiccups and soft whimpers and Alina clung to him tightly.
“I don’t like it” she grumbled.
“I know, I know you don’t, come here” he picked Alina up, placing her in his lap and cradled her like a baby, long arms wrapping her into his garment and head resting on his chest, the soothing beat of his heart calming her down and ending her terror cries. Aleksander slid further into her bed, pulling the covers over the both of them, protecting her further and keeping her warm as he felt her cold skin touch his warm one. Aleksander wasn’t one to sleep with Alina, he wanted her to sleep on her own and overcome scary things rather than get used to sleeping with him and want him all the time. He didn’t want her to become too attached so that when she grew older it became a problem. But tonight, he could make the exception.
“Shhh, shhh” he hushed, gently rocking side to side, one hand rubbing her back up and down. He placed a large kiss on her forehead, wet and sloppy but soothing. Alina snuggled into his safety net, eyes closing as she felt sleep trying to overcome her. All her crying and staying awake to ensure the storm wouldn’t hurt her had made her so tired that with a simple rock, she was nearly asleep.
There wasn’t much else Aleksander could do. If he could take the storm away, he would but he couldn’t. His shadows weren’t much help. The only thing would be to get through the night and meet the wet and soggy daylight of the morning. Another crack of lightening came, and Alina delved in deeper to his side, snuggling into his garment. Aleksander stared down at her, watching her carefully and lifted a thumb to wipe away her tears. Suddenly she lifted her head up and looked around worriedly.
“Teddy!” she gasped, and Aleksander reached under his leg. He thought he could feel something under there.
“He’s right here” he gave him to her, and she gripped him hard. If teddy were real, he’d be dead by now. Nothing could kill him more than the grip of a three-year-old. Alina moaned quietly, a little smile creeping on the side of her lips as she snuggled back into position. He was like a furnace for some reason. Perhaps it was her extra thick blankets he had put on for winter and the fact that her scream had made him sweat while running over here. But it didn’t take long for Alina to fall asleep. She had everything she needed, her teddy, a warm bed, and her protector.
The storm looked to be dying down and Aleksander stayed away for a while, keeping still to not wake Alina and keep an eye on the storm. The adrenaline had kept him up and after a while of just staring into the bedroom, he felt sleep start to come over him, his head resting back on the pillow. Not long after, light snores came and flooded the bedroom, the storm dismissed and only the patter of rain. Alina didn’t move from her spot on him and was out like a light.
When morning came, the patter of rain was still there and the gustily wind whistled against the window. There was a chill in the bedroom which made being under the covers even cosier. Alina wiggled awake, tossing, and turning in warm arms and heavy blankets. The morning was dull and grey, and she sat up, wiping her tired eyes. Her hair was a complete mess as if it had been out in the storm itself. Alina glanced around, hearing only light breaths, and turned to see Aleksander fast asleep. Aleksander was always up before her, so she assumed that it was too early to wake.
She frowned at the miserable day outside, and hoped that when she next woke up, it would be happier and brighter. Seeing as it was too early to get up, it was time to go back to sleep. Alina shuffled in the bed, climbing onto Aleksander’s body, and laid on her stomach, cuddle into his side, her head resting beside his on the pillow. The blankets were down by her feet, the cold air freezing them, her little toes wiggling and shivering so she pulled them up, covering her and Aleksander before resting back down. But something still wasn’t right. She lifted her head off his arm, thinking for a minute, murmuring to herself before she knew what was wrong.
Alina grabbed Aleksander’s arm, picking the heavy dead weight and flung it over her back, the large hand pressed over her. There, that’s better. With that, she snuggled back into position, smiling happily to herself, all forgetful about the storm and only thinking of the day ahead of her.