Work Text:
Princess Alina of Western Ravka was quite possibly the most spoiled person in the kingdom
That was the kingdom’s view of her, but she didn’t care for their opinions. Her powers as the Sun Summoner was considered a blessing, while some even worshiped her as a living saint. For her own protection, she hardly left the palace grounds on a day to day basis. When she had to travel, she was permanently surrounded by a large group of the most powerful Grish guards in the world. The only time she truly had any privacy was in the bedroom, late at night and under the covers. Even then, she had to content with nosy guards snooping behind her bedroom door and meddlesome maids.
The ladies of the royal court tried to include her in their daily outings or tea parties, but she would always politely decline those invitations. Despite her best efforts, she never truly fit in with that crowd. They were always discussing the most banal, worthless subjects known to humankind. Surely there were far greater concerns in life than the flower arrangements or the dress of a stranger’s engagement party?
Luckily, Alina’s most favorite time of the year was fast approaching. A beautiful festival to celebrate the arrival of spring always brought tourists flocking to their fair kingdom. Knights from all over the world would participate in a series of Grisha tournaments. Over the years, she had even received several marriage proposals from foreign suitors. Unsurprisingly, she rudely turned them down without a second thought. The poor men would scurry off, faces burning with embarrassment. Despite her advisors insisting that it would be an advantageous political alliance, she couldn’t bear to stand in their presence for a minute. They reeked of pomp and arrogance, treating her like an exotic golden bird to be tamed and captured. She would be doomed to spend the rest of her life in a new, gilded cage.
But then, during one Grisha tournament, a miraculous feat occurred. Alina was sure that this would be written in Ravka’s history books for generations to read.
Alina sat in the highest seat in the tournament stands. She was dressed in a luxurious silk gown, her golden hair cascading in soft waves across her shoulders. The material was comfortable, but not suited to this warm weather. She was positively melting in this expensive gold dress. A transparent golden shield covered her from view, preventing the princess from seeing all the fights. The Grisha in her guard insisted that it was for her own protection, but in all these years, nobody had made a single attempt on her life. Were they all lying to her?
Her attention was drawn to this fascinating tournament. A powerful Squaller had taken down several Inferni and Tidemakers with a few practiced flicks of her hand. Her gorgeous raven hair was woven into an intricate braid down her back. She wore a heavy suit of armor, but managed to move quickly like a bird in flight. She was quickly approaching the final battles and nobody had beaten her yet. Alina leaned over and asked a fellow Heartrender about the mysterious knight.
“That one? Her name is Zoya Nazyalaneskya, your Highness,” Fedyor replied. “Would you like to meet her?”
Alina shook her head and frowned, knowing that would be impossible. Knights or suitors from other kingdoms always approached her, not the other way around. If she requested an audience with this new knight, rumors would spread about her true intentions. Her advisored strongly recommended that she wait for others to come to the throne room and she reluctantly agreed to their demands. Alina sighed, watching the tournament with a longing eye.
Zoya was a powerful, clever warrior. She relied on trickery and smart tactics to win her fights, instead of raw power and intimidation. Even if her armor was covered in dirt and mud, she still had a smirk on her face when she landed the winning blow. Instead of shooting heavy gusts of wind at her opponents, Zoya chose to release small flurries that knocked them off their feet.
Princess Alina was absolutely in love.
It came as no surprise when Zoya was crowned the winner of that day’s tournament. The crowds cheered and applauded, their excitement echoing like bursts of thunder. Alina clapped politely as her guards escorted her out of the place, covering her head in that signature veil. At that moment, her entire life felt more suffocating than ever. She longed for the freedom of that knight, who fought in countless battles and won the adoring hearts of the public. With her Sun Summoner powers, shouldn’t she have that life too? Why should old rules and traditions written centuries ago dictate her life today?
After eating dinner, Alina finally made up her mind. Oftentimes, the knights from the tournament would be invited to stay at Ravka’s palace for the night before departing in the morning. Their rooms were located on the first floor, so she would have to walk through several corridors and staircases. Luckily, Genya had figured out a few secret passageways in her years as a maid. Surely, she could chart a path and be back to her rooms before sunrise?
Princess Alina had never disobeyed the rules before, so this prospect excited and frightened her.
She got dressed in her nightgown and went to bed, ignoring the curious stares of the guards. Normally, she would stay up a few more hours, but she lied and claimed that the excitement of the tournament had worn her out. Once midnight struck, Alina tossed the covers aside and opened her door.
She thanked the Saints for the empty hallways and scurried off to the secret passageway on the highest floor. In the past, she had a fear of confined spaces, but her heart’s desire spurred her forward. A golden ball of light on her right palm illuminated the path. Alina was excited to meet this gorgeous, brave knight. She walked down numerous staircases, nearly tripping over her nightgown in the darkness. Finally, she reached the first floor.
Zoya’s room was separated from the rest of the other knights. Not because of her standing or gender, but by her own choice. She wasn’t exactly a people person, and the assumptions people often made about her didn’t help matters. So she kept people at arm's length. She became cold.
Alina took slow, careful footsteps, so she wouldn’t awaken the other knights. When she reached Zoya’s door, she knocked twice. After waiting for a moment, the door creaked open and Zoya emerged.
Her breath was immediately taken away. Her gorgeous dark hair fell across her shoulders, unraveled from her beautiful braid. Instead of her heavy armor, Zoya wore a simple blue robe with silver lacing, belted at the waist. Alina was suddenly at a loss for words. From far away, she could merely pretend that this talented knight was a fable from a legend in a long-forgotten book. But right now, when she was up close? She felt like a living saint had descended from the heavens to grace them with her presence.
“Can I help you?” she asked haughtily, her nose turned up.
“Ye - Yes,” Alina said quietly. “I saw you today at the tournament. You were just - absolutely amazing!”
Zoya rolled her eyes, “Wonderful, another fan. In case you haven’t noticed, it’s late at night and I require my rest. Long journey ahead tomorrow morning.”
She was about to close the door, but Alina put her foot in the way. “No, wait! Please, I just wanted to talk for a quick second. It’s important.”
Zoya sighed, crossing her arms. “About what, exactly?”
Alina managed to walk into her room and stare at her living quarters. Surprisingly, it was absolutely barren and she had only unpacked the necessities. Her armor was scattered in pieces across her bed. She chose to sit on the edge of the bed and stare up at Zoya.
“Are you even supposed to be here?” Zoya asked with a smirk. “Little princess?”
Alina frowned, “I’m not - ”
“Oh, don’t play coy with me. I know who you are! The whole world knows you’re a Saint who can summon light, but they keep you locked up in this fancy palace. I think you’re just bored and breaking the rules once in a while is a game for you. Well, I’m not going to stand by and get in trouble for this, so you can just leave, alright? Tell no one that you were here. I don’t want to have the tournament’s winnings taken away from me before I get a chance to spend them! Leave now!”
Alina’s face grew crestfallen. Deep down in her heart, she knew that Zoya was right, but she felt a sinking sensation in her chest. Granted, she probably should’ve changed out of her white and gold silk robes before coming down here. It was so easy to recognize her as the savior of Western Ravka.
She bowed her head, playing the part of the simpering and submissive princess. “So sorry, Knight Nazyalenskya. My deepest apologies. I’ll take my leave now.”
She turned around with a sweep of her long, pale golden locks, feet trudging across the carpet in her soft slippers. As she put a hand on the doorknob, she heard Zoya’s voice.
“Wait, please,” she said softly. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that - I only…look, that was really rude of me. But if you wish to speak, can you come over to the garden wall tomorrow morning before we leave?”
“What for?” Alina asked.
“So we can have a proper conversation,” Zoya explained, rifling through her belongings and finding a small box. “Nobody’s been here to visit me before and I’m - I’m pleased that you wanted to talk. Most people stay away from me. They think I’m too - well, unapproachable and haughty.”
Alina chuckled, “That’s true, but there’s nothing wrong with that. And I’m not afraid of you.”
Zoya opened the box to reveal a beautiful dagger, covered in rubies and emeralds. Alina held back a gasp, staring at the amazing piece in awe, wondering how she had found this.
“It’s part of my winnings from the Grisha tournament,” she explained. “But I think you’d get more use out of it. It’s better suited to your hands and far too gaudy for mine.”
Alina took it out of the case, inspecting its weight in her hand. It felt friendly and well balanced, suitable for defending herself if she ever found herself in a pinch. She grinned, meaning to thank Zoya, but then, a commotion erupted in the hallways.
“Princess Alina! Has anyone seen her?” Fedyor cried out, instructing the guards to search every inch of that floor.
“You’d better run, princess,” Zoya said with a wink, handing her the dagger case. “Fare thee well. Until we meet again.”
“Until we meet again,” she echoed, gazing at the knight as her face grew crimson.
Afterwards, Alina couldn’t remember how she scurried back to her chambers without getting caught. The secret passageways certainly helped as she stumbled through in near darkness, guided by the small light in the palm of her hands. When dawn awoke the land, she allowed her maids to dress her as she took breakfast in her rooms. Then, she insisted on taking a private walk to the gardens, even though her guards were hesitant. Once there, she inhaled a deep breath of the fresh spring flowers in bloom, noting the high wall and a small ladder. Zoya, it seemed, had thought of everything. Alina wasn’t sure if this was a bad sign or a good one for the future.
She climbed the steps carefully and gathered her skirts in her hand, noting that most of the knights had already left the palace grounds. Zoya was the last one to emerge, trotting along on her white horse. She was dressed in her heavy armor once again, her raven hair wrapped into a neat plait.
“Zoya!” she called out, ignoring the desperate tone in her voice. “Over here!”
A rare smile emerged on the knight’s face. “Princess, there you are. I thought I’d have to wait for you.”
Alina took out a handkerchief from her gown’s pockets, waving it to Zoya. “Here. A token of my appreciation. Something to remember me by.”
Zoya bowed her head with respect, accepting her gift. “I hope to see you once again, princess.”
“And I, you.”
Tears sprang to her eyes, but she forced herself to keep smiling as she watched her leave on that snowy white horse. Then, Princess Alina sent a silent prayer to the saints.
“Saints, please, let me see her again.”