"Crowns topple easily. Thrones crumble like dust. Hearts cease to beat. Thorns draw blood."
In a country torn into two, there should have been no room for mistakes. Especially not at the very core of the royal family. That was what she was. Yes, a...
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"Leave! All of you, get out now."
King Andrei commanded every last man to leave the room, not wanting them involved in things that they knew nothing about, in things they would not understand.
"Father, what on earth is go-" Oleg tried to interrupt, only for the double doors to be shut in his face mid-sentence.
The guards, Oleg and Igor were shocked at the door shutting in their faces so quickly. Igor went off back to his chambers and the guards to their posts, but Oleg stayed for a while. Suspicion lingered in his veins.
Meanwhile, inside the king's receiving room, only three people remained. The king, his daughter, and the newly named Lord Kirigan.
The princess, her blue eyes blown wide, looked to her father first who was clearly frantic and afraid. He had been showing much confidence just mere moments ago and now, he was as frightened as Igor after his nightmares.
Irina turned her gaze to Aleksander looking at ease. She could feel Aleksander's hand on her back, taking courage from the obvious support he gave her.
King Andrei stared at the Shadow Summoner with dubious eyes, the man willing to make a deal now gone at the topic of his daughter. She had only ever seen her father look that way once, the fateful day when she discovered that she was a Grisha.
"Sit." The king commanded, gesturing to the seats near the door.
Irina took the first steps forward to take the seat in front of her father, Aleksander trailing behind her. He sat beside her, a picture of calm and collectedness. It was almost as if he did not just spend his morning making deals that would determine the fate of all Grisha in Ravka.
She was almost jealous about how easy he made it look. Perhaps it was practice. Or perhaps it was that he had spent his whole life being apart from everyone that he ceased to feel petty emotions like nervousness and fear.
"How did you discover her abilities, Lord Kirigan?" Her father asked, directing his question at Aleksander, though his eyes flickered between the two from time to time.
Aleksander replied. "As I am sure she told you, she was attacked in the forests between Ryevost and Os Alta. I arrived to see one man writhing on the ground and a man holding her hostage. I managed to put two and two together. That the princess was a Grisha."
"Is that true, Irina?" Her father turned to her, questioning.
"Yes, Father. All he has said is true." Irina answered, nodding as she did so.
King Andrei frowned. "And how did you know that she was the princess?"
Irina looked to Aleksander, also confused. It was not as if she told him who she was when they had first met and yet, he already knew.
