Alina

Grey clouds shielded the afternoon skies and autumn rain threatened to fall. Alina walked alone through the desolate gargoyle graveyard. Hundreds of stone gargoyles cried as the strong winds whistled and churned against them. Alina had come to the Northern woods to seek release from the suffocating anguish that devoured her soul, but the gargoyles' cries and the bleak nature that surrounded her further weighed down her already leaden heart. And she cried as well, her sobs drowned out by the gargoyles' eerie howls.

The gargoyles in there, most of which were dated back to hundreds of years ago, had long been used as tombstones for the deceased predecessors of Nordenvania, as according to ancient belief, their menacing form would scare away evil spirits. It was not known when, or how, or why these gargoyles were created, whether they were meant to be tombstones in the first place, or whether they were indeed the cursed forms of sinful angels. Yet it had been a custom since ancient times and until this day, to bury the ashes of the Nordstrom nobles in this graveyard under the protection of the gargoyles. 

Alina found it hard to believe that these were simply dead stones. Despite the various explanations, she still was not convinced that these ominous stares and harrowing cries did not arise from either a living form or some kind of dark sorcery. Perhaps they were really created from magical stones to scare evil spirits away. Or perhaps they indeed contained the trapped souls of sinful angels...

A sudden thunder explosion made her start, interrupting her already disturbing thoughts. And a lone figure appeared in the distance. Mikal stood gracefully at the other end of the graveyard, his silver hair and silver wings shining in vivid contrast against the dull surroundings. He must have been visiting his father's grave, she thought, and he had apparently noticed her presence as well. He was now walking towards her. She quickly wiped away her tears.

"Alina," he whispered as he reached out to her and held her arms, his eyes full of tenderness. "What are you doing here?" But she only stood speechless as tears welled up in her eyes again. "What is it, Alina?" He frowned in concern, raising his fingers to her face and caressing her cheek. 

She closed her eyes. Why was he so gentle now? Why wasn't it Julian who touched her that way? Julian... But Julian didn't care for her. He didn't love her. More tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Hush, my love," Mikal whispered, and her eyes flew open. My love? She looked up at him in wonder. His intense citrine eyes were staring into hers, unsettling her heart, and his sensuous touch trailed down from her cheek to her neck. Indeed Mikal was handsome, and gentle, and kind. She could love him. She could have loved him.

"Mikal you cannot do this." She pulled away from him. "I am a married woman. You cannot touch me like this."

"So if you were not married you would have let me touch you like this?"

"I... I don't know, I mean..." she stammered. And before she knew it, she found herself locked within his arms as he took her lips in a deep kiss. She moaned as his sensual kiss sent her whole being spinning with emotion. He moved his lips to her neck and his hands wandered to the small of her back.

"Mikal... please stop!" She pulled out of his embrace and instantly turned her back to him, her heart hammering.

"Are you rejecting me?" Mikal asked as he stood behind her, yet despite his gentle voice she could tell it was full of reproach.

"I am not rejecting you..." she breathed. Or was she? She did not know. All she knew was that Julian had broken her heart. And the suddenness and intensity of Mikal's affections were not making her situation any better.

"Then what are you afraid of?" Mikal moved closer behind her and leaned his face down to the side of her neck, his lips slightly brushing against her skin.

"This is just wrong. I am married to your cousin!" she said as she pulled away from him again. But she was lying. She would have gladly let Julian touch her the same way. Why can't I just let Mikal do the same? She had always thought she loved Mikal. But now she was utterly confused.

"Do you love him?" Mikal asked and Alina was baffled for a moment. She was just thinking of Julian when Mikal asked the question and she almost answered yes. But of course he meant her husband.

"No..." she managed to whisper.

"Well, do you love someone else then?"

"No! Of course I don't." Her heart raced. Julian's face was not leaving her mind.

"Then this is not wrong," Mikal said. "Do you know what is really wrong? A young and beautiful woman like yourself being forced into such a horrible marriage. Wasting your youth and beauty with a man you do not love."

Alina turned and stared at Mikal in wonder, her heart shattering as she heard him saying everything she had ever wanted to say. He had indeed struck her weakest chord.

"This is so cruel," he continued in his deep soothing voice. "They decide your fate without asking you, they doom you to a miserable and loveless existence, and you are not even allowed to seek what little happiness you could find."

Alina turned her head away to hide her tears.

"This is not fair," Mikal continued, his words drawing more tears. "But I can make you happy Alina. I will do anything for you. Just open your heart to me." He pulled her back into his arms and landed his lips onto hers again. This time Alina did not resist. She just closed her eyes and let him kiss her, again, and again.

Alina did not know how long she stood there as Mikal kissed her. But eventually, some of the heaviness in her heart had lifted. She now stood peacefully in his embrace, resting her head against his warm chest, while he had one hand at her waist and the other gently resting at the back of her head.

"My love..." Mikal whispered gently as he smoothed his hand over her head. "Come to my room, after midnight."

Alina suddenly broke the embrace and looked up at him with wide shocked eyes, as if she had awaken from some kind of enchantment.

"What?" she asked, utterly appalled. What was he asking of her?

"I need to speak with you more freely, in a safe place where no one could find us. There are many things that I need to tell you. What... don't you trust me?"

The warmth in his eyes and the tenderness in his voice were enough to melt the coldest of hearts. Yet Alina was still unsure...

***

Alina lay wide awake in bed while Bernard snored heavily by her side. Mikal was indeed handsome and desirable. She had dreamed of him often. She would have been the happiest woman in the world if she had been wed to Mikal rather than Bernard. Even after she married Bernard, all she had ever wanted was a gentle word or a warm smile from Mikal. Yet now there he was, showering her with affection, touching her, and kissing her, and holding her in his arms, calling her my love and asking her to meet after midnight. But it was too late. Her heart had already fallen for Julian... Julian... How could he hurt her so much? 

Silent tears streamed down her face. Perhaps Mikal was right. Perhaps she should open her heart to him. Perhaps his attentions would help her forget about Julian. Alina took a deep breath, but it seemed there was no more air left for her in this room. She rose and quietly walked outside, wandering silently through the deserted corridor, a mere ghost in the pitch black darkness.

Alina knocked at Mikal's door hesitantly. Her heart hammered as he opened the door. He was dressed in nothing but a pair of black pants that clung closely to his long slender legs, leaving his upper half naked to the waist. She blushed at his indecency, wondering why he opened the door for her when was not properly dressed. He smoothed his long silver locks away behind his back, further revealing his nakedness. He looked so heavenly. 

Despite the darkness in the dimly lit chamber, she could see the smooth and flawless skin that stretched against his lean muscled chest. She blushed as she noticed how low his pants hung below his navel, and she looked up at his face with a frown of reproach. But the look she received from his dangerous eyes sent her heart leaping to her throat. She had never seen that look before. His usually cold and expressionless eyes were long gone, and instead were replaced by a burning stare of pure lust that sent her whole body shivering.

"Don't be afraid. Come in," he whispered, his voice heavy with desire, and his breath laden with the scent of wine. And without warning, he grabbed her hand and pulled her inside the room, instantly shutting the door behind them. She flinched, pulling her hand away. His touch was unlike any other time. It burned and scared her.

"Are you drunk?" she asked in disapproval, although it was quite clear that he was.

"No my love," he said as he wrapped one arm around her, while he held a gold cup of wine in his other hand. She squirmed and released herself from his embrace. 

Mikal drained the last drops of wine and threw the cup to the floor with a loud clank. Alina gasped and backed away as Mikal suddenly came charging at her. She muffled a scream as he locked her in his strong arms, his burning kisses devouring her lips and her neck, and his hands daringly exploring her curves.

"Stop it! You are drunk! Stop!" she barely squealed. She dared not scream. She dreaded to think what would happen if she were discovered here. 

How stupid she was! She couldn't believe she really trusted Mikal and went to his room after midnight to talk. Of course he didn't invite her to talk. He had set this trap for her, promising to comfort her, where in fact he had planned to use her. Alina wept as she struggled to escape his embrace, but the more she struggled, the stronger his grasp grew.

"Mikal please!" she sobbed.

"Don't reject me," Mikal said in his drunken voice. "No woman ever rejects me!"

Alina gave out a muffled scream as she found herself falling, Mikal's full weight pinning her to the ground. 

She could feel his hot and hard body pressed against her, and before she could realize it, he had slipped one hand beneath her skirts and reached between her thighs. Her heart stopped in horror. That was not the gentle and honorable Mikal she had known. Oh how stupid she was! How could she possibly think that she would spend a peaceful night, talking about the stars and exchanging shy innocent kisses, like she did with Julian?

"Stop it," she whimpered, pushing at him with all her might, but the next moment she was silenced by a sharp slap across her face.

"You stop resisting!" Mikal hissed. Her heart hammered in fear as Mikal locked both her hands up above her head with one hand, while his other hand slid down to undo the string at the top of her nightgown.

Dread washed over her as cold air kissed her exposed breasts. She squealed and squirmed, desperate to free herself and cover her body, only to be answered by Mikal's hand falling against her cheek once more. Alina sobbed, trembling at the unexpected violence and the dark dangerous rage that burned within Mikal's eyes.

She closed her eyes shut and continued to cry, before she found his lips landing upon hers and forcing her into silence. She turned her face away, only to find his lips claiming her neck, his hot breath burning her throat, his long locks brushing against her skin.

"You are just like Bernard!" she cried bitterly as she lay squirming beneath his crushing weight.

She could sense him freezing. He looked back at her blankly, before he quickly raised his body off her and sat facing her with round horrified eyes, as if her words had suddenly sobered him.

 Alina gasped for breath as she sat up as well, pulling her nightgown back in place and gathering her arms around her shaking body. She scowled at Mikal, but he only sat still, staring back at her with an anguished expression she had never seen before. The look in his citrine eyes was a mixture of pain, frustration, and remorse. He looked like a helpless child who had just broken his most precious toy. Yet even with the vulnerability he evoked, he still terrified her.

Gathering her shaking arms and wings around herself, Alina hurried up to her feet and walked backwards until she reached the door, while Mikal looked back at her with the same tortured expression on his face.

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