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[tochnyy]

// mal

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Voice. un: Aleksander

[cruelyethuman]

Alina came back a queen. Where does that leave you, Oretsev? Curled at the base of her throne?

[tochnyy]

( how long can he go on ignoring this? probably a while...

but self restraint when snarking back at his cousin this man? can't resist. ) Alive and well.

Which is more than can be said for some.

( but he's not answering the direct question. bye. )

[cruelyethuman]

[That's fine, Aleksander can wait. He can be patient, despite all evidence to the contrary.]

You think I died. And yet...

[He's just going to end it there, lingering on the near-question of what in the saints happened.]

[tochnyy]

I watched your body burn.

( 🖕🏼 )

[cruelyethuman]

That must have been a very satisfactory moment for you.

[After all of Alina's efforts to make him the villain of their story, why shouldn't the tracker be happy to see him burn.]

Not even a burial. They will all come for her now, you do know that. Don't you.

[tochnyy]

It was. You can't hurt anyone else.

( and he's so glad for it. ) A mercy you begged for.

She's now their Queen, she brought them peace and has the allies you didn't. ( and he has to believe that since he's not there to protect her. not that he can any longer. )

[cruelyethuman]

How nice of you to grate me that-- mercy.

[Which he doesn't believe for a second]

Not your queen, then. But I am less worried about the ravkans, and more about the witch hunters. About the laboratories in Shu Han and the willingness to send as many groups as it takes, until they capture her.

[tochnyy]

( he snorts. ) You're not glad no one will find your bones?

( and then there's quiet because that is a sore subject, a knife to his chest in a familiar spot. ) She's more than that.

She's strong enough.

[cruelyethuman]

I am ecstatic.

[No, really.]

And surprised at your kindness.

She is and she isn't. Everyone has a weakness, and they will find hers, and they will never stop coming for her. Is she strong enough for that, or is it a moot point for you, because when you return, you will not return with her?

[tochnyy]

Perhaps I'd want the same. ( is that revealing too much? )

I've served my purpose and she has plenty to stand beside her. ( not that is telling enough. )

[cruelyethuman]

Have I not been kind?

[Really? Existing side by side for a year, and he hasn't tried to murder the tracker even once.]

Served your purpose. Isn't your whole purpose to keep her safe?

[No, really. How could this man trust the king and his monster this much?]

[tochnyy]

Far from it from recent memory. ( the man he's speaking to hasn't lived the same things he has, mal knows, but he finds himself caring little for that fact )

Apparently that's not what fate had in mind.

She's more than capable now, Nikolai and the others can protect her if she needs them.

[cruelyethuman]

And what are your recent memories, Malyen?

[It is more than a little annoying, to hear about his fate only in whispers or hinted at on the tail-end of broken sentences.]

She is capable, she always was. Crown or not, she was meant to rule Ravka [with me] but they cannot protect her. Not with the rest of the world against her, and against Grisha.

[tochnyy]

Are we on first names now, cousin? ( he doesn't notice as he says it, doesn't catch himself in his irritation. ) You did that, you know.

Turned Ravka on Grisha once again. She's fixing your mistakes.

[cruelyethuman]

[...]

Excuse me?

[It's a momentary distraction] I am fixing my mistake--[a snarl, before he gentles his tone] How? What did I do, that landed her in the lap of a Lantsov and with a crown.