Chapter Text
The winter sun was doing its best to break through the heavy fog and grey clouds. Snow crunched underneath the boots of the arriving guests, the air filled with voices, laughter and music.
Little Nikolai Lantsov was in complete awe. The five year old was allowed to visit the Winter Fete for the first time and he couldn’t decide where to look at first. Everyone wore beautiful clothes, some people were dancing. The light was breaking in the glass drops of the big chandeliers, making pretty reflections on the decorated walls. A pianist was playing and sometimes, one of the others guest would join to sing. The outside world looked like he was feeling inside for once – full of things to see, to hear, to do.
He pulled on his mother’s sleeve: “Madraya, who are these?”
His curious eyes big as moons were pointed at the group of people who just came through the doors. They looked like they were glowing. Each one of them was beautiful as if they came straight out of fairytale books. They wore coats in different colours – red, blue, purple – and with stunning embroidery. Except for one. One of the men wore a black coat and he seemed to be the leader. Nikolai knew this one: Everyone called him the Darkling and he was a General.
The boy always thought that this was a weird name. Surely his parents didn’t name him that? But he never had the chance to ask him about it.
“Don’t gape, Nikolai. That’s inappropriate”, Tatiana rebuked him and he closed his mouth, to turn his face into a pout.
“But-“
“Those are the soldiers of the Second Army”, she went to answer his question, knowing well enough that he wouldn’t stop asking anyway, “they’re here for show – don’t get too close to them, I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Somewhere behind him, Vasily said something disdainful he couldn’t fully understand, but it sounded very mean regardless.
“But they look nice”, Nikolai tried to plead with his mother, “I can surely go and say hello? If they are from the Army, I need to know them too, don’t I?”
Tatiana hesitated, then shook her head firmly: “Not yet. When you’re older.”
“That’s not fair”, he complained and let go of her hand to cross his arms, “Vasily-“
“Vasily is a few years older than you are”, she cut him off, “and he’s going to be your father’s heir. Of course he needs to know his people.”
Nikolai huffed, glaring at his brother who didn’t seem interested in the mysterious people in the slightest and was rather caught up in a conversation about a hunt. But he didn’t argue – for now.
A few hours passed and Nikolai was getting really tired. Every few minutes his eyes closed, but whenever someone suggested him to leave and go to bed, he disagreed fiercely. The Grisha - what a nice word! – just finished their show a few minutes ago and he was even more impressed and curious than before. He absolutely needed to speak to them! But much to his frustration, guards followed him every step as soon as he strayed away too far from his family.
“Where do they live?”
“In the smaller palace.”
“Why are they never here?”
“Because they live over there and have everything they need.”
“Are they magicians?”
“Not exactly.”
“Then how do they do that?”
“Saints, Nikolai, stop asking questions!”
“Honestly, Nikolai Nothing! Nobody cares, they’re doing what they’re supposed to do”, Vasily added to their mother’s words.
Nikolai kicked his brother’s leg.
“Ow! Mother, he’s kicking me!”, Vasily tattled.
“That’s enough. Nikolai, it’s very late already, you’re going to bed”, Tatiana decided and waved a servant over, “please bring the prince to bed.”
“He was mean first!”, Nik complained, tears threatening to come to surface.
Tatiana dismissed him and the servant placed her hand on his shoulder.
“Come on, it’s no use. I can read you a story?”, she offered with a smile.
Nikolai stomped ahead, staying silent and only stopped in one of the corridors, when he saw the Grisha walking towards the Little Palace. Quickly he climbed on the window sill: “Can we go there? Pleaaaase?! I will behave, but I want to say hello to them!”
“Moi tsarevich, I was ordered to bring you to bed. Your parents are only worried for your safety. You can get seriously hurt if you get in the way of their powers”, the servant said firmly.
“No fair!”, the boy started to wail like the world went down.
It took almost an hour to reach his bedroom; as much of a sunshine the young prince could be, as stubborn and overflowing with emotion he could be too.