WHHT - Ch 8

[feckyeslife]

Title: Where Hoofbeats and Hearts Thunder - Ch 8
Rating: T
Fandom: Shadow and Bone (TV)
Pairing/Characters: Aleksander/Alina Starkov
Critical Tags: Canon Divergence, Horses, Gift Giving, Drama, Road Trips
Chapter Summary: Kirigan has tracked down Alina after her brief disappearance from Os Alta, and now the two have just a few things to discuss. Alina doesn't want to come back just yet, and Saints know that isn't what the general wants to hear.
Excerpt:

“Why did you do that?” Alina asked, breaking the silence between them first. It would have been easy enough for Ivan to slow her heart and knock her out. They all knew that.

Kirigan nudged at the coals with some of the kindling that Alina had not needed. “I hoped that it would put less pressure on you to not be under so many eyes and that you might feel comfortable enough to drop that little blade. But perhaps more simply I thought we could both use some privacy for this discussion,” he answered.

Alina frowned. She thought about putting the knife down - he was just one man just as she was one young woman - but she knew that even while apparently unarmed, General Kirigan was still plenty dangerous.

“I don’t have any reason to believe anything that you have to say,” Alina said.

“Really.” Again, he had that calm affect to his voice that raised her hackles. He continued to prod at the coals, adding slim twigs and dried leaf litter to the remnants of her fire.

“Really,” Alina insisted. She waited a beat then she added, “Genya must have told you that I figured out you’ve been lying to me.”

“Which lies are those?” The first pieces of leaf litter were smoldering along with the coals. Kirigan plucked a large sheath of bark that Alina had carved off of a log and used it to gently fan flames to life. They were tiny but eager, racing to consume the kindling that had been set. Alina was less than impressed with the quick revival. He was just using her previous hard work that had come from long minutes of friction and tired arms.