I "Tolya" so....

Your brother would fire him if he found out that you had even considered Tolya in a romantic way. Not out of any disdain for him- out of anyone you could have grown fondness for, you were sure that Nikolai would prefer Tolya over the numerous suitors that waited for you back at Os Alta, but out of a protectiveness of you, as if you weren't perfectly capable of taking care of yourself.

“What are you thinking about?” Tamar asked, leaning against the wooden side of the ship, bright eyes looking at you.

”Nothing.”

“You know I can tell when you're lying.”

”When has that ever stopped me?”

Tamar scoffed, a smile pulling at the edges of her lips.

“Never,” She said, her eyes shining. “I don't know why I even ask, your heart only beats like that when you're thinking about my brother.”

Your heart jumped and Tamar let out another breathy laugh, feeling it without any effort.

“Too easy.” She said smugly and you rolled your eyes.

“Not funny.”

“Speak for yourself, moya tsarevna.” She said and you cringed at the title.

“As soon as Nik becomes king, I’m banning you from using that title.”

“Not Tolya though?” She asked, raising an eyebrow and gave her a look.

“I’m going to push you off this boat.”

A firm arm went around your shoulders, startling you and from the other side of you, Tolya grinned down at you.

“Now you know I love you, but why are you threatening to throw my sister off the boat?” He asked jokingly and you prayed to every Saint that your heart wasn’t going as fast as you felt it was.

You looked at Tamar and instantly regretted it, barely contained laughter on her lips.

“As first mate, I demand it.” You said stoically in response, a small smile on your lips and Tolya raised his eyebrows, removing his arm from your shoulder.

“Well, we should at least run it by Sturmhond.” 

“Oh who are we kidding, he’d choose you over me everyday.” You joked, able to relax more now that you weren’t in direct contact with Tolya.

“I’ll choose you then.” Tolya said and your smile softened at the sweetness of the sentiment.

“Spoken like a poet.” Tamar teased and Tolya scoffed, but beamed at the accusation.

“Do you think you would be happy, living a life like the one Nikolai and I had?”

“Back in the castle?” Tolya asked and you nodded. “I mean, I know you’re both going to go back eventually. Me and Tamar will be there as your guards.”

“Not as guards though, as… forget it, I’m just being silly.”

Tolya looked at you, studied for you for a moment with only the moonlight illuminating your features, peering off into seemingly endless sea.

“It’s not silly.” He said, moving so that he was ever so slightly closer to you. “I’ve never really thought about it before. Do you think I’d make a good noble?”

“No,” You answered quickly. “You’re too kindhearted. You’re too good.”

“So are you.” Tolya argued and you smiled.

“And I’m hardly the picture of good noble, I ran off with my older brother to play pirate- sorry privateer.”  You said. “I’ve always been a better soldier than princess, much to my mother’s dismay. I used to sneak off and follow Nikolai to his basic training instead of go to etiquette classes.”

Tolya snorted and you couldn’t help the smile that appeared on your face.

“I’m glad you skipped your etiquette classes, I like you how you are.”

Your heart jumped. Tolya looked over at you but didn’t say anything.

“Why do you ask? About me being a noble?” He pressed and you shook your head.

“As much as maybe me and Nik want it to, this can’t last forever. We have to go home at some point, him to try to take the throne that Vasily has never wanted, and me to sit around as set dressing, I suppose. To get married. I just… it really is silly, Tolya.” You said, standing up and preparing to walk away before he stood up and quickly caught your wrist, making you look at him.

“Tell me.” He said softly, letting go of your wrist. “Please.”

You took a step closer to him before grabbing his hand and putting it on the cloth covering your heart.

“Do you really not know?” You took a deep breath, painfully aware of how fast your heart was racing. “I’m not asking for marriage or anything like that, I’m asking… I don’t know what I’m asking.”

“May I kiss you?”

“Yes.”

His hands moved to your shoulders and he leaned down, pressing his lips against yours gently. He pulled away, his hands still on you.

“I cannot believe that the one time Nikolai is dragging us off to Shu Han is also one of the days when the whole country chooses to abandon their houses and fill up the streets,” you mumbled, more to yourself than to anyone else.

Tolya only chuckled in response, a few loose strands of hair falling lazily onto his forehead. Both of you wore a somewhat traditional robe that Nikolai had gotten all of you to blend into the crowds, but only Tamar and Tolya really managed to pull it off. You still had to admit that the fabrics looked more than stunning, especially in the warm red light emitting from all the paper lanterns around you.

“We should be glad that Nikolai didn’t intend on going through with that plan of his today.” He whispered back, almost having to lean down towards you so that you could hear. “We wouldn’t have a chance getting through the streets without causing some sort of commotion.”

“At least something,” you chuckled. “As frustrating as our favourite privateer’s planning skills are, I’m still excited to see what this whole festival is about.”

He raised his brows in amusement. “Have you never heard about the Moon Festival?”

“Tolya, I grew up in Ravka and spent my entire life cooped up at the Little Palace, studying manuscripts older than that hag Baghra, do you really think I know what kind of celebrations the Shu have?”

“Oh dear, then I have a lot to show you.” With that, he grabbed hold of your arm and pulled you face-first into the crowd.

There was so much going on and you barely had time to catch a proper breath before the next impression was basically thrust upon you. 

First, he led you to what looked like a parade passing through the streets. People dressed in colourful hanfus and intricate costumes danced amidst the onlookers, laughing and singing songs that you had never heard before. A few of them held up a giant puppet of a bright green dragon, making it dance and writhe over their heads. It was a stunning display of colours and music alike, and you couldn’t help but gape at the performers as they walked past you.

“Dragon Dance,” he stated matter-of-factly. “It’s a tradition as old as time. They used to only do it during times of drought, because the dragons are associated with rain here, so they hoped that this dance would bring us a prosperous harvest.”

“It’s most definitely a stunning tradition.”

“You’d be surprised about how many stunning traditions the Shu have other than this.” He smiled, letting his eyes wander over the parade one last time before offering you a hand. “Are you hungry? I think I know something that you might like.”

This statement should remain to ring true. He took you to a less crowded market street, vibrant shops and huts lining the sides of the road nearly everywhere you looked. There were shops selling masks, fabrics and dresses, or all kinds of food. 

Tolya stopped in front of a bright red booth, offering something that looked to be tiny sweets. He called them mooncakes and went on a long, complex rant about how his sister always used to steal the best ones while he was left with the flavours that no one really liked. After he was done rambling, he bought a little box full of mooncakes and two cups of Kuei Hua Chen Chiew, also called osmanthus wine as he explained to you later.

For what felt like the hundredth time today, he pulled you away from the commotion and towards a little ledge that overlooked the lower parts of the city and quite a bit of the raging sea. The city was bathed in the red glow of the lanterns and flashing lights, competing against the heavy darkness that surrounded you. It was a strange, but beautiful sight to see. And it was made even more beautiful by the fact that you had someone to share it with.