#tv show plot

“May I ask why,  Moi tsarevich ?” You asked in response, wiping your hands of the small amounts of blood on your hands.     

“So I may know the name of the ever-beautiful person who saved me and my friend’s life,” Nikolai responded, seriously before the slightest smile graced his lips. You had heard many things about the second-born royal, and you weren’t sure what to make of him. Handsome–yes, loved by the people, sure had some level of authority about him, but a different kind. A kind that you might just follow if he sat on the throne.    

“Y/N.”     

He repeated the name, quietly to himself before standing. Only days later, much to your fellow Grisha’s surprise and your’s did you find yourself being taken wherever Nikolai Lantsov went. Not that he didn’t give you the choice, he seemed to be a gentleman in that regard. “There has always been tension between those who are Grisha and those who are not. You of course would understand that. I would like you to travel with me and my regiment. Act as a healer for us. If you wish.”      

“I suppose we can’t have Ravka’s wonder-boy dying, can we?” That was your response and it only left Nikolai chuckling, something bordering along the edges of a smirk danced over his face, eyes sparkling.     

Nikolai grew to trust you, and found comfort in your presence. You had healed him countless times and each time he became a little bit more bold with the flirtations, though you were not entirely sure if that was any reflection of any feelings towards him.    

In Nikolai’s eyes, you became his confidante and more than a healer for him and his colleagues. He sought you out for advice on occasion, mostly because you had proven you weren’t going to simply nod along because he was a prince. Dominik enjoyed your presence as well, and grew an attachment to you as well, happy to see you were not afraid to knock his dear friend down a peg or ten.     

Nikolai remembered the day of his eighteenth birthday his thigh got a deep slice to it and he came into the tent, making his stupid jokes, claiming his mother was like an oyster and he was the pearl. You were not having it, and you simply told him “Shut up and get it on the table so that I may take care of your injury.” That was the moment he realized how much you actually meant to him.      You acted as a healer for him until he was nineteen. He told you in secret that he was leaving for the seas, realizing he would be much better serving his people as a Privateer than a soldier confined to land. He ensured to stress Privateer, not pirate. He then asked you to go with him. “You said it yourself, ‘I suppose we can’t have Ravka’s wonder-boy dying.’”   

You gave him a I’m not interested look.    

“Think of the money, the adventure!” After a few more minutes of making those stupid charming, borderline puppy-dog eyes he managed to convince you.   

It was on the True Sea that you learned of his feelings for you. The feelings you very much reciprocated. At first it was gentle, quick physical touch or gentle hugs, and it slowly built. Though neither of you confessed feelings until the day you had been injured fighting a group of slavers a few months into your journey.   

You had been laying there not finding the energy to tell him to just be quiet until it felt like Nikolai cursed himself around the world.    

“Nikolai, I’m truly alright. It was a simple graze!” You said to him, ever so slightly lifting your head.

“Well what if it wasn’t?!” He snapped, in your direction before cursing himself out again. He was angry with himself more than anything. “What if it–” His voice broke and you didn’t know what to do. Maybe it was because you were exhausted, probably the exhaustion, but you pulled him towards you kissing him. After a few moments pause, feelings were finally confessed.    

“Simply a political alliance,” you said into his neck. While you knew the suggestion came from your mouth it still hurt to see how easy it seemed for him to go through with it and suggest it to Alina. Alina was no fool and she saw what you and Nikolai shared, and it was only under your persuasion that she agreed.      

And so it was, two days later at dinner. You sat next to Mal, watching Nikolai sitting between his brother and Alina, as Nikolai said something to make Alina laugh. You and Mal shared quick glances before you saw Nikolai mouthing, moi magpie in your direction. Yes he agreed to your suggestion, but that didn’t mean he had any attraction to Alina Starkov. You saw Vasily say something to his mother and then look over to Nikolai say something, then glancing at Alina. It was the look in Nikolai’s eyes that suggested Vasily had said something to really get to him.    

You chugged down the alcohol in your glass as he announced his engagement to Alina, trying to look the part of any other Grisha sitting and eating amongst others. A feat that proved difficult. Nikolai wasted no time in finding you that evening, ensuring you knew how he felt about you. Everything changed even more at the engagement party for Nikolai and Alina where Vasily was killed by one of Kirigan’s Nichevo’ya. More than anything it meant Nikolai was in line for the throne, and quite frankly you weren’t upset though you felt sorry for your boyfriend on some level.     

You were busy healing people when it appeared Kirigan’s Show Monster’s seemed to be reappearing. Nikolai immediately looked at you and Alina pulling out his pistol. “Gather all the wounded and get out of here. Go to the fort called Zvedya,” he then turned to look directly at you. “The one south of Kribirsk. Find–”   

You watched Baghra walk into the space below ground with a woman behind her. You recognized her from your time training, Genya. Baghra glanced over at Nikolai upon his comment that she was the Grisha tea. She looked like she wanted to scoff, “Ah, the prince. The Puppy Prince. But I do not care truthfully. What I care about is if you fix it. Right the wrongs.” You watched Genya standing there, timidly as Alina embraced her. “Oh Saints, Genya. Look what he did to you.”    

You took note of the scars across her face. You cringed. You knew what Kirigan was like, and you were glad Nikolai had pulled you along with him.   

You watched Nikolai approach Genya, looking almost angry. “Genya Safin? You’re the Grisha who poisoned the king! When I am crowned king you will stand trial for treason against your country.”     

“No she won’t. She did what she had to do, to survive ,” Alina pressed, growing more defensive of Genya every moment.     

You slowly nodded from behind Nikolai. “She won’t, Nikolai.” You watched him turn to face you as you shook your head. There was a beat of silence before Nikolai nodded at your silent conversation with him. Something the two of you had grown to be good at during your time at sea.   

“Did the king force you?”      

“I never asked for his attention,” Genya responded not daring to look anyone in the eye.    

Nikolai looked back to you silently asking if you think she can be trusted and you only nod, continuously noting her scarred face. He nods in return before turning to look at Genya. “As the future king, you have my word that you are safe here.” He felt you reach for his hand and he took it, holding onto, finding support in it. Nobody made a point of asking, nobody cared after what had just transpired. “If you can tell me where he is based I shall throw everything I have at him.” He then turned to face you, looking somewhat exhausted. He kissed your hand gently before walking away.        

About an hour later Nikolai found himself among the pews of the former monastery, staring somewhere into space, contemplating anything and everything, on the verge of tears, when he heard someone’s feet. He looked up to see you slowly approaching him and tried to subtly wipe away a tear that spilled over.     

He slid over to give you space, turning to face you in the pew. He let out a long sigh as you reached for his hand. He turned to face the candles once again, feeling some comfort, even if small from your touch. “I know that look, Nikolai. What’s on your mind?”     

He looked at you again, a pained expression on his face. Other than the fact that Kirigan found where we are located? Other than the fact that I am to become King? Other than finally facing He knew you were only asking out of courtesy. You knew how he was doing.            

“Everything,” he responded, half-heartedly, not letting go of your hand.       

You nodded, letting the silence linger, something that you certainly weren’t getting much of these days. It was interrupted when Alina entered and you stood, leaving a lingering kiss on Nikolai’s cheek so they could speak in private which made your heart ping with jealousy for just a moment.        

Soon after that you learned that Alina had given the Lantsov Emerald back to Nikolai formally ending the engagement to search for the Firebird. While you still thought the engagement was good for alliance you quietly were thankful. It was decided that the next best thing would be to truly try and unite the First and Second Army of Ravka. You traveled with Nikolai, David, and Genya to Zvedya. You found yourself growing closer to Genya and David on the way. At the fort you reunited with a number of the soldiers you had known when you agreed to become a healer for Nikolai’s regiment. You also reunited with Dominik who was your partner in teasing Nikolai.         

Brief introductions were made. David proved himself rather useful, helping improve the weaponry and Genya used her unrivaled tailor skills to help fix a woman’s arm and hand. It was after that when Nikolai pulled you to the side to speak with you briefly.          

You had assumed that he simply wanted to talk strategy with you first. You had healed so many of the First Army and Nikolai would often discuss strategy with you as he was healed at your hands. You had a clear knack for it, and that was only proven further out on the seas when in battles with any enemies you met out there. He reached for your hand and pulled you into one of the side rooms inside the large fort before shutting the door behind him. A number of maps and other papers were sprawled over a table in front of you. The only lighting came from the windows, which cast a dim light. Nikolai gently kissed the top of your hand before circling around the table.         

You slowly approached the maps, looking over them, recognizing the detailed works of certain parts of Ravka. You were too busy thinking through possible ideas to notice Nikolai pulling the Lantsov Emerald from somewhere inside his uniform slowly lifting it. It was when he placed it over the maps directly in your eyesight did you pay him any attention. You looked up at him and met his gaze, already deciding to protest what you knew was coming. Of course you wanted to marry him, but that didn’t mean you thought right now would be a better time than any to be engaged to Alina Starkov. You didn’t care if she had broken it off prior, surely she understood how much more alliance that could bring between the First and Second Army.          

“Save me the speech,” Nikolai said, knowing exactly what you were going to say. He leaned forward, placing a hand on either side of the ring which gave you your opportunity to share your two kruge on the matter.           

“Alina Starkov is not just a Grisha, she is the Grisha. I am just a healer, Nikolai.” That’s how simple it was to you. Maybe you were Grisha, but Alina was a Sun Summoner. The person who could tear down the Fold. Reunite Ravka once more.         

Nikolai looked both agitated and pained to hear you talk about yourself like that. “You are not just a Grisha. You are not just a healer, moi magpie ,” he insisted. “You are the healer who ran across yards of an active battleground to save a First Army soldier. You are the healer I would choose as my friend, my confidante, my spouse, my queen, Ravka’s queen. The people already respect you. ”      

His voice held this mix of passion, bordering on authorativeness. But you knew he didn’t want to cross that threshold afraid it might turn into something like a to-be king making a demand. Logically you wouldn’t think that, but considering he was proposing plus the circumstances logic was left at the door.       

“Nikolai…” was all you could muster.       

“I am asking you to be my friend, my confidante, my partner, and Ravka’s queen from now until the day I die,” Nikolai said. The passion was still there, though now it bends towards what most people would call begging. “Marry me. If we survive this, marry me. Be my healer.” The last part he whispered.