Chapter Text
It was quarter past ten already, and Nikolai found himself growing more impatient. The Triumvirate had met with him in the war room, ready to go over this week’s correspondence. The twins were there as well, Tamar seated on the window sill, Tolya standing in one of the corner’s. Only one person was, very unlike her, late.
“We can start without her”, Genya offered for about the third time. “I’m sure Zoya is just busy doing something else.” She added a reassuring smile.
But Nikolai didn’t believe that. His general wasn’t late, especially not for meetings. He tapped his fingers on the wooden table, impatiently. He wasn’t sure why the prospect of Zoya not being there was bugging him so much, but perhaps he was too used to her company already. Or perhaps he was scared what she had been up to all night…
Just in this moment, the door was opened. Zoya rushed inside, slamming it shut behind herself loudly. When all eyes turned to her, she raised an eyebrow. “What?”
Nikolai was staring at her blankly. Her hair was messy and tangled, and the silk of her
kefka
visibly wrinkled. She didn’t look at all as put together as usually. “Glad you could make it, Nazyalensky”, he commented, trying to keep the edge from his voice.
She cast him a slightly irritated look, but ignored the words all the same. Instead she moved to sit down next to Genya, who was already turning towards her.
“Where have you been?” Genya asked, visibly curious. She made an attempt to smooth out Zoya’s hair a little. “You don’t look well rested.”
Zoya leaned back in her chair, already reaching for one of the unread files on the table. “I didn’t sleep a lot”, she replied flatly, adding a half-hearted shrug.
Nikolai didn’t like the implications of this at all. Was Zoya seeing someone? He was surprised at how offended that thought made him feel. Although he had no right to that, of course. She could do what she liked.
Tamar was leaning forward now, grinning widely. “Been on a little nightly adventure?” she teased, playing with a small pocket knife in her right hand. The blade spun around her fingers so fast it was barely visible.
Zoya blew a strand of hair away from her face, eyeing Tamar. “Maybe”, she replied, adding a secretive smile.
Nikolai felt like saying something, but he was not sure whether he could keep the strain from his voice. “Don’t you want to entertain us with tales of your nightly adventures, Nazyalensky?” he said eventually, taking a file for himself to at least continue working. “Who’s the lucky guy?”
Genya gave him an odd look at the words, almost knowingly. She had always been too good at reading between the lines.
Zoya didn’t even look up. “None of your concern, your Highness”, she replied. “How many people were injured in the last
khergud
attack?” She gave Nikolai an expectant look. “That’s your file.”
Nikolai looked down at the words, suddenly feeling like he couldn’t read anymore. “I haven’t gotten to that part yet”, he chose to say.
She rolled her eyes at him, swinging herself up from her chair and snatching the file from his hands. “You’re useless, your Highness”, she commented, leaning against the table right next to him. He could smell her perfume, the soft mix of wildflowers always whirling around her. And something else, which seemed a lot like expensive whiskey.
Nikolai gasped. “It’s Kirigin, isn’t it?”
Zoya nearly dropped the file, but immediately dropped back into her usual careless attitude. “Like I said, none of your concern”, she muttered, moving away from him quickly. A little too quickly.
“Kirigin?” Genya echoed. “How did that come to happen?”
That was something Nikolai would like to know as well. He watched Zoya shift uneasily on her chair, clearly not wanting to elaborate. Why did he even care? Kirigin was a friend, and had supported Nikolai in numerous ways ever since he had asked for it and was perhaps not that bad of a guy. She could have chosen worse.
Or better,
a little voice in his head was saying.
She could have chosen you.
Zoya was picking up the next file. “He promised me a whole stack of Whiskey if I came back to his place so”, she shrugged, eyes on the file. “He can be quite entertaining for a while.”
Tamar exchanged an amused look with Genya. “Did you break his poor heart?” she asked. “Tossed him away after you had your fun?”
Zoya looked up, fluffing her hair over her shoulder. The sunlight was glowing off her blue
kefta.
“Perhaps”, she said innocently. “Or perhaps I’m not done with him just yet.”
Nikolai was beginning to truly hate this day. He didn’t want to think about Zoya with any man, and even less he wanted to actually
hear
about it.
Unfortunately, Genya was not planning to let this topic go just yet. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, almost accusingly. “You always tell me!”
Zoya was rolling her eyes, blowing a hair away from her face. “If I told you a story about every man I’m taking to bed we would never stop talking”, she replied. “Besides I’m scared you will do the same and I end up hearing things about David I don’t want to know.” She gave the fabricator a quick look.
Genya was giggling, but Nikolai felt even more uncomfortable. He was watching Zoya attentively. He refused to think about what she had just said, or the rumours which were spreading about her in the palace basically at all times. The number of men Zoya had toyed with was the one thing he did not wish to know about her. Not that she was not free to do so, but Nikolai felt the hot feeling of jealousy rise within him immediately. He wasn’t even sure why. Perhaps he simply wanted his general all to himself.
“Kirigin is rather handsome”, Tamar added to the conversation.
Genya nodded. “And rich. Thanks to his Highness.”
Zoya shrugged briefly, putting the file back onto the table. “Did you send a message to the outpost on the Fjerdan border which was attacked?” she asked Nikolai.
For a second he had no idea what she was talking about, but then he remember the file he was holding. “Not yet”, he replied. “I will.” His voice was a little more strained than he had hoped.
Zoya seemed to have noticed, since she seemed slightly irritated for a moment. But then she turned her face away. “Are we done here soon? I have a terrible headache from all that whiskey.”
Genya huffed. “Sounds like a truly wild night.” She looked over to Nikolai. “Anything else for today?”
His mind was totally blank, but he didn’t want the meeting to end just yet. He didn’t want Zoya to leave again, to Kirigin’s estate or anywhere else. Nikolai cleared his throat. “I don’t think so”, he replied. “But Zoya, can I speak to you for a moment?”
She gave him a questioning glance, but shrugged. “Sure.”
Genya and David were already standing up, Tamar jumping from the window sill. Nikolai watched them leave and Zoya remain seated, leaned back in her chair with her arms crossed. “What is it?” she asked the moment the door fell shut. She spoke in her usual sharp manner, bordering on being annoyed. “I really do have a headache.”
Actually Nikolai didn’t have anything to say. And so he said the next best thing which came to his mind, because he was suddenly so irritated and annoyed about this
feeling
building up within him that he had the urge to let it out. “I haven’t known you to be late to meetings, Nazyalensky”, he commented, not able to keep the sharp edge out of his voice. “Especially not because of personal relations.”
Zoya raised a brow at him, narrowing her eyes slightly. “What are you trying to tell me?” she asked. “I’m devoting too much time of mine to this country already.” She got up from her chair, beginning to stack the files on the table. “You should be happy I even came.”
“It’s your job to come”, Nikolai responded, perhaps more on edge than he should be. Why was he so bothered by this? Usually, he wouldn’t mind her being late. Unless it was for today’s reason.
But Zoya was too good at reading his mind, and figuring him out. She eyed him suspiciously for a moment. “Why do I feel like being late is not truly the reason you’re picking on me right now?” she asked, crossing her arms. “Spit it out, your Highness. What’s your problem?”
How could he answer that? Nikolai turned away, feeling himself tense. He had no right to be jealous. And still it was nagging on him. He hated it.
Zoya waited a few more moments in silence, then took the word again. “Is it Kirigin who’s your problem?” she wanted to know, leaning against the table. “You don’t want your Count’s involved with the Court?”
Actually, that sounded like a terribly good reason. Nikolai faced her again. “Exactly”, he replied. “Kirigin’s good faith is vital to our plans, and if you play your games with him he might come to regret the favours he granted me.” That sounded like a good explanation to himself.
Zoya huffed at the words. “I don’t plan on playing with him any longer, if it calms your spirits.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Although it is of course none of your business.”
Poor Kirigin. Nikolai could only imagine his heartbreak. “He will still be devastated”, he remarked, a little lighter at the prospect of Zoya ending things with him. “He’s quite fond of you.”
She rolled her eyes, giving a half shrug. “Many men are quite fond of me”, she replied with her usual sharpness. “It comes with being me.” She grinned. “At least he got a taste of me.”
“Lucky him”, Nikolai commented. He made it sound like a joke, but it was perhaps genuine.
Zoya gave him a long look, her dark eyelashes fluttering. She was still leaned against the table, a strand of dark hair having fallen into her face.
Nikolai moved instinctively, reaching out to brush it away. His fingers touched the skin of her cheek briefly. “Let Kirigin down easily”, he said in a low voice, now standing just in front of her.
Zoya’s clear blue eyes looked up at him as she considered the words. “I’ll think about it”, she replied, a slight grin on her lips.
Nikolai wanted to kiss her, he just realized. There had been times where he had been tempted before, but never like this. Perhaps the sudden revelation of his jealousy today had changed his perspective on things. Or maybe he had just finally submitted to madness. He leaned down, his lips hovering just inches away from hers.
Zoya didn’t move, didn’t draw away. Nikolai took it as a note of encouragement, since he had wanted to give her a chance to interrupt if she wanted to. But he didn’t wait anymore now.
His lips basically crashed against hers, the force of it making Zoya stumble back against the table. She wrapped her arms around his neck still, basically melting into him. Nikolai could feel the soft skin of her neck under his fingertips when he ran a hand through her hair, drawing her even closer. If this was how kissing Zoya Nazyalensky felt like, he never wanted to stop again.
He pushed her onto the table, not even thinking about it anymore. Zoya’s fingers were running through his hair, down his neck, over his chest. He could feel her everywhere, the warmth of her skin, the softness of her lips under his. It was truly addicting. Nikolai found himself tempted to pull the silk of her kefta away and reveal more of her perfect skin underneath, but he stopped himself.
Like she had sensed the shift, Zoya suddenly pulled away. She was slightly out of breath, her hands still tangled in his hair. Her blue eyes were wide. “Nikolai”, she began, her voice slightly wavering. “We shouldn’t.”
No, they really shouldn’t. Because he was a king and she was his general, and perhaps the only true friend he had. Zoya was looking at him now, her beautiful face thoughtful. He didn’t want to mess this up, the quiet peace in their routine they had established. And yet, he found himself longing for more. “I think I was jealous”, he said quietly, not having the heart to pull away. “Of Kirigin.”
Zoya looked truly surprised. “Why?” she wanted to know.
“Because he got to be with you and I didn’t”, Nikolai replied truthfully. He watched her face, still close to his own. He longed to close the distance again.
Zoya sighed. “It’s not that easy, Nikolai”, she said carefully. “You’re the king. You’re supposed to marry and have an heir.” She looked up at him. Was she waiting for him to say something?
Usually, Nikolai knew what to say. Diplomacy was something he liked to pride himself on. But right now, there was nothing to say. So instead he leaned forward to kiss her once more, allowing himself to get lost a little. Zoya’s legs wrapped around his body, drawing him closer, barely leaving any space between them. Nikolai was suddenly wondering why it had taken him so long to indulge in this particular sensation. Because now that he had started, he couldn’t begin to stop.
“Nikolai”, Zoya muttered, when his kisses began to spread down her neck. “Is this a good idea in the middle of the war room?”
Honestly, he had totally forgotten where they were. Reluctantly he pulled away, since the objection did make sense. Someone might just very well walk in.
Zoya’s lashes fluttered as she pulled on her kefta, which had fallen down one of her shoulders. “I should go”, she said eventually. “I need to... “ She slipped from the table. “catch up on some sleep.”
Nikolai let her go, watching her run a hand through her hair and cast it back over her shoulders. He didn’t know what to do, or think. It was all a big mess.
Zoya turned towards him again, her blue eyes sparkling. “Now I also gave you a taste, your Highness”, she said, making her voice honey sweet. “Consider yourself lucky.” She turned around on her heel, giving him a last look over her shoulder and disappeared.
Nikolai stared after her confused, hoping for his own sanity that this had not been the only taste he would ever get of Zoya Nazyalensky.