This is mostly movie/ tv verse because of Ben Barnes, but includes some book aspects. The Darkling isn't evil. Susan/Kirigan/Caspian. I think that's all enjoy :)
The grisha dinners were just as they had been before the sun summoner arrived. People expected little else, but still there was hope that something would change. Alina Starkov sat at the right side of General Kirigan's chair while Ivan and the others sat just to the left. Everyone knew it was a matter of status, despite the General never attending meals. People always wished to know more about the darkling, but no one was close enough. Even Ivan didn't know of the darkling's past.
It was on a cold night in the middle of winter when things got more interesting for the grisha and their mundane meal. The bells rang throughout the palace. Everyone at the table looked up when the entrance doors to the dining room opened to show a group of grisha patrol officers entering. Alina was just as alarmed as everyone else, but perhaps more concerned, when she noticed the young dark haired woman held between the officers.
"Someone fetch the darkling," one of the men called.
Ivan motioned Zoya at the group while he swiftly exited the room.
"And what is the meaning of this?" Zoya demanded of them. The grisha shifted, but stood their ground.
"We found her passed out at the front gates. Didn't know what else to do." At this the rest of the dining grisha started muttering.
Zoya drew herself up with a fury, "And you thought you should bring her into the Little Palace? What if she is a spy fools!"
The officers didn't move for a minute, leaving everyone to notice the woman begin to stir.
"Please, help me. Where am I? Please."
"What are you doing here, what is your plan girl?" Zoya belittled the woman, despite there surely not being an age difference between the two.
The mutterings around the hall were growing. The dining grisha began to call out to the women, demanding answers or shying away from Zoya's anger. Alina didn't know what to make of the scene, looking around she saw her confusion mirrored on the faces of Nadia and Marie beside her. Fortunately she did not have to make a decision, when the door Ivan had exited flew open.
"What is the meaning of this?" General Kirigan called.
The crowd parted so the darkling had full view of the woman, held captive in the arms of the patrol guard. The hall grew silent, waiting for his governing for the uncomfortable situation. What the gathered grisha did not expect, was for their general to freeze upon seeing the woman.
The woman drew every eye to her when she breathed out, "Caspian?"
There was a beat of silence, "Release her," the darkling muttered.
When the guards remained frozen the general repeated his command, this time with his usual control. The guards let the woman go, and Alina was surprised to see she had enough strength to stand, let alone have a smirk on her face.
"You've gotten more bossy, your majesty," She said with a mocking bow.
There was a collective intake of breath from the crowd as their gaze shifted to the darkling, waiting for his rage. Although the darkling acted kingly, calling him out on it was a dangerous game. However they were taken aback by the small smile upon his handsome face.
"Well my dear queen you hold that title more than I do at the moment."
Like a tennis match the crowd's view shifted back to the woman. Everyone seemed to have the same thought, how was this disheveled woman a queen. However Alina thought that she understood. There was something in the way the woman held herself, as if she was used to giving orders and having them followed.
"Caspian what does that mean," She said with a cautious air.
"Narnia has fallen Susan, didn't you know," the darkling had shifted his gaze to the floor, a look of deep sadness on his face.
Alina couldn't make heads nor tails of this statement but Susan appeared to understand.
"My love it is not your fault," this was the first sentence to get a vocal response from the gathered grisha.
There were gasps of shock, and Zoya looked ready to murder. Alina herself was shocked that such a form of endearment could be made towards the cold General.
"I am not the man you once knew Susan," he looked up at her with a fierce look in his eyes, "and I am no longer a king."
This statement confused Alina, and looking around the room she saw the same loss mirrored in her fellow dining partners.
This seemed to be what broke the stalemate with which the two were standing. Susan rushed towards him arm outstretched, only stopping when the darkling stepped away, a look of shame on his face. Alina was shocked at how human he appeared to be in the presence of the queen.
"Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen, tell me you did not forget His words all those years ago."
Kirigan smiled, "I thought you had given up on faith."
The queen smiled her first true smile this time and the room seemed to light up with the joy in it, "That was until I found my way back to you."
"You weren't always this sappy, what happened to 'it could never work, I'm a hundred years older than you'."
Alina was surprised, was this woman a powerful grisha too? Able to live far beyond her years?
"Something tells me you're getting on in years with all the changes around here," At that Kirigan laughed and the whole crowd seemed to gape.
Alina had never heard the general laugh aloud, and judging by the other grisha's reactions, it was unheard of by them as well. The two reunited loves were just drawing closer together when the doors opened and none other than the king and his guard stepped through.
It was as if a spell was broken. Kirigan stepped back from Susan, close enough to touch, but with no more intimacy than another grisha. Susan herself seemed to be aware of the crowd around them, and blushed slightly before looking towards the King.
"Now what is this I hear of a possible spy found on the outskirts of your gates General," The king called, his wobbly chin bouncing.
The darkling was swift and cool with his response, "There was a misunderstanding Sire, we have had the good fortune of being graced with royalty from other lands. I present to you Queen Susan the Gentle, of Narnia."
At this Susan stepped forward, and the whole crowd was drawn to her beauty, something half the grisha had missed in the chaotic events preceding this encounter.
"Your majesty it is my humblest honor to be welcomed into your country. I am sorry for my unfortunate appearance and my disgraceful arrival at your home, there were forces beyond my control that brought me to your land."
Kirigan smirked at her wording, but otherwise remained silent.
The king was clearly set back by this graceful encounter, and immediately set to make amends, "Of course I am honored to host fellow members of the court, ahem," he looked around at his guards, "if it would please you, you will be escorted to the grand palace where the rest of the Ravkan royalty resides."
"If it pleases you my lord I wish to remain with Caspian here as a small comfort while I am away from home. It is easier to be with someone familiar."
Alina found herself intrigued by the strange name the queen used for the general, and noticed the king seemed just as unknowing.
He looked confused for a moment before Kirigan stepped up, "The dear lady Susan and I were formerly acquainted with one another my Lord."
The King looked uncomfortable with the thought of this new possible ally staying with the darkling but conceded with a nod of his head. This was met with a bow of the head from the queen and general, as the king exited the room. The dining hall was left only with Grisha and the new queen.
"Lanya you will set up a room for Queen Susan, across from mine," the darkling said without looking from the doors the king had just left.
Finally his gaze shifted to the woman beside him as the servant hurried out of the room, "My Lady," Kirigan said with a bow and his newfound smirk plastered on his face.
"You are such a flirt," the queen hummed, before taking his arm and exiting the hall.
The rest of the grisha remained in varying levels of shock before Ivan commanded everyone out of the room. Alina was alive with curiosity. And looking over at Marie and Nadia, she could see them preparing for a whole night of gossip. As Alina headed down the hall towards her room she caught a glimpse of Zoya's fury as she shoved other grisha aside. Things were about to get very interesting.
