With the fall of the Darkling, Carol foolishly thought that there would be time to breathe, relax, maybe take stock of the way her life had changed so much. And there had been time, but only about a week or so before new problems starting popping up. Ravka did not want to be united easily. Shu and Fjerda were metaphorically breathing down Ravka's neck. Jurda Parem was circulating wildly around the Grisha abroad. Despite her powers, at her core Carol was a soldier—and she could easily see the battle coming.
So she threw herself into her own training and overseeing the training of the Grisha in the Little Palace. There had been very little ceremony about her taking over the Second Army and she preferred it that way. New faces were arriving frequently, which was a relief from all the allies they had lost in the battle against the Darkling, but they had to get up to speed quickly.
Though as much time as she spends training, she is happy to do it compared to the battles that Nikolai faces every day in the palace. Arguing through meetings and charming diplomats has never been her forte and she's grateful that their king is well-suited to the task. The only drawback to both them being so absorbed in their work is that they don't have much time to talk anymore. After the hell they went through with the Darkling that forged such strong bonds between them, she considers Nikolai her closest friend. Once they got through the obligatory five minutes of flirting, he was an excellent listener and advisor, and always seemed to have an idea for whatever problem she was currently grappling with.
In the middle of her training session, a group of young Grisha start giggling at something behind her. When she turns her head to look, ready to tell off some servant for gawking at their practice, Carol stops and smiles instead. It's rare that the King comes down to their training sessions, but she's happy to see him.
Carol dismisses the other Grisha to a break before walking over to meet Nikolai. "What brings you out to the Little Palace, my King?"
With a polite nod to the Grisha who scurry away from her like a swarm of flies, Nikolai ignores some of their lingering looks. Asya's not as subtle as she thinks herself to be, granted he supposes Heartrenders wouldn't know subtlety if it hit them in the head. Edik's glare possesses more subtlety than Irena's, at least. Nikolai's confident he'll win the bet that Irena will ask for Carol's hand before Edik manages to string his words together.
It's all great fun betting at Carol's expense. He really adores how she wears exasperation these days.
Uncaring that half of the Grisha are hardly out of earshot, he replies jovially, "I'm in desperate need of some sunshine."
Sometimes Nikolai can't help but encourage the rumours that spiral around the Grand Palace. After the Civil War, he prefers it. It means the Grand Palace's heart still thumps with ridiculously unimportant things like whether he's sleeping with Carol.
He's not. At first, he'd been offended that others would think to spread such a rumour, but he's since learned to use it to his advantage. He swears Carol Danvers knows how to blush. Red is quite fetching on her.
Standing before her in his ocean blue goat embroiled with gold, his grin doesn't waver. "I thought I told you to drop the formalities. They're unbecoming."
No, it's Carol who is fully unaware of any interest. It's not that she's uninterested in romance, it's more that she hasn't had the time. When she was in the First Army it was simply just a few flings here and there for stress relief. Then there was everything with the Darkling. Now she supposes she has the time indulge in such things, but she would rather focus on the Second Army. It was easier.
She nearly smacks him at his comment, which he will be able to tell in the smirk she gives him. The first time that Genya told her the rumor about her and Nikolai sleeping together, she nearly stormed over to the Grand Palace to demand he put an end to it. But instead she slept on it and forgot about it. The next time she did have an audience with Nikolai, though, she found the various advisors and dignitaries treat her with more respect than before. Apparently being the Sun Summoner and tearing down the Fold didn't mean automatic respect. But being the Sun Summoner, tearing down the Fold, and sleeping with the King did. As a result, she didn't do anything to encourage it—Nikolai did that enough for both of them—but she didn't dispel it either.
There would be time to shut it down whenever he decided it was time for him to get married.
Carol waits until the other Grisha are out of earshot before continuing with, "You know I'll always keep up with the formalities around the Second Army, Nikolai." She gestures towards the lake where they often take their walks together. "I like that coat on you." He did always look good in blue. Then again, whether it was a privateer coat or his dress uniform, he always looked good.
"What can I do for you?" she asks, tucking a strand of flyaway hair behind her ear. "You don't really get out here for social calls much."
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For our own clarity: Grishaverse AU
So she threw herself into her own training and overseeing the training of the Grisha in the Little Palace. There had been very little ceremony about her taking over the Second Army and she preferred it that way. New faces were arriving frequently, which was a relief from all the allies they had lost in the battle against the Darkling, but they had to get up to speed quickly.
Though as much time as she spends training, she is happy to do it compared to the battles that Nikolai faces every day in the palace. Arguing through meetings and charming diplomats has never been her forte and she's grateful that their king is well-suited to the task. The only drawback to both them being so absorbed in their work is that they don't have much time to talk anymore. After the hell they went through with the Darkling that forged such strong bonds between them, she considers Nikolai her closest friend. Once they got through the obligatory five minutes of flirting, he was an excellent listener and advisor, and always seemed to have an idea for whatever problem she was currently grappling with.
In the middle of her training session, a group of young Grisha start giggling at something behind her. When she turns her head to look, ready to tell off some servant for gawking at their practice, Carol stops and smiles instead. It's rare that the King comes down to their training sessions, but she's happy to see him.
Carol dismisses the other Grisha to a break before walking over to meet Nikolai. "What brings you out to the Little Palace, my King?"
no subject
It's all great fun betting at Carol's expense. He really adores how she wears exasperation these days.
Uncaring that half of the Grisha are hardly out of earshot, he replies jovially, "I'm in desperate need of some sunshine."
Sometimes Nikolai can't help but encourage the rumours that spiral around the Grand Palace. After the Civil War, he prefers it. It means the Grand Palace's heart still thumps with ridiculously unimportant things like whether he's sleeping with Carol.
He's not. At first, he'd been offended that others would think to spread such a rumour, but he's since learned to use it to his advantage. He swears Carol Danvers knows how to blush. Red is quite fetching on her.
Standing before her in his ocean blue goat embroiled with gold, his grin doesn't waver. "I thought I told you to drop the formalities. They're unbecoming."
no subject
She nearly smacks him at his comment, which he will be able to tell in the smirk she gives him. The first time that Genya told her the rumor about her and Nikolai sleeping together, she nearly stormed over to the Grand Palace to demand he put an end to it. But instead she slept on it and forgot about it. The next time she did have an audience with Nikolai, though, she found the various advisors and dignitaries treat her with more respect than before. Apparently being the Sun Summoner and tearing down the Fold didn't mean automatic respect. But being the Sun Summoner, tearing down the Fold, and sleeping with the King did. As a result, she didn't do anything to encourage it—Nikolai did that enough for both of them—but she didn't dispel it either.
There would be time to shut it down whenever he decided it was time for him to get married.
Carol waits until the other Grisha are out of earshot before continuing with, "You know I'll always keep up with the formalities around the Second Army, Nikolai." She gestures towards the lake where they often take their walks together. "I like that coat on you." He did always look good in blue. Then again, whether it was a privateer coat or his dress uniform, he always looked good.
"What can I do for you?" she asks, tucking a strand of flyaway hair behind her ear. "You don't really get out here for social calls much."