Wow a rare note before the chapter starts?? Who is this imposter?? Anyways let me cut to the chase, the absolutely AMAZING made an amazing tictok mentioning this fanfic, everyone go check out their tictok account @sanktadaphne she makes edits of things like Harry Potter, Grishaverse, MCU, etc.

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".......I don't know why you bother with these Otkazat'sya Alina, it is beneath us."

"Because they are not Grisha? Because they had the unfortunate luck to not be able to manipulate metals or powder, to crush a human heart or heal it, unable to summon wind, water or fire? Sometimes I envy them, they don't have to deal with occurrences like this."

Two voices, that was strange, usually it was only one, everyone else in the room would have been blurry and muffled. The voices continued arguing as my vision started to come to me, I was in the same room as when I last came to my mother but I had just gotten here, my senses had yet to join me. I felt an itching at my nose, a small tingle, no please no, not now. I sneezed.

The voices stilled and my vision cleared, well, cleared as much as it could in the current state of my being. Two people were the only thing in focus, both looking intently at me with curiosity and confusion.

My father's eyes narrowed while my mother's widened, opposites, a voice in my head chimed. My mother and father, man and woman, dark and light, both completely different but together, unstoppable.

I had to remind myself to talk as they both waited, "I- I can come back later, your busy."

"Not at all please stay."

"Stay."

They both said these in time, one sounding like an order, the other a warm invitation, Alina scowled at my fathers words.

The tension and silence in the room was unbearable but I wasn't going to be the one to break it, I didn't even know what to say.

Alina was the one to break first, "How's Genya?" She asked.

A wave of guilt passed over me, I hadn't even asked to see her, hadn't inquired or even thought about her since the boat.

"Perfectly content," my father replied but I could sence the irritation in his voice, what had happened?

Alina blew out a frustrated breath, "Just tell me where you are, it would rid us both of this back and forth."

He crossed his arms, "An interesting proposal and exactly the reason you are not suited to politics love, why on earth would I do that?"

"You have my child with you," she tried.

"Alas she is also mine."

"She, is also her own person," I added.

My father waved a dismissal hand, "You're still a child, you legally can't make your own decisions."

This time it was my turn to cross my arms, "I think we've gone past the point of legality, both politically and the laws of nature."

He shook his head in an imitation of a laugh, eventually he looked back up, "I never asked, why are you here, Rena?"

"You're right, you didn't ask, let's keep it that way," I retorted. Off to the side I heard Alina unable to keep in a snort as my father had a look of astonishment on his face. "Anyways, this has all been well and good but, I really should be off, goodbye." I lifted my hand in a sarcastic small wave, my true intentions hidden from both of their views.

"She's going to try something now that she saw me here," the Darkling muttered to himself, he turned and picked up my mother's hand bringing it to his lips and letting them ghost over the back of it before she knew what was happening, "Until next time, my Alina."

With that his phantom state dispersed, leaving my mother looking startled an confused. I only seemed to add to those as I came back into view, my own phantom state regaining strength and solidity, "I am so dead when I get back," I muttered to myself as my mother regained her composure.

"You wanted him to leave?" She questioned skeptically.

I gave her a small smile, "I'm all one for a nice family reunion but, I have a few questions. And I need to hear it from you."

She looked slightly worried but agreed to answer my questions while she got ready for an event that was happening in the grand palace, something to do with the prince, I didn't really care to listen to all the details.

As she set to doing her hair I began asking, "How old is he?"

She stilled and turned around, what looked like a memory clouded her vision, "When we first met I asked the same thing," she explained, "I had heard all sorts of stories but he didn't look much older than myself," she grimaced, as if the thought of it had hurt her somehow, "To answer your question, I was first told a hundred and twenty, give or take a few."

"What?" I blurted out, he did not look one hundred and twenty.

She smirked, "He lied, he's actually lived longer than the existence of the fold, so mabey, I don't know around four hundred fifty? Five hundred?"

My astonishment was overcome by realisation, I had really wanted him to be lying, for what he had said to be some cruel joke, but if what my mother had said was true then.... "You know, dont you," I stated, "You know what he is."

Her eyes closed as she tried to form the right words, "I do, when we first met he said he was a descendent, wanted to undo what his ancestors had caused, all the pain and suffering, he was..... charming, to say the least." She smiled to herself before looking back up at me, "He... told you?" She asked.

I shook my head no, "I figured it out, when I asked he told me the truth." I told her, "Some little part of me hoped he was lying, that it wasn't true. But people change," I stated, "Don't they?"

Alina sighed, "I want nothing more than that to be true Rena, truly. People can change, but not that much, not to the extent that he should."

What's this? A two for one authors note? *le gasp*

Sorry I couldn't help myself😅

Anyways, onto the matter at hand, THE VOTE!!

I have painfully counted all the votes (both anonymous and comments and let me say I don't think I should be in higher maths after this🗳) I can now reveal that the winner is.... drumrooolll please 🥁

Catarina De Lurton!!

When I tell you I counted multiple times to make sure I got it right, there was literally one vote between her and another actress.

I'll be honest I'm not great at edits so I probably won't be doing much with this but I know some of you were looking for a faceclaim, also looks like your edit works now lmao

Oh ya, jezz this is getting fair long sorry bout that, I happen to have mocks happening for the next two weeks so I might not be able to update next week cause I definitely haven't been neglecting my study😅😬

But ya, that's the story in Ballamorey, oh also because Catarina won the vote Rena's age will be changing to around 15-16, hope you're all doing well!!