Another tidbit

Kiril pulled his collar up again and in vain tried to button it with his clumsy gloved fingers. He soon gave up and resumed his wait for the train, stomping his feet occasionally to make sure he could still feel them. The Keren winter promised to be its cold, vengeful self. The only good thing that would come of it was the slow progress that the enemy troops would make. Maybe the Keren army was third rate, but the winter was second to none. There was the train at last! It was an ancient iron wreck, unfit to be hauling the meager three cars it did, but with the war on, Kiril supposed he had to be glad of a train at all.
The doors were opening before the train came to a halt and a stream of tired passengers got out either home on leave, or into the city for their Christmas shopping. He boarded, with only a few others, small wonder, they were heading south towards the troubles. The car he chose was nearly empty. An old peasant woman sat in the far right corner, knitting and humming tunelessly under her breath, oblivious to the world around her. Two young soldiers boarded just after him, and though they looked barely old enough to wear the uniforms they did, one wore a Keren Star. Though both had the pale, washed out look of those who had spent far too long in the thick of the action, the one without the Star looked significantly more ill and had a bad cough. They had probably acquired a weekend pass, and while it was something, Kiril knew from experience a scant two days was just enough time to get some dreamless sleep, wash and mend one’s uniform, eat a decent meal if one was lucky and return. One last passenger boarded in a hurry, slamming the door shut behind him. Swiftly, he glanced around the car as though he half-expecting an ambush, then took a seat on the bench across from Kiril.
He was unremarkable, dark hair in a regulation cut, and the oversized gray greatcoat he wore probably concealed a uniform similar to the ones the soldiers wore. He frowned intently out the window, though apparently not at anything in particular. Kiril guessed he must have stared at the newcomer for a moment too long because he turned his frown from the window and onto Kiril. He shifted uncomfortable in his seat and glanced around the car again. Kiril decided to ignore him and, prising gloves off stiff fingers proceeded to take out a small book that he had had the foresight to bring. A few minutes later, after he hoped he had put his nervous travelling companion at some ease, Kiril glanced at his shoes. As he had half expected, they were the light boots with new grip favoured by couriers. That explained it.
The train finally lurched to life again and Kiril watched the station recede in the distance. Snow was beginning to fall, making a contrast to the gloomy grey of the evening. “Snow in time for Christmas,” he mused aloud.
The courier blinked, then looked out the window, really seeing now, not just staring into infinity. It was as though the worries he had dropped away for a long moment and he was just a young boy at Christmas, eager as any other for the window-painting, the food and the gift giving. “It’s beautiful…” he whispered at last.
Kiril laughed quietly, without thinking.
With a look of injured dignity, the courier glanced at him and pulled his greatcoat more tightly about his shoulders.
“Your pardon,” Kiril said quickly. “I wasn’t laughing at you, I was thinking of a friend of mine,” he lied easily. It was partially true, which helped. The courier did remind him of Andrej, they were about the same age, but Andrej was more openly wondering at such things as new snow.
The courier relaxed ever so slightly.
Then the whole car heard the far off rumble. Bombers.
The courier was looking out the window again, not at the snow now, it impeded his vision. He cast about anxiously for the bombers. The rumble grew to a thunder.
“You shouldn’t worry so much,” Kiril said confidently. “They have much more important things to worry about than us.”
“Of course,” the courier snapped, but his eyes never left the window.
There was a flash of fire in the gray and white world, a sharp, momentary red contrast, then it was gone from sight. The track didn’t shake though, so Kiril thought they were in luck.
But soon the artificial thunder grew to a crescendo of noise and the train did shake on the tracks. Kiril wondered what exactly the courier had to tell headquarters and how good the enemy’s spy network was, and he did begin to feel his stomach tighten in dread.
“You said they had more important things to worry about!” the courier shouted over the din.
“They do!” Kiril shouted back. Maybe they’re after me? he thought frantically. No, I can’t start thinking like that, once you began it’s too hard to stop. ‘It isn’t the bombs marked out for you that you have to worry about- it’s the ones marked ‘To whom it may concern’, they’re really dangerous’ Andrej said that… They’re trying to destroy the tracks, that must be it, he told himself. They can’t be good enough to know when and where everyone goes!
Time seemed to slow, it was an eternity of noise and fear so thick one could smell it, until finally, at long last, the thunder started to die away and was interspersed with bursts of anti-aircraft fire.
“Finally!” one of the soldiers shouted triumphantly. “117th Artillery!”
Kiril didn’t particularly care who it was, he was just glad that someone started firing back. He had begun to worry that they had at long last been overrun. They couldn’t deal with that again. He sighed in relief, a sigh that was lost in the fading thunder. They had survived, for now. Maybe they weren’t after anyone on this train- not that knowing that helped everyone. The soldier who wore the Keren Star was shaking- with cold, no doubt, but not only cold. Kiril sighed and looked away, it was all he could do. Two days weren’t nearly enough.
Though they saw more flashes of red in the snow and dark night now, the passengers settled into the rhythm of the train again as it clacked along, until it pulled into the station. The soldiers had fallen asleep briefly, then woke at the jarring halt, put on their covers, straightened their uniforms and disembarked to join a formation on the far edge of the platform, near the road. The courier and Kiril stood at the same time.
“Take care,” Kiril said quietly. “And next time hide your knife better.”
“What?!” the courier gaped at him, then noticed the Keren Standard Issue that was just barely visible. “Kelinin gave it to me, I guess…” he whispered. “I didn’t even notice.”
“Have a peaceful Christmas,” Kiril said stepping off the train.
“You too!”
That didn’t seem to be likely, Kiril thought. Whatever HQ wants with me is probably going to make my celebration of the holidays either impossible or difficult. After all, no one would expect an attack just before or during Christmas. It wasn’t right, but Kiril had heard rumours that the Interior Commander didn’t care about such things as holidays. That was the problem with people knowing what you were capable of, they tended to come back, either to ask awkward questions or call in favours in return for something you barely remembered. Kiril’s eyes ached from lack of sleep, but after he resumed wearing his gloves, rubbing them was annoying and somewhat pointless. Snow was still falling, but in a desultory manner now, as though not sure if it was worth the effort. The light from the street lamps was just enough to see by, but he found his way to where he was going without incidence- without much, anyway.
The directions that he had been given gave him even more cause for thought, as they ended in front of a bombed-out building. He stared at it for a moment, then decided the damage was old enough that it had not happened during the trip southwards, and entered from the front door. Originally it had been a fair-sized older stone house and- his further thoughts on the house were rudely interrupted when he nearly walked into a gun that was pointed at him.
“Looting?” the soldier asked, frowning.
Carried away by his thoughts, Kiril had not noticed him, but the fact that he was very well camouflaged made him feel slightly better. “No,” Kiril answered.
“Get out of here,” the soldier said.
“I think you ought to see these first,” Kiril said, taking out his directions slowly as the gun trained on him was held very steadily and the soldier seemed to be annoyed about something. His expression abruptly changed when he saw the directions.
“Oh,” he muttered, sounding surprised. “I’m- sorry,” he said quickly. “Down the hall, last door,” he said, indicating the direction Kiril was to take.
Cautiously he walked down the hall and took the directed last door. It led to an old-styled stone kitchen, in which two soldiers sat, one cleaning his weapon on the wooden table, and the other eating dinner- though as Kiril entered, he put down his fork and picked up a handgun that had been lying on the table.

In the beginning

This is my writing blog. Hopefully (haha!) I'll have St. Michael by the Gate finished by the end of the month. After I write a paper, catch up on my reading, in short, it's so not happening!! Gaahh!

“Is he truly dangerous?” my foster-sister Evgeniya asked, jarring me out of my dark study and reminding me of my guests, awaiting my conclusion.
“Surely the Madu can restrain him if he acts foolishly,” my cousin Mikhail said, smiling bitterly. “After all, doesn’t the power really lie with them, as they so love to remind us?”
“His arrogance will turn popular opinion against him and us, and annoy our allies,” I explained, drumming my fingers on the windowsill for a moment. “Our enemies will say we are all like him, and in a fit of pique he might take on a larger opponent than our country can handle- and I believe the Madu would let him.”
“But why?” Evgeniya was horrified.
“Cousin, I beg you, use the brain God has gifted you with,” Yana said sharply. “If Ivan leads us into war and fails, the Madu will say they are forced to take the rule of the country directly into hand. Without consulting you in the slightest of matters. They will lock us up and kill us- maybe they’ll spare little Vasya, if they feel they must have a continuation of the line. The rest of us… we can die in any number of convenient ways.”
I saw Evgeniya twisting her little lace handkerchief, small motions but I noticed them. Yana was being a little too harsh, perhaps. But even at a mere fourteen, Evgeniya should have been able to understand such things.
“Evgeniya,” I said gently, “he has been unkind to you, hasn’t he?”
She said nothing for a long moment, then- “What are you going to do?”
“What is best for our country,” Yana said. Of all of them, she was most firmly on my side, I thought.
“Will you…kill him?”
“If he cannot see the error of his ways, we may be forced to. That is a last resort though,” Yana added, seeing the look on Evgeniya’s face.
Evgeniya stood. “I don’t think I want to hear any more of this, ’Kari,” she smiled wanly at me. “I will not betray you, but perhaps it is better if I don’t know anything?”
Yana frowned thoughtfully, surprised at this sudden maturity. “Yes,” she said after a moment. “I think it’s best.”
Evgeniya walked to the door and began to turn the handle.
“Niya,” Yana said quietly. “Has he hurt you, or Vasya?”
Evgeniya froze, shoulders trembling slightly. Mikhail and I looked helplessly at each other. I took a hesitant step towards her, but then Yana walked over to her and took her hands from the door, turning her slightly so they were face to face. Then she knelt and brought Evgeniya’s hands to her forehead “Princess Evgeniya Alexandrova Areshenko, it is my honour to serve you. If ever you should have need of me, day or night, one of my men will be on-duty and able to help. You may trust him with your life and that of Prince Vasily’s. Truly, Princess, we are all yours to command."
“I do not deserve such loyalty,” Evgeniya said quietly. “I am a foolish young girl.”
“Young, yes, thoughtless at times, yes, but no fool, Princess,” Yana said, almost affectionately. “Your Guard ever stands ready at your command.”
I smiled at this. Despite everything, despite the anger that Yana held close, she knew Evgeniya very well.
“Then let this be my first command,” Evgeniya said. “Guard Vasily Alexandrov above all. If Ivan does anything foolish, take him somewhere safe.”
“It shall be so,” Yana said. Evgeniya held her hands tightly for a moment, then let go and left. “What was that about?” Mikhail asked, a few moments later. “I thought you were going to repeat your oath of allegiance.”
“I would have, if it would have brought her any comfort,” Yana said, standing. “She is so lonely, and she is so young. I forget that too easily, I’ve grown up much faster and I have a few years on her.” She sighed. “So what will we do tonight at the ball?”
“Try to keep that Ivan from making more enemies than we can take,” Mikhail suggested.
“When do we take him out of power?” Yana asked. “And how?”
“As soon as we must,” I said firmly. “No sooner than we have to. And it must be done quietly.” “That will be difficult, but I prefer it to risking many lives in open war,” Yana said. “Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I must leave you.”
“What for, Yana? We’re just about to start the real planning,” Mikhail protested.
Yana laughed. “To dress for the ball of course! You know nothing about women, Mikhail.” “Aren’t you wearing your dress-uniform?” Mikhail frowned.
“You prove you know nothing about women,” I smiled. “Yana- Lieutenant-Commander Torvalesko, I should say, has one hundred and twelve things to see about before the ball, am I right?”
“As always, sir,” she smiled and left.
Mikhail was silent for a little while and then spoke. “Makari?”
“What?”
“Why are we doing this?”
“To save lives,” I answered shortly.
“It doesn’t hurt that you hate Ivan and he exiled the girl you love more than you love your life.” “That’s true but irrelevant,” I snapped.
“Now, to the business at hand…”
****
I looked for Yana first of all. I saw here standing in a far corner, a pretty picture in her becoming dark blue uniform. She had piled her red hair atop her head by means of the standard pins, with the blue, gold, white and black pin-tips, the national colours, and they sparkled so brightly I wondered if they were standard. She gave me a nod, but no more. No more was appropriate here and now. Next I looked for Vasya, and spotted him being chased around a food-laden table by his tutor who narrowly avoided collision with a naval commander and his lady. I could not help but smile and wonder if Dimitri was overplaying his role, just slightly, then decided he was not. It was indeed fortunate that he had previously been stationed abroad, Ivan didn’t know who he was, and Dimitri’s remarkable facility for languages and total loyalty to me made him an extremely convincing and able tutor.
Vasya ran towards me, hands full of pastries. “Hullo Makari!” he grinned from ear to ear. “Pastries?”
I selected the least squished pastry I could find. “Thank you, Vasya. You know you really shouldn’t be tearing around like this.”
“But it’s fun!” Vasya protested. “Lots more fun than just sitting with Evgeniya and stupid old Ivan!”
“I don’t think it’s very fair to leave Evgeniya by herself with Ivan,” I commented.
Vasya shrugged with the vast unconcern of the very young. “She’s got a lady-in-waiting with her- and I was really hungry.”
I saw Dimitri approaching from behind and smiled.
“What?” Vasya wanted to know, then started as Dimitri caught hold of him. “Oh, you again,” he muttered.
“I’m so sorry, Your Grace,” Dimitri said, as he firmly took hold of Vasya’s arm. “Come now, Prince Vasily, your sister wants you.”
Vasya sighed. “I’d rather do schoolwork.”
“That can be arranged,” Dimitri smiled, and off they went, leaving me alone again, to wonder and worry where Mikhail was and why he was late. Then I noticed that Evgeniya was staring hard at me. I frowned. Why… I then noticed that Ivan was signalling me to come over. I did so. “My lord,” I sketched a half-bow to Ivan. “Evgeniya,” I kissed her hand. “You look lovely as always.” She blushed prettily for a moment, then resumed looking worried.
“We were just talking about you, Makari, my friend,” Ivan smiled.
I hoped I didn’t look nearly as worried as I felt. Why was Ivan being so polite? Normally he had no qualms whatsoever about being as rude as possible to me. “I am honoured,” I said carefully. “Yes, I’m sure you must have heard by now that General Reikida, God rest his soul, has passed,” Ivan said, looking suitably downcast for a brief moment. “Well, I can’t have an army that lacks a general, and while Colonel Traedis assures me he is quite capable, his son beat me in a tennis match last year. So, I thought that by now you must be eager to get back into military life again- you’ve been out how long now? Six months?”
“Three,” I corrected. “The doctor tells me I should still be on light duty for some time.”
“Ah, but a man like you?” Ivan smiled positively evilly now. “I’ve seen you pacing the grounds in the afternoon, and pretending to read peacefully in the library, but you’re as anxious as an old warhorse to get back into the thick of it! It will be light physical duty, no one expects you to lead your troops at the front!”
“I…” I had a sickening suspicion that I had little control over what would happen next. My right leg began to ache unmercifully again, nearly as bad as it did two months ago. Ivan watched me, he read the signs correctly. I suspected I looked a trifle pale and sick and I certainly felt it.
“I even had HQ rush your paperwork for you,” Ivan said. “There are some nice benefits to my job. Your orders should be here in two days time. Until then, start picking out your staff and packing!”
“When will you declare war?” I asked. I felt cold, but the temperature of the great hall had nothing to do with it.
“War?” Ivan contrived to look genuinely surprised. “Who said anything about war?”
“I thought you were going to stand down the Fifth Army, you wouldn’t need to replace General Reikida so soon if you were.”
“You’re not afraid, are you, Makari?” Ivan’s eyes glinted with anticipation as he studied my face. “No, just curious,” I said as lightly as I could. “By your leave, lord, Evgeniya,” I bowed to each in turn.
“Wait!” Evgeniya called as I was ready to leave. I turned. She quickly looked down, avoiding my eyes. “Please stay,” she said quietly. “Please, Makari, we have to celebrate your promotion… and give you a proper send off… and I wanted to talk to you about the book you lent me.”
I hadn’t lent her a book in a week or so, but I did stay, talking about nothing in particular. My leg still hurt and I wanted more than anything else to sit down, but I stayed and watched and waited for Mikhail to show up. He never did and I was glad when it was all finally over and Evgeniya let me leave. I had work to do.

Once I reached the relative safety of my room, I pulled the correct book on the bookshelf and it opened outwards. I lit the candle I kept on the inside of the passageway and taking it began walking, past the exits that would lead to the chapel, to King Alexander’s room, and to the library. My destination was still further, the panel that was covered by an icon of St. Mikhail, in Vasily’s nursery. I tapped twice, alerting Dimitri if he was there: it was best not to surprise him. When no one opened the panel from the outside, I opened it. The nursery was dark and quiet. I tapped on the bedroom door.
Dimitri opened it, relaxing as he saw it was me. “What is it, sir?” he asked, holstering the wicked-looking foreign pistol he swore by.
“It’s time,” I said quietly.
“I heard a rumour,” Dimitri admitted, opening the door and allowing me in. He then opened the prince’s closet and took out a travelling satchel. “What exactly is happening, sir, or is that need-to-know?” He began packing the prince’s clothes, rolling them neatly.
“It’s need to know, and you do,” I said. “Ivan’s made part of his move, he wants me out of his hair, he knows or suspects what I’m planning and he’s reinforcing the Fifth Army.”
Dimitri whistled between his teeth. “Not good,” he muttered.
“Worse, Mikhail didn’t show up at all. I wonder what happened to him?”
“I hardly think Ivan could have rubbed him out without some rumour of it flying around,” Dimitri said, trying to be encouraging, I thought.
“I hope so…”
Dimitri bent over Vasily and shook him. “Time to get up.”
Vasily woke up slowly. “But it’s still dark out,” he complained.
“Where do you want us to go?” Dimitri asked me, then turned his attention to Vasily. “Yes, Vasily, it’s still dark, well observed. Here, put these clothes on.”
“I want you to stay in the country, high country where they can’t get to you quickly if something goes wrong at our end. We’re going to try to take Ivan out quietly but if we fail, there will probably be hell to pay. If you get positive confirmation that we’ve failed, flee the country, take Vasily somewhere safe, and bring him up properly.”
“I know where I’ll go,” Dimitri began. “There are some good places to hide in the high country, some of my friends…”
“No,” I interrupted quickly. “Don’t tell me anything,” I said. “The less I know, the better.”
Dimitri blinked. “You really think….it’ll come to that?” For a brief moment, he almost seemed afraid.
He deserved an honest answer. I sighed. “I don’t know.”
Dimitri clenched his fists. “Yana should never have involved herself in this. If she doesn’t get out-”
“Dimitri, I have every reason to believe we’ll succeed- but if we don’t, I swear I’ll do everything in my power to make sure that blame falls squarely where it deserves to, on me, not Yana, or Evgeniya, or Mikhail. Besides, she wouldn’t be the woman you loved if she didn’t do things like this, would she?”
A brief smile lit Dimitri’s face. “She never suffered idiots lightly, never. And she never could stand bullies.”
A sudden realization hit me. “You haven’t talked to her, have you?”
“It wouldn’t have been in character,” Dimitri said matter-of-factly. “I saw her at the ball though, and that was very nearly enough.”
I stared at him for a long moment. “Go to her.”
“What?!”
“You heard me!” I snapped. “Go to her! Make your goodbyes and make them quickly, I’ll stay with Vasily until you return, but hurry!”
“I’m not a baby,” Vasily protested. “You don’t have to watch me-”
“Vasily, be quite!” I snapped. “Please go,” I said.
Dimitri nodded slowly. “All right. I’ll be back in a half-hour or less, I promise. Behave yourself, Vasily!” he ordered and was gone.
Vasily started rebuttoning his shirt, he’d missed a button the first time. “What’s going on?” he asked.
“We’re going to put Ivan out of harm’s way,” I said.
“Can I go back to sleep until Dimitri comes back?” Vasily asked.
I nodded. “Get a few more minutes of sleep in a real bed. It’ll be like a camping trip,” I said. “Sleeping under the stars, that sort of thing.”
“Bugs, cold weather, stupid horses…” Vasily chimed in.
“Has anyone told you what a bright ray of sunshine you are?”
“Not recently.” Vasily mumbled and was asleep.

Dimitri was later than a half-hour, but not by much. His face was flushed and he was grinning foolishly.
“Had a nice time?” I asked.
“She kissed me,” he announced, slightly breathless.
“That’s nice,” I said, shaking Vasily awake.
“Ow- Makari, that hurts!” Vasily protested and was quickly awake.
“She also told you that if you got hurt, she’d kill you, right?” I asked quietly, though I thought I knew the answer.
“Close enough,” Dimitri admitted. “Come on, Vasily, let’s get going. Makari…thank you.”
“Don’t thank me too soon,” I said wryly. “Good luck.” They left through the secret passage, I remained for a little while, my leg was aching badly again. I stared up at the familiar ceiling. It had been my room before Vasily was born. I remembered the day I moved all my things out of it as clearly as though it was yesterday. Evgeniya still had her old room though, and would until King Alexander died, abdicated in favour of Evgeniya or Ivan, or married Evgeniya off, to Ivan or a more powerful man. Evgeniya… I didn’t love her as anything other than a sister, but that was all that I needed to know that Evgeniya and Ivan would be horribly mismatched and unhappy. Well, Evgeniya would be horribly unhappy. If Ivan wanted to, he could easily be married to her, receive all the power he wished for as her consort, ruling in her name, and be ‘with’ any woman he wanted to. Evgeniya didn’t really interest him I sensed, and I was grateful for that. He hurt her by his very existence, but he would not hurt her in other ways, thankfully. Somehow, despite everything, I found myself almost drifting off to sleep. I dug my nails into my palms and made myself sit up. I didn’t remember lying down. What was I thinking- at this critical moment?! Suddenly filled with a nameless dread, I thought I had best check and see that Dimitri and Vasily got away safely. Why didn’t I think of assigning them an escort? You did think of that, my inner NCO reminded me. But it would draw too much attention to them, wouldn’t it? But I should have gone with them!