Katarina POV
I can't remember a time when I haven't been running. All my life I have been running either away from of to someone or something. When I was younger, I think I was about five, I would always run to my father. I used to call him "papa" but not since the first time he beat me when I was eight. I think that was when the first part of my soul died and I can't remember ever loving him again.
** Flashback **
"Papa! Papa! Wake up! Wake up!" I shouted shrilly as I ran into Mama and Papa's bedroom. Laughing, I leapt onto their bed and started pawing at them in and effort to wake them up. Sleep wasn't important at a time like this, presents were!
"Katarina, go back to bed," Papa groaned as he rolled over. "I know it's your birthday but presents have to wait," Papa mumbled something else into his pillow but his voice was to muffled for me to hear.
I pouted and opened by chocolate brown eyes wider giving the world my best puppy face, just like Fido does, "Papa can we pretty please open my presents now?"
Grumbling, Papa yawns and slowly gets out of bed. Mama mimics his actions as she too awakens. Giggling and grinning like a goose, I race downstairs alternating between running and skipping. Tiredly Mama and Papa follow. As I reach the bottom of the stairs, Fido, runs up to me and pushes me to the ground, covering me in slobbery doggy kisses. I laugh and wriggle underneath his big fluffy body as I try and push him off. Suddenly his weight is lifted off me as Papa drags Fido away from me hitting him ferociously. I whimper slightly as his yelps of pain fill the room and my tears trickle slowly down my face, "Papa?" I question slowly, "Papa stop!" I watch in shock as slowly Fido stops moving. Sobbing I sit on the floor uncertain of where to run as I watched my father turn into a monster.
"Stop that disgusting crying Katarina!" Papa screamed at me before turning to grab a bottle of whiskey from the shelf. Terrified, I sniffle and struggle to stifle my sobs. Mama begins to walk over to me and as she takes me in her arms, Papa looks at her with hatred. "Put the child down at once Evdokiya!" slowly Mama puts me back on the floor and steps cautiously towards Papa.
"Andon, I was just going to take her to her room," Mama gently tries to pacify Papa.
"No! Katarina will stay here and you will go back upstairs, get ready for the day and remain there until I have need of you," I watched terrified as Mama gave me one last comforting glance before walking slowly up the stairs. When Papa heard the door close he turned to me with a malicious gleam in his eye and the whiskey bottle nearly empty in his hand. "It's time to teach you some manners Katarina, no husband will want to marry you if you continue to act like such a child," Papa began to walk slowly towards me. I whimpered and pushed myself up against the wall struggling to see him through tear filled eyes. Papa stops when he is about two metres away from me, "come here Katarina."
A/N: This is my first fanfiction and I decided to start off small to see how everyone liked it :) After I've read a couple of reviews I'll update (I've already written the rest of the flashback + more) and then you get to read the rest of Katarina's story and about the many trials that have made her the cold, heartless pain in the butt we all know and love :D
Hope you enjoyed it,
M x