The air moaned and hissed as tiny delicate diamonds fell from the heavens. Frozen sunflowers bowed down and kissed the cold hard ground, begging for mercy before they succumbed to the Russian winter. Ivan just sipped his tea and sighed heavily. Then, he smashed his cup and tea began to stain the white snow brown. "I've had it with these harsh winters killing my beautiful sunflowers." He cried. The winter air seemed to hear him and replied with a large gust of frozen wind. He cursed under his breath as he walked inside to phone his friend in England.
"Hello Alice?" he said. "No, this is her brother Arthur…..State your name, location and intention please….." The British man replied. "Ummm….Ivan, Russia and I wish to talk to your sister." Ivan answered. "Well then Ivan, call back let's say around NEV-oof" Arthur was interrupted mid-sentence. "I told you to stop answering my phone when I'm in the loo. Now go away before I send my wolfhounds after you…Sorry about that Ivan..." Alice cooed. "Oh is no problem Comrade…he's just being a brother, da?" he laughed. "Yeah, you're lucky to have sisters like Natalya and Yekaterina" she said. Ivan responded with a chuckle "Anyway, I have a request for you, da?" "Sure anything for my dear friend Ivan" said Alice. "I was wondering if I could come and stay with you for the winter…." "Sure, when are you planning on leaving for the UK?" "Oh…um…now…"
When Ivan finally reached the London International Airport he felt something pierce him like a knife. People were staring at him and they had good reason to. He was wearing long brown pants, boots, a long coat and a pinkish tan scarf. "Mommy, doesn't he know it's warm outside?" whispered a little boy. Ivan felt out of place until he saw a familiar face with raven black hair. "Hello Ivan, and welcome to England." Alice said with a Cheshire cat like smile. "Oh privyet Alice, thank you for letting me stay at your home." He said. "Oh it's no problem at all. Now let's go back to my house and get you settled in." She beamed. As they got into Alice's car Ivan felt dizzy and then blackout.
{Inside Ivan's head} Gunfire erased the orders given by an unknown voice. Blood stains the basement floor. Someone screams and the sound of gunshots ring through the air. Ivan looks on in horror, his body covered with the blood of the Romanovs. He spies her body spattered with blood. He picks her up and a tear leaves his lavender eyes. "Anastasia...my beautiful Anastasia...she is gone...forever. ..." Ivan cried into her limp body...into the darkness. The wind called his name. Ivan….Ivan…Ivan…..
"Ivan…Ivan? Oh thank goodness you're alright. What happened?" Alice said. "Where-where am I?" Ivan asked "You're in Hospital Mr. Braginski and I'm Doctor Cohen." Said the doctor as he stuck out his hand. Ivan just stared at it. "Well then, here are some pills to help with the headaches and nausea and give me a call if you have any questions or concerns. Good day to you all." said the doctor before he left the room. Ivan started get up from the hospital bed. "No, Ivan let me get you a wheelchair." Alice insisted. "That won't be necessary Alice. I've been in situations much worse and managed to get around just fine." Ivan said. Alice sighed a sigh of defeat, "Alright. Let's go."
That night, Ivan tossed and turned. He remembered the dream he had when he was unconscious. It wasn't a dream but a childhood memory. (Ivan appears to be innocent and sweet, but is mentally cracked from the strain of his bloody history. He may seem intimidating but he means well.) "My physical wounds may have healed, but my psychological wounds are there." He sighed. Ivan then closed his eyes and thought of sunflowers.
The wind rustled through the trees. Sunflowers glow brighter than the sun while their intoxicating scent fills the air. This was Ivan's happy place. He lies down in the middle of the field and stares up at the clouds. "Hmm, that cloud looks like a rabbit." Ivan said "Ooh and that one looks like faucet, but that one looks like…her." Ivan's eyes widened for the cloud looked like someone he used to know. "Viktoriya, I-I'm so sorry." He said as tears blinded him "I'm so sorry my sunflower."
Then he woke up, his heart was heavy and sad. He dragged himself to the kitchen where Alice was making breakfast. Unlike her brother Arthur, Alice was a phenomenal cook and she was making Ivan's favorite...sunflower seed pancakes with bacon, eggs, and coffee with vodka in it. "Oh, good morning Ivan," Alice chirped "I hope you're hungry, I made your favorite." "Da, I slept fine…" He didn't tell her about his dream, he didn't want her worrying. "So, Ivan what kind of dream did you have?" asked Arthur. Ivan went silent and sighed. "I had a dream about Viktoriya…" Ivan said as tears started to flow "I loved her and still do but I had let her go." Ivan began to cry into his scarf. "Oh, sweetheart….where is she now?" murmured Alice. "She belongs to Alfred but she is living near Matvey's place." He said. "Ivan, get your coat we're going to Alfred's house." Alice replied. Ivan started choking on his coffee.
Alice pushed the doorbell and it chimed My Country Tis of Thee. "They stole that from us you know." groaned Arthur "Yeah, yeah, I know just get over it." Alice said. Then, the door opened and a blue eyed man with half-moon glassed and dirty blonde hair stood there with a huge smile on his face "Hey, sup Alice, Iggy and IVAN!?" his cheerful tone quickly turned to anger. "DO YOU HAVE A PAIR ON YOU OR WHAT? SHOWING YOUR UGLY ASS FACE AROUND HERE, IVAN!" Alfred yelled. "I'm just here to see Viktoriya that's all." Ivan said quietly. "Uh huh, likely story you Communist son of a bitch." "That was years ago, you bastard ." Alfred and Ivan started to argue while Alice rolled her eyes and Arthur laughed. Then a second man, looking like Alfred but with violet eyes and a stray curl stepped outside. "H-hey, uh guys," he said quietly "please stop fighting uh…" but they continued to argue. "AH, STOP FIGHTING!...p-please." he yelled. "Matthew, go inside the house." Alfred commanded "Da, Matvey go inside my fight isn't with you." Ivan growled. Just as Matthew started to whimper a beautiful woman with violet eyes and waist length brown hair stood beside Matthew and cleared her throat.
"V-Viktoriya? Is it really you?" Ivan whispered in disbelief. "Da Ivan, it's me, tell me what brings you here." She said coldly. "I'm here to see you, I love you." Ivan said about ready to cry. *"You say you love me and yet you gave me away. That doesn't sound like love to me Ivan." "Viktoriya I'm sorry but I was at war and I didn't want you to get hurt." Ivan said. "Y-you were protecting me?" she said astonished "Da. So what do you say? Become one with me again?" Ivan said, with his arm extended "Ivan I can't do that I belong to Alfred now." she cried "What have you done to my sunflower!?" Ivan grabbed Alfred by the collar and was about ready to punch him. "M-maple….l-leaf" Matthew cried. "Ivan stop he didn't do anything to me." "You mean this is your choice? Why?" "He took care of me and now I'm apart of him." Viktoriya explained. "Alright…Alfred?" Ivan said as he let go of his collar. "Y-yes, Ivan?" Alfred whimpered "Take care of my sunflower, hurt her and I will not hesitate to kill you, da?" Ivan said "O-ok I-I promise." said Alfred "Good now let's go inside it's starting to get chilly." when they walked into the house they saw Miguel sitting on the couch. "Ey guys wassup? Oh Mattie by the way you're out of tequila." he said. "Oh privyet Cuba, I haven't seen you since…1962…. " said Russia.
