Sorry it took so long to update! I've had a rough past month. It hadn't helped that I struggled to write this chapter either. Enjoy reading and let me know what you think. Thank you!

A week passed and we had received no word from my father or Kazimir. Yevgeni and Vladimir have completed what Otets had set out for them before our parents had left for Cairo, so they were out having fun in the snow. Since Mama is home, I've been indoors relearning how to curtsy and recently started to learn the piano. They've also made me start helping care for Mikhail.

So, when Yevgeni declared his boredom and requested to visit St. Petersburg from our mother, I begged to go with. She had hesitated but eventually allowed it, so long as Yevgeni keeps a good eye on me. The best part about being out in the city is the fact that I have to wear casual clothing for my own safety.

The locals currently call the city Leningrad in respect to the death of Vladimir Lenin. Before that, it went by Petrograd. The Eighteenth Nome still calls it St. Petersburg, because most of the magicians that live here know it by that name.

At this point in time, nobility is massively frowned upon. There are high risks to flaunting it as well, so for our safety we wear closer to peasants. Women are working as well, which means I can be more relaxed when I walk the streets.

Joseph Stalin had recently made a speech discussing mistakes made by Lenin's leadership. More than a month ago, he had published his push towards more industry. It had also been decided recently to push collectivization, which is supposed to help with the grain shortage. It's been observed that the citizens are upset with these changes.

Yev asked Vlad if he was interested in coming with, which he wasn't and chose to be rather rude on the subject. "What is there to see? People starving?"

So we went out into the city. There are more glares than usual this time, and Yev brushes it off as the poor state of the city's morale. Most of them seem worse off than I last remember, and that was a few months ago when Otets had me accompany him. Yevgeni insists it's the same, but I've probably not noticed as much as I am now.

So why visit the city if it's in such a horrible state? We tire of the dvorets, spending most of our time inside makes it boring. Most visiting magicians compliment the palace, but it makes it difficult to relate since we are always around it. Thankfully we rarely have visitors, and when we do, they had been invited by our father.

Father is the third most powerful magician within the Per Ankh, making him an important figure amongst us. The Chief Lector will ask for his aid in big matters, matters that stay secret. So, when we have visitors, they are also important figures of the House of Life.

Chief Lector Iskandar had visited once last year. He's a kindly old man, but you could tell he was only there for an audience with Otets. Yevgeni and Vladimir hadn't seemed thrilled to see him. Kazimir had simply shown hospitality, but I couldn't tell if he was happy or not to see the man. For me, it was the first time I had encountered him, so I was overwhelmed to meet him finally.

I stopped in my tracks upon seeing a woman with two children a little younger than me. She had a small bag of food she is carrying while speaking reassuring words. Her left hand is heavily bandaged, and she looks exhausted.

Yev hadn't seemed annoyed when he noticed me watching them. "Famine is a terrible thing to stare at, printsessa."

"Mama and Radmila say it's the woman's job to care for the children." They seem smaller than they should be. "How is she to do that with a hurt hand?"

He clicks his tongue and lands his hand on my right shoulder. "Probably injured at work. I don't think her hand is her biggest concern, Vika."

Obviously not, but I doubt it helps any. "That ration is meant to last them the week. One of them will pass, but it'll be for the best for the family's survival."

My eyes widened, turning away from them to face my brother now. My throat tightens as I process his words now swimming in my head. A quick glance, and I know that the older child looks too twig-like. "They need help, Yev."

"They all do, but this is what they had wanted. We cannot interfere with what they've set in motion, sestra."

"We have food!" I protest.

Yev scowls and kneels to be at my eye level. His voice got much lower, and he's whispering as we notice another family walk past us. "They would rather kill us, Vika."

I pout as I process that. Our older brother's words stuck with me though, and I decided I wouldn't let Yevgeni keep me down. "We have to do something!"

I can see his annoyance creeping on his face. He doesn't want to, but he can already tell that I won't keep quiet about this either. Two minutes passed before he exhales deeply and stands straight. "I have an idea, but you'll have to follow my instructions."

He had an interesting plan. Yev was going to try his hand at manipulating the ration officers to get 'us' some food that we'll give later on to the family. I just needed to act sad through it all to make it more believable. Yev would claim that we are parentless and need food, an excuse to make up for not having the proper paperwork.

At first, the officer studied us, and I lower my head in fear that it might not work. Thankfully it had, and we were given the same sized bag of food as the family that we are going to help. Yevgeni was in a happier mood, thanking the officer for their kindness and we went on our way.

"I'm surprised that worked!" Yev whispered my way as he adjusted the bag against his left shoulder.

I smile up at him. "Of course, it worked, you've studied long enough!"

We had gone silent as we passed a man who seemed in a hurry. A nudge to my left arm before Yevgeni lowered himself a bit to get closer to my ear. "I don't think it would have worked without you there, sestra."

My heart soared a little to the compliment. Yev rarely gives them, so it meant a lot to hear it from him. "Thank you."

We found the woman and her children, they hadn't gone very far from where we had first seen them. We both decided to wait until they got to their home and then knock on their door. There would be too many eyes on us if we decided to give them the food now, which Yevgeni claimed to be dangerous.

It was late afternoon by the time they had approached a building that looked like it hadn't been loved in years. Yev told me to wait a few more minutes, peering around to take in the faces around us. No officers seemed to be around, just more residents hurrying to get things done for the day.

Yevgeni tugged on my left arm before leading the way to their home. I kept his pace and waited after he had knocked on their door. It had been a minute before the wood creaked in reply.

The woman seemed startled to see us, quickly closing the door behind her so her children couldn't see. "Can I help you?"

Yev frowned for a second before replying. "Yes, can we come in first? Vika is a bit cold."

She took a moment of taking me in before welcoming us into their home. I hadn't honestly noticed until we had stepped inside that I was in fact cold. Yevgeni thanked her before handing the rations over. She seemed properly confused by this, so Yev just placed it on the small wooden table as her two children stared in confusion at us.

"Your sister is cold, we don't need your food as payment for staying here for a while," she finally managed to speak.

Yevgeni laughed nervously, so I decided to speak up in his place. "We got the food for you."

The children seemed happy about it, but their mother was still speechless as her eyes stayed on me. I decided to tell her about how I felt when I saw her earlier and that I wanted us to help them. I hadn't told them about Yev tricking the ration officer, or the fact that we are not 'proper' citizens.

She looked like she could cry now, and she hugged both of us. She thanked us repeatedly but told us to keep the food for ourselves, which we had both refused to do. Eventually she caved, and welcomed us to visit at any time, or even ask for her help for anything in the future.

We traded names, but only our firsts because Menshikov is a blatant noble name these days. Her name is Ludmila. The oldest son is Bogdan and the youngest is Pavel.

When we left her home, Yevgeni had waited about a block before laughing. I stared at him for a reason, which he gave rather easily. "I was mad that you would even think about helping them. I only intended to visit a park and head back home, not make friends of one of the citizens of St. Petersburg."

I tell him that I'm sorry I ruined his plans, but he abruptly stopped me before I could finish. "What we did today is much better than what I had in mind, printsessa. Never apologize for it."

His words put me in a better mood. I could now see that Yev is much happier than he had been earlier today as well. I wonder if telling Mama will allow her to let me go out more often than not. Yevgeni agreed that it was worth a try, though mentioned that she could very easily be angered by it.

We stopped in front of the mansion upon seeing Mama and Vladimir welcoming Otets home. Except Vlad seemed frozen, and Mama had abruptly landed a fist on our father's chest. The first strike was followed by more until he had her wrists in his hands, talking softly to her as if to calm her down.

She escaped his grip by backing up, tears on her face as she screams before storming back into the palace. Otets mutters something under his breath as he looks around and stops to seeing us. Vlad had taken this opportunity to run back inside, seeming upset as well.

I'm very confused as to what is happening. Yev clears his throat before welcoming him home. "Where's Kazimir?"

Our father hesitates, but he starts off by telling us of an Egyptian magician who wields a khopesh. He ranks seventh in power within the Per Ankh, and he's an upstart who will do anything for the Chief Lector's attention. No name had been given, and Yev and I know better than to ask for more details from Otets.

He told us that the mission that they had left for had been given to him by Iskandar himself, with the intention of having Kazimir accompany. Somehow, this man heard about this mission and had shown up as well with his group.

Otets stops from going any further into it, kneeling to be at my eye level. "Kazimir is gone."

I notice my brother freeze up just as Vlad had been. "When will he come home?" I ask, but I'm starting to worry that I won't see him again.

A tear escapes my father's left eye as he takes a few seconds before answering. "Kazimir died as an honorable Menshikov in duty to his Chief Lector."

I could feel my throat close up as the rest of my father's words went muffled. My oldest brother is dead? How? He was amazing with his studies, Otets was proud of it.

Yev had brushed past him to go inside, not wanting to say another word. Otets is holding my hands in his, and I realize this is the first time I've seen him cry. "Deep breaths, Vika."

"He's not dead!" I somehow manage words despite how painful it was to push them out. "Kaz is a great magician! He's going to make you proud, Otets!"

He closes his eyes, taking a breath. "I'm very proud of Kaz, Vika. Do not ever doubt that."

The tears are pooling in my eyes, and he goes to wipe them away. "If you were there, you would be proud of your oldest brother too."

I seemed to understand why everyone had left. I wanted to run far away from this. I want my brother back. I curled up into a ball on my bed after slamming the door to my bedroom. I cried, calling for Kaz to come back.

When my door opened, I realized I wasn't sure how much time I had spent in here. Otets had entered, and I turned away from seeing him further as I silently cried now. The fog of my thoughts cleared somewhat to the familiar tune of the music box, the door closing shortly after.

I turn over and watch the ballerina dance to the music again, new moves as she seems to like to change it. I sniffle as I could easily remember how happy I was to see it, Kazimir beaming to my joy. I was never going to see that smile again.