If the world truly is a good place, why must those you love be the most frozen?

It had been three weeks before Ivan returned home. And by returned, he slammed open the door with a terrifying look on his face and proceeded to take a piece of half-cooked meat out of Katyusha's soup, and tear it to shreds with his teeth.

Was Natalya happy her brother was back? Well, no, not exactly. Yes, she was glad he was still alive and that she no longer had to save Katyusha from the cattle that a neighbor owned, but honestly, her brother was just a little much sometimes.

"Natalya, would you please listen to me?" Ah, yes, she was supposed to be paying attention. Her brother had gathered them together, meaning Katyusha was no longer making soup and Natalya was inside from cutting wood and were both sitting on the makeshift chairs that they had. Ivan was holding a small book that he had pulled out from underneath one of the benches. He still had bits of meat on his face and his eyes had a strange creepy light to them. His eyelashes had snow stuck to them, rapidly melting in the heat of the little hut.

"Thank you, as I was saying. I found a new place that I need to explore to prove that the treasure is, in fact, real," He said, sitting up straighter,"-and I want you two to come with me!" There was maybe a second or two of silence in that hut before Katyusha choked on her cup of water and had to get up to go cough by the window. Natalya's eyebrows flew upwards and the wind outside blew a little harder.

"W-cough cough- WHAT?" Katyusha finally managed to get out, now using the window frame as a support while she coughed. Ivan turned to look at his elder sister confused.

"What do you mean what? I meant what I said, you two should come with me!"

"Ivan, I think you need to stop," Natalya said in a small voice. Katyusha, who had stopped coughing by now and made her way over to the table.

"Brother, please. Think about what you just said for a moment. You want me and Natalya to come with you in the middle of winter to the wilderness to prove, and I quote 'to prove that the treasure is, in fact, real'" Katyusha said slowly, lowering herself into a chair and staring at Ivan through disbelieving eyes.

"Yes?"

Natalya facepalmed and stood up and almost tripped. No longer wearing long dresses, she and her sister had grown accustomed to the durable, warm pants that everyone up north wore, although she looked much skinnier and pale in them. Ivan thought she looked like their mother before she passed. Standing up straight, Natalya proceeded to say something along the lines of 'Ivan I don't believe you are thinking this through at all' before leaving and walking to her little section of a room.

Ivan sighed. So Natalya and Katyusha weren't as excited as him about this discovery. He honestly thought it would make his little sister at least smile!

Katyusha put a hand on his coat before retracting it because it was wet but said regardless, "Ivan, I've already told you this. Me and Natalya, we are not accustomed to this weather. We barely manage in this house, how do you think we would manage in the woods?"

Ivan sighed and his chin in his hand. This again? Katyusha, hearing his sigh, hmphed and attempted to leave the room, but Ivan's arm stopped her.

"Wait, Kat-"

Katyusha turned back to face him, "What, Ivan? Are you coming up with a reason for us to stay?" When Ivan remained silent, Katyusha breathed out heavily and smiled sadly.

"Katyusha, please. I owe this to father and mother, I need to do this, just give me one more month-" but was cut off by Katyusha's insane-sounding angry-laughter. (Y'know, that kinda laughing that you do when you're being sarcastic?)

"Ivan, I gave you another month. I gave you years! If you can't find it in less than a week, I am going to drastic measures," Katyusha said, waving her arms around to represent the words spewing from her mouth, "And I will, Ivan. Don't test me again," a single finger poked the bridge of his nose as he stared at his older sister. Only three times had he seen his sister so upset, two of which had to do with a dead pet she had tried to keep while here. The other was when Ivan had first suggested they move up north.

He nodded and stood to face his sister. Although he was much taller, he still shrank underneath her glare. She motioned for him to leave and turned back to the stove, on top of which was the soup, long since forgotten.

Nodding to her, he left the cabin-hut home they had and once again went out to the snow.

.oOo.

Well, he was expecting this.

After leaving for another trip in the dead of night that would last about 3 days, Ivan came back with no new news. But he did come back to the mayor, and sheriff at his house. Walking in through the door, he was surprised, to say the least. The sheriff, a polite young man with glasses and a very serious expression, or at least, from what Ivan could tell. He never really talked to anyone in the village anyways, was standing next to Katyusha and stared point blank at Ivan once he entered. However, what drew his attention was the grim expression of the mayor. Or, mayor in part. The actual mayor, a slightly older Danish gentleman who was bedridden due to issues with his spouse, was not present. The man in the household was in his early twenties, maybe a bit older than Ivan, with brown hair and a kind expression. Although, his expression here was not kind.

Natalya was hiding in the corner behind her sister, looking scared, but not for herself, more for someone else. Katyusha's mouth was set in a straight line, with no emotion present on her face. There was a small trunk near the door, one that had been Ivan's when they first moved here.

The mayor in-acting stepped forward almost immediately after Ivan had glanced around the cottage once.

"Mr. Braginsky?" the mayor said, holding out his hand, which Ivan shook, "Why don't you have a seat. My name is Toris Laurinaitis. " aThey all took seats, save his older sister, whose face had now fallen into a scowl. The mayor did not attempt to make small talk but instead turned to the sheriff, who was now brandishing a rolled up scroll to Ivan.

Ivan took it and, glancing at the authorities, opened it. It was a letter saying:

Mr. Ivan Braginsky.

It is my humble duty, although I may to injured to rise from my bed, as mayor of this town to inform you, that you have been banned from this town forever. As asked by a certain Yekaterina Braginsky for not heeding warning signs of danger and repeating offenses set in place by the town. I.e. breaking in and stealing, returning and causing distress on multiple occasions and of course, murder.

This action takes place immediately, so you best hurry to leave before I set the dogs on you.

Signed, Matthias Køhler

(A/N)

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I AM SO SORRY

I meant to update and this has been sitting in my draft forever, but I was busy writing another story that me and my friends came up with that we are currently writing on Wattpad(hahaha i can't choose a website;-;) but then i thought! Oh! I should probably upload and then I remembered, wait this isn't done, so I had to finish it really fast and then i realized that they wouldn't meet until next chapter because spacing and I promise(but its gonna be broken) that i will update that in the next few days, once school calms down.

PLASE REVIAW THEY GIVE ME LIFE thank you!