Chapter 2

Katerina's eyes where fixed on the waiting horse outside in the courtyard that her room looked over. She knew it wouldn't be long now.

Kosta walked out of the stable with his few belongings hung over his shoulder. The realisation finally began to sink in for Katerina. This was the last time she would ever see her stable boy lover.

A surge of panic rose through Katerina and she dropped the cup she had been drinking from. The metal cup hit the floor with a clatter and the scarlet red wine spilled, staining the grey stone floor.

Every emotion that Katerina had put off feeling for the last few months rose to the surface and how she reacted was out of her hands. She acted purely on impulse.

'Kosta!' she screamed with all the might she could conjure. This was very unlike Katerina; she would never draw attention to such inappropriate behaviour.

He immediately turned towards her window with a surprised look fixed upon his face. Once Katerina was sure she had Kosta's attention, she bolted for the door.

Just as Katerina was about to reach for the door handle, she was beaten to it. 'What is all that noise in here?' Katerina's mother said as she opened the door.

Katerina's mother looked quite like Rosa. She had beautiful but aged features. She was a rather short woman unlike her two daughters who were both noticeably taller.

Katerina's urgency gave away her intentions to her mother who knew her all too well. 'Katerina don't!' she pleaded with a firm voice.

Katerina refused to back down. 'No Mama!' she pushed passed her and ran down the stone corridor to the winding stairs; barely taking notice of the uneven flooring. She raced out of the backdoor to the courtyard where Kosta stood with disbelief.

He wouldn't have thought Katerina would risk shaming herself now that a small crowd of passing travellers had been attracted to the scene by her screams.

She immediately rushed into his arms and he did not reject her. He also understood that they would never see each other again after that day.

Kosta soon figured Katerina's intention: to get him to stay. Her trying to take his bag of belongings from him gave her away.

'Katerina, I have to go..' he said though there was nothing he wanted to do less. Not now that they had fallen in love. He honestly didn't know what he would do without her. Tears began to well up in her eyes as the built up emotions took their toll.

'Please, please stay. For me! For, for your child!' She struggled to form words through the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks. She put her hand to her stomach as she mentioned their child.

Katerina's mother was standing in the door frame, watching them. She didn't make an attempt to break them up but she knew that Kosta would leave. It was inevitable.

'I am so sorry my love.' He whispered in her ear whilst running his fingers through her hair as he knew they were being watched. Trying to console her when it was he himself who needed to be consoled.

This would be the last time he could touch her, the last time he could kiss her and the last time he could breathe her sweet, intoxicating scent.

'It is better this way; we could never have been together.' He murmured.

'How is this better? How is any of this better? I have to be with you Kosta!' she pleaded as she sobbed, holding on to him like there was nothing else in the world.

He removed her from his embrace and put his hand on either side of her face. 'We will be together again my dear, I promise. I love you.' He said as he stared into her eyes pouring out his heart and soul to her. He placed chaste kisses on her cheeks and her forehead.

Katerina heard a booming laughter coming from inside the house and turned to the door where her mother stood.

'Papa' she whispered in fear, low enough for only her and Kosta to hear. She instantly became worried at the sound of his laughs.

She exchanged a glance with her mother whose face mirrored Katerina's. He approached Katerina's mother. 'Why are you standing here doing nothing?' He rudely asked. 'Ivan, no' she said as he turned to see Katarina in Kosta's arms.

Some simple boy had his hands all over his daughter.

'What are you doing! Are you whoring with him again?' he barked as he hastily walked towards them.

He gave Kosta a threatening glare as a sign for him to leave. Kosta placed one final kiss on Katerina's forehead and turned towards his horse reluctantly.

Katerina, understanding what was happening, refused to let him go. She fell to the floor and held on to his leg for dear life.

Katerina's father would not be shamed further; a small crowd of people were watching. 'Get off girl!' he roared as he struck the side of her face, forcing her off Kosta.

She cried out in pain, the pain from the blow and the pain from losing the man she loved. 'No!' Kosta shouted protectively as he bent down to help her.

'Don't.' Katerina's father said in a low, intimidating voice. Kosta looked at her once more and turned to mount the horse. He knew if he stayed it would only be worse for Katerina and their child.

She looked up to see the Kosta leaving with eyes red from crying.

'Are you mad stupid girl? Do you wish to shame us further?' he bellowed at Katerina. She refused to look at him and settled her vision on the ground.

He slapped her again, forcing her to look at him. She winced in pain. 'You are no daughter of mine. You are nothing more than whore and your child, nothing more than a bastard. I should have you thrown on the streets for this.' He left on that final word and walked towards the house.

Katerina remained there on the floor, nothing more than a worthless harlot. She struggled through her tears to face everything that had happened. It started to pour with rain but she did not even attempt to move.

After a few minutes Katerina's sister Violeta came to bring her inside knowing that she would stay out for hours if she did not.

'Katerina, come. You will fall ill if you stay out here!' she pleaded with her older sister. After many attempts of pulling her up, Violeta gave up her efforts.

Only her mother could comfort her. The lady braved the worsening rain and knelt beside her daughter, wrapping her arms around her. She let Katerina sob in her arms and shielded her from the rain, like a child.

'Come, my child' she said as she helped Katerina off the ground.

A.N.

Thank you for reading! Chapter 3 will be up soon and it will be a flashback scene. Please review if there is anything you would like to see in the story, I am very open to opinion. I am also working on a D/OC story which will be posted soon.

Jess x