A/N: Sorry for the late update; I spent a glorious two weeks in Cambodia! Also, no MattxIvan, but next week there will be :)
Side Story 3
"And they lived happily ever after."
Toris sighed and shut the book tiredly. Raivis was cuddled up with the stuffed cat Toris had bought him to replace the real one. He gave another sigh and a fond smile before glancing at Eduard. His brother was curled up on a chair with his laptop in his lap, quietly working on his school work. His typing paused and he slowly closed the computer cutting off the glow and leaving just the nightlight.
"He is far too old for that." Eduard said softly, casting a look at their youngest brother. Toris gave a shrug in reply. He knew that he babied Raivis, but they had such a hard life and moving to America had turned Raivis into a nervous wreck. "You're killing yourself working so much."
"It's okay."
Toris knew it wasn't really, but he said the lie anyway. He always said it. He knew they were barely scraping by. Toris was a licensed massage therapist and he did work on clients, but business was slow to build and there was a lot of competition in the area. So he held a full time job at the local department store in the Men's shoes section to pay the bills. Eduard worked as well, at a computer repair shop, but he had class. And even that had not been enough to save their apartment.
"That was a lovely story, Toris."
And so they moved in with Katerina.
Both Toris and Eduard had opposed the idea, although for different reasons. Toris simply couldn't imagine taking advantage of his friend and client that way. But in the end, there wasn't much choice. He just hoped her brother never found out. For his health and sanity.
"Thank you. I wish it were true. The happily ever after part."
Katerina gave him a simple smile and patted his shoulder comforting, "It will happen. We will get a happily ever after."
"Someday." Toris replied wistfully as he paused at the door to his room, "Good night."
"Good night Toris."
He shut the door and went to change into his night clothes. His room was small and impersonal. There were a few small personal items on the small night stand and on the dresser. Just a few pictures of his brothers, his old home, his friend Feliks, and newer pictures of Alfred and Katerina and Ivan and Alfred's brother. A few artifacts from his homeland. Everything else belonged to Katerina. He felt like he was invading her space (this room had been her office/book room). He had said he would share with his brothers, but she insisted on giving him the room, saying the guest room was too small for three people.
He barely changed and brushed his teeth before falling back with an exhausted sighed. Tomorrow would be another fourteen hour day. At least the day after was his day off from the department store and he could rest.
His head barely hit the pillow before he was asleep. He didn't notice the storm rolling in.
"…ris… Tor…wake…?"
Toris groggily tried to open his eyes. Blinking sluggishly, he tried to see who was calling him.
"Oh, I am so sorry! I woke Toris up." Katerina was peering around the door jam. Toris couldn't see her face very well until lightning flashed. He got a glimpse of big eyes and a puckered up mouth and he realized she was on the verge of tears. "I just thought… the storm might have woke Toris. I will go."
"No, s'kay," Toris mumbled, "C'mere."
She hesitantly crept in and jumped, squeaking sharply when another peal of thunder rumbled through the house. With a dive, she was suddenly in bed with him. The small twin bed groaned and bucked at the rough landing and Toris oofed as her chest and shoulders landed on his stomach. He could feel her shaking and shivering.
"Here…" Toris scooted against the wall and patted the open space in invitation. She willingly wiggled into the space and pressed her face against his chest when the apartment shook again. He tentatively put his hand on her back and made shushing noises.
Pretend she's Raivis, pretend she's Raivis.
Toris slowly relaxed, surprised Raivis didn't beat Katerina to his bed in the first place. Then again, maybe the kid was so tired he slept through it all.
"Toris, tell me a bedtime story, please?"
"What?"
"Please. The storm scares me!" Katerina whispered pleadingly, "A story will take me away."
"Well, once upon a time, there was a poor boy. His homeland was very beautiful but he had many neighbors that coveted it. There were the pious knights to the south, who wished to make the poor boy a Christian, he was a Pagan you see. The knights frequently raided and attacked the boy's homeland, led by their leader, who had wicked ruby red eyes. To the east, there was a big, brutal land. The land was big but still growing. The people of the land had a hard life and were lonely and snowbound. The boy's homeland shared a border with one neighbor and he had a good friend who lived there. These two lands had an alliance and shared in recent past history. There were many other neighbors, some from so far away that came on horseback, some who made daily life full of perils for the common folk.
The boy himself was poor but happy. He had two younger brothers and applied himself diligently as a medicines peddler. His family was not rich enough to apprentice him to a doctor, so he studied herbs and cures, those that he already knew, and those he learned from the local midwife. It was not a good living and he was frequently away from home.
On a return for an especially hard trip, he discovered his village on fire. Frantically, he ran home to find it empty, all the animals slaughtered and the small garden trampled. Since their house was on the outskirts of the village, the house was miraculously not burnt, but he turned to watch the other houses burn to cinders. Hours later, after he had cried and tried to repair his destroyed garden, he sat miserably. Slowly, people came out of the woods and trickled back into the village, lamenting their lost homes and loved ones.
'Where are my brothers?' the boy asked the old midwife she crept back fearfully. She shook her head, 'South. They were taken. Forget them boy, they are dead to you now.'
But the boy could not forget because they were his only family and he loved them dearly."
Katerina made a small noise of sympathy against Toris' chest. He could feel her tremors slowing down.
"So, although he was terrified, he packed up the rest of his stores and unburied the money he had hidden under the hearth in savings. Since the invaders had stolen his donkey, or so he supposed since it was gone, he loaded up a handcart and set off with few good-byes.
His journey was treacherous and soon enough he ran out of supplies and money. He sat on a bridge suspended above a river and stared down, thinking, if I jump and die it will be the same as now; but I will not be hungry or cold, and I will never find my brothers anyway. The more he thought, the more the river called to him, for he could not swim and the current was swift.
Just as he made to jump, a voice startled him. It was a local maid, who had come to the river to fetch water. She bid him to stop and asked his story. She was very sad for him, for she had a brother of her own who had go away to the neighbors of the east. Inviting him home, she fed and sheltered him for the night. The next morning he felt renewed and eager to continue. When he tried to give him thanks and leave he was very surprised to find she wished to go with him.
They traveled further south, noticing as the air became warmer, for they had traveled through the winter. One day the boy awoke with shivers. He knew, as a medicines peddler, that he was very ill, but they had no money for a doctor nor a doctor to visit.
'But I am a mid-wife's apprentice!' the girl cried when she saw he was sick, 'Tell me what to use and I will make you better.'
It was a harsh week for both. The boy was wracked with fevers, chills, sweats, and all manner of other ill feelings. The girl diligently made him medicines and forced him to drink plant broths, for they had no meats, which would have been better for his sick body. Slowly the fever left his body; he was weak but alive.
They were forced to stay at a local monastery, begging sanctity and care from the monks. The monks were very kind and informed them that they were close to their goal, and that all captured peoples were sold in the biggest city of the country. This city was merely a week's walk away.
The boy rejoiced, for it seemed the end of his journey was near. It did not occur to him how big the city might be or how he would buy his brothers' freedom with no money. However, he did realize that soon he would be parted from the girl, whom he had grown to love over their journey.
While most men would love her for her appearance, for she was well endowed and quite attractive, he loved her sweet temper and tender heart. He enjoyed her company and conversations and respected her devotion to her goals. He would be heartbroken to leave her."
Katerina was breathing deeply by now, her shivering had died away. Toris wasn't even sure she was still awake and wondered how he always ended up in such awkward situations. He most certainly could not sleep with her the whole night through, no matter how innocently, but he was trapped against the wall firmly. If he tried to get up and sleep on the couch, he would wake her up.
While he was considering, her voice mumbled, "So what does the boy do? Did he stay with his love?"
Taking a deep breath, Toris continued the story.
"But he could not tell her that he loved her. He knew she would want to return to her village and marry some handsome young man she had grown up with. He was a nobody with no riches and no land. He did not even have a home to offer her, for he was sure his old home had been taken when he left.
So he said nothing as they walked towards the city.
The monks were true to their word, for within the week they arrived at the biggest city they had ever seen. People, carts, animals, and children crowded the streets, packed together so tightly they could barely move. The city smelled of manure, sewage, cooking meat, and unwashed bodies. The sights and sounds were overwhelming, but the boy was determined to find his brothers.
After inquiring, they found where captives were sold.
The boy despaired. Now what?
As luck had it, the girl's brother, who had gone to the land to the east had become quite powerful. He spotted them and made a deal with the boy. If he would come live at the brother's house, then the brother would purchase the boy's siblings. The boy gratefully agreed and the sister was overjoyed.
Living in the land to the east was hard on the boy and his brothers, as well as the sister, who occasionally visited, for the brother was harsh and sometimes unfair. But the boy honored his agreement, and over time he grew to be a man. He requested his freedom, but he had never forgotten his love for the girl.
Reluctantly, he was freed from his contract, and he went home with his brothers. But he was not content. Hoping against hope, he worked hard and built up a small homestead. Once he was secure in his riches, he rode his horse to the girl's village.
She greeted him happily and invited him to stay the night. As he had wished and hoped, she did not have a husband yet.
He proposed to her. She smiled at him and told him she had been waiting for so long. They were married that week and settled into a life full of happiness and love. The boy had many children and grandchildren, and he and his wife lived long, healthy lives full of friends and family."
"That was a lovely story." Katerina mumbled.
Toris realized that the storm had blown over. A warm silence blanketed them for the moment and Toris felt his eyelids fluttered. He was sure it was well after midnight and he had to get up at 5 to catch the bus.
He felt Katerina get off the bed. She shuffled around at the edge of the bed, probably shivering at the chill, before standing up. Toris opened his mouth to say good night but found soft lips pressed against his own. He barely dared to breathe, half afraid that this was a dream.
She drew back and whispered on her way out, "The girl is still waiting. Do not take too long."
Toris grinned stupidly in the dark.