My father and I returned home, but we were taken by surprise when we found my Aunt Ukraine had been waiting for us. Ukrania was with her too. My father frowned and laid the fresh carcass I killed on the kitchen table.
"What do you wanting?" he asked her in a grumpy voice, which was surprising to hear.
"Brother, I think it's time we sat down and had a talk," Aunt Ukraine said, the worry in her eyes.
"Not much to be talking about. Just let me know when you wanting to surrender."
"We don't have to fight anymore. We can talk about this."
"You not wanting to talk," Father said, the same tone of voice. Aunt Ukraine shook her head.
"Of course I want to talk to you! If only you would listen to me, Brother."
Father said nothing and walked away to the study room, followed by a load slam that made me jump. Aunt Ukraine, despite the obvious hint that Father didn't want to talk to her, followed him into the room and closed the door. I could hear Father shouting and Aunt Ukraine begging for him to listen to her. It was a little embarrassing and awkward to hear them, especially with my younger cousin Ukrania being along with me.
I have only meet her once, along with my other cousin Nicholi when we were both kids. I haven't spoken to or seen them since then, which made it even more awkward. But I decided to start a conversation with her anyway.
"So...have you been well?" She only nodded her response. We didn't know what to say to each other.
"I apologize for my Father's behavior. I wish they would both make up already. I'm hating all this fighting they do."
"Da...I do too. Mother always said how she and Uncle Russia grew up around a bad environment. But it just isn't fair!" Ukrania said. I felt sorry for her, so I gave her a hug. No matter how awkward it may have been for the both of us. She hugged me too, which kind of surprised me.
Earlier this year, Father has been on edge because Aunt Ukraine has started a revolution for her independence to be separated from him. Aunt Belarus has been involved too, which is starting to worry me. I knew that because of my father's persistence on my becoming leader that my two cousins would think that I was selfish like him. But I wanted to show them that I was different and that I would be there for them if they ever needed it.
I guess I made her feel better because Ukrainia started smiling.
"Thank you, Ivan. I think I feel a bit better now. But I never thought you would...you know, hugging me."
"I just want to be there for you. I understaning this completely. I know it is not fair to you, but it's not fair for me too. My Father wants me to lead this country, but it's not what I want if it means I have to be away from everyone I caring about. To be honest, I wanting my Father to understand who I wanting to be."
"And who do you want to be exactly?"
"Me. I wanting to be myself and different than him. If only he could see that, I'd be more happy around him. That carcass you see on the table, I killed it with my bare hands and all my Father did was smile about it!" I could feel my anger returning and my hands began to shake.
"I don't know what came over me! I just...killed that innocent thing!" I began sobbing and turned away from Ukrainia and the dead deer. I couldn't look at either of them. I lost my appetite for deer meat an hour ago, and I still didn't want to eat it.
I must have startled Ukrania, because she began to back away from me with fear in her eyes. Even I felt scared, and confused, and angry at the same time.
It was then that the door to the study room opened and Aunt Ukraina looked as if she was going to cry.
"Come along, Ukrania," She said, putting an arm around her daughter's shoulder. She turned to me.
"I'm so sorry, Ivan. I'm so sorry," and she turned away and out the door. My heart was heavy and I decided that it was time to run away. Something in my heart told me that running away wouldn't solve anything and make things worse, but my anger was too great to cease. I slipped out the door and into the cold afternoon.