Three years had passed, and Nanami was accustomed to be living back with her people, in her native land. She thoroughly enjoyed not being chased around, no armies running her from coast to coast, no swords and arrows flung at her. She finally could take a deep breath, let her guard down and enjoy spending time with her family, her friends. For the first time in years, she was finally happy. Her mother had come home from a visit to her sister within the first year Nanami was back and fainted when she saw her. Nanami's mother was a petite woman with olive skin, strong, firece, beautiful facial features and chestnut hair. Eventhough they did not look too much alike, Nanami and her mother were nearly identical in character. Her mother, however, was a bit more short tempered and fiesty, wheras Nanami was calm, up to a certain point, and more intimidating. Both were very, very close together and their reunion was very emotional and took Nanami's mind off of Sesshoumaru.
Eventhough Nanami had not been in battle or had to fend for her life in three years, her father made sure she didn't stray from her duty as a head of his elite force. Nanami attended training sessions every day except on Sundays. The elite team was composed of about 19 men and six women, all of whom were Nanami's age or a little order. She knew most of them because of the years they had all spent together as children, teenagers and adults. Of course, Nanami was gone for about a decade, but as soon as she returned, she re-established those ties.
Nanami had adapted to the life she once had, and was begining to slowly forget Sesshoumaru and starting to believe that maybe the elders were right. Her life was getting back to normal without him. She realized that with him, she always ran into danger or trouble. It did not seem that there was a single day or night that did not end with someone being hurt or a stressful argument. -I don't want to live like that. And I'm sure neither does Sesshoumaru. He can find himself the perfect woman who would be willing to deal with it. - She would tell herself constantly, until she gradually stopped thinking of him.
Nanami's skin tingled with the touch of the icy waters of the huge lake as her barefeet dangled off a canoe near the coast. She was leaning back in the boat, her head resting on the other side, enjoying the warm, early May.
"Alyona!" A woman's voice shouted from the shore. Alyona, meaning torch in old Rus, and Nanami's real name, was ironically befitting. She opened her eyes, sighed and sat up. She pulled her feet into the boat and grabbed the oar s. She rowed back to shore, toward a small dock to which four other canoes were tied to. Alyona tied up her boat and walked out onto the deck. Ludmila was on the sandy shore, waiting for the girl and squinting to shield her eyes from the sun.
"Good afternoon, Ludmila." Alyona said as she walked onto the warm sand, her sandals in her hands.
"Hello, darling. Your uncle and his family are arriving at the gates right now. Your mother sent for you." Ludmila said as she began to walk back to the city.
"They came much sooner than I would have thought." Alyona commented.
"Probably due to good weather...oh, good luck trying to sleep tonight. Someone is bound to get rowdy."
"You mean all the blacksmiths and sailors and soldiers who start to sing off tune after about nine at night and end up waking on tables, boats and trees? Yes...Their lullaby is one that'll make your head spin. We all look forward to it."
Ludmila and the girl joined up with the crowd at the gates and awaited the visitors' enterance. Alyona passed a few people and stopped beside her mother, who was about a head shorter than her.
"Hello, mama. Are they here yet?" The girl stood up on her tiptoes and looked past the heads of the line of soldiers in front of her.
"They should be here any minute now, now stop fidgeting around and calm down." Her mother, looking poised but a little annoyed, announced as she glanced at her daughter and the shoes in her hands.
"Alyona..."
"What?" The girl said as she kept looking for her relatives. Hearing no response, she glanced at her mother, who stared at her intensely, a look that Alyona copied exactly as she put her shoes on. Then both smiled and returned their attention to the arriving travelers.
At the head of the small, exhausted pack of men and women coming in was Alyona's uncle and aunt. Her uncle was riding a brown stallion who kept nodding and stomping the ground. He was tall, and gangly, with short, curly brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a white linen shirt, black pants and leather boots. He jumped off the horse and walked toward Alyona's father. His wife, a petite woman with a little extra weight and a sincere smile, took off the silk scarf she had lightly draped over her head and got off her white horse. She walked up to Alyona's mother and embraced her, and the two exchanged kisses on each others cheeks. Alyona tried to listen in to what her father and uncle were conversing about, for they both seemed a little disturbed.
"Alyonushka! My God, is that you?!" Alyona heard a woman's slightly hoarse voice exclaim and hands caress her cheeks. "You're so tall! So pretty! My, my, my its been so long!"
"I have to agree. I have missed you Tania!" Alyona managed to say before she was squezzed tight. "Where is Leila?" She asked about her cousin, who was merely two years younger than her.
"Oh, she just got married two weeks ago. She promised to come for a visit in about a week." Tania said proudly. Alyona was at a loss for words. Her cousin was younger than her and already married. But then again, she wasn't alternating between countries, being rundown by soldiers and assasins and all sorts of people.
"Well, you must be exhausted." Alyona's mother quickly changed the subject, knowing what the aunt was about to ask. "Come, we should get you settled in and cleaned up before the fest."
Alyona joined the two women after saying hello to her uncle. After two blacksmiths who were part of the incoming crew brought in all of Tania's and her husband's luggage into a luxurious little home out by the shore, the three women all departed for the bath house with a change of clothes. Soaking in the hot spring, Tania described the entire journey and the few complications they faced, such as broken bridges, injuries and stolen property.
"Otherwise, we had a fairly calm journey. Didn't lose anything too important and everyone was safe. We had lots of help from those blacksmith boys. They really are a tough pair. And smart. They could do anything, fix anything, make whatever was needed, God bless them." Tania washed the bath oil off her skin while Alyona tipped her head back into the water and wet her hair.
"One of them, I saw him running around the neighborhood in diapers as a little kid with one blonde lock on the top of his head." Tania laughed. "His mother was a wonderful woman, but she died young, leaving the boy alone with his father, who taught him the trade of the blacksmith. He died too, about two decades later, after so many complications with his health. But they would be proud of his son. He is so kind hearted and able to do and help anyone."
"It's unfair that bad things happen to good people." Alyona's mother announced sadly. Her daughter opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. -Maybe a person becomes good after bad things happen to them.- Then she thought about all the things she had to overcome. -Maybe not... Certainly not my case...I think I may have gotten worse.-
"Yes...but the world never was and never will be fair...and the thing is...both of those young men went through some rough times life had handed them. The other one, I've never seen him before until about eight months ago. He was passing through, looking for any job and home he could find. So, he finally got offered a job helping out the blacksmith, Peter. He's one talented fellow, a bit quiet and intimidating, but so kind. He wouldn't show it, but I can see he cares deep down. No one really knows too much about him, but I hear from Peter that he lost both his parents when he was a young lad too, and then had the misfortune to lose the girl he loves, and to top it off his town was raided and completely destroyed. "
Alyona squinted her eyes a bit. -How do you know all that is true?-
"Oh, my, now imagine all that he went went through? I'm impressed he is still alive, to be honest."
"It is amazing how much a person can handle. And I've seen him smile once or twice." Tania finished washing her arms. "But let's talk about something cheery, shall we?"
"I agree. Now, tell me about Leila and her new husband..." Alyona's mother changed the subject. And so Tania began an hour long oration about her daughter's charming husband. It got to the point that Alyona couldn't handle the exageration and emphasis her aunt kept placing on everything she said about the newlyweds. She left her mother and aunt to chat away and headed over to the patch of wooded land close to the shore where the festivities were being set up by the the town's bakers, soldiers and anyone else who was willing and able to help out. Everything was ready and people were slowly starting to gather up together. Alyona walked over to a table where two young men sat talking and laughing, looking out on the lake. She came up from behind them and placed each arm on each man's shoulders.
"Good day, slackers. I better not see you two passed out in boats out on the lake again, or I will have to call your lady, Ilia." She said to the man with curly brown hair and green eyes to her right.
"Eh, you're only my boss when we're training or in battle, darling, so I can do whatever the hell I want...and this time I'll find a coat or blanket or something. My ass was freezing all night last time, and I ended up sick for the next two weeks." The man snickered. Alyona frowned and laughed.
"Oh, right, nice solution. Bring a blanket... Yes that sounds much more failproof than not drinking to the point where you have the mental capacity of a snail..." Alyona said sarcasticly and sat down between the two men. The man on her left had black hair and bright blue eyes, with rugged looks and a five o'clock shadow. He was the man that made all the young girls sigh and stumble in the town, but his eye was fixed on Alyona...at least, temporarily.
"Hey, beautiful." He said and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
"Hey to you too, you disgusting caveman." She said in a sultry voice.
"Bullshit, you know you love me." The man joked around.
"I think half the female population does, you don't have to try so hard."
"Add a few 'boys' to your fanclub, Sergei." Ilia muttered, making both Alyona and the man glare at him in disgust.
"So you're finally coming out of the closet, huh?" Alyona retorted, making Ilia frown and blush. Sergei laughed.
"Well if you insist I suppose I can give you a smooch." Sergei bat his eyelashes and puckered his lips.
"Eat shit!" Ilia shouted and laughed.
"You two are such idiots." Alyona shook her head and brushed her blonde curls over her shoulder. Sergei looked at her hair and the flowers that were braided like a headband. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair, but resisted the impulse for he knew that she was likely to get angry.
A gentle finger tapped Alyona's shoulder and made her turn. An elderly nun was standing behind her and smiled sweetly. She was one of the headmasters of the orphanage and school that was run near the library.
"Hello, Alyona. I am sorry for interrupting,but this little girl claims to know you. She came in about two weeks ago."
The blonde woman raised an eyebrow and stood up as the nun presented a little girl of about 10, with long, straight black hair, big chocolate eyes, and slightly tanned skin. Alyona tripped over the bench as she jumped toward the little girl.
"Oh my God, Rin! What are you doing here?! How did you get here?!" She asked franticly as she picked up and hugged the girl. Rin wrapped her arms tightly around her neck and smiled so wide, Sergei could see her back teeth.
"I missed you so much, Nanami!!" Rin squealed.
"Nanami?" Sergei asked, confused. "What's that?"
"I'll be back later." Alyona said without turning around and walked down to the dock she stood on earlier that morning, Rin still in her arms.
"I missed you too, honey, but baby, how did you get here? And why?" Alyona asked as she let the girl down and sat down on the dock.
"I left. Your daddy's soldiers took me back with them when I asked if they knew where you were. The old man told me he knew you and your daddy, and I asked if I could go with him to see you because I didn't have a family and you were like my mommy."
"But why would you leave? Did Sesshoumaru let you leave?"
Rin's smile dissapeared. She fidgeted with her fingers and looked down at the crystal clear water.
"Well...no. Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't know."
Alyona was stunned. "What?! You just ran away? Why?!"
"I..." Rin looked at Alyona, and hesistated for a moment. "I...don't like the princess that lives with him now. I ran away when she told me she was going to be my mommy." Rin whispered. Alyona felt like a knife was just driven through her chest.
"Wha-" She was at a loss for words... She just stared at Rin, not believing her ears.
"I tried to remind him of you. And I tried to talk about you in front of her, but they would just change the topic. And then Lord Sesshoumaru would tell me that you wanted us to forget about you and that you were never coming back. He showed me the letter you wrote, and he said you told him to forget about you because you were going to forget about him."
"Wait, Rin...What letter? I never wrote any letter." Alyona was a little confused."Yes you did, I saw it. Lord Sesshoumaru kept it eventhough you wrote that he should burn it...'
"Rin...I never wrote him a letter. I couldn't. I'm not allowed to leave the city or talk or write to anyone outside of the city. That's not my letter."
"But your name was on it... and Lord Sesshoumaru believed it. He said it was your handwritting... But that's not why I left. I didn't want that woman to be my mommy. She was always so strict with what I could wear and eat and she wouldn't let me go outside and she kept trying to make me more like a princess. She said I was too messy, and if I was going to be her daughter, I would have to act like a princess is expected to. And Lord Sesshoumaru wouldn't pay much attention to me...like he was forgetting about me. So I left, so I could live with you."
Alyona hugged the girl tightly and rubbed her back.
"Tell you what. How about you go back to the orphanage, pack up your things, ask one of the nuns to take you to my house, and I'll meet you there in a short while and then we'll go and have a nice dinner. Alright?" Alyona let go and smiled.
"Alright." Rin smiled and jogged away back toward the nun, picking up the red summer dress she was wearing. Alyona glared at the water rustling under the dock. -How could he? Its only been three years...Or was he playing me the whole time? Was everything he promised, all he said, all he did....was all of it just temporary? Why else would he promise to be with me, risk his life for me, then turn around and invite another woman into his heart? And how much he must love her if he let Rin, his precious Rin, run away and get as far as my own home?! What has happened to him?- Alyona stood up and started to walk back toward the city, avoiding the fest. -They were right...the elders were right all along. He did betray me and got on with his life...and fast. And what letter was Rin talking about? I never wrote any letter to him. I tried, and each told him I would come back, not that I would forget about him. But they were never sent...Someone else is in this mess again... How long is it going to be before he comes after her? Well...sooner or later, he wouldn't be able to get far anyway. He would be caught. Or recognized. Maybe he won't ever make it here...That means Rin would have to live here, with me. Perhaps for the better.-
Alyona reached her home at sunset, and Rin was already sitting on the doorstep in her red, summer dress, humming a tune and counting petals on the flowers in her lap. Alyona smiled, despite her turmoiled feelings on the inside and walked up to the girl.
"Rin. Are you ready to go?"
"Nanami!" Rin bolted up, flowers in her hands. "Where are we going?"
"To the festival. We'll have lots of fun. And my name is Alyona." The woman corrected as she reached for Rin's hand. Rin freed one hand and held on to Alyona's as they started to walk.
"I thought it was Nanami."
"It was in Japan because that's what Sesshoumaru's father called me. But my real name is Alyona."
"Oh...I miss Lord Sesshoumaru..." Rin said sadly after a moment of silence. Alyona did not know what to say. She did not want to tell her to forget about him and that he was appearantly a liar, fearing she would be upset with her, but neither did she want to say she missed him either. So she kept quiet. Rin looked up at her, trying to see any emotion on her face, but she could see none. The two continued to walk in silence through the streets until they reached the festival, where everyone was already eating, singing, playing music and dancing. The celebration was held close to the shore of the lake and across from the city hall. Girls and women all had flowers in their hair and were wearing bright summer dresses and shirts. The fest was held every year to celebrate the coming of summer, and say goodbye to spring. Alyona walked toward the table she sat at earlier, carefully scanning the faces of the people present. -How do I know he's not here already?- Then she realized she must have been paranoid. There was no way Sesshoumaru could find the city, and even less so get in without detection. She could not see anyone who looked anything like Sesshoumaru. -You're overreacting. He's not here. He can't be.-
Alyona sat Rin down on the bench in front of the two men who she talked to earlier and settled in next to her. Neither of the men knew what to say and just smiled at the little girl.
"This is Rin...She's my..." Alyona tried to figure out what to say. Rin looked at her with slightly frightened eyes.
"She's my daughter."
Ilia dropped the apple he was munching on and stared at the woman wide-eyed while his friend chocked on his wine.
"WHO?!" Sergei's eyes were on the verge of popping out of their sockets.
"Not literally." Alyona rolled her eyes. "Even if she was, what does it matter to you?" She then smirked.
"Nothing. Nothing... I just thought...that you were too young and... nevermind. So uh... who is she really?' Sergei stumbled all over his words and blushed madly. Alyona smiled and placed a gentle hand on Rin's head.
"She's a charming little angel I met back in Japan. She's an orphan...so I took her in." Alyona pat Rin's head.
"Oh...I'm sorry, sugar. But you're in good hands. That girl will take good care of you and rip apart anyone who hurts you...Literally." Ilia commented and continued to eat his apple.
"Well that's one thing you've got right about me." Alyona answered, her eyes still scanning the area around her. She reached for the Bottle of red wine on the table and poured herself a goblet-full. Sergei looked at her and smirked.
"Hold on...I thought you said you're not one to drink?"
"I'm not one to get DRUNK, but right now, I could use a drink." Alyona took a sip of her wine. "Rin, honey, what would you like to eat?"
The celebration lasted for hours, and with time Alyona began to relax and ended up dancing with Sergei. Her mind wasn't bothered by thoughts of Sesshoumaru being anywhere near her. Rin managed to play with the other children for most of the time and got along fine with them.
Alyona was still dancing with Sergei, one arm around his shoulders, laughing and singing along to the song. Sergei had plenty to drink and was a little tipsy, and decided he was in the perfect moment to get closer to her. He hugged her nad leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her sunkissed shoulder. Alyona quickly flinched away and backed off.
"I think you need to go cool down and get some sleep." Alyona said calmly and with a smile on her face, to make sure she wouldn't tear apart their friendship.
"I'm sorry...I don't know what came over me... I-" Sergei tried to apologize, but Alyona just smiled and walked away, looking for Rin. Sergei ran his hand through his hair.
"Dumbass." He cursed himself and walked in the other direction.
Alyona rubbed her shoulder, as if to get rid of the kiss Sergei just placed on her.
She searched for Rin and found her asleep with two other girls her age on a picnic blanket near a tree. She gently picked her up and held on to her tightly as she mumbled something in her sleep. Alyona walked back to her home up on the mountain side and in the thick forest. She walked up the front steps to her two story, white stone home, with lush green vines and red flowers on them creeping up the stone walls and around the columns that supported a balcony on the second floor.
Alyona closed and locked the door behind her and walked upstairs to her bedroom in the pitch dark. She placed the little girl on her bed and took off her shoes. She walked over to a doorway that led to a seperate, small room for her clothes, a dresser, mirrors and a bath in the middle of the room. The candles in the small room lit up as soon as Alyona walked in. She placed Rin's sandles on the marble floor next to her own and took off her white linen shirt that left her shoulders bare and hung it on one of the racks along with her pants. She pulled out a long, blue shirt-dress and put it on. She searched for a smaller shirt that she could put on Rin, and she did. Sure it was a bit big for the girl but it was better than sleeping in clothes she wore when she played in the sand and grass. Alyona walked back out of the room and over to the bed. She prepared to change the girl into clean clothes when she noticed Rin wasn't there. Alyona frowned.
"Rin?" She asked and all the candles and torches in the room lit up. Alyona let out a deafening scream, dropped the shirt and backed up against the wall behind her. A young man, covered in soot, wearing a dirty beige shirt, black pants and black boots stood in front of the bed. He had olive colored skin and short, pitch black hair. He was holding the now awake Rin in his arms.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" Alyona demanded, her hand on her chest, trying to calm her breathing. The man let Rin down and looked up. Alyona felt like the wind was knocked out of her. His amber eyes were so familiar, and gave away his identity. The young woman rushed over to the man and flung her arms around him, holding him tight around his shoulders, standing tiptoe on the ground. But his arms didn't budge. He didn't bother returning the embrace.
"Get off me." Sesshoumaru growled, unsettling Alyona. She let go and took a step back, staring at him in confusion.
"Rin, come. We are going home." Sesshoumaru commanded, his eyes fixed on Alyona.
"But...but...I want to stay with Alyona." Rin muttered, afraid to anger the man. Sesshoumaru glanced at her with a questioning look. Rin backed away slightly from him and looked at Alyona.
"I like it better here...Lord Sesshoumaru... I have friends here...the other children actually want to play with me... and I don't like Lady Mizuki, Lord Sesshoumaru...and... you forget about me when she's around... Lady Alyona never forgets about me." Rin spoke her mind and rubbed her fingers in anxiety.
"Rin, I never forgot about you..." Sesshoumaru was shocked by what the little girl told him.
"Yes you did, Lord Sesshoumaru! If you didn't, how was I able to run away and dissapear for two months?"
"Rin, I was looking for you as soon as Jaken found me and told me you had run away. I was away at war, how could I know what you were doing... Enough... Follow me if you wish." Sesshoumaru momentarily returned to his typical, aloof self and began walking toward the door.
"Where do you think you're going?" Alyona blocked the door. Sesshoumaru glanced at her as if she was a parasite.
"Move."
"Pardon me, but I think I have every damn right to be in your way, seeing as how you managed to sneak into my city, break into my house and scare me half to death."
"Move or I'll do it for you."
"What is your problem, Sesshoumaru?!" Alyona could not understand why Sesshoumaru was acting like he did when they just met nearly four years ago.
"I wanted to ask you that question for a whole year." Sesshoumaru growled.
"Tell me, Sesshoumaru, what is it that I have done to make you act like this?" Alyona was frustrated with how the man she loved acted like a complete stranger. "Please...go ahead, tell me what exactly made you the way you are."
Sesshoumaru just glared at her. Alyona crossed her arms, bit her lip and nodded.
"See... my theory is... while I was around, you had your fun with me, pulling at my heart strings, driving me insane, and as soon as you realized I would be gone for more than a few months, you found yourself a new toy... am I close or what?" Alyona said through grit teeth, completely disgusted with the way a man she nearly died for was acting like a complete idiot.
"And the letter you wrote has no part in this whatsoever?" Sesshoumaru grumbled, his eyes filled with fury.
"What letter are you two talking about?" Alyona was confused by the fact that he had appearantly recieved a letter from her. "I could-"
Sesshoumaru scoffed and pulled out a crumpled parchment from his pocket and practicly shoved it in her face. The letter dropped to the floor while Alyona looked at Sesshoumaru, shocked. He walked past her out of the room without another word. Alyona bent down and picked up the letter that Sesshoumaru had recieved, telling him that there is no future for them, and how she will try her best to forget him. Alyona let out a heartwrenching sigh, unable to imagine Sesshoumaru's position; reading such a letter from a woman he put his life on the line for, right after she dissapeared.
"Go to sleep, honey, I'll be back." Alyona told the confused Rin and ran out of the room after Sesshoumaru, the letter in her hand. She ran down the stairs, trying to catch up with the man, who was already out the front door. Alyona rushed out the door, whispering "wait" a few times before stopping in front of Sesshoumaru.
"Wait...please..." She blocked his path and stared at him. "I never wrote this..."
Sesshoumaru ignored her completely and walked right past her. Alyona became frustrated and stepped in front of him again.
"Listen to me, for once!" She growled. Again, he ignored her and kept walking.
"How honorable..." Alyona scoffed. "I drive a knife into myself to save you, and yet you have the effrontery to walk past me and not spare a minute to listen to what I have to say... I'm sure your father would be proud."
Sesshoumaru stopped, but did not turn toward her at first, just raised his head higher.
"Look at me..." Alyona whispered. Sesshoumaru seemed to hesitate for a moment, then turned and faced the girl.
"I couldn't have written this...I was forbidden to leave the lands, talk with anyone outside of the city, or even send anything out of the lands... And I've tried... but I failed, everytime... I swear on my life I did not write this letter."
"Is that all?" Sesshoumaru said coldly. Alyona scoffed again, not believing the arrogance coming off of him. She felt tears welling up in her eyes. She was speechless. Alyona turned back toward the house and walked up the steps, into the home, and closed the door behind her. She wiped the tears from her face as she walked up the staircase and to her bedroom, not wanting Rin to see her face and tears. She walked into the room and saw the little girl sitting on the bed, hugging her knees.
"Is Lord Sesshoumaru angry at me?" Rin asked nervously as Alyona made her way to the bed. Alyona sat down on the soft bed next to Rin.
"No, honey." She whispered as she hugged the little girl and lie down. Rin cuddled closer to Alyona and closed her eyes.
"Goodnight, mama." Rin mumbled. Alyona glanced down at the child and kissed her forehead.
"Goodnight honey."
Alyona awakened to the sound of her front door closing and someone rustling around downstairs. She opened her eyes and turned her head toward the door, listening in carefully. Silence, followed by the swishing sound a dress makes when one walks in it. Alyona sat up in the bed, carefully pulling her body out from under Rin, whose head was now near the edge of the bed, her arms hanging off and her feet on Alyona's stomach. She stood up out of bed and walked to the door, leaving Rin to sleep longer. Alyona opened the door, walked out and quietly closed it behind her. Running her hands through her hair, Alyona rushed down the marble staircase in her blue silk dress. She walked into the kitchen, from where she could hear rustling around.
"Good morning, mama, what are you doing here?" Alyona leaned against the wall as she observed her mother, in a long burgundy skirt and a white linen shirt, placing a decorated jug on one of the counters and fresh flowers in a vase she pulled out of the cupboard.
"Good morning, Alyona." She answered, a hint or nervousness in her voice.
"What are you doing here so early?" Alyona asked as she walked toward the window and stretched.
"Your uncle brought you a gift."
"Impressive..." Alyona looked out the window at the woods behind her house. It looked like it was about to rain outside. The skies were dark, as they are before the storms.
"You don't say... You know he has to make it clear to anyone that he's rich as a king."
"And greedy as a thief." Alyona turned back toward her mother, who was seemed more and more nervous and twitchy.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes. I'm fine."
"No you are not. Why the rushing and the nervousness?"
Alyona's mother turned around. "Someone was arrested late at night. Your father is furious for no appearant reason, he will not speak to me or anyone else."
Alyona frowned. "Do you know who it was?"
"No."
Alyona glanced down at the floor, then walked up to her mother and kissed her cheek.
"Thank you for stopping by. Are you busy right now?"
"No. I will stop by your aunt's later on, but they're probably still asleep."
"Can you watch a little girl for me?"
Alyona's mother frowned. "Whose little girl?"
"Mine...well, not mine. She's an orphan. She lived with me in Japan."
"How did she get here?"
"The soldiers stationed there braught her with them."
"Well...yes, fine. But..." Alyona's mother was a bit confused. " Where are you going? And where is she?"
"She's still asleep upstairs, and I will go see my father. I won't be long."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Alyona's mother called after her as the young woman rushed up he stairs to her bedroom.
"Do not worry about it."
Alyona walked into her dressing room and undressed. She quickly washed herself in the bathtub of warm water and dressed herself in a shampagne colored gown, with woven black lace flowers on her chest and back, and her shoulders bare. She knows that if she shows up in the capitol building or in the city hall in pants or simple clothing, she'll get stared down at because everyone is expected to look their best and represent their people in a respectable and honorable way, especially if you're the daughter of the General, and an Admiral yourself.
She put on a black jacket with a hood and rushed back down to the front door. Her mother was in the main room, sitting on one of the divans, reading a book.
"I will be back soon, mama!" Alyona said and walked out of the front door before her mother could even say anything. Alyona quickly marched down the cobblestone streets toward the military headquarters at the edge of the city, wondering who would infuriate her father so. Within twenty minutes, Alyona walked up the steps of the building and walked in, thunder rumbling outside. The guards looked up at her and let her pass, greeting her with a monotonous "Good morning, M'Lady."
"Good morning. Where is my father?" Alyona asked one of the main guards.
"In his office." The man answered.
"Thank you." Alyona walked down the stone hall toward large, oak doors. She knocked on the doors.
"Father?" She asked. No one answered, and the doors remained closed. Alyona knew her father was in there, but was unwilling to open up, or too preoccupied. She knocked louder. Again, no response. Alyona pushed open the doors and walked in, closing them behind her.
Her father was having a heated conversation in a whisper with the young commander that she had recognized from the morning she first woke up here in her home city three years ago. Both men stopped and glared at her.
"Alyona, please, this is not the time." Her father announced.
"I think I have the right to know what is going on here, papa. I think you are begining to forget the post you assigned me."
Alyona's father stared at the girl, then glanced at the young man. "You're right. Anatoli, show her."
"Yes, General..." Anatoli answered to the demand, obviously annoyed. "Come." He told Alyona and walked toward an iron door behind him, to Alyona's right. Her father walked over to his desk and sat down, his head in his hands. Anatoli opened the door and motioned for Alyona to walk in. She did, suspicious of the man, who seemed angry and irritated with her with no reason. Or maybe because she was a woman, yet one who could over power him and one that had a higher rank, status and importance than him.
Alyona walked past one deserted, damp cell, another one with a chained, bearded, brauny man, who smiled a gaptoothed, lusty grin at her, another cell with a sleeping man, and stopped at the one Anatoli stopped at. Inside was a man, with black hair and tan skin sitting on a metal cot, chains that fastened on the opposite walls holding his arms out to the side. His head was bent down and he seemed not to care that someone was there. Alyona knew who the man was, and was not suprised.
"Leave me." She gave a stern order to Anatoli. "I know who this man is."
"That's the problem." Anatoli answered coldly. She glanced at him.
"Did I not make myself clear, commander?" She hissed.
"As you wish." He snarled back, handed her the keys and left the jail.
A pair of amber eyes flashed up at her in the dark prison. Alyona opened the cell and walked in, the man watching her every step. She stared back at him coldly, taking off her jacket and placing it on the small stool used as a table in the cell, and sat down on top of it. The two just kept glaring at each other for a minute or so, neither flinching.