UPDATE: I accidentally posted an unfinished version when I first uploaded the chapter. Sorry about that, I just realized when I was reading over the story.

a/n: This chapter will again be told from a different character's POV.

Chapter 4: The Ballet

I was positioned in the foyer, officially to regulate people coming in and out, but the foyer was located in the center of the house, which provided a good location to listen in on conversations all around the estate. The one that I was currently focused on was going on in the adjacent room.

"What are you writing in there?" the blonde one asked.

"I am only noting my observations about the hybrid. Her rapid growth is astonishing. You can tell the difference in only a few days," she answered. Her tone of voice was always even, but even she couldn't hide the elation in her voice when she spoke of the hybrid.

"Give me that," I heard the blonde demand. I was ready to intervene.

"Very well," she said.

There was a moment of silence mixed with the sound of pages flipping. "This is written with Cyrillic, I can't read it."

"Yes, I do tend to take notes in Russian," she said simply. So she was Russian, that was one of many questions answered about her.

"What's Russian? I wanna see," the hybrid said.

"It's another language Nessie," answered the blonde.

"A most beautiful one I might add," she said.

"What does it sound like?"

"Well to me it sounds like a well composed symphony. Especially when my sister speaks it, every word that departs her lips is very melodic, you can almost picture people dancing to it," she explained.

"You have a sister?" the hybrid asked.

"Yes." She sounded less than enthusiastic.

"Aunt Rosalie and Aunt Alice are daddy's sisters. I wanna have a sister too."

"Oh, honey," said the blonde. I heard her pick the hybrid up. "Let's go play outside, okay?"

They passed by me to leave the house and she soon followed.

"Demetri, how very dreary of you." I opted to return the remarks with only grin. She tilted her head slightly then moved towards the exit. As she was leaving the house she turned back. "I would imagine your hearing is proficient enough to carry out the same task outside."

"Are you inviting me to join you outside?"

"Is a conversation not more pleasant when one party reads between the lines relieving the other party from spelling everything out?"

"You must have a broad definition for what a conversation is."

"Now that was not so difficult, yes?" Her charm was very difficult to put into words. She was able to frustrate and amuse me at once. "Well, even if I can hold the door open indefinitely I would really prefer not to."

I grabbed the side of the door and opened it wider. "After you."

We moved towards the hybrid and the blonde. The hybrid seemed to have noticed us first and started moving towards us right before the blonde stopped her. They started to talk, quietly enough to elude our ears. The blonde kept lifting her head to glance at us, mostly her. She finally seemed to have given up as she exhaled and let go of the hybrid.

The hybrid began to skip towards us. "Say something in Russian."

"Please," the blonde said firmly.

"Please," repeated the hybrid.

"What would you like for me to say?" she asked as she stooped down to the hybrid's height.

"Uhm, I don't know. What sounds nice?"

"Я не знаю. Что звучит красиво?" I let out a small chuckle.

The hybrid frowned. "I didn't see anyone dance."

"That was merely a figure of speech." She began to lightly stroke the hybrid's hair. The blonde suddenly appeared right behind the hybrid, but didn't do anything. "Tell me little one, have you ever seen anyone do the ballet?"

"What's a ballet?"

"It is a form of dance."

"I like dancing."

"Oh, then I am quite sure you will enjoy the ballet." She removed her hood and freed her hair. With hand motions swifter than I could register she tied her hair up in a perfect knot. "Do you like it?" The hybrid nodded. "Would you like me to do you hair as well?"

"I don't have a hair tie."

"One is not required for this particular style. All you do is," she gathered the hybrid's hair, the blonde got antsy, "twist your hair until it naturally forms a bun and stick the end of it through it, and voila, instant knot."

"It feels heavy."

"You do have a lot of hair for a girl your age." She got up and unhooked the clasp of her cloak. "Now for the ballet." She quickly lifted one foot ever so slightly to begin a series of rapid twists followed by a slow paced arabesque (a term which I questioned myself for knowing). "Well, I cannot do it much justice without any music to accompany it really."

The hybrid began to applaud. "Can you teach me how to twirl like that?"

"Those twirls are called pirouettes."

"Perry vets?" asked the hybrid, which made the blonde chuckle.

It appeared so that even she was about to crack a smile. "Yes, little one."

"Could you teach me?"

"I would love nothing more, but it is an art form I respect dearly. I only have the training to perform, not to teach. Learning from me would be a disservice to you."

The hybrid's smile fell down and the blonde picked her up. "Enough dancing for today. Would you like to paint Nessie?" The hybrid gently nodded. They moved back to the house.

She caught up to them instantly and gently put a hand on the blonde's shoulder. The blonde turned around immediately, forcing her hand off her and grabbing the hybrid closer. "Just listen. You cannot possibly stay here for long; if you ever find yourselves in Saint Petersburg I have an acquaintance, who would be willing to teach her. Just mention my name."

The blonde seemed even more wary of her now. "Why?"

"She owes me a great debt."

"No, why are you telling me this?"

"I love ballet, why would I not want to share its beauty with others? And Agrippina would take wonderful care of her. I must say she is the best." I barely recalled that name, but to no avail.

The blonde seemed to have no more words for once. She slowly turned around and went back into the house.

She picked up her cloak from the ground and carefully put it back on. She undid her bun and let her hair cascade over her shoulder.

We made way towards the house. "So you are from Russia."

"Were you prying?"

"It is not prying if people know you are listening in." That also almost cracked a smile on her face.

"Well don't connect every dot so hastily. Just because I speak it does not mean I am Russian."

"Is that so? Where may I ask are you from?"

"Oh Demetri," she said as she put her hood back on. "I am simply a girl from the willow."

END OF CHAPTER

a/n: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry if you speak Russian and my Russian is completely off. What's to come? Nobody knows.