Months had passed. The cool weather was coming, and Alfred had come out and taught Ivan how to ride a little more every week. "You should practice every day." Alfred told Ivan. "And you could probably start those two that are always around you on riding lessons. They seem old enough."

Alfred had been around long enough and often enough to see Sasha and Jackie come around while Ivan was working, helping around the stable when they could get away from the field work. He also had noticed that the two of them had started calling Ivan papa. Alfred thought that was kind of cute, and bad since Ivan and Amelia seemed to chat with one another often. Thanks to them, Amelia was pressing for children even more now, no matter how many times he said no.

Ivan shook his head. "Do not feel quite comfortable doing that yet." He admitted. Ivan was riding Tanya, and Alfred Wildfire. "They are little young, though they do respect the horses…" Ivan trailed off and shook his head. "Maybe give them rides to get used to," He conceded.

Alfred grinned. "Good." He nodded approvingly. He saddled up to Ivan. "Those two seem to stick to you like glue now, huh?"

"I am their father," Ivan said easily with a smile, as if it was the truest thing in the world. Alfred was pointing out what Ivan needed to correct as they spoke. "Why do you not have kids yet?" He asked.

Alfred felt his shoulders stiffen from the question. "Did Amelia ask you to ask me that?" He demanded coolly.

Ivan shook his head. "No. Just seems to be constant argument between you two."

Alfred's shoulders slumped as he leaned back onto Wildfire. "That bad, huh?"

Ivan nodded.

Alfred mulled it over in his head. "Let's go on a walk. I'll show you the back roads of the grove."

With Ivan's agreement, Alfred finished up the finessing of Ivan's riding, and took the horses back to the stable. Alfred told Bob where he and Ivan were going to be, and if Amelia came looking to distract her unless it was an emergency.

Alfred took Ivan down the back roads in the grove. Ivan wore the straw hat he had been given the first week since coming here. It shaded his face, so his violet eyes were almost black. Alfred and Ivan walked through the grove, Ivan trailing half a step behind Alfred.

Alfred pressed his lips together. "This is pretty much between you and me, okay?" He asked.

He heard a grunt, and after a while a mumbled, "Yes, of course."

Alfred took a deep breath in, and then out. He had no-one he could tell this to before. For fear that it would spread among the slaves, and his friends would tell their wives, and they'd tell Amelia. Somehow though, he felt he could trust Ivan. It might be misplaced, he knew, but he felt like the big guy wasn't that bad.

"I don't want kids with someone I don't love." Alfred stated plainly. He laughed, not looking back. "She's not a bad person, I like being around her! I just, well, I don't love her." He scratched the back of his head. "I've known her since I was little, and our dads just pushed us together to get a good, strong heart in the family."

He felt a hand on his back, rubbing it. Alfred felt a bit of tension go out as Ivan spoke, "Sounds like it would not be that bad."

Alfred shook his head. "Nah, I guess not. I've tried though, to love her." He thought of all the things he did, including trying to romance her though feeling as though all of the things he did were half-hearted. "Gone through the motions, but still, nothing." He couldn't bring himself to do a proposal to her, even though they were already engaged. Amelia seemed disappointed by that, but she seemed to get over it quickly enough. Alfred closed his eyes as he stopped walking, and Ivan had accidently bumped into Alfred, and took a step back. Alfred didn't mind. "She wants kids, and I want her to have them… Just, I don't want them to be mine either." He put a hand to his heart, feeling the simple rhythm to it.

There was silence.

Ivan's voice came from behind. "It does not feel like you could make family at all then." He said in a low, almost pitying voice.

Alfred smiled a bitter smile. "No, I don't think so." He looked back and up into the intense dark eyes. He wasn't sure what that look in Ivan's eyes were. "Though you seem lucky. You got a couple of kids here now!" He teased. "How's your family back home going to react?"

Ivan paused, and seemed to consider this. That's when Alfred realized that Ivan had to have a family. He had a strong sense of the children being his, that Alfred found it odd at first.

"I think, one would be over-joyed. Other would not so much."

Alfred raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

Ivan blinked, then smiled. "Two sisters, back in old country."

Alfred hesitated, but then asked, "Did you have a woman back there too?"

Ivan shook his head. "Do not be wrong, I have been with woman, but do not have need to marry one with two others relying on me." He smiled at Alfred, a happy smile turning sad. "Though has been two years since last saw them."

Alfred cocked his head to the side. "Don't you write? I know you're literate."

Ivan shook his head. "Do not know how to send letters to out of country." He admitted.

Alfred thought, and then patted his shoulder. "Maybe I can send you one some time. Make a special exception for you, and you can be my buddy." He grinned at the large man.

"Buddy?" The Russian repeated, bewildered.

Alfred nodded. "Yeah! The guy that won't tell my wife, y'know?" He reached up and patted Ivan's back. The large man winced, but his heals were all healed. Alfred and Amelia had asked until he claimed to be as good as when he arrived.

Ivan nodded. "That sounds good." He said. The big slave was looking happier.

Alfred sighed. He wanted to get one last thing out before he and Ivan resurfaced on the plantation. "Sometimes I wish that Amelia would just leave me, y'know? She's getting much more desperate for a kid."

That's when Ivan looked at Alfred, and said, "Lots of breeding?"

Alfred gave Ivan a funny look. What word to give him? "No, love making. It's different for animals and people."

Ivan mulled that over.

"…Breeding is more…" Oh gosh… Alfred felt funny trying to explain this. "Breeding is choosing the really good animals to make stronger, healthier babies."

"That sounds as if parents did that to you and ."

Alfred stopped at this. "….I am being bred." The realization hit him like a horse's kick to the chest. "I was chosen to be bred!" Alfred felt his eyes go wide as his mind worked around this. He spun around. "OH GOD I AM AN ANIMAL."

He didn't notice Ivan just standing there, watching Alfred freaking out. "I DON'T WANT TO BE BRED!" He yelled, and then covered his mouth with his hands, and squatted down on the ground, his hands clamped over his mouth.

He could hear… Giggling. There was giggling. He turned back, and there was Ivan, looking down to the ground, hand also clamped over his mouth.

Alfred didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He chuckled nervously. "You… You're not going to tell anyone about this, right?"

Ivan rolled his eyes, making Alfred flush. "No. Not unless you overstep boundaries."

Alfred narrowed his eyes. "I could just sell you off now." He pointed out.

The slave's eyes went wide, and dark. "Would not dare."

Alfred nodded. "Oh yeah? Go ahead and try, see what happens."

There was silence. The Russian didn't seem to wish to speak anymore.

Alfred breathed in, and out. "Just don't tell, okay?"

The big man nodded. "I will not tell." He promised.

"Good." Alfred gave a sigh of relief. "Let's head back." He headed out of the grove with Ivan. "I still have to get things ready for Mr. Bonnefoy this next Thursday." He murmured

Ivan nodded. He hesitated. "Do you wish to no longer have wife?" He asked.

Alfred paused, looking back at the big man. "Well, I don't want her jumping me and trying to get me to... Well, make her pregnant anymore."

Ivan pressed his lips together. "Is that yes, or no?"

Alfred hesitated. It had been getting much worse recently. He nodded. "Yes, I don't want her anymore."

The big man breathed in, and out. "Then divorce her."

Alfred's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Infertility and adultery are two reasons for divorce, da?"

Alfred stammered. "Wha-what are you saying?" Why was Ivan bringing this up?

Ivan had to stop to think again. "If really do not want her, have to force her to either not have children for long time, or have her sleep with someone else."

Alfred blinked a few times. "You... Think that would work."

The Russian nodded.

"Who are you suggesting I push her off to? You?" Alfred was frowning. He was against that idea. It was because the big man was his confidant, right?

Ivan shook his head. "No. I do not wish to have wife. Taking yours is out of question.

Alfred felt relief. "Then who?"

The big man shrugged. "You would have to figure out. Only suggesting."

Alfred mulled the idea over. "...I'll think about that," He decided. Though it would be lying to Amelia, and tricking her, could he really do that? Could he actually trick her? Skill wise, and betray her honesty? He looked to Ivan. "Will you help me if I say yes?"

The big man hesitated, but then there was a small, definite, nod.

Alfred felt his body relax from a tense state he didn't even realize he was in. "Now, go head back. I need to get things ready."

Alfred left Ivan once they left the grove. He headed to the house, mind stuck on the proposition. Was it fair and good? No, it was not. It was trickery and deceit if he did it. However, it would get him out of this marriage. Alfred had decided to do it the moment he stepped on the first step to the house.

Ahahahaha. Chapter 8 and still no real romance. Not even a kiss. Am I driving you crazy yet? ^_^

I really should proof read these, but I just want to write them down instead of getting stuck on the exact wording. Part of this is really to help me with my problem of bad dialog that I have when creating comics. Pacing is also a problem, but I think this story is pretty well paced. (Aside from the fact nothing has happened yet, I can hear y'all screaming)

Anyway.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy~ ^_~