"Are you sure they'll like me?" Natasha asked for the third time. They were going to meet Andrei's family for the first time since getting engaged and Natasha had heard Andrei's father was fearsome indeed.
"Of course they will like you, how could anyone not?" Andrei squeezed her arm reassuringly.
Trying to distract herself Natasha peered out the window. "Oh!" She exclaimed, as a grand building came into view, "Oh Andrei is that it? Are we here already?"
Across the carriage Nikolai discreetly rolled his eyes. He was their chaperone for the trip, mother was all too pleased to send him away from Sonya. The three hour ride in the carriage had certainly felt long enough, ,sitting across from his sister and the prince making lovesick faces at each other. "Quite large for a country estate" Nikolai observed. Andrei turned to his soon-to-be brother in law, "Yes well this is my father's escape from the city- we have another smaller property nearby. I hope to make our home, that is if Natasha finds no fault in it."
"Oh I'm sure it will be just as lovely!" she said, turned to beam up at him. Nikolai shifted in his seat, he couldn't be out of the confines of the carriage soon enough. They pulled up to the front of the looming ivory building, a uniformed footman coming to open the door for them. Natasha stepped out first, taking a proffered hand, Andrei stepping out behind her. "*Athicus! It's good to be back, nice to see you're still with us!" Andrei said genially, clapping the aging servant on the arm. Athicus, for his part, was trying unsuccessfully not to look as shocked as he felt- was this the same Prince he had served for most of his life?
Nikolai had to admit, it was a sizeable estate his sister was marrying into. The more time he spent with Andrei, especially around his sister, the more he grudgingly had to admit maybe the man wasn't so cold and awful as he thought.
They walked in the grand front doors and Nikolai noted the rich, multicoloured tapestries hanging from the walls. Their entrance was greeted by a high pitched squeal, as a small child hurtled towards them. "Paapaaaa!" he exclaimed, wrapping his arms around Andrei's legs. Andrei started from the impact and smiled down, picking the little boy up in his arms. "Well, this is certainly the most exuberant welcome we'll receive from any member of my family" he said, ruffling the boy's brown hair. "Natasha, Nikolai, this is my own little Nikolai. Nikolai, these are our guests, Natasha and Nikolai- he's got the same name as you!" he said, as the small boy looked shyly at the newcomers. He put him down on the floor and Natasha bent to hold out her hand. "I'm very pleased to meet you Nikolai, your father's told me all about you." Nikolai grasped her hand and looked back up at his father. "Are you and Papa friends?" he asked. Natasha smiled up at Andrei, "Yes we are, we're very good friends"She straightened, as Nikolai inspected this man who had the same name as him. He reached out to touch the shiny black boots, but was scooped up by his father at the last minute. "Where is everyone Niko? Where is your Auntie Marya?"
"Andrei? Is that you?" Marya called. She had finally disentangled herself from her attempt at needlepoint and ran after her nephew. She stopped as she saw the group coming through the doorway. A handsome blonde man and woman, those must be the Rostovs and beside them a man who looked very much like her brother-only...she had never seen such a happy, content look on Andrei's face, not since he was a young boy. He turned, seeing her there and gently placed him on the ground before striding over and in two steps, embracing her. "Marya! It's so good to see you!" he said, holding her tightly. As he pulled away he noticed the shocked expression on her face. He laughed "What is it dear sister? Have a horn growing out of my forehead?" Her eyes grew wider still- had he made a joke? This woman must truly have worked magic, if he was indeed still her brother. She tried to compose her face, "No, No Of course not I just...It's very good to see you in such high spirits brother." She smiled and they turned to face their guests. "Natasha, Nikolai, may I present to you my dear sister Marya." Natasha stepped forward and grasped Marya's hands in her own, "It's wonderful to finally meet you Princess. I hope we can become friends!"
Mary had been searching her face for any trace of falsity or deceit-but her smile was warm and genuine. Marya smiled back as best she could, this was all so strange. "Princess" Nikolai had stepped forward and bowed over her hand, pressing his lips against the back of her hand. He raised his head and met her inquisitive hazel eyes. "Yes, yes you two are both most welcome here- please you must call me Marya, I believe we are soon to be family." She looked back to see Andrei watching Natasha, again with love in his eyes. She looked back to find Nikolai still looking at her-how strange, she thought, few men let their gaze linger on her for longer than a moment. She smiled at him and took back her hand, "Shall we take tea and a bit to eat? The cooks are preparing a feast for supper but you must all be hungry from your journey here." She linked Natasha's arm in hers, as a gesture of friendship-and saw Andrei's smile grow- and led them into the sitting room.
~
"Oh but surely you have silly tales of Andrei as a boy!" Natasha said setting down her teacup and saucer. Marya thought for a second-would she dare tell the tory of the lamb? Perhaps that would be the true test of how much Andrei had been affected by Natasha-he had always been scrupulously private with those outside his family. "Well " she said hesitantly, picking up a spice cookie, "there was this one occasion that comes to mind. It was a very cold spring, I was perhaps 8, and Andrei 6. A lamb was born very early and the mother rejected it." She looked over at Andrei, who gave her a small smile and inclined his head. As Marya opened her mouth to continue, her father burst into the room. "And the very next morning we found him, asleep in the barn, having tried to nurse it with a sack full of cows milk" he finished. "Where he got such a strange notion I cannot fathom- strange child."
Andrei stood up, bringing Natasha to stand beside him. "Father, may I introduce you to Natasha Rostova and her brother, Nikolai. Nikolai too, stood out of respect at the Princes' entrance, and bowed. Natasha curtsied, "Its an honour to-"
"So this is the woman you wish to remarry?" Prince Bolkonsky interrupted, in his usual blunt fashion. He openly looked her up and down. "Well she certainly is a pretty young thing, hmm. Yes, yes I can see- I still have two fine eyes in my head." He turned his hawks gaze to Nikolai "and you're an officer I see. Well you seem to be making something of yourself."
He turned and walked towards his study, "I've business to attend to, I'll see you all at supper." And with that, he shut the heavy door behind him.
During the meal Andrei talked animatedly about his time in , bringing Natasha into conversation as much as possible. Marya paused in watching Andrei and looked across the table at Nikolai, who was similarly watching his sister. She smiled at him, "I think we are both seeing the same thing in their faces-it is obvious they make each other happy." He looked back at her, his brow slightly furrowed, "Yes. Yes I suppose they do."
After everyone was well fed, they retired to the salon, where they blazing fireplace illuminated their faces. "Marya you must play for our guests- she's quite skilled on the piano", Andrei said, making Marya blush. "Oh, you flatter me overmuch Andrei!" she protested,.
"Hmmpf. It's true you aren't half bad at the piano, go on and play Marya- give us something to keep us all from falling asleep."
With that note of encouragement from her father Marya got up and settled on the piano bench. "What do you wish to hear father?" she asked, looking comfortable at performing for an audience. Natasha saw her discomfort and tried to put her at ease, standing up and walking over to the piano. "Something I can sing along with" she said, smiling at Marya and sorting through the sheet music with her. They decided on one and Marya began to play, a lilting, melancholy tune. Natasha's voice was entrancing, and Andrei was startled out of his reverie when his father leaned in and said, unusually quietly, "So that's the one hmm?" Andrei hadn't noticed him moving from his armchair to sit on the couch beside him "I beg your pardon, Father?"
"That pretty young thing you can't take your eyes off. I told you boy, I'm not blind yet I can see it as clear as day. You've decided she's the one for you."
Andrei was somewhat confused, the way the firelight was illuminating Natasha's face was distracting, "Well of course, father- I did write some time ago telling you we were engaged."
"Yes but you forget my dear boy- this is the second woman you've proposed marriage to and I must admit you seem quite taken with this one; your boy and your sister Marya as well."
"And you father" Andrei asked, the corner of his mouth quirking.
"Well" he said, looking at the two girls at the piano, "i suppose she would bring some life to this place and your sister." Andrei smiled to himself, that was high praise coming from his father.
"YES. Yes alright then, I suppose I shall have to give my consent to this marriage" he said loudly, getting up from the couch.
Marya and Natasha paused in their song at the interruption. He shuffled over towards them, finally holding out his hands to Natasha, who reached out in response and was surprised by the older gentleman's' strong grip. He raised them to his face and kissed each formally. "So you wish to marry my son and join this family, do you?" he asked. Natasha looked at Andrei over his shoulder and smiled, nodding vigorously. "Well then, so be it! Good luck to you both!"