Returning from Australia, Robert left her with great sadness in Moscow. He comforted himself, however, only for a short time. She was going to sort things out and come back. It was difficult for him to find a place for himself. As soon as he closed his eyelids, he saw her in front of him, felt her smell, heard the voice reflected in the corridors. He found himself drifting away, looking at dresses hanging on hangers. He was stubbornly flipping through the photos again. Their common bed turned cold and foreign. He couldn't bear it, he flew to her. Guess he hit the wrong time. Jurgens heard raised voices coming from the living room, mingling with one another to the point that he completely understood nothing. He stood at the door when it opened abruptly, and a tiny, blonde-haired person bumped into him with force.
- Oh, please, talk about the wolf ... - she muttered, glaring at her parents angrily. - Come on in, love.
He stepped inside, guided by her tiny hand. I don't think he'd ever seen her so angry and upset. She was acting very puzzlingly.
- I don't think I really know what's going on. - he replied calmly, glancing from her to her parents.
- I'm in a hurry to explain. My father is asking me to return the beast. - she said, furious as ever. - Vasyl is to stay in Russia, because two beasts in Germany will be a "crowd" and a threat to your reputation as a European champion. I absolutely disagree and will be happy to know your opinion.
- I think exactly like you. - he replied, then turned to her father. - If Nadia's successor shows up, we'll hand Vasilisk over.
- Nonsense! It's a family beast! He should be waiting here in Moscow! - Koroliov said indignantly.
- Are you sure, Igor?
The bracelet on the girl's forearm glowed a silvery blue, and after a while her body, more precisely than ever, was entwined by a handsome snake. He noticed small gaps in the shiny scales. A flattened head with slightly open eyelids settled on her shoulder, sticking out again and again a thin tongue, slit at the end.
- Are you suggesting something? - Mr Koroliov growled, as if a little calmer.
- You want to kill your own daughter? - he hissed. - Even if Nadia gives me up voluntarily, she'll break the pact. The venom from her eye will spread all over her body and she will die.
- Excuse me?! - she squeaked in surprise.
- Never heard of that! - Igor snorted nervously.
- Because I had no reason to make you aware. The last time such an incident occurred during Oleg's time. After him, his younger cousin was supposed to be my owner. But I guess he was scared of me ... he quit after a few days. Died shortly after that.
He didn't like the story. The more he was going to knock out the idea of taking the beast from the future wife. The family history, however, seemed to shake Igor up properly. Eventually he stepped back, and Nadia, much calmer, left, mentioning something about the interview that was scheduled for that day. He sat with her parents in the living room, waiting for the broadcast. She didn't tell anyone what the conversation was about. He caught the furtive glance of his future father-in-law.
- I am full of admiration, Robert. I don't know how you did it ... but it's been a long time since Nadia thought so much of anyone. - he said finally. - I remember in different conditions she came back from you two years ago. Honestly, my wife and I were debating whether to stop everything.
- Why didn't you do it, if you thought your child was being hurt? - he asked calmly.
- Nadezhda was stubborn. She was very skeptical at first, but denied it. One day she came back extremely tired, apparently despairing and resigned. When I openly told her that she could resign, she replied "it will be fine, Dad" - said the master of the house.
- Shh ... it starts ... - Ivetta whispered, nudging her husband on the arm.
"It'll be fine" ... it told him something. He wanted everyone to see that everything was fine between them. He demanded it of her shortly after he had dragged the girl away from the Arc de Triomphe. They were sitting in a cafe, a journalist in a loose, even voluminous light-checked shirt, lightly frayed jeans, and rather heavily built-up shoes, about three days of stubble, a pale bangs curled over the top of his head, as if he had encountered a hurricane a moment ago. He looked a bit like a modern lumberjack, only missing an ax in his hands. Instead, he had a phone that he was just putting on the table. On the other side, she, a petite blonde in a white sweater, beneath which protruded a pink collar fastened with a gold chain with decorative serpents, navy blue, tight pants that looked like the night sky during a snowstorm, and black leather platform shoes and high heels. She tied her hair in a braid, treating a long, navy blue ribbon falling from above her forehead as one of the strands. A ruby ring gleamed on her ring finger. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of it.
- We are located in one of the cozy cafes on Red Square in the heart of frosty Moscow. Our skating champion Nadia Koroliov is here with me. - the journalist announced, then turned to her. - Nadia, we all hope you will appear at the competition? This year it will be held right here in Russia.
- Oh, of course I'll be there! - she laughed charmingly. - Why the theory that I would be missing?
- You have not been seen in your home region for some time, and the word has spread about your engagement to a young, promising German architect who successfully built his private stadium, Robert Jurgens, among others. - he replied calmly, then laughed lightly. - The male part of your fans is probably crying into the pillow! Rightly?
- I love and respect my fans, but that doesn't mean that for this reason I'll be a single for life. - she replied with a smile. - The engagement is of course absolutely real. As you can guess, this decision will change a lot in my life, so this year's competition will be the last in which I will start.
- Russia will lose its leading representative ?! - the journalist wondered.
- I couldn't have been skating all my life, it's not that type of sport. I have plans to open a school, but I will not give any details for the time being because the project is very fresh and I have, as you can understand, some other urgent things.
He listened enchanted. She didn't mention that she was going to hang up her skates, it made him a little sad. He loved watching her train and compete, but she was right. It's not a sport that you can continue your whole life, at least professionally. In fact, it only took one family decision in life to make her suddenly leave. The Federation would probably understand, on the one hand, and furious on the other that they had no one else to replace it. She decided to prepare them. They have time to train their new champion. He didn't think there would be anyone to replace her, but that's his own opinion. The interview continued, and he didn't really want to listen to it. He politely apologized to her parents and left the living room, he even ran out, throwing a jacket over his shoulders, to get to Red Square as soon as possible. He found the cafe without any problems. She was just leaving, throwing a long black coat over her shoulders. She noticed him after a moment, she approached him with a radiant smile, and he immediately embraced her, hugging her with all his strength.
- Something happened? - she asked worriedly.
- No ... I just missed you ... - he whispered straight into his ear, not taking himself away from her. - I love you more than life.
- I love you too, Robert. - she muttered, placing her hands on his neck.
He didn't feel cold with her. The warmth of the tiny creature was enough. After a while, however, he gladly accepted the invitation to tea, realizing that they had not gone out for a long time.