~Partnerships and the Language of Love~

"Are you sure you won't eat some dessert?  It's your favorite, Kompot Yablaka.  I'll put a little vzbitye slifki on top of it."  Vlad piled the whipped cream on the stewed apples enticingly.

Lara looked at the platter, her mouth salivating.  She had to be strong.  OH, it smelled so good!!  No, she had to a duty to do.

"I really am full and I have a...a uh...you know, the thing with your head..."  How could she forget the word now of all times?

"A headache?" Father asked, rubbing his white mustache in questioning.  Lara nodded eagerly.

"Yes, that's it.  A horrible one.  Absolutely awful.  So I'll just be going to bed now..."

"Don't forget that Duke Valja will be visiting you for Obyed around noon," Mother said primly.  "Try and be appropriate around him, please.  And don't put a frog down this one's pants."  She dabbed her mouth daintily, trying to resemble as much of a proper Noble as she could.  Lara held in an insulting gag.

"Of course, Mother," she said sweetly.  "I'll even make him a toad sandwich."

"A -- a what?!  Lara!"

"Goodnight, my adoring fans!" Lara called behind her.  She turned and gave a loud air kiss, which sent Vlad and her Father into restrained chuckles.  Mother was less amused, but she was never really happy, was she?

Lara reached her room in record time.  She'd post an all night vigil on her balcony, waiting for Mikhail to return.  Surely he would once he saw the thieves ahead of him!

She waited.  And waited.  And waited.  The time passed, the minutes ticked away.  Soon it had been hours that she had sat on the small bench reading, looking anxiously over the top of her book every few seconds.

The sky was beginning to darken now at 11 p.m..  No one could argue that the Nights of White were anything less than spectacular, though annoying.  The body told the mind to rest, while the mind told the body that it was light and must be kept awake.  It was unnerving and caused great frustration during the month of June all across Russia.

It was completely dark now at one a.m.  Lara sighed.  Why had she even waited for him?  Of course he had been fine.  He was strong and capable.  He probably wasn't even attacked.  And to think he'd come back -- ha!  She had been so foolish!  She stood and shut her balcony doors with a dramatic flair.  He was just a poor boy, traveling to Moscow for a get rich quick scheme or something.

She turned back and looked through the clear glass of the French doors.  Maybe he hadn't been able to reach the estate.  Maybe he was out there, alone and hurt.

Too bad!  She had warned him, but had he listened?  Of course not!  Well, he had dug his hole, now let him be buried in it!

It started to rain outside.  Lara bit her lower lip.  Maybe if she took a tiny walk outside, just for...for...fresh air, yes that's it.  She needed a little fresh air.  The rain always cleared her head.

She wrapped her cloak around her tightly and walked out to the balcony.  She had been sneaking out at nights to roam the estate since she was a little girl, hoisting herself over the side of the railing then grabbing onto a tree and working her way down.  It was a little awkward, but got the job done.

The rain was light, a gentle mist of dampness.  She'd only go to the edge of the forest, then come right back.

But once she got to the forest, it seemed strange to not go along the small trail she and Kosma had made when they were young.  It was one of her favorite secret places, and a little rain wouldn't be enough to prevent her from traveling it!

She walked until it merged with the main road.  Mikhail obviously wasn't coming back, now or ever.  She was more then a little disappointed.  Well, she should have known.  People like that don't care about friends, just about traveling.  How wonderful it would be to travel like Mikhail!  The wind in your hair, the adventure of it all!  Just like one of her books!

She ventured a few steps out onto the road.  He was so lucky to be out there, danger or not!  She was such a planner, a true organizer.  She always had an idea up her sleeve, a daring new scheme.  To be someone like Mikhail as well...how lovely!  She was sure he never bothered planning -- he was far too bohemian!

She looked off down the route.  Yes, it was true, Mikhail probably cared very little for money and schemes.  But when it came to adventure...

"I'll teach you to attack me!"

Lara's eyes started to widen, but didn't have time to get too big before something hit her from the side, throwing her to the ground.  She quickly reached out to move whatever had hit her.

Oh no, it wasn't an object, but a man!  She immediately fought, kicking, scratching, and hitting her attacker until she was sure he must be bruised and aching.

"LET ME GO YOU BIG BRUTE!"  She made sure to give him a good kick in a very strategic place.  "VLAD!  HELP!  VLAD!!!!"

"LARA?!"

Lara opened her eyes slowly and looked at the assailant.  "M-Mikhail?"

Mikhail quickly stood and started prancing around in pain. "You hurt me worse then they did!"

Lara sat up, her coat and dress covered in the thick mud, her wet curls adhering strongly to her face.  "Well you shouldn't have thrown yourself on me!  REALLY, if you liked me so much, you just had to TELL me!"

Mikhail's jaw dropped. "LIKE YOU?  I thought you were one of those thieves who attacked me!"

Lara helped herself up, seeing he obviously was too busy moaning over his new wounds to care that he had thrown her to the ground.  "I told you not to go out there!  No one ever listens to me!  You know, I'm usually right!"

"How was I supposed to know there was something to your wild stories?  You don't exactly strike me as the honest type!"

Lara blushed.  "And I suppose you are?"

"I never lie.  Nor do I steal, cheat -- okay I cheat a little at cards sometimes -- or anything else!"

Lara rolled her eyes. "Are you really that hurt?"

"You mean besides that fact that you've crippled my fertility forever?!"

"Mikhail!!"  Lara flushed. "Really, do be polite!"

"Do be polite!" he mimicked.  "I'm not FEELING very polite right now!"

Lara grabbed his arm.  "Come back to the manor, Mr. Whine.  I've never seen someone as pouty as you!"

"I've never seen someone as scheming!"

"Scheming?! You've never seen me scheme!  How do you know that?"

Mikhail smirked.  "Call it a really, really good hunch."

Lara blushed.  She wasn't scheming!  A little controlling maybe, a little melodramatic, and yes, she did like things to go her way...

She sighed.  "Who cares.  Just come back to the Estate so I can survey your wounds.  You can spend the night in the guest room across the hall from mine."

"How are you supposed to get me there?  I think my ankle is sprained."

Lara bit her lower lip.  "I'll think of something.  Just don't worry!"

"Just don't worry, she says.  Oy vey, what am I getting myself into?"

"Oy vey?"

"It's Yiddish."

Lara let Mikhail lean on her shoulder and started to walk along the trail back to the Manor.

"What does it mean?"

"It doesn't have a meaning.  Just sort of a negative feeling."

"Do you know a lot of Yiddish?"

Mikhail blushed.  "Some, yeah."

"I just wondered.  I know a few languages, but not Yiddish.  I've never met anyone who knew Yiddish before because they're usually Je--"

"I know, I know."'

Lara quickly closed her mouth.  Things were awkward now.  She knew that he was worried, not only about getting to the estate and upstairs, but about what might happen if they were caught.  A wanted Jew and the daughter of a Count, together on a trail, covered in filth, wouldn't look too good in his favor.

"Don't worry, because I've figured out how to get you upstairs."

"How?"

"We'll go through the kitchen door and up the back stairwell.  Everyone is asleep, and if you're really quiet, we can get through."

Mikhail sighed.  "I'm not sure I can go up them.  Once I'm all bandaged up, yes, but right now..."

Lara blushed.  "You'll have to at least make a try for it.  I certainly can't carry you up myself.  No woman could, unless they did what Cle -- oh goodness, I know how!"

"How then, oh brilliant one?"

Lara grinned.  "Ever heard of Cleopatra?"

"You mean the woman with the snake that slept with a lot of men?"

"Somewhat, but there's more to her than that!"

Mikhail rolled his eyes impatiently.  "Cut to the chase, Lara!"

"To make a long story short, she hoisted her husband, Marc-Antony, up into the temple walls by rope.  Now I know for sure that there's rope in the shed.  I'll drop it off my balcony, and you can use it to climb up!"

"Are you sure that'll work?" Mikhail asked skeptically.  "It doesn't sound like too assured of a plan."

Lara smiled charmingly.  "Would you rather ask my VERY Orthodox father for permission to stay?"

The answer was of course no, and Mikhail knew it.  He nodded grimly, and they continued trudging up the path back to the estate.

Lara felt butterflies in her stomach.  She had dreamed of adventure, but this was a REAL one, complete with a handsome lead and action!  The little Estate of Vointsky was actually the site of a great thriller, full of peril, danger, and excitement.  It was too good to be true!

With Mikhail by her side, they made their way to the Estate -- officially sealing their partnership in the greatest adventure of their young lives.

~*~
After examining him the next morning, Lara had to admit that she expected far more wounds on Mikhail's body.  She had caused the few that were there, except for the sprained ankle and a large cut on his cheek.  He was certainly able to take a punch well.

"How much did they take from you?" Lara was sorting the clothes inside of his small bag now, throwing most of them into the dirty laundry pile.

Mikhail stretched out on the guest bed, nuzzling his face in the fresh pillow case.  He hadn't smelled something so clean in eons.  To sleep on it had been a dream.  "They made off with my other bags, and all my money.  I kept them off for a long time, but I had to defend myself while a few grabbed the rubles.  If not I'd be dead right now over something as stupid as money."

"Stupid?" Lara laughed. "You think money is stupid?"

"Who has use for it?  I wouldn't carry a kopeck on me if I could."

"I guess that nasty habit of eating wouldn't get you down?" Lara tossed one of his ratty shirts in the to be cleaned stack.  "Do you EVER wash your clothes?"

"Of course I do!  I haven't stayed in a hotel for a few weeks now.  I didn't have enough time to stop at a river and clean them."  Mikhail sighed.  "I guess I won't be getting to Moscow."

Lara folded the few clean clothes he had.  "There's not much hope of that, unfortunately.  You might as well resign yourself to the fact that you'll be staying here for at least two weeks."

"Two weeks? I have to at least get out of Russia and back to Western Europe!"

Lara blushed a little but continued sorting the clothing.  "That's crazy.  You won't be well enough until then."  She bit her lower lip a little.  She was lying of course.  He'd be just fine in a week or even less, but she didn't want her adventure to end so soon.  "No one comes into the guestroom anyway.  I'll even sneak food and water up for you, fill up the tub every few days for a good long bath like I did last night, and you can climb down from my balcony to the outhouse."

"You still use outhouses?" Mikhail laughed.  "In Paris and Milan everything is completely indoor!"

Lara flushed.  Vointsky really was behind on the times, wasn't it?

"Father says cold air is good for the lungs and helps the circulation while one is relieving themselves."

Mikhail rolled his eyes.  "If peeing in the freezing cold is good for my lungs, then let them be clogged!"

"Mikhail!" Lara giggled.  "You use such language!"

"You haven't heard anything yet, shiksa!  That's Yiddish for a woman who's not --"

"Lara?  Mademoiselle?  His Grace is here to see you!"

Lara gasped and started running to the doorway, tripping over piles of clothing.  "Coming Marina!  Tell Mother I'll be right down!"

Mikhail sat up quickly.  "What's going on?  Who's His Grace?"

"That snotty Duke Valja!" Lara tried frantically to throw some of his pants that she'd fallen on off of her foot. "Mother's trying to marry me off!  I'll be back soon!"

She ran out the door, shutting it behind her firmly, then turning to the Maid. "Don't dust in there, Marina.  I uh...I have a secret project.  I'll do it all!"  She ran by her then, and down the stairs two at a time, finally running in the dining area at full speed.

Vlad, Mother, and Duke Valja were already seated for Obyed.  Lara blushed, quickly smoothing her hair as subtlety as possible.

"Good day Mother...Vlad...Your Gross, I mean Grace!"  She smirked.

Duke Valja was quite unamused.  "I see your daughter is still as mischievous as ever, Natasha."

Mother blushed.  "She’s young and impetuous."

Vlad was the only one smiling.  He was proud of his baby sister, whether her mother was or not.  He patted the chair beside him and Lara gratefully sat.

"The White Nights have another six weeks to go and I'm already tired of them," Valja complained in his droning voice.  "Just yesterday a few chaps and I had gone hunting..."

Lara blocked his words and instead thought about Mikhail.  He had eaten last night and this morning heartily, confiding that he hadn't had anything except the apple in quite a while.  Lara had insisted he take a bath, and she had carried the water up herself, slightly embarrassed at the lack of indoor plumbing.

"It's nice to see that I don't have a snake hidden under my platter this time, unlike the last," Valja commented.  "Shall I be expecting a spider, perhaps?"

"Oh noooo," Lara assured him in a silky voice.  "I'd never hide a SPIDER.  Maybe a scorpion, but never a spider!"

"Lara!  Really!"  Mother was flushed.  "Stop this attitude immediately!"

"Mother, she's just having a little fun," Vlad piped in.  "She's not hurting anyone with a REAL scorpion."  He paused.  "Are you?"

"Your confidence in me is touching," Lara said sarcastically.  She picked up the red caviar, a zakuski, and spread it over her cracker.

"What's on the meal today?" Valja asked.  "I suppose something delicious as usual."

"Siberian Dumplings, pheasant, stuffed cabbage, potatoes, solyanka soup, and cucumber salad."  Mother clapped her hands.  "Emilie, bring the soup."

They all waited patiently.

"Emilie?  Emilie, I said to bring the soup!"

There was a light giggle from the kitchen.  Natasha raised her eyebrows.  "Emilie?  Who is in there with you?"

Emilie hurried out and quickly placed the soup in front of the diners.  "Sorry...Je regrette...mon dieu...I shall be back!"

Natasha sighed deeply.  "That's what you get for hiring FRENCH help!  Really, our Russian maids are much better."

There were more giggles from the kitchen.  Lara tapped her foot.  Something fishy was going on back there, and she just bet that Mikhail was involved!

"Mother, I'm going to the water closet before we begin eating.  I'll be back momentarily."  She quickly ducked into the back hallway, and from there into the kitchen.

"MIKHAIL!"

Mikhail looked over, his face covered in carnation colored lipstick.  "Lara!  Great of you to join us!"

She placed her hand over his mouth.  "REALLY, Mikhail I can't believe you!!  How did you get down here anyway, crawl?!"

Mikhail nodded.  He tried to open his mouth but Lara shut it again.

"Do you know what TROUBLE you could get me in?!  Do you EVEN SPEAK FRENCH?!"

Mikhail grinned.  "The language of love has no spoken word!" Emilie giggled again.  Lara narrowed her eyes.

"Emilie could squeal!  I'll have to sort this out later.  Right now, just GET UPSTAIRS, Mikhail, and DON'T come back."

"Alright..." Mikhail started walking back upstairs again, turning his head to look at her.  "But you might want to take care of that big bug I put on that platter going out to the dining room."

"Bug -- MIKHAIL!!  STOP THE PLATTER!  EMILIE!"

Lara grabbed the plate before the French maid could place the covered dish on the table.

"Emilie, really, that won't be necessary..."

"Lara, stop!"  Natasha took the dish rudely from her hands.  "I can't believe you'd try to stop the dear Duke from having his food!"  Mother smiled sweetly at Valja.  "Here, Your Grace, enjoy..."

"Mother, no!!"

It was too late.  Lara shut her eyes and turned away.

"AHH!  A BUG!  IT'S A BUG!  A MONSTROUS INSECT!"  Valja jumped, knocking his chair over, and sending him to the ground.  Vlad quickly tried to rescue Mother, but of course she fainted onto the floor, hitting the table with her flailing arms and legs. The bowls of soup splattered everywhere.

"I shall never, NEVER come back to this wretched house again!  Your daughter isn't FIT to marry!" Valja screamed.  He tried to stand, but fell onto his face, directly into what was left of the soup in a bowl.  Lara's eyes scanned down to his feet and noticed that his boots had been intricately laced together across the top. She quickly lifted the table cloth.

Mikhail waved, a large grin across his dark face, his brown eyes dancing.  Lara gasped and quickly threw the cloth back over him.

She clenched her fists angrily.  Just wait until they got upstairs!

© 1999 - 2000 AnyaMuse@aol.com
© 1999 - 2000 AnyaCI@aol.com