Black Widow: Dark House

16. "Lion"- Saint Mesa

Bold Italics- Russian

Italics- any language besides English

**- thoughts/ memories

** Ana watched as Antonia jumped rope in the back courtyard of one of Dreykov's many opulent homes. She scanned the perimeter, doing sweeps with her keen eyes before returning her gaze to the small girl. When she wasn't at the Red Room, Dreykov would allow her to be her sister's personal guard. A privilege none of the other girls got, and it was one of the many reasons they all hated her. Dreykov was always sure to give Ana special treatment even if he never said the reason. Normal people would say it was because of his love for her.

Maybe in his own sick way it was, but Ana knew that Dreykov wanted to separate her from the others. Make them hate her so she would have to work harder to be the best. And she was. She was the best. Not by choice. If she didn't she wouldn't survive. Not with Dreykov as her father.

The small ray of sunshine in all of that was Antonia. Ana had been twelve when Dreykov brought her home after her mother died giving birth to her. Antonia's mother had been a woman of marvel, the only one who could make Dreykov pretend to be a decent human being. Ana had been a bastard, or so she assumed. Dreykov refused to tell her anything about her own mother. Antonia had not become a widow as she was destined to be. She was too soft, too kind, too... gentle. That is why Dreykov hides her away, like his own personal star, the only thing capable of shining light into his black heart.

"Ana!"

Ana snapped her gaze to the little girl, "Yes Rabbit?" calling Antonia by her nickname she had given her long ago.

"Come draw with me" Antonia said, as she had abandoned her rope for a box of multicolored chalk.

Ana smiled and took in a breath as she walked towards her little sister.

"What do you want to draw?" She asked, picking up a piece of black chalk.

"Rabbits!" Antonia shouted excitedly.

Ana smiled. "Watership Down" was her favorite book. Ana had read it to her one night when she was a toddler and ever since then Antonia had fallen in love with it and made Ana read it to her every chance she got. It was also where her nickname "Rabbit" came from.

"Ah little Rabbit, you better watch out because there is..." Ana quickly scrawled on the stone below her a creature with pointed eyes and gnashing teeth " a wolf!" Ana shouted before grabbing Antonia and tickling her, the little girl's shrieks of laughter piercing the air.

Antonia escaped her grasp, "No! because I am quick and cunning! The wolf will not catch me!" she said, taking shelter behind a nearby tree.

Ana stood, crouching down as if she were a monster wolf, "All the world will be your enemy, Princess with a Thousand Enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, princess with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks!" Ana paraphrased the book as she ran toward Antonia, a wide grin on her face as the little girl took off across the courtyard.

Antonia evaded her for a bit, before hiding under a large bush, thinking she had lost Ana.

Ana stalked around as she pretended to look for Antonia.

"Be careful little Rabbit, wolves are everywhere. And they only need to be lucky enough once to catch you" Ana said, a wide smile on her face as she lept forward and looked under the bush.

To her surprise, Antonia was not there.

"If you want to bless me you can bless my bottom, for it is sticking out of the hole!" Antonia quoted before kicking Ana on her butt and running away again, her shrill laughter like a song on the air.