Victoria

Chapter9

When it was time for the family to leave, we thanked them for their hospitality. Danyella hugged me tightly before we left out of the house. Demyan paid Jeacob for two horses for us to not have to walk in the snow. The girls lend me some warm coats for me and Demyan; made out of bear skin! They looked warm and I offered to pay something for them, but they denied any money offer.

The horse's name that I am riding, or now the horse I own, is Pooka. He is gray with a black main and tail. Demyan's horse's name is Gudan. He is white with black spots near the hooves, and has a white main and tail. Before we left, we made sure no one was around us to hear us talk.

"So where are we headed?" I ask. "I think it would be wise to get to a place with a lot of people. You know, to blend in, or stay looking like others. Also, we need to change clothes and the way we look. Nothing big, but you know. Safety." He says. I nod. "I agree. What do I need to change?" I ask. He thinks. "Maybe change your eye color to dark brown. And your hair, change it to dark brown, but not really a brown color. I like your black hair." I smile. "Thanks.....did they change?" I ask. His head nods. "Good. How far do you think we are from Moscow?" I ask. "Maybe twenty minutes. We really aren't that far." "Well that is a good thing. Are you warm in the coat?" "Yes, you ready? We better start going."

The ride to Moscow wasn't very bad. It was cold, but the sun was out. The horses tread through the thick snow very well, and I think Demyan made a good choice to buy the horses.

We reached Moscow, and there were many buildings. It reminded me of London, where I once lived. But these buildings were much more colorful with design. Especially the Cathedral. The domes at the top go into great points, and it looks almost as if it were real gold! I wish I could stare at them all day. The cathedral reminds me of the picture in the grand living room from the estate we were going to live in.

Demyan leads us to a clothing store and shoe shop. There is a fat lady behind a desk in the middle of the room, and as we walk in, the chill from the outside reached her; she shivered and looked up at us. She smiled. "Zdrast vuti!" she says. "Zdrast vuti." Demyan says. "How may I help such charming people as you?" she asks as she stands and walks to us. "We would like new clothes and perhaps new shoes, if possible." He says. "Oh, well I can certainly do that. Shall I start with you, young lady?" she places her hand on my arm. "If you want to." I say. "Perfect! Young man, if you will have a seat over on that chair while she tries on clothes. She can come out and show you how it looks on her."

She meant that for good, I am sure of it, but Demyan didn't think that was a good idea for me to be away from him in a different room. "I think it would be better if we just got our measurements and pick out the clothes. We sort of are on a schedule that needs to be kept." He said. The woman looked puzzled but smiled anyway.

"Alright then, darlings. Shall I still do you first?" She asked me. I nodded and she took me behind a curtain. She measured my arms and my torso, and then my bosom and stomach. The last thing she measured was how tall I am.

When she finished, she asked for Demyan to exchange with me. I sat where he was sitting, and it was facing the window. I looked outside, it was beautiful. The architecture was so interesting. Everything was in place. Here I can have a different life, but even this life has been destroyed. I wonder if we will change names again. We probably won't, because this life is our destiny. I remember Demyan telling me that the people don't go by names, but by looks. It sounds to me that the people aren't very intelligent. But then I have to think that why would they be after us unless they were trying to do something for themselves. So they must be intelligent.

Demyan comes from behind the curtain with the woman, and they walk to me. Demyan is smiling at me. I stand, but then I fall back from shock. The woman hit Demyan in the back and he fell to the ground. Oh God in heaven help me! The woman looked at me, and then her face changed. Her eyes glowing red like fire, and her hair turned white as snow. Her face turned old with wrinkles. It was an ugly face, but it was one I have seen before. The one in mothers place and the one in the window.

My face shined with terror. She walked to me. She smiled as she picked me up from the ground. Remember your training! Remember your training! I tell myself. I reached for her head and grabbed her neck with one hand and the other hand I took two fingers and poked her eyes. She let go of me and I scrambled away from her to Demyan and shook him while the thing recovered. He wouldn't wake! I stood and took the thing in my own hands. I would kill it, but I need it to speak. It was still recovering so I took some ribbon and tied its feet and hands. I sat it on the chair.

"You will tell me how you found out who I am and where I was, now!" I yell. It laughs. "Do you honestly think I would tell you that?" it said. Its voice even changed. It sounds demonic. I walked to the woman's desk and took out a pair of scissors. I walked back to the thing and put the scissors to its head, ready to make a hole when needed.

"Tell me now!" I yell. It hesitates, and then sighs. "Just kill me. I can't tell you even to save my life..." It laughs. "I know it won't save yours if I don't tell you." It says. I push a little on its head, and it whimpers. "Ok ok! Moscow is one of your kinds safe places, but all the people who live here now are my kind. This is one of the places we have figured out is yours. You are surrounded by my people." It says. My heart skips a beat. Demyan and I are like a tiny bug that was safe, but has just flown into a spider web.

"Are you the only one who knows we are here?" I ask. It nods. "Yes. We can't talk or listen to people's minds like you can." Wow, they really do know about me. I'm like center attention now. Well, I am the only living first born now.

"Did you kill him?" I ask, looking at Demyan. "No, I just hit him in the back. He is unconscious, but alive." I nod my head. I know all I need to know from this person now. I no longer am in need of it. I look into its eyes, it is still wanting to kill me. But as I study its face, it almost has a resemblance of father...it is playing tricks on me! It is trying to deceive me! I push the scissors into its head. Blood squishes out, and it gets on my hand. But better its blood then mine. I let go of the scissors, and its head drops to one side. I see the blood pool out of its head and falls t the ground. It is dead. I turn to Demyan, and I shake him.

" Demyan...Demyan...!" I say. I shake him some more. I say his name again. His eyes flutter, and then open and he sees my face. He sits up automatically and he reaches for me. He hugs me closely, and he kisses me. "I am so sorry! I cant believe I let that happen! Where is it?" he asks. I point to the chair. He laughs and then looks at me again. He reaches for my face and pulls it closely to his. He kisses me, and I kiss him back. I thought for sure he was dead!

We leave through the back door and walk through an ally. We reach our horses, and we leave immediately. Great, they probably know all my measurements now. There's one more thing I will have to change. We don't want t draw attention, so we just quietly leave heading west.

We left safely, and when we were out of reach from anybody, we changed looks. I had to make my waist, arms and torso smaller. I look sickly. I changed my black/brown hair to a light cherry brown, and my eyes to ivy green. I then changed my height to 5.5". Demyan has blonde hair and dark blue eyes, and he is now 5.8 ½". He is very tall now.

I smile at him. "What?" he asks.

"I am just thinking of when we get our 'normal' lives back." I say. He smiles.

"Soon, soon we will get to a nice home. But until then, we have to get to a safe place." He says. I sigh.

"Okay. So where do we go from here?" I ask.

"Home."