Colors and Life / Soviet x Reich

Chapter 23

I hold onto his arm when I'm close enough to him. He lets go of me with one arm and then points in one direction. I look and see a school of small fish just a few meters away from us. I count the fish and find that there are 23 fish. I look around, but I can't see anything dangerous. I also run one hand over the sand. As he said, there is no danger here. I look at him, but try to look away again quickly, knowing well that if I look too long I will not be able to take my eyes off his body. I'm running out of air too, so I'm swimming back up.

Soviet won't let go of me, but gets up and pushes himself off the ground to the surface and pulls me along. Thanks to him, I can get to the surface faster and take a deep breath. After I had enough air again, Soviet asks me: "And was something dangerous down there?" I shake my head at that. "No, it was really nice down there.", I add. I don't know why, but my head wants to get away from Soviet again. I just don't understand why and I can't say whether I want to keep my distance from him or not. My head is fighting my heart again. I want to stay with Soviet and the children.

Why does my head resist it so much? Is my head afraid? It feels like fear. I don't want to be afraid, I just want to be close to Soviet. I am torn from my thoughts when Soviet puts a hand on my shoulder. I flinch. "Are you okay?", he asks me. "Y-yes, just lost in my thoughts again.", I answer him. We were in the water for a while until I step out of the water and realize that I don't have a towel or anything close by. The water is too cold for me to go in again. I take my clothes and hang them somewhere else before I start drawing again. I'm guaranteed to get dry while drawing.

A few minutes later someone throws something against my back. When I look at the floor, I see a towel there. A few meters from me is Soviet Union with a towel around his shoulder. I pick up the towel and wrap it around my arms and chest before looking back at Soviet, who is smiling at me. Shortly afterwards he leaves again and I take a look at his beautiful body. He still doesn't have a single scar and he looks more muscular than I remember. I look like the complete opposite of him. I don't have such muscles or even none at all. I'm a little fat too.

Why is he always so much better than me at everything? He disappears behind the bushes and trees. I dedicate myself to my picture again. The children storm past me too and say: "Mom, we'll show dad what you've taught us!" "Have fun!", I call after them. Loneliness is spreading in me again. So that it disappears, I continue drawing. Does Soviet know that I made up the song? Does he know it's about me and him? Did he find out who I am yet? After I'm done with the picture, I'll go back in with all the materials and the guitar after I'm dressed again. I give the three pictures to Soviet and get to know the other children.

The remaining children are named Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan. I am also praised several times by Soviet. Then he gives me a suit for the ball tonight. I don't quite understand why tonight, I ask myself as I lie in my room. Maybe because Soviet and I don't have time tomorrow evening. Most likely because of that. How am I supposed to approach him tomorrow? Should i wait for him? No, that happens a little too quickly for me and I also want to have a little more control over the situation. I'll hide and wait for him to arrive. But what should I do then?

Should I make myself invisible and come from behind? Maybe I'll scare him and I want to prevent that. He should not be frightened and neither should he be afraid. Should I approach him from the side as Nick and then drink my potion? No, that doesn't seem right to me either. Maybe from the front and I'll be invisible first and then drink the potion. I can try. I get up, make myself invisible and fly out of my room. I fly towards the balcony and see Soviet with his children there. He's telling them something. I fly closer and listen. "... Feather is not a bird's feather but a Countryhumans feather, I figured it out through the size.

Whoever owns this feather must have even bigger wings than me. I also looked at the feather more carefully and whoever owns the feather can probably make himself invisible. And because it's a black feather with white spots, it belongs to the German royal family. Either it's one of Reich's family members I've never heard of or Reich is alive! He could be around somewhere and we wouldn't even notice. I also strongly suspect that he is also in the castle and maybe even one of the people who could work here. One in particular looks very familiar to me. Unfortunately, I am not entirely sure.

I also believe that Reich is afraid of something and therefore does not show himself. I also think how strange it sounds that it has something to do with this feather, because until now no known Countryhuman has black and white as the wing color, but I'm not exactly sure about that either", says Soviet Union. "Dad do you think he'll even still love you if he hasn't come back to you?", asks Latvia. "Yes, I think he still loves me. I hope he will confirm it to me tomorrow.", replies Soviet. Ukraine asks: "How are we going to find out that he still loves you?" "By bringing him home tomorrow.", he replies to his son.

I want to show him that I'm listening. I take a loose black feather and stand on the railing before I let the feather fall over Soviet. As it floats down, it becomes visible again. It is really a black feather, as I suspected. Soviet catches it immediately and looks at them before turning around. I quickly jump off the railing and flutter up. "Reich if you can hear me. We'll meet at sunset at the pond. You don't have to be afraid of me. I love you!", he shouts. I flutter closer to him and stroke gently his cheek with my right hand.

He takes my hand gently and kisses it lightly before looking up at me with a smile. "Are you telling the children fairy tales again?", asks Afghanistan, who comes up to him. "I'm not telling fairy tales. I'm just telling them that you can pack up and go home soon.", Soviet replies. I land on the railing and put my other hand on his cheek before lightly kissing his cheek. "Why go home? I only go back to my palace when you've fallen in love with someone.", remembers Afghanistan. "I have someone I love with all my heart.", he replies while looking at me in love.

Afghanistan says: "Don't you say it's this guy who was killed 5 years ago." I see shock in Soviet's eyes before he turns his head to her and repeats: "Killed?!" Doesn't he know? Wasn't he told what they did or wanted to do to me? "Yes, he was burned.", she replies. Soviet can't get a word out and I slowly pull my hands away again. He can't let go of my hand, which I can understand well. He looks at me, but let go of me, even if it is difficult for him. Then he turns his head to Afghanistan and asks: "Why?" "I'll tell you that when you get home tomorrow. After he didn't show up.", she says before going back inside.

Soviet looks back at me once more and feels the railing with his hands. When he feels my hands on it, he strokes them gently. "I know that you are there and I'm sure you are scared, but no matter what, I will love you forever my Reich. Please let me see you again.", he whispers as a tear runs down his face. I put my lips on his cheek again, stopping his tear. He smiles at me. I slowly take my hands away and flutter away. I look back and see that he burst into tears, but I don't know what tears they are. His children try to cheer him up. Are Soviets tears, tears of joy or sadness?