Victoria

Chapter 12

THREE MONTHS LATER

'What does the letter say?' I finally ask. For the past few minutes it has been quiet because Demyan has been reading a letter from Fambridge. It is news of Domitri; I can tell. My nerves are making my heart fly with discomfort.

Demyan clears his throat. 'What?' I ask. 'How is my brother?' He looks at me quickly and hands me the letter as he stands. I follow him with my eyes as he leaves the room. I am alone in the parlor. I look to the letter.

Demyan Ivanova,

The news concerning Domitri Dovinat;

Thursday, June 3rd, Domitri was found in a lake; dead. His head was not found. We cannot find any trace of Talia. We think she has been killed or captured. Further news will come soon. For now, be safe and protect Natalia.

Sincerely,

You're Double

I feel tears fill my eyes. The letter falls from my hands and my face finds the comfort of my dress and my palms. I weep for the loss of my beloved brother. The last thing I remember him is when he had my siblings in his arms when father was killed. Even then, I did not see his face fully.

I stand quickly and the tears are streaming like rain. My eye brows go down as I look angrily around the room. My heart beats fast as I feel the anger flow through me. I feel my palms and face turn hot with rage and then I finally let out a loud scream of my emotions.

I run to the window and yank the curtains down, the fabric burning inside my red hands. I then run to my desk and thrust all of the things on it off onto the floor. My ink and feather pen flop to the floor, the ink making the rug stain black.

I stare at the black ink; it makes my head spin. I fall to the ground. My eyes are still open when I hit the ground and all I do is stare at the black ink. It makes me think of the black lake Domitri must have been found in. I can only imagine what the scene looked like.

My vision begins to blur as I lay here. All of a sudden, I feel sick. I want to cry. I want nothing more than to just lay here, but what shall Demyan and I do now that Domitri is dead? Live the way we would have without him here, I tell myself. I want Demyan to be here. Demyan... Demyan... I want my beloved Demyan.

I lay in bed, my arm outstretched over a bowl. I feel a poke and I then feel my blood whirl out. I glance at my arm. There is a man with gray hair at my side. I lazily look up and close my eyes as my head begins to spin again. I moan and I get the old man's attention. He lays a cool hand on my forehead.

"There there, it's alright Natalia. You are doing just fine." He says in an old French raspy voice. I keep my eyes closed and my head turned the opposite way; lying on my shoulder and on the pillow.

"Doctor Juqua, how is she?" I hear Demyan's voice ask. My eyes open a little and I move my head towards the door. I see him; tall, handsome and walking. The doctor (I now know who the old man is) looks at me and shakes his head. He then walks to Demyan and whispers.

"Her fall was very bad; and that usually happens with a young girl after having a tantrum like she had had. But the tantrum is understandable for her condition." The doctor says.

"Her condition; in what condition are you speaking about?" Demyan asks.

"You mean you didn't know? When a fall like that happens, a child cannot live. The baby was killed instantly when she fell." The doctor says very fast. I close my eyes. I feel a tear run down my face.

"You mean... Natalia was with child?" Demyan asks.

"Yes; you did not know anything about this? Are you sure that the mood swings she was having did not seem... different from regular times to you?" The doctor says. Demyan is quiet. I open my eyes and I see Demyan sadly looking at me.