Chains of the Heart

Chapter 1

As the morning sun crested over the sprawling Kuznetsov manor, the servants of Ivan Petrovich Kuznetsov knew better than to let themselves linger in its warm embrace. The master had no tolerance for laziness, especially in the hands that tended his lands. Ivan, tall and imposing with a stare as cold as a Russian winter, ruled his estate with an iron grip. His black hair, worn slightly longer than fashionable, framed a face that rarely softened, even with his own kin or compatriots.

For the young Anya Mikhailovna Sokolov, life within the manor walls had been harsh. She'd arrived two years ago, after her family could not pay the debt owed to Ivan's late father. Like all servants, she'd come to know the sting of the overseer's whip and the burden of servitude. Her face, soft and full of youth despite her hardships, bore traces of sadness that only grew with each passing year. At twenty-two, Anya's deep green eyes held both innocence and resolve, her features almost a contrast to the harsh world that had claimed her spirit.
Ivan's morning began with a meticulous inspection of his lands and an impersonal dismissal of any servants who failed to meet his standards. As he looked out over his estate, pride swelled within him - not in his people, but in the land he alone had elevated. He cared little for the peasants who worked beneath him; they were simply tools, bound to serve. It was a belief he held with unwavering conviction.

Just as he was about to turn back into the manor, he caught sight of a figure struggling by the riverbank. It was one of his younger servants, the slender girl Anya, her frame bent under the weight of a heavy water bucket. With irritation, he signaled for the Kuznetsov manor overseer, Dimitri, to correct her mistake.

"She's hardly carrying it right," Ivan muttered, his voice cold and unyielding. "See that she is reminded of the proper way. A few lashes will ensure she remembers."