Hearts of Stone

Chapter 2

Nina, smiled as she caught sight of Simon. Simon, short and stout, was busy chopping the logs with an axe showing astounding strength and agility at each swing. He stopped shortly on hearing the creak of the rusty hinges of the small gate.

"Who can it be but my sweet daughter coming home after a busy day?" Simon smiled as he stood the axe on the ground, waiting for his daughter to walk up to him.
"And how many times have I asked you not to strain yourself with such work. You might hurt your back again Papa." Nina sighed.

Simon was always moved by the sentiments that Nina held for him. He simply smiled and said, "You must be hungry. Go and get yourself some food"

Nina smiled and walked into the house and headed for the kitchen. Her mother was busy making preparations for dinner and Dmitri was helping himself to a snack of milk and bread. Dmitri ran towards Nina and hugged her waist while she caressed his hair. The candlelight flickered in the dark kitchen casting an uneven dull glow on the stone walls.

"I have made a new friend today. His name is Ragnar and he is in fact just like Ragnar Lothbruk. Let me wake him up and I will introduce him to you", he spoke, the cookies muffling his voice a little.

"You will do no such thing, Dmitri", his mother shouted at him giving him an angry glare. "Let him sleep for now. You can introduce him to the entire village if you want but not right now."

"When is dinner going to be ready?" he inquired.

And now Dmitri released an array of random questions at his mother, which perplexed her. Nina grabbed an apple and took a bite. She watched her mother and her brother engage in serious discussion on small things which interested Dmitri. A hint of irritation showed on her face as she answered her son's questions. This reminded Nina of herself. She understood how her mother felt, a mixed emotion of irritation as well as love on answering such questions on trivial and illogical topics. She too was subjected to this feeling on a daily basis. At the local school where Nina worked as an art teacher, she had always tried her best to answer the queries of the students, whom she both loved and loathed. She hated it when the students would inquire of her, illogical and useless questions just to perplex her. But then she always loved her students when she saw their passion for something no matter how small or useless it seemed. She had a knack for knowing when they were just fooling around and when they were genuinely interested in something.

Art was her passion. She had always dreamed of becoming a painter. At the tender age of six, Nina had spent her childhood days in Moscow where she lived with her father's elder sister Praskovya. Before Nina was taken in by Praskovya, she had married a prominent merchant of the capital city. The merchant had been drunk one evening and did not return to his home to stay the night. Praskovya had fallen asleep on a couch in the parlour waiting for her husband to return. The next morning, the police had found her husband's body, frozen cold and stiff on a park bench, holding an empty bottle of vodka in his bluish hands. The merchant had left a huge fortune to her name, but he had also left her without a child. Praskovya was broken and was on the verge of sinking into depression.

Simon came to his sister's aid along with Nina. Praskovya, in a moment of weakness, begged Simon to let Nina stay with her, to keep her company. She promised good care, education and a better life for Nina to Simon. Simon was upset and he could not think about parting with his beloved daughter. However, Simon knew how sensitive and weak her sister was and he thought of the life his daughter could have. He knew very well that he would never be able to give her a life of grandeur and proper education in the village. Simon considered this offer after days of constant battle between his mind and his heart. Simon took pity on his sister and left Nina with Praskovya feeling sorry for himself and his daughter.