One Night In Russia

Act III Scene 2

Elsewhere in the forest Yakov waited for Phichit's return expectantly.

"I wonder if Lilia has awakened and what she might have seen as she opened her eyes, that thing she must devote herself to..." the wait was nearly beyond tolerating and he was happy to see Phichit returning. "There you are you mad spirit! Tell me of your mischief tonight." He was smiling,more than happy and hoping for the best of news. After all, if one was going to play a joke on someone else than there wasn't anyone but Phichit to turn to for help.

Phichit himself was quite happy with how matters turned out,he was very pleased with himself and eager to relay all of it to the King. In hi smind he had done all that Yakov asked of him and more.

"My mistress loves a monster,"he began,remembering his fun " A group of players wandered close to where the Queen slept, intent on rehearsing a play to entertain at the Duke's wedding. I watched the one presenting himself as Pyramus,waiting for him to exit the stage and followed after. It was then that I gave him the head of a donkey and when he returned as he must to answer Thisby's call they saw him and were greatly surprised. At his sight they were made weak with fear,they ran shouting senselessly into the forest too afraid to be careful. Thorny bushes ripped at their clothes,they lost sleeves and hats in their rush to escape. Leaving poor Pyramus there alone, it was true then that when Lilia woke and at once she loved an ass."

Yakov's eyes were gleaming in delight." That went better than I could have dreamed." he would have enjoyed witnessing the moment, but her might yet see them. "Did you also place the love-juice on that Russian man's eyes?"

"That I did as well,and so the other man sleeping near his side will be the only one in his sight."

Otabek made his way into the area the,followed by a worried and anxious looking Yuri. They had found each other in the forest,Yuri intent on finding Victor.

"Stay close and out of sight,"Yakov warned Phichit. " This is the same man."

Phichit frowned, " One of them is the same,but not the other. The other man's hair was a much lighter color."

Otabek was still very irritated. "Why do you harm so much the man who loves you? Save your anger for your enemies."

"You are my enemy if you have harmed Victor in his sleep. If you mean to kill him you must kill me as well. It has to be you that took him from me as I slept." Yuri spoke in anger, confronting Otabek with fury in his brown eyes.

"You kill me with your cruelty, piercing right through my heart. Yet you look as bright and clear as the moon."

"Just tell me where Victor is." Yuri didn't want to deal with this nonsense anymore, if Victor was in danger,if he had been hurt..."Give him back to me." Yuri demanded it of Otabek.

"I would rather give his body to the wolves."

"Stop testing me, if you have killed him as he slept I will never forgive you." Such anger was unlike Yuri but to him Victor was all he had worth anything.

Otabek remained calm and unimpressed in the face of Yuri's wrath. "You're wasting your anger on me, I did nothing to Victor,though I do not know his fate."

"Just tell me he is well."

Otabek's eyes narrowed,fixing on Yuri's gaze. " If I tell you that what will I receive?"

"The gift of never seeing me again. I will give you that gift even now, as whether Victor is alive or not you will no longer see me.' with that Yuri stormed off to continue his search.

"There is no use following him while he is in this mood." Otabek reasoned,watching Yuri leave with a sigh. Feeling tired and defeated he decided to rest there in the small clearing. It was proving to be a very long night. He was so tired that sleep claimed him almost as soon as he found a suitable spot to lie down for awhile.