36 Truth (1/2)
They agreed upon a daily ration of nameless liquor and boiled eggs in return for Natalia's services. The eggs were apparently non-negotiable according to her. Unable to contain his excitement now that he had access to a Truth Seer, Nikolai called for a wheelchair, making harried servants dig through the storehouses until they found one of Suri's old prototypes. Settling the old woman comfortably within, he wheeled her through the mansion towards his tower.
”She was such a sweet child.” Natalia smacked her lips after every tiny sip of alcohol. After haggling with the old woman over the quantity of her ration, he'd conceded to an extra splash today which she nursed lovingly against her chest. ”Always so serious. When the others ran around, crashing and smashing into things she would be there to help them up and make sure no one was hurt.”
”That sounds positively angelic.” Nikolai remarked, swerving around awkwardly placed pedestals in the hallway, resolving to remove them and make the path easier for a wheelchair to traverse. ”Unbelievable actually.”
”There's a lot of pressure being part of the main family.” Natalia banged the arm of her wheelchair and Nikolai slowed down.
”Please don't do that Aunt. This chair's old. I'll get you a better one soon so bear with it for a while.”
”My legs still work boy.” She grumbled. ”You like to rush around too much. It's good to move slowly sometimes.”
”I'll put a holder for your drinks in it.”
”Who needs legs anyway?” Natalia chortled, taking another small sip. ”Where was I?”
”Pressure of the main family.”
”Right. They always place expectations and demands on the direct descendants. You have to be better than everyone else, stronger, faster, smarter.” She sighed, gazing blankly into the distance. Nikolai slowed down further, almost to a crawl, the creak of the wheels echoing throughout the hallway.
”Most people would be happy to take their place. The luxury, resources and respect are enviable.”
”For an adult, yes they are. But a child only sees other children happily running in the fields without a care in the world. Then they turn to their parents, who are busy with something or the other so they turn to their caregivers. Nannies, uncles, aunts. They ask, why can't I go out and play? They're told to fulfil the expectations of the family. The responsibility of the aristocracy. Not the most conducive environment to develop healthy human beings.”
”I can imagine.” Nikolai murmured. ”But if they think a farmers child has it any easier, then their teachers haven't done a good job.”
”You must have been a handful as a child.” Chuckling, Natalia reached back to pat his hand.
”My mother may have said something to that effect before.” He confirmed, smiling down at her. He imagined this is what having grandparents would be like. Maybe with less drinking though.
”Yes. Considering the other side of the hill before making a decision is a useful skill Nikolai but most children can't see it that way.”
”They should.” He muttered. Raising his voice he asked. ”Was Elya sad about it?”
”No, she was the perfect descendant. Upright, honest and with a passion for learning. Anything her parents demanded, she succeeded. You can imagine what would happen.”
”No actually I can't. I kept getting in trouble when I was a child.”
”That doesn't seem believable.” She swung her cane, clipping him in the leg.
”Ouch! Stop flailing with that thing. You can tell if I'm lying so why would I?”
”It only works while I'm looking at you.”
”Well, in this case I'm telling the truth, it's easy to verify. Most of the retainers serving in this mansion came from the original Morales lands.” Reaching down to rub his leg, Nikolai ignored the old woman's glare to check the welt rising on his shin. ”Apparently I caused some trouble when my magical abilities started showing up.”
”Only some?” Her glare intensified, and he sensed a pressure enveloping his mind.
Now that he was aware, he could feel the compulsion forming. As far as he could tell it seemed to be instinctual, something out of her control. He coughed, a light blush creeping up his neck and explained. ”Sure. Some. A few fires, lightning strikes, one flooded basement and just one small, and I mean small, plague of mind controlled rabbits.”
”A small plague.”
”Very small, only a few hundred.”
”Yes. You did cause some trouble.” She shook her head. ”I think it's safe to say that it may be a relief that the Suzdal's lack magical talents.”
”Magic's fun though. You were telling me what happened with Elya.” He prompted, happy to change the conversation. There was a lot more than hundreds of rabbits and random elemental forces which he'd rather keep a secret.
”Elya wasn't sad but when the demands came to act like a perfect woman, devoted to husband and Court, she responded savagely. They'd trained her into a warrior and when you push a warrior, they fight back. Before her grandfather or parents noticed, she'd already enrolled with the Knights of Chernigov.” She trailed off, lost in thought. There was no need for her to continue. The Knights were almost untouchable since their ties with the Houses ran deep. Every House had a daughter, aunt or even mother within the Order.
Nikolai continued pushing the wheelchair, enjoying the peace. It was strange, but he never spent time just walking through this massive house he called his own. It took an old lady being stubborn for him to appreciate the place, fluted columns and vaulted corridors cast in an eclectic style. A style that he'd never seen before and his mother went to great lengths to praise.
Waving her cane in the air Natalia gestured towards his tower and Nikolai ducked to avoid the deadly piece of wood, wondering if it was possible to confiscate it. ”You're not going in the right direction.”
”We'll go there afterwards, just want to check in on Elya.”
The old woman chuckled and leered over her shoulder. ”So concerned already boy? Have you done it?”
”Done what?” His heart fluttered in fear at her expression.
So much like his Master's.
When he was at his worst.
”IT. Plucked the flower. Punctured the veil. Rode the Dragon. Understand?” she waggled her eyebrows suggestively and Nikolai lurched, almost falling over and sending the wheelchair careening. He managed to get a grip even as he came down on one knee. His efforts to control her wheelchair were met with a loud ringing noise as Natalia brought her cane down upon his skull.
”Be careful boy!” she rasped and Nikolai scrambled to his feet.