Alexei part 7
8/8/05 05:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
roxyWhat the heck! I’m on a roll—let’s wipe the slate clean!
This is the basically the last part of The Edge of the Forest. What happens next is Alexei becoming Alexei.
This has been the happy time for him, a little angsty, but basically happy. We know he won’t be happy again until he meets Kal-El—I mean Kirill.
So give my boy a little hug, and wave bye-bye. I hope it won’t be long before we meet up again. *crosses fingers*
The Edge of the Forest
Horses milled about, their hooves thumping against the soil, the ring and clank of metal and the shouts of the party calling to each other across the fields filled Alexei’s ears. Excitement fizzed in his blood. The dogs surged back and forth impatiently, eager to be after their prey, and Alexei felt it also. He wanted to be after the wolves, to test himself. He wanted to slip his leash also, to run far and fast…he stood in his stirrups, trying to sight Mischa in the crowd of men and animals. He saw him, mounted next to Filip. Filip leaned towards him and gestured out to the fields and Mischa nodded. He rode out to where the other servants were, and waved as he passed Alexei. Alexei felt a little bloom of warmth in his chest. His pet was beautiful, more beautiful than anyone around him.
The horn blast split the air—the hunt was on. The excitement spread through the crowd like a flame through dry grass, the dogs leapt ahead, tearing through the underbrush, yelping and whining as they sought their prey. Sunlight flared from the brass and silver on uniforms, and gleamed on the high polish of boots.
Alexei laughed. They could be seen from miles away. It was fortunate stealth wasn’t a part of the hunt.
A crack of rifle shot rang out from time to time—rabbits, or bird being flushed out. Alexei looked forward to dinner that evening.
To his left the forest loomed thick with pine and oak, to his right the mass of the party swept across an open field and the frantic barking of the borzoi told him their prey had been flushed out also. A wolf was being hunted to death.
Alexei rode along the edge of the forest, the open field narrowed more and more as the dogs chased the wolf closer and closer to the forest’s edge and the underbrush became thicker. The servants rode there along the edge also, carrying the game that had been shot. Mischa sighted him and waved at him, holding up a rabbit by it’s heels. Alexei waved and turned his horse towards him, and a shot cracked in the air.
Alexei had his eyes on Mischa when suddenly the rabbit was drenched in blood and swayed wildly before falling to the ground-- Mischa dropped from the saddle—his horse danced away from him and he disappeared from sight in the tall grass. Alexei kicked viciously at his horse spurring it on to greater speed, intent only on getting to Mischa. What seemed to have happened—it wasn’t possible. His eyes were playing tricks on him…
He was on the ground and running to Mischa’s side, shoving violently through the crowd around him. Mischa lay on his back in the circle, his honey eyes wide and shocked, his mouth open slightly in surprise. Alexei dropped to his knees next to him, Mischa was dead….and then he blinked.
Slowly, once, twice, he blinked and a little gust of warm air blew across Alexei’s cheek when he leaned forward. “Mischa, don’t leave me,” he whispered, “don’t leave.” He watched a trickle of blood slide from his mouth, crawl over his cheek to drip to the ground.
One of the huntsmen came forward. “—Is he—is he dead? I aimed for a pheasant—I thought. I didn’t see him.”
Alexei nodded, not hearing the man consciously, dimly aware of the fact that Filip was behind him—the smell of his cologne nearly managing to over power the smell of Mischa’s blood. Alexei bent even closer, He had no desire to look into his eyes—he knew they’d tell him nothing. Instead he pressed his mouth against Mischa’ cheek, begged him to stay…he breathed in, seeking his scent—the spice and clean smell, the smell of new mown hay and tangerines that was Mischa, but it was all blood, just blood. Mischa sighed, a small sound that only Alexei heard, and he stood.
He turned to Filip. “He’s dead.” He walked away a few steps and Filip said, “I’ll take care of the body. He has no family. I feel I owe it to him.”
Alexei stopped, turned to him with a measuring look. His eyes flashed, the gray seemed to become a clear ice blue. “I expect you do.”
The hunter bowed to Filip. “Sir—it was an…accident.” Filip waved him away. “Go to the stables wait for us there.” He signaled s couple of his men to accompany the hunter, and directed the hunt master to cancel the hunt.
Alexei mounted his horse and pulled the reins turning his head towards the estate.
“Where are you going?”
"Away."
Filip nodded as he rode away. "Take care of that," he pointed at the servant’s body.
Alexei was back at the stable in minutes--he'd ridden his horse flat out. He walked through the double door. Empty. His teeth bared and nostrils flared. Empty. His coat dropped to the floor as he shrugged out of it and let it fall, his tunic fell next. He yanked down the suspenders and ripped off the undershirt, threw it behind him. He waited.
The hunter strolled casually into the stable, whistling tunelessly as he chewed on an apple. Alexei could plainly hear his teeth break the skin, the crunch seemed deafening. He heard every thunk of the man’s boot heels hitting the wooden floor of the work area as though he walked across his brain.
The man stopped, startled, and then relaxed. “Oh it’s you,” he sneered.
Alexei stood silently.
"What,” the man gestured towards him with the half eaten apple. “You’re going to take a bath? I wouldn’t recommend the horse trough, my friend.” He laughed, exposing a mouth full of apple. Alexei took a step forward and stopped.
The man was instantly alert in the way a peasant would never be—he’d seen that type of guarded reaction before. In his—Alexei’s guard.
The look of contempt that had been on the man’s face was gone. He looked wary now, the apple dropped to the floor and rolled, ignored. He straightened slowly and moved back a step.
Alexei grinned.
The man paled and moved back another step.
Filip walked in. “Ah. Alexei. There you are.” He smiled fondly.
The man automatically turned and bowed when he heard Filip’s voice. “Master Leonov…” suddenly he was on his knees, an arm hooked under his chin, pulling his neck into a tight bow.
Alexei pulled him so tight, his knees barely touched the floor.” Why? He asked Filip. “Why?" He fought to keep anguish from his voice, the strain made it shake.
“I have no idea what you’re asking, dear boy. Let this man go.”
“No!”
“It would displease me if you kill him.” The man on his knees moaned in fear, eyes locked on Filip, who looked at him with a little smile. “Don’t do it, Alexei,” he whispered, “don’t hurt him…”
Alexei drew his blade across the man’s throat in a sweeping arc, spraying the floor with blood, blood rushed up his arm and ran from it in sheets of hot fluid. Filip glanced down at the tip of his boots and made a noise of annoyance at the drops of blood flecked over them.
Alexei stared at him, chest heaving and knife wavering in his red fist.
Filip asked him gently, “Does it make sense? To give up everything for a…a peasant? You’re not a peasant, Alexei—you could be my heir. You have to concentrate--let distractions go, and you could have this, all that I have, all of everything. Choose, Alexei, choose now.” Filip stood in front of him; hands deep in his pockets and an interested expression on his face.
Alexei dropped the body and kicked it hard in the head. He was red from waist to neck, and a smear of blood ran from his chin to his temple and he screamed between clenched teeth. The knife shook in his fist for a moment more and then with a flick was gone.
His voice was steady when he spoke. “I choose to live and one day, I’ll kill you. I promise.’
Filip laughed. “No you won’t. You’ll see. You think you’re going to suffer--you’ll recover faster than you think believable, I promise *you* that. And you’ll thank me.”
“For all you’ve done, Father?”
8-08-05
This is the basically the last part of The Edge of the Forest. What happens next is Alexei becoming Alexei.
This has been the happy time for him, a little angsty, but basically happy. We know he won’t be happy again until he meets Kal-El—I mean Kirill.
So give my boy a little hug, and wave bye-bye. I hope it won’t be long before we meet up again. *crosses fingers*
The Edge of the Forest
Horses milled about, their hooves thumping against the soil, the ring and clank of metal and the shouts of the party calling to each other across the fields filled Alexei’s ears. Excitement fizzed in his blood. The dogs surged back and forth impatiently, eager to be after their prey, and Alexei felt it also. He wanted to be after the wolves, to test himself. He wanted to slip his leash also, to run far and fast…he stood in his stirrups, trying to sight Mischa in the crowd of men and animals. He saw him, mounted next to Filip. Filip leaned towards him and gestured out to the fields and Mischa nodded. He rode out to where the other servants were, and waved as he passed Alexei. Alexei felt a little bloom of warmth in his chest. His pet was beautiful, more beautiful than anyone around him.
The horn blast split the air—the hunt was on. The excitement spread through the crowd like a flame through dry grass, the dogs leapt ahead, tearing through the underbrush, yelping and whining as they sought their prey. Sunlight flared from the brass and silver on uniforms, and gleamed on the high polish of boots.
Alexei laughed. They could be seen from miles away. It was fortunate stealth wasn’t a part of the hunt.
A crack of rifle shot rang out from time to time—rabbits, or bird being flushed out. Alexei looked forward to dinner that evening.
To his left the forest loomed thick with pine and oak, to his right the mass of the party swept across an open field and the frantic barking of the borzoi told him their prey had been flushed out also. A wolf was being hunted to death.
Alexei rode along the edge of the forest, the open field narrowed more and more as the dogs chased the wolf closer and closer to the forest’s edge and the underbrush became thicker. The servants rode there along the edge also, carrying the game that had been shot. Mischa sighted him and waved at him, holding up a rabbit by it’s heels. Alexei waved and turned his horse towards him, and a shot cracked in the air.
Alexei had his eyes on Mischa when suddenly the rabbit was drenched in blood and swayed wildly before falling to the ground-- Mischa dropped from the saddle—his horse danced away from him and he disappeared from sight in the tall grass. Alexei kicked viciously at his horse spurring it on to greater speed, intent only on getting to Mischa. What seemed to have happened—it wasn’t possible. His eyes were playing tricks on him…
He was on the ground and running to Mischa’s side, shoving violently through the crowd around him. Mischa lay on his back in the circle, his honey eyes wide and shocked, his mouth open slightly in surprise. Alexei dropped to his knees next to him, Mischa was dead….and then he blinked.
Slowly, once, twice, he blinked and a little gust of warm air blew across Alexei’s cheek when he leaned forward. “Mischa, don’t leave me,” he whispered, “don’t leave.” He watched a trickle of blood slide from his mouth, crawl over his cheek to drip to the ground.
One of the huntsmen came forward. “—Is he—is he dead? I aimed for a pheasant—I thought. I didn’t see him.”
Alexei nodded, not hearing the man consciously, dimly aware of the fact that Filip was behind him—the smell of his cologne nearly managing to over power the smell of Mischa’s blood. Alexei bent even closer, He had no desire to look into his eyes—he knew they’d tell him nothing. Instead he pressed his mouth against Mischa’ cheek, begged him to stay…he breathed in, seeking his scent—the spice and clean smell, the smell of new mown hay and tangerines that was Mischa, but it was all blood, just blood. Mischa sighed, a small sound that only Alexei heard, and he stood.
He turned to Filip. “He’s dead.” He walked away a few steps and Filip said, “I’ll take care of the body. He has no family. I feel I owe it to him.”
Alexei stopped, turned to him with a measuring look. His eyes flashed, the gray seemed to become a clear ice blue. “I expect you do.”
The hunter bowed to Filip. “Sir—it was an…accident.” Filip waved him away. “Go to the stables wait for us there.” He signaled s couple of his men to accompany the hunter, and directed the hunt master to cancel the hunt.
Alexei mounted his horse and pulled the reins turning his head towards the estate.
“Where are you going?”
"Away."
Filip nodded as he rode away. "Take care of that," he pointed at the servant’s body.
Alexei was back at the stable in minutes--he'd ridden his horse flat out. He walked through the double door. Empty. His teeth bared and nostrils flared. Empty. His coat dropped to the floor as he shrugged out of it and let it fall, his tunic fell next. He yanked down the suspenders and ripped off the undershirt, threw it behind him. He waited.
The hunter strolled casually into the stable, whistling tunelessly as he chewed on an apple. Alexei could plainly hear his teeth break the skin, the crunch seemed deafening. He heard every thunk of the man’s boot heels hitting the wooden floor of the work area as though he walked across his brain.
The man stopped, startled, and then relaxed. “Oh it’s you,” he sneered.
Alexei stood silently.
"What,” the man gestured towards him with the half eaten apple. “You’re going to take a bath? I wouldn’t recommend the horse trough, my friend.” He laughed, exposing a mouth full of apple. Alexei took a step forward and stopped.
The man was instantly alert in the way a peasant would never be—he’d seen that type of guarded reaction before. In his—Alexei’s guard.
The look of contempt that had been on the man’s face was gone. He looked wary now, the apple dropped to the floor and rolled, ignored. He straightened slowly and moved back a step.
Alexei grinned.
The man paled and moved back another step.
Filip walked in. “Ah. Alexei. There you are.” He smiled fondly.
The man automatically turned and bowed when he heard Filip’s voice. “Master Leonov…” suddenly he was on his knees, an arm hooked under his chin, pulling his neck into a tight bow.
Alexei pulled him so tight, his knees barely touched the floor.” Why? He asked Filip. “Why?" He fought to keep anguish from his voice, the strain made it shake.
“I have no idea what you’re asking, dear boy. Let this man go.”
“No!”
“It would displease me if you kill him.” The man on his knees moaned in fear, eyes locked on Filip, who looked at him with a little smile. “Don’t do it, Alexei,” he whispered, “don’t hurt him…”
Alexei drew his blade across the man’s throat in a sweeping arc, spraying the floor with blood, blood rushed up his arm and ran from it in sheets of hot fluid. Filip glanced down at the tip of his boots and made a noise of annoyance at the drops of blood flecked over them.
Alexei stared at him, chest heaving and knife wavering in his red fist.
Filip asked him gently, “Does it make sense? To give up everything for a…a peasant? You’re not a peasant, Alexei—you could be my heir. You have to concentrate--let distractions go, and you could have this, all that I have, all of everything. Choose, Alexei, choose now.” Filip stood in front of him; hands deep in his pockets and an interested expression on his face.
Alexei dropped the body and kicked it hard in the head. He was red from waist to neck, and a smear of blood ran from his chin to his temple and he screamed between clenched teeth. The knife shook in his fist for a moment more and then with a flick was gone.
His voice was steady when he spoke. “I choose to live and one day, I’ll kill you. I promise.’
Filip laughed. “No you won’t. You’ll see. You think you’re going to suffer--you’ll recover faster than you think believable, I promise *you* that. And you’ll thank me.”
“For all you’ve done, Father?”
8-08-05
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
8/8/05 11:53 am (UTC)Thank you for taking us by the hand and showing us the beauty and torment that is your Alexei. An adjective of so many meanings.
Alexei.
*sigh*
(no subject)
8/8/05 03:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
8/8/05 03:07 pm (UTC)*loves*