[Rybinsk] unfold (Dema)

end of October 2003

It was the end of October now, the days were getting shorter and darker and it all seemed to fit to the situation Alyona was dealing with. She could barely remember how it had been in the summer when everything had still been as it ought to be. Two months ago everything had been in perfect order but then, at the very end of August, things had changed from one moment to the next.

In front of her inner eye Alyona could still see her daughters in the office, Nastya panicking, holding Aglayka tight and her eldest child having seizures, suffering from a poisoning. She could not get the picture out of her mind when Aglayka had been unconscious on the floor, could not forget the expression on Nastya's face. She had kept it together then, she had done what had to be done. She had brought Aglayka to the hospital in Moscow but had kept out of her room, unable to look at her daughter in such an uncertain state.

When Aglayka was conscious and home again (even though against the healers' advice) Alyona had hoped that things would slowly get better for all of them. However, the threatening letter that Aglayka had received had totally been a proof that nothing was going to get better anytime soon. Besides, Nastya had starving herself until she had collapsed during training. Having to deal with both her daughters needing her help and attention, Alyona had put her own needs on the backburner. She felt that it was her duty as a mother and healer to prioritise others, especially her own children, but at the same time the woman realised that she could not keep this up forever. She was tired, there was a constant headache, that wouldn't go fully away even if she took potions, reminding her that she, too, needed to get some rest but she was fighting her way through every day all the same.

While her own husband was living in blissful avoidance these days, Alyona had found comfort in exchanging letters with old friends from school. She had asked Don for help regarding the security and bodyguard topic and she had found it incredibly comforting to exchange brief notes with Aldemar. Knowing that he was checking on her and asked how Aglaya was doing, felt good and reassuring. She kept his letters in her office at the artistic flying school, reading through them whenever she felt that it was all too much for her to deal with. Whenever she wrote him a few lines she could rely on him answering at his earliest convenience.

She knew that he was busy at Durmstrang and was even more pleased when he had announced that he'd fine time to visit. She had written him back to meet her at her office at the artistic flying school. She could hardly meet him for dinner somewhere at a public place, they wouldn't be able to talk properly there, and asking him to come to her house was also potentially complicated – Anton might turn up and interpret this the wrong way, besides Nastya might be there, too… No, the artistic flying school was their best option. It was somewhat neutral ground but they'd have her office where they'd be undisturbed anyway.

Somehow Alyona was nervous when the time of her meeting with Dema drew closer. She hadn't seen her friend for a few months. Besides his regular letters and concerned questions about Aglaya (which she had just taken as quite a natural response to the situation at hand) had made her remember something more clearly again – she had once in her life betrayed Anton some 29 years ago. It hadn't been a proud moment for her and Alyona had always tried to forget that it had happened at all. She had been drunk that night, had not been quite herself and yet… the memory came up more and more frequently now. The additional thought that this memory brought up was something Alyona had always dismissed in the past but, seeing how disappointing and little helpful Anton was these days, she found herself considering the idea all the same.

The woman went to the bathroom to apply some more make up, trying to conceal the signs of age and fatigue. She brushed her hair and even briefly practised a smile that would not look like a scary grimace. She felt almost guilty that she tried to put in some effort when this meeting should just be a chat among old friends. However, somehow she felt that this was a little more than that. She tried to blame her nervousness on the fact that it was the first time she'd talk to someone outside the family about what had happened in person.

As she returned to her office, she already put four glasses on her desk and pulled out a bottle of home distilled vodka and filled a carafe with water in case either of them would like a sip of a non-alcoholic drink. As she heard a knock on her door, Alyona called out “come in” and got to her feet to greet her visitor.

@Aldemar Delchev

Aldemar had been thoroughly concerned when he heard the news about poor Aglaya. It wasn't pitying for the family or a brief 'oh that is too bad' but legitimate concern and deep worry. Aldemar tried to tell himself it was because of the love he had for her mother, because of the friendship they had cared for all these long years, and for the one night they spent together, but it was more than that too. That one night, lining up quite well with the birth of a daughter, and Aldemar thought he was fairly good at math. Alyona had brushed his questions off for years, told him he was wrong, and pretended like it was no big thing, and for a while, Aldemar allowed it. He was so busy with his work, his travel show, and his own self-importance that he lacked time for anyone else. Not even Venera, his legitimate child, something he was working to fix now.

They had been exchanging letters for some time, and Dema was excited when she agreed to have him for lunch. Meeting at the Artistic Flying academy was something he hadn't expected but agreed to none the less. He'd wanted to see the facility for some time, and it wasn't like someone as famous as Alyona could go out in public without being recognized. As a former radio personality, Aldemar didn't usually have that problem unless he was shouting over a crowd, and someone recognized his baritone voice. It happened far less often than it used to, but he pretended not to be bothered.

Knocking on the door when he had arrived, Aldemar opened it and smiled at the beautiful witch behind the desk. Twenty years come and gone, but she didn't look a day out of Durmstrang to him. "Hello, love," He told her softly, the words falling from his lips as a friendly greeting, not a flirtation. He had missed her, all of their group really, except for the ones he still saw every day at Durmstrang. He saw the water and the vodka on the desk with four cups, and he grinned before rubbing his hand across his rough, day-old stubble. Aldemar slipped a hand into his jacket and pulled a tin of home-baked cookies and shortbread from his magically enlarged coat pockets. He set the tin down before removing his scarf, gloves, and jacket and hanging them neatly on the back of the door. Turning back to her, he grinned, slid into the chair across from her, and folded his hands into his lap.

"How are you doing, my dear?" Aldemar's eyes trailed over her face, her posture, and the dimly lit office before adding to his question. "We will talk about your family, I assure you, but first, I want to know how you are," He clarified, he knew she was trying to hide it, but Aldemar had known her long enough to recognize the signs written all over her face. She was tired and he was worried.

“Hello Dema,” Alyona said, an involuntary sigh of relief escaping her as she was just really happy to see a friendly face. “I’m so glad you could make the time,” she said, offering a warm but tired smile. She watched as he pulled out a tin and set it down before removing his scarf, gloves and jacket.

Seeing how Dema sat down, Alyona, too, sank back down onto her chair, unsure what she should say. She felt like thanking her friend over and over again that he found the time to come to the artistic flying school to see her but she had already voiced it once and it was quite unlike her to act like this. She didn’t want to appear this weak and needy anyway.

Fortunately Aldemar spoke first, thus stopping her before she’d make a fool of herself. Unfortunately, though, he asked her how she was doing. Alyona took a deep and shaky breath as she considered what she could say in response. How could she feel in this situation? She was struggling more than ever before in her life and she felt that it was probably getting obvious. While she had been looking forward to seeing Aldemar and to talking to him about the horrible situation her family found itself in, she was now not so sure if that was a good idea after all. Talking about how she was doing was hard and it was even harder to actually talk about the things that had happened.

Anyway, the woman knew that she needed to talk, she couldn’t bottle it all up any longer as she felt like bursting already. Her head was constantly aching and no matter how many potions she took to get some relief, she could not get rid of it fully anymore. She knew that she could trust Aldemar. He would not betray her.

“I have been better,” she heard herself say and then shook her head, irritated by how little credit she gave her friend. He deserved better than such a flat and quite meaningless comment. He had asked her how she was doing and she trusted that he really wanted a genuine answer. “It’s all too much to deal with,” she finally admitted, her voice tired and weak now. “I’m trying my best to ensure my girls are safe and healthy, but I feel it’s not enough and I feel so helpless… I cannot even get rid of my headache!” she closed her eyes briefly and shook her head again. “I need to be strong though, right? I need to protect them.” She looked at her friend now, half wanting him to confirm that she had to sacrifice her own well being to help her children and half hoping that he’d tell her that she did not have to do it all alone and that she, too, deserved to get some rest once in a while.

"For you, I will always make the time," Aldemar told her sweetly, a comfortably casual smile on his wrinkled features. It was meant to be soothing, but he wondered if anything could really make Alyona feel better at a time like this. Well, there was alcohol; he plucked his glass from the table after they had magically poured themselves and took a sip. Strong as ever, certainly a Tikhomirova brew, but he held back the way his face wasn't to contort as he swallowed it. Dema was a skilled drinker; fifty-plus years had trained him well.

Aldemar sighed when she gave him a half answer, not one for greeting card nonsense, but he was patient. He knew Alyona well enough to know she would tell him when she was ready to. And pushing would do no good now; she was already under what he assumed was an immeasurable about of pressure, and he wouldn't add to it. He was here to help, and if that meant sitting in silence sipping on hard liquor, that was what he would do.

Luckily she elaborated, and Aldemar nodded quietly, "I see," He said, making it clear that he was contemplating what she had said before he continued. "I can not imagine the way you are feeling, but you are not alone Alyona," He reached for her hand, not in a possessive sort of way, but in a friendly way. Aldemar had always been a physical person, but he didn't push it. He reached across the desk and left his open hand in the middle for her to take, if she felt so inclined, but didn't make a big deal out of it as he continued to speak. "You are one of the strongest witches I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and don't you forget that for one minute," Dema had always been impressed by the witch before him. Even when they were children, she was always so powerful.

"The sad truth is that we are no help to our children if we aren't taking care of ourselves as well," Dema nodded, knowing he was no good to his daughter had been what helped him become good enough for her. It was a rough lesson, but he had learned it. "I know that it is easier to say than do, but it is the truth,"

"When is the last time you ate something? And I don't count that," He motioned toward the bottle between them, "Real food," Dema sat back in his chair to dig through the endless pockets of his pants. He was always prepared, and among the nonsense and necessities in the lining of his trousers, he eventually pulled out a few pamphlets from local restaurants.

"Shall we order in?"

Alyona showed a genuine little smile when Dema said that he’d always make the time for her. “Thanks,” she said, “you have no idea how much that means to me.” It really meant a lot to her even if his mere presence did not improve the situation she was in. At least, his presence gave her some sort of a break. For once she did not have to take care of her daughters, did not have to do her duties at the artistic flying school.

As Dema took his glass, Alyona mirrored his gesture and picked up her glass as well. She took a sip and enjoyed the burning sensation of the alcohol as it ran down her throat. She knew that she needed to reduce the amount of vodka she drank as it was getting a little out of control by now but today wasn’t the day to start. In fact, the day might not come for a while.

She was more grateful than she’d ever be able to express that Dema gave her the time to work out a proper response to his seemingly easy question. However, nothing was easy anymore for the healer. Besides she had tried to bottle up her emotions as much as humanly possible so she would not risk breaking down at an inconvenient moment.

As her friend held his hand out she gladly accept the gesture, enjoying the warmth and comfort of his touch. Alyona let out a shaky breath and smiled at him. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I sometimes feel I’m alone with all of this,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “It is reassuring to hear that you’re here for me. Anton… he isn’t a lot of help in this.” It was an understatement that her husband wasn’t a lot of help – Anton avoided his wife and his daughters best he could these days, usually even sleeping at his workshop instead of coming home for the night.

She offered a grateful albeit still rather sad smile as Dema stated that he thought she was one of the strongest witches he knew and then sighed. “I’d like to think I’m strong,” she said and lifted the glass to her lips again. “However, lately I’m not so sure. I question it all, you know?”

Alyona nodded as her friend stated that as parents they also needed to take care of themselves. He was right, of course, but her daughters always came first anyway – even if they most likely weren’t aware of this themselves. “I know but…” she put her glass down, lifting a hand to rub her aching temples again. This headache really was nasty and she had not found an effective way of dealing with it yet. “I feel I can only take care of myself after I have dealt with Aglayka and Nastya,” she admitted with a small shrug.

“I do eat regularly,” Alyona said quietly. Ever since she had found out about Nastya’s problems she made it a point to demonstrate her youngest child that regular meals were important. She might have skipped a few meals in the past, now she tried to be a role model for proper eating habits, even if she lacked appetite most of the time and just ate for the sake of getting her stomach filled. “I’d love to order in, though,” she said, grateful that Dema made such a nice suggestion. It would certainly be pleasant to eat in his company. “What would you like?”

Anton isn't a lot of help in this, Aldemar paused while that thought rolled around in his head a few times, but the wizard was careful to keep the judgment from his face. It wasn't his place to assume things about their relationship, Alyona had married Anton, and Aldemar's time with her was over. He nodded, acknowledging her words but unable to comment on them without putting more pressure on her than was fair. She was doing the best she could, and Aldemar knew that criticizing her husband wouldn't hurt Anton in the same way it might hurt Alyona. And so it wasn't worth mentioning.

"You are strong Ayolina," Dema squeezed her hand again, using a pet name he'd grown fond of when they were young in hopes of bringing a smile to her face, it was a weak attempt, but he was just getting started. "Don't ever forget that," Like so many things, this was easier to say than to do. She was as up against it as Aldemar had ever seen, and his heart broke for her and her girls, but there was nothing left to do now but keep moving forward. Aldemar was good at that, and he knew better than most that sometimes it wasn't about living, sometimes, just merely surviving had to be enough for a little while. Getting out of bed every day, eating, breathing, talking, all of these things that seemed like insurmountable tasks, those were the things that had to come first, and only then could the rest come after.

Aldemar understood where she was coming from, in a way, and it was enough that he felt like maybe he could help. Even if all he did was listen to her, that had to be worth something. Fumbling with the stack of take-out menus in his stretched pockets, Dema produced them and spread them out on the table before her. "I'm easy, Russian, Polish, oh, we could try that new Ukrainian place in town," Aldemar had, of course, scoped out the selection of places nearby when he came to visit her. He was nothing if prepared. Aldemar gave her a moment to think it over, but if she so desired, he would make the choices. If it were left up to him, Aldemar would order a few things from each place to make sure they had plenty of options, but he was a maximalist in that way.

"Have you been taking tonics for your headache?" He asked after a moment of pause, a concerned look on his aging face.

A while ago, that is before that horrible last weekend in August, Alyona would have rather cursed herself than to let slip a comment that implied that her family was anything but perfect. However, times had changed quite a lot since then. She had got to know new sides of almost all her family members. Those who she had deemed reliable and always on her side had faltered, those who had never been close suddenly proved themselves as really helpful and caring… It was as though her world had turned upside down.

Only now that Anton had been put to a real test, Alyona could see how weak her husband really was and she was developing strong feelings that she did not like to admit to herself but that showed itself in little remarks like the one she had just made in front of Aldemar. Anton was a disappointment. There was no other way to see it. He shied away from problems, rather tended to his brooms than to check on his daughters or try to do anything about the terrifying situation at hand. He clearly thought that, as a healer, everything was Alyona’s problem to deal with.

Alyona nodded and offered a close lipped smile that was actually a lot more a grimace than a genuine smile as she was fighting against the tears that threatened to well up as Dema used her pet name for her and squeezed her hand again.

“I try my best,” Alyona said, “always. Every minute of the day.” A deep sigh escaped her and she shook her head. “I feel like I’m trapped in a horrible nightmare and I wish I would wake up and everything would be normal again.”

She was glad that picking food interrupted their serious conversation for a little while as it gave her time to compose herself again. It was hardly easy for her to allow herself to be weak and honest. She had built up a facade of strength and kept so many facts not only from the press but also from the larger part of the family that she felt vulnerable letting her guards down. However, she knew that she could trust Dema and she felt that, for once, she needed to talk openly. It helped that he wasn’t part of the Tikhomirov family, too. After all, every family member might feel obliged to talk to Aleksandra and Andrey and then she’d lose control over the actions, over the precautions she wanted to take for her daughters.

“This place is fine,” she said, pointing at one of the take-out menus from a  Russian restaurant and forcing something like a smile onto her face again. “Maybe some pirozhki for starters and… the Pozharsky cutlet.” She paused, wondering if Aldemar wanted to send an owl or rather a patronus to place their order. They could, probably, also use the floo to do so.

While she had, of course, heard Dema’s question regarding her headache, Alyona hesitated before answering it. “I’ve been taking all sorts of tonics,” she admitted. “They just lessen it but don’t make it entirely go away.” She knew that this was mostly due to the lack of sleep, the stress she was experiencing and maybe, although she did not want to hear this said out loud, due to her increased consumption of vodka over the past weeks. “It’s okay, though,” she said with a tired smile, although it did not feel okay at all. “It’s not as important as some other things anyway.”

Aldemar felt for Alonya; he understood how she must have been worried, and exhausted, feeling defeated, and also betrayed. Having a child attacked was one of the worst things he could imagine. Feeling defenseless was one thing, but feeling unable to protect your blood was a whole other. It made him feel helpless, too, because he didn't know how to fix her problems even though he desperately wanted to. The old wizard nodded, knowing she did her best and squeezed her hand once more.

"Russian it is," He said, thankful for the easily made decision, and began scratching down their orders on the little bit of parchment he always carried around with him. "I'll just send these along," He noted, motioning toward the hearth and grabbing a bit of powder. He threw it into the fireplace, tossed the letter in, and commanded it to head off to the restaurant's inbox.

Returning to his seat, as she answered his question about the tonics, Aldemar was quick to try to make her smile. "Maybe you just need something stronger," He said sarcastically and chuckled as he refilled their glasses with the alcohol she had provided. Sure enough, Aldemar drinking was no way to get rid of one's problems, but it did help ease through them from time to time, and Alyona seemed like she could use all the help she could get.

"Have you considered taking some time away? Maybe a family vacation, you know Tahiti is just spectacular this time of year," Aldemar informed her over the rim of his glass, sucking back some more of the alcohol and barely wincing.

“Thank you,” Alyona said, a grateful smile spreading across her face. It wasn’t like placing an order was a big deal, but for Alyona, who had way too much on her plate lately, it was a relief and meant a great deal. She assumed that Aldemar wasn’t even aware of how such a small gesture meant to her at this point.

It didn’t take Dema long to sit down again and get back to their conversation. For the first time in weeks Alyona allowed herself sit back comfortably and just enjoy her friend's company. She laughed along as he mentioned that she might need something stronger while he poured more vodka into their glasses. At this point having vodka or not having it didn’t change her headache a lot, but it did, at least, make it easier to relax.

“Trust me,” she said as she took the glass and lifted it to her lips again to take a small sip. “I’ve tried that.” She exhaled loudly and put the glass down again.

Aldemar’s next suggestion caught her completely by surprise and, maybe, had she still held her glass, she would have spilled some vodka as a result. Time away. A vacation. It sounded like a fantasy.

“A vacation?” she asked, shaking her head sadly. “No, not at this point. I don’t think my girls would feel like joining me and there’s a lot of work to do. Many things to sort out… I’m still working on finding a good bodyguard for Aglaya. I might go for a distant relative at this point. I can’t let her get back out there on her own. At least not to any public events. And it’s not as though normal work has ceased to exist.” She paused and took the glass again, smiling dreamily. “A vacation does sound lovely, though. I can’t remember when I’ve last had one.”

Conjuring a couple of ice cubes into his glass, the Bulgarian liked everything cold; Aldemar held his wand out toward hers silently to offer the same. The idea of vacation had been a joke, an ice breaker even, as they worked on getting to the root issues, but Aldemar appreciated that she answered thoroughly. The wizard knew it wasn't a realistic thing to suggest, but that was why he had said it. Alyona had not outright asked for his advice, so he trod carefully giving it and worked hard to keep his tone as light and undemanding as possible. The last thing he wanted was to provide her with another something to feel pressured by.

"A bodyguard, you say?" Aldemar said between sucking loudly on one of the ice cubes from his cube, the vodka barely registering on his refined pallet. "Could be that I have a nephew or two to present, should you be are interested?" Knowing she hadn't asked, again, but making the offer anyway, Aldemar finished his sentence with a smile. Crossing his legs at the knee, he settled into the seat and committed to the conversation with a curt nod.

"Delchevs, naturally, I wouldn't suggest putting miss Aglaya anywhere near a soul from my ex-wife's family, griffon vultures, the whole lot of them." While Aldemar had managed to reach some semblance of civility with his former wife since taking in Venera, he had far from forgiven her for all the bad things she had done, and the distaste showed on his aging features.

"You know," He paused, sipping to slow down what his mind was beginning to formulate before he said too much, and leaned toward her at the desk. Quietly, Aldemar brought up something he knew might trigger more of a response than he was ready for, but he wanted to offer it all the same. Aldemar was willing to do just about anything to help ease the pain and worry Aglyaya's family seemed cursed with lately.

"I educate students in survival at Durmstrang; with your sanction, I could elucidate whomever you hire in protecting miss Aglaya. Bolster their spell repertoire, as it were," Or he could teach spells to Aglaya specifically, but Aldemar waited to bring that up.

Alyona nodded, “yes, I think it is necessary and, to be honest, I think I’d be calmer if I knew there was someone with her who can protect her. Maybe that’s selfish and I should probably talk to her first but I am not sure Aglaya is in the right state for such a conversation.”

She smiled quite gratefully at Dema. “If you have someone trustworthy, then yes, please. I’d appreciate it. I held a few interviews with people but,” she sighed, “how am I supposed to know if a total stranger is trustworthy? I mean, the family has Ministry contacts and I am working with a private investigator so I can get possible candidates checked but even they have a clear record…” Her voice trailed off and she picked up the glass again, taking another sip of vodka.

“You’d do that?!?” Alyona asked, sitting up straighter again. She smiled at her friend now, feeling that, finally, there was someone here who was actually willing and able to help her with her predicament.

“Dema, that sounds wonderful. I’d like to take you up on that offer.” A relieved sigh escaped her and she looked down for a moment, trying to get a better control of her feelings before looking up at her old friend again.

“We will have to change many things around here,” she admitted. “Not everyone in the family knows the whole truth at this point so it’s a bit difficult to do what I feel needs to be done.” She paused, wondering if Aldemar understood why she hadn’t been more open about what had happened. However, she felt quite torn - on the one hand she was already acting and taking precautions, but on the other hand she felt that she needed to wait for Aglaya to be ready to get involved in everything herself. One thing, however, was certain - their lives had changed significantly.

"I shall owl my sister Denica tonight; the woman's been blessed with seven sons," Aldemar began, his cheerful spirit returning as Alyona seemed amenable to his offer. Then, as he often was, the old wizard was distracted by some new train of thought. His fingers move to the stubble on his chin as he made a contemplation out loud, "Or perhaps I have been cursed, having to buy presents for seven nephews is quite the chore," Dema shrugged, chuckled, and then waved his hand in the air in front of his face.

"Alas," He began, finally returning from his tangent, and met Alyona's eyes. "I will keep you apprised; I'm sure one of them is qualified." It felt good to offer some assistance, and even better than the witch before him was warming up to the idea of accepting his help. Aldemar always liked solving problems, but more than that, he yearned to protect those that he loved, and Alyona and her children fell firmly in that category. "Of course, my dear," He cooed, reaching for Alonya's hand once more, a warm gesture exchanged between friends.

Aldemar understood why she hadn't told the entire family, and he understood that it wasn't entirely Alyona's story to tell, but he did hope that keeping the secret wouldn't put miss Aglaya in more harm's way. "You are the boss, do what you need to, and if they ask questions, tell them to mind their own," Aldemar wasn't a commanding or autocratic type of person, so suggesting that Alyona be wasn't his first nature. Still, he, the aging wizard, understood things needed to be done. While he assumed the rest of her family would have appreciated being in the loop, Aldemar didn't think their opinions mattered in this case. Only what would be best for Aglaya, because at the end of the day, it was only her health that was at stake.

"Worrying about what other people think is a young wizards game," Aldemar said with a soft smile, the self-deprecating joke meant to lighten to the topic, only serving to remind him of how old he had grown in what felt like the blink of an eye.

“Seven sons?” Alyona repeated, a tired smile spreading across her face. “She must be a tough woman. I must admit that, at the present time, I think two grown up daughters are already too much to handle.” She had intended to make it sound a little like a joke, but it was evident that it was how she really felt. Both her daughters were currently causing her more grief than anything and she felt entirely helpless.

“Thank you,” the healer said, gratefully squeezing her friend’s hand. “You have no idea how much you are helping me. I’ve been worried to make things worse by employing a total stranger who might not have her best interest in mind. However, if you have someone in the family whom you can trust, I’m sure it’ll be a good option.”

Alyona looked down and gave a small nod as her friend told her that she should tell people to mind their own business if they chose to ask her unwanted questions. It wasn’t quite as easy as that, though. After all, she intended to make changes around the flying school and that was the extended family’s business just as much as her own.

“You’re right,” she admitted before adding, “to some degree at least. This affects the whole family and I think at some point they must know; well, maybe not the kids but the adults anyway… I just feel that I have to wait for Aglaya to…” she wasn’t quite sure what she was really waiting for. Her daughter didn’t really confide in her, after all. It was unlikely that they’d ever have the kind of conversation that Alyona was hoping for.

Aldemar chuckled, low and hearty, at Alyona's joke. "For the day when Venera becomes an adult," The old man said with a sigh, raising his glass of alcohol in a toast before chugging the rest of it down. Having a teenager was more than just a little stressful, and Aldemar had only been doing it full time for a year or so. Feeling the bond between himself and Alyona grow, Dema's heart surged. He had missed talking with her in this way; he had missed being able to help her. And while his solution didn't solve all of her problems, if it decreased her worry even the slightest bit, Dema was a proud wizard.

"I will owl them this week and get you some names," Aldemar said, giving her a curt nod as if to say he would handle the situation and that she need not worry about it one second longer. He would make sure only to offer the most qualified of his nephews, and he was going to talk to them ahead of time to be sure they understood the responsibility.

Sitting up at her next words, Aldemar gave her a frown; it was playful, and yet, still a frown. It pulled on his wrinkled face, and he shook his head at you. "My dear, I am always right, to all the degrees," He said with a laugh before bringing his hand above the table, fingers crossed and laughing. Relaxing in his chair just in time for the fireplace to roar to life with their food delivery Dema sighed loudly. The old man got irritated with inanimate objects more often than was rational. Pushing up from his chair, his knees cracked, and he laughed, "And everyone said getting older would make me more graceful."

Everyone had lied.

Bringing the food back to her desk Dema began the time-honored tradition of divvying up the styrofoam containers and setting the ridiculous amount of sauces (that no one ever used) to the side. "I do understand what you mean, though, about waiting for Aglaya. It is a difficult time for all of you, but she will come to you eventually." Aldemar said this with a certainty in his eyes, but not because he completely understood their situations, but because he had known Alyonya long enough to know that she was a devoted and caring mother. And her daughters must have known that as well.

Alyona smiled a little at Aldemar’s comment about his own daughter. “Yeah, when they’re little their problems are small and when they grow up…” she sighed and shook her head. She lifted the glass to her lips again, taking another sip. Now that she thought about it, there had been severe problems when her daughters had been younger, too. However, nothing could compare to what her family was going through now.

“Thank you,” Alyona repeated as her friend told her he’d owl his sister to get names of potential bodyguards among his nephews for her. “I still have to sell that idea to Aglaya, too,” she said, laughing humorlessly. “I tried to mention the possibility of a bodyguard to her before but I think she didn’t realise how serious I am about it.”

Another small smile spread across Alyona’s face when Dema teased her. She didn’t think that he was always right but it felt good to have, for once, someone who told her what he thought, who offered help and constructive thoughts instead of just avoiding all difficult topics.

“I might be able to help you with physiotherapy,” Alyona suggested, her lips twitching in amusement as she watched Aldemar get their food. “And you weren’t that ungraceful anyway.”

She watched as Aldemar put the various containers on the table and nodded thoughtfully at his words. “I’m not so sure,” she said quietly. “I have a feeling that she doesn’t really trust me that much. In fact, I’m not sure she trusts anyone at the moment. I fear she feels left alone with everything. After all, she did not tell me about…” her voice trailed off and she sighed. It was hard to even say it out loud that her daughter hadn’t trusted her enough to tell her she had a stalker who was threatening her.