Aftermath Plans || Amerus / Rusame

Interlude: observations from the kitchen

"Don't look Mariya, don't look." Babushka wiped her forehead to her arm. "It's Russia again."

"Sir Russia? Why is he up this early?"

"He had been waking up like this for months now, he just doesn't get out of his room often."

This did not stop the maid however, as she leaned back on her chair towards the door to check the stairs. "Wait..isn't that Volodslav Parfenovich, heading upstairs? What is he doing here?"

"He just started working under Russia."

"Under Sir Russia? Why?"

Babushka shrugged as she continued putting the pilaf inside the leaves. "Apparently mister Russia just remembered he was the heir of the Soviet Union. He requested generals and whatnot. Sir Soviet of course didn't turn him down. When did he, actually, so it didn't shock me."

"Isn't that risky?" The young woman asked. "Russia getting stronger would just mean bad news, no?"

"Don't think that far ahead, my girl. He has a long, long way to go until he passes his father. Besides, just because you fear your son passing you shouldn't mean you shouldn't ready him for your demise. Especially in times like these."

"You are right as always, babushka..but.."

"But what?"

"You know how..unstable he is."

"Oh i do for sure. That boy is a ticking time bomb."

"Babushka!" Mariya hissed under her breath, taking a look at the door again. "Do you want someone hearing you? Do you have a death wish?"

"What? As if i am talking nonsense."

"I-i mean, of course not, but.." Mariya sighed. "Don't go harsh on the boy.."

"The boy?" Babushka raised her brow, offended. "Do you remember what that boy caused in this house or do i have to remind you?"

"You don't." Mariya sighed. "But he was just a kid. You can't punish a kid for what had happen to them-especially when we know how horrible what he went through was."

"It doesn't excuse his actions."

"I do not mean it should. I am saying kids should be respected as well-"

"Aaah don't talk that 'child is precious' nonsense to me like those enlightened burzhuis." Babushka made a negative emphasis on the word enlightened. "A child is your future. He is your soldier. If you want to raise a good man for the fatherland you have to do whatever it takes, even if it means punishing. See if that boy misbehaves after a belt or two! Hah, as if he would dare!" She leaned into Mariya's space to talk quieter. "If Soviet had held the kid from his nape and shook him once or twice we wouldn't have seen people leave this mansion in body bags!"

"Babushka!" hissed Mariya, as she got up to close the door. "You really do have a death wish!"

"What? Am I wrong?" Babushka spat. "We know what happened to that brat but we also know what he did after. And what did Soviet do? He protected him over anyone, like he wasn't some kind of a monster. He just locked him here and there, heh, as if that's a real punishment!" She leaned back, her talking had gotten more angry and her breathing had gotten quick. "And we say we know what happened, but I do not believe for a second that that boy fell into ice or whatever. No near death experience makes a demon out of a happy precious boy!"

"Babushka don't be ridiculous. We don't know what near death for that long feels like."

"Eeeh its like, two hours for them."

Mariya sighed. "Fine. If not hypothermia, then what is it?"

"We don't have to believe everything that said. It was definitely amerikashkas that stole my boy!"

"Babushka-!"

"They creeped in. The wolves got too close to the home! I know they did! What else can make Soviet so alert on everything?? It's them! They snuck in and kidnapped my boy and-" she gasped and held her heart, not even caring about staining her almost pure white apron. "They might even replaced the boy!" In this point her breathing got so quick that she was almost gasping for air. "-yes yes, that's for sure what happened! There's no other explanation! Oh my sweet boy, how sweet he was back then-"

"Babushka please, your breathing quickened again!" Mariya quickly wiped her hands to open a window. "Your blood pressure will rise!"

"Oh to hell with that! How long am i going to live anyway?" Babushka wiped her forehead to her arm. "Look at how rapidly stress aged me. This country, this house is a death trap! The times we live in-oh!" She wailed and hit her knee. "Oh the times we live in.."

But just a mere second later, as if she didn't almost faint during her wailing, she sighed and wiped her sweat to her arm again. "And what is this heat in the middle of September!" She yelled, trying to fix her veil. "If this war doesn't kill me i will die from these uncertain temperatures. And why did you close the door?! You want me to have a heatsroke?! You think opening one window is enough?! Open everything Mariya, everything! Oh it feels like an oven in here! It's just september, hell!"

She didn't talk until Mariya hurriedly opened all the windows she possibly can.
"Now that's so much better." She continued, her face turning back to its old color. "Enough talking now." She said, as she showed the cabbage leaves with her chin. "Quick, we have to finish these before dusk. Sir Soviet exclusively wanted golubtsy and you know how angry he gets if the food isn't ready."