Journal - Oksana

I stared at the phone that had been installed in my apartment.

The cost to Nachtrichter must have been enormous and I still hadn’t even picked up the speaker from where it hung on the side of the phone. The man who had installed it looked around my humble apartment curiously, “Do you know how to use it?”

“Why would I have it installed if I didn’t know how to use it?” I said tersely. That halted all questions and he went about his business, scratching the phone number on a card and placing it in the center of the phone’s dial.

Now I was unsure of if I wanted to use it. I planned on making an in-person visit to Castle Habsburg later today, for one, to give my short debrief to Angelica, before sitting down to write out my report. But there was someone I needed to talk to first.

Blanka.

Bjorn would take it in stride, it didn’t affect him other than how my bleeding heart had put me into another awkward situation.

But Blanka? Oh, and I couldn’t imagine it going well. There was more there to process than I could fathom. I didn’t know where to start. I feared that it might be considered a betrayal and that the damage may be permanent.

So, you start at the beginning and hope for the best.

I picked up the handset, thumbing at the heavy stock card she’d given me, then started rotating the dial through the numbers. Clicks and pops later. A thin voice came on the line.

“Hello?”

“Blanka, it’s Bani.”

“Oh! You’ve gotten a phone?”

“Yes installed just the other day.”

She asked for my phone number and I could hear her shuffling through her card stock. The speaker was having a hard time picking up her voice. I rattled off my phone number.

“Got it. Why are you calling? Did you miss me.”

“You wouldn’t happen to know Beryat, would you?”

“Hah, no. Never thought it would be useful. That’s my mother’s territory.”

“Angelica knows Beryat?”

“Yes. I only know the swear words. She knows those, too. She’s used them a lot.”

I hesitated.

“You should come up to the Castle.” I stammered, “There’s something I need to tell you.”

“Bani, that’s what a telephone is for. Telling.”

“Not like this. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

“Why are you acting funny?”

“I got married.”

The phone croaked loudly in my hand.

“I’ve got to go. I hope you can make it.”

“Bani! Bani? Don’t you dare…”

I dropped the speaker on the handset and the speaker popped as the connection was cut.

I’m Bani, an expert in negotiations and disarming sensitive situations.

I tugged at the necklace, looking down at the red beads. Oksana looked at me with some concern.

“Beda?”

I shrugged at her question.

Oksana was still investigating the apartment. She had been wandering around naked since we’d arrived. It was a lovely sight, her ribs still shown through in an unhealthy way. By now, she knew the contents of every cabinet, the icebox, and a few shelves I hadn’t discovered yet.

She’d even found a dead mouse in the bathroom that she poked at a few times a torrent of Beryatian words spilling out of her mouth. I disposed of it quickly, unsure of what she was considering doing with it. My quick remedy didn’t bother her, though. She was too busy looking at her face in the mirror. She was in there for a very, very long time. I wondered how long it had been since she’d seen her own face, and even more, did she even recognize herself?

This language barrier was daunting. Her being unable to read went along with it. I’m sure she could pick it up. Learning to read in Beryat may be the best approach. I bet Angelica would know what to do. I felt another moment’s hesitation. The SAC may have some thoughts about the results of the mission. I’d gone significantly off script this time.

Oksana moved in close, reading my face, she echoed my furrowed expression. Then reached over and hooked her fingers in my mouth and pulled the corners of my mouth into a smile and smiled herself. Then patted me gently on the cheek.

“Gde tvoya ulybka?”

I laughed at that. She beamed in response. I pulled her close and kissed her.

“You’re right.” I said, “There’s no point in waiting. Into the breach.”

I weaved my hands into her hair on the back of her head. I pulled her close for another kiss, then ran my hand along her bare back and buttocks. She blinked a few times and raised her eyebrows.

“Well, maybe after this.”

- - -

It was a short trip up to the Castle on the motorcycle. She was in the simple sundress wearing the boots that Babik’s niece gave us. Oksana was smiling into the wind, firmly grasping my waist. Her joy was contagious.

We moved up the road to the castle, weaving between the bollards. I triggered the speaker, pressing the button to speak to the interior. A slot in the small inset door opened and closed, and the larger door was wheeled open. I pulled into the “Killbox”. It was Bjorn’s word. There had to be a more diplomatic term. It did nothing to make me feel safe, but that was the point, after all.

The soldier standing guard was wearing a MP 33 submachine gun and a mounted gun hung loosely on its gimbal above us. I stopped at the soldiers command and dropped my kickstand and killed the engine. I knew the soldier, but I went through the formality. There were no exceptions for any level of command.

He looked at me and then looked at Oksana and raised an eyebrow. Oksana was regarding the high walls around us, too. Clearly looking for exits, but also squinting at the walls as if she’d be able to scale them.

“She’s with me. We’re here to visit the SAC.”

“I’ll have to take a note.”

While he scratched out some notes, he looked the bike over. When he was satisfied with the inspection, he nodded toward Oksana and smiled at me with a wink.

“Stay in your lane, soldier.”

He blanched and stood a little straighter.

“Yes, sir.”

He pulled the door open. I kickstarted the motorcycle and pulled into the yard. Parking next to Angelica’s massive Kompressor. Oksana’s eyes widened at the courtyard itself. The vehicles, the towers, and other mechanical wonders around her. It was an entirely new experience for her.

I noticed a new one myself. The 88; an artillery battery. It was in a position where it could be levelled straight down the approach, through the kill box. Bjorn had made a lot of requests. It appeared that they were quickly being fulfilled.

There was a stencil on the side: ‘Olga’.

Didn’t we already have an Olga?

Oksana leaned forward, wanting to touch the Kompressor’s mirror polish.

“Oksana?” I motioned her to follow with my head.

As she approached, I held out my hand to her. I could see a few shadows in the windows around the castle proper. If it sparked any rumors, they’d confirmed soon enough.

I moved up through the tower, with Oksana in tow. I stopped at the SACs door and took a deep breath, then tapped at the door. A few moments passed. I heard the inner door open and close. Then the door to the office opened. She was dressed casually, which was still stylishly excessive to what I normally wore.

“Bani.” She said with a smile, then blinked twice as she saw Oksana, she pulled the door open wider and saw us holding hands; her face went expressionless.

She motioned to the seats. My palms started to sweat. Angelica moved back into her office and sat on the edge of the desk facing the chairs. I took a deep breath and dove in. I led Oksana to the seat furthest from Angelica and took the other. The SAC had a commanding view and I felt laid bare.

“So?” Angelica said, glancing at Oksana then focusing on me.

“This is Oksana. She is the one that the soldier reported on,” I hesitated briefly, “She’s the werewolf.”

Angelica’s eyes sized up the distance between her and Oksana, but did not otherwise react to the news.

“And we’re married.”

Her eyes widened at that. She slid from the table, using her hand to fan her face. She moved over to the liquor cabinet and pulled out three glasses. She did a loose pour with an expensive whisky over the three glasses, spilling only a few drops on her desk.

She tossed back her first pour, swallowing hard, then poured another two finger’s worth into the glass and held it in front of her.

“I should always have this out when I talk to you now, shouldn’t I?” She breathed deeply, “So, please explain?”

I went into the light details of the situation. The research, the discovery, and the Kalderari’s insistence on putting down this aberration. While I spoke, I reached over and took Oksana’s hand. Angelica saw it and cleared her throat gently, but did not interrupt.

I explained the hope to escape, the chance encounter with Kostanza that led me to the lodge, and the eventual verbal showdown in the Kalderari camp. She blinked several times at that, her mouth hung open just a little. She continued to look back and forth between us.

“They immediately prepared us to be married. They retrieved her from the lodge and I was officially adopted into the Kalderari family allowing her to also join the family and live according to their traditions.”

She put her hand over her mouth, stroking at her cheek.

“Do we need to discuss any changes to your employment?” She said, simply.

I must have looked confused.

“Do you intend to quit?” She asserted.

“What? No!”

She immediately relaxed, slumping slightly. She sipped a little heavily from her drink.

“Bani. I have never, ever seen anyone go as far above and beyond the call of duty that you have. That was before now.” She gestured, “This, honestly, I have no words.”

She glanced at Oksana and narrowed her eyes.

“She hasn’t understood a word we’ve said, has she?”

“She’s from Keurg. Sorry if I failed to mention that.”

“Ah, yes. You did mention it, but I assumed she’d learned Alaman.”

Angelica didn’t break stride, she turned to Oksana and started speaking quickly in Beryat. Oksana looked stunned. Her eyebrows rose as she looked at Angelica. It was clear that Angelica was introducing herself. There were rapid fire responses between them. Oksana was brushing away tears, as she did in the hotel room. Not actually crying, but a response to being emotionally overwhelmed.

I realized how Oksana had been feeling up to that moment. So many words, and none I could understand. This was likely the first person who Oksana could clearly communicate with in over a decade. They both took moments to glance at me through the conversation. Angelica had stopped asking questions at this point, and Oksana was speaking animatedly, with the occasional gesture toward me.

There was a moment that Angelica’s eyes glossed slightly, she looked at me with sadness, a sense of loss. Oksana was gesturing about bounds around her hand. I recognized that she was recounting the wedding. She grabbed at the necklace and pointed to mine.

Oksana took my hand, and spoke to me directly. Then took my hand and kissed it. Angelica had turned away, looking in the liquor cabinet. When she turned back, her eyes were red.

“She said that she hopes that this dream never ends. She felt she’d deserved nothing more than nightmares.” Angelica translated, then cleared her throat again giving a weak smile, “She’s a sweet girl. Congratulations.”

I nodded to Angelica, recognizing the layers of emotion, and how badly she wanted them all to stay in place.

“I was hoping you could help me with the language barrier. Not you yourself, but any thoughts to get to a place where we can communicate?”

Angelica was pensive.

“I could only help in my spare time, which I have very little of. There are books we could use.”

“She can’t read, not even in her own language. She’s capable, though. She’s intelligent, just not educated.”

I pulled the phrasebook, and Oksana visibly deflated at the sight of it.

“See? I can’t really win here.”

“Have you thought of learning Beryat?”

“I don’t have the mind for it. It’s a wonder I can even speak High Alaman.” I said, then wondered, “Would her learning to read Beryat help her learn another language? She’d at least be able to use this?”

I held up the phrasebook.

“It’s a possibility. She has a command of the language, even a decent vocabulary. Deep in the woods of the Keurg Union, born to werewolves.” Angelica shook her head, dumbfounded.

“And capable of controlling her change. In an instant. She’s lived as a dog for the better part of fifteen years!”

Angelica’s eyes narrowed.

“What are you thinking, Bani? Be careful. This is strange territory.”

“I don’t know. She doesn’t have a place in society. Her sitting home while I’m out on deployment isn’t the life I wanted to give her. Yes, it’s better than where she’s been, sure, but there’s a world of possibilities. I want to make sure she has the best chance to succeed.”

Angelica grimaced and her jaw tensed.

“We can’t talk about this now.” She was stern, “You hardly know her. She’s unproven. For now, we take small steps. Very, very small steps. Start with communication. Find a Beryat primer, picture books, anything. It’s a good place to start, then we can expand on it. I will look for a tutor who can bridge the gaps, but this must be financed by you. Are you prepared for that?”

“Absolutely. I’m in it. I can’t go back. And, I’ve realized that I wouldn’t want to if I could. I feel a peace I haven’t for ages. For the first time in years I’ve felt happy.”

As I said the words, it felt like a revelation to myself.

Angelica nodded, her lips compressing into a thin line.

“I will help where I can, but you must temper your expectations.”

I nodded.

“Could you get me started on citizenship and identification?” I asked.

“There are processes for that. I can start it, sure, but you’ll need to go through appropriate channels. It will take time, but it is a straightforward process once you’ve started.”

Angelica stood again, smoothing her dress.

“Is there anything else?”

“Yes. I didn’t intend to talk about this first. I apologize. This is about business.” I said as I pulled the box containing the “anytool”.

Angelica shook her head, dismissing the apology then nodded toward the box.

“What is this?”

“The man who vouched for me showed me this. He called it the ‘anytool’.”

I took the clay in my hand and spoke a keyword. It turned into a hammer. Another word, it turned into a knife.

Angelica nodded appreciatively and Oksana marvelled. I continued my explanation.

“This looked similar to what the Rhinkani used when fighting Bjorn and Wolfgang. The man at the camp said he knew the secret of forming this tool, but I don’t really know that I could trust him before we became brothers.” I smiled to myself, thinking of Babik admitting his lack of honor, “I mentioned the Rhinkani and he knew what I spoke of. I didn’t have much time with him after that. At least, not in a place where we could actually talk about it.”

Angelica excused herself and moved out into the hall. Oksana beckoned to hold the clay. I scooted my chair close to hers and put the clay in the box. I looked at the slip of paper and practiced the word to make the knife appear. When she repeated it back, I handed her unmolded clay.

She said the word and it lengthened and hardened into a knife. She was fascinated by the change. She looked at me for other words, motioning me to continue. I looked down the list, giving her words, now casually reading them off. She would repeat them instantly and the tool would form.

Angelica walked in on this exchange, holding a box in her own hand. Oksana called out to Angelica, then repeated the list of words I’d told her, the tool formed rapidly between each form as she did so.

Angelica blinked, her eyes were expressionless as they moved to meet mine, then back to Oksana. She quickly spoke some words and Oksana’s eyes returned to the tool, then handed it back to me. It turned to clay when it moved to my hand and I returned it to the box.

Angelica focused on the bluish lump in her hand, grasping it and saying a difficult to pronounce word. A longsword formed, extremely ornate with a flowing design. Its majesty rivaled, if not exceeded, the Montenican blade that was hanging on my wall at home.

Each word changed the form, each was a different type of weapon.

“I had been wanting to investigate the nature of these things, but it is good to know that there are more useful forms of this.” Angelica said nodding to the box in my hand.

Angelica stood again, smoothing her dress. She glanced between Oksana and I.

“Anything else? If not, I suggest taking her to find some new clothes and maybe a book or two.”

“Nothing more, here. I’ll get some shopping done.” I said, then hesitated briefly, “Thank you for working with me on this and speaking with her. I appreciate the support.”

While she looked conflicted, she gave a subtle shrug.

“If anything, I appreciate the company. I’m busy, but the castle has been inordinately quiet. And, as always, Bani, exceptional work.”

She turned toward Oksana who brightened again when hearing her own language. The exchange was brief, but it ended with an eager series of nods from Oksana.

We moved from the room and I shut the door behind me. Oksana hugged my arm, speaking rapidfire Beryat at me, knowing she was only speaking to herself. She beamed with delight, I could feel her smile without looking at her.

We moved back down and out onto the stones, moving back toward the motorcycle. Clouds adorned the sky, casting a shadow over the courtyard. I saw a hunched figure, breathing heavily and pushing a bicycle as the doors to the bailey began to close.

It was Blanka. I wasn’t sure if I was glad to see her just yet.

She ditched the bicycle against the stone wall and marched up to me. Immediately making a fist and jabbing me weakly in the stomach. Oksana bristled, stepping forward, and I quickly held up a hand. The quick exchange made Blanka take a step back with a look of horror at Oksana.

“Oh. You weren’t kidding.”

She was agape with the realization.

“Bani? What did you do?”

I shrugged.

Blanka pawed quickly at her face, wiping her eyes. Her face was immediately flush.

“You disappear. Not a word. Nothing. And, married?” She furrowed her brow, “And you never hang up on someone. There is nothing more rude. How could you? How could you do this to me?”

I could see the layers unravelling, but I had to wait for her mind to slow down. She paced in circles in front of us, coming to grips with the revelations.

“Blanka. There is a lot to this. It wasn’t exactly in the plan.”

She eyed Oksana, wearing a scowl. She looked down at herself, then back to Oksana. 

“Yeah, I see. I get it.”

I clenched my teeth in aggravation.

“Do you? What about this do you think is about you?”

She looked sourly at me and folded her arms aggressively.

I looked to Oksana, whose eyes appeared filled with concern. They darted between us with a question.

“This is Blanka.” I held a hand up for height, then raised it higher and motioned down again, “Angelica’s daughter.”

She squinted and her nostrils flared, she nodded in recognition.

“Blanka, this is Oksana.”

Blanka gave a scoffing laugh.

“You don’t even speak the same language?”

“It’s a very, very long story. One I wouldn’t mind talking about over drinks.”

“Oh. That’s why you were asking about Beryat.”

Blanka looked directly at Oksana and let out a tear of words.

Oksana, put her hand to her mouth to stifle a chuckle, then failed, erupting into laughter. She looked to Blanka and rapidly responded in Beryat. Wiping the mirth from her eyes.

Blanka deflated at the response. Her eyebrows drew together in response. Then she looked at me.

“About those drinks?” I insisted again.

She nodded, sullenly.

“20:00, Mausfal?”

“Sure.” She said, then added, “And, fuck you, Bani.”

I grimaced. She turned away, her shoulders hanging low. She picked up the bicycle and began walking to the gates.

This may take some time.