2 weeks later after funeral
The funeral of Yuri Bogdanovich was small and a private one with only his closest relatives, friends and advisors attending it. But to the surprise of all, the funeral speech was delivered not by his son Aleksandr, but his uncle Grigori, which raised some eyebrows among the elite of Duchy of Suzdavorod. Rumors started circulating that Yuri’s son was too weak physically and emotionally to do it himself so Grigori had to step in. To Aleksandr that was just a formality, but to the noble houses in Suzdavorod that was a sign of weakness and that his uncle has the real power, and it didn’t help that Aleksandr didn’t start to rule for two whole weeks after his father’s death, instead relegating everything to his uncle while he spent his days isolated in his chamber. The only one who tried to elevate his spirit and convince him to take his position seriously was Vasily Karegin, most trusted advisor of his father. Every day he would come to his chamber, arguing with him for hours as he tried to explain who many nobles view him as too weak and mentally fragile to be the next Duke, but Aleksandr was stubbornly refusing to think about it. 13 days after his father’s death, both of them were again arguing as in previous days but this time it was different.
Aleksandr was laying in his bed which was filled with many plates of sweets, his shirt was stained with wine and his beard was full of bread crumbs. As son as Karegin opened his mouth to speak, Aleksandr closed his eyes and tried to shut himself off, hoping that he will just give up eventually.
-“Aleks, we have to leave before it’s too late. Your uncle is just too powerful and will demand you to abdicate and then, possibly even kill you to ensure no one can threaten him. We have to leave now. I have contacts in Malensk and they will gladly take us in.”
-“…”
-“Aleks, for your father’s sake, please just get up.”
-“…”
-“…”
Ignoring his advisor seemed to work, as Karegin stopped speaking not even a minute after he started. But then something grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him forward. He opened his eyes and founding himself face-to-face with Karegin who’s previously calm and benign expression was now replaced with red face, furrowed brows and tense jawline but it was his teary sky blue eyes that sent chill down his spine.
-“V-Vasily, what are you-”
He didn’t even finish his sentence before Karegin slapped him with full force on his fat cheek and shook the crumbs of food from his chin. And then again. And again.
-“You little shit!” shouted Karegin at him, sobbing and wiping his tears with his free hand “You can’t stay here anymore! If you don’t act now, you’ll be replaced and possibly killed to remove any potential threat. Are you really such a crybaby, was your father right, ha?!
Aleksandr was a little dazed from those slaps, but he understood the words that came from the depths of Karegin’s voice. And one word woke up his repressed anger.
-“Do not call me that…”
-“Or what, you crybaby? Or what?!”
-“I said stop!!”
Aleksandr pushed Karegin aside and started throwing in rage everything he could get his hands on - chairs, candles, glasses and even knifes. His violent screams echoed throughout whole castle. Karegin embraced the boy trying to calm him down. Aleksandr resisted, but Karegin refused to let him go and tried to comfort him.
-“I know hard this is for you. I also lost my father and mother when I was your age,but I had people around me who helped get back up and live on despite all the hardships. You are not alone, Aleks. I’m with you, Nikita and many others. Please, get hold of yourself.”
Aleksandr stopped sobbing and wiped his tears. He returned to his bed and sat with his head buried in his hands.
-” Why are you doing all of this? Why don’t you just go? Why risk your life for me?”
-“As I said, long time ago I was in the same shitthole as you, but I survived thanks to those around me. I want to you to realize that there is a chance for you too, for a new life. Please, let me help you.”
Karegin extended his hand towards Aleksandr. Aleksandr didn’t really believe Karegin about all that new life stuff, but it seemed to him that Karegin was genuine and after much hesitation he embraced his hand. Karegin smiled and ordered the guard outside to prepare their horses.
-“Don’t worry, Aleks. You and I will find new and better life for ourselves. And who knows, maybe even put you back on the throne.”
***
Present
Batutin family were once one of the most powerful dukes in Belgorod. A minor family of Zelenogor duchy, their rise to power began with ascension of Konstantin Batutin, an ambitious and unscrupulous man known for his fickle temper. Through skillful diplomacy, marriages with important families, assassinations and backstabbing, Konstantin removed the Chuikov family from the position of dukes and put Batutins on course of prosperity. At the peak of their power, they managed to exert control over 3 of total 12 duchies, an unprecedented event in history of Empire and a total control over tsar. But the old elite across other duchies were concerned about rise of this upstart family and soon vultures began to circle around Konstantin. Although pressed from all sides, Konstantin managed to defend his holdings, but not for long. His puppet tsar Pyotr IV died without an heir and a struggle for throne of Belgorod began. As conflict dragged on, dukes were slowly losing their grip over their holdings and were one by one overthrown by ambitious and power-hungry princes which led to further fragmentation of the Empire. Batutins holdings were reduced to their duchy of Zelenogor, but everything changed for worse when the prince of Malensk, Yaroslav Toporov, staged a coup and took Malensk for himself, killing Konstantin and almost all male relatives. Only women and children were spared, among them Konstantin’s wife Natasha and her son Nikolai. After securing his hold on power, Yaroslav assured Natasha that she and Nikolai can stay in Malensk and live peacefully if they denounce their claims on Malensk and the rest of the duchy. Isolated and powerless, Natasha had no choice but to accept, but it she wasn’t going to resign herself in her mansion for the rest of her life. She used her vast fortune to build new temples and public kitchens which made her popular among clergy and commoners and built friendship with High Priest Seraphim and the rest of the clergymen. Yaroslav was always suspicious of her activities, but she never made any move that would put her family’s position in jeopardy and Nikolai’s enrollment into seminary removed any suspicion of a possible counter-coup by Batutins. Nikolai was content with a life of a priest, but his mother was horrified, as he was the only relevant surviving male Batutin and as such the only one who could prolong his lineage.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Nikolai and Natasha were complete opposite personalities - he was timid, humble, neurotic and intellectually gifted and she was pragmatic, persuasive and competitive woman, always in a middle of action. As he grew up, Nikolai’s relationship with his mother worsened as she realized her son’s interest in theology wasn’t just a temporary occupation and he showed no desire for marriage. He shut himself up in his quarters and rarely came out except for ceremonies, religious rituals and lectures in the seminary. He rarely socialized with people around him, preferring books an long walks in nature. After many hours of study, he would take the letters his father wrote and study them late into the night in his chambers. There were various kinds of letters - romantic letters to his mother, reports on the status of Belgorod and duchy, military affairs and many more. His mother rarely talked about his father so this was the only way to find out who his father truly was. He wasn’t exactly impressed by his father’s action - especially the assassinations of his enemies, but he rationalized to himself that it was necessary for the survival of Batutins. He was about to open an old letter from his father’s first years of rule when loud banging on the door startled him.
”It’s almost noon. What in the…?”
-“Master Nikolai, her highness wants to see you in her chambers.”
-“What? Why now?”
-“I do not know. All I know is that you will be in much trouble if you do not hurry up.”
-“Fine, fine. I’m coming.”
He dressed as quickly as he could and hurried down the corridor towards his mother’s quarters with a small candle. He came in a few minutes panting because he missed several times due to poor lighting. When he reached his mother’s quarters, he took a deep breath and slowly opened the door, revealing a chamber decorated with purple silk, frescoes and exotic wood furniture. Near stone fireplace sat a thin, tall woman in black gown, her gaze firmly fixed at small fire that was slowly extinguishing. She styled her long brown hair with a gilded comb. The fire illuminated her youthful pale face with rosy red lips. her whole focus was on fireplace that she didn’t even notice her son’s entrance. Nikolai slowly approached her.
“You called me mother?”
She jerked as if she had woken up from a dream.
-“Oh, it’s you. Come, sit.”
Nikolai took a small stool near fireplace and beside her, anxiously waiting for next possible lecture about their family’s history and current position, but she was unusually silent and aloof this night. Minutes of awkward silence passed as Natasha just stared at fireplace and ever more anxious Nikolai waited impatiently to find out the reason for this late meeting.
-“Why are you so selfish?”
-“I’m sorry mother, I don’t understa-”
-” You are the only male Batutin that has some decent chance to return our family to new prosperity and yet, you still insist on becoming a priest. I was overjoyed when I heard that Yaroslav picked you for one of his successors, but you are still trying to find a way out of it. Why?”
Nikolai sat in silence, unsure how to respond. He lowered his head as he couldn’t endure the gaze of his mother’s navy blue eyes. He finally mustered courage and looked her straight in the eyes.
-“I’m sorry mother, but I’m not a leader like father, he was-
A slap from his mother prevented him from finishing that sentence. Her previously pale stoic face was now red.
-“Do not even dare to compare yourself to him, you spoiled brat. Look at yourself! Your father’s mere presence made around him shiver with fear and awe, and you… I’m sometimes not even sure you’re his actual son! Why did heavens curse me with such a weak brat?!”
-” Mother, how can you utter such profanities? This is-”
She slapped him again, with more force than previous one. Nikolai was trying his best to hold his tears and his anger caused not by his mothers slaps and personal insults as much by her profanities.
-“Who are you to lecture me?! Always acting like you’re on moral high ground.”
-“I’m correcting your sinful behavior, mother. It would be detrimental for your soul in the afterlife.”
-“Again with your theological bullshit! I don’t care for my soul!
-“You don’t really mean it.”
-“Yes, I do! I don’t care if my soul gets damned for eternity-”
Her mouth was shut by Nikolai’s swift slap in the face that threw her from her chair. This act bewildered Natasha completely as she sat on the floor and looked at her now unrecognizable son. He was now red in face as much as her, his breathing was heavy and both of his arms were shaking.
-“I… I will be a servant of our Lord. I will serve Him in temple every day. That is not just my interest. That is my destiny. And as such, I forbid you make any more blasphemous comments about our Lord, or else…”
Natasha stood up quickly and got in his face, looking at him with such fury he felt it could kill a man.
-“Or else what?!
He took her by neck, almost lifting her from the ground. Her furious red face was now showing fear and confusion.
-“Or I’ll have to discipline you myself with whatever it takes to rid your soul of those vices. Even by force if necessary.”
He pushed her to the floor and went for the doors, leaving Natasha in complete shock as she tried to comprehend what happened with her son. A maiden opened the door to see what was happening, but Nikolai simply pushed her aside and left for his chamber. On the outside he seemed so determined and strong, but inside he was panicking. He himself was shocked by his actions in his mother’s chamber. He never thought himself capable of such violent use of force. He was not only by nature physically frail, but his guilty conscience always supervised every move he made, whether in private or public. But now, there was no strong reactions from it, in fact, the only thing he felt was a sense of relief, it was as if a huge weight had been lifted from his back. An enormous rage was boiling in him ever since he joined the seminary. His mother, his relatives, servants, political allies - all of them were against his path to priesthood. But now he was resolute to stay on it, no matter who was against it. Well, his mother’s opinion was still very important, but he would be surprised if he knew that Natasha’s opinion of him changed in a positive way.
Just after Nikolai left the chambers, the shocked maiden leapt towards her mistress to help her, but to her surprise Natasha was smiling despite the fact that she and her son had a such loud argument that they woke up entire personnel of residence.
-“Are you alright, m’lady?” said her maiden with concern in the tone of her voice.
-“I’m alright. Actually I haven’t felt this good in such a long time.”
This answer made her maiden even more concerned and check her forehead to see if she was ill. She was in good mood now because her son’s actions showed something what she waited all these years.
-“In that few moments, I finally saw it. That rage, that calm yet serious demeanor, the fire in his eyes… For a few moments, you were like you father. And I swear I will bring out that good side in you. Even if it costs me my life as you say.”