YOUR PAST HAS YOU IN A CHOKEHOLD - PART II {NIA}

"You said you want me to be your wife," Ksenia said, almost sighing as she lowered her head slightly.

"I do, but I can't do that without getting to know you, now can I?" Abraxas questioned, raising his eyebrow. He softly held up Kyra's chin to his face, stroking it with his thumb. He then let go of it and started to life her onto his arms.

Ksenia turned to face him once again. What he said made sense. To some point. "And what is our marriage going to be like?" she asked him. There was so much she did not know about what he was thinking. She shifted slightly as he held her, but didn't protest. A very small part of her felt relieved, relieved that she was not by herself anymore, that someone would help keep her safe. Or so she hoped.

"How do I know? We're not married yet," Abraxas frowned. Holding Kyra tight into his arms, he carried her up the stairs into his bedroom. It was quite large, with a large bed in the middle of the room. "This will be yours if we get married." He gently dropped her on the bed.

Ksenia didn't want any of it to be hers at that moment. The bed was very comfortable, much better then they had at the school. So much like the beds they had in the now abandoned Volans Manor. She turned to her side hugging herself. "I have classes tomorrow morning," she informed him as her shoulders begun to shake with sobs once more. Why did he have to open so many wounds today? She closed her eyes as her shoulders shook harder as memories of her family flooded her mind. She couldn't stop them. Even after so many years of learning Occlumency, learning to control her mind, she could do nothing at that point.

Abraxas nodded. "You're going to have to go back to Durmstrang all by yourself. Not too far, really. There are signboards everywhere. Follow them." He then asked Kyra for her hand so he could lead her downstairs. "You'll be there before morning."

"You are just going to kick me out like that?" Ksenia laughed as her shoulders continued to shake with sobs. "What a fine husband you will make," she muttered almost to herself. He had hurt her. Left so many bruises on her body. So many emotional wounds. She knew she wouldn't be able to make it far like this.

"You didn't ask if you could stay," Abraxas retaliated coolly. Well - she didn't and he hadn't bothered to ask. "Now there's a thought."

"You know what, I think I will go," Ksenia said as she got up from the bed slowly, drying her tears, feeling anger build inside her once again. At least she would be able to stay away from him for some time. She didn't look at Abraxas as she passed him on the way to the door.

Abraxas shrugged his shoulders when he saw Kyra go, as if he didn't care. "We will meet again, Volans," he yelled. He couldn't believe himself that he would dare let her slip from his fingers like that, but perhaps, they will meet again. And soon, hopefully. Perhaps it was a week. Yes, it should be a week. Not too long and not too short.

He got himself a bottle of vodka from the cupboard, drank the entire bottle in one gulp, and went to bed.