Unsettled Times

Synopsis:

After the First World War the Russian soldier Jurij Alexandrovich returns home from war imprisonment. Once he was a member of the most reputable family in his home-village, but now he has to discover that times have changed. After the Russian revolution the communists rule his country now. And to his bad luck it is his vengeful ex-girlfriend Alessia who had become the girlfriend of the lesbian political chief commissioner over his war-torn home-village.

As a member of the Zhenotdel (=Women's Department of the Party's Central Committee) Alessia has gained a lot of power herself and she's eager to use this power to take a bitter-sweet revenge for Jurij's former refusal against her. At first Jurij only loses his family's property to Alessia's red brigade.

He struggles despairingly to beware a rest of sovereignty, but Alessia has already developed a great appetite for taking a selfish advantage of her superior position over him. Within the depths of her soul, she truly wants her precious Jurij as her own. Thanks to the help of her influential girlfriend she starts to slowly "re-educate" Jurij into the new world order – into her world order!

With a combination of teasing hints, well-placed jealousy, wicked threats and pitiless denial he gets forced to go down into a very personal and erotic kind of submission to the steely will-power of Alessia and her friend. Alessia knows that she will have to confess how she really feels at some point, but she will hold out for as long as she can.

Suddenly the village gets re-captured by the anti-communistic White Army and the hero has to make a very crucial decision: Will Jurij become a traitor to free himself from Alessia's spell or will he keep her secret revealed and therefore accept her superiority over his fate?

[ INTRODUCTION ]

To understand the unsettling story of Alessia and Jurij you have to know a little about the history of their country and their own.

Alessia came into the world on May 11, 1892, in a small village of the western part of the Forecaucasus - quite close to the city of Yekaterinodar. She was the first child of the officer Igor Vasiliev and his wife Larissa. And she was also their last as Larissa died soon after she had given birth to Alessia.

Alessia grew up to be a beautiful girl. Her cautious father hired private teachers to ensure that Alessia would receive the best education that only a few women in that era possessed.

But when Alessia got twelve years old, Igor was ordered to fight for his country in the Russo-Japanese War. Although he adored his daughter more than anything in the world, he was forced to send Alessia into the custody of his friends Mr. and Mrs. Vasiliev.

Alessia's new foster parents owned a poultry farm with lots of brown chickens that kept them very busy during the day. Therefore Alessia spent a most of her time with her new step-brothers Michael and Andre.

Both of the boys got easily awed by Alessia's beauty and maturity as they were two years younger than there new sister. So it didn't take long until Alessia found out how she could exploit the growing interest of her step-brothers to her own advantage.

It just needed a little inklings and teasing to make them take over all annoying chores for her, while she still played the caring role of the older sister towards her credulous foster parents.

Two years later Alessia received an official letter that informed her about the honorable death of her father during an important military offensive against the Japanese forces.

As a war orphan Alessia felt that she was totally on her own now. More and more she gave herself over to the dark and bitchy side of her character. Although her step-brothers suffered terrible under Alessia's escalating tyranny, they never dared to squeal.

In an age of five-teen Alessia tasted for the first time the sweetness of total power, when she even persuaded her step-brothers to regularly tribute all their pocket-money to her. Without having any money on their own, her step-brothers needed to earn Alessia's high priced favor before they even could buy themselves a book of adventure stories.

One day Alessia decided that her favor would cost Michael a box of chocolates. At this time a box of chocolates cost five rubles - which was around the equivalent of 39 loaves of bread. Therefore the only way for Michael to let Alessia have her box of chocolates was to introduce her to his beautiful classmate Jurij Alexandrovich, who was the son of the owner of the local chocolate factory.

As Jurij turned out to be quite a smart and entertaining companion, Alessia allowed him to take her out. Two hours later Jurij was already head over heels in love for Alessia. And as Alessia loved to be loved it was the start of an exciting affair. For a couple of days Jurij was probably the happiest man in Russia.

But while Jurij's heart unconditionally adored Alessia, Jurij's mind kept always reminding himself that Alessia was just a member of the general crowd while he represented one of the most reputable families around Yekaterinodar. There was just no way how the relation between him and Alessia could be officially announced without hurting the pride of his high principled parents. In fact Jurij's affair with Alessia. But Alessia's spirit wasn't meant for the ungraceful role of a secret concubine.

She passionately cursed Jurij's cowardliness, but in the end she had to realize that Jurij would never bite the bullet. So she abandoned him with a courageous face-slap, leaving behind an utterly distraught ex-boyfriend.

Since that day Alessia and Jurij had never heard again of each other.

A few years later the dark clouds of the "Great War" (nowadays known as the First World War) came over Europe. While Alessia served her country at the local division of the Russian Red Cross, it was a matter of course for Jurij to take part in the real combat.

[ COMING HOME ]

After the second year of war the Tsarist Russia started to experience famine and economic collapse. The demoralized Russian Army suffered severe military setbacks and many soldiers deserted the front lines. The Russians dissatisfaction with their Tsar Nicholas II and his policy of continuing the war grew until it fully escalated in two revolutions in 1917.

The Bolsheviks took over the political control. To relieve the still unsettled nation from the attacks of its external enemies, the Bolsheviks signed a peace treaty with the Central Powers on March 3, 1918, at Brest-Litovsk. The article VIII. of this treaty stated that the prisoners of war of both parties will be released to return to their homeland.

This article also affected the destiny of Jurij Alexandrovich who had stayed 723 dismal days in German war imprisonment since Russia's large but success-less counteroffensive in 1916.

On the foggy morning of April 15, 1918 Jurij trudged east down the endless road to the mansion of his parents.

Cursing and grimacing, Jurij hunched his neck deeper into the collar of his shabby coat. It didn't help much. The cold wind of the Russian April was insistent, plucking at his clothes and forcing its needling way inside.

With his pack on his back and his hands jammed deep into his pockets Jurij imploringly prayed to find a ride. And soon enough his prayers were answered when the carriage of his father passed by.

He hadn't seen his son in four years and it was an incredible hearty reunion.

[ A FATAL VISIT ]

Jurij's safe return from this horrible war was commemorated with a great family celebration that lasted more than three days. For a short moment it seemed as if love, peace and harmony finally had found their way into the life of the Alexandrovich's. But at the afternoon of April 18, 1918 an ominous troop of around ten mounted soldiers appeared at the horizon.

As they approached the mansion of the Alexandrovich family it became clear that they were a small ridden force of the young Red Army.

Slowly Jurij recognized the silhouette of a woman moving along the riders. This wasn't .... No - that would be nearly impossible! But then the recognition of the mysterious woman hit him like a thunderbolt. It was Alessia!

Her voluminous brown hair was pinned up above a slender neck and pale shoulders, her cheekbones gave her face sharp features. Underneath her wool coat she wore a tight white blouse, featured by a silken neck scarf that flew in the wind. Her legs were clasped in brown trousers and knee high black leather boots.

All the memories of his unfulfilled love for Alessia flooded back into Jurij's mind although it had been ten years already, since he had seen her for the last time. Still it seemed that he had repressed how beautiful his former girlfriend had been. Jurij tried to compose himself as the group came closer, but it was impossible to stop his heart from beating wildly.

At the same moment Jurij was also recognized by this woman. Actually Alessia had been looking out for him as she knew he would be there. Now she began to have those feelings of unfulfilled lust in her loins. She once more started to think about all of the times they had spent together and how she had cried at that final night after slapping his face. If he only had not been so damn stubborn. A cruel smile crept over her face as she began to think about how stubborn she intended to become now in return.

"I am looking for Pjodr Alexandrovich?" the troop-leader shouted at them.

"Yes - that's me! And who are you?" Jurij's father answered in a brave voice - although his shivering revealed his raising insecurity.

"I am Vladimir Maximow - major of the Red Army! We have heard that you are hiding rifles from the revolutionary fighters. Is that true?"

"Who says that?"

"Just answer my question!"

"We have nothing to do with any weapons or any revolution. We just want to be left alone in peace."

"The Red Army fights for the evenhanded peace of all people Russia. Not just for yours! So we won't leave until you hand us over the rifles. Have I made myself clear?"

"Get lost!"

Without paying any more attention to the stubbornness of Jurij's father, Vladimir Maximow turned to his soldiers and ordered them to search the house.

Slowly Jurij's gaze wandered to Alessia. She had caught the eye of her ex-lover as well and sent him a slight smile. But before Jurij could say anything, Alessia had placed her gloved fore-finger over her smirking lips - indicating him that the secret of their acquaintanceship better kept unrevealed.

Jurij was confused but decided that it might be better to play along. The expression of Alessia's face didn't offer any explanation. She just continued to smile - knowing that this was just the beginning of a joyful game of female revenge she had in mind for her disloyal ex-lover.

He quietly stood watch from the corner of his eye, admiring how Alessia let her slender body slide down from her horse's back and followed her comrades into his home. Jurij and his defenseless family stayed outside - carefully watched by the steely eyes of Vladimir Maximow.

The sound of rough boot-steps and smashed boxes drifted out of the house. With teeth clinched Jurij remained breathless.

An endless amount of time seemed to pass until the soldiers finally moved out with their arms full of rifles. Jurij was flabbergasted. Where had his father had hidden so many weapons? And why hasn't he confessed his possession to the major of the Red Army???

Jurij took a frightened glimpse at Vladimir Maximow. He was smoking a relaxing cigar on the back of his horse - his expression one of total indifference.

Suddenly Alessia appeared. In the controlled attitude of a classy lady she stepped in front of Vladimir Maximow and saluted.

"We have seized twenty-five rifles, sir!" she reported. Jurij's spellbound eyes watched her pushing a streak of her curling hair from her forehead behind her ears. It were little details of bewitching cuteness like this that made his heart crush on her again.

"Thank you, comrade Alessia Vasilieva!" the major exclaimed, before his almighty look turned to Jurij's father.

"It's such a pity that you had to lie to me. Now I'm forced to reprimand you."

Slowly he took his gun out of his belt and aimed at Pjodr Alexandrovich.

Then everything happened very fast. There was a loud bang and red blood shooting out of Pjodr's legs. He staggered off balance and tumbled to the ground with a thud.

There was a sudden, deathly silence before Pjodr cried out in pain - the bullet seemed to had hit his left knee.

While everybody stand in shock, the major himself kept totally unimpressed by terrible Pjodr's screams. He just turned back to his troop, ordering: "Get back into saddle; we'll move on."

As Alessia has mounted her horse, she once more looked down at Jurij. A mischievous smile of satisfaction had appeared on her face. Not sure about its full meaning, Jurij decided to smile back at her. The troop moved on and half a minute later Vladimir Maximow and his soldiers went out of sight.

Every member of Jurij's family automatically run to help Pjodr. Every member except Jurij, who was too confused about the impact of the latest events. Lost in his thoughts he went back into the house.

A scarf lay on his table. Bewildered by is meaning Jurij let his fingertips rake through its silken cloth, getting it close enough to smell it's light scent. Alessia's desirable perfume pervaded Jurij's senses. As soon as he had closed his eyes, he saw Alessia's ambiguous smile again. It didn't take long until his mind also heard her soft voice, smelt her musky fragrance of arousal and felt her tender touches. Once more he relived the scenes of her sweet seduction and her bitter rejection.

But suddenly Jurij noticed that there was a book missing in his shelve. His diary! Alessia has taken the diary about his life between 1907-1914. The diary in which he had so openly admitted all his innermost feelings of effervescent adoration and the following desperate heartache towards his Alessia. Thoughts and feelings, that were private. Now it was Alessia herself that had captured these secret thoughts. Feelings of utter exposure waved over Jurij's defeated soul. But then strange feelings of a new inner connection with his former girlfriend rushed through Jurij, but unlike their last connection, this connection was somehow inevitable.

[ ASKING FOR A FAVOR ]

At the next day the family council of the Alexandrovich's that the life around Yekaterinodar had become just too dangerous. Furthermore a quiet place was needed to cure the severe injury of Pjodr's knee. Therefore it was decided that would temporarily move into their secondary home. It was just a small dacha in the outskirts of the Caucasus Mountains, but they could reduce their demands for a cozy home as the summer was approaching.

Unfortunately the question, whether to take along the piano of Jurij's sister or the hunting equipment of his cousin, wasn't that easy to settle. Soon a passionate controversy between both of them broke out, while Jurij's dreams slowly wandered back to his ex-girlfriend.

With the assumptive acquirement of his diary Alessia had become an involuntary confidant of his most private thoughts. Maybe in exactly this moment Alessia's delicate fingers might flip through the pages of his diary. He would have given everything he owned for the opportunity to touch these fingers once more.

His thoughts were interrupted by his mother's sudden interjection: "What about you, Jurij?"

"I'm sorry, what have you just said?" Jurij startled from his day-dreams.

"I just argued that you're the fittest member of our family. Plus you are the most experienced in combat. So you would be the perfect choice for defending our property against pillagers during our absence!"

Jurij didn't have to think twice. This sudden prospect of occupying the family house for his own would give him the perfect opportunity to rearrange his relation with Alessia.

"Sure - I see it as my duty to protect the Alexandrovich's family during these troubled times." Jurij announced and so it was decided.

The family departed very early at the next morning under tearful farewell-rites that never seem to end. But finally Jurij was alone. Immediately Jurij saddled his horse for a fifteen kilometers long ride to the second gymnasium of Yekaterinodar. Jurij's cousin had told him that this gymnasium had recently become to local Red Army headquarter and therefore it would be the perfect place to start his search for Alessia, claim his diary back and maybe resettle their burdened relationship.

Forty five minutes later Jurij stood at the entrance door of the headquarters, but now his inner drive was somehow replaced by a repressive nervousness.

He took a deep breath to muster up the rest of his courage and forced his legs to enter the building.

The gymnasium had been totally converted into a provisional army camp. The entrance hall was crowded with armed revolutionists. Fortunately Jurij quickly discovered a small, basically-appointed reception desk at the other side of the hall. Behind a desk stood a gracile woman with a Bolshevik armband, who seemed to be a kind of porter here. Within a few big steps Jurij had approached her desk.

"Good morning. I would like to see Alessia Vasilieva!"

"And you are?" the porter mumbled, obviously bothered by Jurij's demand.

"Oh - sorry! My name would be Jurij Alexandrovich. I came to clarify a personal matter."

"Wait here. I am going to forward your request Commander Vasilieva!"

"Commander Vasilieva??"

"Yes. Comrade Vasilieva has been promoted to the rank of a Commander yesterday, as our former Commander Maximow left the city this morning to eliminate counter-revolutionary activities in the Northern Caucasus." the porter declared with a chuckle.

Before Jurij could even assimilate the full meaning of this surprising news, the porter had already left him alone through a door behind her. It was a strange feeling for Jurij to look at this door as this door was the only but still impervious obstacle that separated him from his adored Alessia. All he could do for now was take a seat and wait. Waiting for the return of the porter, Jurij couldn't prevent to overhear the rude talk of some Bolshevik soldiers standing nearby. They amused themselves by commenting aloud on whether it was preferable to shoot, hang or bayonet counter-revolutionist.

Suddenly Jurij felt very uneasy. He became sensitive to the appearance he might offer to them. Did he look too bourgeois? Were his clothes adequate to represent a revolutionary spirit?

"Commander Vasilieva is expecting you now, Jurij Alexandrovich!" The sudden calling of his name caused Jurij to nearly leap from his chair. Glancing at the wall-clock, he realized that a full ten minutes had passed since his entry into the gymnasium.

"Please follow me." the porter just ordered and already began to walk away. Hastily Jurij managed to follow her through several large rooms. Finally they arrived at a cozy office room in the back of the house. This room had definitely once been the well-furnished office of a slightly corrupt school-director. Alessia was relaxing herself on a noble leather-chair with plush cushions, while she mindlessly ate a shining red apple.

She already knew the reason for Jurij's visit. The only crucial question was, whether he would be freely willing to subject to her rule or if he would fight every step of the way.

So a curious smile filled her face as she noticed Jurij's entry: "Good morning Jurij. It's so nice to see you again."

"The pleasure is mine. I just came to ask you about my diary, which I am missing since our last encounter." Jurij instantly brought out his request.

The true reason for his forwardness was Jurij's doubt to resist Alessia's false pretenses once she had her chance to lull him with her possessive charms. Alessia on the other hand got visibly disappointed by this direct approach, so she didn't even bother herself to find a suitable answer. Instead she just turned to the porter: "Have you already assured yourself that my guest came unarmed, comrade?"