As the hours of the night grew long, everyone kept vigil by Pyotr's bedside. Irina had reheated her soup and they had eaten their fill. Luka and Nadia rejoined them finally, looking slightly disheveled but everyone kept his or her comments to themselves. The two kept exchanging heated glances, but kept their hands and lips to themselves. Stephanos looked up from his thoughts and pierced Luka with his gaze.
Luka understanding what was implied and gave an almost imperceptible nod. He bowed his head for a moment to gather his thoughts, knowing that he was going to reveal a wealth of pain that he had kept inside lo these many years. He had tortured himself with the knowledge that he had failed Danijela. And he knew that what he revealed now would cause Stephanos pain as well. He had been in such disbelief over what Danijela had whispered in her final moments, that he had blocked that knowledge from his mind. It was only through Stephanos' intervention hours ago that he fully realized the events of that long ago night.
He didn't know how he was going to say what he had to, nor did he know how anyone would react to this information. He prayed that Nadia and Marianna would help both of them heal and deal with the grief of betrayal. For that was what this was going to be. Betrayal of the worst kind. Mentally he had tried to prepare himself and the rest of them for that betrayal. Part of the reason he had pulled Nadia aside was to draw strength from her for the task ahead. Sighing once and looking them all in the eyes, he started his tale.
"This is what Danijela revealed to me..."
Eighty years ago...
"I arrived at your doorstep Stephanos, to find that it had been pummeled open, almost torn off its hinges. Kolya was unconscious and bound, a large gash on the side of his forehead and Danijela had been beaten and there was blood all over her clothing. She was just before dying..."
Luka started crying as the images replayed themselves in his mind, as was Stephanos. Everyone else was paying rapt attention.
"I flew to Danijela's side and gathered her into my arms. Her eyelids fluttered open and she tried to speak. It was so hard for her, Stephanos, so hard. One of her eyes was almost swollen shut and blackened. There were bruises forming around her throat, almost as if she were wearing a necklace and it appeared as though her windpipe was crushed. Tears were streaming from the corners of her eyes, leaking down the sides of her cheeks and disappearing into her hair. God, she was like a broken doll! Her nails were torn and bloody, she had fought like a wildcat. Her clothing was in disarray. She had been horribly attacked."
Nadia had wrapped her arms around Luka and they were all crying now at what he was disclosing.
"She tried to sit up, but she couldn't manage it. Some of her ribs were broken and one of her arms. Still she tried to lift her hand to my cheek. She sobbed more when she realized that she couldn't. She had pain everywhere, there wasn't one part of her that wasn't tormented and either beaten or broken. I tried to get her to hush, not to speak, try to conserve her energy, anything. But as you know, she was so stubborn Stephanos."
Both men smiled briefly at the other, a flicker of humor overshadowing their shared grief for a moment.
"Oh Lord, was she stubborn. She said that earlier in the evening she had fought with you and terrible things were said by her, but that she didn't mean them, Stephanos. She wanted you to know that she was sorry."
Luka looked up again. "I am so sorry, Stephanos. I was so enraged by Danijela's death, that I couldn't tell you what she said. I know I was wrong. That was the last I remembered of that night, until you used your healing light earlier on me."
"Luka, I bear no grudge against you for your actions. I love you as I always have." Stephanos spoke in a heartfelt voice as he captured Luka's gaze.
"Thank you, Stephanos. I love you as a brother. I always have. It was just buried under my guilt and anger. And as much as I am sorry for taking Marianna, and would not have caused either of you pain, it has helped us arrive at this point. For that, I am not sorry." Stephanos quietly rose from his seat by Marianna to go hug Luka. They stayed liked that for a minute. Once their hug was over, Luka continued his tale.
"Danijela then said that she was crossing the foyer when the door was knocked off its hinges practically. Standing before her was..."
*****
At that moment, Pyotr stirred. His pain glazed eyes opened and Marianna rushed to his side, as Kolya took up his hand once more. She nodded once in satisfaction, finding that the fever had broken. They both helped Pyotr to sit up a bit on the pillows and Nadia brought over some of the healing broth for him. While everyone was impatient at finally finding out what happened to Danijela, they kept that from Pyotr. He glanced around in confusion.
