Dinner could not have come sooner. Madam Varya was not happy about how they ten minute break had extended into a forty minute one but since she could not directly say anything about it, rather even indirectly, she chose to let her disapproval be known by giving her some extra homework.
It was fine with Katrina. It kept her busy. At least now her thoughts would not wander to the world outside the walls of the palace her father kept her in.
Alone, in her study room, she sat at the desk in the corner of the room, with the lamp over her head switched on. Sometimes, sitting alone gave her peace and serenity, even if it was just disturbing to think about like her cousin said.
A knock on the door made her look over to it and cleared her throat before asking them to come inside. A head popped in and it was her friend who was a close officer to her father.
"Annika," Katrina smiled, "come here!" She got up from the table and ran towards her friend who met her halfway and wrapped her arms around her, squeezing her close.
Annika may not be someone connected to her via blood, but she was just as special as Natya was.
After pulling away from a brief hug, Katrina pulled her towards the bigger table where there were multiple seats and they took a seat beside each other.
"Before we begin anything, your father passed on a message,"
"Really?" Katrina blinked. "What is it?" it was not unusual for her to receive a message not from him directly but through Olga all other made that had come through the housekeeper. However, it was unusual for Annika to pass it on.
Annika nodded. " I came into your house with my father and said your father was already standing there, he asked me to pass on the message, not Olga. She was there, by the grace of God, the woman always looks so angry!"
"The message, Annika." She reminded her friend gently.
"Ah, yes!" Annika tsked. "Your grandmother is coming in tonight. The dinner is going to be held a little late so that you all can have a meal together."
Grandmother Sofiya?
It was not common for her grandmother to come to St Petersburg from the country where she lived, especially when there was nothing very special or out of the ordinary happening. Maybe there was a social gathering that she did not know yet otherwise it could be something bad as well.
She felt fingers on her forehead, and how Annika placed her fingers to relax it. "What?"
"You were frowning." Anaika supplied the answer. "You can't have wrinkles before the age of thirty five."
She chuckled. "I did not realisef I was frowning. My grandmother is coming. It must be something very important."
"I heard something about a big gathering with the big boss coming in." Annika smiled, and her eyes crinkled a bit delighted. They often did when she thought she had some juicy gossip that never knew about. "The heir has returned from his school, or wherever he was and the big boss, some kind regent at the moment, is introducing every brigade here to him, which means your father is going by proxy so is mine."
"I see." She must've scolded again because Annika soothed her forehead again with her fingers. "It would explain why my grandmother is coming."
Annika hummed. "I think so. Your father has to take someone from your family and I think since you are too young, he might not take you."
"He might not." He would not. Everyone knew that Anika had just put the words politely.
"But," her friend grinned again, " the banquet is going to be held in Moscow. I may have convinced my father to let me come with him to just have a round around the market and the Mall, if your father allows you to come."
Katrina sat up straight and firmly shook her head. " you should have not. There is no way my father would allow me to go but all the mobsters are—"
"You know, most of us are supposed to marry inside the Bratva when we grow up. Yet, our parents don't even allow us to be near anyone or just be seen." Annika huffed and rolled her eyes. " The thing is, I'm not asking them to take us with them. We can stay inside at night. It actually happens but I'm talking after that or before night. The banquet takes place. Just going to check the places out and hopefully be inside before the sunsets."
"I.." she was not convinced.
"Please?" Annika pouted. "Do it for my sake?"