Maddie couldn’t help but smile at the gentleman before her, he was so different to the others, it was refreshing and intriguing in equal measures – a breath of fresh air in comparison to the vey formal surroundings she found herself in, and there was something in his manners that could not help but make one smile. Her shoulders relaxed and she felt she breathed a little easier next to him. ’A pleasure sir’ she commented in easy Russian, ’and the pleasure is truly all mine’ she switched to English. Georgi, his introductions now made excused himself to drink with the other men, having no interest in standing at the elbow of his wifes pretty little pet all night.

’If you have a story of somewhere far away from here I would be most grateful’ she said conspiratorially with a small laugh. The comment was equal parts joke and truth- she would take any story he would offer – in part because that life seemed like the most wonderful adventure gallivanting across the world as free as a bird, and in part because right at this moment she would love to be just about anywhere else but right here. Maddie fidgeted with a lock of her long blonde hair, ’I’m sure you’ve been a thousand places more interesting than this, and with more interesting people.’


Arven Fisk