Chapter Text
By the time Rubin had arrived at the Stillwater, Eva and Andrey had seemingly moved on from the book entirely. The pages cast aside in the pursuit of bodily pleasure. Daniil thought he would be sick. Just having the book, Rubin already felt amazing---or at least better than he had been feeling. No more thoughts of Artemy or Clara or their silly fighting. He didn’t even notice when he and Daniil passed by Artemy on the street.
“Tell me Stanislav has not played a part in the care of the girl,” Sahba asked, her nose crinkling in disgust.
“Her name is Grace, Sahba,”
“Grace…” Sahba repeated the name, she had heard of the girl before in passing. Poor girl. To Sahaba the poor thing’s story only served as proof of the town’s instability, how it was not a salvageable form of society. Afterall, what proper community could allow a girl to go without the basics for so long?
Such were the effects of losing one’s lines.
“Unfortunately he hasn’t,” Artemy’s shoulders dropped, with how overworked he had been feeling he had only harbored frustration with Rubin.
“I can see why you requested my help already.
Inside the Cathedral Grace had been lain overtop Aglaya’s desk, the Inquisitor laying her jacket atop the girl to keep her warm.
“Lilich.”
“I’m sorry I don’t believe we’ve been acquainted before----you’re the woman the town calls Aspity aren’t you?”
“Nina was a magnificent woman…and you were the one who ordered the Polyhedron be torn down,”
“Ghastly thing.” Was all Aglaya had to say of the matter now, before she turned to speak with Artemy, “You seem...different, have you brought her here to help?”
“We don’t always see eye to eye…” Artemy mumbled “But I think I have come to understand you in my own way Aglaya, and I think I’m beginning to understand Grace’s ailment too,”
Slightly, Aglaya smiled “good.”
“So Red Star,” Rubin had picked the girl up to carry on his shoulders as he walked the book back to Yulia’s, “You really did used to live in Gorkhon?”
“No, not here,” The girl looked out over the horizon. “I was brought here, by someone else. I used to live someone else like this, and then in a big city. I don’t know what happened after that. I became something else I think. Went away,”
“Hm,” Rubin hummed, focusing on where he stepped as not to jostle the girl.
“I can do miracles though,” Red Star interjected, “Spectacular ones, better than any other mistress!”
Rubin stopped and played with a thought of his for a moment, before gently setting the little girl down onto the street.
“Why don’t you show me love?”
“So should we all set our hands on her or---” Everyone’s voice fell still as the girl on the desk began to tussle, rolling and moving in her sleep before coughing violently. Sahba immediately went to hold her up, one hand on the back of her head to lift her head above her lungs and heart, and one hand over her chest to steady and relax the girl.
“She’s warm...Boddho’s line has not abandoned this one,” Sahba announced with a small easy smile, the girl slowly waking.
Overcome, Artemy couldn’t stop smiling---he couldn’t stop crying.
“She’ll be ok!?”
“Only time can bring the truth,”
“Whatever this is...it’s working I can feel it. The room is warmer now than it had been before you returned. We don’t always understand our worlds in the same terms, I’m not even sure if our worlds are everly truly the same Burakh...but whatever this was, however you saw this. It worked.
“...but we’ll need more of it,” Artemy locked eyes with Aglaya and nodded slowly in agreement. They couldn’t all stay in here forever, and Grace still couldn’t walk.
“Sahba?”
“Yes Artemy?”
“Can I...Would you stay here for a little while, with Grace and Aglaya----please? I...I need to see to something. Conjure more medicine.”
“If it is in the name of seeing this poor child return to health once more…”
“---of course it is---”
“---you may trust young Grace in my hands menkhu, we will see to rebraiding her line anew,”
Artemy felt his heart racing as he exited the cathedral. He thought of what Victor had told him, how the cathedral made time in the town and how the use of the space inside changed how time would pass. Focusing, Artemy tried to feel the lines of the girls, wanted to steady his own nerve. Grace’s was stronger than it had been, Capella was stable but Clara----
No.
Artemy had to save his strength for Grace, Grace was here he couldn’t abandon her treatment now, not when they were so close.
Clara could wait, perhaps not long, but her family would be thankful for the application of a successful treatment over a trial of unsuccessful ones.
Where were the other lines? It wasn’t like Artemy could miraculously locate people. Time was of the essence...he needed to recruit help and fast.
Of course, this lead to him banging feverishly on Victor’s door.
“Excuse me---”
“Grief---Grief where is he!?”
Victor blinked “Grigory? He went out --believe he said he was going down to the warehouses, something about charity work.”
The Warehouses! Even if they were technically on the other side of the town the town’s curving bull-like form meant Artemy could quickly cut through the Steppe to catch up with him.
“I used to think the shape of this town was so disorderly Peter,” Daniil admitted, wasted on twyrine.
“So it is,” Peter responded, opening another bottle for the men to share. “Yet it is the abstractions and not form itself that give way to the miracles I think---I couldn’t work anywhere else, not anymore,”
Daniil hummed in agreement, watching as red swirled between his eyes, losing his balance and allowing his side to flop onto Peter.
“What a wonderful little town,”
“Maria’s would have been better,”
“Do you think Red Star would have liked it better?”
“Oh Daniiil, sweet Daniil,” Peter’s fingers mindlessly strummed through his dark locks---Daniiil had trouble staying awake and focused, “Don’t you see old boy? Red Star will build us a town even better, ”
The Warehouses had always been loud, much to Artemy’s dismay---it made it difficult for him to focus. The chattering children didn’t make it much better.
“Excuse me,” The children turned to look at the man towering over them, “You haven’t seen Bad Grief have you?”
“Who?” One of the young boys quirked his head and looked at Artemy strangely.
“You know…..Grief? The old prince of crime? He’s got that funny red hair that sticks up….he wears that big purple coat a lot,”
“Oy you mean Mr. Filin? He’s round the corner over there, gave us these blankets,”
Ah that was right, Artemy almost forgot Lara had asked Grief to hand out blankets. He was surprised though that these children had already taken to Grief’s new….or old name. Artemy thanked the children and followed their directions, the street only becoming more crowded.
“Filin?” Artemy called out, trying to break through the crowd.
“Really Artemy, just because he’s been volunteering for me doesn’t mean we’re married,” Lara stood with her back towards Artemy, focused on handing blankets out to the workers who had lined up around her. Still, Artemy could hear a teasing smile to her words.
“Ol’ Gravel…..good old Ravel….” Artemy hummed to himself, relief bubbling up to his face. “You know Lara I was only looking for Grigory to ask about you,”
“Oh were you now?”
“I thought….well we’ve always been close friends now,”
Now Ravel had turned and Artemy could see her smug little grin “Oh don’t tell me you’ve come to make sure you’re the one to change my name,”
A few of the men snickered, Artemy chuckled in embarrassment---avoiding their teasing gazes. “No no….that’s no----you’re like a sister y’know?”
“Sure she is laddie!”
More men erupted into laughter. Lara rolled her eyes, taking the distraction as an opportunity to give Artemy her full attention. “Just ignore them,”
“Easier said than done,”
“You’re telling me, we’ve been rubbing elbows for a few hours now,”
Artemy saw his chance “...sounds like you could use a break huh?”
Lara barked an airy laugh “I should have when Grigory was here….he just left you know, hard worker…..you make sure he’s getting his rest won’t you? He isn’t dishonest but he doesn’t always put his own needs first you know,”
“Look who’s talking,”
Lara punched him in the arm, the few men that noticed only laughed louder.
“Why don’t you let me cover----you’ve been out here almost all day right? Surely there isn’t much more to give out,”
Lara shook her head “I was about to finish up here, but there were other places I wanted to go---a few stores even promised to save blankets for us to pick up and---”
“Lara...take a breath. I mean it. Let me finish up for you here, go rest at the Cathedral,”
Lara’s brow furrowed “Why the Cathedral?”
The corners of Artemy’s lips perked as he shrugged to the side “Well...you’d sort of be doing me a favor...not that I can explain it well,”
Disappointed her ‘break’ was only going to carry more work, Lara’s hands fell to her waist. “What do you need me to do,”
“Just….be in the Cathedral, you can sit or lie down or read or take a nap it really doesn’t matter I just...I just need you to stay in the Cathedral for a little while,”
Lara pursed her lips, it wasn’t much to think about or consider really---just unexpected was all. She needed a short moment to allow herself to catch up.
“...You’d really do that for me?
“Only seems fair,” Artemy half-smirked. He wasn’t exactly excited about the prospect of handing out blankets, he was almost caught off guard when Lara dropped them into his arms.
“Then we have ourselves a deal cub, just...don’t overwork yourself either. It’s not like I have children at home waiting,”
“It should only be a couple hours shouldn’t it? I was hoping to go back to the cathedral and check--”
“This is my work cub, just give me a few hours off. I was headed up your way anyhow. You know Fletcher---”
“Fixed’m up last week after he lost his footing trying to hang winter curtains,”
“Hand out blankets, go home, feed the kids, go see Fletcher to pick up tomorrow’s supply and come back by the Cathedral,”
Artemy paused, turning the map of the town over in his head “...There might be one stop I should make before coming back,”
Again, Lara punched him in the shoulder.
“Asking my permission? I’m not your mother you know. I’m not exactly going to give you a smacking for being disobedient,”
Artemy nodded quickly, turning on his heel. He wanted to scamper away quickly before the men could see how red Lara had turned him.
“What do you mean just the one!?” Rubin ran over the math in his head, sure Andrey and Eva could do without but Daniil, Peter,and himself made three---how were three people supposed to share just two books!?
“Ink’s run dry. Burakh mentioned at the last townhall meeting it could be another week before we start seeing the more usual supply chains. The survival surplus has been nice and all but what is life without art and literature?”
“Or the paper and ink to print them,” The other woman called over Yulia’s shoulder.
Rubin balled a fist at his side while Red Star looked between them in confusion.
“we’re sorry but you’ll just have to make due with the two copies,”
“She is a cute kid though,” Yulia commented, helping her assistant flip through reference books. “I think I might have some milk and treats in the back….ironically only Olgimsky ever took me up on the schooling offer. Not exactly what I had imagined when he suggested the literacy program….at least Capella will be well educated I suppose…”
“I put the kettle on if you’d want any Rubin,” The assistant suggested.
“I’d fancy a cup,” said Red Star, leaning over the counter and tucking a strand of black hair behind her ear.
“I supposed I’m just used to thinking of you as little…was that sphinx really as powerful as you wrote her out to be?”
Red Star grinned, wiggling her shoulders a little. Her school uniform itchy and stiff. “Well of course everyone else had thought so, but riddles really aren’t as strong a lock as some people would believe,”
“That’s our girl…” Rubin commented softly. He hadn’t been able to help himself. On his walk over he had read as much as he could and was completely encapsulated. The adventure! The intrigue! Red Star was a hero for generations, and inspiration to all! Rubin lived his life in a shadow, the world was out to get him and he was alone----or he had been alone. Red Star was his light, his literal north star. He didn’t need anyone except her. She was right and everyone else was wrong.
Gorkhon would live under a blue moon no longer.
“Isn’t it early for supper?”
“Not at all,” Artemy insisted, slicing up bread to pair with his family’s soup. The blankets had flown out of his hands like hotcakes, and the order with Fletcher had been secured. Artemy felt...warm. He had helped Lara and knew that soon Grace would be helped, and then Clara and Capella, and everything would be fine.
“Did you see Grace today? Is she feeling better,”
“I did Sticky, she’s doing much better,”
“That’s good,” Murky commented “She shouldn’t be sick because she’s dumb, it isn’t her fault really,”
“Murky,” Artemy dropped it, choosing instead to enjoy a meal with hs children.
“Could we visit her? Tomorrow?”
“I don’t see why not, she isn’t contagious. In fact I think she’d be happy to have the company,”
“That’s good! I feel bad for her, she must be awfully lonely cooped up in the Cathedral,”
Artemy’s lips perked into an easy smile, his face soft and relaxed, “You know Sticky? I’m not sure she is.”