Мишка ✦ 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐰𝐢𝐝𝐨𝐰

𒊹𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐞𒊹

2015

Anya was Madame B's daughter. She was the same age as Natalia. They were in the same class. Unfortunately for Anya she wasn't as good as Natalia. Despite being Madame B's daughter Anya was always second best to her mother. Natalia was forever the favourite and Anya loathed her for it.

No matter how hard she tried Anya couldn't beat Natalia. She was never quite good enough and it infuriated her. Natalia always patronised Anya as a result of it. Wether Natalia did it on purpose or not it didn't matter it still hurt.

Anya knew she would never become a Widow. She couldn't. She wasn't allowed but she still wanted to be seen in the patriarchally overwhelmed world.

Then when Natalia ran away and betrayed the Red Room and Russia it's self Anya was borderline smug about it. For the first time in her life Anya wasn't second best to her own mother. She was the new favourite. Bye bye Natalia.

It took twenty years but finally Anya was on top. She would eventually take over from her mother as head of the school and the idea of having a power Natalia would never get brought much joy to Anya.

The first time Anya had the upper hand over Natalia was when she watched the red head loose her daughter. Anya was stood in the hallway when the guards dragged Natalia away from her young daughter. It was the first time Anya saw Natalia out of control. Helpless even. For a brief moment in that hallway Natalia looked at Anya. The black haired woman's sharp jaw clenched in a strange way. She couldn't tell if it was guilt or satisfaction. Anya's dark eyes look right at Natalia and without saying anything a thousand words were exchanged between them. It was as if it was the first time Natalia truly saw Anya. The first time in her life Anya wasn't overlooked by others.

Anya stood decorated in fine jewellery and clothes. Luxury dripping from her. She had everything. Meanwhile Natalia was bare. Left with nothing. The last thing she truly had left taken away in that moment. Anya should of felt sorry for her. Sympathised her but she didn't. She couldn't. After everything Natalia denied her Anya couldn't. However in that moment there was a wavering thought that made Anya think Natalia didn't mean to do the things she did. Maybe it wasn't her fault and she wasn't out to spite Anya. It was too late now. Too many years had passed for Anya to forgive her.

That day Anya decided to get back at Natalia. Reclaim what had been taken from her. Make someone feel the same way she did. Belittled. If Anya couldn't take it out on Natalia she would take the second best thing. Her daughter.

It was years before Anya got anywhere near the child. But when she did by the gods did she make the girl know this was all her mother's fault. It had taken an entire lifetime to get there but finally Anya got her revenge. It took Madame B dying.

After her mother's death Anya became the headmistress of the Red Room. Headmistress Anya. Now she could make Nataliya's life a living hell. She couldn't burn the world so burning Nataliya's one would have to do.

Nataliya didn't understand what she'd done to deserve how Headmistress Anya treated her. The girl had only ever been perfection. She did everything she was told. Followed every order and still she wasn't good enough. But that was exactly what Anya hated. She couldn't stand how perfect Nataliya was. Just like her mother Nataliya didn't have a fault. Not one. So Anya had to make one.

She couldn't let the child be as perfect as Natalia. Natalia had ruined Anya's life and now Anya would ruin her daughter's life. She would make the girl as imperfect and broken as herself. Then it would be fair. Vengeance.

Nataliya's hair was slicked back into a bun at the back of her head. The dark blue leotard clung to her body. Tights and pointe shoes. Ballet. The one outlet the girl's got to be 'normal'. It wasn't really though. Ballet was designed to teach the girls many things : discipline, poise, flexibility, control, strength. Even been rhythmic helped them fight.

Ballet was harder than one would think. It requires mountains of skill to make something so difficult look effortless. Anya observed the ballet lesson. Specifically Nataliya's lesson. She watched her like a hawk. Scowling at her. Natalia was perfect at everything but especially ballet so it was no surprise Nataliya was exceptionally talented in the art.

The girl rose up on her box and danced around the room in her pointe shoes. She looked weightlessness as she moved in sync with the other girls.

Because Natalia was the star pupil in everything the other girls despised her. Of course Headmistress Anya knew the others picked on her but she didn't stop it like she was supposed to. It was part of her revenge to let Natalia get singled out. It seemed to affect the girl very little. Nataliya never cared for friends or any kind of connection with others for that matter so the social aspect of it had no impact but Nataliya was a perfectionist so when the other students sabotaged her it had an affect. It gave Anya an opportunity to pick out Nataliya's mistakes even if she knew the girl didn't actually do them herself.

Anya watched with her own eyes one of the students swipe Nataliya's foot with her own. Of course this led to Nataliya slipping and falling out of line and rhythm with the others. "Natal'ya, ty ne v ladakh so vsemi ostal'nymi" Anya said picking out Nataliya's fault. Several years ago it would of had a bigger affect. Nataliya would of reacted more but over time the red head had become less responsive to anything that affected her emotions. The thirteen year old gave the headmistress a look. It was more of a glare. One that said "I know and I don't care". Anya had watched Nataliya become more and more inhuman to the point where now Anya could barely get a reaction out of the girl. A result of the Red Rooms ways. Nataliya was more a weapon than a girl now. Nataliya, you're out of sync with the others

Nataliya composed herself and after a beat she was back dancing perfectly in line with the other girls. It was as if nothing had happened. Anya watched as the blonde haired girl who had started the incident huffed in annoyance at the lack of affect her actions had had on Nataliya.

Nataliya wasn't affected by anything anymore. She was emotionless. Natalia wasn't even as composed as her. Anya was beginning to see that Nataliya was actually becoming better than her mother. The program was working.