Background (Rogues): Aleksander Levenich Volkov

[Oxymoron]

Background: Aleksander Levenich Volkov

"Mama!" Aleksander screamed upon spotting his mother's ransacked home. Immediately upon entering he saw the blood. It was a lot of blood. He tore through the house, calling for his mother. Finally he heard something, sending him skidding into her bedroom. There she was, a knife planted in her gut, prying a floorboard up. "Mama!" He exclaimed again coming down next to her. She looked up at him, finally yanking the floor board out of place, revealing a dark opening under the floor.

"Sasha." She said softly, feeling blindly for something in the opening. "Sasha. I need you to do something for me."

"Of course, Mama, after we stop you bleeding out." Aleksander exclaimed frantically. He glance around, and pulled a sheet from her bed, to bunch around the still bleeding wound. Rugelach's pink nose poked out from Aleksander's pocket, he squeaked in seeming agreement.

"No, Sasha, you must leave before they return." She finally pulled something from the opening in the floor. An ornately carved wooden box the size of his hand, with no visible seams, hinges, or locks . "You must take this to Avalon, deliver it to Sophia's daughters."

"Wha- Mama, who are Sophia's Daughters? Who are 'they'?" He begged of her as blood soaked his hands.

"There's no time. Sasha, please you must go before they come back." She pushed the box at him.

"But-" He shoved it at him again.

"Sashenka" She said firmly, in a voice only a mother could achieve. "Go. Promise you will deliver it." Aleksander looked at her, then the box, shakily taking it into his hands. The small ball of warmth that emanated from the mouse in Aleksander's pocket, was the only comfort when faced with this awful dilemma.

"Mama..." His nails dug into the carvings. "I- I promise, Mama."

"I love you Sashenka."

"I love you too." He replied shakily.

"Now go." She ordered, and Aleksander stumbled away. His knuckles turned white from gripping the box. The sounds of horses came, and he ran faster until he reached the forest. From there, he watched as a pack of riders burned his mother's house to the ground.

He spent hours watching the fire rage, the box never leaving his hand. It wasn't until the mouse in his pocket squeaked, that he finally started moving. "I know, Rugelach. I guess we're going to Avalon."

Background: Vow (2)