For those who haven’t been following this blog, let me introduce it a little. I am currently blogging my 21st novel that has the working title Daemon. The novel is about Aksinya, a sorceress, who, to save her family from the Bolsheviks, called and contracted the demon, Asmodeus. Her family was murdered anyway, and she fled with the demon from Russia to Austria.
Father Dobrushin took Aksinya to dinner. He told her he is willing to marry her to help her be rid of the demon. Aksinya is speaking...
“If I marry, I don’t intend it to be for less than life. Do you think you could put up with me for that long?”
Dobrushin leaned back, “You ask that and you don’t even know who I am.”
“Then who are you?”
“You heard my given name in court, and you didn’t recognize it?”
She thought a moment, “Father Dobrushin Sergeevich Lopuhin. Lopuhin is a name I recognize. It is a name of Russian aristocracy.”
“My father was also a Count, and I was his third son. Since I didn’t expect to inherit anything, I studied theology and law. I was ordained in the Orthodox Church. I think I told you before, I came to Wien at the request of the church to help the Russian refugees during the war and later the revolution. I have been here for three years. I’m twenty-six.”
Aksinya sat up, “You have everything prepared in life for you. You are educated. You are an aristocrat. You are acknowledged. You are a holy man. You have the potential to be someone great. In addition, you are handsome and kind. You could have any honorable woman you wish. Why would you want to marry me?”
Dobrushin bent toward her, “Because you need me. I joined the church because I wanted to help others. I became a lawyer to help others. You are a person who was the most needy yet the most powerful and independent I have ever met.”
I know you wanted to know about Father Dobrushin. Aksinya seems to be ready to accept his offer though she knows absolutely nothing about him. This is so like Aksinya, but do you also see she is weighing her options in this culture. She had nothing. She is like a beggar. To be given an offer like this is wonderful. She has nothing else she can count on.
We find Father Dobrushin is the son of an aristocrat. We learn that he is 26. Aksinya suddenly thinks better of accepting Father Dobrushin's offer. He is a good man. We find out through her eyes that he is handsome, and she acknowledges all his good points. They are very good points. She then brings up the question I hope you asked yourself: "Why would you want to marry me?”
We find out more about this very subject tomorrow, but for now, we see Father Dobrushin's attraction to Aksinya: "You are a person who was the most needy yet the most powerful and independent I have ever met.” There is more, much more to this.
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