Mikhail Repnin / Reader
- Hey, beautiful lady! a soldier in a dark green uniform shouted and whistled at you when you walked past him and his friend in a park near the main avenue of Saint Petersburg called Nevsky Prospekt. It was a beautiful, sunny evening, early June and it had not rained in weeks. The air was filled with dust and the plants in the garden were basically screaming for water. "Yes, few rainy days here and there would surely do good" you thought, buried deep in your own head, almost completely ignoring the surrounding world. Only "almost" though. You were fluent in Russian, although during moments like these you hoped that you weren't. However it didn't require perfect language skills to understand that the soldier was trying to get your attention and... he had succeeded; you recoiled from your thoughts immediately when you heard the young man whistling at you.
- Come here! the friend shouted, waved at you and continued by stating "Me and my friend will take you for a ride!"
- Yeah! We will show you how to have good time. the first soldier stated, made an obscene gesture and winked his eye at you as you walked forward away from them, still staring at the two men with a shocked look on your face. The men were in their early twenties like you and they were quite handsome in their uniforms but this kind of flattery was not to your liking. It definitely was not gladly welcomed because you knew that those men had no intention to treat you like a lady and neither of them was interested in courting you formally. Oh no, the handsome military officers were well-known for their willingness to have fun without any further strings attached and therefore this kind of whistles and suggestions made your stomach turn upside down and left you baffled.
You had arrived to Saint Petersburg, imperial Russia, just few weeks ago and therefore you were still trying to find your way in the city and learn the etiquette in the society. You were in your early twenties, a duchess from (the city you live in) and you were among the first women who had been accepted to study in the imperial university, mostly because your parents were well-known and highly respected dignitaries and this had made it possible for you to pursue an academic career. It was still very uncommon for women to study, although was not completely unheard of, however women usually educated themselves to become governesses and teachers but you educated yourself just to become more aware of the surrounding world. You were interested especially in politics and history and you wanted to understand how the society worked. This made you a radical thinker and your thoughts about these subjects were quite modern indeed; in your opinion men and women were equal and you found a society that was based on slavery unjust and quite bluntly... disgusting.
The French revolution had inspired you a lot and despite of being a woman of higher social status yourself, you had secretly admired the French people for taking the rule of France into their own hands. The revolution had shaken the monarchies of the entire Europe and even though you had been born about two decades after it had taken place, you remembered the deep shock in your parent's eyes whenever they talked about the events of the late 1700’s. Yes, it had been shocking news indeed; the king of France had lost his head and the time of the monarchy, the very institution that had survived for centuries, had come to an end. Sure the revolution had been followed by tyranny as well as horrifying acts of violence and soon after this Napoleon had appointed himself as the emperor of France but the events had marked a dawn of a new era... and this gave you hope.
"The world will change" you always said with a proud voice, sometimes talking perhaps too loudly about such matters. Yes, you had a bad habit of making your opinions known even in situations where it was smarter to just shut up… but shutting up was not in your nature. Oh no, you were proud of your thoughts and you were especially proud about the fact that you were strong enough to hold your ground even in a tricky situations. You were witty and sharp with words and therefore you were able to challenge anyone and convince even the most stubborn men about your intellect.
It did not mean that the men would have agreed with you, oh no, they usually did not, but at least you gained their respect by justifying your point of views with rational reasoning and by being persistent as well as resilient. Sure most people you talked with did not oppose change but questioning the importance monarchy and the righteousness of a society that had been built on strict social classes was not exactly risk-free. You did not appreciate the world that was built and ruled by men and men only because you were more than convinced that if the women of this world were given a chance, they would prove themselves to be more useful than just baby-producing porcelain dolls that had no mind of their own.
You were still staring at the soldiers, quickening your pace to make sure that they wouldn't follow you, when you suddenly bumped into someone. You were carrying a pile of books that you had borrowed from the university's library and now they were laying on the ground in a cloud of dust. You cursed half-aloud in your own native language, squatted down and started to gather the leather-bound opuses so they wouldn't get harmed. "Fortunately it hasn't rained in ages" you heard that someone, a man, saying as he squatted down and helped you with the precious books. The man read the book covers and swallowed once; you were carrying books about the French revolution, a book called “Women in the society – new era”, books that explored Plato’s philosophic views about the state and politics and a book about the Russian society as well. You scolded yourself for being so careless and after a moment you finally realized that the man to whom you had run into was actually talking to you.
- Let me express my sincerest apologies for this. he said. "Please, let me help" he added and offered to take the books from your hands so you would be able to stand up. You however squeezed the books tightly against the bodice of your gorgeous dress and took the man's hand when he offered it to you. The man helped you up while holding a couple of your heavy books, careful not to drop them.
- Thank you. you sighed and lifted your gaze from the ground slowly to the man's black leather shoes and to his legs, higher to the hem of his coat and finally all the way up to his face. The man was wearing a dark green uniform-coat that was decorated with golden buttons and decorations such as aiguillettes and epaulettes, had a high red collar and his uniform was clearly finer compared to the other soldiers' uniforms. This meant that his rank in military was higher. You did not know the Russian military at all and its ranks but you suspected that the man was a lieutenant… perhaps. He was wearing white gloves and carrying a sword.
- It was my fault. I was not looking where I was going. you stated and smiled politely.
The man had brown hair and friendly eyes that looked brown but also green depending on the angle of the sunlight. His posture was perfect and his imperial uniform fitted him perfectly. The man was approximately in his mid-twenties and it was quite apparent that he came from a respected background. He took off his peaked military cap, bowed slowly, very deep and when he returned to stand up straight he smiled shyly. The man was very handsome but when he smiled, he looked charming in a very sincere and almost boyishly innocent way. His eyes looked a bit melancholic, except when he smiled... such a wonderful smile he had.
- Nonsense! he exclaimed, turned to glare at those two military guys disapprovingly. He had heard what they had shouted at you and seen the obscene gestures as well and after a quick inhale he continued. "I would be honored to defend your honor, Miss..." he said, clearly waiting for you to give him your name.
- (Y/N). you said and dropped a curtsy.
- How beautiful name! A perfect fit for a woman as... pretty as you are. the man commented with a tone that was filled with admiration, breaking his cool and collected character for a moment. He noticed that he had just spoken aloud, a bit embarrassed for calling you just pretty instead of gorgeous... and also for voicing his thoughts so boldly out loud, and after clearing his throat he added without hesitation
- Very well, Miss (Y/N). With your permission, I will challenge those men into a duel-
- Hold on, Sir! you exclaimed and chuckled a little. "I appreciate the gesture, but I assure you..." you said and shook your head. "...I am most able to defend my honor…" you continued with polite, yet assertive voice and then added “…Myself” with a firm nod to emphasize the fact that you would take the necessary actions yourself and no one else had to defend you. "But-" the man said but when you shook your head again, he bowed and said "As you wish."
- May I walk you home? the man asked with a shy yet deeply concerned voice. You took a quick glance at the soldiers, still standing under large trees and winking their eyes at you whenever your eyes met, and replied "Yes, please" because you did not want to take a risk that those men tried to get in contact with you again.
- Do you live nearby? he asked and gestured you to give him the books to carry. This time you handed them to him and took his arm since he was offering it to you so politely, like a perfect gentleman.
- Yes, by river Moyka, at the Stroganov Palace. you replied and took a quick look at the handsome man walking next to you. He nodded because he knew immediately where it was located and escorted you along the busy Nevsky, starting from the park that surrounded Admiralty from two sides. The building of Admiralty itself was in military use but the beautiful, quite large park was a nice place to take some distance to the hectic city life.
- What are you doing here, Miss (Y/N)? the man asked and instantly realized that his question had sounded a bit rude. "I mean no offence, Miss, I just... your name... and... accent..." he stuttered and then corrected himself by stating "...Not that I would complain... because I do not... Your Russian is perfect and your pronunciation superb..." he said and then added "...But I haven't seen you before-" with a embarrassed tone, however the more the man talked, the less confident he sounded which, again, was a slightly amusing break in his stoic and calm character. He noticed the expression of amusement on your face and stopped talking.
- I study at the Imperial University. you replied and grabbed his arm tightly as your shoe slipped a bit on the round cobblestone sidewalk. The wide roads of St. Petersburg were paved with slippery stones and sometimes if you did not pay enough attention to where you stepped, your shoes slipped and it was a miracle that you had not fallen completely to the ground on your face yet. It had been dangerously close few times already but you had managed to maintain your balance each time. You cursed with a barely audible tone and tried to recover from the slight heart attack.
- Are you alright? the man asked and stopped to support you firmly. He was careful not to drop your books and it made the more important task of supporting you quite challenging. You however did not even notice any bit of struggle because in your eyes the gentleman was strong... very strong indeed and his presence made you feel surprisingly calm and safe… which was absurd considering that you did not in fact know him. Indeed, you had just met the man and now you were hanging onto him like he was your fiancée! “So stupid, so ignorant” you thought silently.
- Yes. you stated and after gaining your balance again added "Slippery shoes" with a somewhat shy tone that carried a strong undertone of embarrassment. You mumbled something about the cobblestones but your voice got buried under the loud noise of a horse carriage passing you and the man by with great speed.
You and the man walked slowly forward while sharing a lively conversation about nothing of great importance. When you reached river Moyka, you stayed on the bridge for a moment, just standing side by side, staring at the buildings that were bathing in the golden light of the setting sun. There were a couple of small rowing boats sailing in the canal and the entire moment felt magical somehow. A light breeze blowing from the River Neva danced with the hem of your dress and brought some greatly needed relief to the heat of a hot summer evening.
Your laughter echoed in the neighborhood when the man told you funny stories about the life in the army and in exchange you amused him with stories about your childhood in (the city you live) and as the minutes turned into an hour... and eventually into three whole hours, it got quite apparent that there was mutual attraction and chemistry between you and the handsome stranger. There were long looks and shy smiles, awkward moments when you both started to talk at the exact same time and then ended up into a playful quarrel about which one of you should talk first; the man was insisting you to speak before him but you did not want to be put onto a pedestal all the time... it just was not in your nature... although you had to admit that it was nice to be treated in such gentlemanlike way, with utter respect.
- Well, I suppose I should go inside. you said and shifted your gaze from the water, flowing slowly forward in the river, to the palace, standing with great pride by the canal.
- Of course. the man said after clearing his throat. You and he had been standing side by side on the bridge quietly for many minutes, neither of you daring to speak because the moment had been just too perfect to be broken; the city had slowed down and the sounds of horses and people had been replaced with the gentle sounds of nature... birds... wind... leafs rustling in the soft breeze... and the gorgeous buildings bathing in the soft light, although now that it was getting late and the sun was getting low, the only parts that were still enjoying the golden rays were the rooftops and towers. The man walked you to the inner ward of the palace and handed your books to the servant who had come out to greet you.
- How about a dinner? you asked suddenly.
- Now? the man asked with a somewhat confused voice.
- Yes, why not! you exclaimed with a chuckle.
- I would love to, but unfortunately... the man said and inhaled deeply before continuing. "...I am expected to return to the Admiralty" he spoke with a somewhat disappointed tone. It was clear that if it had depended on his will, he would have joined you and the people you were staying with for a dinner. He would have loved it very much indeed.
- Ah, some other time then. you stated and offered your hand to him for a handshake. The man however took your hand, lifted it and as he bowed deep, he pressed a soft kiss on your knuckles, just barely touching your skin. The brief, but deeply swaying gesture made your heart skip a beat and you could feel an overwhelming feeling of warmth and new kind of excitement taking over you. It felt like you had been floating a couple of centimeters above the paved ground and even thinking about his soft lips on your knuckles made your skin tingle... long after the moment had already passed.
- I will hold onto that, Miss (Y/N). he said, turned away and left. You watched the perfect-postured man in his gorgeous uniform walking away towards the gate that led to the Nevsky, when you realized that you did not know what the man's name. You cursed in your native language and shouted "Sir, your name!" The man stopped and turned around to look at you.
- You must tell me your name. you said and walked a bit towards him, making the distance between you and him a little bit smaller. The man smiled and replied "My name is Mikhail Alexandrovich Repnin."
- I will see you soon. you said with a friendly and warm, yet slightly mysterious voice. Then you paused and added “Mikhail Repnin” as you bowed a little before turning away and walking to the front door of the palace. Repnin stayed still until you had gotten in and then he walked out from the inner ward through the gate and turned left to the direction of the Admiralty and the Winter Palace.
Repnin smiled at the city and chuckled a little when he started walking along the quiet Nevsky. The sun had now set completely but he knew that it wouldn’t get dark during the summer and therefore it was nice to walk on the streets of the city that was getting ready for night. Yes, it was the season of white nights in St. Petersburg which was due to the city’s location; during the summer the sun set only for a few hours and during those hours it did not get dark at all… or a twilight was the darkest it got. Repnin loved summer nights and he liked to walk around in the city all by himself while everyone else was sleeping.
Usually his mind was calm but this time it was spinning and his heart was beating uncommonly fast; it was doing so because of you. Repnin had never felt anything similar before… like there had not been anyone else in the city, just you and he, surrounded by the soft golden glow in your own little world. The thought of your smile made Repnin smile as well and the memory of kissing your hand made him feel like he had been floating few centimeters above the road. He considered himself very lucky that he had met you today. He had enjoyed the stories that you had shared and they had painted a fascinating picture into Repnin’s mind. You were strong yet graceful, philosophical yet warm and what attracted the young lieutenant the most was the confidence you carried yourself with.
However there was something that bothered him about you a little; the books that you read. The thing was that Repnin was in the Imperial Army and he was one of the most trusted men of the Emperor and it meant that he basically was obligated to report any suspicious activity to his superiors who would then examine the situation and take necessary actions. Repnin knew that there were people in Russia who did not like the Emperor and who wanted the events of French revolution to take place in Russia too… and it troubled him to even consider that you, such a intelligent, well-mannered and beautiful woman were possibly one of those people who were planning to overthrow the very person that Repnin had sworn to serve. “Surely not” he told himself and decided to shake those feelings off as he entered the Admiralty and joined other military officers for a dinner.
After walking calmly in you actually ran upstairs as fast as you possibly could into the room that had a view to the Nevsky. You panted and tried to contain your excitement as you stared at the uniform-wearing man walking slowly further away from the palace to the direction of the Admiralty. You felt the fabric of the long curtains with your fingers and then sat down on the window ledge to contemplate the past three hours. You pressed your hand on your chest and started to laugh because the extreme feeling of happiness was just too much to hold in.
You had never felt anything like this before! You had never been this attracted to anyone and even though you had assumed to know what the young, handsome military officers were like, you had met a man who was truly amazing. Yes, Mikhail… no, Repnin… Yes, Repnin had been polite, kind and most importantly he had been a true gentleman. He had offered to defend your honor in a duel, which was something that you would never allow anyone to do because duels were dangerous and sometimes even claimed lives… but you, despite all your modern opinions and views, were deeply flattered for such gesture.
And how handsome he was! The gentle smile and those soulful eyes that had been focused on you when you had been talking… seeing nothing and no one but you. Oh, you liked his voice as well and the way he talked, very eloquently and still precisely, considering his every word very carefully and expressing himself as well as he possibly could… except when he got lost into your eyes and started to stammer a little… Oh, that was so cute and made him adorable!
About the things that he had told you during those three hours you had painted a picture in your mind of a man that was romantic and sincere, honest and brave, kind and had a good head on his shoulders. Repnin was a man who loved adventures but also enjoyed the moments that he spent in the city, St. Petersburg was his home and he appreciated the beauty of it. He seemed like a person who was loyal and wanted to do the right thing… a man with a heart of pure gold. Of course this was just the first impression of him and you could have been totally wrong, but then again, you were quite good at figuring people out and it was like the sixth sense that helped you to navigate the social situations. It was intuition and when it came to Repnin… you just felt good about him… nothing more and nothing less.
You brushed the skin of your knuckles softly and closed your eyes as you imagined Repnin kissing your hand. You basically replayed over and over again the memory of the handsome stranger pressing a soft kiss on the back of your hand until there was a knock on the door. It was the servant who had come to let you know that the dinner was about to be served. He had carried the books into your private bedroom that located in the different part of the house and had a breathtaking view to the Moyka –river, and then had come to find you afterwards. You stated “Alright” and thanked the servant for letting you know… although you had known anyway since there were certain routines in the household and having dinner precisely around the time of sunset was one of these traditions. You walked into your room and changed your clothes because the hem of the dress you had been wearing the entire day had gotten dusty from kneeling to the ground to gather the books.
After getting dressed in a somewhat plain yet very comfortable gown you left your room and walked downstairs into the dining room where the elderly couple, a Baron and Baroness, was already waiting for you. You sat down and apologized for being late but the baron stated that it was alright because you had a good reason. You chuckled a little and rolled your eyes when they started to talk about what the servant had told them; a high ranking military officer escorting their guest home and enjoying her company very much. This guest of course was you.
- I haven’t seen Mikhail so delighted and cheerful for a long time! the baroness stated.
- True-true, me neither. the baron commented and shifted his gaze from his wife to you.
- So… tell me. How did you meet Prince Repnin? the baron asked with a smirk on his face.