Makarovia! Yes, I Know Where That is! Sophomore Year - 19. Chapter 19

I woke up cold. Turning over, I realized Peter had gone…somewhere. Rolling over, I heard why as the toilet flushed. I grinned as Peter rushed back rubbing his arms to keep warm and smiled at me.

“Sorry.” He said rushing over and pulled the covers down over me, but didn’t get in bed. He was naked.

“A robe would help with that.” I smiled at him.

He nodded. “Yes, it would.” He hurried to the large metal box near the fireplace. Opening it, he fished a couple of logs out and tossed them on the still warm coals and grabbed the fireplace poker and stirred up the coals and rushed back, threw the covers back and dove in next to me.

His cold skin and icy feet hit me and, “Oh! You’re cold!” I yelped.

“Sorry again.” Peter snuggled up next to me wrapping cold arms around me. “You’re warm.”

I chuckled as he didn’t back away, but pulled me closer. “I was.”

I felt Peter shrug. “I had to go.” He said simply. “If I don’t add the wood, it will get even colder in here. What I did will warm the room again.”

“I understand that,” I said as the shock of the coldness of his body was going away or I had gotten used to it. “Fire good.” I said using a voice like a caveman…at least what I envisioned of a caveman’s voice to be. “Cold bad.”

Peter chuckled kissing my neck. Even his lips were cold to my warm neck. “Yes, Gundar.”

“There are no central heat units,” I said asking for a confirmation of what I saw.

“No,” Peter admitted weakling. “Running the vents would be hard.”

There were vents in the chimney walls that began to blow the warm air coming from the burning logs warming the air.

I could see it would be difficult to add those vents. Not impossible, but the whole structure was made of stone and what was there worked. Why fix it? The structure predated in…just everything. Pipes were added hundreds of years later. Electric wiring was only a few decades old in addition and any fiber-optic cables for cable or Internet only a few years ago. They did add these strategically along the walls. The new routers and wireless connections were very new and some wires could be removed now. Vents to heat would require more destruction and reconstruction. Having wood up here ready was vital to stay warm as that was the most important thing.

“You told me, Olek told me…I just wasn’t prepared for last night.” I admitted turning toward him.

Peter chuckled running his lips over my skin. “I knew you wouldn’t be. You couldn’t be prepared. When you’re here at the end of December and into January…that can be really cold.” He looked to the small window in our room. “It might be cold, but it might get up to ten degrees Fahrenheit today!”

“Minus twelve degrees Celsius,” I said doing the calculations in my head. “That’s almost…balmy!”

“Almost.” Peter agreed smiling at me. He wrapped his arms around me more pulling me close. “There are things, as I explained before, we can do to keep warm.”

I kissed him. “Use any excuse is welcome. I love you, Peter.”

“I know.” He mumbled as he was kissing me again and he was…heating up.

Being in Makarovia, for me, for the first time in winter was showing me the challenge. Snow, wind, and ice were everywhere. For such a cold climate, it was a very warm place to live. I mean emotionally. I did notice a new structure near the palace covered in snow and buried. It was a tunnel. Well, a temporary tunnel above ground tunnel now covered that allowed access from the palace to the underground passages in Styria.

Adjusting the few hours difference was not difficult, but Makarovia was ahead time-wise in the day. It was later compared to the time on the East Coast. Peter and I got up about noon! I noticed they were putting in more radiating heating units in the palace. Now that money was coming in more, they were making improvements all over Makarovia. I grew up in the South where it was often swelteringly hot. Keeping cool was the focus there. Here was the complete opposite. I’d just have to get used to it.

We showered and dressed, putting on long underwear under our clothes. A sweater over my shirt because there were areas here where they really didn’t heat as much in the palace and Peter was showing me how things were.

We came down for a meal for whatever this time dictated. Entering the dining area there was just Queen Alla. She was wearing a white, almost creamy beige sweater and pants (her signature color I found out) looking like what she was. A Queen and former model. Breathtakingly beautiful. She looked up and instantly smiled getting up.

“It was late when you got here.” She said hugging Peter and then me. “Welcome home.”

“Thanks.” Peter grinned back. “You look good, as usual.”

“So, do you.” She looked at me with a smile. “Your first winter in Makarovia. What do you think?”

I just did a shiver.

She just let out a delighted laugh. “Yes, that about sums it up. Makarovia can be harsh, but it can still be beautiful. Especially now. This time of year adds an almost magical essence to everything.” She said looking dreamily at nothing, but clearly seeing something in her mind.

I smiled. “Christmas…and the other holidays of this season…does weave a sort of magic. I always love it.” I chuckled. “There are some traditions I have I don’t want to stop.”

“Oh?” Peter asked. “Did you do it last year?”

I nodded poking him lightly in the chest. “You know what they are.” I smiled patting his chest where I had poked him. “All those programs I watched?”

Peter nodded with a laugh. “Oh, yes. I wondered why you watched those children’s shows.”

“Yes, they were for children at first, but not really.” I bounced. “Shows like Rudolph: The Red-Nosed Reindeer with Burl Ives singing those carols, Frosty, all the Santa Clause movies…you saw me watch those. I never miss them.”

Queen Alla’s eyes widened. “Never?”

“Never.” I smiled. “Dad taught me, if you’re too old for Rudolph, you’re too old.”

Queen Alla nodded. “I’ve never seen it, this should be interesting.”

Peter thumbed over his shoulder. “I noticed the addition; the above-ground tunnel?”

Queen smiled and nodded again. “To access the underground. Things down there have really changed. We’ve added and are improving what was there. It’s still a work in progress, but I think you’ll be pleased. Since the military has time now, ours and the other countries…they have helped. I look forward to showing you.” Then she smiled more. “Or maybe you should both see it for yourselves. I think you’ll be pleased.”

“There are more than just the tunnels now?” Peter asked.

“The new arrivals will want things,” Queen said she hugged him. “You’ll see. Go!”

I turned to Peter. “So, I won’t be the only one seeing something new.”

From what I had been told, there were passages under Styria. I asked when I first flew over Makarovia and saw the…town, village…whatever, that was Styria, I asked where they got the gallon of milk, bread or just supplies. The new heating units for the streets and roads would help, but if it was actively a storm of snow and ice…I didn’t think even those would keep the roads clear enough to go out.

It was a little later when Peter grabbed a coat and gave one to me. “Your people await, My Lord.” He said grandly to me with the exaggerated bow.

I really growled at him. “It’s good I love you or we could be having harsh words…in English and Makarovian!” I took the coat and followed him to the elevator. There was an entry to this new tunnel just to the side of the palace wall that had to be shoveled but was clear now. We walked into the tunnel’s entrance where we gradually went down. It would be dark day or night, so there were lights periodically placed, but it was still cold. Out of the wind, so it wasn’t bad. Then we got to a passage that was chiseled out of the very rock, there again was the passage that led off toward town. I had no idea! It made sense, though. To get that loaf of bread or gallon of milk…with that much snow and ice…you had to have them.

“No wonder there isn’t that much traffic above,” I said.

Peter was looking at it…seemingly for the first time. “Only in the winter was it used.” His eyes widened. “Oh, my god!”

We were looking at the various construction slots and equipment around. The smell of wet concrete and paint was strong. I also heard a fan that was sucking the fumes out somewhere. We rounded a corner…sort of…it emptied to an intersection. An underground intersection and people were strolling down here with bags of things they had gotten. Men, women, and children walked together seeing us and nodded with bows and a smile, but kept going!

“Wow!” Peter gaped at all the reconstruction. “Mom was right! Things are changing down here.” He smiled bigger as many smiling faces that walked the passages.

“But these passages have been here,” I said puzzled.

“Yes, they were just…passages.” He pointed to the wall of the passage. “There were the openings to go up…to the street.” I pointed to a sign that said what was at the top of the worn stairs. “Depending on the conditions above, you still had to travel in snow and ice to get to a business.” He pointed to what advertised a market. “It’s like…Styria is now underground.”

“This wasn’t like this before?” I asked.

Peter gave a shrug. “Not as extensive as it is now, but this…” He waved to some fresh marks where the tunnel was widened. “These were simply…tunnels before…to get from one part of Styria to the other.” He waved at the wider tunnel and people. “This is much more!”

I nodded thumbing up to the surface. “There is a hell of a lot of snow and ice up there. It makes sense to have this.”

Peter nodded and looked back at another sign. “Makarovian Underground Transit?” The picture was of a modern shuttle on a rail.

“That also makes sense,” I said.

“The first will go from here to Skoal.” I nodded. “They begin soon. It’s projected completion date is for next fall.” I looked at Peter surprised. “Can they do it that fast?”

Peter grinned. “Other than hiding, we know how to drill.”

“It will make things better in Makarovia.” I read the board display. “They want to connect all of Makarovia. The whole project will take a decade to complete, but it would solve many of the problems you spoke about.” I smiled as I noticed the familiar greenish color of the military equipment and machinery in the United States with the unique lettering and probably in England, too. “I see the military is being utilized here.”

I pointed to a business sign. “I told you! All the men here like us, there would be the trendy things! The Makarovian Gourmet Coffee Shoppe!” I drug him in the direction the sign said.

Arriving, there were people waiting to get various hot drinks. The Coffee Shop was basically a holed out portion in the wall of the tunnel. It was clearly still under construction, but there were the wires, pipes, and cords along the wall to have the business open! The other people saw us and bowed slightly waving for us to go ahead of them.

Peter smiled pulling me closer in a one-armed hug. “You must understand. The Earl of Styria…the future Prince of Makarovia doesn’t like to…impose himself. He appreciates the consideration, but will say no.”

“He’s right, I am saying thank you, but no.” I waved at them to go ahead. I watched as all of them pulled out cards to pay for what they got. “What currency do you use in Makarovia?”

Peter smiled. “That depends on who is in charge; rubles, hryvnia and Euros.”

The girl behind the counter smiled and bowed slightly. “Welcome to the Makarovian Gourmet Coffee Shoppe, Your Highness, My Lord. What can I get you?”

I thumbed at Peter. “He’ll have a coffee! I just know it.” I grinned at him as he looked away. “I would like a hot chocolate.” I grinned and raised my hands apart. “A big one.”

She nodded. “Coming right up.”

Peter pulled his wallet out and took his card out with the VISA written on it. It was a card tied into the treasury.

“So, that’s why there are all these cards.” I reasoned.

Peter nodded. “There are banks in Makarovia.”

The girl handed me the steaming big cup of hot chocolate. “Forgive me, but…” she pointed down the tunnel. “There is a branch open down there. Anyone can go to one and give whatever currency they have and convert it to a card. That card can be used to buy here.” She said simply. “It’s better than counting change in all those currencies and having the available currency to change back into.” She handed Peter is coffee.

“Modern times! Improvements!” I took my hot chocolate from the young woman with a thank you, to which she returned with a slight bow. This sort of thing, I just was going to have to get used to it. “Places more remote will probably still have to come out and go through the snow to get to wherever. I would like one to The Grotto.”

Peter chuckled putting his arm around me as we strolled down the passage. “I don’t think that was a priority.” He shrugged. “I don’t think they have the supplies needed now. Not to have the sort of business they do late spring, summer or early fall.”

I waved at the many down here now. “They need something to do.”

Peter looked at the many people walking. “These were just…” he shrugged, “tunnels. Maybe one or two could walk together, but this is so much wider…and lit!”

“As I never saw it before, I can’t understand.” I brightened. “Now, there won’t be as much focus on redoing the village and town above!”

“We really don’t have that long a season to be outdoors.”

“Naturally,” I said. “That’s why we need places like the one you said would be a place for these marvelous people to have fun and get out of all that snow. We can have those great sunflower lights to grab sunshine and pipe it down. If not, they can relax in a warm place and just relax!” I sipped on the hot chocolate. “This is GOOD hot chocolate!”

“Nothing but the best from now on!” Peter said sipping his coffee. “Good coffee!”

The temperature down here was not bad. No wind and no snow. The surrounding earth kept the temperature steady. Why was I so lucky to be here when these changes were going to happen? These people had suffered a long time, but now were stepping out into a brighter world. It wasn’t fair or unfair, it simply was.

“There aren’t any Christmas lights down here,” I said.

“It isn’t Christmas,” Peter said simply.

“The United States starts decorating after Halloween,” I grumbled.