– I knew you wouldn't stand for it and come here to stick your nose in grown-up business» said my father, smiling. – But Martin is right: if you had chosen any university, not even in Warsaw, but in Poland or the Czech Republic, I wouldn't have been so concerned about your choice. But you chose England for some reason.

– I think Oxford is the best place to start my life. I'm not going to America, I'm only going to England! – I retorted to my father.

– It's your 'just' that's killing me» Mum grumbled. – Maria, what are you going to tell Mischa?

Maria shook her long hair, which was the same colour as mine, and indeed, like the rest of our family: we were all golden-haired.

– I'll say to her, «Write often, my friend!» – Maria said cheerfully.

I sent her a kiss, but then I remembered that I didn't have to play the role of the cranky girl I hated, so I pulled myself together and made a serious face.

– Well, let's remove this question, – said the father tiredly, – and continue our reasoning: who to entrust Misha in England?

– We have decided that it will be your cousin Christopher, – Mscislav reminded his father. – He, as no one better, will be able to look after his great-niece.

– No, Christopher can not: I called him this morning – he went to Australia, breeding kangaroos. What the hell is he doing there?

– I think Frederik Haraldson is at Oxford now» Martin began, but his father, his face contorted with rage, interrupted him sternly.

– Not a word about him and his family! – he exclaimed in an angry voice.

«Whoa! What's the matter with him? What a violent reaction to the name of this Frederik!» – involuntarily ran through my mind.

– How many times, Father? You haven't spoken to each other for three years! Poor Frederik, I feel sorry for him! – Martin said unhappily to his father.

– Sorry? Why should you feel sorry for him? – parried my father.

My ears perked up and I stared at my father: the mere mention of this unknown vampire made my father furious.

«What happened between Dad and this vampire to make Dad so angry?» – I thought, cautiously watching this new turn of events.

– Believe me, his… -» Martin began.

– I said not a word about him! – My father even raised his voice, which he had never done before.

Martin grinned mockingly, my mother pressed her lips together, and Mscislav and Maria frowned and looked at each other as if my older brother had said something nonsensical. And I got quite frightened.

«Oh, Martin, why did you say that? It was completely out of place! Now Dad might forbid me to go to Oxford! No, not that!» – I thought grudgingly and fearfully, and let Martin know it by tapping his forefinger on his temple, but without his father seeing it.

But Martin only shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

– Dad, I hope…» I started, but when my father looked at me, his eyes burned with such anger that I was afraid I would make him even angrier.

– What, Misha? – he asked calmly.

I was confused: the calm tone of his voice didn't match the expression on his face or the anger in his eyes.

– I hope it's because of that Frederik… What's his name again?

– Haraldson» Maria told me.

– Yes, because of him… You won't forbid me to go to Oxford? – I asked hopefully.

– 'That would be a wise decision,' answered my father, rising from his chair and going to the window.

– But you will not forbid it, will you? – I went up to him and took his hands in mine, looking into his eyes.

His young, beautiful face softened.

– I wish I could, but I've already promised to let you go, and I can't go against my word» he said, but there was bitterness in his voice.

– Thank you, Daddy! You don't know how much this means to me! – I kissed him on the cheek.

– But I don't want you to communicate with that… Frederik: not a word, not half a word» said my father suddenly very seriously.

– I won't! I don't even know who he is or what he looks like! – I promised.

I was ready to promise anything as long as Dad didn't deny me my admission.

– It doesn't matter. Just know and always remember that I forbid you to talk to him. And even if he talks to you first, don't answer him. Ignore him. Pretend he doesn't exist. Understand?

This request, or rather order, surprised me, but if that was my father's wish, I agreed wholeheartedly.