Moye Schast'ye

Tom Bither

Description

When Mister Tomi Pedorov and Lieutenant Alexeev meet in the middle of Siberia, it is almost love at first sight. Tomi is a retired soldier in his early 50s who now owns a wine and cordial business in Storozhevsk, and the lieutenant is a young bachelor in his late 20s discovering life in Moscow in the Czar's army as well as trying to figure out his place in the community.Their rapid and steamy love affair quickly evolves into a passionate romance. But they face many challenges, including distance, community rejection, health issues, as well as the difference in their ages. As they journey through the Russian countryside, they experience physical pleasures and ecstasies beyond their wildest dreams. They share their happiness with friends and family along their way, fight to be accepted, and continue to hope for a future together full of the joy and passion they have created. Their search for happiness will overcome almost every struggle they face. Only one challenge will knock them both to their knees...

Sujets

• Romance

Informations

• Publié par: Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
• Date de parution: 06 janvier 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528989510
• Langue: English

Extrait

M oye S chast’ye
Tom Bither
Austin Macauley Publishers
2023-01-06
Moye Schast’ye About the Author Dedication Copyright Information © Acknowledgement Part 1 Chapter 1: --> The Autumn Encounter --> Chapter 2: --> Winning and Losing --> Chapter 3: --> Alexeev’s Dream --> Chapter 4: --> Morning Tea and Confession --> Chapter 5: --> Town Meeting --> Chapter 6: --> Dyadya Medved’ --> Chapter 7: --> Midnight Ecstasy --> Chapter 8: --> A New Day and a Slow Recovery --> Chapter 9: --> The Long Journey Home – Getting Started --> Chapter 10: --> Ludi’s Proposition --> Chapter 11: --> Wrestling Conscience --> Chapter 12: --> Confrontation and Release --> Chapter 13: --> Tea With Tetushka Gala --> Chapter 14: --> Behind the Woodshed --> Part 2 Chapter 15: --> A Joyous Beginning --> Chapter 16: --> Christmas Preparations --> Chapter 17: --> Holiday Plans and Pains --> Chapter 18: --> Good News --> Chapter 19: --> Gevorg of Kiknur --> Chapter 20: --> Surprise --> Chapter 21: --> The Mosaic Garden --> Chapter 22: --> Welcome Home --> Chapter 23: --> The Blizzard and Unwelcome News --> Chapter 24: --> The End of Winter --> Chapter 25: --> The Darkness of Spring --> Chapter 26: --> The Birthday Party --> Chapter 27: --> Parterre De Broderie for Tomi --> Appendix --> Russian Words and Phrases, Foreign Words and Other Words and Phrases of Interest -->
About the Author
Tom was born in 1960 and grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles in a conservative family. He found his niche in the LGBTQ+ community in his early 20s but faced the rejection of his church and much of his family. One of his joys in life is meeting people from different cultures, religions, and lifestyles, and his goal is to be a positive influence to everyone he meets. Although he didn’t start writing until his mid-50s, it has become his passion and a major outlet for many of his personal struggles as well as pleasures.
Dedication
Dedicated to my mom, who encouraged me to write from the heart.
Copyright Information ©
Tom Bither 2023
The right of Tom Bither to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781528989497 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781528989503 (Hardback)
ISBN 9781528989510 (ePub e-book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published 2023
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd ®
1 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5AA
Acknowledgement
Special thanks to Irina Ghazaryan, who helped me with the Russian words and phrases and continued to encourage me through the entire process of writing, proofing, and waiting for publication; and to Alejandro Parra, who gave me valuable and critical feedback and never let me give up.
Moye Schast’ye 1

Moye Schast’ye : My happiness, my joy ↩︎
Part 1
Schast’ye Zhdet 2


Schast’ye Zhdet : Happiness waits ↩︎
Chapter 1

The Autumn Encounter
It was a typical Siberian autumn in 1710. The leaves on the trees had turned from green to orange and then to brown and had finally fallen to the ground several weeks ago, before the first snowfall. The bare oak and larch trees looked naked standing above the blanket of snow, but the abundance of fir and spruce trees held the snow in their branches 50 to 100 feet above ground. Pyatidesyatnik 3 Alexeev Kondurov was marching his troops across the countryside near the Vychegda River. The snow was six feet deep and the temperature was well below freezing. The river had already frozen over and the water beneath the ice had an eerie dark look as it flowed past the riverbank. The large dark masses of sturgeon could be seen herding beneath the ice, reminding onlookers of the great prize the river held. On the banks of the river, herds of reindeer knelt boldly to drink, unaware of any danger or threat.
Lieutenant Kondurov had already lost four of his thirty-five streltsy 4 to the bitter cold, and he was determined not to lose even one more. The troops were exhausted though, and the company was low on food and still had many miles to march before they would reach their destination. The lieutenant was 29 years old, six feet tall and weighed 190 pounds. His shoulders were broad and strong. His arms, chest and legs were thick with muscle and his waist was tapered and well-defined. He had light brown hair that he kept trimmed to just below his ears and he always maintained a well-shaven face. His eyes were green with flecks of gold and brown and they were shaded by his long, light brown eyelashes. He had fair and smooth skin that would have given him a boyish look, except for his square chin and a furrowed brow that had a noticeable cleft separating the brows like a great ridge. Alexeev had been in the Tsar’s army since he was 18. His assignment brought him and his troops to Pechora, in the northeast, to retrieve sensitive documents and valuables necessary for an upcoming peace treaty with the Turks, and they were now returning to Moscow after nearly eight months in the rough and frigid terrain. As they neared the river, they snagged and killed a stag and caught three large sturgeon. It was a good feeding for a few days and nights, but the meat didn’t last long and the wildlife kept their distance after the kill. They followed the river for the next week hoping to catch more fish, but their resources were again running low and the ice covering the river was too thick to break through.
As they crossed over the river to the northwest, they entered the little town of Storozhevsk, a rural farming community of about 1,000 families. The lieutenant had heard good things about some of the homes in this area and the hospitality of the townsfolk: how they welcomed the military anytime they happened to be travelling through the area. They were also known for their lavish kindnesses. He saw candlelight glowing in a nearby home, so he led his troops up the path to the large white cottage with green trim. The yard was well-maintained and all the pathways were shovelled, exposing the pristine cobblestone walkways leading here and there from the road to the house, encompassing the building and extending into the backyard and beyond. As he approached the home, the front door opened and a man in his early fifties walked out onto the porch. He was slightly bent with age and the top of his balding head was covered with a knitted cap that looked like it had also seen many winters. The gentleman was a little shorter than average but appeared distinguished and healthy, though a little chunky but not heavyset. He was obviously doing well and not lacking in material things, and the fireplace in the living room radiated a warm glow behind him. The stained-glass windows on either side of the front door gave off a multi-coloured welcoming array as well.
“What can I do for you?” the man called out. “Have you lost your way?”
“My troops need food and shelter for the night. We have been traveling for several months now and still have a long journey in front of us. Several of my men have taken ill and we are nearly out of food. Can you help us?”
“Yes, of course. Take your men around back. There are stables and a large outbuilding with plenty of room for them to bed down for the night. There are also several large fireplaces inside with enough wood to last the night and for several more days. I will have my servants bring them food and drink for the evening. When you have settled them in, please join me in my home and you and I will have food, drink and a good long talk.”
Alexeev bowed gracefully and motioned his men to follow him. There was something about this gentleman that made the lieutenant feel warm and welcomed. Maybe it was his soft smile, or the twinkle in his eyes, or perhaps his distinguished grey temples, moustache, and chin beard. Whatever it was, Alexeev was anxious to get to know this man better. There was also an unfamiliar feeling in his gut, a flutter or quiver, that made him feel both nervous and full of deep pleasure at the same time. It was difficult for him to think about his men, but he managed to get them settled in their temporary accommodations. One of the servants met them in the back by the outbuilding and led them inside.
“Good afternoon, I am Pavel,” he said as he reached out his hand and smiled. Pavel was several years younger than Alexeev but spoke with the authority of his master. He was well-dressed, well-groomed and had a Slavic accent. “I am available to you and your men for any of your needs. I will arrange for the evening meal and breakfast. There is a large room on the left side of the building where they can bathe, and if there are any clothes in need of cleaning, one of the other servants will gather them and clean them while you are here. The master also has a storage room in the back where he keeps the cots and bedding for guests. How many men do you have in your company?”
“There are thirty-one now,” he replied.
“Very good. While they are washing up, I will have supper prepared for them. One of the servants is heating the water in the upper tanks for the showers, but it should be ready within the hour. Meanwhile, if you could have them set up the cots in the back room and separate their clothes for washing, we will do the rest. Th