Ukrainian Love: The Ukrainian Epic: Love and Conflict, #2

By Benak

Amidst the tremors of conflict shaking the very heart of Ukraine, "Ukrainian Love" unfurls a mesmerizing tapestry where love and war collide in the most unexpected ways. As the shadow of war engulfs Kyiv and the distant echoes of discord reach the Donbass, two families, with histories as intricate as the lanes of Kyiv, find their worlds inexplicably intertwined.

 

The backdrop is intense: a nation on the precipice, with its people torn between the looming specter of war and the undying hope of peace. Amid this tumultuous landscape, Hanna and Sacha, heirs to these two families, meet. Their encounter is not a mere chance but feels like destiny's play in a time when certainty is a luxury.

From their first, serendipitous night under the Kyivan skies, they become actors in a love story that defies the conventions of their tumultuous world. The silhouettes of advancing armies and the distant rumbles of artillery are juxtaposed against stolen moments of laughter, heartfelt dialogues, and promises of tomorrow. Each word they exchange, each glance they share, becomes an act of defiance against the backdrop of an encroaching war.

 

The beauty of "Ukrainian Love" lies not just in the burgeoning love between Hanna and Sacha, but in its portrayal of a city and its people grappling with the duality of love and war. It's a tale where the ethereal melodies of love songs mingle with the dark notes of wartime ballads. The narrative, with its Benak-style lyricism, delves deep into this juxtaposition, painting scenes where moments of profound intimacy between our protagonists are set against the broader canvas of a nation's struggle.

 

War, often the destroyer of stories, here becomes the unexpected narrator, amplifying the urgency, the depth, and the poignancy of Hanna and Sacha's encounters. Their dialogues, imbued with sincerity brighter than gold, take on added weight in a world where every uttered word might be the last. The tale masterfully captures the tension of living on the edge, where love becomes both an escape and an anchor.

 

By the time the first light of dawn breaks, signaling their inevitable parting, the narrative has taken us on a rollercoaster of emotions. Hanna's heart, filled with the unparalleled joy of newfound love, is also laden with the looming dread of war's uncertainties. The story magnificently encapsulates this duality - the exhilaration of love's discovery and the raw pain of impending separation in a war-torn world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Benak
• Release date: Oct 4, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223282006

Benak

Écrivain, poète et chroniqueur, Benak est surtout un grand rêveur qui croit en la magie des mots et en leur splendeur. Porteur d’un projet d’écriture tant ambitieux que prometteur, il met sa plume au service de l’humanité pour instruire et plaire. C’est au sang de son esprit et à l’encre de son cœur qu’il nous tisse des écrits de lumière. De la fiction à la non-fiction en passant par le roman, le récit, le conte pour enfant et la poésie, il traduit son imaginaire en nous proposant une écriture de belle facture, un agréable moment de littérature. S’escrimant toujours avec les mots pour le plaisir du dire et de l’écrire, il mène une vie simple, mais pas tout à fait tranquille. En citoyen du Monde très sensible, certains événements déteignent sur sa vie en y laissant des empreintes indélébiles. Philosophe, écrivain et poète engagé, il porte en lui les stigmates de l’injustice et de l’iniquité.

Book preview

1.

In the twilight of his young years, as his twenty-second spring gently faded, Sasha embodied the radiant face of hope and fervent love. His eyes sparkled with almost supernatural intelligence, as if behind each blink lay an age-old secret. On the bustling streets of Kiev, where he devoted himself to studying medicine, he was more than just a student. He was the promise of a generation, a glimmer of hope in a world thirsty for love and tenderness. The vast plains of Donbas, from where he hailed, flowed in his veins like a melodious song, making him a majestic oak deeply rooted in the rich tapestry of his Russian family's tales. His essence was imbued with old Russian airs, legends that lulled his childhood, timeless gestures that made up the fabric of his being.

Donbas, with its gently rolling hills and streams murmuring poems of yesteryear, had seen Sasha grow up. This territory, bathed in the soft caress of the winds and the emanation of fertile fields, was the backdrop to his past. However, his eyes, shining with determination, now turned to Kiev, the pulsating city of his dreams and ambitions. In these times, when the world seemed at a crossroads, the deep feelings he had for his family in Donbas mingled with his budding love for Kiev. This dichotomy haunted him, sending his soul adrift in a sea of conflicting passions.

The protective shadow of his grandmother constantly hovered over his destiny. This woman, combining the strength of a rock with the tenderness of a feather, was a healer of the spirit. She had instilled in Sasha a fiery passion for healing, not by presenting medicine as a series of facts and figures, but as a dance, a melody of love, compassion, and dedication. Walking confidently through the silent corridors of the university, among the echoes of teachings from great masters, Sasha held within him the certainty of having found his path. Every individual he encountered was not just a patient, but a riddle to be solved, a soul to be comforted. In him harmoniously coexisted the past and the present, the old and the modern, making Sasha a living embodiment of continuity and renewal.

The city of Kiev, the vibrant lung of Ukraine, had gently transformed for Sasha into a haven, an impressionist painting where every shadow, every echo, every face painted a masterpiece. His footsteps echoed on the cobblestones like a familiar melody, the trees bowed in an almost respectful gesture, the waters seemed to whisper ancient secrets into his ear. In the silent vastness of the Saint Sophia Cathedral, he discovered a sanctuary for his wandering spirit. Literary salons were his havens, park benches, his discreet confidants, and every urban face a note in the urban symphony he orchestrated each dawn.

Despite the apparent dissonance between two worlds, Sasha discerned a hidden harmony, a cadence that melded his rustic roots with his urban aspirations. He did not perceive a fracture, but a concerto, where each distinct timbre created universal harmony. His eyes reflected this transcendent poetry, where the songs of Donbas and the pulses of Kiev melded into an entrancing waltz. He embodied this glowing hope, this vision of a land where love and empathy could heal the wounds of the past.

Every patient he met was a world unto itself, every comrade became a soul-brother, every master, a beacon in his intellectual journey. Evenings spent in tranquility were not merely moments of rest, but deep dives into his reflection, introspective journeys into the heart of his innermost desires. Sasha was not just an actor in his life but also its most devoted spectator. This young man, with the passion of a conqueror and the soul of a minstrel, was a poet in action, a healer with a tender heart, the very embodiment of the waking dream. He celebrated each moment with the intensity of first love, carrying within him the splendor of the eternal artist.

Within the hushed confines of the hospital, in the peaceful intimacy of his study room, at the heart of the orchestrated tumult of the markets, Sasha drew the very essence of his being, his vigor, his core. Kiev, this city with its raw and untamed charm, had metamorphosed for him into a chrysalis, where he matured, took shape, and soared. He felt anchored, enveloped by this timeless metropolis, where every dawn unveiled an epic, a lyrical song, a flirtation with life itself. Sasha embodied the hope of a new era, this young man with a bright soul and piercing gaze, heralding a world where healing would not be merely a profession but a profound act of love, a recognition of life in all its splendor.

Within this academic haven, he discovered not just textbooks or lessons. The institution, in his eyes, was a sanctuary, a parallel universe where the aspirations of his heart vibrated, a pantheon of knowledge where each room transformed into an altar of awakening, each corridor into a pathway of wisdom. It was a condensed cosmos, pulsing with a tangible, sacred aura. His contemporaries were not mere students but soulmates, travelers seeking the same mystical Grail of perfection and enlightenment. They all shared an insatiable thirst for truth, a fervor for the intricacies of the human body and spirit, an immeasurable desire to go beyond the mundane to touch the incommensurable.

Each lesson became an expedition into the unexplored, each evaluation a summit to climb. For Sasha, these challenges were not hindrances but rather rungs leading to the quintessence of his profession: medicine. In his agile fingers, the scalpel became an instrument of art, every diagnosis took the form of a sonnet, every remission was a living painting. He became the herald of restoration, the delicate maestro of the medical art. His heart overflowed with infinite tenderness, his hands expertly marrying delicacy and determination, and his mind shone like a beacon of kindness and affection. Every patient revealed a universe to him, every affliction was a mystery to unravel, every healing, a harmonious melody.

Medicine, for Sasha, had transcended mere profession to become a sacred commitment, a quest, a burning romance. He understood that to heal required deep love, that to grasp another's pain, one had to feel intensely. Sasha felt, oh how he felt! Exhaustion, stress, deadlines — these ever-present companions he had chosen to embrace were the bittersweet melodies that rhythmically structured his days, the vibrant hues of his life, the lines of a novel poetry. In the silent stillness of the library, amid the laughter and held-back tears of his peers, he found boundless love, an unwavering truth.

This place of learning resembled a secret garden where minds flourished, nurtured by the rich soils of ancestral wisdom, bathed by the radiant sun of present knowledge, and driven by the winds of change. Sasha, like a passionate botanist, watered the roots of his skills, pruned the branches of his knowledge, and dreamt of a vibrant forest of tomorrow. He believed, with absolute certainty, that he was part of a generation that would revolutionize the world, one heart at a time. Medicine was not just his chosen field but his calling, his love letter to humanity, his pledge of allegiance to the rhythm of life and the dance of the universe. Through each silent heartbeat, through every whispered hope, Sasha's soul sang the song of the cosmos.

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These visions were not mere chimeras; they stood as oaths, auguries, stars illuminating his path. The city transformed into a bustling garden of humanity, his living fresco, his anthem of optimism. Though still learning, Sasha emerged as a poet, artist, and philosopher. He saw medicine everywhere, in every smile, every tear, every golden gleam of day. In these moments of sacred intimacy, he already recognized himself as a doctor, healer, benefactor. He was Sasha, the person he was inevitably becoming, the protagonist of his own saga.

He had already realized himself, and the city, with its mysteries and splendors, echoed his essence, becoming his ally, his privileged witness. It was the stage for his greatness, reflecting his unique beauty, preserving memories of his exploits. Sasha lived in symbiosis with existence, eternally inflamed by his love for humanity, in constant search for beauty and truth. He embodied art, science, and love. He roamed the bustling streets of Kiev, overwhelmed by its vivacity, surrounded by the vibrant and enticing life of the city. Yet amidst this hustle and bustle, a bittersweet melody cradled him, drawing him into an ancient world nestled in his memory, a world steeped in nostalgia and tenderness.

Donbas. Those words once sufficed to flood his heart with a cascade of emotions. They resonated within him like a distant call, a melody from yesteryear singing the echoes of a childhood filled with sweetness and innocence. The summers he spent there were not merely vacations, but living canvases, evoking the return to a fragment of his soul that had wandered between those green hills and shimmering streams.

His mother, a beacon of tenderness, reminded him of the gentle fragrances of the emerging spring. Every embrace shared with her was a sanctuary of serenity, a suspended moment where he felt engulfed in an immeasurable ocean of love. In dark times, she shone like a lighthouse, lighting his path with her benevolent clarity.

His father, a pillar of strength and warmth, epitomized integrity and wisdom. From this man, Sasha had drawn resilience, drank from the essential lessons of life, and assimilated the principles that shaped his character. Like a sturdy oak, standing firm against time's onslaughts, his father remained unshakable, the compass that unfailingly set the moral course of his life.

As for his sister, a gem of infinite gentleness, she breathed into him the lightness and spontaneity characteristic of youth. She was the blooming flower amid the arid dunes