In Which We Discuss War and Peace, Part 7, Chapters 9 and 10

I went to my future-mother-in-laws, which is a magical land where the gin flows like water and I sit around and play videogames on my phone all day while making fun of people on TV, and it turns out that is not conducive to reading War and Peace.

Chapter 9

There are no particularly noteworthy celebrations over Christmas.  We come back in on the third day of Christmas, when Nikolai is napping, the old count is resting, and Sonya is preparing to embroider, while the countess is playing patience.  Natasya Ivanovna, the man-with-a-woman's-name, also described as "the buffoon" is sitting around with two old ladies.  Natasha comes in, has a quick look at what Sonya's doing, then goes to disturb her mother, who asks what she wants.  Natasha says she demands Andrew, at once.  She is not enjoying their separation.  Natasha then wanders around the house, giving the servants random orders.  The butler resists the demand for the samovar - a type a Russian teapot - because he's used to Natasha being a pain for no reason.  She seems to be trying to pick a fight, but all the other serfs are cheerful about it.  She asks Natasya Ivanovna what type of children she, Natasha, will have, and Natasya replies "fleas, crickets, grasshoppers".  Natasha demands a piggyback from her little brother, but gets bored of her and goes to play the guitar instead.  Natasha is getting deja vu, from wandering about the house for far too long.  She asks Sonya to go wake Nikolai because she wants him to come and sing with her.  Basically, she is going stir crazy.

Chapter 10

After dinner, Natasha, Sonya, and Nikolai are sitting and talking.  Natasha asks if Nikolai has ever felt hopeless and despairing.  He tries to tell her about the war, but she interrupts and they start reminiscing about their childhood instead.  When the countess asks, Natasha sings, and Natasha cries a little because she feels like there's something unnatural and dreadful in the impending marriage of Andrew and Natasha.  After some more drama from Natasha - bursting into tears when Petya interrupts her song - they all decide to put on costumes - as the other gender as whatever they normally dress as - and go out.  Sonya is weirdly powerful and interesting when dressed as a man.  They ride out to visit the Melyukovka's, and the world is all snowy and magical.