The Lives Of The Romanovs

Beach Day

Tatiana

It was the day everyone had longed for: we were spending the day at the beach. Everyone was dressing in their swimsuits, grabbing their parcels and blankets, putting on their sunglasses. I adored sunglasses and thought they were clever and fashionable. Dmitri and I both had a pair. For the weather today, it was very hot and very sunny. The sand was nearly burning us from it being so hot.

I sat and adjusted the swim caps on each of the children. Baby Irina was more than fine wearing one, but the younger two bickered with me.

"Mama, this is so comfortable!" Beth stomped her foot and ripped it off of her head.

"You do not want your hair to be ruined, do you?"

"What is the point? I am going to take a bath after the beach anyway."

Dmitri shrugged. "She does have a point, Tanya."

"Do not encourage this, Dima! Beth, you are wearing the swim cap and that is final. Or you will not be going into the water at all. Understood?"

"Do I have permission to drown Beth if she gets on my nerves in the water?" Little Dmitri signed to me. Him and Baby Irina started laughing together.

"No, that is not funny. Now go play. Hurry!" I shooed them off. A distant cousin Alastair immediately ran up to Baby Irina and they started speaking. Alastair was the grandson of Louis, Princess Royal. Even though he technically was not allowed to come, King George seemed to make exceptions for those apart of the British royal family. Alastair was a bit of fifteen, but took an immediate liking to Baby Irina.

"Do you believe our daughter as met our future son-in-law?" Dmitri laughed. I laid back on the blanket and rolled my eyes.

"That is not funny, Dmitri."

"Oh, it was a little funny. You need to lighten up, my dear. We are on holiday!"

"And yet there is so much to still be stressed about. I'm going to find Olga. Watch the children." I hopped up from the blanket. There were so many people on the beach, you would think it was a public beach. The adults were sunbathing while the children played in the water. The girls were collecting shells and the boys were wrestling. It had been too long since I went to the beach. It was enjoying being here.

"Olenka!" I exclaimed. When I got closer, I saw Olga scolding Oleg and Lyokha. The boys' heads were down as my sister was waving around her finger.

"My God! So let me hear this one more time: Kostya found a better shell then you two, so Lyokha had the idea to shove the shell up Kostya's nose? And Oleg, you pinned down your brother in the water as Lyokha did it?"

"Yes, Mama. That is the truth." Oleg nodded. I looked over and saw a teary-eyes Kostya sitting on the blanket.

"No, I do not understand!" Olga suddenly switched to English for some reason. "All I ask is that you boys follow my rules, and you cannot do that? I look away for one moment and this happens? Oleg, you want to be the Tsar one day, grow up! Lyokha, stop being such a troublemaker. As punishment, you are going to go back into the castle and read instead. Stephanie, take them inside and make sure they read."

"Jesus, this shell is really stuck." Igor groaned as he dig his fingers into Kostya's nose.

"And you?! Why couldn't we have had daughters? Why were you so insistent on having sons?" Olga smacked his shoulder.

"Olenka? Would you like to take a walk?" I asked. Olga groaned stood up. She shot Igor one last glare before we started walking. I could tell she was under much stress. "Are you alright?"

"Oh, no more than usual. Ever since we have come to France, Igor and I have been arguing more. I think we are all homesick already."

"Mine are the opposite. Dmitri has been more social in France than he has ever been. He looks forward to King Carol's arrival. And I know you do as well." I teased.

"Please, Tatya. I am not in the mood." Olga shook her head at me.

"Listen, just speak to Igor. Perhaps you can ask Papa if you could return to Russia early."

"No, I would seem rude. Besides, we have just come here and it is so beautiful. When was the last time we took a holiday out of not Russia, but the empire over all?"

"You make a fair point. I have been becoming close with Cousin Mary and Princess Yolanda of Italy. Yolanda is a very studious woman. I think you might like her."

"I feel I have not been socializing enough. Anastasia has become great friends with Astrid, it seems. Our sister and Infanta Beatriz of Spain seem to be getting along as well. Oh, what do you believe? Who grew more handsome: David or Bertie?" Olga's mood suddenly changed and she smiled widely.

"David, of course." I nodded.

"I disagree. Bertie is more handsome by far. Elizabeth is a lucky woman. Oh, little Lilibet is so adorable! She looks exactly like her father."

"I know! Her beautiful blonde curls! She'll grow into a beautiful woman, I just know it."

"Hey, Olga and Tatiana Nikolaevna!" We heard someone shout behind us. We turned around and saw Queen Maria of Yugoslavia and Princess Ileana of Romania. Last time we had seen them was that Summer 1914. Ileana had changed from an innocent child to a beautiful young woman. She was engaged to an Archduke from Austria, though I could not remember his name.

"Oh, hello dear cousins." I smiled. They came over and we kissed each other's cheeks. "Ileana, congratulations on your engagement. That is very exciting."

She smiled. "Thank you! I am very excited for the day to come. Say, how is your family? I know he died many years ago, but my condolences on losing the Tsarevich."

"Thank you. And my family is well. If you both would like, would you like to play tennis first with us tomorrow? His Majesty King George claimed it was going to be a tennis day."

Maria giggled. "That sounds lovely. I will say, however, I am a bit rusty. So please go easy on me."

"No promises." Olga replied. "We are going to continue on our walk, but it was lovely seeing you both." We all nodded at each other and continued on our ways.

I snickered. "That was quite random and awkward."

"Romanians." Olga held my arm tighter. We laughed together again and just continued on together. Not too much time went by until we were back to our own families and sitting with them. Dmitri had fallen asleep on the blanket with his sunglasses on and book laying on his belly. The children and Alastair had moved to building a sandcastle. I looked a little closer and realized that little Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia and Prince Michael of Romania joined our children too. They laughed a lot and were splashing each other. It was adorable to see them content and joyous together. I stood up and walked over to all of them.

"May I help you build a sand castle? I was the champion at building them when I was your age." I smiled.

Michael nodded. "Of course, Tatiana Nikolaevna! Here, can you help me make a moat?" His little voice with his thick Romanian accent came out. He was an adorable little boy, such a shame his father was such an imbecile.

"I would love to, your royal highness." I knelt down and started helping them. And for the rest of the day, a lot of laughs were given. Then at the end of our long beach day: ice cream.