Living Fatally : Loving You

Chapter 8: Recruitment

"I mean, it would really be convenient for me if you explained just what-"

Alexei hurried out of the room - again - and this time (after a longer period of time had passed), he'd brought someone along with him. 

"This is Lee."

He pointed at me, while also nudging a middle-aged woman towards me gently. Her elegant aura clearly suggested that she was a woman of style, as did her lavish attire. As I was studying her closely, I could see that she was trembling lightly - what for? - and her eyes were brimming with tears. I took a wary step back.

Without warning, the woman collapsed, desperately grasped at my ankles, and started crying like a madman. The air of aristocratic class she'd held seconds ago faded away along with her loud, muffled sounds of heartache. Anxiety rained down in tiny sweat beads on my forehead. What on earth was this woman doing? 

"Uhh...Mrs., I mean, Mrs., uhhh, whoever you might be, is...is there a problem with my ankles? Alexei? Could you please explain to me what is happening right now?"

I looked to Alexei for help; he was busy trying to console the woman, and seemed unable to hear my plea.

The woman, after several minutes of Alexei and I persuading her that everything was fine, seemed to regain her calm, and stood upright at last. After wiping her face a couple times with her (very expensive-looking) handkercheif, she gazed at me intensely and started speaking. 

"Such horrid manners. I apologize for making a dreadful scene. I'm Alexei's mother, Alexandra. I've heard some things about you through Alexei, and coincidentally, we're in urgent need of a suitable playmate, so we've deemed it paramount that you stay with us... That's all I came to say. Don't worry, we understand if you don't want to...umm, stay as Alexei's playmate, that's fine as well. No pressure."

Alexei's mother...Alexandra Feodorovna. The tsarina wanted me to stay here. Why all of the sudden? Didn't they have better people to choose from? Why would they want (a Korean-American fifteen-year-old in the guise of) an orphaned little girl, as the supposedly "suitable" playmate of a potential future tsar? Putting these curiosities aside, I knew that I would need a place to stay, or else I would get kicked out of here within a few minutes into the freezing streets of Russia - in 1916. No. Never.

"I am so honoured and thankful for your generos-"

"Yes, I already knew what you were going to say. Now, Sofia, take her to the guest quarters, and Alexei, you go to the study for your French lesson."

A maid instantly grabbed me - very gently - and led me out of the room, and through the vast corridors. 

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Adam Badeaux was disgruntled. He'd asked for a suitable playmate, not some...random child off the streets of Saint Petersburg. If that was suitable, they would've aquired hundreds of playmates already. Alexei was a delicate boy, and what's more, the future of Russia was in his hands. A sotty, ill-mannered peasant wouldn't, never would be fit as the friend of a tsarevich, especially one whose duty was to encourage his developement and social skills. He mumbled and rehearsed the names of more...appropriate possible candidates (most of whom he wasn't completely fond of, either) as he trudged down the hallway, towards the study where the heir would be waiting.

A gentle knock sounded on the arched wooden doors of the study. Alexei lept out of his chair, surprised, and quickly cleared his desk of the few pages of doodles he'd drawn waiting for the teacher. 

"Your highness, may I come in?"

"Of course, Mr. Badeaux,"

Alexei plastered an only half-genuine smile on his face as he slowly opened the door for his awaiting French governor. 

"Good morning, your highness. What a splendid day!"

"Yes...very...splendid.. and snowy.."

Badeaux made his way to the tutoring table and took out some class materials. 

"Did you happen to complete your homework, by any chance?"

A smirk spread across the tutors face. Alexei wasn't always the most diligent pupil. He himself knew this, and right now was squriming in his chair uncomforably. Badeaux decided not to tease the adorable tsarevich, and bring about another subject - where the tutor's real interests were in. 

"So I heard there's a new...playmate, hmm?"

The tsarevich stopped fidgeting, and his eyes sparkled instantly. 

"Yes, yes there is. And she is by far the most interesting being on earth!"

Hmmph. Maybe the peasant had some magic tricks up her sleeve. Badeaux shook his head lightly and nodded at the tsarevich to continue. Although a bit deflated at his tutor's stale reaction, Alexei started talking fervently. 

"Well, first of all, her name - she's a girl - is Lee. Edith Lee. I suppose I should really call her Edith or something, but she seems to like being called Lee better, for some funny reason. Do you know how we first met? It's wild, Mr. Badeaux, I fished her out of the pond outside! Isn't that fascinating? I thought she was dead at first, Mr. Badeaux. Turns out she isn't - great for her! Lee doesn't quite look much like all the others here. A bit like the tartar people, but not quite. I think she's from the countries below somewhere. She's got extremely black hair and eyes, but her face is kind of pale. The contrast is exceptionally intriguing. She says she's from Atlanta, but she speaks Russian fluently. She's an orphan, and was raised by her relatives, but they...didn't enjoy having her around. I think she's a year or two younger than me. I'm so glad I made a new friend!"

Alexei drew a deep breath and exhaled, smiling. 

Adam, bombarded with information, sat in silence, sorting things through. Atlanta...he was 98.99% sure that that was somewhere in America. So the girl is an American orphan in Russia who can speak fluent Russian. Curious, for sure, but not suitable. He'd have to talk with the tsarina after the lesson. Enough playtime.

"Alright your highness, let's start our lesson. So did you do the homework?"

"Well I-"