Flowers Bloom In Spring

Part 9: Crossing A Bridge

Olga

The Dowager Empress Alexandra's Mauve Room

Our hands sprung up in a round of applause as Igor finished playing a piece of his own on the piano.

"Oh, oh!" Anastasia jumped up with exclamation. She tugged at my dress.

"Olinka, play that one American tune you learned from that record Maria and I have!"

"But I don't play that one all too well," I mentioned, rubbing my arms.

"Please, oh please!" She whined like a dog begging at my feet.

I huffed. "Alright, alright, I'll play it," I said, pushing her away from me and towards the couch.

Vladimir quietly rested on the side of the piano, a slender cigarette between his two fingers. Today we decided to get together with both Igor and Vladimir. Prince Vladimir Paley was another prince we had grown up with. He was a soft-spoken man who always had an excellent mind for poetry and was a year younger than I. I remember rather vividly playing with him when we were children. Now he was our little poet, writing plays, prayers, and of course, poetry. Often he and I read each other's poetry. It was undoubtedly a treat to see his latest thoughts on the paper before me.

I nervously chuckled as I tapped the keys a bit. Glancing back at Tatiana, she raised her glass as if she was giving me her best wishes.

I sat down at the weathered keys before clearing my throat. My hands floated up the keys for the entrance of the song.

"Hello, ma' baby, hello ma' honey, hello ma' ragtime gal'..."

I sang, hands hopping around the piano. I quite enjoyed this song. It's just that I played better without an audience. Anastasia and Maria sashayed around the room, trying to mimic the way Americans danced as they had seen on the Standart. When the ambassadors from America came, they brought their music with them, which included troves of ragtime like this tune.
Many times we danced along with them. Their music is a welcomed change to the music we hear around here. Alexei especially likes the western United States. The Cowboys and the Native Americans of the past century intrigue him.

"Excellent, what a wonderful rendition!" Maria exclaimed with happiness, clapping with the rest of them as I finished.

"Why, thank you." I nodded to her, bowing in a joking manner.

Suddenly a lady in waiting burst through the doors. "Please excuse my interruption, but the Emperor requests the attention of the Grand Duchess Olga immediately." She looked slightly flustered and embarrassed at having to interrupt our leisure. We all looked at each other with curiosity.

I walked out to the hall, following her to Papa's study. My mind tormented me with questions while we waited for the door to fling open. I entered through the cherry wood door, delicately placing my hands over each other.

"You sent for me, Papa?" I questioned.

"Sit down, Olga." He replied.

I was taken aback by his rather professional response to his eldest daughter. But I didn't hold it against him to any degree.

"As my days as emperor are coming to a close, I have my own requests for you to fulfill during your reign."

"And what is that?" I responded with my head turned in intrigue.

"The first is to always trust in God. No matter your hardship." He stood up from his old, weathered study chair. A puff of cigarette smoke escaped from his mouth as he spoke. Papa paced around his desk, then back around to it again.

"The next is to keep your family close. Be an example to your sisters, as Mama always told you. As an example to them, you are one to the entirety of Russia herself. Then later, you are one to your children and husband." He said, looking towards me with his wise, old, blue eyes.

"Yes." I nodded.

"Listen to the people's cry with all of your soul. The heart of the people must be identical to the heart of their Empress. You are their protector."

I had many deep discussions with my father, but there was a look in his misty eyes of a sacrifice that must be made. For the welfare of our Russia, he would pass the crown to me. It was unique in that I felt I might never see this side of him again.

"Finally, know that Mama and I are always here for you, whether in spirit or present and accounted for." He said, stepping towards me. His eyes and expression mirrored a significant pride for his daughter.

"Oh, thank you, Papa," I said heartfully, grabbing him and hugging him tightly.

Papa grabbed my hands, glancing down at them.

"I remember how small these hands used to be. They grabbed mine so tightly." He said in reminisce.

We both looked at each other with a warm smile.

"You know, when you were a young girl, we used to call you 'Little Empress' without knowing what your future would hold," Papa said.

"Now, your time has come." He continued.

The bar had been set high. I would do anything to please my parents now. Tatiana had always been an obedient child, but I was the more rebellious one. Even now, at twenty-one, Mama and I could get into some vicious arguments.

  I was halfway between where I have been, being a Grand Duchess of Russia, and where I was going, being the Empress of All the Russias.

 "Papa, you must tell me where you want to go. Livadia, England, France, I'll put Mama and you anywhere you want. " I frantically said as the coronation inched closer, more and more, my overthinking crippled me as usual. However, this was a pressing issue that I had meant to tell him.

"You and your worry. Take heart, my daughter. Those things will be arranged soon. I will be by your side through all your decisions in life." He said.

"Thank you, Papa," I said passionately.

A smile peeked through his grayish-brown mustache.

I glanced back at my father as I closed the door to his study. Tatiana was propped up against the wall of the corridor. 

''All is well I assume?'' She pushed off the wall, walking towards me. 

''Yes, splendid. Papa was just giving me some words of encouragement." I said, flattening wrinkles in my dress. 

"What better company to have walking with me through this ordeal?" I smiled, wrapping my arms around my sister.

"You know we're always here for you." Tatiana said.

Alexei emerged from the door to Mama's siting room. "Olga, Tatiana you have to hear Igor's funny joke! It's so hilarious!" My little brother beamed, laughs interrupting his words.

"Just a moment." Tatiana said, dismissing him briefly.

"You have to tell him." She said in a direct manner.

I jerked my head up, facing her.

"How?" I said in a shriveled voice.

"We'll figure it out."

I grabbed her hand before she was about to go.

"I think I need your help."