The Lives Of The Romanovs

When Sickness Comes

Olga

It was a beautiful morning. It wasn't snowing outside but clear thick-sheets of snow laid outside. I sat at the piano in another one of the sitting rooms and gently played Chopin. The fireplace was going and Alexei laid by it reading a book. Tatiana sat in the room knitting with her dog, Ortipo, laying next to her. Maria and Anastasia had gone outside to play with a few officers.
"Olishka, you should play Tchaikovsky instead." Alexei said. I giggled and continued to play Chopin.
"I shall in a minute. I like Chopin much better."
Tatiana brought herself into the conversation. "Oh, both sound so amazing and elegant."
"Yes, but Tchaikovsky is better." Alexei replied. I couldn't help but laugh again. I hit the last few chords to one of Chopin's songs. At Alyosha's request, I played Tchaikovsky. He smiled up at me.

"Thank you, Olga. Oh, I do so wish Anastasia and Mashka had joined us today." Alexei complained.
"Just be grateful you're in here with us and not anyone else. Say Alyosha, where is Sailor Nagorny?"
Alexei stood and went to go sit next to Tatiana. He placed Ortipo in his lap and started to pet him.
"Nagorny complained of a horrible headache and a fever. His cough was also so terrible. So, I let him go to sleep and I would find someone to wake him later."
That's when it hit me. I stopped playing and looked up. Tatiana's eyes widened as she looked at Alexei. Spanish Flu had been violently spreading all throughout Russia. But what if it was here? And what if it was now here in the Alexander Palace?"
"Oh Lord, have mercy on us." I trembled. I stood up swiftly and looked at Tatiana. "Keep Alexei here. I'll call for Doctor Botkin and Doctor Derevenko to check on Nagorny."
I set off out the sitting room to try and find Papa. I checked his bedroom, the Maple Room, his office, and the library but he was nowhere in sight. I eventually found one of my Mama's ladies-in-waiting, Anya Demidova.

"Anya! Anya!" I shouted at her.
"Olga Nikolaevna, it's such a beautiful morning. How are you?" She gave a small smile at me.
"Not well. Where is Papa?"
"He has gone to play with Maria, Anastasia, and the officers. Why do you ask?"
"Sailor Nagorny is terribly ill and I am worried it might be Spanish Flu." I whispered. Anya gasped and clasped her hands over her mouth. "Now, please don't tell anyone. Just call for Doctor Botkin for me to look at Sailor Nagorny, please. I wouldn't want to make a fuss when everything might be alright."
She nodded. "Yes, Olga Nikolaevna. I can do that for you."
It took no time for Doctor Botkin to come with his medical supplies. He found where Nagorny sleeps and quickly went to work. Papa returned with Maria and Anastasia. Mama immediately rushed to Nagorny's room to make sure Alexei was alright. Tatiana and Alexei came together. We waited out in the hallway for the news. We were shaking. The Spanish Flu was fatal and an awful disease. If Alexei has it, then it could be horrible for his health.

Doctor Botkin came out of the room with a disappointed face. He nodded his head at us.
"I'm afraid that Sailor Nagorny does have Spanish Flu."
We all gasped. Mama and Tatiana crossed themselves once. Anastasia and Maria looked at each other with so much panic.
"Well...what is the next step then?"
"I say the person most at risk here is the Tsarevich. We shall quarantine him in his bedroom for a few days just to make sure. If he has no symptoms, then we are probably safe."
Alexei's mouth hung wide open with furrowed eyes brows. "But I cannot be in quarantine! Kolya is supposed to come visit in a few days with Doctor Derevenko!"
Mama pulled Alexei in for a hug. "I am sorry, Baby. But you will be better soon."
"I suggest we take him now. As for the girls, you have all been exposed. You do not have to quarantine but if you have anything small like a headache or chest pain, let me know as soon as possible."
We all nodded at him. Mama and Alexei walked away together back to his room. For the rest of the day, we seemed to eerie with each other. We were all so scared of getting close together in fear one of us unknowingly has the virus. Which, of course, was very likely.

In the middle of the night, we sleeping subtlety in our beds. But the lamp turned on and the bright lights shined in our faces. Mama stood with tears in her eyes.
"Olga and Tatiana! Wake up! It's Alyosha!" She cried. Without another word, we both leaped from our beds and took off running. I was still in my nightgown while Tatiana stopped to put hers on. But my baby needed me. It was immodest, I know, but I needed to be there for Alexei. When I came into his room, he was screaming and sobbing. He put his hand on his head while Botkin was taking his temperature.
"What is it? What is happening?!" I shouted.
"Ow, my head! Oh, my god! My head!" Alexei cried out. I ran to his side and grabbed his hand. His hands were sweaty and clammy. His forehead and hair were drenched with sweat. I started to mumble Rasputin's prayer and put his hand to my head.
Tatiana quickly took action. "Doctor Botkin, what is his fever at?"
"39.5 C degrees."
"Oh dear." Tatiana muttered under her breath. "Mama, go get me some cold washcloths. Doctor Botkin, turn him to his side so he can cough out mucus easier."
With that, Mama jumped out of the room and Botkin turned Alexei to his side. He was forced to let go of my hand, but I was still saying the prayer and crossing myself. I crossed Alexei a couple times. Tatiana started to say Rasputin's prayer with me.
"Here, I was able to get it!" Mama cried and handed Tatiana the washcloth. She placed it to Alyosha's head and dabbed it on his neck.
"Do you want me to wake up the Little Pair?" I asked Mama. She shook her head.
"No, we will just tell them in the morning. I wouldn't want to wake them at 04:00 in the morning. You and Tatya can sleep in tomorrow, if you want."
Alexei started to cough violently. Tatiana started to pat his back and kept dabbing the washcloth on his face.
"I'm sorry, Tatya." Alexei moaned. Tatiana shushed him.
"Alyosha, you have nothing to be sorry for. Let's just continue to get you better."
"Olga? Olga, are you still there?" Alexei moaned again. I grabbed his hand once more and pressed it to my lips.
"I'm here, Baby. I'm not going anywhere, I promise. I'm going to stay the whole night with you.

In a matter of days, I had the Spanish Flu. It was miserable. I ran a fever of 40C degrees and had a very sore throat. Poor Alexei ended up developing Pneumonia with it too. Then Mama got it and then Papa. Tatiana was trying to nurse us all back to health and keeping the Little Pair away from us. But eventually, Tatiana woke up in the middle of the night to her having a fever and not being able to breathe. Doctor Botkin had to pat her back and installed a vapor-machine in our bedroom. Maria and Anastasia were forced to quarantine, but they never got it. The younger two remained healthy while the rest of us suffered.

Only Tatiana and Alexei got Pneumonia along with Spanish Flu. It had attacked them pretty bad. Some nights Tatiana gasping for air and coughing was so bad that I thought she would die. But she didn't. After two-weeks, all of us healed just fine. Even Alexei who is in such poor health. The three young men didn't get it either, lucky ducks.

One morning, I was sitting in bed drinking tea and reading the paper. I heard a loud knock on the door and then feet scattering. That was a classic Anastasia thing to do was knock on the door and run away. So, I got up from my bed to go bust her for going it. I stomped to my door and swung it open.
"You are not funny, Nastya!" I yelled. But when I looked down, I saw a vase of pink-roses in a clear-glass vase. I bent down and picked them up. There was a note with a string around the vase. I took out the rolled piece of paper and carefully opened it.

"I am happy you are feeling better. I ordered these for you.
Love always, Igor"