Woke Up In A New Decade

Chapter Thirty Six

That is where I saw the King and Queen of Romania and their family. We all greeted each other and all of them squished Cian and Caoimhe into hugs for some reason, speaking Romanian as they hugged them. We headed in their palace walls for an official meeting. Cian and Caoimhe was guarding the doors. Queen Marie spoke with Mama and Tatiana somewhere, Olga was with Papa and Anastasia leaving Marie, a random girl, and me standing awkwardly near Caoimhe and Cian.

Well, it wasn't awkward for my sister, she kept talking to the girl. The girl turned, saw Cian and gasped. "Oh my!" She wrapped her arms around him and he looked like he was going to groan. "Is it actually you?" She asked. "Noo. I'm a fragment of your imagination." Cian deadpanned. I stared at him awkwardly, he looked like he was about to kill himself. "You want to know how I know the Romanians, don't you?" He asked. Me and Marie nodded. "I was cursed with a stupid mother, but at least I got to know the Romanians. And they know me." Cian shrugged.

The girl let go of Cian and hugged Caoimhe. "It is quite hectic today, isn't it?" She asked me. "Yes, I just can't wait to relax already. These shoes are very tight." I complained. "Asya! The pictures haven't even started yet!" Masha giggled while I rolled my eyes. "Sorry, I did not catch your name." I said to the girl. She smiled. "I'm Maria of Romania." She introduced herself happily. I knew this girl from history class, she was the future wife of Alexander of Yugoslavia. I also know that he is quite smitten with Tatiana. But he marries this girl after Tanya's death. "Wow, there are a lot of Marie's and Maria's here," I joked. Mashka laughed at my comment and Princess Maria just smiled. "How is your mother these days?" Romanian Maria asked me. I almost gave a confused glance when Mashka realised what was going on. "Auntie Ella is very busy with charity works these days."

I am Grand Duchess Ella's daughter in their eyes. "My mother visits me when possible." I stated calmly, well as calm as I could be. Cian tapped Caoimhe and the two of them began walking off somewhere. "It must've hurt when she abandoned you for the convent life when your father died." Romanian Maria said. I couldn't tell if she was being blunt, or just mean but if I was really Grand Duchess Ella's daughter it would've hurt me. "She is doing good work for God's will." I murmured. Masha stood frozen in this conversation. "Well thank goodness the Czar and Czarina came and took you in! You are very lucky!"

"Well of course they took Asya in, she is family! Who would not have taken in their family? Asya is like a third sister!" Mashka blurted our ending the uncomfortable topic. "Astrid!" I turned to see Tatiana calling me. I excused myself and walked over to her, Mama, Cian, Caoimhe and Queen Marie. "We'll be leaving now." Cian patted Caoimhe. Queen Marie nodded at them and they walked off. "Astrid, you remember Queen Marie." Mama reminded. "Greetings, Queen Marie." I curtseyed. "How polite of you Astrid Sergéjevna," Queen Marie approved. "Let us take a small walk, shall we?" She suggested. I nodded my head and we began walking away from Mama and Tanya who was busy speaking with the King of Romania and Papa.

"How is your mother doing?" She asked me. "She visits me when she can." I replied.

"You must miss her terribly." Queen Marie assumed. "Actually, she is not around much. I see my Auntie and my Uncle more as my parents." I blurted out, the Queen only frowned at me. "I would expect a daughter to respect what her late father and sacrificed for her. After all the estates he has left for your comfort. As well as the ungrateful Grand Duchess Maria and Grand Duke Dmitri put a bad reputation on him, would not a daughter defend her fathers honour?"

I took a rather deep breath. "I never said or meant that. I do miss my Papa terribly and I am grateful for everything he has done for me. I just wish.. I wish sometimes that my mother never chose the convent life and rather wanted to stay with me and get to know her daughter. It is selfish, I know. But we all have selfish desires deep down, but I must understand and accept the fact that she chose this life over me and needs to help other people less fortunate than me. I was at least placed in a luxury household, which I am grateful for."

Queen Marie gave me a saddened glance, "You are quite young but very sharp for your age. I admire that, I pity you, I do not wish for something like this to be inflicted on any child." I agreed with her and said, "I do not wish the same for anybody else either." Queen Marie smiled at me. "Your Aunt and Uncle have done a fine job of raising you, pity we have not met when it as in Russia." She complimented and my face reddened slightly. "Thank you, your majesty."

"Its time for pictures!" Somebody announced. I walked the Queen over to the Area for pictures. Olga quickly took a seat away from Carol and had a baby in her hands, Papà sat next to her. Maria sat on the far left, Tatiana sat in between Mama and Queen Marie, Alexei sat with a boy around his age at the front. Prince Carol stood in the back, smoking a cigarette with Cian on his left and Princess Maria on the right. Caoimhe was next to Princess Maria, Anastasia was right beside her. Prince Ferdinand I of Romania stood next to Cian and King Carol I of Romania stood next to Anastasia. There was a spot left next to Maria and Mama, she looked extremely distant from everyone so I sat down next to her.

A few pictures were taken, some of the children switching places. When we finished, I walked over to the balcony area to look at the view. "Astrid?" My head turned, nearly breaking, as I looked who was calling out my name. It was the Angel, but looking evil as fuck. It was standing 2 foot away from me. Why the fuck was it here? "You are going to let them die?" It asked in a corrupted and raspy voice. I didn't say anything. "You left your family for them? How selfish."

"No!" I screamed back. It's presence irritated me so much, I had never felt this feeling so.. strongly before. It was inhuman.

But my yelling made no difference because it began screaming, screeching and wailing at me. I quickly pulled my huge sun hat around my face and ears trying to block out that horrible sounds, it was like nails against a chalkboard. I kept yelling stop and shut up, not knowing where I was walking to. "Astya." It taunted me with its wails and its screams. I felt myself slip and fall over my feet, I fell over onto the concrete hitting my head really hard, making meme start feel dizzy and my head to spin, the ground seemed to be spinning like I was just spinning around for ages. I heard screams of panic and "Buíochas le Dia! Ní hé seo arís! tá a fhios agat cad é, táim ag teacht ar mo fhiaile." And then footsteps departing. But there was one thing in particular I was not prepared to hear at all throughout the chaos that was happening.

"Astrid Nikolaevna!"