The Belle of St. Petersburg •The Tudors

chapter •the marriage plan

As promised, Mary and Elizabeth were brought to court. Anastasia was most happy to see the beautiful girls. Elizabeth was already growing and it saddens her dearly. But Mary, she wished herself to be married already.

Already a young woman and waiting for her father to betroth her to someone. That's why Anastasia had decided to honor the wishes of the later Queen Katherine and have Mary be wed. If Mary couldn't be princess in England, then she shall be a princess in another kingdom.

But not only Mary, Elizabeth as well. Even when Anne Boleyn wasn't much favored in England, Anastasia still loved her sweet Bess. Elizabeth shall be a princess of another land.

Another problem that Anastasia needed to resolve was her pregnant sister-in-law, who she had may a promise to to be there. Now that Anastasia was pregnant, Henry will not be letting her go anywhere. She needed someone to take her place.

The doors of the chamber open and Mary and Elizabeth walk in happily. Anastasia stood quickly and held her arms out to hug her step-daughters. Elizabeth ran forward and crashes into Anastasia's arms.

"Hello, Elizabeth." Anastasia says happily. The little red headed girl rubbed against Anastasia neck. Mary walks forward with a smile.

"Your Majesty." Mary bows.

"Drop the formalities, Mary. Come and sit." Anastasia says, motioning to the table. Mary sat across from her step-mother. Elizabeth had found her place of Anastasi's lap to let her be hugged by her step-mother.

"How are you? Are you and Elizabeth well taken care of?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I am happy to see you and our father have rekindled." Mary says. Anastasia noticed what Mary wore. She was adorned with earrings and a matching necklace of charoite that were quite rare in England..

"Mary, where did you that pretty necklace?" Anastasia asks. Mary went to touch her new necklace.

"Andrei... Grand Duke Andrei sent them." Mary corrects herself, but Anastasia saw the faint blush on her cheeks.

"I got a gift from the Grand Duke too. See?" Elizabeth showed off her bracelet of blue topaz.

"They are very beautiful jewelry for two beautiful princess." Anastasia tells Elizabeth and looks back at Mary. "You and Andrei seem to write to each a lot. What do you talk about?"

"He teaches me about Russia, I teach him about England. He asks about you and wanting to know if you are alright. Andrei plans to return for a visit."

"Really, well I'm happy for that." Anastasia says. "It seems you are as well, Mary." She teases.

"I won't be displeased if that is what you mean." Mary says.

"And if I asked you what you would thought about maybe going to Russia for a while, will you be upset?"

"No, of course not, but why would I be sent to Russia?"

"My sister-in-law, Cecilia, is with child and I had promised to be there with her when the baby was born. "

"Are you sick, mother?" Elizabeth asks. Anastasia smiles at the young girl.

"Not exactly, Bess. I'm just not capable of making the trip right now." Anastasia assures Elizabeth, hoping to stop any worrying she has. Mary, however, had caught on to her words and looks at the Queen. A smile slowly forms.

"Are you...?" Mary trails away. Anastasia answers her question was a smile and a nod.

"I am." Mary stood quickly and hugs her step-mother.

"Does father know yet?" Mary asks hastily.

"Know what?" Elizabeth asked, looking up.

"We will have a new sibling, Bess." Mary says. The Queen and her step-daughters didn't know they had been spied on. It had been from the same girl who ended the life of an innocent babe in the womb.

In the countryside of Russia, Grand Duchess Olga laid down with her hands on her visibly swollen stomach, looking at the colorless walls. The doors of her room open up and a maid walks in.

"Vashe Vysochestvo, prishli dva pis'ma." Your Highness, two letters came.  The maid says. Olga's eyes widened and left the spot on the wall. She looks at the maid with hope in her eyes.

"Ot kogo?" From who? Olga asks.

"Ot tvoyego muzha." From your husband. The maid responds. Olga loses her smile and bright eyes.

"Sozhgi eto. YA ne khochu eto chitat'. " Burn it. I don't want to read it. Olga commands. The maid hesitates but none the less, throws the letter in the fire.

"Ot kogo drugoye pis'mo?" Who is the other letter from? Olga asks, yet again with her eyes on the wall.

"Ot korolevy Anglii, vashe vysochestvo." From the Queen of England, Your Highness. The maid says. Olga looks at the maid and sighs.

"Dayte eto zdes'. " Give it here. Olga says with her hand out. The maid places it in her hand. Olga rips the seal and opens the letter.

Dorogaya Ol'ga,
YA nadeyus', chto vy zdorovy. Posle togo, kak otets napisal mne o vashem sostoyanii, on poprosil menya razreshit' vam priyekhat' v Angliyu, i vash rebenok budet otdan v druguyu sem'yu. YA ubedil yego ne otdelyat' vas ot vashego rebenka. YA znayu, kakovo bylo, kogda moyu doch' razluchili so mnoy, i ya ne zhelayu etogo vam.

No vy dolzhny ponimat', chto Angliya otlichayetsya ot Rossii. Ty tozhe dolzhen byt' drugim. V obmen na to, chto vy pozvolili vam byt' s rebenkom, vy dolzhny sledovat' tomu, chto ya govoryu, i izbegat' nepriyatnostey. YA obeshchayu vam, chto vam budet komfortno zhit' zdes', poka Otets ne prostit vas.

Vsya moya lyubov', Anastasiya

Dear Olga,
I hope you are healthy. After Father had written to me about your condition he asked me to let you come to England and your child shall be given to a different family. I have convinced him not to separate you from your child. I know how it felt when my daughter was separated from me and I do not wish that upon you.

But you must understand that England is different from Russia. You must be different as well. In return for allowing you to be with your child, you must follow what I say and stay out of trouble. I promise you that you shall have a comfortable life here for the time being, until Father has forgiven you.

All my love, Anastasia