Photo: Tatiana Nikolaevna Romanov at Alexander Palace in 1917
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JANUARY 1917
Rasputins now lifeless body was fished out of the river and now where I am standing with Cian next to me and Katya crying on the over side. I hugged her. He is getting buried as his coffin is slowly lowered in the ground as the ceremony is slowly ending. Katya and Enzo were together now, Enzo was patting her head. Anna built a chapel on palace grounds and that is where he is buried. All my sisters but Olga was crying. Olga knew of Rapsutin destroying her family image.
"Maybe it was necessary to kill him, but not so terribly-we are a family, one is ashamed to admit they are relatives." Olga said, to me that proved she knew of Rasputin's pernicious influence facilitating her mother's systematic destruction of the Russian government.
All of OTMA was distraught at his murder I think mostly because it was done by family members and it was directed at their mother. Cian offered to help just hide the body.
After frlm my Family and I, Anna is here of course, With Grocery Gang and Assen, Lili Dehn is here as well, Sophie and Shura are here too. Along with Rasputin's family, silence is upon us as the priest finishes blessing the casket that was already in the ground. Mama took the news that Rasputin had died the worst. I felt nothing, he had it coming. He deserved it. I stand frozen and looked down at the casket in the ground, the man that has terrorised me is now gone forever. He can't ever hurt anyone anymore.
Once the priest finishes his holy songs, only sobs can be heard. Mama fell onto her knees, I was surprised it didn't hurt her, and she weeped continuously. We got lead back to the palace by our ladies in waiting, i go straight to my room to write in my diary, and I see a woman on the bed. The same women I saw when being chased by Tanya. "Hello Astrid." She said. I sat down at my desk, "Hello." Is all I said. "How was the funeral?" She asked me. "It was... odd. Seeing him in the ground. Dead." I answered as I played with my necklace. "Keep your friends close. They help you." She said.
Will the devil Angel show up? I haven't see her in a while, I hope not. It scares me a lot. "You know Asta, the end is nearing." She says. I clench my fists in my lap, resting there. "I know." I said quietly as I kept my gaze on my hands. "Remember Asta, March 1917 and it all goes down." She reminds me. "I know, I know!" I shouted.
"Astriodóir? Who were you talking to?" I heard Cian's voice. I quickly turned around to face him. My eyes darted to where the Angel once was sitting, she was now gone. "Don't worry Cian, I was just reading." I quickly said. Cian sat down on Tatiana's bed. Ever since we found out that Dmitri Pavlovich was involved, he was cut off. Exiled to another country, Cian was barely included in the assassination so nobody found out. I am not sure if it affected Cian deeply or not, he just looks sadder now.
Silence filled the room as I think of the angels' words. The end is drawing near. I started to panic, there is so much people to save from this mess! I have to save my family, Aunt Ella, Uncle Misha.. and Igor! I need to save them!
I got io and began to roam around the hallways of the palace. I would need them all together. I would need Igor here with us during imprisonment so i could save him with my family, and his brothers would have to flee the country when it all happens. Aunt Ella has to be here too. I was now walking mindlessly around the halls thinking, 'Igor would be a great son in law' papas words echoed through my head. He would have to marry one of us to stay here.
My heart dropped down my chest, he can't marry me. I wouldn't be the wife he needs and it will interfere with me and grocery gang saving the Romanovs. He would need to marry one of my sisters, I walk around the halls as my brain was pumping ideas and my heart was aching. Olga's broken and just tired. Maria is a considerable candidate, Anastasia is way too young, And Tatiana.. Tatiana would be a great match.
She is close in age, not as close as Olga but still close. She's just what he needs in a wife, and he's just what she needs in a husband. But Masha would be easier to convince, my head ran wild as I thought. "Astrid!" I heard Cian's voice again. "Huh? What?" I snapped out of my deep thoughts. "Your stomping is so loud, let's go to your room and talk about this." He demands, i followed him and he shut the door.
"Cian, I need grocery gang and Olga." I said desperately. The door opened and there stood the rest of the gang with Olga. "Names have power." Cian noted. Everyone huddled in and he shut the door again. "My plan to save the Romanovs, my family, has to be acted out soon." I explained. "And what do you need us for?" Enzo asked. "I need Olga to convince Tatiana to Marry Igor, and you guys have to suggest it too. Cian has another job which he knows." I swallowed.
Olga's eyes widened. And she gasped at me. "What? Why? I thought you liked him? I thought that he was interested in you?" Olga said. "Yeah, why don't you marry him?" Zander asked. I fiddled with my necklace. "Well, for many reasons really. But the main reason is that I need to get more people here. It means we save more lives. And if Tatiana marries Igor it helps a lot." I explained through a heavy sigh.
"Astrid? What do you mean? What's going to happen?" Olga asked. "Yeah, this is weird. I'm only the son of tyche, not the son of the future or any weird shit like that." Enzo said. "Don't worry about it Olya, I'll tell you soon Enzo." Olga opened her mouth to protest but I cut her off. "I will tell you closer to the date." I promised her. "Now i need you to help me convince Tatiana to marry Igor." I told her. The grocery gang exchanged looks. "Be back later guys." Cian walked out of the room causally.
"Where is he going?" Caoimhe asked. "He's doing his job. Listen, some of you need to stay in the house arrest, while some will be with me and Cian. Olga has to be in house arrest because she's a Romanov daughter." I said. "We have seven, minus me and Cian, which is five. More in house arrest. So, Me, Cian and Caoimhe together. Valentina, Zander, Katya and Enzo house arrest." I decided.
Olga nods as everyone splits up. I go to follow Olga when I am stopped by Anastasie who is laughing and telling me someone is on the phone for me. "Thanks Anya." I said.
I walked to the phone. "Hello?" I said as I was startled by the beaming voice of Igor at the other end, "Hello Asta! I am terribly sorry about your recent loss." He gives me condolences about Ra-Ra-Rasputin, forget that. "Thank you Igor." I simply said. "Hey you should come over to the palace tomorrow! I know you will be leaving the front with Papa and Alexei, I'm not mistaken right?" I told him. "Yup, we are leaving soon. And of course I will come! See you tomorrow Asta. I'm excited to see you!" He exclaimed as my guts twist. "Yeah. See you tomorrow." I said rather sadly and hung up the phone.
***
The next day came quickly and Igor arrived at the palace. Olga already spoke to Tatiana yesterday and was lashed with hostility but I won't give up yet. Cian was perfecting everything. And I know that Igor had a little crush on Tatiana before I was close to him. We all sat in the tea room, with Caoimhe and Katya playing a game with the little pair. Valentina and Zander were out and Enzo was with Assen to hide their plans. Igor walks in and the little pair greets him as they played the game. "My deepest and sincerest apologies for being late, I had to talk with your father." He apologised. Maria giggled. "No need to apologise soldier- oh come on!" She said and then realised she had to go back in the game for an unlucky spin.
Igor smiled as he went to go sit next to me but the spot was taken by Olga. "There's a free spot over there next to Tatiana." She pointed out. Igor listened and sat next to Tatiana, she gave him a smile and they began talking about papa. Olga and I looked at our little siblings as they tried to win against Caoimhe and Katya. "What do you think asta?" He asks me as Olga quickly cut in, slicing his sentence in half clean. "We must go Asta, I think I heard Lili calling us." She said as she swiftly stood up, gripped my arm and pulled me along.
The little pair, Katya and Caoimhe leave a little while after. Katya and Cao happily winning while The little pair lost. I was about to go to my room when I bumped into a servant. "This is for you Astrid Nikolaevna." She informed me. She quickly lifted her skirt slightly as she ran off. I went to my room and sat down on my desk. I looked at the letter and my jaw dropped to the floor when I saw it was from Rasputin. I gasped a little, isn't he dead? Maybe it's like one of those 'if you are reading this I am dead.'
I opened the letter and scanned through it and my heart stopped and my mind went blank.
***
Dear Astrid,
When you are reading this letter, I am dead. It doesn't matter how I died, just make sure you read this letter carefully. I wanted to write that there is no hope, your family will die and you can do nothing about it! You should have been gone ages ago when I nearly drowned you, but you just had to live! You have always been a thorn in my side, Death and The Reaper* (see end of chapter) is welcoming you forever and ever. You can do nothing but sit down and watch your failure, as everything goes spiralling down. You were nothing but a pawn for me since I have never been able to get rid of you.
R.
***
What type of wacky bitch ends the letter with R?
***
As the painful weeks go by slowly, Tatiana and Igor got closer and closer as i painfully distanced myself from Igor. My love, my painful love. The one I could never be with, no matter how much I try. He finally proposed to her and Tatiana accepted. My heart broke into two, and now it was official. My sister, Tatiana Nikolaevna of Russia. Considered to be the most beautiful of all of us was getting married. The beauty in Europe's eye was getting married next month.
To my crush. Igor Konstantinovich of Russia, our cousin, and the person who breaks my heart because I now have to let him go.