Woke Up In A New Decade

Chapter Twenty Four

PHOTO: 1913, OTMA with the Tsar and Tsarevich on a walk in Alexander Park, Tsarskoe Selo.

JUNE 1913

I was getting ready to go to Tsarskoe Selo to see my family. Cian and Kiki were somehow ready really quickly, I suppose they just were. Auntie Olga wouldn't be joining us today because of some issue, it was probably her husband. Me, Cian and Ki met him a few times, he seemed like a kiss u towards grandmother, she could see through his lies. It's not very legal here in the 80s to marry someone you want, it's frowned upon. I'm sure the future would make it legal, I hope. So many countries legalised it already, Like Australia.

I see the way he looks at the officers, full of lust. Sometimes he looks at Cian full of concern, he's a fifteen to seventeen year old who smokes weed. I couldn't blame Olga's husband for loving who he did but I couldn't pity him because of his horrible behaviour. I got Tatianochka's gift ready, her birthday was in only two days! I along with Ci and Ki knitted scarfs, one pink, one purple and one white. I bought her a ring, Cian and Kiki were planning to give her the scarf they knitted. Ci purple and ki white. Cian got her a necklace and Caoimhe got her a bracelet. She probably had jewellery already but none of us knew what she liked, my ring for her is silver with a little blue gem in. Cian got her a necklace made of gold with an emerald and Crystal in the middle. The bracelet was silver and that's what Caoimhe got her. We chose it out in Denmark while grandmother paid for it. I put her gift on top of the nightstand I had so I wouldn't forget tomorrow. Cian simply slept with it, Kiki put it on the end of her bed.

Cian and Kiki were ready when I woke up. I dusted off my blouse and skirt and Liesel came in to fix my braided hair. I sat in a chair while she unbraided my messy crazy hair and began untangling it to rebraid it. "I love how thick your hair is, Astrid Nikolaevna, I wish for my hair to be as thick as yours. It's very pretty," Liesel complimented. "Thank you, your hair looks nice too." I said as I looked around the room. "Are you excited for your wedding in September? Are you a bit nervous?" I asked, changing the subject. Liesel let out a very long sigh, "I am very happy but it is inconvenient with me not being in Denmark with my family to plan my wedding, but I will survive." She replied.

I felt a tug of sadness fill up inside me. Poor Liesel was going to marry the love of her life but couldn't even plan the details of her own wedding. I should talk to grandmother about letting Liesel have some time off for her marriage. She pulled my hair a little too hard while brushing it, "ow!" I yelped and gasped in pain. "Sorry, Astrid Nikolaevna." She apologised and continued. She finished her job and let me go, she escorted me, Cian and Kiki to grandmother as we got on our way to see my family.

Grandmother, Cian and Kiki and I sat separately from the ladies in waiting. I'm the carriage sat, me, Kiki, Cian, Grandmother and her trusted lady in waiting named Felicity. I was looking out the room and saw soldiers protesting us from the crowds and crowds of commoners. I hated using that word but I was the hidden grand duchess.

I decided not to wave like last time, when I was leaving for Denmark. I wonder what the St Petersburg public thought of me when I waved? Just another stuck up, posh noble? We got to the palaces heavily guarded gates. The security opened them for us and we started our journey to the front gates. The palace was huge and looked very luxurious like for a royal. It was so shocking to me that the palaces looked so rich but their clothes very plain and very very bland.

When I woke up in the small pairs infirmary with Cian and Kiki standing over me after that night, i expected the clothes to be rich, expensive and grand. Full of rich and luxurious material. But to my surprise when I started to be around OTMAA more their clothing was much more plain than I expected. Behind all those grand golden gates and huge spacious rich palaces were very plain people.

We arrived to the front entrance. The guards helped grandmother get out first, followed by Cian, me and Kiki. We entered and were led straight to the garden to find my family there. The tsarina sat in a chair while Anna sat next to her proceeding to read the book she held firmly in her hands. Alexei was running around with the Tsar and Nastenka. Guards were all around, some even joining in to the games the imperial highnesses were playing. Ladies in waiting watched over the grand duchesses, Olga, Maria, Anastasia and Tatiana, the governess speaking to an officer while keeping an eye on the children. There were many other people but some I didn't even know the purpose of their title. Maria noticed us and ran over to us, completely forgetting about the guard she was talking to.

I smiled as she came up towards us to greet us. She hugged me. "Hello darling." She greeted. She hugged Cian and Kiki. "Morning Mashka." We all said. She smiled at us and gave me another hug. Then she gave one two Kiki and Cian. Cian and Kiki ran under a tree and started talking. An officer greeted Cian and they began talking and laughing at something. Before Mashka tugged me towards the group, I walked up to mama and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She gave me a small smile and Maria pulled me into the crowd of people. Alexei was with the Tsar. He looked well compared to the last time i saw him. He ran into my arms, giving me a hug. I was taken back but hugged him delicately, he was like a fragile little delicate flower.

Alexis quickly ran back to papà with the governess shouting at him to be careful. The big pair were hanging around the soldiers but not so oddly like the younger ones. Olga seemed to notice my presence but acted as if she didn't and Tatiana didn't realise I was there at all. Mashka seemed to notice my intense staring at the big pair. "We don't have to be around them if you don't want to." Maria told me, we both smiled and joined Cian and Kiki under the tree with blankets.

We sat as Cian told us the thing they were laughing about, we smiled and laughed. I saw Anastasia make Alexei laugh like crazy. "Doesn't it feel good to be back home, in Russia?" Maria asked me. I remained silent.

Home.

I smiled and turned to face towards her. "Yes, it does feel nice Mashka."