Woke Up In A New Decade

Chapter Twenty Seven

PICTURE: Grand Duchesses Olga Alexandrovna, Olga Nikolaevna and Tatiana Nikolaevna 1913.

JUNE 1913
I was put to rest by "Dr Botkin", or should I say RASPUTIN. Once Cian carried me inside, Mama ran over to the other room saying she was contacting Botkin. Cian was standing next to me, well sitting more like. We both didn't think she was actually doing that. Cian was suspicious of her first because she told me to rest, wait no that's not what he meant. He means he was suspicious because mama told us we were going to church. And when I say us I mean it, because Cian was forced to come too.

And OTMA was coming too. I don't think I've felt as annoyed as I did then ever in my life. Cian fell asleep in a chair. Why would nobody but Cian and Kiki understand? I didn't want to be near him he was a child molester a predator. Nobody was around except a sleeping Cian and Lili Dehn. She was taking care of me and Cian i suppose until we had to go to church. Caoimhe was coming too.

I sighed, full of boredom. Lili was reading a book and glanced over to me. "Yes?" Lili asked. "I didn't say anything. Neither did Cian." I grumbled. I looked out the window and saw the ocean. "When will we be able to go there?" I asked. Cian woke up. "Where?" He asked.

"The beach" I muttered. Cian shrugged. "When Dr. Botkin states it's okay to get you out of bed rest." Lili said. The room went silent again. Cian fell back asleep and I looked to the ceiling, shutting my eyes. After a few minutes it was tea time. "Cian." "No I'm not thirsty, or hungry." Lili sighed and gave me tea with honey and mints in. "Drink up so you're better." She ordered. "Where are all the nurses?" Cian asked.

"They will get here shortly." Lili muttered. When the hot minty liquid hit my tastebuds I wanted to throw it all up along with my insides. My face scrunched up. "Don't do that again or your face will stay like that permanently." Lili Dehn.

I sighed in boredom. "Well, I mean. She still looks the same even in her face." Cian said.

***
A few hours later I was sitting in the wheelchair, while the wind blew wildly, I watched as my siblings played in the salty sea. According to Dr. Botkin, it was best if I got rest. Meaning I couldn't walk, no swimming and no going completely in the water. I wanted to! It's literally the most normal thing in this situation.

Papa, OTMAA and a few soldiers were in the water. Cian was sitting in a chair next to me, actually eating for once in a millennia. He was drinking beer. Next to me was Mama, along with Anna and Lili. We were under a tent we set up. Caoimhe was sleeping at cians feet which was nice and grandmother was doing some charity auction. "Can I at least dip my feet?" I asked, looking at mama. Mama gave me a stern look. "And how will you achieve that?" I looked back to the water, a scream was heard nearby. "SHVIBZIK! You little devil!" Masha yelled as Anastasia laughed and splashed her.

The waves glided towards the soft, hot sand and back to where they came from. I was very desperate to have this sense of normal. The beach, the sparkling ocean, it was the only normal thing in this jaw dropping unexpected situation. The memories of Germany flooded back, especially when we went to Hessen in the summer. "Someone at least wheel me close to the water." I demanded. It was silent for a while until Mama put her head up. "Lili, be a dear and take her close to the water. Not too close and for not too long."

Lili got up, placing her newspaper on the chair. She wheeled me close to the water but not where I wanted to be. "Closer." I stated. She wheeled me closer. "More." I urged. She wheeled me again until I pointed to the place where I was determined to be. I was finally wheeled there after back and forth of me saying closer and more. It was high tide and the waves nearly reached me, just a few centimetres apart.

I bent over the water, the cold liquid touched my fingertips. I smiled widely like an idiot, I knew I looked like one. I was aware but I didn't care! Having this feeling of normal was the best one yet! It felt as if I was in Germany. Maybe with Margo and Heinz, in Hessen, or maybe near Rhine. I couldn't wait to get out of this shitty wheelchair and into the water!

"Astya!" I heard a voice call, I looked up to see Maria smiling at waving at me. I waved back watching as little Nastenka jumped onto Marie's back submerging her underwater. I giggled a little, going back to touching the water with Lili Dehn stood chaperoning me. I did it for a while until i felt the cold water being splashed on me, I turned to look for the culprit and I saw little giddy Anastasia laughing her lungs off while pointing to me. She was drenched in water.

"Oh you messed with the wrong sister, Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova." I uttered angrily. Before I realised what I was doing, I got up out of my wheelchair and ran into the water, splashing Anastasia back with even more water then she did to me. My once clean dress was now soaked with sea salt. "ASTRID!" Lili dehn called out, I ignored her and continued to splash Anastasia as she did the same to me, we were both laughing as birds tweeted above. A few soldiers rushed into the water and pulled me back out slowly, I was dragged out of the water and placed back onto that shitty ass wheelchair!

Oh for fucks sake, kill me.