Woke Up In A New Decade

Chapter Twenty Eight

no picture because it got deleted.

JUNE 1913
I looked over the door every three or so seconds. We were currently in Mama's tea room waiting for the rest of our relatives to arrive while drinking tea. Cian was happily eating some strawberries, with Caoimhe. It was killing me too wait, I just can't wait, it's physically impossible for me. Grand Duchess Elisabeth was supposed to arrive an hour ago but had gotten delayed. I was reading because for some stupid reason I wasn't allowed to knit or sew. I was either reading Alice and Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Marvelous Land of Oz, Ozma of Oz, Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz, The Road to Oz and The Emerald City of Oz repeatedly because all the other books were quote on quote 'too advanced: quote un quote for me.

Aunt Olga Alexandrovna arrived yesterday without her husband, apparently he had to stay for "work" purposes. I did not care for his presence but him not being here made me feel slightly better.

Cian and Caoimhe told me that they died. It was shocking. But that they met some person claiming to be their father and that they'll live 'eternally.' Apparently according to Terrence's voice they were demigods too.

I was looking around the room, the big pair was out with Papa and Grandmother. Anastasia was with Alexei and Aunt Olga, leaving Mama, Cian, Kiki, Anna, Maria and me in room. The room was deadly silent. The only sounds heard was the grandfather clock ticking and Caoimhe and Cian finishing eating their strawberries. I couldn't wait to me Grand Duchess Elisabeth. I heard lots of things secretly from a really old White Army Soldier back in Berlin. He said that she was Saint like, she forgave her husband's assassination in public, became a nun and sold off all her jewellery for charity.

"Mama, when is Grand- I mean Auntie Ella going to arrive?" I asked, bored out of my life. "Soon Astrid." Mother replied, not looking up from her book. She was like glued to that book like it was her life support. Kiki ended up leaving because Anastasia took her away, two girls were smiling. Cian stared outside the window, probably in thought. I attempted to wheel myself around to the window but Anna got up quickly and helped me. The view was nothing special, just a lot of tall trees with some of the building cutting off the view. The only entertaining part was probably watching the birds fly around. Tatiana, annoyingly but I couldn't blame her, delayed her birthday in a way. She wanted her birthday to be pushed back until all the family arrives, meaning I had no chance on giving her, her present from me. Cian and Kiki couldn't either.

The sound of the double doors swinging open made both me and Cian turned to glance to see what just happened. There was a servant, Cian immediately jumped onto his feet and walked to open a door. "Grand Duchess Elisabeth Feodorovna of Russia has arrived your imperial majesty." The servant, named Dmitri, bowed as he took the other door. Mama quickly got up, everyone else in the room followed. I, myself, tried to stand but was pushed back by Anna who was now standing by my side like a guard dog would.

Somebody walked in. Cian and Dmitri bowed. She was covered head to toe in white cloth, the only slight splash of colour onto her outfit was a necklace which was silver. She had bright shiny blue eyes, like Astrid's, and very fair skin. "Greetings my darling sister." She greeted walking up to Mama and giving her a hug. During that Cian led the door slam shut along with Dmitri, both putting their heads down like they were at a funeral. Dmitri slipped back outside and Cian walked next to me. Elisabeth went up to Marie and gave her a hug too. She greeted Anna happily. Cian bowed as he shook her hand. "Nice to meet you, Your Imperial Highness. My name is Cian." He said.

"It is very nice to meet you too Cian, say. Are you.. Irish?" Elisabeth asked. A little smile crept onto his face. "I indeed am Madame. Welcome." He patted me and then marched off into the corner. Elisabeth finally looked over to me. "Astrid, you remember your lovely Auntie Ella, correct?" Mama stated.

"I-I-it's-it's-its... Hello auntie." I stuttered while sticking my right hand out for a hand shake. She smiled at me and took my hand. "Hello darling Astya." She said, smiling at me. I kept a smile awkwardly on my face, looking like a mad man. Not knowing really what to do. I smiled there like a fool as Ella smiled at me, holding my hand.

****

We (the people that were there) was outside, enjoying the hot sun. We were waiting for Papa's other sister, Xenia Alexandrovna, and her husband, a boy from England, and the family from Germany. Cian was talking with an officer, Kitty was with Anastasia and an officer laughing, Marie was just sitting next to me. But I could tell she wanted to go and socialise with the officers. "Go on." I spoke up. Maria stared at me. "What?" She asked. "Go talk to them. Just because I have to be in this wheelchair, and basically glued to it doesn't mean you can't go have fun." I explained and pushed her slightly.

She gave me a sympathetic smile, and ran off to join the big pair. I watched them for a while, sometimes looking at Cian who was still talking with that officer. I watched as Olga laughed from what an officer said. I watched Maria tell a story from a group of officers who began laughing with her, I watched Tatiana listen to some older officers. I ended up zoning out, out of pure boredom. "Greetings Astya." A voice said. I turned around to see Malcolm, to my surprise. "Oh my! Hello Malcolm, how are you doing? I haven't seen you in a while. A real Long time. How are you doing?" I gasped.

His light brown hair had gotten a little longer since the last time I saw him, but freshly cut. His emerald green eyes shone in excitement as he took what was once Maria's spot next to me on the bench and began to talk about his whereabouts since September of 1912. Gott, that was a long time ago. Malcolm and i's last encounter was quite, um. How should I put it? Odd? It was odd. I crossed my fingers and prayed to God that he wouldn't remember about our last meeting. "You have gotten much more skinnier than the last time I saw you." He stated as he watched my sisters walk around the field. I smiled and let out a nervous chuckle. "Wow! I really couldn't notice." I said sarcastically.

"Did you miss me Grand Duchess Astrid?" He asked almost above a whisper, he turned to me. I looked around to see Grand Duchess Ella looking at us. "Yes, but we can not talk right now, my family is watching." I whispered. Malcolm turned to see Grand Duchess Ella staring at us, she saw him catch her and immediately her eyes adverted away. "Tell me about you, why are you in a wheel chair?" He asked.

"Long short, I was ill and put to bed rest by Dr. Botkin." I explained while watching my family. He nodded his head as we sat in silence. "When will you go back to Denmark?" I thought for a while. Then answered him, "in august probably." Malcolm's face looked broken. "I will miss you a lot." I felt my face get smacked with a wave of heat. I was bright red, blushing and sweating. I didn't want this, I didn't want him to miss me, I didn't want him to notice anything about me!

"I will miss you too." I stuttered as Anna came up to me. "I am sorry but the Czarina has requested your presence."i waved goodbye to the boy, he returned that wave as I was wheeled away.