The Paleys (1921-1927) - An Alternate Romanov Story

The Plot Thickens

Serge

Anna and Serge did their best to remain quiet as they slipped out of the ballroom, moving with purpose but trying to maintain their composure. Serge's heart pounded with adrenaline, his mind buzzing with chaotic thoughts. None of it felt real yet. They had been in the same room as the Tsar of Russia. They had imagined an opportunity like this would take months to orchestrate, yet here it was, handed to them on a silver platter.

Anna managed to keep her elegant posture as they stepped out into the cool night air, but once they had put enough distance between themselves and the house, she stopped suddenly. She turned to Serge, covering her mouth with her trembling hands. It was the most open display of emotion he had ever seen from her.

"We didn't dream this, did we?" she asked, her smile wide and gleaming, like a child who had just left a candy shop with their pockets full.

Serge shook his head, pulling her into a tight embrace. He wanted to lift her off the ground, to spin with the joy that surged through him, but he kept his excitement in check. They were still too close to the house.

"I can't believe it. I suspected they had some connection, but I never thought it was this close," she said, catching her breath. "He's completely in love with Princess Natalia, did you notice?"

Serge raised an eyebrow, unsure. "Is he? What makes you think that?"

Anna laughed softly, tilting her head toward him. 

"Come on, Serge. You know I don't like to brag, but he's a nineteen-year-old young man, dancing with me—a ballet dancer. I gave him my full attention and offered him everything he might want, and he acted like he didn't even notice. All he could talk about was the Princess as if he owed her some kind of loyalty."

Serge paused, considering her words. He hadn't spent enough time around the Tsar to make that kind of judgment, but he trusted Anna's instincts. If she had sensed something, then there was likely truth in it. His mind wandered back to his own brief interaction with Princess Natalia, remembering the nervous way she had glanced at Alexei and Anna throughout the evening. A flicker of understanding lit up in his thoughts.

"I suppose you're right," Serge murmured, the pieces slowly falling into place. "Now that you mention it, the Princess did seem very affectionate toward him. Perhaps she loves him too, but just hasn't realized it yet."

Anna burst into laughter, her amusement bubbling over. 

"Well, who would've thought? All this time, we've been keeping an eye on our future Empress."

For some reason, hearing those words spoken out loud made something inside Serge twitch. He didn't know Natalia well—if he could even claim to know her at all—but the conclusion he got from their few interactions, especially tonight, was that she didn't come across as someone who would easily submit to the rigid expectations of an Empress. There was a quiet rebelliousness to her, a spark she kept just beneath the surface. It intrigued him, though he couldn't explain why. Still, he chose not to share this thought with Anna, unsure of what it meant himself.

Instead, he pulled her closer, pressing a warm, celebratory kiss to her lips. 

"I think you'd make a far better Empress, Anna," he whispered playfully. "Anna, the Great."

She laughed, lightly slapping his shoulder. 

"More like Anna, the Terrible," she teased, her eyes gleaming with humour.

After that, Serge noticed a shift in Anna's demeanour. Her posture straightened, and her expression turned more serious. The brief moment of celebration had passed, and he could almost see the gears in her mind beginning to turn.

"I don't think I'm going to get anything from him, at least not easily," she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Even if we take out his infatuation with Princess Natalia, he struck me as too green, too religious, too... serious. It would take a lot more time to get to him. How gullible do you think Princess Natalia is?"

Serge swallowed hard at the choice of words. He didn't think Natalia was gullible at all. Maybe she lacked some real-world experience, but she seemed sharp—someone who would catch on quickly if given the chance. Still, he decided to downplay his impression.

"Not as much as one might assume," he said carefully. "But I do think I've made some progress and I have a sense I've caused some impression in her. If I keep pushing, it wouldn't be hard to use her to influence the Tsar. Even if they aren't romantically involved, they seem close. Did he strike you as someone who would do anything for her?"

Anna nodded slowly, processing his words.

"Yes, something like that. It's hard to judge from a first impression, but men are easily manipulated when they like and trust a woman," she paused for a moment. "And what about that other girl who's always around? Did you find anything useful?"

Serge's smile grew triumphant. 

"Oh yes, I nearly forgot. You and Zinoviev are going to love this. She's Grand Duke Michael's stepdaughter."

Anna's eyes lit up, her earlier composure giving way to a quiet celebration. She couldn't hide the triumphant smile that spread across her face as she processed the information.

"Well, this is better than I thought," she said, almost to herself, before turning to Serge. "It feels like they've put all our eggs in one basket, doesn't it? All the key players, in one place."

Serge gave her a knowing look, his grin widening. 

"It gets better," he said, lowering his voice slightly as if savouring the moment. "Natalia confided in me tonight that she would like to take the Tsar of Russia sightseeing without the guards."

Anna's smirk wavered as she weighed the possibilities. 

"Let's not assume our luck will hold out forever," she scoffed. "He brought an entire regiment with him. How could she possibly sneak him out without anyone noticing?"

Unbothered, Serge gave a casual shrug. 

"You saw as well as I did how she and her friend slipped away before. It seems to me that Princess Natalia knows this city like the back of her hand—she grew up here. His guards didn't."

For a moment, Anna remained quiet, considering the thought, though it was clear that she was still sceptical. 

"I'm not convinced," she finally said. "It's better that we focus on getting ourselves in rather than expecting him to sneak out."

With a quiet nod, Serge agreed outwardly, though inside he couldn't shake the feeling that Natalia was much sharper than Anna gave her credit for. If anyone could pull it off, it was her.