This is the story of a boy trying to find her little sister, help recover her memories of her past, and return her to her grandmother. And, he must do so, before an evil sorcerer's curse from the past comes back from the dead, and tries to take her...
At the Grand Palais, couples in splendor, waltz on the floor while guests whisper excitedly about Anastasia appearing. Many of them were at the opening ball in St. Petersburg. An ornate chair sits alone on an empty stage, waiting for the Princess.
Anya looks through the curtaiin at the dancing crowd, looking for Braedey, knowing he's not there.
Marie watches Anya. "He's not there."
"Oh, I know he's not, he --" Anya's caught. She tries to cover, badly. "Who's not there, Grandmama?..."
"A remarkable young man who found a music box..." Marie explained.
"No, he's probably too busy spending his reward money as fast as he can."
"Look at them dance! You were born to this world of glittering jewels and fine titles, but I wonder if this is what you really want." Marie looked down at the crowds down below on the dancing floor.
"Of course, of course it is. I found what I was looking for. I found out who I am. I found you." Any doesn't sound happy. She turns to Marie, and now her voice is filled with real warmth.
"Yes you did find me, and you'll always have me. But is it enough?" They embrace. "My darling--" For a moment, Marie just holds her. There are tears in her eyes. She knows she has to tell Anya the truth. She pulls away, looks at Anya, and sighs. "... he didn't take the money."
Anya looks at her in shock. "He... didn't?..."
"Knowing you are alive, seeing the woman you've become, brings me joy I never thought I could feel again." Anya embraces her, resting her head on Marie's shoulder. Marie turns Anya gently, pulling back the curtain to look at the crowd. "Whatever you choose, we will always have each other."
"Grandmama, can't you tell me--" Anya turns around, but Marie is gone. Anya looks at the crowd. She straightens her shoulders, pushes the curtain farther back, but hears Pooka barking. She turns to see him disappearing through the terrace doors. "Pooka?" She hurries out to the Terrace.
A shadow moves through the garden door. Slithering into the darkness like the crafty Serpent of Eden. Pooka barks in the darkness.
He edges Anya further out into the topiary garden. Towering hedges in the shape of horses, elephants and giraffes surrounded him. He disappears deeper and deeper into the hedge forest.
Anya appears in the doorway, worried. Pooka barks in the distance. Confused, she hikes up her gown and heads after him.
Anya submerges herself deeper and deeper into the darkness, leaving the light and cheer of the party behind. The barking from Pooka continues into the distance. "Pooka? Pooka?...." Anya calls out worried.
As she wanders further into the topiary garden, something odd happens without her noticing: the shadows are moving in her wake!
~*~*~
On the streets, Braedey is now all alone. He had no family, no friends, nobody to speak, talk, notice or even identify anymore. He had lost his one family once, found his sister but now lost her, and his friend had rode off into the darkness of the forest. He didn't know what to do anymore.
Soon, he walks down an empty grassy park, and sees suddenly something glisten in the light. Braedey walks closer to the shimmering light, and he suddenly sees its the sword he threw away, the hilt and half of the blade sticking out of the ground. Braedey suddenly felt something powerful activate inside his chest, and it was telling him to grab the sword.
"Recognise...ONE of your Knights." Braedey says to himself, and yanked the sword out of the dirt with one hand. He holds it armed to strike, and he looks over to the palace not far away.
'She is the one I want. There is no denying it.' Braedey thought to himself.
"Forscapimas...tetale inoqua." Braedey then spoke in his unknown and native language, then placed the sword into a scabbard on his back, and stood tall, firm and powerful.
"I'm going to prove who I truly am, and why I am here!" Braedey suddenly felt his body gain some kind of unknown force, and he felt stronger inside and out. As he held the sword up to the heavens, a beam of light shone down on the blade, making the blade shine even brighter than before.
Braedey swathed the sword into the scabbard on his back, and pulls up a red bandana folded into a mask over his mouth and nose, then looked to the River Seine. With a grunt in his voice, he charged away to the palace!!
~*~*~
Back in the garden, Anya's silhouette passes through a moonbeam. She is no longer worried. She is scared. For a moment, Pooka's barking stops. Ticking silence. Anya is lost in the topiary garden. Alone. She senses a presence. A bark! Anya spins in circles, desprearley trying to orient herself. She sees Pooka! Barking at the bushes around him.
"Pooka? ... Here boy!" Anya called to the little dog.
Pooka keeps barking! Anya whirls about to face... A topiary bush. Blocking her way out. She frowns: it wasn't there before!
"There you are." Anya sighed, picking up Pooka.
She spins: another topiary bush blocks her path. It wasn't there before! Pooka barks wildly! She whirls around: the Topiary Bushes have moved again. Pooka barks. Anya spins around again! -- The Topiary Bushes are rearranged, casting long shadows across her face like groping fingers. She is trapped, boxed in. Pooka barks as the green creatures seem ready to spring at her.
"An-a-sta-sia... Anastasia..."
Anya gulps, her eyes wide. Who said that? She firmly grabs her gown and makes a run for it through a small opening. Pooka follows, barking at all sides. She pushes through to come upon..
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The bridge. Where they came to a stop. Anya cleans up her gown, after tripping over, and looks around.
