The Tsar's Wife

Photo Albums

To say that Olive was anxious to see Alexei at the hospital, was a complete understatement. She was very eager to travel to the hospital and see him again - it had been three weeks since she had last seen of heard from him- even though it hadn't been that long since the two had been together. She knew she was being a bit dramatic, but she could have sworn it had been three months already, instead of weeks. Time seemed to move dreadfully slow nowadays, but she wasn't the only one who was aching to travel. Maria and Alexandra were extraordinarily worried about Alexei, especially with him being sick. Alexei's hemophiliac attacks were becoming a common thing, which wasn't good for him at all, if one became too serious it could easily take his life away.

Alexandra was worried about Nicholas too, her husband for over 30 years. She couldn't write letters to him, knowing the hospital wouldn't allow letters. Olive wanted to write to Alexei too, but even if he would have gotten the letters, he couldn't write back with his injured arm. The hospital had only a few telephones too and they were only for medical announcements or doctor calls, so calling him wasn't an option either. Olive was sure if Alexei was able to, he would contact her in some way, shape, or form, but at the moment it wasn't an option. Maria was becoming a bit dismal, wandering around the halls slowly. It was a static change from her usual bright mood, which was still showing through the rain clouds above her head.

The train would arrive tomorrow at six in the morning, which was not an unusual time for Olive and the Grand Duchesses to wake up. They would have to travel for at least a day, if they were lucky and the train was fast it would only be about 19 hours. Everyone was willing to make the trip, no matter how long they had to sit in a train or how early they had to awaken. Olive willed time to move faster so she could retire early and wake up in the morning to leave for St. Petersburg. Tatiana was busy in her room all day, writing letters to Olga - who wished she could leave with the family but was stuck in Wales for the time being with Erickson - and Anya, Alexandra's lady in waiting, who was in Tsarkeyo Selo with the soldiers.

  Olive was in Maria and Anastasia's bedroom, trying to describe what Miss Peregrine's home was like. "So Miss Peregrine is your mother?" Anastasia asked, tilting her head to the side with her nose wrinkled up with confusion. Olive stood up, shaking her head. "No, she just took care of me." Olive said, though Miss Peregrine might as well had been her mother, though she didn't feel comfortable telling Anastasia and Maria that. "So she took all of those children in, but she wasn't their mother?" Maria asked, and Anastasia was thinking the same question by the looks of her face. The Little Pair certainly though alike, which is probably one of the reasons they had gotten along. "Yes, Maria. Can we talk about something else?" Olive asked, quietly brushing off her dress as though something dirty was on it.

She didn't need Maria or Anastasia asking her why she was at Miss Peregrines, or what happened to her parents. She would have to tell them the truth, that her parents had left her at a circus because they thought she was a pyromaniacal freak. Maria nodded slowly, and Olive was worried that Maria may have thought Anastasia or herself had offended Olive, though that wasn't the case. "Well, where is Jemmy Anastasia?" Olive asked, referring to Anastasia's King Spaniel. He was usually with Anastasia wherever she went, following her around like a toddler would their mother. "He's outside, He wanted out earlier." Anastasia said with a pout, looking out the huge window on the wall.

Olive smiled, resisting the internal urge to roll her eyes. Maria stood up, her face brightening again. "Olive, do you want to look at some old pictures with me?" Maria said, walking over to the chest at the foot of her bed. Olive swallowed, watching Maria take off the lid of the chest. "If you don't mind showing them to me." Olive said, hearing Anastasia snicker in the corner of the room. "She always wants to show the albums, we have all seen them almost a hundred times." Anastasia teased, walking over  and sitting on the bed with Olive. Maria looked up, her angelic face twisted into a sour frown. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to share our memories with others, Anastasia. " Maria said, her eyebrows knitted together in disapproval.

Anastasia rolled her eyes as Maria grabbed a book, spreading the album  across her lap. She opened the book slowly, and pointed out each picture to Olive. "That's Ella, Mama's sister whenever she married Papa's uncle. That's Anastasia and Alexei at Tsarkeyo Selo in 1914, there's tons of pictures from there." Maria explained, as Olive's brain tried to remember who was who. She had heard of Ella, though she didn't really know she was Alexandra's sister. They looked through what seemed hundreds of photos, most of them were old ones dated before 1916. Some were from 1917, though there were few. The more recent ones were kept by Alexandra, Maria explained, since the Tsarina was afraid the girls would tear them up.

There were many pictures of Alexei scattered throughout, of him in his swimming outfit, resting with his mother, and of him and the sailors that had kept an eye on him all his life. There were many of The Grand Duchesses too, and Olive thought Maria had been a particularly beautiful child, though she was still beautiful now. Alexei was holding on to his sisters in many photos, as if he were trying to protect them. Olive knew Miss Peregrine had a few pictures of her when she was young, though not many.

Olive hoped, one day she could be part of the family albums too.

Hey guys, I'm sorry I haven't updated. I've been busy as we'll call it. Anyways, I have a BIG surprise in store! Anyways the picture is Maria, Olga, Anastasia, Tatiana, and Alexei somewhere around 1910, they all look too young for it to be their 1914 pictures. Maria Was an exceptionally beautiful child in my opinion, and Tatiana was a beautiful one too. The children were all beautiful, it makes me sad to think about what had happened to them. I think the song The Sound Of Silence by Disturbed fits them, though I don't know why. I made my sister listen to it and she cried. Anwyas thanks for reading, I appreciate everyone who was voted on this story!!