The Tsar's Wife

The Hospital Visit

    Alexei was sitting in his hospital bed, trying to ignore the slightly throbbing pain of his injured arm. It hurt like hell at first, but when Alexei had heard that his family was coming to stay with him in the hospital, the pain seemed to die down a bit. His arm didn't pain him as much as it did whenever the metal shard has first grazed him, though that had put him in a lot of pain. For a normal person with normal blood, the cut might have stung a bit, but for Alexei's hemophiliac blood, his arm had swelled up and bled for what seemed like hours upon end. His arm ended up bleeding for three days straight no matter how much pressure a nurse or doctor tried to put down on it. The swelling was gone at the moment, but then it had swelled so painfully, Alexei had wished for a few moments that those German's would have killed him instead of put him through this horrid pain. 

He felt much better now, and he could gently move his arm now, though he couldn't strain it very much. He tried to patiently await his family's arrival, though he knew he was no where near patient. They should be at the hospital sometime in the afternoon, and it was around twelve now. Nicholas was in the room beside Alexei, and Alexei had been able to visit him since his father couldn't walk over to his. The night the Germans attacked them, Alexei had never been more afraid in his entire life. He knew that if one of the Germans were able to shoot him, he would likely not survive it. When Nicholas was shot, Alexei didn't see where his father was hit and couldn't help the shout that escaped it's way past his lips. The shout as it turned out is what saved Alexei and his father's lives, alerting the guards a few yards outside their tents of the chaos going on inside the tent.

When Alexei felt the metal slash into his skin, he knew the swelling would follow almost immediately. The pain was almost unbearable and he had fallen to the ground, gripping his arm in the process. However, somehow in the throes of his pain, he saw Olive's face through it all. It was strange, he was in pain so bad he wanted his life to end but through it, all he could think about was Olive, the fiery redhead who had stolen his heart over a year before at his 18th birthday ball. He thought for the second time in his life, he was going to die and still through all the pain, all he could think about was her. It was a strange thing one could think wasn't it?

Alexei's thoughts were interrupted by the door opening, revealing his sisters, - minus Olga - and Olive. Everyone stood at the doorway, not a single one moving. Alexei blushed under their unbreakable stares, though he should have known everyone would be attached to him like glue. He couldn't mind though, he had missed his family more than imaginable. His mother as he suspected was visiting his father just around the corner in the next room, she was probably desperate to see Nicholas just as much as she was Alexei. Maria had welling tears in her eyes, making Alexei's flush disappear immediately and be replaced with an ache inside his chest. Maria suddenly ran over to Alexei, carelessly jumping onto the hospital bed and wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders as if he were a lifeline, and Alexei held her back just as tight, thanking God that Maria hadn't grabbed ahold of his injured arm.

"Oh, My dear brother! You're alright! We hadn't heard anything about you and we didn't know what had happened to you! But thank God you're alright! Those German boys are terrible men!" Maria rambled almost incoherently, making Alexei have to listen hard to grasp what she was saying. "Yes, Maria. I'm alright." Alexei said soothingly, smoothing Maria's long hair down as a way to calm her. Tatiana and Olive were both dwindling by the doorway, unsure if they should go over to him it seemed. Maria pulled her face out of Alexei's shoulder, looking over to her sister and Olive. "Come over here, give him a hug! We almost lost him for Christ's sake!" Maria said, an unusual tone cutting into her voice. Any other time, Tatiana would have scolded Maria for using the Lord's name in vain, but she seemed to happy to see Alexei to care at the moment.

Tatiana walked over to Alexei, Olive following her slowly. Tatiana didn't get on the bed, but leaned over the railing and hugged him tightly, though not as tight as Maria. Olive stood behind Tatiana, rubbing the side of her arm as if she were uncomfortable. Alexei looked over at her, seeing the face that had been stuck on the back of his mind for days upon end, but now he was seeing it in person right in front of him. He stared just a second too long and had to blink himself into reality. How was that when you looked into your loved one's eyes the world seemed to fade away behind you was unknown to him. "Olive." He said, and it came out as a demand but he meant it as a greeting. Olive looked up, swallowing. She seemed to have questions in her eyes, though Alexei wasn't sure why.

Tatiana silently moved out of the way, letting Olive slip into her place. Neither one spoke or moved, they simply stared at the other. Alexei wanted to jump out of his hospital bed and hold her tight, but he knew he couldn't, it would be ridiculous. Almost at the same exact time, the two rushed forwards, their arms wrapping around each other tightly. And while Alexei was holding her, he felt his life slip into place.

************** 
After a while, Tatiana and Maria left Alexei alone and went to visit Nicholas. Olive was grateful for their discreet way of letting Alexei and Olive have their time alone, which they didn't get that often anymore. She was sitting on the bed beside Alexei, her legs folded up beside her neatly with her hand in Alexei's. "I'm so glad I got to see you again." Alexei said, looking down at their intertwined fingers. Olive furrowed her brows, shaking her head. "Of course you got to see me again. Don't be silly Alexei." Olive said, stroking his hand with her thumb. He was acting so sentimental, it was actually scaring Olive.

Alexei shook his head, sighing deeply. "Olive... I thought I was going to die. I thought that our goodbyes at the train station was our last." Alexei said, looking into her eyes with sadness. Olive felt a ping of pain in her chest to see him like this, though she had thought the same thing. "I thought it was too for a moment. I thought I would lose you, but I didn't." Olive said, trying to make him feel better. Alexei leaned up in the bed, suddenly wrapping his arms around her so tightly she thought she would lose her breath. "I love you Olive." He said frankly, pulling back to give her air.

He was acting strangely, and it made olive uneasy. Was something wrong? "I love you too Alexei, more than anything. Is something wrong?" Olive said, stroking his hand softly. Alexei shook his head looking out the windows at the snow falling outside. "No. I just... Don't want to lose you." He said softly, making Olive feel appalled. Lose her? What was he talking about?! "You won't lose me Alexei, I promise." Olive said, and added in her head never again. They had lost each other once already, neither wanted it ever again.

"I know. I was thinking and..." Alexei said trailing off. Olive had to prompt him to continue, she had no clue why he was acting so backwards towards her. "I... Want to marry you. Soon." He said, looking back over to her. Olive felt her face flush and her jaw drop a bit, and she tried her best to conceal it. He wanted to marry her? She knew they would marry one day, but he wanted it now? "Alexei... Are you serious?" She asked, shocked. All her thoughts of wanting to wait to get married seemed to be flying out the window, and she suddenly wanted the same thing. Alexei nodded, taking both her hands in his. "Yes, I am very serious." Alexei stated, and the question he asked next would change their lives forever.

"Olive, will you marry me?"

There it is!!! Cliffhanger!!!! Haha. Sorry for the long chapter, I tried lol. Anyways, the video above is a real life version of Anastasia, and I love it though I HATE the movie. If you look closely, at the end you see Nicholas signing the declaration of war and e ten executioners entering the Ipatiev house basement. Very emotional for me!!! Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the chapter guys!!! Thanks for reading!!!