The Tsar's Wife

Swimming

Two days later, Olive, the Grand Duchesses, Nicholas,and Alexei all went to a nearby secluded lake to go swimming. Maria had suggested it, and Anastasia had encouraged it greatly while Tatiana reluctantly agreed with Olive and Alexei. The Imperial Royal family had went swimming a lot whenever the girls had been younger, and both Alexei and Anastasia were like fish out of water when it came to swimming. Alexei even snuck off to the lake to swim in Alexandra Park with Nicholas though the girls never accompanied them, which Olive thought was a bit strange since they liked to swim just as much. Olive remembered going out with Emma to the bay into he blazing heat of Cairnholm, so she enjoyed swimming in her youth too.

The all walked down the path to Alexander Park, the Romanovs private park close to the palace. Nicholas was walking beside Alexei while Olive fell behind with Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia. Olive leaned closer to Tatiana, draping her towel around her shoulders unceremoniously. "How long has it been since you all have went swimming? " She asked and Tatiana furrowed her brows as she thought, twisting her mouth. "About... a year or two? It's been quite a while." Tatiana admitted, nodding to the park that was slowly coming into view.
Alexei turned his head to Olive, making her blush a bit. She had no clue why she was blushing like a foolish schoolgirl, all he did was simply look at her.

"Do you think your family would like to visit the park, Love?" Alexei asked smiling a bit. Olive couldn't help smile at his endearment,  though her cheeks grew hot with embarrassment for him calling her 'love' in front of the entire family. Olive nodded, taking in the grand park as it came into view. "Why yes, they would love it. Hugh and Milliard would practically hyperventilate in all this space." Olive lamented, noting the vast space and lakes. They passed through the gates, Nicholas and Alexei falling back so they didn't have to turn while walking to speak to her anymore. "You should invite them sometime, I don't mind it." Nicholas said, lightning a cigarette and Olive giggled at Alexei's face twisting at the smell of the gray smoke.

"Thank you, I'm sure they'd love it." Olive said, smiling at them both. Alexei furrowed his eyebrows as if he were thinking about something, his blue eyes sparkling in the sun, though the air was a bit chilly. It was January and they had not experienced any snow yet, which was very unusual since Russia was usually covered in a mass blanket of snow yet it was sunny out, but the air would occasionally nip with frost. "You haven't told them about our engagement yet have you?" Alexei said, the mention of their engagement bringing a small smile to his face. Olive couldn't help smiling along with him, though she did feel a bit guilty. "No! I haven't, yet. I am horrified to say I had forgotten to tell them." Olive said, wishing she could bash her head against something for forgetting to announce such a thing.

There was the slightest chance they may know, maybe Horace's prophetic dreams had told them all about it, but if that were the case Emma or Fiona would have called immediately and loaded her with questions, or maybe they already knew and thought Alexei might not had proposed yet and were waiting for her to tell them. Alexei gave her a look of sympathy as he took her hand, making Anastasia snicker behind her and Olive blush. "Well, I'm sure you'll tell them soon, don't worry." He said, seeing her guilty look for not telling them plastered onto her face.

They neared the lake, and Anastasia and Maria almost immediately plunged themselves into the surprisingly clear-ish water, splashing water all over them all. Olive was standing back a bit with Tatiana so she didn't get touched by the water that much, just a few splashes, but Alexei and Nicholas weren't as lucky.  They had been standing at the edge of the lake, and we're both almost completely drenched, but took it in good stride of course. Alexei laughed, peeling off his heavy green khaki formal jacket and his boots, leaving him in a plain white undershirt that went up to his elbows,  and jumped in after his little sisters. Nicholas followed his son's lead, attacking his daughters with splashes of water as they giggle hysterically.

Tatiana was angry from the girls splashing them with water,  and crossed her arms. "Those swine girls! They need to be more careful with their splashing!" Tatiana said, her face red with indignation. Olive couldn't help but giggle at Tatiana' s anger, though she knew it was a bit mean and impolite of her. Tatiana thankfully didn't notice her giggle, or at least didn't seem to. Olive was sitting with Tatiana close to the waters edge on a small rock that could seat the both so they didn't have tkin sit in the slushy sand, with up to their a little above their ankles in the water. Tatiana wouldn't dare jump in with her sisters, though she had done so a lot when she had been younger.

  Olive smiled as she watched Alexei splash around with his sisters, Maria giggling loudly while Anastasia raced Nicholas to the other side of the lake. Olive noticed that Alexei was exceptionally good at swimming, given he had been swimming since he was two years old. She remembered seeing a photograph in the little pair's room of Alexei with Maria and Nicholas swimming in a lake, and Alexei looked to be barely two in the picture. Alexei looked over to Olive, smirking when he caught her staring at him, making her flush beet red. He swam over to them, wading onto the land and dripping wet.  "You aren't coming in?" He teased, propping himself up on the edge of the rock, leaving small puddles all over their once completely dry rock.

Olive shook her head, smiling at him. "No, I like it up here." She said, gesturing
to the rock. Her feet were still in the water, and she slowly pulled them out onto the rock. Alexei laughed,  rolling his eyes. "Well there is no fun in sitting here is it?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in amusement as Alexandra usually did. Tatiana had left the rock to speak to Nicholas, who was now sitting on the land while Anastasia and Maria continued to play in the water. "Maybe not, but it wouldn't be quite proper for me to be wimming in a dress in public though wouldn't it?" She asked playfully as Alexei took Tatiana's place beside her, still dripping with water.

"No, I suppose it wouldn't. "He said, his eyebrows raised. He turned to look at her, his smirk replaced by a real smile that shone in his his eyes. "May I mention that you look undeniably handsome?" She said, blushing. She was half shocked at herself for something like that, but it had just slipped out without her thinking twice of it. Olive saw Alexei flush as well, but he smiled and put his arms around her, making her shriek loudly. "Alexei! You're freezing!" She said, noting how he had been drenched and the chilly air had made the water on him turn almost frigid.

"You're warm!" He retorted, holding her tighter as he buried his head in her hair as he had done what seemed like a hundred times before. Olive couldn't help but laugh, even though her dress was partially soaked now. Alexei finally let her go, his blue eyes shining. He shook his head while he smiled, his hand on her cheek. "I love you so much, Olive." He said softly, smiling warmly at her. Olive smiled too, not caring who all was watching them at the moment. "I love you too, Alexei." She said sweetly, ands he knew no matters what, she would always mean that.

Loong chapter guys, I know. I realized halfway through this chapter that it was mid December and they were all going swimming so I was just like, "Well, I'm gonna mess with mother nature here." The picture at the top is of Nicholas and the Grand Duchesses, in order of age. Olga, Tatiana,Maria and Anastasia. If Alexei were there he would be at the very end instead of Anastasia since he is the youngest lol. I need the wedding to happen around February or March, which is two months in book time. I still need to do a chapter of the engagement pictures and the planning and royal balls and a lot that fun stuff to try to historically accurate stuff I need to attempt to write. (Ugh) the wedding is going to be such a pain. Thanks for reading! ! I appreciate it so much!!!