The Tsar's Wife

The Balcony

 Olive stood alone on the balcony, looking out over the snowy gardens that once sprung with Green grass and wildflowers, now covered in a thicket of ice and snow. The fountains had been shut off too, since if they were running they would only freeze up and possibly cause the pipes to burst open. Olive had her coat on, and she desperately wrapped it around her cold body that was ghosted over with goose bumps. It hadn't been this cold a few days ago when it had first started snowing, but the chill was now starting to settle in and take its effect on the weather. Olive couldn't complain however, she loved feeling the frigid breeze after a long hot summer in St. Petersburg.

She had her locket on underneath her coat, and she had marveled at how well it fit, resting on her chest so softly she wouldn't know it was there if she didn't reach up and touch it every few minutes. It was an early wedding present from Alexei, so Olive had to think of what she should get him as well, though he didn't seem to want anything in particular. She'd ask the next time she saw him, which would likely be after or before supper, when he always went out to the gardens or balcony to have some time alone. Olive didn't usually disturb him, she always let Alexei ask her himself if she wanted to walk with him. They may be engaged and very much in love, but everyone needed some time alone at some point. Olive usually escaped to her bedroom when she needed room to breathe, no one ever came to her room that often, and it was a bit of a surprise when they did.

A pair of familiar arms wrapped around her, and Olive tensed up a bit before relaxing into the embrace she knew and loved. "Will you stop sneaking up on me, Alexei?!" Olive scolded, making the man behind her chuckle and she could imagine him thinking he had startled her once again. "Shouldn't you expect it by now?" He teased, stepping away from her and giving her some room so she could turn around and face him. She hadn't heard the balcony door open, or the balcony doors shut either, not that she had been listening to them. She had been quite distracted, her mind must have shut out all noises in the background. Alexei must have passed by the doors and saw her on the balcony, or maybe one of his sisters had told him she was outside.

"Well I'm able to decipher your touch from anyone else's now, so you can't sneak up on me as easily, your Highness." She shot back, giving him a playful smile. She turned put her hands on his forearms, his arms still wrapped around her waist gently, but firmly. Alexei gave a smile, one corner of his mouth lifting up,a smile she had seen so many times from all the Romanov children as well as Nicholas. "What are you doing out here all alone, love?" He asked, gesturing to the balcony around them. Olive wanted to laugh at his tone: he made it sound like she was a child that was playing alone when there were many other children. "Just getting some fresh air. " she said breezily, trying to sound casual. She didn't want to say she had some out here to escape from everyone. The palace walls were beautiful, but sometimes she felt as if she were being choked by them.

  Alexei shivered, and Olive realized he didn't have a coat on, just his usual soldier uniform. The sleeves were long and thick, but no match for the cold winter air weaving its way through the fibers. "More like frigid air than fresh! How are you not catching frost bite in this weather?" He asked, shivering again. Olive smiled, rubbing her hands up and down his arm to give him some warmth. "I have my coat on. You're just in your uniform." She pointed out frankly, taking a piece of the fabric and pinching it between her forefinger and thumb. Alexei raised his eyebrows, nodding and titling his head to the side as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "That's true, I guess I'm not as smart as I think myself to be." He said, pointing to his temple with a joking smile.

Olive laughed, wishing she could cover her mouth to contain it before it came out. She hated her laugh, she thought it sounded like a hyperventilating mouse. Alexei however had told her loved her laugh, and that she shouldn't want to hide it. "You are smart. You just aren't very observant." She corrected him with a joking tone in her voice, a happy smile on her face. Alexei nodded, agreeing with her. "Well I should have had the common sense to bring a jacket out instead of just waltzing out here." He said, his eyebrows furrowed as he took a glance at his uniform. He sounded like he was mentally scolding himself, like a  internal Tatiana.