The Tsar's Wife

Tatiana and The Flu

Olive woke up the next morning with a pounding in her head, making her hiss in a breath and put her hand to her forehead immediately. She didn't get headaches that often, much less one as bad as the one she was getting now. She tried to feel if her head was warm or hot in any way, pressing her hands against her temple and forehead a bit harder. However it was all in vain as a wave of chills washed over her, making her skin prickle with goosebumps as she pulled the covers around her, rubbing her arms up and down to try and warm herself.

She knew it was likely she had a cold, probably caused by her days of standing out on the freezing good balcony in December with only a coat to keep her warm in the frigid air. She should have been smart enough not to catch a cold, knowing not to go outside in the middle of winter underdressed. She let out a sigh of frustration,  wincing at the light streaming through the window that a few days ago had seemed soft and hazy,  and now seemed to pierce through her pounding head like a knife. The engagement ball was coming up soon, she would probably be well again by then, but she couldn't be sure of anything.

A knock sounded at the door, making Olive wince at the rap of wood that seemed sharp enough to make her head pulse even more, before Tatiana opened it briskly, her usual morning smile and bustle in tow. "Alright, lets get you dressed and your hair down, and we'll make our way to breakfast. " Tatiana said cheerfully opening the drawer to Olive's dresser. Once she saw Olive weakly struggle to get up, her smile dropped from sight, a look of concern passing over her face. "Are you well, Olive?  You seem rather weak." Tatiana stated,  pushing the dresser drawer shut, as she peered over at Olive. Olive nodded, though she knew everything about her demeanor was giving her away. She didn't want Tatiana to worry, and if she was sick she doubted Tatiana would let her try and heal herself and immediately intervene.

Olive nodded, trying to convince Tatiana she was alright. "I'm quite alright, I just have a bit of a headache is all." She said, trying once again to sit up when a throb of her head made her yelp and fall back onto the pillows. Tatiana rushed to Olive's bedside in a hurry, still managing to seem graceful as her face contorted in concern. "I believe you are certainly not alright! You can't even sit up!" Tatiana chided, reaching out to feel Olive's aching forehead as her training as a nurse kicked into gear. "Moy bozh'ya zhenchina! You are running a horrid fever! " Tatiana exclaimed, and Olive's brain seemed too tired to catch onto any of it as Tatiana pulled the blankets off her.

"Stay in bed. You aren't coming to breakfast today, I'll bring some up." Tatiana said, and the simple mention of food made her want to throw up. Tatiana wasn't going to let her out of bed all day, that much was perfectly clear. Tatiana pushed the covers back up on her, brushing her hair back from her neck, which Olive just realized was slick with sweat from the fever. "I'll be back in just a moment, don't move. " Tatiana said, giving her a stern look before she got up and briskly left the room and shut the door gently behind her. Olive shut her eyes tight, every light and sound seemed to bother her and make her uncharacteristically irritated and grumpy.

She remembered catching the Flu when she was nine, and Miss Peregrine had basically held her in a bubble, but that didn't stop the Flu passing from her to Emma, and from Emma to Fiona, and soon most of the household had caught it. Miss Peregrine had somehow miraculously nursed everyone without catching it herself, which still amazed Olive. She hadn't been sick since then, until now. Her body couldn't have picked a worse time to decide to become sick, she had a wedding to prepare for in less than two months! She gave another irritated huff, reaching up and rubbing her sweat glazed forehead.

Tatiana entered the room maybe twenty minutes later, though Olive couldn't be sure. Everything seemed blurry and distorted,  like a dream that you had but couldn't remember anything about besides a few shapes and colors. Tatiana had at least three bottles of medicine and a plate of food, sitting everything down abruptly onto the dresser as she picked up a bottle and a spoon before carrying it over to her. "I'm almost positive you have the flu." Tatiana said with a frown, pouring some gooey liquid from the bottle onto a spoon as she lifted it carefully to Olive's lips. "Here, take this for now. I'll give you the other medicine after you eat." She said, and Olive wrinkled her nose up at the mention of eating, which her stomach was strongly against.

She took the medicine, not even noticing its foul taste or feel as it ran down her throat slowly. Tatiana pulled the spoon back, sitting it on the table as she popped the medicine bottle shut. "I'm afraid you won't be able to be around Alexei. If he catches the Flu, it could be very life threatening. " Tatiana said, giving Olive a sad smile. Olive felt a bit disappointed she wouldn't be able to see him for however long this Flu lasted, but she certainly didn't want to endanger his life all because she wanted to see him. Olive remembered Anastasia telling her how Alexei once had a cold and his nose had started bleeding and lasted for days upon days. If that's what a simple cold did to him, she didn't want to find out what the Flu did.

"Aren't you afraid you will fall ill as well? " Olive croaked, nothing how small and dry her voice sounded. Tatiana gave a small smile, shaking her head and shrugging nonchalantly. "If I fall ill, I will recover." She stated plainly, getting off from where she was sitting on the side of her bed to walk to the dresser. She returned with the plate of food, and Olive felt like her stomach was going to destroy itself at the sight and smell. It was a plate of Blini, what they usually ate every morning and Olive had learned to love it, but now she absolutely despised it, she hadn't known she was capable of hating something until now. Olive shook her head as Tatiana sat down. "No. I don't want any. " She protested,  squeezing her mouth shut like a stubborn little child.

Tatiana gave her a signature governess look, stabbing a piece of it with a fork and holding it up. "You're eating it. You need to get some food in your stomach so I can give you more medicine." She said, and Olive knew she wouldn't be able ti dissuade Tatiana from her eating the food. Olive opened her mouth and let Tatiana feed her a piece of it, her face twisting up at the distorted taste. It took a but longer than it should have for her to chew it all up, and her throat burnt when she swallowed it. Tatiana gave a smile, preparing another bite Olive was already dreading to take. "There! That wasn't so hard now was it?" Tatiana said sweetly and encouragingly. Her pep talk didn't make Olive want to eat anymore of the dreaded food, but she took bites as Tatiana lifted the fork to her mouth.

Olive knew that she never wanted the flu again.

I know it's a bit random, but is wanted to write this chapter soo bad! Tatiana is my favorite Romanov girl, and I wanted a little scene with her in it as well as Olive. Now I know for some readers it may seem strange that Tatiana knew exactly what to do, but she did work as a red cross nurse along with Olga and Alexandra in 1916. The picture is of Tatiana in a Russian court dress around 1916, and she looks so beautiful in it!  Thanks for reading! !!