The Last Romanov (Under Editing)

Den of Lions

Dinner that night was an... awkward affair, to say the least.

Frankly, though, Virtanen didn't know how a dinner with Anastasia at that point could possibly not be awkward. Especially since he and her grandmother had... rekindled their old relationship. At that point, though, he wasn't praying that things between them would stop being so awful: he just prayed that she wouldn't find out about the scandal brewing under her roof. And that she wouldn't end up killing him for it.

And that Maria would stop giving him that look while they were in her presence.

Anastasia, horribly enough, wasn't so blind as to not see it. Then again, he was pretty sure that a man who'd been blind all his life could've seen it from a mile away.

"I've... heard that the two of you have really... reconnected," Anastasia said as she pushed around her caviar on her food. Translation: why the hell are the two of you so friendly?

"Yes, we have," Maria said. She managed to keep a straight face, thank goodness. "It's been so great, to see him again. I've almost forgotten about how enjoyable of a person he can be."

What was on his foot? He guessed that he didn't really have to ask that question, though: it was pretty obvious that it was Maria's foot.

His face turned bright red as he moved his foot away. Damn it, Maria! He'd never thought that a woman of her age could act so much like a lovesick teenage girl.

Anastasia frowned. "Are you alright, Virtanen? You're looking a little red in the face."

Virtanen tried to smile. "O-of course: I'm just fine."

He felt a hand on his lap and jumped about a foot in the air because of it, his knee hitting the table and causing a loud clang among the dishes.

Anastasia raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.

"I've... been having a rough time with an old war injury," Virtanen apologized. "I normally take medication for it, but I didn't bring nearly enough. They'll be here by the end of the week, and the twitching should be done, but then."

"That's quite the twitch," Anastasia said dryly.

Virtanen began to rub the back of his neck, wishing that it wouldn't burn so much. "I know: it's rather embarrassing."

They continued to eat.

Maria wasn't being odd, anymore, but... well, she was still being odd. She was still giving him that look. That coy smile that suggested that she knew something that nobody else did.

He nearly kicked her in the shin to try and get her to stop, until he realized how childish it was. And the fact that he might seriously hurt the Dowager Empress, with how frail she was.

Anastasia put her fork down with a sigh, having hardly even touched her food. "I can't take this anymore."

Maria frowned. "Anastasia..."

"There's something going on between you two," Anastasia said. "What is it?"

"Why do you insist that something's going on?" Maria asked. "Is it so odd for a woman of my age to have a friend that she's rather close to?"

"You've only been reunited for a day, if that," Anastasia said bluntly. "Most people don't reconnect that fast, Grandmere."

"Older people do, darling," Maria said. "You tend to get rather sentimental about people when they start dying left and right."

Virtanen began to scratch the back of his head. He wasn't that old, was he? He was only... He was only...

He ate a few bites of caviar before he could think about his age any longer. He knew that he wasn't as old as Maria, but... well, he wasn't exactly a spring chicken, any more.

They were quiet for a few seconds.

"How do you know Virtanen, exactly?" Anastasia asked, breaking the awkward silence. "The two of you don't exactly seem like you would run in the same circles."

"Well, we used to see each other at functions in Stockholm," Maria said. "He's much younger than I am, of course, but I was always rather charmed by Simo Virtanen. He just... had a certain look about him. Like he was always up to no good. I'd always found that rather endearing."

She smiled at him, and he just about choked on his piece of toast.

"... and then you found Grandpa?" Anastasia prompted.

"Of course: then I found my dear Alexander," Maria said. "And we were very, very happy."

Once again, she put a hand on his leg. He did his best to keep from jumping, again. "But, Virtanen has always held a special place in my heart."

He couldn't take this, anymore.

"Your grace, I hope you don't mind me asking, but may I steal your grandmother for a few moments?" Virtanen asked.

Anastasia frowned, confused. "Steal my grandmother for a few moments?"

"We just need to have a quick conversation," he said quickly. "I'm sorry, I just-"

"Go on, then," Anastasia said. "Do... whatever it is the two of you want to do in the hallway by yourselves."

Virtanen shuddered. "I... no. It won't be anything like that, I promise. This will be completely civil-"

"I don't care: please just go."

Virtanen hated the suggestion, but he didn't question it: he just walked out of the dining room, with Maria right behind him.

"What are you doing?" Virtanen demanded once they were out of the room and out of earshot.

Maria frowned. "What do you mean?"

What do you mean?!

"We're in the middle of having dinner with your granddaughter – the person you and I are trying to get to abdicate the throne – and you keep putting your hands and your feet on me," Virtanen said. "And let's not mention the glances! Do you really think she doesn't notice?"

Maria raised an eyebrow, all the weird, teenage-like angst gone. She was back to the woman she knew.

"I do think she notices, actually," she said. "That's why I'm doing it."

Virtanen blinked a few times. "W-what?"

"I needed a reason for the two of us spending so much time with one another," Maria said. "I'm not going to tell Anastasia any of this, of course, but she's smart enough to be able to connect the dots and make logical assumptions. Hopefully, she'll be too disgusted by the thought of her grandmother being a fellow human being with human desires to consider the other possibilities."

It was... smart, he guessed. But that didn't mean it didn't gross him out just a tad, still.

"Alright, alright: I'll... try to play along," Virtanen said. "But can we please just... tone it down a bit? Your granddaughter isn't the only one you're making a bit uncomfortable."

Maria didn't seem sad, glad, offended, or... much of anything, really. But, that was fairly normal.

"Right, right," Maria said. "I understand: I wouldn't want you to be uncomfortable while we try and overthrow my granddaughter."

Virtanen sighed. God, he couldn't wait until he got back to Finland and left all of this craziness behind him.

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Hello, one and all, and happy Wednesday! Congratulations on making it halfway through the week.

I've got one super cool piece of housekeeping for all of you. This week, "The Last Romanov" hit the very top of the list for the Romanov tag! This is actually the first time any of my books has been at the top of any sort of list, so I'm kind of excited about it. In celebration, I'll be posting an extra chapter today, where I'll also do the weekly dedication for this story. Thank you so much for all of your support, guys: I couldn't have done it without you guys.

So, don't go far: there's another chapter coming your way in a few hours.