Anastasia Novelization

In the Dark of the Night

The train whistle blows as I look behind me checking once again to see if anyone is in pursuit. Dimitry squeezes my arm. "Face forward and look confident. They won't question it."

Vlad confirms this to my right as we reach our platform. "This is a special train. Aristocrats, intellectuals, the ballet... Which we will members of." I'm handed a ticket with my fake id now.

"Vlad are you sure we have the right papers?" The question is important but my focus is on my own ticket. Anna Anderson, this woman exists somewhere. I silently thank her for letting me borrow her identity for a few days. When I look up from my ticket I'm face to face with a well dressed man. When I catch his eye he drops to a knee and grabs my hand. Dimitri is immediately at my side, but the man means me no harm.

"God bless you." He says as he kisses my hand and holds it to his cheek before quickly standing and departing us without any explanation. I'm stuck standing there in shock. Dimitri rests his hand on my shoulder and then Vlad speaks.

"I recognize that man." I hold my hands against my stomach, I think, that maybe, I do too. "Its the Count Ippolitov." The name resonated. "He's not just an aristocrat, he's an intellectual as well... he's a dead man on both counts." The train whistle blows it's final warning as we watch the man board.

For some reason I can't quite bring myself to fly aboard without saying a proper goodbye. I'm frozen terrified to leave. Suddenly Paris is the terrifying prospect and Russia holds the comfort. I start to breathe heavily fearing my sadness towards the place that had given me nothing but pain. I turn to Dimitry whom has been left by Vlad. "We should go Anya."

"How do I say goodbye?" I hadn't felt the tears until now, but they were real. I look around at all the people and look up at the tips of the buildings just visible through the glass roof. "How can I desert her?" I turn to him and see that he has just a bit of moisture in his eyes as well.

"This might have been our home years ago... Anya, this home is lost. It has been ever since they murdered those children in Yekaterinburg." I hadn't ever heard him speak so candidly. I stop my tears at once remembering everything I'd been through. It was true, I had no one here. The only two people I truly have are Dimitry and Vlad. And Paris. That sweet whisper stronger than ever in the back of my head. The whistle blows again and Dimitry holds out a hand, "We need to go." I pick up my bag in one hand and grab his with my other, thankful for the strength. Bless you Russia. I'll bless you forever.

Dimitry drags me in tow to the bench Vlad had procured for us. Everyone on board that we passed seemed to be a little distraught at the idea of leaving but we all know why we chose to be here, survival. Either way the silence around the car as we pull out of the station is unnerving. I lay my head against the window and try to imagine what my life in Russia had looked like before the war. As we reach a tunnel I look away from the windows, afraid of the darkness. It's now that I realize I'm still clutching Dimitry's hand. Embarrassed I take it away. "I'm sorry." I fold my hands in my lap, trying not to focus on the surrounding darkness as we get further through the tunnel. 

Noticing the tension Vlad tries to start some light conversation. "Now Anya, when you reach Paris, your first hurdle is going to be getting past my Lilly. Nobody gets to the Granduchess without going through her." Dimitry and I lean in and over.

"Your Lilly?" We say together.

"Mine at a time." He says with a smile. "Lilly was beautiful, voluptuous... married. Everything I look for in a woman." I hit his arm teasingly.

"Did you love her?" I ask finally finding my smile.

He tilts his head, "Madly darling."

"That's so sweet."