A Single Moment

Chapter 7 ~ Come Sweet Death

As the time had moved on, the care that the Tsarina was given, changed, from treatment to palliative/hospice care. The family had known for a while that it was coming and soon it was announced to the world. With such hindsight, the events of the past began to make sense, and the pro-monarchy feeling began to rise once more among the Russo Sovereign Realms.

Tatiana heeded her parent's advice and took a semester break from her school were she boarded with Lady Alice. She had made a lot more notice of the events that surrounded her time at home than others gave her credit. In fact, the princess had been requested to join all of the Tsarina's official duties. So, as usual, Tatiana waited outside her grandmother's chambers while the Empress had her weekly appointment with Dr Jones.

The Tsarina had agreed to be part of a new study that the young doctor decided to conduct on her particular cancer, saying that she wanted to make some positive impact from her illness.

As the door opened and she walked out, the Princess stood as Maria popped her head around the corner. "Are you ready to go?" She asked as she looked into her granddaughter's dark blue eyes.

"Yes, already."

"Good."

After an afternoon of following her grandmother around Tatiana was tired as she sat in front of her grandmother desk. "If there's anything you wanted to ask me, just fire away," Maria said as she opened the royal box.

"How do you get through all of that?" Tatiana asked as her eyes grew wide.

"Well, I usually take it all out and quickly turn it all over," Maria replied quickly demonstrating with one simple motion. "Although it does help to learn to speed read."

As her grandmother answered her question, Prince Alexei entered the room, and the Princess left to practice some of the knowledge she had just gained. However, history would be made in that room without her.

Sitting down, Alexei didn't know what his mother had called him to do but seeing the royal box on the desk. "Mother, you asked for me." He said as he sat.

"You have seen me do this your whole life, now is the time you learn to do it," Maria said as she handed her son a small pile of royal papers. "I was completely unprepared and unequipped for this role. I will not let you have the same fate."

~~~

In England, Princess Ingrid was planning a special snowboarding trip for James' birthday, being a fifteen-year-old he wanted to go to Switzerland and learn to snowboard. The Princess wasn't terribly keen on the idea. However, Tatiana had promised to go along and make sure that all went well with him and his school friends. Yet that was months away, and most of the British Royal Family were on holiday at Balmoral and Birkhall.

That year Prince James, planned to go on a hike. Knocking on the Duchess of Windsor's study door he quietly opened it to find her working. "Sorry to interrupt but we have a proposition to make," James said as he stood at the door.

"Well, first don't just stand at the door, come in," Amelia replied, ushering them from coming in and sit down. "Now, what could I possibly do to help?"

"I want to smash out some of my pathfinder honours while I am here; two of which is my hiking and kayaking honours." He said nervously. "I was hoping you could sign them off for me."

As the Pathfinder District Director for the Trans-European Division, Amelia knew what the young Prince was asking. "I'm not exactly qualified in those areas. However, I can sign them off if you can persuade the ghillie to go with you." She replied with a smile.