Alias- Forever And Always

59) Total Eclipse Of The Heart

Music for this chapter (on repeat): I Love You by Sarah McLachlan, Fix You by Coldplay.

FIFTY-NINE

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Moscow, Russia- One week later

"Your Majesty," Queen Kristin of Greece hugged Irina with tear filled eyes stepping into her office at the Kremlin seeing her for the first time since Irina had left Greece months ago. "We're so sorry to hear what happened with Nadia." She spoke quietly holding Irina's hands when she stepped back. "How is she doing if we may ask?"

"We're taking it a day at a time." Irina answered softly taking a seat in her large leather arm -chair while the three of them occupied the sofa. She was more then surprised to see the young Prince Nikolas with them though his eyes held nothing but concern. "Her external injuries are slow healing and we've not really begun to deal with the ones internally yet." She was quiet a moment thinking about how the emotional ones always took the longest, "She's just not ready…its going to be a while. She's still making everyone else laugh and smile though." She smiled softly that this was a good sign and Nadia was doing a little better being at home.

"Will she return to school any time soon?" She asked knowing the young woman was attending University in St. Petersburg.

"Not for awhile." Irina shook her head softly, "She wants to go back…just not until her bruising goes away and her stitches are removed. She doesn't want people to be staring at her any more then they already will be." She added softly. "And right now she's still too sore and stiff to be sitting and moving around campus for those long hours in a day. I think we'll have to ease her back into it." She smiled softly, "Her friends have been coming over when their classes are finished making her laugh, which is good…and her niece, my youngest granddaughter, Lara, who's nine…has been keeping her very busy…when I left this morning, they were making beaded necklaces." She laughed softly and they smiled and did as well with the image that presented.

"May I please have a moment alone with Her Majesty?" Nikolas turned to his parents asking softly and they both were expecting this.

Irina's eyebrows rose slightly sitting back and leaning on one arm of the chair, with a bemused smile.

"If its okay with you, Your Majesty…I promise not to take up too much of your time as I know you're on a tight schedule and are supposed to be meeting with my parents." Nikolas asked turning his gaze back to Irina.

"Of course." Irina answered softly with a smile and his parents nodded with nervous smiles of their own and got up to leave.

When the door was closed behind them Irina sat completely silent staring at him intently with head cocked slightly only making him more nervous and he repeatedly swallowed hard.

"I don't really know what to say here so I'm just going to ask for your permission to go to St. Petersburg to see Nadia, the Grand Duchess Nadia, Your Majesty," He quickly amended himself having gotten so used to just calling her Nadia during their time together he momentarily forgot whom he was speaking to in this very formal setting and addressing the Tsar.

"During your stay in Greece, something happened with your daughter that I've never had the chance to speak with her about…you probably think I'm crazy now having no idea what I'm talking about and I'm rambling now." He shook his head and Irina tried not to laugh seeing how nervous he was but managed to keep her Game Face on.