When Gabrielle awoke the following morning, her mind was so full of thoughts.
First, the events since they left Atlantis. Livadia, Alexei's memories, Switzerland, Munich, her father, Darmstadt's storyteller, the kiss.
She could still feel the touch of Alexei's lips on hers. She smiled and blushed. She had finally said it.
She got up from the bed, got dressed and headed towards the palace's dinning room. In her way, she saw maids looking at her weirdly. Of course, she was dressed in manly clothes, not in womanly dresses like any other. She mantained her head high, she didn't mind.
When she got to the dinning room, only the Grand Duke was there, already sitting.
"Guten Morgen, Your Grand Ducal Majesty" Gabri greeted, respectfully.
"Guten Morgen, Grand Princess" he replied "You've got up early"
"I know" She said "I was sure I overslept. I was obviously wrong"
The Grand Duke laughed and it contagied Gabri, who started laughing a bit.
"Доброе утро... Why are you laughing?" A boy's voice asked. Gabri turned and saw Alexei, who was rubbing his eyes to clear them.
"It's nothing, son" The Grand Duke smiled
Alexei sat down and smiled to her. Gabri returned it. It should seem eternal and wonderful, but Gabri was feeling a bit uncomfortable.
"Godmorgen!" Sophie shouted, entering the room. Gabri and Alexei looked to her, breaking their eye-contact. The Grand Duchess entered with her but turned when she arrived to the door.
"George! Louis! Komm zum Frühstuck!" she said
After the Grand Duchess, two teens entered the room. They were pretty similar to the Grand Duke, so Gabri supposed they were the Grand Princes of Hesse.
"I'm sure neither of you know them" The Grand Duke got up "These are my sons, George and Louis, the Grand Princes of Hesse" He looked to both boys "Kinder, these are Gabrielle, Grand Princess of Bavaria, Sophie, Princess of Denmark and your cousin Alexei, former Tsarevich of Russia"
The five looked to each other "Nice to meet you" They all said almost simultaneously.
"Okay, after introductions, it's time for breakfast" The Grand Duchess smiled
Everyone sat down. When they finished having breakfast, a guard irrupted in the room.
"Your Majesty!" The guard shouted
"What happens!?" The Grand Duke shouted, getting up.
"There are news from the front!" He shouted "High Saxony has fallen. Just Brandemburg stays"
"High Saxony?" Alexei mumbled.
"Saxony-Anhalt" Gabri said, looking at him. Then, she turned her gaze to the Grand Duke "So fast?"
"So it seems" The Grand Duke said "But the faster, the better"
"So, we probably don't have much time here" Alexei muttered
The Grand Duke looked at him, Gabri noticed. He was concerned about Alexei. Why wouldn't he be? He was probably the only family the blonde have now.
Alexei glared at her. Gabri caught him.
The Grand Duke and Duchess went out of the room, saying they had some duties to attend. The five youngsters looked at each other.
"So, you going to Berlin?" George asked
Alexei looked at her, asking with the gaze. Gabri mumbled "Yeah, why?"
"The treasure, na klar!" Louis shouted.
The three looked confused.
"There's a treasure?" Sophie asked, enthusiastic.
"Which treasure?" Alexei asked, showing curiosity.
"They say the Austro-Hungarians take all the treasures they find when they invade" George explained "So, after the war, they have got lots"
"And it's said..." Louis started, leaving with suspense "That for their leadership, their loyalty to the Empire during the war and the conflict, Brandemburg received some of those riches"
"And why Berlin?" Alexei asked. Suddenly, the three Germans turned to face him. George and Louis started laughing. Gabri tried to contain the laughter with her right hand. Alexei shot a deadly gaze at her and stared to the others in confusion.
"What did I say?" He asked.
"Well, you didn't say anything wrong" Gabri said, comforting him. "But you should check your geography knowledge. Berlin is the capital of the Duchy of Brandemburg"
Alexei looked at his hands. Now he was feeling pretty ashamed. And his cousins were still laughing at him. Gabri took the communication rune from her pocket.
"We heard High Saxony has been conquered. When Brandemburg?" she mumbled.
She didn't have to wait long for the answer.
"Leaving tomorrow for there. We'll be planning strategy today, you must come round"
By then, the Grand Princes had stopped laughing and they pulled Sophie along to play. Gabri put a hand on Alexei's shoulder and shook him. The blonde turned and mumbled "What?"
"We're leaving tomorrow"
"Really?" Alexei asked. Gabri nodded "So soon?"
"Well... I think they want to end this as soon as possible" Gabri said "We're in the first step. We must free the east too. That'll take us more time"
"Got it" Alexei answered, shortly.
"Are you mad?" She asked
"No, why would I be mad?" He asked as reply.
"Because I nearly laughed at you, maybe?" She said
"No and you, in fact, did" He replied
"Nope" She said "I tried not to" She put a hand over his shoulders "Their laughter was contagious"
"You tried but you did" He said
"See? You're mad" She said, getting up "It wasn't my intention"
"I know it wasn't. And I'm not mad, just... Ashamed" He rubbed his right arm.
"Don't be. Everyone makes mistakes. No one is perfect" She said and pecked his cheek "Let's say farewell, pick Sophie and go back"
"Yeah" He replied, silently and got up.
Доброе утро/Guten morgen/Godmorgen = Good morning (Russian/German/Danish)
Komm zum Frühstuck! = Come for breakfast! (German)
Kinder = Children (German)
Na klar = Of course (German)
YOU ARE READING
Believe in Revolution ©
Historical Fiction{Fictional History/Fantasy AU} What if World War I never happened and instead, it was just an European war, the Great War? What if the French Revolution had been the only triumphant revolution against the absolutist monachies? What if the Bolshevik...
