Anastasia: Russia's First Czarina

Chapter One

My name is Anastasia, I am the last daughter of Nicolas II and Alexandra of Hesse. I was born on the 18th, June, 1901, I have three sisters, Olga, Tatiana, Maria and my little brother Alexei. When Alexei was born, he was diagnosed with Haemophilia, it's a illness where blood doesn't clot properly which can lead to eternal bleeding if Alexei falls over or bumps himself. We all feared he would die, then Grigori Rasputin came in. Grigori was seen as a holy man and was pledged to god, the first time my father called for him when Alexei was little, Grigori was able to silence him using his bare hands, stopping Alexei's painful crying . My mother ended up leaving the room, she went and sat on a chair in a different room putting her head in her hands, I watched her as Rasputin entered. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him with somewhat love in her eyes, he then started talking to her I couldn't make out what they were saying. I didn't really understand, she's married to father, before I could see any more father came into the room gently pulling me out. Rasputin stayed for years, since he was the only man who could stop Alexei's bleeding, mother making sure he stays. I remember once one of the priests asked to see Rasputin and I happened to be walking past at the time, the door had suddenly opened wide, Rasputin rushed out and turned right with a scowl on his face not noticing me. Many days later everyone in the palace was gossiping, I shake it off and keep walking but suddenly I stop and look down at my feet, I see a piece of paper, I pick it up and what I saw shocked my whole body, the article was titled Czarina sends letters to Rasputin, what made it worse is that the peasants of ST. Petersburg have created art for my mother and Rasputin, it was revolting it's as if they were dating. Days pass and more of the protesters that are at the gate of the palace the more scared I become, Pierre Gilliard, our tutor, keeps telling mother we must leave but she always refuses. When father came home everything was different, mother told us he gave up his position as Tsar and that Alexei wouldn't become Tsar, the guards have moved to the protesters side leaving no one to protect us. Then one day everything changed mother, father and Maria leave in one of those war trucks, after a couple of days the same truck comes back and men with M1918 BAR rifles jump out.

"Anastasia" I turn around and see my sister, Tatiana at the door, I look back out the window while Tatiana sighs and comes over to me, "I'm scared too, scratch that I'm petrified" she says "what if it's a trap" I say, Tatiana turns me around so I'm looking into her eyes, "then we must prepare ourselves" she then takes my right hand and we walk out the door.

As we exit the main doors that lead to the courtyard, we see one of the men gripping onto Alexei while shouting at him as Olga is trying to get the man off, " WHERE ARE THEY" he screams "were right here" Tatiana says standing next to Olga and Alexei, along with me, he gives us a cheeky grin "the name is Boris" then his expression turns into a scowl "get in the truck" the other men point their rifles at us. Olga and Tatiana help Alexei get up then they hold out a hand for me which I take, I turn around and look a Pierre Gilliard, he begins to walk forward until Boris stops him. "I am their tutor so I will go with them" Pierre says kindly "try me" Boris threatens, Gilliard then dashed between them and grips my hand, I smile at him but the men start pulling him back and the grip of our hands loosen "NOOOOO" I scream "Anastasia" he calls reaching his hand out as I do mine, Boris puts a rifle at the forehead making Gilliard back off. I start sobbing unable to control myself, the truck starts to drive and we move further and further away, I start calling for our beloved tutor with tears swelling in my blue eyes. Tatiana crawls over and takes me in her arms, I cry on her shoulder, I also feel Alexei's arms wrap around my mid- back then Olga wraps her arms around my shoulder and Tatiana's neck then she puts her head on mine and we all huddle together knowing we won't see our beloved tutor ever again.
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I hear banging on the back of the truck, "Tatiana" I say with a bit of worry in my voice, she stirs a little bit but when the banging went crack, she was wide awake like a night owl, "Olga, Alexei wake up" Olga stood up and was helping Tatiana release the tarp on the inside of the truck so the could drop the wooden hatch. "Alexei get up" Tatiana says a bit impatient, "but I don't want to" Alexei complains, flopping onto his back on the wooden floor "Alexei careful" Olga says, he groans "if you bump yourself you will bleed and there will be no one to stop it" Tatiana says as Alexei shuts his mouth. I hear the wooden hatch drop and I get up and help Alexei down along with my sisters, "sorry for the delay" Tatiana says holding her head up high taking to Boris. He looks at her evilly and reaches out his hand to touch her, "we had trouble lifting the tarp" Olga bits in, Boris backs off and more guards come over, I grip onto Alexei's arm so does Tatiana but to the other one while Olga walks infront of us. A guard knocks the hard part of his rifle on Alexei's back on purpose almost making him fall, luckily Tatiana caught him "knock it off" I snap ooh this one is feisty, I hear Them say, "ignore them Anastasia they're trying to irritate you" Olga says appearing behind me and guiding me up to what looks like a mansion.