The Romanov Diary

Chapter twenty five

26th June 26, 1918

When Milo wakes up to the sound of singing birds and a screaming wind, he notices that Theo is missing. Usually their shifts are together, so he doesn't understand where he can have gone. He's completely alone in the room. The stacked beds are made and empty, except for his own. The wind howls outside of his window, almost making the floor vibrate as it enters the house through the fireplaces.

"Probably just the loo." Milo whispers to himself at Theo's abscess and starts to get dressed.

He puts on his glasses after scratching his eyes, making the world clear again. He puts on his uniform and somewhat brushes his hair with his bare fingers, trying to look as decent as possible. He stares at himself in the small mirror on the wall, barely recognising himself. His eyes are dark and have grown into his skull. He's pale, tired and smells awful. His hair is more sweaty than ever, and he's lost so much weight that his ribs are beginning to show.

The thoughts from last night haunts him. He can't believe that someone could have the stomach to trick the family like that, especially the children. If he hadn't been there, Anastasia could have died. Milo takes a deep breath and leaves the room.

He walks over to the grand duchesses bedroom to escort them to breakfast. On the way he whistles a song his father taught him many years ago. He keeps an eye out for Theo, but he's nowhere to be seen. Just before he's about to knock on the door, he hears singing from inside. He looks around the corridor, making sure he's alone, before he opens the door quickly and steps inside. Maria sits on a chair in the middle of the room while Olga, Tatiana and Anastasia are singing around her.

It must be her 19th birthday!

"Happy birthday Maria!" They finish and hug their sister.

"Happy birthday." Milo smiles, resting against the door.

"Thank you Milo." Maria walks up and hugs him.

"Ready for breakfast, girls?"

The girls nod and step out of their room. They're already dressed and look happier than they've had in weeks. Milo escorts them to the dining room. Maria and Anastasia are walking up front gossiping, Olga in the middle with Jimmy and Ortipo meandering between her legs while Tatiana falls back next to Milo.

"Want to play another game of Bezique later?" Tatiana looks at her friend.

Bezique is a French card game between two players. Tatiana used to play it with her mother all the time back in Tsarskoe Selo and Petrograd, but ever since she fell ill Milo has been her favorite opponent.

"Only if you're ready to lose again." He smirks.

"Oh, me? Lose? I don't think so."

"May the best of us win."

Milo smirks and Tatiana blushes. He still finds her incredibly beautiful, despite her shaved head and pale fair skin. She truly has her mother's beauty, just like her sisters. All four of them managed to inherit Alexandra's elegance and charm. Nicholas gave his daughters his playful joyful side. Anastasia is the clearest example of her mother's outside and her father's inside. Olga and Anastasia are more like their father while Maria and Tatiana resemble their mother. Alexei is his father through and through, but did get his mother's caring side.

Tatiana looks over at Milo, just as attracted to him, even though he looks like a ship wrack. They smile at each other and walk to the dining room. Olga hears their giggling behind her back, happy that her little sister finally has found a real friend. She looks back at them and is filled with warmth at the sight of her friend and sister being so genuinely happy.