𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒗

Chapter 8 - Ocean Eyes

The white marble palace looked the same since she had last visited.

Well, the palace wasn't a palace, it was mostly considered a summer home because the Romanovs had stayed there past summers. It was a retreat for the family, a place to let the burdens of royalty fade behind them. It was a coastal paradise.

The grounds were abundant with beautiful plants and flowers and lush green vines snaked up the palace's walls. The palm trees on the grounds seemed to welcome the youngest daughter as they did many years ago.

Anastasia figured she shouldn't just walk in, so she knocked twice on the door, hoping her Grandmama would answer. Anastasia smiled ear to ear, unable to contain her excitement.

Instead of her Grandmama, a girl answered.

She reminded Anastasia of someone she had known. She had shoulder-length chestnut-colored hair that was pinned up. Her shimmering blue eyes set her apart.  

One name crossed Anastasia's mind. No...it couldn't be...

Anastasia shook her head in disbelief. The girl did the same. That's when the realization hit her as if it were a wrecking ball.

This was her happy ending.

All of her pent-up questions were answered in that brief moment in time.

This was how she had survived.

This was who she had survived for.

"Maria!"

Anastasia dropped her suitcase and umbrella and ran into Maria's open arms. The two hugged tightly as they sobbed. Anastasia felt she couldn't even breathe. She felt the whole world had stopped. Maria shrieked uncontrollably, shocked to see her sister. The joy between them was overwhelming.

"Is it really you!?" Anastasia shrieked.

"Yes! I survived like you!"

"I thought you were dead!" Anastasia had to say, a laugh somehow escaping her mouth.

"I'm here, Anastasia. It's me."

Anastasia still couldn't believe what had just happened. She had only come in hopes of seeing her Grandmama and was surprised by her older sister.

"Let's get you dried off before you see Grandmama," Maria led Anastasia into the palace.

"How is her health?" Anastasia asked.

"Declining." Maria sighed.

After walking in silence for a few minutes, Anastasia spoke. Some would have thought they'd be talking up a storm after being separated and assumed dead for more than a month.

"Your hair looks nice. Longer."

"Yours does too."

When the girls were at the Ipatiev house, both of their hair was remarkably short, cut because of sickness from measles the family caught that previous winter. Now months later, their hair had reached their shoulders.

"You've pinned your hair up!" Anastasia remarked.

"Yes, it's the one thing I have left of tradition."

It was a tradition for a girl of royal status in Russia to have a ball for their sixteen birthday. This ball set in place many things a girl could do now such as pinning hair up.