Only the good die young...or do they?
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July 17th, 1918 - Gunshots are fired, screams are heard, and Russia's last Tsar crumples to the ground. Yakov Yurosky is confident his plan to destroy the Romanov family has succeeded. But what happens when ba...
One very early rainy morning, Anastasia awoke to hear screams coming from down the hall. She ran to the room where Maria was staying to see her sister in bed, moaning in pain. Around her, stood members of the household. The children were tucked away in their rooms, unwoken by this commotion. Tears and sweat dripped down Maria's face as the doctor examined her.
"The baby is coming now," he whispered to Alexandra who gripped her hands to her chest. By now, the other servants had crowded into the room.
"Quick! Quick! Everyone out except Alexandra!" the doctor shooed everyone away.
Anastasia stomped toward him in protest.
"I need to stay! For my sister!" Anastasia pointed to Maria, who nodded through her pain.
"Please-" Maria started to explain but was cut off by her screams.
"You're going to have to leave!" he pushed everyone out into the hallway.
Olga and Xenia clung tightly to each other, while Valentin paced the ground, distressed by his wife's cries. Milana and Egor stood next to each other, trying to calm their son. Andrei sat next to Anastasia who prayed under her breath. Thunder boomed outside. Maria's screams didn't cease. Hours passed and Anastasia kept praying, fearful something would happen to her sister.
'I can't lose her, not now.'
The screams still didn't stop. Servants had brought breakfast to the group on plates but Anastasia refused to eat. The thought of eating at a time like this made her feel sick.
Another hour passed and at about one in the afternoon, Maria's screams died down. All was finally silent. The door opened in which seemed like forever and out walked Alexandra, crying softly. Valentin ran to her, alarmed while Anastasia stood up from the ground.
'Is she crying tears of joy? Sadness? Oh no.'
Anastasia feared the worst.
"You can come in now," Alexandra gestured for them to enter. Anastasia closed her eyes as she stepped into the room. She was scared she'd see her sister dead.
Instead, she found Maria sitting up in bed with an awake baby wrapped in a blanket in her arms. Valentin ran to his wife. He bent down next to the bed and looked at his newborn child.
"Oh, Maria." he smiled softly. Anastasia stood in place, shocked. She never thought this day would come.
Anastasia thought her sister's life had ended in that dark cellar two years ago. Now there was a new baby Romanov, squalling in the nursery.
"Nastasia, dear," Maria whispered. "It's a girl."
Anastasia squealed silently, not wanting to alarm the baby. More people, mostly servants, came into the room, gasping at the little bundle of joy.
"What is her name?" Olga asked, looking over Maria.
"We have picked Vivianne. Vivianne Nikolaevna-Golovin-Romanov."
"How beautiful!" Xenia remarked.
"She has your saucers." Anastasia chuckled, pointing to Vivianne's blue eyes. The family had always called Maria's bright blue eyes, Mashka's saucers.
"Yes, she does." Maria laughed.
The rest of the day was spent in the room obsessing over little Vivianne. Anastasia snapped a photo of the pair.
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