𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒗

Chapter 39 - Snowball Fights

"Maria, he's beautiful," Xenia exclaimed as she looked over Maria's new baby boy. Anatolii. She had given birth to him a month after Alexandra had died.

"Little darling!" Olga took him from Maria's arms.

"Please be careful." Maria cautioned.

She vowed she wouldn't make the same mistake of being careless or not watching him as she did Fillipp.

The room's doorknob turned and in walked five-year-old Vivianne and two-year-old Elena. Vivianne reached her arms out toward Anatolii.

"Would you like to hold him, Vivi dear?" Maria asked.

"Yes, Mama."

Valentin helped her onto the bed. Maria directed her and she placed the baby into her little arms. Vivianne made a surprised face once the baby started to fuss which made the room laugh. Elena stood in place, a pout on her face, her small hands in fists at her side.

"She's got your pout, Nastasia." Maria laughed, pointing to her daughter.

"Why are you always so mad?" Anastasia laughed as Elena still made a face. She pointed to her sister who was still sitting up in bed, holding Anatolii.

"You want to hold the baby?"

Elena nodded. Valentin placed Elena on the bed. Maria took Anatolii from her arms and gently placed him into Elena's.

"Careful darling," Maria advised. Everything was going well until he started to cry. Startled by this, Elena slapped the baby, making him cry even more.

Anastasia burst out laughing. After receiving the evil eye from family members, she immediately stopped.

"Baby was crying but now he stopped!" Elena whined as Valentin took the baby from her arms.

"Elena, you can't do that to the baby." Maria kissed her daughter's hand. Whenever giving discipline, she was never angry and spoke in a soft tone. Elena just sat in place, staring at the bedsheets in front of her.

"Come on, baby darling. Let's go to the garden with Andrei." Anastasia picked up Elena.

"She has a mind of her own!" Andrei laughed as they walked down the stairs.

"She does! I always thought it was Vivianne who I would teach pranks to but I think it's her! My little twin!"

They all traveled to the saloon where they all dressed in their winter gear.

"I'm so glad there's snow this year! There wasn't any at all last year." Anastasia remarked as they walked out into the chilling December air.

They made their way outside to the courtyard where they found the Golovin children having a snowball fight with Vasili. The girls and boys were now unrecognizable. Catia was seventeen, Sinvoia was thirteen, Leonid was eighteen, and Mikhail was fifteen. Vasili was also unrecognizable. He was now an adult, the same age as Leonid.

"Anastasia! Andrei! Come join us!" Sinvoia called.

"I have to look after Elena." Anastasia answered.

"You go. I'll watch her." Andrei insisted. He held Elena as Anastasia ran off to join the game.

"Make sure you don't put a rock in your snowball!" Catia giggled. Anastasia rolled her eyes playfully.

Though older, Catia was still a prankster. Not quite like Anastasia but still had her ways of causing trouble.

Sinvoia was a mischievous young girl. She had her sassy moments and loved to play tricks with her older sister.

Mikhail was calm and reserved. It was always him who would settle arguments between his siblings. He also loved exploring the gardens, having a fondness for nature, naming almost every flower he could find.

Leonid was shy at times, not speaking to anyone he didn't know. It took him a few weeks to feel at home at Sandringham but once he did, he came out of his shell, loud and boisterous yet caring and kind.

Andrei bounced little Elena on his knee as he watched snowballs fly.

"What's wrong?" he asked, seeing the little child's familiar pout. Elena only sat observing the group as they played in the snow.

"Oh, you want to play in the snow!"

Andrei set her down and Elena began to waddle in the thin patch of snow that rested on the courtyard's ground.

For the game, the siblings had split into teams of two while Anastasia and Vasili were a team. As they continued their fight, Elena ran into the middle of their throwing grounds. A snowball thrown by Mikhail hit Elena in the stomach, knocking her down.

"Oh no!" Mikhail exclaimed, running out from behind the bush he was hiding behind. Andrei rushed to help the child off the ground. He feared she would start to cry.

Instead, Elena bent down, did her best try to make a snowball, and thrusted it forward. It only reached about two inches before it hit the ground. Elena clapped, thrilled with herself as everyone around her started to laugh with her.

Suddenly, a snowball was thrown. The fight continued on.