The Sisters Of The Court

Chapter 39: Scarlett

I stand at the edge of the duck pond with my son in my arms. Today is the last day before we have to go back to our home in Russia. Our lives would be perfect it it weren't for them. If it weren't for them me and George could be together and have a happy family with my son. Our son. My sons giggling draws me out of my thoughts. "Do you see the duckies?" I coo at him tickling him under his chin. "Duckie!" He says reaching his chubby hands out as of to grab one and hug it. "Very good my love!" I kiss his chubby little cheek feeling the warmth of my own blood pumping through him. "You are my little duckie." I smile at him and he tugs on my hair that I've decided to wear down. "Mama!" He shrieks with happiness tugging gently on my hair. I look up at the sky and see it looks like it's going to rain, And soon. "How about we go inside my love? And maybe we can see Papa!" It was an accident. I didn't mean to say it but it was so natural to me that it just slipped out. "Papa!" He giggles and bounces on my hip. "I guess that's a yes." I laugh and start walking inside as the rain starts. I turn my head to my son and watch his face twist up as a raindrop hits his nose. "It is alright my love it is just a little rain! A miracle just like you!" I rub noses with him as we walk into the palace. I decide to go see George. I walk down the rapidly darkening halls from the rain streaming down the side of the palace. A pang of thunder comes and it seems like the whole building is going to collapse around us. I jump and my son starts to cry on my hip. I kiss his warm forehead "Do not be scared my little darling! It is just the angels moving their furniture." I take him off my hip and hold him in my arms like I did when he was a newborn his wide brown eyes looking up at me. When we arrive at George's door I knock happily smiling at my son in my arms. Not even thinking about the possibility of her being here. I hear a hacking cough and someone walking over to the door dragging their feet like dead weight. I shiver at the thought of it and George opens the door and smiles at us both. "Hello lily." He says his lips creased with pain. I hate seeing him like this. I could take his pain away, I know I could give him what she can't. "We have come to visit!" I smile as my son giggles. "How are you?" I ask as we walk into the room. "I am doing well. How are you?" He says exhausted. That witch can't even keep him comfortable. But I could give him everything. "Now well I am afraid." I let out a sigh trying to take his mind off his pain. "What is wrong?" He asks me with concern in his eyes. "My son still has no father I am afraid." I want to say that I wish he was my sons father but I cannot. "Is he going to meet him?" He asks sitting down in a chair. "He is away. And good lord knows I don't want to see him." I say thinking of the argument I had with him right before he left. But he doesn't matter now. My son and George are the only things that matter. "I am sorry, George would have gotten to know him." He says sympathetically. "It's alright. I didn't especially want them to meet anyways." I shrug. "Well at least he has you." He smiles at me and I see the old George. I instantly smile "And you as his uncle. He is very fond of you." I laugh thinking of how we were like a family that day. "He is very lovely. I am excited to spend time with my second son Alexander, I can not wait until I can take him fishing or ice skating." He says happily thinking about his son that the witch gave him. "I'm sure he is a lovely baby." I say with a hidden edge. "But I am worried about my son." I change the subject as my son gurgles happily crawling around the room. "What is wrong with your boy?" He asks looking at my beautiful baby boy.  "Well, Don't you think he should be walking now? What if there is something wrong with him?" I ask worriedly biting my nail. My son sits down and reaches his chubby hands out to George. "He is just taking his time." He says assuringly. "Yes, Well what if something is wrong." I say nervously looking at them both. "Papa!" My son says reaching his hands out again. "I do not think anything is wrong, Tell your mama she is wrong." He says looking down at smiling at my Little Duckie. He giggles and crawls over to him. "I suppose you know more about babies then me." I say relieved thinking about how worried I was before my son was born when I was alone. He takes my son into his arms. "I hope we have a girl next." He mutters and I so desperately want to tell him that I can give it to him but I bite my tongue. "You would like a daughter?" I ask carefully as my son shrieks with laughter. "Duckie!" He says squeezing his fists. "I would love to have a mini Alice for the boys to play with." He says tickling my sons stomach as he giggles. I feel my smiles fall. "I think I would like a daughter too one day." Not adding that I so wish it was his. "Well I hope we both get our wishes." He smiles up at me and my heart flutters. "I hope my wish will come true one day too." I say quietly as if I am casting a spell instead of speaking to my friend. No. The love of my life. "Well, I must get going I want to see how Alexander is doing. See you at the ball later Lily." We both stand up and I take my son from him. He is like our son, That is what I will call him. Our son. "Yes, Of course. I'll see you later." I smile at him then look down, Walking out of the room. The rain comes down harder as we walk back to our room and I lay George down on the bed and I lay next to him. "Have a good sleep my handsome little duckie." I kiss him between the eyes as his dark eyelashes flutter close. And I close my eyes next to him taking in ever feeling of love I can get from him.

A loud thud of thunder wakes me up from my sleep. I have no idea where Boris is, Probably our sleeping with some English woman as his been his habit every night when we've been here when he's not forcing himself onto me. I look out the window and it's as dark as night even though it can't be much more then seven. I sit down on the bed and rub my sons stomach in a gentle attempt to wake him up "You must get up now my love." I say in a sing song voice and he starts crying as he wakes up from his peaceful sleep. I pick him up and rub his back "Do not cry! We will be back home soon." I rock him on my shoulder as I take out a new beautiful purple dress. As my son calms down I sit him down on the floor so he can crawl around while I get ready. Finally, Every hair is secure and my dress zipped up. I admire myself in the mirror. I look ravishing. My long dark hair intricately plaited down my back and a sapphire choker around my neck. I almost laugh at myself when I remember Boris was trying to figure out where his money went. But I don't care. I'll spend it all if it makes him unhappy and he'll never even know. I drop George off at the nursery hoping Nicholas will be there so they could be friends. Our son and his other son, They can be like brothers. I walk myself down to the ballroom with no escort, No husband on my arm. I stand by the punch bowl waiting for George to come in so I can dance with him like the night of the christening ball but Michael gets to me first. "May I have this dance Grand Duchess Natasha?" He says softly and I cannot believe his persistence. Good lord I've already slapped him and rejected him several times and he still keeps coming back for more. I look him up and down "You still want to dance with me?" I say with a little bit of shock. "Yes." He says simply looking at me with an emotion I cannot read. I snicker "If you insist your highness." I say as I take his hand. I see George walk in with sad little Alice. I had heard her mother had died. That Bitch. She doesn't know what pain is, And if so, She deserves every bit of it. I think bitterly to myself as Michael puts his hand on my waist and we begin to dance. "You don't care that I slapped you?" I keep my eyes on George as we dance around the room, I don't really care about his answer but I can't stand dancing in silence. "It stung but not so much." He twirls me and pulls me
Close to him, I push myself even closer as we dance near George. I keep my eyes trained on him as he has his hand on Alice's waist. He doesn't look at me. "Tell me, do you like my dress?" I whisper to him looking up at him under my eyelashes and he flushed as I resume my concentration on George. He still stands with that bitch, she doesn't know what real loss is, she had her mother for most of her life. "I love it." He whispers to me and I frown. It always works on everyone but the man I love and adore. "And do you love me?" I say teasingly, I watch George talking to Alice still. I catch a glimpse of their conversation, "I remember when you and I were like that after we got married." He kisses her cheek again and I instantly distance myself from Michael, he thinks-he thinks that I actually want Michael? This-this fool? "Your dress looks lovely on you." He avoids my previous question and pulls me close again. I want this dance to be over with now. I don't want George to be thinking what he is. Can't he see how much I love him? That I utterly adore him? "What are you doing? I'm married." I snap at him and pull myself away again, it's my only viable excuse at the moment. Married to that beast. He apologizes but I don't care, this is his fault, the way he's looking at me as if he were to declare he's in love with me right now. "You seem to forgot that quite often." I say annoyed, how dare he, this is supposed to make my George jealous not think I'm in love. "I apologize again Natasha." I wave my hand dismissively, I don't care. I hate the feeling of his arms around my waist, how dare he even call me by my name? "I don't want your words." I say, I look around the room and my heart sinks. George and that bitch are gone. Why did he have to go with her? Couldn't he have stayed here? "What do you want then?" He asks quietly and I look him in the eyes, as if he could give it to me. As if anyone but George could give it to me. Michael wants what all the other men want from me. Even if he puts up this ridiculous facade of acting like he's in love with me. "Let Go of me please, this conversation is over." I've had enough, I want to go home to Russia, I want to see George as well. Michael kisses my hand gently and I turn on my heel before walking back to my bedroom. I open the door and tell a maid to go and get my son from the nursery. I Stare at myself in the mirror, how could he want her instead of me? She is boring and ugly and stupid. She knows nothing about anything. The maid comes back with my son and I take him into my arms. "Did you have a good time my love?" I tickle him underneath the chin and he giggles before I change him into his pajamas and lay him on the bed. I get in bed next to him and play with his little tufts of hair gently, I'm so proud of him, he is so smart. I kiss his forehead before drifting off to sleep myself.

I wake up to sunlight streaming in my face and my sons glinting golden hair. And I realize, Today we are going home to Russia.