Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

1901

Another girl.

The Tsar's body goes rigid when the gender is announced, causing the news bearing servant to shrink in embarrassment. The shrill crying coming from behind the closed door is suddenly unexciting and simply irksome. Russia feels his lips slide into a frown and tries not to let a disappointed sigh escape him. He would not be meeting a new heir tonight after all. No, instead the Romanov house had produced yet another Grande Duchess.

Russia glanced over at Nicholas when he heard a sob, and promptly turned his eyes away, discomforted when he confirmed it was his boss who was weeping.

"You'll have to excuse me," Nicholas managed to say before striding down the hall, away from the room that held his wife and newest daughter.

"Sir," the nation looked down at the still terrified servant, "The Tsarina requested you."

It seemed wrong, somehow, to see Nicholas's child before him, Russia thought idly, eyeing the door that muffled the baby's wails.


An hour later Tsar Nicholas finally entered the birth room to find his wife asleep and Russia holding his child.

"The baby seemed to be screaming to wake the dead," Russia heard the midwife whisper, "Until the Tsarina let that man hold her. She quieted right down, I don't know if I've ever seen a babe take to a stranger so quickly."

Russia does not spare a glance to the midwife or his boss, his gaze still locked on the sleeping angel in his arms. He had held his fair share of royal babies, many cried, others did not. But none had ever made his heart feel quite this…warm.

Eventually he looked up at the Tsar, rather pleased to see a bit of guilt on the father's face as his eyes flickered from his sleeping wife to his child. "Your highness," Russia said softly, "Have you thought of a name?"

"Wha-, oh, no. No I haven't," Nicholas said, a bit sheepishly, "Do you have any suggestions Ivan?"

The use of his human name made him look back at the fragile treasure in his arms; it brought back the memory of another woman who had warmed a cold heart.

"Anastasia."

[A/N: Thanks for reading, please drop a review!]

Historical Notes-

-Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia was born on June 18th 1901.

-The imperial family was hoping for a boy so they were disappointed at her birth to find another girl. Her father had to go for a long walk to compose himself before visiting his wife and the new baby.

-When Russia suggests the name Anastasia he was thinking of Anastasia Romanovna, the first wife of Ivan the Terrible. She was thought to have a calming influence on Ivan's volatile personality, and her unexpected death brought him to an emotional collapse.

-In actuality, though, one of the meaning for the name Anastasia is breaker of chains. After her birth Nicholas pardoned students who had been involved in riots the previous winter.