Ice and snow swirled around the mighty red fortress where a well dressed man paced back and forth before the ornate door. He was a short but sturdy man with short yet thick burnt umber hair. His face save for the full well groomed mustache was clean shaven. His golden brown eyes seemed to slice though the floor as they gazed at it. He sighed, closing his eyes as he stopped in front the darkened window. His mind began to wander as he looked out. He had become the mighty Tsar of this land at age 16 when his father had died of the plague. His mother had quickly found him a wife from the south west and after marrying her he had gone straight to war against the golden hoards to the east.

During the final battle with the Kahn his first son was born. He smiled at the thought. Crown prince Yakov had been a frail child in the beginning but had since become a great warrior. 'He shall make a fine Tsar one day' He thought as he turned to see a midwife come out of the room he had been pacing in front of. She carried a pitcher and she vanished before he could ask about his wife. His dear wife Sofya, she was his third wife as the previous two had died in very unfortunate sercomstances. One died in childbirth the other had been killed by a tartar and had left there two children Vasily and Svetlana without a mother to raise them. After her death rumors had spread that the Tsar of steel had been cursed by the Tartars to never find wedded bliss. But this had all changed when he had met the princess Sofya of Siberia. She was a lovely woman with rose red hair and full pink lips. Her eyes where as striking and as ever changing as an alexandrite gemstone. But it was not just her appearance that had caught his eye. It was also her gentle and loving nature that had warmed his cold heart. Never had he felt this way about his first two brides, and now as she was giving birth to there first child together all he could do is pace in frustration and worry for her. They had been trying for such a long time and this was the first out of 3 previous pregnancies to make it this far. He could only hope that the child would not be stillborn. The midwife came back her pitcher filled with water.

"How is she?"

He asked her before she could escape this time. She curtsied to him before speaking

"Your highness, The queen is doing very well. Now if you will excuse me i must bring her water."

With that she was gone into the room where he could now hear his wife's screams. How he wished he could not hear her painful cries for they tore his heart in two. His thoughts where soon interrupted by the voice of an old friend.

"Joseph! I heard the news congratulations! What is this the 4th time now?"

"Yes Sergo this is the forth though i am beginning to regret it."

He said to his taller friend. Sergo Ordzhonikidze was one of his most loyal boyars if not the most jolly of men. His curly hair framed his oval face that sported not only a grin but a mustache much like Josephs. His brown eyes twinkled merrily as he puled out a bottle of wine.

"The fruits of the south perfect for just such an occasion."

Sergo said as he poured a glass for his tsar and himself. Both sat.

"Terrible storm out there. I heard the monks say that one like this is a sign from God."

"Did they say what kind of sign?"

Joseph asked

"Neyt"

Sergo replied

"I hope it is good one for my wife."

"Are you hoping for a son or daughter Tsar Joseph?"

"I care not what i am given as long as the child is healthy."

They heard another scream from beyond the door. Sergo could see the worry on his Tsar's face as he stared at the crimson carpet below there feet.

"Don't worry, She'll be alright."

"One can only hope so Sergo. I don't want to have to find another wife."

"Come now lets not talk of dark things this night. After all your about to have another child!"

"Indeed. Tell me how are my other boyars doing?"

He asked with a dark chuckle

"Well Trotsky is up to trouble as usual my king."

"Ah yes the mule who wanted to over throw me. I need to do something about him."

Joseph said as he rose from his seat to walk over to the window.

"If only i could get them all to pay tribute to me. The country must be unified against our enemies to the east."

Sergo rose and made his way to stand beside Joseph.

"Those blasted Tartars. They enslaved us all for centuries. Taking our women, making us pay tribute to them…."

Joseph growled and gripped his cup harder. He wanted to throw it across the room and see it shatter like the skull of the tartar he had crushed in battle. The same tartar that had taken his previous wife from him only to find her lying dead in the snow. He remembered how his little daughter had cried for days after her mothers death. Vasily had been very distant and lately was becoming quite rebellious. He could only hope the boy would straighten up but even if he didn't it was no harm as Yakov was to be his successor.

"You remember how we routed that band of tartars separated from the main army?"

Sergo inquired as he refiled his cup.

"How could i forget? After all its how i became known as the Tsar of steel."

He chucked as he took a sip of the wine.

"Da, you pounded that Tartars head into the ground with those steel toed war boots."

"Well he deserved it after what him and his band did to my people and my wife Nadia."

"Indeed those monsters deserved all they got from us in the war."

"Da. though the war was glorious i am glad it is over. It was very hard on the people…and on me"

Sergo nodded

"Lets hope that this time of peace remains for may years."

"We can only hope my friend but things in the west do not look too promising."

Sergo looked up from his glass at his close friend.

"What do you mean?"

Joseph sighed

"There are rumors that the germanic tribes are uniting together. This could mean trouble for us. We must keep our eyes on them."

Sergo was about to ask where his best friend and Tsar found out this information when the door opened to reveal an excited midwife.

"A Healthy Boy!"

She exclaimed joyfully as she rushed back in followed by Joseph whom upon entering went straight to his wife's bedside. She was breathing heavily and covered in sweat from her ordeal and yet a smile was on her face. He sat down on her bedside and, leaning over, pressed a loving kiss to her lips. Her smile grew wider and she whispered to him.

"A son my Tsar."

"I know moya roza. I am so proud of you." (1)

She began to cry tears of joy.

"Joseph, Joseph he's healthy and strong…..Not like the others who where too sick….He's our little miracle. Go and see"

He gave her one more kiss before going over to the midwife to take his newborn son in his arms. He was quite a big baby. twice the size of his middle son vasily when he was but a babe. 'He will be tall like his grandfather.' Joseph thought as he reached over to run his fingers through the babys light beige-blond hair and smiled. He had not inherited his mothers strikeing red locks but he could see that like her there was curl to it. The child whimpered and opened his eyes to look up at his father. His eyes where the color of ice and they with there first innocent look had riven his fathers steel like heart.

"Ivan, We will call you Ivan."

The next morning a young man dressed in the robes of the tsar's court entered the city square on a chestnut steed. In his saddle bag, a royal proclamation to be read to the people. They milled around him eager to hear the news from court. The man dismounted his horse and took the scroll out and took his place on the platform where he unrolled the scroll and began to speak.

"HEAR YE HEAR YE! LAST NIGHT DURING THE GREAT BLIZZARD A SON WAS BORN TO OUR GLORIOUS TSAR JOSEPH SHUYSKY OF MUSKOVY AND HIS WIFE SOFYA OF SIBIRIA! THIR MAJESTIES DECARE THIS WEEK TO BE ONE OF CELEBRATION! LONG LIVE THE TSAR!"

"LONG LIVE THE TSAR!"

The people exclaimed as the man decided the platform and, mounting his horse, set off to the next region of the tsar's kingdom leaving behind him in the dust the chattering of the people as they excitedly discussed the news of the newborn prince amongst themselves. Meanwhile back at the palace the young prince was being introduced to his brothers and sister. Yakov as eldest got to hold the babe first. he was a slender yet well built young man with dark hair and brown eyes, high cheekbones and a large but well sculpted nose. He looked down at his baby brother and smiled.

"The first of the shuysky clan to have such fair hair and eyes."

The young man said as the babe looked up at him in curiosity. He took a seat so that his younger siblings could see there baby brother easier. The 14 year old Vasily rolled his eyes at the sight of the fair haired infant. He had more of his fathers features than his older brother but unlike his other siblings Vasily was a rebellious young man who cared not for a single thing in the world save himself.

"Looks like a squealing red worm to me."

"VASILY BE NICE!"

His 8 year old sister Svetlana scolded before turning to look back at the baby. She had beautiful straight hair that had been braided into pig tails and golden brown eyes.

"He's not a squealing red worm are you little brother?"

she cooed to him. He giggled as he kicked his feet as if to agree with her. Sofya smiled at them all.

"Of course he's not he's moy podsolnukh." (2)

She said from her place in bed.

"Whats his name mama?"

Svetlana asked.

"He is called Ivan Moya printsEssa." (3)

She replied.

"you and i are going to be best friends Ivan!"

Svetlana exclaimed joyfully. Vasily snorted at his sisters silly words and Yakov shot his brother a warning look. Thats when Ivan began to squirm and whimper.

"Bring him to me Yakov. He's hungry."

His mother said. He brought Ivan to his mother before all three children where ushered out by her handmaiden. After they had left she began to feed him.

"My little son is so big and strong. One day moy podsolnukh will be a grand prince of Moscow. Or maybe if the Lord wills it my son you will be Tsar."

She cooed to him as she gazed out the stained glass window where the snow was gently falling.

"Thank you Lord for giving him to me. He is the greatest blessing i have ever received from you and i shall cherish him always."

She whispered as a tear fell from her eye. Oh how she had prayed and prayed for a child and now her prayers had been answered. She had a son a beautiful son. Ivan had finished his meal and had now fallen asleep to the sound of his mothers heart. He liked this sound very much as it had been a constant in the warm dark place he had been in before. He nuzzled his cubby cheek into the warm skin of his mothers breast in an attempt to get closer to the soothing sound. Sofya smiled at him and rubbed his back and kissed the top of his head.

"Sweet dreams moy podsolnukh"

She whispered as he drifted off to sleep nestled in the safety and warmth of his mothers body.

(1) my rose

(2) my sunflower

(3) my princess