A/N: Wrote this for Klaroweek 2015, prompt was Klaroline + Anastasia (1997 Movie) un-beta'd you know the drill.

It was the year nineteen hundred and eighteen and Nicholas II was the Czar of imperial Russia. By July of that year, he, his wife, and their 5 children were dead, or so the world believed.

Have you heard? There's a rumor in St. Petersburg…

Comrade Phlegmenkoff's orphanage had been Caroline's home for the past ten years, since the night she was found wandering around the streets with no idea why her head throbbed or where she came from. With no memory of her family or even her own name, she was sent to the orphanage to live with the other parentless children. The first few days had been difficult, she felt alone and afraid. Without even a name for others to call her.

She awoke from a dream filled with faceless figures both familiar and strange, she could remember nothing specific except the name "Caroline". She knew this was a name that meant something to her, so she adopted it as hers.

"I got you a job at the fish factory," the elderly woman croaked at Caroline, "you go straight down this road until you come to the fork in the road, you go left."

"BYE!" Caroline continued shouting over the directions of the woman and waving enthusiastically to the children she was leaving behind. At age 18, she was being unceremoniously kicked out of the orphanage, given a job, and expected to take care of herself.

"Caroline!" Phlegmenkoff scolded, "for the past ten years I've fed you, I've clothed you, and kept a roof over your head. How is it you don't have a clue as to who you were before you came to us?"

"I do have a clue," Caroline interjected grabbing at her throat. The chain around her neck held a small golden flower medallion with green petals and an inscription on the back,

Comrade Phlegmenkoff grabbed at Caroline's necklace and sneered, "Oh yes, 'Together in Paris'. So you want to go to France to find your family?"

Caroline enthusiastically nods her head as the woman who cared for her the past 10 years laughed in her face. She straightened her back and lifted her head. If someone had given her that necklace, then they must have loved her. She was determined to find them.

XXX

The train station was filled with people bustling to get here and there. When Caroline attempts to purchase a ticket to Paris, the window clerk rudely demands to see her Exit Visa.

"Exit Visa?" Caroline questioned.

"No Exit Visa, NO TICKET!" the man shouted back at her. As she retreats from his hostility, she backed into an elderly woman who whispered, "See Niklaus."

"Where can I find him?" Caroline asked.

"At the old palace, but you didn't hear it from me!" the woman replied.

Niklaus grew up on the streets of London but moved to St. Petersburg at age 15 and worked his way up as a con artist. Not the paintings and sculptures kind of artist, he always looked for a quick way to make a buck—ruble. He met Elijah, a former military man, when he was 20 and together they formed a little con team. Just a few months ago, they devised a plan to pull off the biggest con in history. Now all they needed was the perfect girl

There's a rumor in St. Petersburg. Although the Czar did not survive, one daughter may be still alive...the princess Anastasia...

XXX

She wandered the streets until she found the old palace. Inside the great ballroom she felt like it was a memory from a dream, dancing bears, painted wings, things she almost remembered. And the melody of a song someone sings, once upon a December.

Something tugged at the recesses of her memory, it was a ball. She could almost feel the expensive fabric beneath her fingers and the sensation of flying when someone lifted her into the air. Someone held her safe and warm, Caroline puts a hand to her head as the figures danced gracefully across her memory.

"And just what do you think you are doing in here?" a voice pulls her from her reverie.

Startled, Caroline runs towards the nearest exit at lightning speed. "Stop! stop!" the man shouts as she comes to a stop in front of a large floor to ceiling mural, "How did you get in here?"

Caroline shrugs, "Are you Niklaus?"

The man standing before her was slender but strong, the sleeves of his shirt were pushed up to his elbows, exposing his slightly muscular forearms. Her eyes traveled up his body, taking in the necklaces peeking out of his shirt, the slight curl of his golden brown hair, 2 day old stubble, and perfect pouty raspberry lips.

"That depends on who is asking, love," he replied with a smirk.

"I need travel papers and they say you are the man to see, although I can't tell you who said that," she quickly explains.

Niklaus takes in her figure, slim waist, an elegant neck, beautiful blue eyes, and luscious blond locks. As he examines her, she snaps, "Why are you circling me? What? Where you a vulture in another life?"

He chuckles, "no, sweetheart, but you look so much like the Romanovs."

"That is the Grand Duchess Anastasia Karolina Nikolaevna of Russia, and please, call me Klaus," he says as he motions to the mural then himself.

"Are you trying to say that I look like her?" she gasped.

"I'm saying I've seen girls all over the country and none of them look as much like her as you do. Now where did you say you needed to get to?" said Klaus.

"I'm trying to get to Paris. You see, I was found wandering the streets when I was a little girl with no memories, I know I sound crazy, but that's the truth. All I have is this necklace and I need to get to Paris."

"What a coincidence," interjected Elijah as he entered the room and walked up to the couple.

"Forgive me, I am Elijah," he said with a slight bow. "It just so happens that the Grand Duchess' only remaining family is in Paris. No one knows what happened to her, and you can't remember what happened to you. Have you ever thought about the possibility?"

"That I could be royalty?" she questioned. "It's hard to think of yourself as a duchess when you are sleeping on a damp floor, but sure, every lonely girl dreams she is a princess."

"And somewhere out there a lonely girl IS a princess. We could take you to the Dowager Empress, Anastasia's grandmother, to see if she recognizes you, and if she doesn't then it's just an honest mistake," Klaus explains.

"Exactly!" Caroline smiles, "Take me to Paris."

XXX

The whistles of the train could be heard throughout the countryside as Caroline, Klaus, and Elijah settled themselves into the train compartment. Caroline was seated near the window, absentmindedly playing with her necklace and slouching into the cushions.

"Would you stop fiddling with that thing? And sit up straight. Remember you are a Grand Duchess," Klaus scolded as he seated himself next to her.

"And how is it you know what a Grand Duchess is and isn't supposed to do?" she retorted.

"I make it my business to know, love," Klaus answered back with a smirk.

"Oh," Caroline said quietly then continued, "Klaus?"

"Yes," he answered brightly, thinking she took his words to heart.

"Do you really think I'm royalty?" she asked shyly.

"You know I do," Klaus reassured her.

"Then stop bossing me around," Caroline shot back with a triumphant grin.

Klaus threw his hands up in frustration and Caroline smiled to herself, settling more comfortably into the cushions.

Seated across from them, Elijah slyly pulled out a piece of paper and placed a point beneath Caroline's name. The score was 30 to 4, Caroline in the lead. "She certainly has a mind of her own," Elijah commented.

"I hate that in a woman," Klaus pouted as Caroline giggled to herself.

Caroline was determined to make Klaus' life difficult. She knew he wanted to help her, but she also knew he was hiding something. He didn't seem like the type of man who did something for someone else out of the goodness of his heart. Although Klaus was easy on the eyes, she couldn't allow her guard to go down.

When Elijah returned to the compartment after stretching his legs, he found Caroline and Klaus in a heated argument once again.

"..but I appreciate your apology," Caroline said.

"Apology?" Klaus said in disbelief.

"Please don't talk anymore, it's only going to upset me."

"Fine, love, I'll be quiet if you will be quiet."

"Fine."

"FINE!"

Caroline looked up to see Elijah standing in the doorway, "Oh thank goodness you are here. Remove him from my sight," she said as she motioned towards Klaus.

"What have you done?" Elijah asked Klaus as Caroline left the compartment.

"Me? It's HER!" Klaus spat.

"An unspoken attraction," Elijah chuckled.

"Attraction?! To that skinny little brat? Have you lost your bloody mind?" Klaus muttered as he stomped from the room.

"Are we walking to Paris?" Caroline asked as they made their way up the road after getting off the train.

XXX

"We'll take boat in Germany," Klaus quickly informed her.

"Oh, so we are walking to Germany?" Caroline questioned.

"No, your Grace, we're taking a bus," Klaus muttered trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

Caroline's voice dripped with sarcasm as she responded, "Oooh, a bus."

Elijah quietly chuckled at her response then added, "Yes Caroline, we will get to Germany then sail to Paris. In Paris, we will meet with the lovely Katerina."

Caroline caught the tone of longing in his voice at the name. "Who is Katerina?" she inquired as they continued walking.

"Katerina Petrova is the most intriguing, vivacious, and beautiful woman I've ever met," Elijah declared, "she is also the Empress' cousin."

"Her cousin? I thought we were going to see the Empress herself? KLAUS?!" Caroline demanded.

"Well, your Grace," Klaus began with a slight bow, "No one sees the Empress without convincing Kat first."

Caroline's eyes widened at his meaning. "Oh no. No one told me I had to PROVE I was the Grand Duchess!" she shouted.

Caroline's voice rise as she continued, "Show up, yes, look nice, fine, but lie?"

"You don't know it's a lie," Klaus countered, "What if it's true?"

She couldn't deny what she felt in her heart, she knew this was her opportunity to get to Paris and to see if she belonged to a family, the Dowager Empress' family. With a sigh of frustration, Caroline asked, "do I look like Grand Duchess material here?"

Caroline turned towards an old bridge near a small stream, she leaned over the side and quietly watched the water move. The rays of sunlight making parts of the stream change from dark blue to clear, she could almost see straight to the bottom.

"What do you see?" Elijah asked next to her. Caroline jumped at his voice, she did not hear him approach.

"I see a skinny little nobody with no past and no future," she responded looking at her reflection in the stream.

"I see an engaging and fiery young woman, who, on occasion, has shown a regal command equal to any royal in the world," Elijah reassured her.

"What do you see, Niklaus?" he continued as he carefully inched away leaving Caroline and Klaus to have a moment alone.

Klaus slowly walk to her and came to a stop at her side, "You're beautiful, strong, and full of light. I...I enjoy you."

Caroline's head snapped up to meet his eyes. What she found there surprised her. He was completely genuine, with no hint of humor in his eyes.

"Thank you," Caroline whispered as the gravity seemed to pull them towards each other. His eyes fixed on her lips as hers began to close.

"Caroline, Niklaus, we must continue," Elijah shouted ahead of them and the moment fizzled.

As they continued towards the docks, Klaus and Elijah began teaching Caroline about her past and the details of her life as a Romanov.

"You were born in a palace by the sea," Elijah explained then added, "you rode horseback when you were only three."

"You like horses, he was white and his name was Theo," Klaus added.

"Wow, I wish I could remember this" Caroline said.

"Don't worry, we will help you."

They went over the proper etiquette and posture for a royal then continued their history lessons. Not before explaining how non-royals would bow and place a kiss on her hand, which Klaus took the liberty of showing her. His lips felt warm on her hand and a shiver ran up her spine.

"Now we memorize the names of the royalty," Elijah said as he held up a portrait, "here we have Kropotkin, he shot Potemkin in the bumpkin. And dear old Uncle Vanya loved his vodka, then there is Baron Pushkin who was short and Count Sergei who wore a feathered hat."

"Oh and I recall his yellow cat!" Caroline happy supplied.

Klaus and Elijah looked at each other quickly, their eyes wide.

"I don't believe we told her that."

XXX

The deck of the ship was spacious and nearly empty as the sun began to set.

"Here, I bought you a dress," Klaus told Caroline.

"You bought me a tent," Caroline giggled as she examined the skirt. She lifted it and looked underneath.

"What are you looking for?" Klaus questioned.

"The Russian Circus, I think it's still in here," Caroline teased.

Klaus rolled his eyes and tried to keep his smile under control as he said, "just go try it on."

When Caroline appeared again, she was wearing the blue gown. It hugged every curve of her body and flowed to the ground. She cleared her throat to get their attention then twirled for their examination.

"Lovely," Elijah complimented, "Now you are dressed for a ball and will learn to dance for one as well."

Elijah motioned for Klaus to take Caroline's hand and begin instruction.

"I'm not very good," Klaus shyly admitted. He took her right hand in his and placed his left on her waist. She settled into him naturally and he marveled at her acceptance of his physical proximity. She normally resisted being within 3 feet of him.

"You look ravishing in that dress," Klaus told her and enjoyed the blush that rose in her cheeks. He spun her quickly, smiling at her sharp intake of breath, then pulled her more tightly against him.

They spun and moved with such fluidity that soon they forgot their audience, Elijah disappeared and they were lost in each other and the dance. Their eyes locked and the small smiles on their faces never faded.

Elijah continued observing them, they fit well together he thought. Separating them would be difficult, he had thought out every aspect of their plan, how she would impress Katerina then meet the Dowager Empress. She would be accepted into the royal family and they would be handsomely rewarded, just forgot about romance. Their plans would continue, they had to get her to her grandmother and quickly.

"I never should have let them dance," he whispered to himself.