A/N: I have been "working" on this fanfiction, for lack of a better term, since 2008, when I watched the movie Nicholas and Alexandra in a history class and laughed about Rasputin being played by Tom Baker. I then jokingly thought to myself "Well, what if the Doctor was actually there AS Rasputin?" Five years, a never-ending hole of research, multiple plot changes, a declaration of a History major, and a thesis on Russian history and the Imperial Family later, and here we are. In the meantime, Big Finish has come out with a similar idea, but I've been working on this story so long that I feel like I can't just abandon it. Even though adapting my original enthusiastic ideas to greater historical accuracy has perhaps made it a bit lumpy in parts - I'll let you be the judge of that.
I'm hoping the end result is something interesting to both Doctor Who fans who know nothing about the story of Anastasia and her family, and to Romanov buffs who might not know much about Doctor Who. (Or people like me who are crazily involved with both)
A MYSTERY SOLVED
Chapter One
Someone's knockin' on my kitchen door
Leave the wood outside, but
All the girls here are freezing cold
Leave me with your Borneo, I said
I don't need much to keep me warm…
- Tori Amos, Cloud on My Tongue
Amy and the Doctor walked casually around the TARDIS console, listening to its gentle whirring as it piloted them towards their destination.
"Wait, you've met Anastasia?" Amy asked, interrupting one of the Doctor's ramblings. "The Anastasia? The mysterious Russian princess?"
"Did more than meet her. She traveled around in my TARDIS for a few years," the Doctor said, grinning.
Amy stopped and crossed her arms. "Okay, how is that possible?"
"Don't look so surprised, Pond," the Doctor replied. "I know everyone, remember?" he said cockily.
"But don't you read the news?" Amy asked. "They found her body a few years ago, in a mine shaft or something…"
"Actually, they only found a few remains in a mine shaft. Most of the family was found in a mass grave, while Anastasia – or Maria, if you are so inclined – was found along with her brother at another site." He stopped spinning around the TARDIS console for a minute to look back at Amy. "See, I do read the news. And, it's more complicated than that."
"Well, tell me," Amy demanded.
"Nah, too long of a story," the Doctor replied, going back to flipping switches.
"I don't care, I like stories," Amy said. "Especially Anastasia. I always thought it would be so cool to find out you're really a princess…"
"She always knew she was a princess, Pond, her father was one of the most powerful men in the world. We're not talking cartoons here," The Doctor said. "And anyway, we've got places to go, things to explore. No time for stories."
"I don't care where we're going, this is more interesting," Amy insisted again. "And if you're so bent on traveling, why don't we just go and see her?"
"What?"
"Why not? There's an adventure for you."
"I've already screwed up that timeline enough," the Doctor explained. "Anastasia is an important figure in history that cannot be tampered with." After a few seconds' pause however, he muttered to himself, "Though, my tampering is what made her an important figure, I suppose."
"See, you do want to tell me about this!" Amy continued. "Let's just see her, yeah? Then you can fill in all the details."
"Alright, fine!" the Doctor said, turning back to the console. The TARDIS lurched suddenly, almost knocking Amy and the Doctor off their feet. "Mid-course navigation change, the TARDIS never likes those," the Doctor muttered. "But, Pond wants to go see a Russian princess, so the planet Nebrusa will have to wait." He turned back to Amy. "It really is a nice planet, you know. They have carnivals that put Brazil to shame…"
"Yes, well, we're pushing it back," Amy said. "Besides, can't we find some sort of festive event in Russia?"
"Wasn't really a festive place during Anastasia's lifetime. Mostly wars and revolutions, I'm afraid," the Doctor commented. Just then, they stopped moving. "Ah, and out of that lifetime, we have honed onto…" The Doctor looked at his scanner. "1918?" he said, perplexed. "Well that's rubbish, that's the end."
"Who cares? We're here," Amy commented, heading towards the door.
"Hang on," the Doctor said. "If I remember, in 1918 Anastasia was being held under house arrest with her family in a palace in the Crimea."
"So?" Amy asked.
"So…" the Doctor rummaged around though some compartments. He pulled out a red fez and stuck it on his head with a grin. "Crimea's close to Turkey."
Amy rolled her eyes. "Come on, fez man," she said, leading the way.
"Oi, what about your husband?" the Doctor asked.
"He's still sleeping off whatever it was you gave him to drink on that last trip," Amy answered. "Besides, he doesn't care about this girly princess stuff anyway."
"Ah yes. Sapsurian cocktails can knock out any species if you're not used to them. He really shouldn't be embarrassed," the Doctor said.
"Well, I'm sure he'll appreciate hearing that whenever he finally wakes up," Amy commented. "Now come on." She opened the door of the TARDIS, and was instantly hit with a blast of ice cold air. The Doctor poked his head out.
"Ah yes, I remember now," he said. "It was the aunts, uncles and cousins that went to the Crimea. Anastasia and her immediate family were held somewhere else."
"Where?" Amy said, the word coming out as a whisper through her chattering teeth.
"Tobolsk, Siberia," the Doctor said, stepping out of the TARDIS. "Come along, Pond."
"But it's freezing!" Amy protested, still standing in the doorway.
"Freezing? It's spring here!" the Doctor chided. "Come on!"
Amy rolled her eyes again as she stepped out in her short skirt onto the crunchy, half-melted snow.
They only walked a short distance before the Doctor stopped again. "Here you are," he said.
Amy looked up. "I don't get it, it's just a building with a big fence round it," she commented. "Is she in there?"
"Yep. Her, two of her sisters, her brother, and some loyal retainers. Her parents and her other sister have been moved away by this point."
"Moved where?"
"To the House of Special Purpose," the Doctor said. Amy noticed that his voice had lost its cheery explorer tone. "Where they will all be killed."
"Except Anastasia," Amy said.
The Doctor turned to her. "Now how do you know that, miss they-just-found-her-body?" he asked, intrigued.
Amy shrugged. "I dunno, just guessing. I mean, there's all these stories that she survived, and if she traveled around with you for a while, I don't see how you're not connected."
The Doctor smiled. "Very good, Pond. Now, back to the TARDIS. We'll have the whole story waiting for us."
"But we didn't even get to see her, that's not fair," Amy protested.
"No, it's not, but what also wouldn't be fair is getting gunned down by the guards surrounding that building due to a whim of yours," the Doctor pointed out. "Into the TARDIS, I've got a better idea."
"Oh, do you now?" Amy said, turning around. "I'll be waiting," she said as she walked off towards the blue box.
The Doctor lingered for a minute more, looking up at the imposing façade and the tall fence surrounding it. "I'm sorry I left you there for so long," he said quietly. "I know how terrible it must have been." He swallowed. "But at least you were with your family. And remember, I won't abandon you. I always come back." He gave the building one last glance over, and then walked off just as he started to see a shadow moving within.
Inside, Grand Duchess Olga Nicholaevna was writing a letter to her mother. The entire family had been very anxious since they'd been separated, wondering what might happen to the other half while they were forced apart. The letters were their only way of knowing that everyone was still alright.
My dear little Mama,
Since your birthday, we have had no news of you. I mean, that's why we're waiting for some news of you impatiently. And you, do you not receive our letters? We sent, all in all, two telegrams. I'm writing near the wide open window… My dearest, how do you live and what are you doing? I would like so much to be with you! We don't know when we'll leave. My little brother must go in the garden more often and regain more strength, then, I think we will be able to leave… There's a lot of funny couples coming and going in the street, even sometimes on bicycles.
We have moved the piano in your lounge, also the couch that was impeding us during Mass. Last night, the fan exploded with a lot of noise, and in our rooms, upstairs, we had no electricity. I hope that, at least, you get our letters. A strange man has just passed, with a red fez on his head. Well, it's time. May the Lord protect you, my dear Mama, and all of you. I kiss Papa, you and Mashka, I take you in my arms and love you all.
Your Olga.
A/N: I had originally written this fic with Ten and Donna, but when I read this (which is a real letter written by Grand Duchess Olga, though I cut out a bit to make it less wordy) and saw the line about the fez, I knew what I had to do. I cannot thank enough the members of the Alexander Palace Forum for their constant supplies of information on the family and translations of letters like this one. I would thank all of you on the forum, but I stupidly forgot my password years ago and hadn't opted for a security question. When I tried making a new account, the admin denied me. Go figure. :P I have a feeling that this fic might make its way back to you guys anyway, so, thanks! You can probably figure out who I was there by my propensity for relating every Tori Amos song to the Romanovs, haha.