Ch. 4
Taking a steadying breath, Alexandra continued down the hall. So close. Just a few more twists and turns to her path and she'd be home free! With Nicolaus. The thought of her love quickened her pace. Alexandra glanced into the professor's room as she strode past. Bare, empty. Just as empty as the day he'd moved in. Anxious that he should have to wait for her in the carriage, Alexandra thundered down the stairs. She paused at a door, where she heard the sound of servants laughing and joking. Satisfied that no one was coming through to ask any questions, she continued more quietly.
"When Mary said the hall was narrow, she didn't lie," Alexandra said to herself. Judging the halls and the doors of her path, she knew she hadn't yet left the West Wing. Still, the thought occurred to her that she could easily become lost. People would begin to search the palace for her. More than likely a servant would come upon her futilely walking the halls. They would take her back upstairs, dress her for the Queen, and that would be the end of it. She would marry Albert and disappoint Uncle Karl and Nicolaus. Oh, Lord, what would happen to Nicolaus? How long would he wait in the yard for her? Hours? No, only a short duration before he would get the message that she changed her mind. Alexandra sobbed aloud and quickened her pace again. She had to find him before time ran out!
"Good-bye Professor! Good-bye!" the boys cried after the man. Making an excuse as to why he had to leave was unbearable. The boys didn't understand; they couldn't understand. For all they knew, their beloved tutor had abandoned them because he just didn't love them anymore. Nicolaus grasped his bag tighter. He strode through the halls, nodding at servants in acknowledgment. He entered the kitchen confidently and with a smooth motion picked up Alexandra's bag as he opened the door. Nicolaus stopped in his tracks at the sight that stood before him in the courtyard.
"Good morning, Professor," Albert turned to greet him with a smile.
"What do you want?"
"Only to wish you luck. Oh, yes, and I've arranged for you to take a very nice position with a University in Bonn." Nicolaus grasped the bags tightly, his knuckles white.
"I do not wish to take your handouts."
"Oh, no, lad, nothing of the sort. I just feel responsible for you, that's all. After all, it was I who asked you to leave without giving you anywhere to go. It's a very nice University. And the language is a cinch, you'll pick it up in no time." Nicolaus continued on to the carriage, ignoring Albert and his offers. He turned in time to see Alexandra step out into the light.
"Stop," he said, and held out his hand. Nicolaus's fierce gaze remained focused on Albert.
Alexandra felt her heart drop to her feet as the sight of Albert in the yard met her eyes. She ignored Nicolaus's request and took a step forward, watching the Prince carefully.
"What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to say farewell to the Professor."
"You were in the library," she said with confusion. Albert clasped his hands behind him and rocked on his heels.
"Yes, well I was. Then I decided you were taking much too long, and I would say goodbye to our friend, here." Alexandra swallowed. He knew. Oh, he had to know. Albert glanced at Nicolaus.
"Could you call off your dog and maybe we could talk in private?"
"Stop it. That's not funny, Albert. Unless you treat him with more respect-"
"All right, all right. But can we talk?" Alexandra glanced at Nicolaus.
"Yes, but quickly." Albert strode over to Alexandra and grasped her arms eagerly.
"Now listen. I'm not going to out you two, and I can't make you marry me. Heaven knows no one else needs to be under Mother's thumb. But consider-even though I've set him up with a nice job with a University, which you're going to have to convince him to take by the way, he won't ever be able to give you what you want. What you need. You're accustomed to a way of living. People expect things from you." Alexandra pulled herself out of his drip and glared at him fiercely.
"I'm tired of doing what they expect from me. What about what I expect from me? No thank you, Albert. I don't need any of the things I have now. All I want and all I need-is Nicolaus." She marched away proudly and took Nicolaus's hand into the carriage. Nicolaus gave a final glance over his shoulder before climbing into the carriage. Albert stood on the cobble, rocking back on his heels, and watched the carriage slowly pull away.
"Well," he sighed. "I suppose I better tell Mother the wedding's off."
The End
Author's note: I like this a little better than how the movie had it. The movie had Alexandra go to Nicolaus the next morning and try and tell him she was going with him. They ended up arguing and Nicolaus left alone. It ended with Albert pulling her inside off a balcony where she watched Nicolaus's carriage pull away. I am a sucker for happily-ever-after, and was a bit upset that it didn't go as it should have. Pardon the parts where there might have been a period mid-sentence. Those were supposed to be pauses, with (. three periods), but for some reason Fan Fic didn't upload them like that. Thank you; please tell me what you think.
Taking a steadying breath, Alexandra continued down the hall. So close. Just a few more twists and turns to her path and she'd be home free! With Nicolaus. The thought of her love quickened her pace. Alexandra glanced into the professor's room as she strode past. Bare, empty. Just as empty as the day he'd moved in. Anxious that he should have to wait for her in the carriage, Alexandra thundered down the stairs. She paused at a door, where she heard the sound of servants laughing and joking. Satisfied that no one was coming through to ask any questions, she continued more quietly.
"When Mary said the hall was narrow, she didn't lie," Alexandra said to herself. Judging the halls and the doors of her path, she knew she hadn't yet left the West Wing. Still, the thought occurred to her that she could easily become lost. People would begin to search the palace for her. More than likely a servant would come upon her futilely walking the halls. They would take her back upstairs, dress her for the Queen, and that would be the end of it. She would marry Albert and disappoint Uncle Karl and Nicolaus. Oh, Lord, what would happen to Nicolaus? How long would he wait in the yard for her? Hours? No, only a short duration before he would get the message that she changed her mind. Alexandra sobbed aloud and quickened her pace again. She had to find him before time ran out!
"Good-bye Professor! Good-bye!" the boys cried after the man. Making an excuse as to why he had to leave was unbearable. The boys didn't understand; they couldn't understand. For all they knew, their beloved tutor had abandoned them because he just didn't love them anymore. Nicolaus grasped his bag tighter. He strode through the halls, nodding at servants in acknowledgment. He entered the kitchen confidently and with a smooth motion picked up Alexandra's bag as he opened the door. Nicolaus stopped in his tracks at the sight that stood before him in the courtyard.
"Good morning, Professor," Albert turned to greet him with a smile.
"What do you want?"
"Only to wish you luck. Oh, yes, and I've arranged for you to take a very nice position with a University in Bonn." Nicolaus grasped the bags tightly, his knuckles white.
"I do not wish to take your handouts."
"Oh, no, lad, nothing of the sort. I just feel responsible for you, that's all. After all, it was I who asked you to leave without giving you anywhere to go. It's a very nice University. And the language is a cinch, you'll pick it up in no time." Nicolaus continued on to the carriage, ignoring Albert and his offers. He turned in time to see Alexandra step out into the light.
"Stop," he said, and held out his hand. Nicolaus's fierce gaze remained focused on Albert.
Alexandra felt her heart drop to her feet as the sight of Albert in the yard met her eyes. She ignored Nicolaus's request and took a step forward, watching the Prince carefully.
"What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to say farewell to the Professor."
"You were in the library," she said with confusion. Albert clasped his hands behind him and rocked on his heels.
"Yes, well I was. Then I decided you were taking much too long, and I would say goodbye to our friend, here." Alexandra swallowed. He knew. Oh, he had to know. Albert glanced at Nicolaus.
"Could you call off your dog and maybe we could talk in private?"
"Stop it. That's not funny, Albert. Unless you treat him with more respect-"
"All right, all right. But can we talk?" Alexandra glanced at Nicolaus.
"Yes, but quickly." Albert strode over to Alexandra and grasped her arms eagerly.
"Now listen. I'm not going to out you two, and I can't make you marry me. Heaven knows no one else needs to be under Mother's thumb. But consider-even though I've set him up with a nice job with a University, which you're going to have to convince him to take by the way, he won't ever be able to give you what you want. What you need. You're accustomed to a way of living. People expect things from you." Alexandra pulled herself out of his drip and glared at him fiercely.
"I'm tired of doing what they expect from me. What about what I expect from me? No thank you, Albert. I don't need any of the things I have now. All I want and all I need-is Nicolaus." She marched away proudly and took Nicolaus's hand into the carriage. Nicolaus gave a final glance over his shoulder before climbing into the carriage. Albert stood on the cobble, rocking back on his heels, and watched the carriage slowly pull away.
"Well," he sighed. "I suppose I better tell Mother the wedding's off."
The End
Author's note: I like this a little better than how the movie had it. The movie had Alexandra go to Nicolaus the next morning and try and tell him she was going with him. They ended up arguing and Nicolaus left alone. It ended with Albert pulling her inside off a balcony where she watched Nicolaus's carriage pull away. I am a sucker for happily-ever-after, and was a bit upset that it didn't go as it should have. Pardon the parts where there might have been a period mid-sentence. Those were supposed to be pauses, with (. three periods), but for some reason Fan Fic didn't upload them like that. Thank you; please tell me what you think.