Chapter Four.
Making myself comfortable on the love seat, I watched as Olena pulled out a new canvas, and not a previous piece of artistry. Just a blank canvas. Watching her pull out her supplies I quickly plucked a grape from its vine and through it into my mouth. She always shared with me and I was feeling rather hungry from today's activities.
"Roza, I have a question for you today. I want to try drawing a portrait. And I need a model to hold a pose for me." Olena walked around the canvas and clasped her hands in from of her, almost in a 'please' manner. Her grin told me everything I was wondering.
"You would like me to be this model today Olena?" I asked smirking while humorously questioning her. She gave a small smile and laughed.
"Yes Roza, that is exactly what I would like. I am trying to broaden my skills. I find that I am always doing nature, but when I was a young woman, your age, I was very good at sketchs and portraits. Once everyone started drawing and painting my own, I seemed to have lost interest. I will even let you have it once it is completed." Her brown eyes stared at me in question.
Nodding I smiled. "Alright, what would you like me to do?" She clapped her hands together and walked over to the cushioned bench. " I want you to sit on this bench, " She moved me in front and pushed my shoulders so I was sitting. " Now lets let your hair down," She gently tugged the tie from my hair, letting the tousled waves fall around me, and moved them into place to frame my face.
Standing back she smiled at me. " My dear from my understanding it was that your mother was Scottish, and your father Turkish, your mixture is extraordinary, frankly I am excited to be doing this portrait. Your features are stunning." Laughing at her childlike behaviour I genuinely smiled and sat still.
"Now I know we usually talk while I do this but please keep that serene look on your face, and do not move as much as you want to – that is an order from your Queen" She winked at me, and I slightly nodded.
For the next hour and a half, I sat still listening to her talk about the time she saw me in line with the help, and how she was drawn to me.
"You were just a little girl, but seeing you stand there so brave, so elegantly beside your mother with no fear in your eyes while each of your put into different fields of help, it was almost inspiring. And something inside of me wanted to protect you. I had been there when your mother asked the head of the help, she just wanted you to be able to be under our protection. I understood that you came from some most not so nice places, and for that I am sorry, but I am glad that your mother brought you here, for now I get to have you serve me."
I could hear the scratches of the pencils and charcoal against the canvas, and for a while she did not speak, but I could hear a few sighs release before she voiced her thoughts again.
"My dear, I don't know why the gods were so cruel in bringing you into my life, when I cherish you like, like a daughter." Widening my eyes I looked up at her over the canvas, her eyes peaking over watching me.
"I wish that society did not have such structures they do, that the council would not rebel if I were to make actions against what they believe. " she continued to make strokes against the canvas leaving me floored by what she had just told me.
"Many think that I am able to overerule the decisions, that I can do what I please, but that is not true. If I go against what my council disagrees or agrees on, I am putting the peace that I have on Russia at stake." She fell quiet again, and for the next thirty minutes she was silent. Leaving me to my on thoughts while I composed the pose again.
Was she saying that no matter what my status was she loved me? That she truly thought of me as family. I was honoured. It was that moment that made me think that I should come clean with her about me and her son. But then would I lose the trust that she had in me, as I as already fooling around with her son? That I was not pure as a princess would be at the time of marriage.
I truly believed that I would be nothing but the help, and the night I had given myself to Dimitri, I knew he was the one I loved, and anyone else in bed would not even happen. It would just be Dimitri.
A slight blush raised to my cheeks thinking about tonight in the garden, but I had to be very diligent about not forgetting my evening tea. A tea that was drank for precaution. A herb called Pennyroyal. It was a tea that was able to induce menstruation. I had to keep up with it, Dimitri would not appreciate an illegitimate child, no matter how much we loved each other, I could never ruin his image like that.
"All done Roza." Olena stood up, wiping her hands on her smock that kept her dress from ruining.
"I am still surprised to see that I still have the skill I possessed all those years ago." She beamed turning the canvas over. Gasping I brought my hands to my mouth. I was in awe.
My portrait was shaded in the right spots, details articulated. My hair looking beautiful even if created with charcoal. My lips plump on the canvas, and my eyes looking like the sun shone from them. She did a truly wonderful job.
"Olena…. Its magnificent." She smiled setting it down again. " Well than, I will have someone hang it in your room, or I can hang it amongst my collection." I smiled stretching my back.
"Whatever suits better Olena. Your dinner must be ready now, I will escort you to the dining area, and then I will be off for the day. I will see you tomorrow morning, bright eyed and bushy tailed." I hoped I didn't seem too eager to be off, but I had a night to prepare for.
" Of course, I would enjoy you to accompany me down there. You seem eager to leave me Roza, " she smiled at me, while I helped untie the smock.
"Hot date?" She asked winking at me. Wide eyes I gave a nervous laugh. " No, never you know me Olena, I'm not ready to break hearts quite yet." She laughed and I walked over to her oak doors and opened them for her, allowing her to walk ahead.
"You know Roza, you are of age to be married now. I am sure I can find a nice boy for you. No matter your position, you deserve to be happy with whom you want to be with." Smiling at her I nodded not saying anything. Coming to the dining area, I nodded to the soldier, who then opened the doors, leading into where the rest of Olena's family sat, waiting for their Queen. Turning to me she nodded.
" I will see you tomorrow dear, thank you for your hardwork." And like always I curtsied to her, she nodded briefly to me for my hard work, it was our routine for the end of the day.
Stepping back I looked onward into the room, surprised to see Dimitri sitting to the right of the head of the table, and Viktoria to the left.
" Hello Roza!" Smilling I gently waved towards the younger princess and looked toward Dimitri, whose eyes pierced me with his warmth and subtle gaze, one that held many emotions and memories.
Walking away, I grinned heading back to my room. Now the time had come to bathe, and find something to wear for his royal highness.
TBC
Hi guys, im sorry for the wait. Grief struck my family yet again and my grandma passed away. Bless her soul. She will be missed and I had to be there for my father. Even though I never truly got to meet her face to face as she lived in another Country, I will miss her.
Thanks for the private messages and comments urging for this story and my other, I wanted this chapter longer but my head is still busy. BUT. I will make the next chapter extra long. Currenty working on it as this chapter goes up and hopefull the next will be up within a few hours of this one.
Much love . Freedomwriter2010
