"You don't need to be so horrid, Anastasia," snapped Maria.
"You just like him better than the archduke who's taking us in. If I were you, I'd marry him. That miniature made him look quite handsome when he was young."
"His ears are too big."
"If that's your only reason…"
"I haven't even met him!"
"No one has to marry anyone right now. Mama and Papa would never have forced you to marry anyone you didn't like, Mashka."
"Thank you, Tatiana."
"But one of us will have to marry very well. The only money we have is what we can make from the jewels we've hidden," said Olga.
"Who knows? We might be provided with an income wherever we end up," replied Maria.
"How far is it to Konopischt?" asked Anastasia suddenly, sliding back the partition that separated the girls from the driver.
"About fifty kilometers, so about an hour's drive, ma'm," the man replied.
"Thank you."
Anastasia suddenly seemed radiant. It was like the years of sadness and misery had been painted over. Maria knew her sister, though, and knew that her grief would never leave her. It would never leave any of them, even if Anastasia went back to her impishness.
They spent the rest of the drive discussing how they would meet the Archduke, and when they would get their next meal.
Konopischt was beautiful. It four wings stretched out on a cliff overlooking a lake, and it even had towers and turrets. It looked liked something out of a fairy tale, with whitewashed walls and orange-red roof.
As soon as the car pulled to a stop, a lone footman rushed outside and opened the door for the Grand Duchesses, and another, along with the driver, took their bags inside.
The girls followed their luggage, and were greeted by a tall, portly man and a rail—thin women. Both looked too old to be an Archduke, or Archduchess. Maria wondered for the first time if Aleksandar had married while she'd been wasting away in captivity. Perhaps that why he wasn't emperor; maybe he married beneath him, just like his father.
"Your imperial highnesses," said the women, curtseying deeply. The old man gave them a low bow.
"I am Frau Schmidt, and I am the housekeeper here. I'm afraid the Archduke and the Archduchess will not arrive from Vienna until later this evening, but I have been told to express their honor and relief that you have all arrived safely here."
Frau Schmidt was a bit breathless after this speech, but the butler continued for her.
"I'm afraid we're a bit under—staffed to host four Grand Duchesses; the Archduke and Archduchess do not require many servants. However, we have two ladies maids upstairs in your chambers, and if you need anything, please do not hesitate to ring."
"Would you prefer lunch to be served in your rooms? Or shall I prepare the dining room?" asked Frau Schmidt.
"We'll lunch privately, thank you," said Tatiana. "Perhaps you could serve it in my chamber?"
"Of course, your highness. May I show you to your rooms?" replied the Frau.
The sisters followed the kindly old woman up a grand staircase to the second floor. The walls of the corridors were covered by an impressive art collection, as well as dozens of hunting trophies, but the row of four rooms which the girls were lead to had a much more cozy feeling, with pastoral scenes and light—colored wallpaper.
The first thing Maria did was to take a long, hot bath, a luxury she hadn't enjoyed in almost six years. She felt clean and contented when she got out, and wrapped herself in the fluffy white robe that had been placed by the tub.
In her bedroom, Anna, the maid she now shared with Anastasia, was hanging Maria's grimy clothes in the wardrobe. She curtseyed as Maria entered the room.
"What would you like to be washed?" asked the girl.
"Everything except my nice dress. I'll need that to wear to dinner tonight. I'll be horribly underdressed, but it's better than that mourning dress."
Anna actually laughed.
"What is it?" asked Maria, confused and slightly offended.
"Forgive me, ma'm, but you won't be needing to dress for dinner. The archduke and archduchess never dress for it, unless it's a special occasion. I think I've actually only seen the Archduchess in any sort of skirt once or twice."
"Really?" asked Maria, intrigued.
"Yes ma'm, really. My cousin is the Archduchess's maid, and she hardly ever works, same with the Archduke's valet. They dress themselves and everything. The Archduchess actually wears trousers most of the time."
"Just like the girls I saw all over Prague. She must be very fashionable."
"Oh she set that fashion. She disguised herself as a boy so she could fight in the war, see. She and the Archduke met on the Leviathan, that huge Darwinist airship, all the way back in 1914, and they got married just eight months ago."
"Is that why Archduke Aleksandar isn't the Emperor? Because he married the Archduchess?"
"Yes. Her highness the Archduchess is as common as I am, and the current Emperor threatened to exile the Archduke is he married Miss Sharp. It all worked out, though. The Archduke is too popular to be exiled, so they got married properly, not like his father and his mother," said Anna, crossing herself when she mentioned Franz Ferdinand and Sophie.
"So The Archduchess in English, then?"
"Scottish, actually. She's very proud of that, even though it makes her German strange sounding. May I suggest this blouse and skirt for dinner? I can have them washed in time."
Maria was surprised again by the quick change of topic, but she gave her consent, and after Anna had helped her on with her cleanest outfit, she went in search of lunch.
I always wondered what the royal reaction would be to Alek and Deryn's marriage. The Romanov girls were raised quite simply (for royalty), and I hope they would be very sympathetic and welcoming. I made them that way in the story, so...
Leviathan Series (c) Scott Westerfeld.