The morning after they wedding & consummation of their marriage, the bride & groom woke up & got dressed quickly. As they came out, they saw Alexandra crying. She held a telegram in her hand.
"Mama?" Olga asked nervously, "What's wrong?"
"It's papa, she said sobbing, "He's abdicated the throne." Dmitri wept at this, as did Olga. Alexandra told the other children the news that Nicholas had abdicated for himself & Alexei. After she left, Dmitri kneeled in front of Alexei.
"I don't care what that document says Alexei, you're still my Czar." he said as Alexei embraced him.
"Thank you Mitya." he said quietly. Suddenly, they saw Grand Duke Nikolay marching towards them.
"Lt. Shayk-Bagov, I've heard some things that had better not be true." he stated. Dmitri assumed that Nikolay had found the remains of the feast in the living room.
"We drank a little too much & forgot to clean up." Dmitri said as Anastasia walked over to them.
'What's going on?" she asked.
"Dmitri & Olga are married, I conducted the service myself." Alexei said. Alexandra was completely drained, but Grand Duke Nikolay was livid.
"1 of the servants saw Marie & Anastasia raiding the pantry, he followed them & saw this "ceremony"." the Grand Duke said. Dmitri & Olga looked at each other in fear. "Who else knows of this?" he asked.
"No one." Dmitri said, trying to protect Boris & Volodia.
"Good, then that is how it shall remain. Forever." Nikolay said as Olga took Dmitri's hand.
"You can not undo what has been done before God!" Olga stated. Alexandra couldn't even look. "We consummated it too." Alexandra gasped & the children's eyes grew wide.
"There have been...improper intimacies?" Nikolay stammered.
"I have laid with my husband. There's nothing "improper" about it." Olga replied. The Grand Duke was incensed.
"By God, if you were my daughter..." Nikolay was about to curse when Boris & Volodia came rushing in.
"Dmitri, we have good news, bad news, & better news." Boris said.
"The good news is that the Czar has returned." Volodia said. Olga had a look of joy on her face. "The bad news is that many of our men have deserted." Dmitri was stunned. "& the better news is that the provisional government is sending troops to protect us."
"Thank God." Alexandra said. Grand Duke Nikolay took a breath.
"This matter is not closed." he said in anger. As Olga was about to say something, they all turned to see Nicholas walk in.
"Batushka." Dmitri said as he walked over to him. Nicholas gave Dmitri a salute as he walked over to everyone.
"I'm...sorry." he started to stammer. "Please don't hate me...please." At this point, Nicholas burst into tears. "I'm so...ashamed, I didn't mean...to do it." Alexandra came over & held him as they both wept. Dmitri held Olga as she cried in his arms. A few hours later, the Romanov's were informed that they were being exiled to Tobolsk in Siberia. The family had 3 days to pack their things. A few days later, the head of the Provisional Government: Alexander Kerensky, came to the Winter Palace to escort the family out.
"Mr. Kerensky." Dmitri said as he approached him. "I'd like to go with the imperial family."
"Very well, you shall be their military escort." Kerensky said as he turned to the former czar. "You will be under Lt. Shayk-Bagov's command until you leave the country. His orders carry my authority. At all times." Olga took Dmitri's hand.
"At least we'll all be together."
REVIEWS APPRECIATED