Alexie is quickly brought to his bedroom carried by Alexandra followed by Nicholas behind and the daughters behind him, the boy is layed down on his bed slowly by Alexandra and sits by him whilst holding his hand and prays silently to the lord to heal her beloved son. The daughters looked at their brother with worried and fearful expressions, particularly Tatiana, whom walked towards the bed and kneeled down next to her mother and to the lord for a miracle. Tsar Nicholas II became very anxious for fate that his son will endure, the fate of the dynasty lies on the tsarevich's own hands and with that also the future of Russia, Nicholas tells himself to clam down and hope Rasputin can heal their severely injured child. Rasputin finally arrived in the Tsarevich's room, the mystical monk from the desolate lands of Siberia kneels down next to the tsarevich after Alexandra and Tatiana gave him room, Rasputin begins is healing ritual with a prayer to god, the family participates in the prayer in hopes that it would further help Rasputin's "powers" to heal the ailing 4 year old Tsarevich, the monk placed his hands gently on the child's injured forehead whilst his eyes are tightly and chants a prayer inaudibly for about 2-6 minutes, in that short amount of time the family watched with hope that their little Alyosha would rise from the bed and run to his family for a big hug. Rasputin puts his hands away from the Tsarevich, although the bleeding have stopped Alexie never stood up from his bed, Rasputin himself is surprised, he holds the Tsarevich's wrist to feel any signs of his pulse still functioning. Nothing, Rasputin feels nothing from the child's wrist, it was their that Rasputin knew the Tsarevich... is dead, Rasputin closes his eyes in disappointment and guilt.
"Friend, what happened, is our little Alyosha ok!?" Tatiana asked anxiously.
Rasputin stood up to look at the rest of the family with a saddened expression, he lays down his head and nods sideways slowly. The unexpected response struck the imperial couple and the daughters at the heart like a stake have stabbed a Vampire's chest. Alexandra weeps holding her son's hand, Nicholas sheds tears from the heart break he had suffered, he places his fist onto his chest. Tatiana breaks down to her knees, putting her hands on her face, her sisters kneels down to comfort her, they too share the same pain, Olga herself is deeply heart broken her pink lips quivers and her checks stained with tear trails, the little pair sobbed.
January 1, 1909
.
The Funeral is held at the Dormition Cathedral, the same place the coronation of Nicholas II and many other czars of Russia took place, the inside of the Cathederal is filled with Christian-style renaissance art all around of the columned arches and the dome above, color plated windows reflect the greyish touch of the its mixture of colors that are reflected by the dim lights outside the building, the weather is cloudy. A giant chandelier hangs above the center area of the interior of the building, supported by strong tight chains. Nobles from all over Europe, most notably Kaiser Wilhelm II of the German Empire, King Edward VII of Great Britain with his wife, and Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria-Hungary, attended to pay their respects and send their regards to the departed Tsarevich. Nicholas, Olga and Anastasia sits at the front benches on the right-hand section, Alexandra, Tatiana and Maria sits at the front on the left-hand section.
The girls wears black mourning dresses, Alexandra's dress being that of the old late Victorian design from 1880s, the daughter's dresses are as well from the late Victorian era, the dresses are hand me downs that were given to them by Alexandra's sisters from Hesse. When all attendants are present, the guards closed the doors. Everyone seated stands up in the presence of the priest as he walks up to the front of his audience then proceeds to walk behind the casket containing the body of the dear Tsarevich and then walking up the steps. As the priest got to position, he gestures his hand telling everyone that they shall be seated.
"Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Christmas has been an unprecedented and unexpected tragedy for the Romanov family and all of mother Russia, the people are heart broken to hear the terrible news of the depart of a very young boy, whos not an ordinary boy, he is a boy who was given a high special purpose by our mighty creator, a purpose in which he would guide our people's destiny and security through the troubles and darkness beyond these here boarders. he is loved by all, especially by our emperor and empress and their 4 blessed beautiful daughters, who is just as deprived of life by the loss of this young child, who now rests in the hands of our lord and savior." The priest turns his attention to the family of the dead. "Your majesties, if you wish to say something about your son and brother, you may step up."
Nicholas stands from his seat and walks behind his son's casket, he wipes his tears with his handkerchief and raises his head above to look at the crowed in front of him. He exhales and starts to speak. "I would like to say... thank you. Thank you all for gathering to my late son's service. Seeing you all here have reminded me how special our little Alexie is to us. If I'm going to be honest, he no longer endures the torture that he is born with, for now he is free from his cuffs of a disease and now runs around freely with Jesus Christ. Oh my son would've loved feeling fully liberated in which his adversity deprived him of such life, where ever he is now I just want him to know that I will always love him and he has a special place within my heart. Many kings and emperors in history sees their sons as only a mere political tool to increase their power and strength in which I myself ruthlessly hate, my son is lucky to be born to a man whom sees his offspring... as his very own son." As Nicholas begins to walk the crowd applauds.
Alexandra walks up to the front behind the casket with the appearance of gloom and depression stained her face as her tears starts trailing down her eyes, Alexandra hesitates on what she says but after a mere second she is able to gain comprehension "Seeing my son before me, beneath me, in this small wooden box as we'd call a casket, is the most devastating moments of my life next to the passing of my dear mother. When I gave birth to him it was like as if God have finally heard our plea, a shinning beacon being brought from darkness. Little Alyosha represented a child who can still try to live his life to the fullest even with a devil-given cruse and that's one of the traits that I am very proud of, of my god beloved and given..." Alexandra's voice breaks as she begins to weep "... son." The crowd applauds.
Olga stands up and walks up behind the casket, as she looks at the crowd in front of her she began to feel nervous as it is her first time speaking publicly in front of a crowd, she stood their quiet and hesitating with a unease expression. Tatiana became concern and worried for her sister, could not bear to see Olga alone and embarrassed up at the front, Tatiana stands up from her seat and gestures the little pair to come with her to support their eldest sister, Olga is surprised and in awe, Tatiana holds Olga's hand and smiles, Olga returns the favor. The eldest daughter looks back at her audience and takes a deep breath before speaking " I.. I am Olga Nikoleavna Romanova and these are my sisters, Tatiana, Maria and our little Shvibzik Anastasia. All 4 of us gathered to show how our little brother mean to us. The first time I have met my little brother on mother's arms I was excited and lively, the first time I witnessed him move I was shown the power and miracle of God, I had the honor to attended his christened ceremony when I was 9 and to be made one of his God parents is the greatest honor for a child my age to be given. I deeply loved my little Alyosha, I loved him more than just how an average sister would show love to her siblings.. I loved him like he was my very child. There would never be another child whom I would love as much as I love Alexie." the crowd applauds, "Not even your own child?" Anastasia remarked, the crowd laughs, Olga just grins whilst shaking her head.
Tatiana takes Olga's place, to show her appreciation Olga holds Tatiana's hand, the two sisters shares weak smiles. Tatiana turns to the crowd "I had a promise, a promise that I, as a sister, should've kept and cherished more, a promise that in its hand is a life of a young boy, a promise that should've saved him. I am at fault for Alyosha's death, an elder sibling bears the responsibility for the safety and security for their baby sibling and I-" Tatiana begins to weep "I... failed! I'm a failure as a sister, I'm a failure as a guardian, I'm a failure at keeping a promise..!" Tatiana continued, her voice breaking as she sobbed softly. The broken grand duchess is comforted by Olga as she cries on her chest, the crowd bore a mixture expressions of confusion and pity. The crowd stayed silent as the sisters walks back to their respective seats, Alexandra embraces her 2nd daughter in her arms and comfort her "Tatiana, its not your fault, you did not fail... Its just happened so sudden." Alexandra said to her silently and motherly. Tatiana only thought of the words her mother said to her were just out of pity, the 2nd eldest Grand duchess still feel heavily guilty.
Royal guards carries the casket to the funeral wagon outside whilst the family follows them behind, the family is escorted by 4 guards, the casket is then placed to the wagon and the other guards opens the door of the royal carriage for the Romanov family to enter, after all of the family have seated in the carriage the carriage master commands his horse to move as soon as the wagon is pulled on front of them. The attendants of the funeral follows behind the family and the wagon, on their way to Peter and Paul Cathedral. The Peter and Paul Cathedral is where many Romanov emperors and empresses laid to rest. Among them is Alexander III, the children's grandfather and father of Nicholas II. The family and their guests arrived at the front of the building after departing from the train station and brought to the cathedral by road, the Peter and Paul Cathedral sits on the center of a small Island called Peter and Paul fortress at the center of St. Petersburg. The casket is loaded of the wagon by the guards and the family follows behind the guards as they carry the casket into the Cathedral, the interior of the Cathedral is designed with huge arches on the ceiling supported by giant pillars about the size of two story buildings, the structures of the interior are filled with colorful textures and art from the time of Peter the Great, an Iconostasis colored in gold shines on the guests its light reflected from the gold chandelier hanging above. The family and their guests are led to one of the rooms of the cathedral where the grave of the little tsarevich will be buried. As the casket is descended into the grave, the daughters threw flowers above the casket, tears and grief stains their faces of the family as they watch their beloved Alyosha ascend to heaven...
Alexander Palace, Night time
Tsar Nicholas cannot sleep, he is drowned within his thoughts, his thoughts on the succession of the throne, with Alexie gone it opened a succession crisis within the Romanov dynasty, Nicholas knew he needed a new male heir but at the same time he wants to spare his wife of another painful birth he feared that a birth of a new child would take a toll on Alexandra and he also feared that the child would likely be born a girl. Nicholas looks at his wife who is sleeping at his side and he carcasses her, he understands that Alexandra is not in the mood on the discussion about an heir he would then have to wait for Alexandra's mourning to slide away before he can bring the subject to her. Nicholas moved to the side of the bed before standing up for a walk, thinking it will tire him enough to get his needed sleep.
Nicholas walks across the hall way of the Palace, the hall is lit by the candles on the sides, he then found himself within the Portrait hall of the Alexander palace, The Portrait hall is part of one segments of the great three-part hall that makes up the central core of the palace. The columns of the hall are designed with artificial golden painted sienna marbles with Ionic capitals, The walls were covered in white scagiola an artifical marble surface made of ground pure white alabaster. The soaring vaults of the room were painted a simple and pristine white white set off the massive chandelier from the time of Catherine the Great which hung from the center. Huge windwos opening onto the park let in massive shafts of light. The floors were set with plain parquet in a diamond pattern. Because of the slippery surface of the floor as its often polished in short period of time anyone who enters the hall had to walk very carefully or where shoes with special soles that keeps them from slipping. Nicholas makes sure to walk carefully as his slippers do not have any special soles.
Nicholas walks slowly into the section that leads to the Billiard Hall, there he sees a portrait of Catherine the Great at the left side of the hall frame, Nicholas slowly comes close to the painting to get a better view. As he stands close in front of the portrait, that's when Nicholas's eyes widened and his jaw drops slightly, an idea escapes his temple and there, Nicholas gains an answer to the question of succession but he knew it would go against current law, but as he sis Tsar with absolute power, he is the law.
