"You're letting me decide?" she asked. She felt rather than saw his nod as his arms wrapped around her.
They'd be together, no matter where they went. Anastasia felt a thrill of exhiliration, knowing Kurando wanted to be with her.
Almost too soon, she opened her mouth to say the Winter Hermitage. She wanted to see her father and Alexei again, she had finally made peace with her mother--and she had a gorgeous fiance to make all her older sisters jealous. But...was that really where she and Kurando would be happiest?
Russia was still in turmoil because of the war and the ineptitude of her father's government. As much as she hated to think it, Rasputin hadn't been the sole source of the country's troubles. She didn't want to drag Kurando into so much political conflict, no matter how much experience he might have had with it from being Kawashima's bodyguard.
No...after knowing what had happened to Yuri and Alice and Kato and Ouka, Anastasia wanted most of all to go somewhere where nothing would ever tear Kurando and her apart. Someplace where everyday would be peaceful, and they could hold hands and walk to the lake and watch the swans--
Anastasia giggled, realizing her decision was made. "Let's go home," she told Kurando, "and see your mother."
His arms tightened around her waist as they both rose up. She turned to look at the others, but most of them were already gone. Only Yuri and Karin were left. With their feet planted on the ground, they didn't seem to be going anywhere.
Anastasia wanted to ask where they were going, if they were leaving together, but was startled out of questions when she felt herself slipping from Kurando's grip. She had to keep her mind on her own happiness. Besides, Yuri must have known where he was headed; he was already smiling as he waved a goodbye.
Author's Note: So...yeah. This was just a short one-shot that I typed up a while ago and then forgot all about. Truthfully, I think this was sweet, but I think Anastasia might be...a little more thoughtful in here than she actually is in game.