A.N: Since there are no sources documenting all casual moments of the Romanovs, I decided to take some creative liberties. I apologize in advance for any inaccuracies. However, remember that Alexei is absent from this alternate history because he was stillborn. Anyways, get ready for some Romanov fluff!

April 30, 1912

The first day that the Romanovs spent at Livadia passed by. During that day, the Romanovs had done the usual routine of their White Flower Day visits. They had arrived on the afternoon of the twenty-ninth of April, missing part of the local church service. The Romanovs still attended it, and they spent much of their time singing hymns in the Livadia Palace Church and praying for the ill. Later during that Sunday, they returned to their summer retreat: the Livadia Palace. After they slept, they awoke to another pleasant day. Free from the stormy or snowy climate of northern Russia, the royal family could wear their special attire for the occasion.

Within the bedroom of the Big Pair, both Olga and Tatiana remained asleep. Even the sounds of the servants talking and stepping on the floors did not wake them. Apparently, staying up until midnight was not the best choice. A few minutes later, the bedroom door opened, and light flooded into the dark room. Olga groaned as the light shone on her face, and her sister placed an arm over her eyes. Anna Demidova, dressed in her royal servant attire, smiled. The white uniformed officer beside her chuckled, enjoying the scene of the Big Pair struggling to get out of bed. His brown eyes shone with mirth as he watched his favorite Grand Duchess stir underneath the bed covers.

"Wha..." Olga mumbled.

"Breakfast is being prepared, and your younger sisters are already at the table with your parents. They asked me to come and check on you two," Anna said.

"I thought you were an early riser, Your Highness. Perhaps I was wrong," the officer said.

Recognizing the voice of the officer, Olga sat up, rubbing her eyes. She opened her blue eyes to see her dashing young officer: Pavel Voronov. It was clear that he was restraining yet another laugh. The eldest Grand Duchess was not pleased. No officer, especially her crush, should laugh at a young woman of her standing! She scowled at Pavel, who laughed.

"Pavel Voronov, this is not funny!" Olga spoke, tightly clutching the bedsheets in her fists.

This reaction from the eldest Grand Duchess only made Pavel laugh harder, and soon he was not the only one with a reddening face. For obvious reasons, the face of Olga did not redden from laughing too hard. She tossed a pillow at Pavel, who blocked it with his arm. The pillow plopped on the carpeted floor of the bedroom, and Anna looked at Pavel with a disapproving look. Pavel walked away, and he stopped laughing when he looked around the hallway. He saw a few servants turn around a corner down the hallway. If the servants noticed him laughing next to the bedroom of the Grand Duchesses, they would be suspicious. He took a deep breath to calm himself before they noticed his improper demeanor.

"Come with me, Pavel. The Big Pair are already awake now," Anna said, gesturing for the young officer to follow her.

"Alright, Miss Demidova. I would like to enjoy a hearty breakfast soon," Pavel replied, following Anna down the hallway.

Once both Pavel and Anna had left the bedroom, Tatiana stirred underneath the bed covers. Olga left her bed, and Tatiana sat up from the bed. She glanced at the window that was shaded by blinds. As soon as Olga opened the blinds, sunlight filled the room. Tatiana squinted from the intense light as she left her bed too. Both sisters changed their attire to their special white dresses and sunhats.

"I actually enjoy this weather... the bright sun, the clear sky, and the sea winds," Tatiana said.

Olga nodded, and she commented. "If only we chose this place as our official home. It would be safer from bad weather and the revolutionaries."

"Olya, we are perfectly safe. No one is going to harm us here as well. You need to enjoy your time here while it lasts."

"I do not know, Tatya. I cannot shake off this feeling of dread, no matter how much I try."

"Well, I could ask Papa to take us to the beach sometime today. That could help us all relax, especially after living near those crowds of protestors as well."

Olga placed a hand on her chin, deep in thought. "Yes, I think that is a splendid idea."

"Good. Now, let us get to the White Hall."

After making their own beds and tidying their room, the Big Pair went through the various halls and up a flight of stairs to the second floor. They passed through the main hallway of the second floor, glancing outside the arched windows at the front plaza of the palace grounds. Thanks to the efforts of palace staff, the lawns and foliage were well trimmed. Everyday during White Flower Week, the floors were swept while the royal family visited the town of Livadia. As the Big Pair stepped into the White Hall, their father acknowledged their presence with a nod, but their mother shook her head in disapproval. Upon taking their seats, Olga and Tatiana heard the sassy comments of their younger sisters.

"I am so hungry, that I could eat a Siberian bear. What took you two so long?" Anastasia said.

"We-" Olga trailed off, becoming silent as soon as she spotted Pavel and Dimitri sitting across from her.

Anastasia smirked. "Did someone glue your tongue? Perhaps that handsome young officer over there?"

"What? No!" Olga yelled, her blue eyes blazing.

All eyes in the room glanced at her, and Olga looked down at her meal, feeling her face heat up. For certain, she was blushing. The room became quieter, and Alexandra cleared her throat, looking at her eldest daughter with a stern look. Nicholas sighed, and gave Anastasia a serious look. Never before in all her visits to Livadia had Olga encountered such an awkward situation.

"Do not mind the disturbance," Nicholas spoke, and the officers and servants resumed their chatter.

"Olga, it is unladylike to raise your voice at your sister, even if she provokes you. I am sure she meant no ill will," Alexandra said.

"I know, Mama." Olga quietly said, her voice almost inaudible.

The Romanovs held hands and made a brief prayer to bless their meal. After doing so, they began to eat their breakfast. Olga attempted to hold back her temper, as Anastasia kept sticking her tongue out at her. If not for the supervision of her parents, she would have snapped at her youngest sister. Her rationale reminded her that her unforgettable Nastya was a prankster and clown at heart. Mischief ran in her blood. Olga took a deep breath to calm herself, and she focused her efforts on ignoring Anastasia. The strategy seemed to work until the youngest Grand Duchess attempted to stab a moist grape with her fork. Instead of succeeding, Anastasia flung the grape off her plate. The grape hit Olga on the forehead, eliciting a reaction.

Olga still remained silent but clenched her fists with barely restrained anger. Anastasia held up her hands in mock innocence, and Maria giggled. Tatiana looked at her eldest sister with worry. She knew that things would soon escalate into a fight between her sisters, and she decided to take action.

"Nastya, please let Olya be. She did not sleep well last night," Tatiana reminded Anastasia.

After a moment, Anastasia relented. "Alright, alright. I will stop now."

Olga sighed in relief. At least she could finish her meal in peace. She hoped that once they went to the beach, she could rebuild yet another sand castle with Tatiana as well as before. Nicholas whispered something in the ear of his wife, and she giggled, playfully swatting him on the shoulder. Despite the past affairs with ballerinas, Nicholas still got along with his beloved Sunny. They had discussed the topic before, and they had reconciled long ago.

"Mama, Papa, it is possible for us to go to the beach after the charity?" Tatiana asked, placing down her fork.

"Well, I suppose so..." Alexandra said, and Nicholas nodded in agreement.

The Little Pair cheered at the declaration. Anastasia smirked at Olga, remembering when she had destroyed the sand castle constructed by the Big Pair. Olga knew what Anastasia thought, judging by her smirk. Perhaps Anastasia would wreck her sand castle again, as she had done several times before. Olga gave her signature "do not mess with me" face, but Anastasia only continued to smirk. The mind of the shvibzik was at work again, planning yet another prank.


After finishing breakfast, the Romanovs went through their usual morning routine before leaving the palace. With brushed teeth and their well-tailored clothing, the royal family walked out the front door, followed by the guards and officers. Pavel inhaled the salty sea breeze, and his friend Viktor wore a smile. Both officers, close friends for years, enjoyed the weather. As the diadka assigned to watch over Olga, Pavel had a great responsibility to fulfill. Viktor was assigned to watch Maria, much to her delight. The sailors assigned to look after the Grand Duchesses stood beside them, and the Tsar and Tsarina went to the front of the group. Nicholas gestured for the group to follow them, and the tour of Livadia began.

Wearing their dresses with red ties and red belts with Red Cross pouches, the four Grand Duchesses walked to the town of Livadia alongside their parents. Upon their arrival, the Romanovs waved at the locals, who bowed or shouted words of appreciation. Passing by a trio of young women dressed in white dresses, Pavel flashed them a smile with his white teeth. This made the women sigh with adoration and give dreamy looks at his fit physique.

Olga looked at Pavel waving at the crowds, and she felt a strange feeling in her heart. Her heartbeat raced, and her steps slowed as she admired the facial features of her diadka. His eyes had a warm brown hue, and his brown hair was done in a well-trimmed buzz cut. His body was well-built from years of physical training. Olga then looked at the other arm of her crush. If only she could hold hands with him and tell him her feelings. However, she knew that she could not do that, as people would spread rumors about her having a forbidden relationship with an officer.

"Enjoying something you see?" Pavel spoke, smiling with those dazzling pearly white teeth of his.

Olga almost gasped from surprise. How did he know? She shook her head, and thought of a quick reply. "Not at all, I thought there was something on your shoes."

"Oh." Pavel looked down at his shoes, but he saw no blemish on them. "Thank you for your concerns, but there is nothing on my shoes, Your Highness."

"Perhaps I was mistaken."

"You are acting strange."

"Me? Strange?" Olga said with a puzzled look on her face.

"I remember the first time we saw each other. You were, and always be that little and innocent girl I saw on the decks of the Standart. It is my job to protect you, as a good, noble officer should."

Olga felt her heart soften at the endearments from her officer, but her mind, sharp as ever, resisted. "Do not flatter me, I am not that innocent, Pavel."

"So, you..." Pavel said, trailing off and blushing.

"What? No!" Olga said, realizing the implications of her words.

Pavel chuckled, and Olga groaned. She hoped that her family would not walk much longer, as the air temperature began to rise. Her forehead felt moist after some time, and she smiled when she spotted a cluster of booths in the town plaza. At last, she could stay still and give herself a rest from about a kilometer of walking.

Olga reached into her pouch to take out a roll of ruble bills, counting four-hundred rubles in total. Raised with modesty and piety, she had decided to donate eighty percent of her allowance to the fundraiser for tuberculosis treatment. Pavel also reached into his pocket to take out a few ruble bills as well, and he gave the nearest booth keeper his fifty rubles. Olga then gave her donation, and the booth keeper gaped her mouth in awe at the large quantity of money received.

"Your generosity is astounding, Your Highness. Your donation is very much appreciated!" the woman said.

"Not a problem. I pray that this money will be put to good use," Olga replied.

The rest of the sisters gave their donations, and they started conversations with the booth keepers. Beside the four Grand Duchesses, the royal couple gave their donations and walked around the plaza to see the various stands. The guards patrolled the plaza, keeping a perimeter around the royal family. This ensured that they would all remain safe.


A few hours passed as the Romanovs toured the rest of Livadia. At lunchtime, they returned to the palace grounds with their escort of guards and officers. After walking for hours under the sun, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia all desired to swim in the cerulean waters by the beach. They went to their bedrooms, and they packed their swimsuits and towels into their suitcases. In separate rooms, the officers and servants packed their beach attire as well. As the Big Pair finished packing their belongings, their bedroom door opened to reveal their parents.

"Mama, Papa, are we going to the beach now?" Olga said, her blue eyes lighting up with anticipation.

"Of course, my little spitfire. I originally planned for us to do some tennis competition in the palace courts, but I changed my mind today thanks to a certain little girl," Nicholas said.

"I am not little anymore, Papa!" Tatiana exclaimed.

Nicholas laughed, and he kissed his two eldest daughters on the cheek. "Both of you, including your sisters, will always be my little angels. I love you all the same, including my Sunny."

"As I do to you, Nicky," Alexandra warmly spoke.

Alexandra and Nicholas led their eldest daughters to a nearby bedroom where the Little Pair had changed out of their special dresses into their casual, plain white dresses. Still, they had kept on their sunhats, as the day had proven hotter than expected.

In the servant quarters, Dimitri changed into his casual wear, as he was off duty. He looked around the room, spotting only a few small beds and a nightstand with a lamp. He peered outside the window, feeling the sea breeze caress his face for the first time. As a street orphan, he had heard other people talk about the infamous Livadia retreat and the mild, warm weather it enjoyed for most of the year. Now, he could have a chance to experience what a beach was, or to feel his feet sink into soft, pale yellow sand. Even better, he could spend time with his favorite Grand Duchess.

Dimitri heard a rapid series of knocks on the door, and he went to open it. Maria and Anastasia stood outside, awaiting their favorite kitchen boy. Once Dimitri opened the door, they yelled "Boo!" and lunged at him. Dimitri widened his eyes, but he did not flinch. He rolled his eyes.

"You two need to work on your scaring skills, Your Highnesses," Dimitri taunted.

"Then I will practice on Olishka. Heaven knows that she is an easy one to scare... and irritate," Anastasia said, holding up a rubber spider with red markings on it. Dimitri had to admit that it looked quite convincing.

"Anya, you are one evil genius. For a princess."

"Well, what are we waiting for? We should go!" Maria commented, gesturing towards outside.

In an instant, Dimitri and the four Grand Duchesses went towards the palace entrance. Nicholas, dressed in his white suit, gazed at Dimitri. The Tsar nodded at him. Alexandra hugged each of her daughters, and she hugged Dimitri, who felt awkward. A mere kitchen boy like him was being hugged by the Tsarina!

"You are like a son to me. Although I do not approve of any excessively bothersome pranks, I hope that you will watch the little imp for me."

"I will, Your Majesty."