-1Novelized by RedWolfZakuro
Disclaimer: I obviously don't own any of this [sobs. I don't think I was even born when they started production.
A/N-- Thanks, A Catholic Girl, again. I'm flattered. (I'm a girl, by the way.) Anonymous person, you're right, I did find a few mistakes (ex Anya had twenty-five marks and then Vlad added two. LOL) Sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, but school work, you know. That and I can't use the computer after 9:00. [sigh… Well, here goes chapter four. It's a little bit short. Sorry.
After the train crashed, the trio was left with no choice but to walk: either towards their destination or back to St. Petersburg.
"Are we walking to Paris?" asked Anya one morning. They had been walking for weeks, and the somewhat monotonous pounding of their feet was beginning to tire Anya. Of course, conversation with Dimitri was never dull, but they were so comfortable with each other now that the constant teasing had begun to bore them both. They no longer argued perpetually, and Vlad was relieved from his job of mediating. Dimitri came to his senses and decided that Vlad was not taking sides, and the three of them got on fairly well.
"We'll take a boat in Germany."
"Oh, then we're walking to Germany."
"No, Your Grace. We're taking a bus."
"A bus," Anya sighed. She thought about it, then yawned. They should have been to Paris by now. "That's nice…"
They plodded on through Poland, and even Pooka grew tired of their travels. The days melted together, turning from snow to spring, and they took off their long overcoats. As they neared the border of Germany, Vlad became increasingly happy. Every morning he danced around humming in the sparkling sunlight.
"Sophie, my dear, Vlady's on his way!" he sang early one morning as they crossed a wooden bridge over a shallow stream.
They set the suitcases down on the dirt path, resting in the dappled shade of the blossoming trees. Anya draped her coat over the one she was sitting on and looked up at Dimitri. "Who's Sophie?"
"Who is Sophie?" answered Vlad, twirling around. "She's a tender little morsel, a cup of hot chocolate after a long walk in the snow!"
Dimitri got up and motioned at Vlad, who ignored him. He turned back to Anya and laughed falsely, then walked up to Vlad. "Vlad, ix-nay on the Ophie-say," he said through gritted teeth.
Vlad simply pulled him into a spinning waltz, continuing, "She's a decadent pastry filled with whipped cream and laughter!" He let Dimitri fall backwards, with his face next to Anya's.
"Is this a person or a cream puff?" she asked, giggling.
Vlad pulled away and threw Dimitri to the ground in his excitement. "She is the Empress's ravishing first cousin!" He began singing and tiptoeing around the little path.
Anya, thinking, stood up. "But, I thought we were going to see the Empress herself. Why are we going to see her cousin? Dimitri?"
Dimitri, who had been sneaking away, turned back with a sheepish grin. "Well, nobody gets near the Dowager Empress without convincing Sophie first," he said quickly, a very hopeful smile on his face.
"No, not me. No, no, nobody ever told me I had to prove I was the Grand Duchess!" She walked at Dimitri, who backed up. "Show up, yes. Look nice, fine! But lie?"
"Look, I--" He recovered himself. "You don't know it's a lie. What if it's true?" This time Anya moved back, then turned away. He caught her arm. "Okay, so there's one more stop on the way to finding out who you are. I just thought this was something you had to see through to the end no matter what."
"But look at me, Dimitri," she argued, holding out the shapeless brown dress she was wearing. "I am not exactly Grand Duchess material here!"
Both groaned and stomped away, wondering why the other was so stubborn.
Anya stood on the bridge, leaning on the fence. Vlad came up next to her and handed her a rose.
"Tell me child, what do you see?" He motioned toward their reflections in the clear brook.
"I see a skinny little nobody," replied Anya miserably. "With no past, and no future." She threw the crimson flower into the water.
"I see an engaging and fiery young woman, who on a number of occasions has shown a regal command equal to any royal in the world," he said, smiling. "And I have known my share of royalty. You see, my dear, I was a member of the imperial court."
Anya looked surprised, but that did not last long. Dimitri joined them on the bridge, full of smiles and energy. "So, are you ready to become the Grand Duchess Anastasia?" Anya sighed and turned away, while Vlad glared at him. "What?"
"There is nothing left for you back there, my dear. Everything is in Paris."
Anya thought about it, while both men watched her hopefully. She turned to face them. "All right, gentlemen. Start your teaching."
"I remember it well. You were born in a palace by the sea. When you were very young, you rode horseback," Vlad began.
"Really? Horseback riding?"
"Yes. You made faces and terrorized the workers in the kitchen. I seem to remember you threw one of them in the river…"
"Was I wild?"
"Wrote the book," answered Dimitri.
"You did behave when your father gave you that look," Vlad gave an example glare, "Try to imagine how it was. Your long forgotten past. We've lot's to teach you."
"There's not much time left," said Dimitri. "You'll learn as we go."
"All right. I'm ready!" They continued their journey, instructing Anya along the way.
"Shoulders back and stand up tall, never walk, but try to float."
"I feel a little foolish."
"You give a bow."
"Now what happens?"
"Your hand receives a kiss," Vlad said, but Dimitri took her small hand and kissed it. She gave him a look but he only smiled.
The trio took rides in the back of a wagon through parts of Germany.
"Now, elbows in and sit up straight, and never slurp the stroganoff."
"I never cared for stroganoff!"
"Oh, Anya, you said that like a Romonov!"
They rode horseback. Anya quickly learned, and soon rode freely as though she had been doing it her entire life. Anya and Dimitri were fierce competitors but Anya always won.
On the bus, they taught her even more. "Next, we memorize the names of the royalty. Here we have Kropotkin," Vlad showed her a picture, "he shot Potemkin. Here is dear old Uncle Vanya, loved his vodka. This is Baron Pushkin, he was really short. There's Count Anatoly, he had a large wart on his nose. Oh, look! Here's Count Sergei, always with a feathered cap. I hear recently he's gotten very round," he patted his own stomach to demonstrate.
"Yes! And I recall his yellow cat," cried Anya, standing up. Pooka, at the sound of the word "cat," leaped into her arms.
While Anya was petting him, Vlad whispered to Dimitri, "I don't think we ever told her that."
Finally they reached their destination: Stralsund. They explored the harbor town, each looking in different shops. Anya excitedly took everything in, longing to have something of her own. Vlad searched for a gift for Sophie, and Dimitri mysteriously disappeared somewhere. They stayed in a small, dirty bed and breakfast that night. At midday, they boarded the Tasha.
"We're going to Paris!" Anya shouted joyfully from the deck. Maybe, just maybe, she was going home to her family at last.
A/N-- Come on, people, you know you want to review! And I figured out how to let anonymous reviews in, so now you have no excuse[breaks down sobbing please, please, PLEASE review!