She found it in Tatiana room, where all of her sisters were already assembled. Delicious smells wafted over to Maria, and she sat down to a huge meal of chicken, potatoes, bread, vegetables, and even a dessert of delicious pastries. She and her sisters ate every scrap of food, and felt truly full for the first time in years.

"So, did you hear about Aleksandar? He just got married six months age to a Scottish girl named Deryn. She's as common as dirt, and that's why he's not the Emperor. He refused to marry anyone but her," said Olga, smiling at Maria.

"He sounds just like his father. She's a Darwinist, though, and was a decorated officer in Cousin George's Air Service. My maid couldn't stop talking about how wonderful she was," said Tatiana.

"It's so terribly romantic. And my maid seems to stand in awe of her," said Maria, smiling back at Olga. As soon as she heard Aleksandar was married, her mind had instantly jumped back to the handsome Captain von Werther. She was glad she wasn't in love with the Archduke.

"I think most people do stand in awe of her, or are just offended by her existence. Anna says they were in Vienna trying to patch things up with Emperor Charles," chimed Anastasia, her mouth still filled with pastry,

"No wonder they're rushing back here," said Tatiana, who got up from her chair and went to the writing table by the window.

"We can talk about our hosts later. Right now we need to do business. We must write to our relations in England, Sweden, and Germany. Is Grandmother still in Paris?"

"We can ask," said Olga, who rang the bell pull in the wall. A moment later, Anna appeared.

"Anna, do you know whether to Dowager Empress of Russia, our grandmother, is still living in Copenhagen?"

"Yes, ma'm, last I heard."

"Thank you, Anna."

The girls spent the rest of the afternoon writing letters to various family members, begging them to take them in. About two hours before dinner, Tatiana insisted that they all take naps, and that they would post the letters tomorrow.

Maria couldn't sleep, but paced about her room, occasionally opening one of the books that had been placed on the table. At six o'clock, Anna knocked on her door, and came in with her freshly cleaned clothes.

"Do you need my help dressing for dinner, ma'm?" she asked, putting the clothes (which even smelled clean) back in the ornate wooden wardrobe.

"I think I can manage, thank you, Anna." Said Maria. Hadn't she been dressing herself since she was ten?

"Of course, ma'm. Dinner is at seven in the small east wing dining room, right on this floor. Would you like me to come back and take you there?"

"I think I can manage on my own, thank you, if you would just tell me where to go."

"Very good, ma'm. Just turn left out of your room, and turn right at the end of the hall, and take the stairs down to the first floor. The family dining room is the first door on the right."

"Thank you, Anna, you may leave."

The family dining room? It sounded like how her family used to eat, before the revolution. They would all have dinner together in the small dining room, and only use the official dining room for very special occasions.

Maria liked the east wing a lot better than the rest of the castle. The walls were covered in blue striped wallpaper, and had maps and charcoal sketches intermixed with small paintings. Many of the sketches were signed with a "D.S.", and a date.

"She seems quite talented," thought Maria, looking at a sketch of the Leviathan, which was so detailed, it might have come out of an aeronautics manual.

The door to the family dining room was open, and Maria could hear people speaking English inside. She walked over the threshold and beheld her hosts, who both turned when they heard her come in.

Both of them were very tall, even taller than Tatiana. The Archduke had wavy, brown-red hair and eyes as green as the emeralds she was hiding in her corset. He had good posture, and his right hand had been playing with a bit of the Archduchess's hair, which was very short and blond. She was just taller than her husband, and her eyes reminded Maria of the sapphire necklace she once owned. She was also wearing trousers.

"Good evening," she said. It sounded too formal for the occasion.

"It's wonderful to see that you are safe," said Aleksandar, walked over to Maria and shaking her hand. Deryn followed suit.

"Thank you both so much for taking my sisters and I. We thought we'd die in Siberia." What a great conversation starter, talking about death.

"I'm sorry we couldn't get you out sooner, or with more of your family. How are your mother, father, and brother?"

"You mean, you don't know?" asked Maria, shocked. She thought for sure the Revolutionary Government would have at least told the world that the former Empress was dead.

The Archduke wrinkled his eyebrows, not really understanding, but the Archduchess gently put her arms around Maria, and led her to a seat.

"I'm so sorry, um?"

"Maria."

"I'm so sorry we weren't in time, Maria," said Deryn, looking at her husband, who suddenly understood.

"How long?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"They took papa and Alexei away one night almost a year ago, and we haven't seen them since. Mama died of measles about four months ago."

Deryn squeezed her hand. "We've all lost at least one parent here. You can cry, if you need to."

But Maria found she had no tears left.

"Your father was a good man. It was his kindness to my mother and father that convinced me to have you come here. If you had been left in Siberia while negotiations dragged on, I don't know what would have happened to you," whispered the Archduke, running his hands through his hair.

"My sisters and I can't thank you enough," Maria said, standing up. "But please don't mention any of this to them. We just want to focus on getting to our relatives."

"Of course."

Alek and Deryn for the win. Of all the books I've ever read, they are my favorite couple, even if they aren't officially a couple yet. And I pre-ordered Goliath yesterday!

Leviathan Series (c) Scott Westerfeld.