4-year-old Princess Oxana and her best friend 8-year-old Elizaveta, stood on opposite ends of the palace ballroom, at the top staircase.
Oxana- Hello, Elise!
Oxana waved to Elizaveta using the nickname for her.
Elizaveta: Hello, Oxana!
Elizaveta waved back to her and they both to laugh. They started to walk down the staircase. They curtsied to each other halfway down and continued to walk down the stairs with their arms linked together. The both started to waltz around sloppily. They were both wearing fancy dresses that used to belong to Elizavetas mother, who unfortunately died with her father when she was little and got separated from her brother when she was three while she was in Paris. The dresses were a bit large on the girls and they kept stepping on them. Oxana had accidentally stepped on Elizavetas dress which caused her to trip, then making Oxana fall, too. The two girls rolled around on the floor in a heap of laughter. At that moment, Oxanas mother, Anya walked in the room. She laughed at how it looked like the were beating the floor.
Anya: What's so funny?
She had startled the two girls, who were now out of breath.
Oxana: We fell, Mama.
She said innocently, as she caught her breath.
Anya: Falling is funny now?
Elizaveta: Only if you're waltzing.
Elizaveta and Oxana laughed.
Anya: Well, if you're to busy waltzing , I guess you don't want to watch the soldiers?
Oxana and Elizavetas faces lit up. They loved watching them march. They ran upstairs and perched themselves at a windowsill. Oxana pressed her hand on the window.
Oxana: Oh! I love these dear soldiers; I should like to kiss them all.
Anya smiled as she remembered when her sister, Maria, had said the same thing. Anya went up to Oxana and put her hand on her back.
Anya: You know, your Aunt Maria said the exact same thing once.
Oxana loved hearing about her aunts, uncle, and grandparents. They were killed when the Russians had revolted against the royal family. Anya and her grandmother were the only one who were able to escape.
Now Anya was able to Russia as tsarina, with her husband, Dimitri, and their little angel, Oxana.
Oxana looked over at Elizaveta. They both sighed at the sight of the marching soldiers.
Elizaveta: Aren't they just so handsome?
Oxana: They are! Mama, may we go by the gates and watch.
Anya nodded and the two little girls ran downstairs and sat themselves at the gate, giggling all the way.
Elizaveta: I love how focused they are.
Oxana: What do you mean?
Elizaveta: Hello!
She made sure that all of the soldiers would be able to hear, but none of them turned to acknowledge her.
Elizaveta: See?
The last of the soldiers had marched by.
Elizaveta: We should probably get back inside.
Elizaveta turned back to go in. Oxana was about to, when she caught sight of three girls. The tallest had chestnut brown hair and blue eyes. The middle one was probably the prettiest. She had auburn hair and grey-blue eyes. The shortest had light brown hair and blue eyes. Oxana tried to hear what they were mumbling to each other, while they looked at her.
Girl 1: She's precious.
Girl 2: So beautiful.
Girl 3: Just like her mother.
Oxana watched in shock, trying to figure out what they were talking about.
Elizaveta: Oxana, come on!
Elizaveta grabbed Oxanas arm and they walked back inside. Oxana looked back at the three girls.
Girl 2: What a lovely name.
She saw the girls whisper in agreement. They all smiled and the shortest one waved. Elizaveta ran faster and Oxana tried to keep up.
Elizaveta: Come on, let's go practice.
Oxana: I'm coming.
Later that night, after Elizaveta had to leave. Anya was tucking Oxana in. Oxana couldn't stop thinking about the girls she had seen.
Oxana: Mama, after me and Elise were done watching the soldiers, I saw these four girls. They were tall and had blue eyes. Like yours!
Anya: Like yours!
Oxana: Like ours!
Anya laughed and remembered her sisters and how they all shared the same eyes, except for Tatiana, whose eyes were more blue-gray.
Anya: And what did they look like?
Oxana tried to think back to what the girls looked like.
Oxana: The tallest ha brown hair. It was like chest nuts. (A/N Yes, it's supposed to be like that.)
Anya laughed a little at the way she said chestnuts. She remembered back to her eldest sister, Olga.
Oxana: The second one was the prettiest. Her eyes were more gray than blue, but, they still looked a little blue, and her hair was a somewhat light shade of brown.
This made Anya remember her second oldest sister, Tatiana, who was generally considered to be the prettiest of all of her sisters.
Oxana: And, the shortest had light brown hair and very pretty eyes.
Anya thought back to her youngest of older sisters, Maria, and how she had big bright blue eyes.
Anya: Well, did they talk to you.
Oxana: No, but they did talk to each other while they were looking at me, and they were smiling. And, as Elise pulled me in, the shortest on waved at me.
Anya: And what did they say?
Oxana: They were saying how beautiful I was!
Anya: Well, you are very beautiful!
Oxana: They also said I look like you.
Anya smiled knowing Oxana had looked a lot like her with the same blue eyes and same semi-curly red hair.
Anya: Yes, even though your hair is much smoother and your eyes are a lot bluer and you are so much prettier.
Oxana: Like you!
Oxana pointed to her mother while Anya laughed. Oxana pulled out her necklace that said 'Together in Paris' out of her dark blue and pink floral pajamas.
Oxana: Mama! Lullaby!
Anya laughed and picked up the green and gold music box off of Oxanas nightstand and turned the necklace into the box. Oxanas pet albino bat, Bartok, flew onto her ivory satin pillow. The music box opened and soothing music started to play and Anya began to sing.
Anya: On the wind, cross the sea, hear this song and remember,
Oxana joined her mother.
Both: Soon you'll be home with me, one upon a December.
They loved their lullaby. It was taught to Anya by her grandmother, the Dowager Empress. Anya then taught it to her daughter and that was their secret. Oxana took off her necklace and put it on her nightstand as her father, Dimitri, entered the room.
Oxana: Papa!
Oxana flung herself out of her ivory bed sheets and into his arms. Dimtri gaver her a kiss on her head and carried her back to her bed.
Dimitri: Goodnight, my little angel.
Oxana: Goodnight, Papa! Goodnight, Mama!
Anya: Goodnight, dear.
They left the room and Oxana turned over to Bartok, who was already asleep.
Oxana: Bartok, Bartok, wake up!
Bartok woke up and started to walk around clumsily on Oxanas pillow.
Bartok: Morning Already?
Oxana: I'm not tiered.
Bartok: Let me guess you want someone to talk to.
Oxana nodded and Bartok slid off of the pillow and leaned against it.
Bartok: Okay, talk to me, girlfriend. What is it? Boy troubles?
Oxana laughed and shook her head.
Oxana: No.
Bartok: Friendship troubles?
Oxana: No.
Bartok: Self-esteem?
Oxna: What?
Bartok: Is it your figure? Cause girl, I would kill to have your body.
This made Oxana laugh more.
Oxana: No!
Bartok: Well, then there is obviously nothing to talk about. Goodnight.
Oxana: What do you think of the girls I saw today?
Bartok: Well, they sounded pretty, but I don't think their my type.
Oxana: Not about how they looked, who do you think they are?
Bartok: Well, the way you described them, they kind of sounded like-
Oxana: Who?
Bartok: You know what, it's getting late. Time for bed! Nighty-night!
Oxanas wide smiling face turned angry.
Oxana: Bartok?
Bartok: Goodnight.
Oxana: Bartok, please tell me.
Bartok: opened one eye to see a pair of big blue eyes look at him and with her quivering lips, that didn't help him hide his secret.
Bartok: Goodnight.
He closed his eyes and then Oxana started to whimper. Bartok covered his ears.
Bartok: La! La! La! I can't hear you!
Oxana sadly turned awa.
Oxana: Okay, Bartok. Goodnight.
Oxana turned back over and gave Bartok a kiss on his tiny cheek. Bartok jumped up.
Bartok :Alright! Alright! I'll tell you! Just please! Stop your cute thing! It's making me crazy! How do your parents put up with it?
Oxanas face lit up with her usual wide smile plastered across her face.
Oxana: Really? Oh, Bartok thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Bartok: You want me to tell you or you want to just keep thanking me?
Oxana: Tell me!
Bartok: Well to me it sounded like Grand Duchess Olga, Grand Duchess Tatiana, and Grand Duchess Maria. In other words your aunts.
Oxana: But, Mama told me that they were dead. She lied to me.
Oxana got up from her ivory bed and started to walk to the door, but Bartok tried to stop her.
Oxana: Bartok, move.
Bartok: No.
Oxana simply ducked under Bartok and went to open the door.
Bartok: Oxana let me finish.
Oxana stopped and turned around to go back to her bed and she calmly ran there.
Oxana: Okay tell me what you know.
Bartok: Remember the curse?
Oxana nodded.
Bartok: Well, they were supposed to be dead and no one ever thought they survived.
Oxana: Why did no one think they did?
Bartok: No idea. Goodnight.
Bartok curled himself into a little ball and Oxana gave him a kiss on his head.
The next morning, Oxana woke up and put on a a cream-colored half-sleeve button up dress and ran down the stairs. She ran into the dining room where she usually had breakfast. And noticed that that her parents weren't there. She started to call out for them all around the palace, when she saw them coming in from outside. When they did, Oxana flew herself into her fathers arms as usual.
Oxana: Why were you outside?
Dimitri: Just some crazy people.
Oxana looked outside and saw three girls. Oxana looked closely at the girls that were being led out of the palace by guards. She recognized the girls. They were the girls that she had seen yesterday. She squirmed out of her fathers arms and went up to the window.
Oxana: Mama, those were the girls I was telling you about.
Anya looked closer at the girls. She could kind of see the resemblance to her sisters. But, then again, her entire family had been kill ed. There was no way that she could be related to those girls. She shook the thought out of her head and grabbed Oxanas hand and then led her out of the parlor.
Anya: Come on, how about some breakfast.
Oxana: Yes Mama.
Later that day, Oxana and Elizaveta were walking through the marketplace. Anya and Elizavetas aunt, Ilsa, were following. Oxana and Elizaveta were looking at a jewelry stand with many pieces of beautiful jewelry.
Elizaveta: Oxana, what do you think of this one?
Elizaveta was wearing a pink beaded necklace.
Oxana: It's pretty, Elise. Are you going to get it?
Elizaveta: I don't know.
Elizaveta started to look around in the large crowd of people in search of her aunt, then she finally found her.
Elizaveta: Aunt Ilsa. Aunt Ilsa.
Ilsa: Yes Elise? Are you alright?
Elizaveta: Yes Aunt Ilsa. May I have this necklace.
Ilsa looked at the necklace to make sure it was worth her money while Anya walked over and stood behind Oxana.
Ilsa: I suppose I can buy you one necklace. Are you sure this is the one you want?
Anya leaned down.
Anya: Do you want something, too?
Oxana shook her head.
Oxana: No, Mama. I have a necklace better than any necklace here.
She clutched her necklace that said 'Together in Paris'. Anya smiled and kissed the top of her daughters head. They noticed that the three girls standing a few feet away from the jewelry stand. Anya got worried and started to calmly walk away.
Anya: Come, Let's go home.
Oxana: No, not yet, Mama.
The three girls walked up Anya and Oxana.
Anya: Excuse us.
Anya grabbed Oxanas hand, but Oxana let go.
Oxana: Hello. My name is Oxana.
One of the girls looked up at Anya.
Girl 2: Nastynka, She's beautiful.
Anya looked over at her.
Oxana: Thank you.
Anya: How did you know about that?
Girl 3: Anastasie, it's us.
Girl 1: We tried to tell you.
Anya looked at them and decided that she could give them a chance. Anya talked to them for about an hour before she realized:
Anya: Olga? Tatiana? Maria?
The three girls nodded.
Anya: Oxana, come here and meet your aunts.
Oxana got up and walked over to the couch were the three girls were sitting. First Anya took her up to the tallest girl Olga.
Anya: Oxana this is your aunt, Olga.
Oxana gave her a hug.
Oxana: It's very nice to meet you Aunt Olga.
Olga: And you top, Oxana.
Oxana: You look like those girls who wear those string dresses and feather headbands.
Olga: A flapper?
Oxana nodded. Anya took her over to the middle one, Tatiana, and Oxana gave her a hug.
Anya: Oxana, this is your aunt, Tatiana
Oxana It's very nice to meet you Aunt Tatiana. You're very pretty.
Tatiana: Thank you're very pretty, too.
Anya took Oxana over to the shortest, Maria.
Anya: Oxana, this is your aunt, Maria.
Oxana: It's very nice to meet you Aunt Maria. You have pretty eyes.
Maria: Why, thank you. You have pretty eyes, too.
Oxana: Thank you.
Oxana gave her a hug while Anya went back to her chair.
Oxana: Did you know Mama named me after all of you?
Tatiana: She did?
Oxana nodded.
Oxana: It's Oxana Nichole Alexandra Olga Tatiana Maria Anastasia Dimitria
Maria: You even named her after Mama and Papa.
Oxana set herself in between Maria and Tatiana when Anya realized something.
Anya: If you're alive, then that means, Olga you're the-
Olga: Never mind that. You keep the title. All that matters is that we're home now.
Anya: How did you escape.
Tatiana: Well, one night, while we were in the Impative House , they told us we were going to be moving someplace safer.
Olga: They took us down to the cellar and told us to wait for the truck.
Maria was about to talk when she realized that Oxana was sitting next to her.
Maria: Are you sure that you want us to-
Oxana: I already know what happens. I am 4.
Maria: Well, you are a big girl.
Maria refocused her attention back to the story.
Maria: A few minutes later, a firing squad came in and told us they had received orders to execute us.
Olga: Mama, Papa, and Alexei died almost instantly.
Tatiana: The four servants that were with us died as well.
Olga: We had jewels sewn into our corsets, which helped block off the bullets.
Maria: But they also had bayonets.
Olga: They shot me in the leg and I fell and I held my breath.
Tatiana: I pretended to fall and die.
Maria: I shot me and I fell and became unconscious.
Tatiana: They loaded us on the truck and I was planning on jumping off. I was blocked by Olga and Marias body, so I was planning on taking them with me and give them a proper burial.
Olga: And she did. Take us, that is.
Maria: And the fall woke me up. And then we fled for the south.
Tatiana: And that's where we've been for the past years.
Olga: How did you live?
Anya: I ran back upstairs to get something and Grandmama followed me. This servant boy, who is now my husband,
Oxana: And my Papa!
They all giggled at her innocence.
Anya: Well, he helped us out and Rasputin jumped off a bridge and he fell through the ice and he tried to drag me down too. But, I was able to kick him off. Me and Grandmama went to the train station. Grandmama was able to get on and she tried to pull me up, but, I fell and hit my head and, when I woke up, I couldn't remember a thing. All I knew go to Paris.
Tatiana: How did you know?
Anya: Granmama gave me this necklace.
Anya showed the necklace that said together in Paris. Oxana also help up hers.
Oxana: I have on too.
Anya: The woman who ran the orphanage I lived had gotten me a job at a fish factory, and I decided to go to St. Petersburg.
Her dog, Pooka, barked and looked up from the floor.
Anya: I mean Pooka decided I got to St. Petersburg. And I had to find a boy, Dimitri, to get me tickets so I could get to Paris, and he lived here. Only it was a mess. Him and his friend, Vlad, took me to Paris. They convinced me that I was Anastasia, because people thought she had survived. When we got there, we met with Grandmamas cousin, Sophie. Grandmama said that she wouldn't see anymore people claming to be Anastasia. Luckily, Sophie was a friend of Vlad, so she had arranged for us to meet with her at the ballet that night. Dimitri tried to get her to believe that I was Anastasia but she had heard that he was auditioning girls to be Anastasia, so he could get the money. I found out and then stopped believing I was Anastasia.
Tatiana: Did he know you were you?
Anya: Not at first no, but after I had told him how I had escaped, then he knew.
Olga: How did Grandmama know?
Anya: Dimitri kidnapped her.
Olga, Tatiana, and Maria looked at Anya in shock.
"What?"
They said together.
Anya: He convinced Grandmama to talk to me, and then she realized it was me. The next night, Grandmama threw a ball for me, and told me Dimitri didn't take the money. She told me I could either choose the crown or Dimitri. But then Pooka ran out into the hedges and onto a bridge. And, Rasputin was there and he was going to kill me. Ten, Dimitri showed up and helped me. Then I destroyed his reliquary. And, that night we decided to elope.
Oxana: And they lived happily ever after.
Anya: No they had a beautiful daughter named Oxana.
Oxana: And then the lived happily ever after?
Anya: Yes.