A/N: Sorry about the long wait. It took me a bit to get myself together for the story. In any case enjoy. Thanks to Elder-Master again for betaing. As well as a friend who translated the line: "Who is this who comes before me that cannot speak our native language?" That is all.

(Winter Palace: Corridor)

After being left on the front steps by their escort, the German noblewoman and her two servants entered the main hall of what seemed like a small city. Beautiful windows allowed the winter sun to cut in on an absolutely gorgeous staircase. Nagisa had heard rumors about this palace, but had not expected any of them, much less this one to be true.

"Milady, look!" Tamao said pointing up at the crystal chandelier that hung above them.

The chandelier seemed more like a collection of well crafted crystals, than a device to refract light. Nagisa for the first time saw the six or eight guardsman posted at the entrances to other sections and the staircase. However Chiyo had noticed they were there all along and was keeping close to both her Lady and the senior servant.

"Pardon, but are you Lady Nagisa?" asked a soft voice from the corner.

The three women's eyes darted to the left to find a small woman standing there just behind the guards. Nagisa thought her uniform looked like that of a servant. This woman was no less beautiful than the one who had brought them to the palace. The servant was stark contrast to the more masculine Cossack that had guided them.

"Yes, and who might I ask are you?" Nagisa asked somewhat sharply. The intention obviously must have crossed her face, because the palace servant smiled sweetly before she spoke.

"I am Her Highness's Lady-in-Waiting. My name is Kaori." The soft spoken Kaori said as her near shoulder length black hair shifted. This woman seemed to be the personification of the mood of this room; lightly apprehensive, but still kind. Kaori's accent was heavy, but otherwise understandable and all this led to Nagisa's next question.

"Her Highness…? I am here at the Tsar's request." Nagisa queried causing Kaori to look confused. However, after what seemed a long moment, Kaori's expression returned.

"Lady Nagisa, I ask that you hold your questions for now. Everything will be explained in due time. For now we must go to the ... is throne room the right wording? In any case, follow me." Kaori said as she spoke to the guards and they allowed the three visitors through.

(Current)

After their meeting with this servant woman, Nagisa's mind began to swirl with questions. She had heeded Kaori's request, but was finding it difficult to come up with anything else to say as they walked on through multiple halls and over multiple staircases. They were truly in a palace, the jewel of the Russian Empire. Gilded hallways, chandeliers like the one in the main hall in just about every room. They were less grand of course, but the point still remained, Russia was quite wealthy if they could afford to build something like this.

"So Mistress Kaori, when does spring come to these lands?" Tamao asked apparently trying to keep the atmosphere from getting to frosty.

"Please, calling me by my name will be sufficient. I am a servant after all. And as to answer your question: the winter this year has been especially harsh. Usually that means that spring will come soon. We are about to enter the smaller throne room, I ask that you answer when Her Highness addresses you. She is not patient to wait for answers. Also, do not show your back to her. She is the god given ruler of this land and should be respected as such." Kaori's tone seemed to somewhat increase in formality as they reached a large set of doors.

"There will be nobles and other such important people to the Empire in this room. I ask that you treat them in the same way you would treat Her Highness. Above all else, do not waver in your resolve. We, as a people find persons weak in their decisions to be ... distasteful." Kaori finished as they reached the doors of the throne room.

Soon after, the massive doors opened to reveal a truly wonderful sight. A massive dome ceiling over the throne served to remind people that gods did surely walk in this room. As the three followed Kaori, the doors closed behind them, as if to remind them that there would be no escape. As they walked in, they could see a gallery full of people to their left. Or rather, it was better to say it wasn't full, but occupied. The front row bore many curious faces.

The first was of that of a woman with long beautiful brunette locks. The clothing she wore advertised her status like a bright beacon. This woman was clearly a noble and knew it with every fiber of her being. The look she gave was of inferior curiosity as if to say 'Oh, what dogs have been brought before us now?' Cruelty was evident on her face. She did not regard the visitors as nobles from another land, or even as human beings.

The one to her right was little better. Nagisa had doubted this person's gender, but she was quite different from the Cossack that had guided them there. Her dark hair was well kept as were the clothes that she wore. However, this woman's status seemed if but lower, as to say, not as high as the one to her left. Alas, her eyes were the most frightening part about her, like those of a wolf or a wild dog. The gaze she cast seemed to cut through Nagisa's clothing and began to make her skin tingle maliciously. Nagisa had been looked at like this before, but not by another woman. Nagisa shuddered at the notion of even being touched by this woman.

The one to her left was a welcome presence, a nun of the church, who was completely opposite to the one next to her. Nagisa thought that if this woman blessed the one to her left, she would burn up like an unholy creature. The woman's dark eyes radiated an air of confidence, or no, of extreme faith. Nagisa though highly of her for it, and it reminded her of own lapses in faith.

The final one was a sun to the first's moon. Elegant blond hair hung from this woman's head. Her outfit was more conservative as not an inch of skin was shown. The expression on her face was timid, yet still resolved, as to say this woman could do what she needed to, when she needed to. The soft blue gaze was perhaps the only kind welcome that Nagisa had been greeted with since their arrival.

The back row held an additional nun and what looked to be a smaller woman in servant's clothing. Nagisa did not get the chance to examine further as a set of doors opened up from the right. The first to enter was a tall woman with long dark hair and a sharp expression. Her eyes seem to cut across the room and over the gallery, as if to let each person know that someone important was coming.

The woman spoke, but it was in Russian. The booming voice filled the room as the woman stepped to the side and someone entered.

"So beautiful" was the first thought that crossed Nagisa's mind. The person that entered seemed as if she had descended from heaven out in the hall and had then entered the room. Nagisa thought that her hair might be white, but then likened it to silk. This was clearly a woman, but she walked with the gait of a man, her presence demanded compliance.

Still, Nagisa's eyes could not break from her. Nagisa was not overwhelmed by fear, but instead something akin to rapture. This person made her frightened and happy at the same time. Nagisa, for reasons unknown longed to touch this woman. Was this attraction? She did not know or care, in retrospect. This moment could forever loop and Nagisa would willingly accept being locked in this cage.

That was, until the woman's gaze met hers. The woman seemed pleased that she was being looked at, as to say she had probably come for that purpose. However, Nagisa was given the break she needed to push this new 'issue' back in her mind and refocus on business. The woman then spoke to her, but she could not understand.

The woman crossed the threshold of the throne and instead sat in a throne that was slightly less off to the side. For the first time Nagisa noticed the sash that draped down the center of the throne, that told no one could sit there. After sitting and crossing her legs the woman spoke again, this time annoyed.

"Kto takov etot chelovek, kto stoit predo moniu no znaiet nashei rechi?" the woman's voice accented loudly as to express her displeasure. Nagisa heard Chiyo's whimper from behind her and could feel the young girl shaking. The first two nobles laughed, while the nuns remained silent, and the third noble looked slightly saddened. She heard Tamao speak from beside her. The woman's displeasure turned back into annoyance.

"So a noblewoman allows her servants to speak for her? How distasteful..." The woman spoke in German, and Nagisa could at last understand.

"Tamao is my Lady-in-waiting. She is not a simple servant." Nagisa said with a strong tone.

"I see…it seems that god has blessed me with an equally matched companion to spend the rest of my life with." The woman said as she sprung up from her throne and walked over to Nagisa, as if she was inspecting her. Not even Nagisa could imagine what was to happen next. She felt something sliding down the outside of her thigh firmly. Shortly after this she felt an arm slip around her back.

However it was not long to last.

Soon after what sounded like a slap, the woman stumbled back holding her face gasping, as if something of great value had just been broken. Even Kaori, who was standing to the side of the smaller throne, was in shock. However the other who had entered the room with the woman did not flinch, as if she had suspected it would happen.

"How dare you put your hands on me like that? I am not property! '…spend the rest of your life with'? What are you talking about? I don't know what abhorrent thing you have in mind, but I am not 'yours'…" Nagisa bolstered at the woman who held her face, but did not seem surprised, only insulted.

"Do you realize who you've just hit? I am the god given ruler of this land! You should be happy that you were chosen to be my bride!" the woman spoke as she stepped back further.

"What are you even talking about? I did not come here to be married! And who do you think you are?" Nagisa earned another gasp. Kaori looked genuinely frightened as the nobles looked shocked as well. She felt a hand grab her shoulder and spin her to the right.

"Milady, that woman is to be the Tsarista of Imperial Russia. She is also to be your 'husband' by an arrangement that had been made long before either of you had been born. You do ... belong to her." Tamao said with great sadness as she looked down and away. Nagisa who was now in utter shock turned around to face the woman.

"You did not know about any of this? How absurd! I will forgive this transgression, but I shall tell you my name before I go." The woman said before turning her back to her 'bride'.

"I am Shizuma of Rankonov and you will be mine."