I do not own Anastasia or the characters. Just the plot of this story and in this chapter the annoying old lady and her grandchildren! :D
"Anastasia."
Eyes tightly shut, not letting even the brightest of sunrays in.
"Anastasia."
Lips firmly pursed, locking the sobs behind clenched teeth.
"Anastasia."
Knees drawn to chest, trembling arms hugging them protectively.
"Anastasia."
The voice was eerie, ghostly, almost spooky. But what was making it even chillier? The familiarity. She has heard it before, she was so sure she'd bet all of her money on it.
It was not approaching her, it was fading away but yet it felt so close. It was haunting her. She finally let a sob escape her lips as she pressed her palms over her ears and begged that she would wake up and find that it was all just a dream. Like the one she had had on board the Tasha. If only there was Dimitri around to save her again.
"Anastasia."
It was getting a cruel and viciously satisfied tone. What had she done to deserve such a fate? Who was he, anyway?
With a groan of fear and irritation, she stood up and forced her eyes open. The playful sunlight blinding her and she gasped in shock and burning pain. She pressed her fingers on her eyes and after a moment, they had gotten used to that ungodly awakening. Awakening?
She sat up and looked around in frenzy. An empty, cold room and just a blanket she was sleeping on. She was about to stand up when suddenly the room rocked violently and had her walking on all fours on the cool floor. An earthquake? Where was she? She could hardly remember anything. And that sudden, devastating headache was not making easier for her to think or remember. She was lost…again. Why did this always happen? And this time she had no clue, not one. Not even her precious necklace, she noticed as she absentmindedly drove a hand on her chest where it usually was hanging.
She managed to stand on her feet and look out the window. It wasn't an earthquake after all. She was on a train. A train that had just arrived in Paris. How on earth had she gotten there? Wasn't she in Russia, St. Petersburg, for the last couple of days?
Raising a hand over her aching head, she glanced down at her. She was in a beautiful gown which was way too fancy to be an everyday dress. She was even wearing white elbow-high gloves. She tripped a little as she walked, trying to remember calmly the events. She was in Russia, and then… a ball. She had runaway. Why had she…? Dimitri. She was dancing with Dimitri, that much she could remember. Or was it just a dream too? Because everything after that waltz seemed so faraway, they were so blurry and fading, as if they really were a dream.
She had not realized she had walked out of the train until a passenger cared for her wellbeing. She faked a smile and lied that she was fine and she then let her feet drag her… somewhere. She had no clue whatsoever as to where she was heading, it felt as though she had no control of her feet. They just knew the place to take her. The only problem was that she did not know of that place.
In her two-month stay in Paris, she had searched every corner of the grand city, but she had never been in that place. She tilted her head slightly backwards as she examined the unfamiliar and hostile houses that gave her the creeps. With a gulp, she hastily passed them by and found herself in a grand avenue, everything was still in a blur in her head that she could not name or recognize it. She just followed it along and found herself at a dead end. She rolled her eyes in nuisance and took her gloves off, throwing them away. She had no idea what she was searching for but she was looking for something. And she had to keep walking.
So walk she did.
Dimitri just could not have a moment of rest.
It was comforting that Anya's train had departed just two hours before his, so should God give him a helping hand, he would catch up with her and save her from whatever mess she has thrown herself into again. However, that was not enough for him so to stop bouncing up and down nervously his leg as he sank uncomfortably in his seat. She had obviously been kidnapped but by who? Did they wish to ask for ransom of the Empress? That was the only reasonable explanation. Why else would someone want to abduct the Grand Duchess anyway? She had no enemies, at least, she had never mentioned she did.
"Sir, do you mind?" the old woman sitting beside him placed a ceasing hand on his knee, giving him a clear message. She did not seem disturbed or annoyed, but she was not friendly either, nothing like the kind of old ladies he'd accidentally bump on in the streets sometimes. "It's kind of upsetting me."
"I beg your pardon, ma'am." He uttered and looked out the window, getting lost in his thoughts again. If they had abducted her for money, then how would he be able to save her? He was alone and not to mention penniless. Actually, the only belongings he was bringing to Paris with him were the clothes and shoes he was wearing, a little money that was left over and Anastasia's letter in his pocket. Vlad had somehow slipped it in there while Dimitri was grabbing money from his pockets. Kind of ridiculous, really.
Something pressured him hard on the hip, not in an extent of pain but it was enough to snap him out of his thoughts yet again and turn him slightly irritated now. He glanced down at his leg only to see the lady's hand there again, pressing his foot down with quite some force, making him stop his nervous movement. "You have not stopped, sir. Do be calm so that I can read my book in peace."
"Uh.. forgive me, madam, it's just that… I'm really… nervous… Sorry." He tried to apologise but stuttering made him feel like a fool.
"You don't say…" He thought he heard the woman snicker as she withdrew her hand and used it to turn over a page of her book. He lowered slightly his head and narrowed his dark eyes in an attempt to read the title. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd,Agatha Christie's latest novel. He disguised his chuckle by coughing. What was an old woman of her age doing with that book?
"She's in Paris?"
Dimitri jerked his head upwards and faced her questioningly. "I'm sorry, who?"
"The one who's got you so nervous. She's in Paris?" Even the lady had figured him out. Was he that transparent? Well, that had never happened before. As a conman he had become a master at lying or covering up a lie with other lies. Maybe Vlad was right after all. He had changed. He wasn't sure if he liked he had, being a conman was all he had known doing –that and serving people- and it had served him quite well. Up until he met that blasted woman who always got herself in trouble. And he always had to save her. Naturally. And he was not even a Prince to save the distressed damsel/Princess. He used to be a kitchen boy.
"Kind of." He simply said, shrugging his shoulders, shrugging off the matter. He was in no mood to engage himself in a conversation over love and heartbreak. He was not good at it. Plus, just because he had fallen for Anya, it did not mean that he had become a mushy, lovey dovey type of man or that he felt comfortable talking about it with some strange woman. He felt weird even when Vlad would suggest it.
"Have you told her?" the woman asked again and he had to look away so that she would not see him rolling his eyes.
"No." he knew exactly what she meant so he replied firmly, wishing she'd get the message and leave him be. Even the pair of little girls sitting opposed to them were giggling, glancing at his direction. How humiliating, being laughed at by little girls. Only Anya had the right to do so, because that suggested he'd humiliate her in return. But that was just a game they used to play since the day they first met, that's why it felt so familiar playing it with her.
"Uh, you should. That is the reason you're going there, isn't it?" the woman asked rhetorically but did not leave him the chance of answering back. "How romantic! I wish my husband would have done the same for me…!"
Dimitri gritted his teeth and sank even deeper in the seat, slapping his head with his palm in nuisance. Of course that only produced another wave of giggles from the girls who, he later learned, were the woman's granddaughters. He sighed and focused his attention out of the window. This would be a long journey. Very long indeed.
So in the next chapter we will have ourselves some progress in the 'adventurous' part XD if you know what I mean. And I suppose you have guessed by now who the kidnapper of Anastasia is, right? I mean it's so obvious, so out there!
Oh, that old lady who just sets Dimitri's teeth on edge has no purpose whatsoever, just had to have someone keep him company and saving him from utter boredom and probably realise a thing or two!
And as for her book, yeah, it's really and Agatha Christie novel that was published in 1926, the year where the movie Anastasia supposedly takes place. Just a bit of information :)
I have the next chapter written but I'll wait a day or maybe two before publishing it ^^ Sorry for being such an irritating person!
Review if you like but I just hope you like the story and liked this chapter also!
See ya! :)