What I Really Want

Dimitri's POV

"You sent for me, Your Grace?" I asked.

"Here is the ten thousand rubles as promised. I always give you my gratitude for returning Anastasia," Dowager Empress Marie said.

I nodded and said, "I accept your gratitude, but I can't take your money."

"Dimitri, how did you get that music box?" she asked again.

I shrugged—I really didn't feel like saying it had been next to me when I'd woken up and I was curious as to why Anastasia had been so obsessed with it when she was going to go live with her grandmother in Paris.

She approached me and said, "You were the little boy in the palace, correct? You saved me and my granddaughter and then restored her to me, but want no reward. Why the change of mind?"

I frowned slightly and said, "It was more a change of heart."

She nodded and said, "What is it that you want, then?"

"Nothing you can give," I replied, my heart breaking—I wanted nothing more than to marry Anastasia, but I couldn't—for I was a kitchen boy and she was a princess.

"Dimitri, are you sure?" she asked.

I started to nod and she said, "Sit down."

I quickly obeyed.

"You love her," she stated.

I didn't respond, frozen—was she right? Did I love Anastasia? Or did I love Anya? Or did I love both sides of the princess—the Grand Duchess Anastasia and peasant girl Anya?

"Dimitri, tell me the truth. Do you love my granddaughter?" Marie ordered.

I thought hard and then it hit me. "I do love Anastasia, Your Grace." I said.

Then I said, "Your Grace, I think I loved Anastasia for years—since we were children. That's…that's why I sent the two of you out through the servants' quarters. I wanted her to escape so badly. I loved her then and I would sneak out of the kitchen to watch her play with her sisters and brother. The cook would yell at me but she was always quick to defend me. After the siege, Vlad took care of me, but I always wondered what had happened to her. When I met Anya, she irked me just Anastasia had, but I fell in love with her. When I realized she was really Anastasia, I knew I didn't want her to find her family, because I was afraid I'd lose her."

Then she asked, "But have you told her?"

I shook my head and said, "Princesses don't marry kitchen boys."

She laughed and said, "You're not a kitchen boy, Dimitri. In fact, I wish to reward you with my granddaughter's hand in marriage."

I stared at the Empress and slowly nodded and said, "I'm…going…to…marry…Anastasia Nikolaevna?"

The Empress nodded and said, "Dimitri, I want my granddaughter's happiness. She did look so happy when she first arrived in Paris, because you were with her. You are part of her happiness."

I nodded and asked, "How are we going to tell her that she's getting married?"

"Actually, you still have to propose to her," Marie reminded me.

I paused and nodded.

"Tonight," I decided. "I'll propose before the party."

"Alright," she smiled.

Before I left, she handed me some money and said, "Go buy the ring."

I nodded and replied, "Thank you, Your Grace."

I went downstairs and smiled at Anastasia. "How'd it go?" she asked coldly.

"You're still mad at me, Your Highness?" I demanded.

"A little," she replied.

"You kidnapped my grandmother!" she accused.

"To get her to talk to you," I replied. "Anastasia, I knew you were the real princess when you mentioned the boy who opened the wall, because that boy, that little boy, I…I was the boy."

She stared at me and said, "So that brings the number of times you've saved me up to three?"

I shrugged and said, "Who's keeping track?"

She smiled and said, "Dimitri, now that I've found my family, what are you going to do?"

I shrugged and mysteriously replied, "That's for me to know and for you to try to learn later."

She glared at me and said, "Dimitri, promise you'll come visit me or else I'll come hunt you down."

I laughed and said, "I'm looking forward to it, Your Highness."

I left and she whispered, "Goodbye, Dimitri."