Chapter 18 Truth Exposed
Later that night, the evening of the Russian Ballet had finally come. Many people were arriving and heading inside the Opera House, all dressed up in formal clothing.
Dimitri and Vladimir, also dressed up in bedazzling black tuxedos, were out on the steps waiting for Anya, Katya, and Sophie to arrive.
Both of them, particularly Dimitri, were very anxious about presenting Anya to the Dowager Empress Marie to see if she really was the lost Grand Duchess Anastasia.
Vladimir was pacing nervously on the steps.
But Dimitri, who was sitting on the steps, was not as worried as his co-partner was. Shaking his head, he decided to tell him who Anya really was. "We don't have anything to be nervous about, Vlad," He said with a sad sigh. "She's the princess."
"I know, I know," Vladimir nodded anxiously. He then sat down on the steps next to him. "But…"
But Dimitri knew Vladimir did not understand what he was talking about. "No, no," He interrupted, standing back up. "No, you don't know." He stopped for a moment. "I was that boy in the place. The one who opened the wall. She's the real thing, Vlad."
Vladimir became shocked by what his partner just told him. Carefully putting the pieces together, Vladimir's jaw dropped open. "That means," He grinned in realization. "Our Anya…has found her family. We have found the heir to the Russian throne! And you…"
"Will walk out of her life forever," Dimitri responded melancholy.
Vladimir's smile vanished, once he understood what Dimitri was saying. "But, Dimitri…"
The young man shook his head. "Princesses don't marry kitchen boys, and they certainly don't hang around people as poor as Katya."
"I know," Vladimir said as he placed his hand onto his friend's shoulder. "But…"
"We're gonna go through this as if nothing's changed." Dimitri concluded.
Vlad nodded. "You've got to tell them."
"Tell us what?" A familiar voice gently asked.
The two men turned around to see Anya and Katya looking at them, and both became stunned by their appearances. Anya had her hair done in a high bun with a silver-chain hair piece, matching with her dazzling diamond earrings. She also wore a teal coat lined with white fur over her evening wear.
Katya, on the other hand, had her hair down again, but she now had a white headband with shiny blue gems, silver dangle earrings, and a sparkling white fur coat over her evening wear.
"Um…" Dimitri stammered. "Uh, how…how beautiful you both look," He answered.
"Well, thank you," Anya smiled sweetly.
"Yes, thanks," Katya said with a blushing giggle.
Dimitri regained his composure, took each of the girl's arms into each of his arms, and escorted them up the stairs to go to the opera house.
Vladimir watched the three walk up together, until another familiar voice cleared her throat from behind him. He turned around and looked to see Sophie with a smile.
"Ah, Sophie!" The big man greeted. He gave a bow, and took Sophie by the hand to escort her inside.
Inside the opera house, Dimitri had just finished checking their coats with the man who was in charge of the coats. When he looked up at Anya and Katya, who both stood halfway up the grand staircase, he stared up in awe at the sight of them, entranced by their beauty completely. Anya was wearing a glittering dark blue strapless evening dress with a transparent train on her back. She had a silver choker around her neck that matched perfectly with her earrings and headpiece, and white opera gloves.
Katya was wearing a white evening gown with a light blue ribbon tied around her waist, a white choker, and white elbow-length gloves. Her indigo eyes stood out more than ever against her sparkling white dress.
Katya cleared her throat and smiled at the young man. "Shall we?" She asked gently.
Dimitri blinked a few times while Anya looked down at him, and nodded for him to join them. Dimitri snapped out of the trance and rushed up to their sides. He took Anya by the arm like a gentleman, and continued up the stairs with her and Katya.
In the theater, the group took their seats in the opera box. Katya looked around with wonder, and found the theater far more enchanting than her synagogue back at her old home. Other people around them even whispered to each other, taken by both Anya and Katya.
Dimitri looked through opera glasses, and gestured towards the box seats on the left. "Look," He whispered to Anya. "There she is."
He gave Anya the opera glasses so she and Katya could see for themselves.
In front of her view was the Dowager Empress Marie, sitting beside Sophie on the balcony.
Anya began to feel nervous as she looked at the elderly woman. "Please let her remember me," She prayed quietly.
Katya just shuttered for a moment, and then looked towards the stage.
"Hey, it's okay, Katya," Dimitri assured her softly.
Just then, the lights went down as the ballet of Cinderella began to start. Everyone watched the performance in wonder, and even Katya looked down and watched the performance with wonder, forgetting all about the Empress. The only one who didn't pay any attention to it was Anya. She continued to watch the Empress, as the ballet continued.
As minutes turned to hours, Anya tore her playbill into smaller pieces out of anxiety.
Dimitri saw her, and could tell she was very nervous about meeting the Empress. He reached over, and gently took her hand to comfort her. "Everything's gonna be fine," He assured her.
Anya gave a small nod and smiled a bit, hoping Dimitri would be right.
Not too much later, the First Act of the ballet had come to an end. The curtains dropped down, and the lights came back on for Intermission.
Dimitri turned to Anya. "Come on," He said. "I guess it's time."
But Anya was still very nervous.
"You can do this, Anya," Katya told her friend with a small smile.
Dimitri and Anya then left the opera box, and walked down the hall together to the Empress's box room, preparing to announce Anya to her.
But Anya was becoming even more nervous now that the time had come.
"Relax," Dimitri told her. "You're gonna do great."
But Anya couldn't help herself, and hastily turned to go away.
"Anya, please," Katya said as she stopped her friend by taking her hand. "Don't go. You've come all this way, and you can't just throw away all your progress. If the Empress accepts you, then just remember, no matter what happens, I will always be your friend, no matter what anyone says about me."
"Hey," Dimitri coaxed the redhead and tried to calm her down. "Hey, hey, hey, hey. Take a deep breath. Everything's gonna be fine."
A few minutes later, the three finally arrived at the entrance door of Empress Marie's balcony in the mezzanine area of the opera's theater. "Wait here for just a moment. I'll go in and announce you properly," Dimitri told Anya.
But Anya stopped him before he could go anywhere. "Dimitri?"
"Yes?" Dimitri turned to her. The redhead sighed.
"Look," She started. "We've been through a lot together."
Dimitri's eyes widened, getting excited at what she was about to say. "Uh-huh?"
"And I just wanted to say…"
"Yes?" Dimitri beamed.
Katya looked at the two with a hopeful smile, but Anya could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She lost her courage on what she was about to tell Dimitri, and instead said, "Well, thank you, I guess. Yes, thank you for everything."
"And I'd like to thank you too," Katya added to the young man.
"Thank me for what?" Dimitri asked.
"Oh, you know," Katya said as she rolled her eyes a bit. "For accepting me for who I am, and for helping me come so far so I can be reunited with my brothers and sister soon."
Dimitri smiled. "You're welcome, kid."
But he seemed disappointed for a moment. He turned to head for the door, while Anya turned the other way. But then, he stopped. "Anya, I…"
Anya turned back to him. "Yes?"
But Dimitri took his turn to feel nervous. "I'm…I…uh…" He stammered.
"Ye-es?" Anya asked, getting really excited herself with a big grin and raised brow.
Unfortunately, Dimitri also lost his courage, and instead said, "I want to wish you good luck, I guess."
"Oh," Anya moaned, disappointed.
Anya smiled and nodded while Katya looked at him with a small smile.
Dmitri looked at the door and heaved a heavy sigh. "Uh…" Dimitri extended his hand, and they shook. "Here goes."
Without another thought, Dimitri opened the door, and went inside the Dowager's box while Anya and Katya waited outside. He gently closed the door behind him, but Dimitri failed to notice that the door did not close all the way, leaving a small crack.
Then he turned to continue towards the balcony, but Sophie stopped him. "Please inform her majesty, the Dowager Empress, that I have found her granddaughter," Dimitri said to Sophie, approaching her. "The Grand Duchess Anastasia."
Sophie stammered with a nervous grin on her face. She took a glance at Marie, who was listening and gave a glare at Dimitri.
"She's waiting to see her just outside the door," Dimitri said.
On the other side of the door, Anya and Katya decided to take a listen to Dimitri's conversation.
"I'm very sorry, young man," Sophie apologized with a frown. "But the Dowager Empress, she will see no one."
Empress Marie had been listening to the conversation as she turned her head and looked at Dimitri with anger. "You may tell that impertinent young man that I have seen enough Grand Duchess Anastasias to last me a lifetime," Marie sternly replied.
Having second thoughts on this, Sophie nervously turned back to Dimitri. "You'd better go," She softly warned him. But Dimitri wouldn't listen. "Please, let me just…"
"Now, if you'll excuse me," Marie cut him off. "I wish to live out the remainder of my lonely life in peace."
"Oh!" Giving a nervous chuckle, Sophie drew the drapes shut to avoid Dimitri accessing Marie's private space. "I'll see you to the door," She tried to lead Dimitri back to the door. "Come, come now, come to the door."
While Sophie was distracted, Dimitri turned back and ducked through the curtains. "Your Majesty, I intend you no harm." He approached Marie, and sat down in another chair next to him. "My name is Dimitri. I used to work at the palace."
But Marie frowned at him sarcastically. "Well, that's one I haven't heard, I must say!" She got up from her seat, and started to walk away.
"Wait!" Dimitri followed her. "Don't go, please!" He stepped in the elderly woman's way to stop him. "If you'll just hear me out…"
"I know what you're after!" Marie snapped. "I've seen it before- men who train young women in the royal ways." She stepped out from behind the curtains, and pulled on a nearby rope, ringing a bell to summon the guards.
"No, wait!" Dimitri cried as he stopped the Empress from leaving. "Don't go! If you'll just listen…"
"Haven't you been listening?" Marie began to raise her voice. "I've had enough! I don't care how much you have fashioned this girl to look like her, sound like her, or act like her. In the end, it is never her."
Anya and Katya came closer to the door, listening closely to the conversation. When they heard the Empress rant, each girl gave a combined look of shock and anger.
"Did she just say what I THINK she said?" Katya whispered.
"This time it IS here!" Dimitri protested.
"Dimitri..." Marie suddenly said in recognition. She turned back to Dimitri, glaring harder than before. "I've heard of you. You're that conman from St. Petersburg, who was holding auditions to find an Anastasia look-alike!"
Outside the door, Anya gasped upon hearing this, and covered her mouth in horror, disbelief, and betrayal.
Katya's eyes widened with shock.
Dimitr's eyes widened as well. "But, you Grace, we've come all the way from Russia just to see…"
"And others have come from Timbuktu," Marie replied sternly, sitting down on a red loveseat.
"No, it's not-it's not that, it's not what you think," Dimitri knelt down, and tried to take Marie's hands in compassion. Only for the elderly woman to angrily yank them back, and rise back up on her feet.
"How much pain will you inflict an old woman for money?!" She scowled.
Anya couldn't believe what she was hearing. The man who had taught her so much, who she had begun very close to. In fact, she had even begun to develop feelings for him. But now, she was in shock and horror upon discovering who Dimitri really was.
Two guards had arrived upon hearing Marie's call for them.
"Remove him at once!" Marie demanded, pointing at Dimitri.
The two guards grabbed Dimitri by each arm, forcing him out of the box.
Sophie stood aside, sitting down in the loveseat, watching in slight terror as Dimitri struggled with the guards.
"But she is Anastasia, I'm telling you!" He complained. "She's the Grand Duchess! If you'll just hear me out!"
But Marie simply turned away, ignoring him completely as the guards kicked the man out of the Dowager's box, and shut the door behind him.
Dimitri landed right at Anya's feet. He looked up in shock to see Anya and Katya staring down at him, looking devastated with agonizing realization. They had heard everything.
"You durak," Katya muttered under her breath.
"It was all a lie, wasn't it?" Anya asked, having an angry expression before turning away.
"No, no," Dimitri got back up on his feet, and tried to reason with them.
"You used me?" Anya turned back to him, sounding more hurt. "I-1 was just a part of your con to get HER money?"
"No!" Dimitri blurted out nervously. "No, no, no!"
The redhead sadly began to turn away.
"Look," Dimitri followed her, trying to compose himself and explain everything to Anya. "It may have started out that way, but everything's different now. Because you really are Anastasia. You are!"
But Anya refused to listen. "STOP IT!" She snapped, shoving him back. "From the very beginning, you LIED!" She shoved him again. "And I not only believed you, I actually- UGH!" She grunted in disbelief, before continuing to walk away as Katya watched silently with sympathy.
"Anya, please!" Dimitri stepped in her way to stop her. "When you spoke of the hidden door in the wall opening, and the little boy…Listen to me. That was…"
"NO!" Anya shouted, now angry with him. "I don't wanna hear about anything that I said or remembered. YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" She furiously tried to walk away again, only for Dimitri to grab her by the arm.
Glaring back at Dimitri, Anya angrily slapped him across the face. Hard.
With the man dazed, Anya walked off in anger. Regaining composure, Dimitri tried to chase after her. Only to get caught up in a crowd. "ANYA, PLEASE! YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE TRUTH!" He cried.
"It's too late now, you dishonest durak!" Katya shot at him with a glare.
Shocked, Dimitri looked up to see Katya looking at him with her hands on her hips. "And what's YOUR problem?" The young man asked with annoyance.
"What's my problem? What about your problem? Because my problem is you!" Katya shot back at him. "You're not only Anya's problem, but you're MY problem, too! Anya's been my best friend for years. How dare you deceive her like that!"
"But what did I do to you?" Dimitri asked her, wondering what he did to hurt Katya.
"Because, I thought I could trust you, and that was something I've always had a hard time dealing with ever since those cossacks raided my village and killed my parents," Katya said with a sigh. "But when I met you, I thought you could be someone to trust, and I took advantage of it since I told you about my past and everything. I thought I trusted you since you accepted me for who I was, and even helped me get closer to being reunited with my siblings in America, which is something I've been waiting to do for years."
She then began to feel her eyes turn to moist after remembering her siblings, but quickly stopped after her expression changed back to anger. "But boy was I wrong! I realized that I was right the whole time. You can never trust anybody, no matter what they seem to be, because they'll end up betraying you, and break yours and your friend's heart!"
She then pointed at Dimitri with anger. "You know, I bet your just another one of those people who disrespect people who are different, and then maybe all of the people who used to live in my former village would still be alive, and that includes my parents!"
Katya couldn't take it anymore and began to cry tears of betrayal and regret. "I can NOT believe Anya and I were so naive to trust someone like you all this time!" He voice quieted down again as she glared at him. "You always said you could me, but you were wrong. So guess what? Goodbye!"Katya then walked off in an angry manner, hoping to find her friend.
As she left, Dimitri just looked at her with disbelief and regret, now embarrassed by what he had done to the innocent girls in the beginning.