I DON'T OWN ANASTASIA. SHOUTOUT TO ANYONE WHO CARES ABOUT THIS STORY.

St. Petersburg–Glavny train station. St. Petersburg, Russian Empire. Later that day.

After the fiasco at the blessing, Ivan and his friends were being transported to the front lines. They would be taking a train from St. Petersburg to the front lines of East Prussia. The Germans had already broken into Poland and the Russian commanders were open that another glank opening on the right would provide relief to the Polish forces currently getting their asses handed to them.

As the soldiers were at the train station, being celebrated for their service and sacrifice for God, Czar, and country, Ivan couldn't stop thinking about Grand Duchess Maria Nikolaevna Romanova. The look on her face when she took the flower he had offered to her was burned into his head from that moment on.

"It is mind blowing that not only is your head still attached to your shoulders, but that the Grand Duchess herself smiled at you." Lyosha said as he, Ivan, and Bogdan as they waited to board the train. To be honest, he was still freaking amazed at the events that had transpired during the blessing of the troops. He had thought for sure that Captain Glaskov would have pulled out his side arm and personally put a bullet in Ivan's head right then and there for such of breach of etiquette

"I never doubted it." Bogdan replied with a smirk on his face. "It's no secret that Maria loves a man in uniform, there was no doubt that the gift would be well received."

"Yes, that's why your boots were filled with piss." Lyosha chuckled at his comrade's expense. Ivan tried not to chuckle as they moved closer to the train. As they were about to get on however, a carriage pulled up to them and Grand Duchess Maria herself stepped out of it. The soldiers turned and gawked as she walked up to Ivan.

"Hello Ivan." She said as Lyosha and Bogdan stared with the mouths agape at the spectacle before them.

"Your highness..." Ivan replied as he bowed his head to the Grand Duchess.

"Please, call me Maria." She insisted with a smile as Ivan offered a smile of his own.

"All right...Maria." He replied as Maria blushed at the sound of her name coming off his lips.

"I wanted to say farewell before you leave for the front; so i bribed a carriage driver to take me here straight after the blessing. Papa doesn't know that i'm here. He would never have allowed me to come with only a carriage driver." she stated as it was clear by her anxious demeanor that breaking the rules and sneaking around was not something thag the grand duchess did frequently.

"Well...i'm extremely glad to see you." Ivan said as he blushed at the grand duchess; still havjng a hard time believing that she had responded so positively to his pursuit of her favor. A blind man could have seen that she was far beyond his station.

"I was hoping that you would write to me while you're away." Maria offered as she twirled a piece of her beautiful brown hair with her left pointer finger. "I'd very much like to hear from you."

"If it would please you, I would be more than pleased to write to you." Ivan replied with a swelled heart in his chest as he had never expected to become pen pals with a grand duchess. Now, Ivan admittedly hadn't really had much schooling; however, what little he did possess was enough to write a letter. "" Maria was ecstatic as she handed Ivan a piece of paper with an address on it. She explained to her soldiers that it was the best one to use if you wanted to make sure your letter had s good chance if reaching the Imperial family.

"Your highness...we must return to the palace before your absence is noticed." The carriage driver pleaded as Maria knew he had a point; didnt mean she was happy about it though.

"I hope to hear from you soon." Maria said as she leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek. As she returned to the carriage and took her leave, Ivan's comrades in arms were struck dumb by what they had just witnessed. It was the equivalent of seeing bogfoot riding on a unicorn for them.

"The grand duchess just kissed you..." Bogdan stuttered as he closed his mouth after his jaw had dropped more than once. He had mever thought that such a thing was possible. Grand Duchesses simply didn't fancy soldiers; it just wasn't done. Yet, he had seen the impossible become possible with his own eyes and his friends had witnessed the same.

"Now, I have truly seen everything." Lyosha added with a chuckle as he played off the sight with a laugh as he often did when he was put in an awkward situation. As for Ivan, he said not a word as he and his friends got on the train and began their journey to the front lines.

Grand Duchess Maria had actually came to see him off; she had kissed him upon the cheek for Christ's sake. He didn't give a damn if she was above his station or not. The only thing that young Ivan knew with any certainty at all was that Maria was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen in his entire life. Maybe there was no future for them as a pair; but even if there wasn't, he was prepared to give Maria his heart if she truly wanted it. Ivan couldn't see himself being as smitten with any other young lady.

IVAN AND HIS FRIENDS ARE OFFICIALLY ENTERING THE GREAT WAR. WILL THEY SURVIVE THEIR 1ST FORAY INTO COMBAT? REVIEWS NEEDED AND APPRECIATED