"What a surprise to see you here," Victor said, putting his fist over his heart and bowed. There were about thirty black-coated soldiers standing behind him. Jean's bodyguards approached them, but they were signaled away by the host.
"Likewise," I said.
"My apologies for showing up unannounced, Grand Duchess," he said again.
Lyra was about to move away, but I wrapped my arms around her waist to keep her with me.
"You stay here," I whispered. Lyra silently complied. She then rested her head on my shoulder. Her long bare legs still straddled over my lap. I wanted to make Victor feel uncomfortable talking to me like this. Besides I didn't mind letting Lyra curl up in my arms since her warmth comforted me.
"You arrived quite late to dine, Victor," I said, straightening my posture a bit. "I didn't know Jean had invited you, too."
"Nyet, Grand Duchess," he said with a slightly hardened face. "I have an important matter that requires me to find you immediately. I ask for your forgiveness and hope that you could spare a few moments to hear it in private."
I stared at his business-like face. Victor was no-nonsense. I knew whatever brought him to France out of the blue wasn't a minor issue. But ever since I left Russia, I did not want anything to do with it.
"You may speak it now as I couldn't bring myself to disturb my resting friend here," I said casually as I stroked Lyra's soft cheek with the back of my fingers. Her eyes were closed, but I knew she was partly aware of the tension.
"I'm afraid we cannot discuss this in public, Your Highness," Victor stated again.
"These are my friends if I do say so myself," I told him. Victor's brows furrowed. Part of me just wanted to annoy the man as he did me with his sudden interruption. He must have sensed the mood I was in and did not dare to refuse. The least he could do now was to get my attention.
Victor cleared his throat again.
"Russia needs you," he finally said. At the mention of my country, I frowned. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Jean-Phillip leaned forward in his seat and strained his neck out in curiosity. Estella and Claire had gone back to sit beside each other. Their bright violet eyes stared at me and Victor.
"And should I ask why?" I said, raising the wine glass and twirling the drink in my hand.
"The Royal Council has encountered a new crisis," he said. "We need your attendance to fulfill the role for the Alliance wants you to be present. There is a number of shared problems that will need to be discussed."
"They have carried on without me after all these years. Why need me now?"
Victor looked around himself, feeling uncomfortable with the surrounding. Then he turned to me again. With a heavy sigh, he went on.
"You're the only one who can bring orders back to the empire, Grand Duchess."
"I'm not bringing back anything!" I snapped. Victor fell silent again. Everyone was staring and yet even more intrigued by our conversation. My face turned to Jean.
"May you excuse us?" I said flatly to the French royal.
"Of course! Of course, Your Highness," Jean said and quickly stood up. "I would leave you in privacy as you wish."
He bowed to me and waved the audiences away. The guests slowly moved from their spots, leaving us. I looked back at Victor again.
"I may want to talk about it later, Victor." I decided with a wave of my hand. "Right now I'm busy..."
"But Grand Duchess, Russia needs you!" he said.
"I said later, Victor," I dismissed him with a heavy tone.
Victor let out a long sigh before he spoke again.
"The Czar wouldn't want to see you like this, Anastasiya," he said.
My eyes flashed with flaming rage, causing Victor to swallow. He knew he had hit a raw nerve.
"You know that using my father's name isn't going to make me leave for Russia, Victor," I said in a low hiss that even Lyra tensed up in my arms. "I don't care what happens to the empire anymore."
I leaned in and kissed the top of the French girl's head, reassuring her.
"I beg this of you, Anastasiya," he said again. "If you don't return to Kremlin soon, Russia will fall under the old threat and a new one will rise."
"What do you mean?" I frowned at him.
"The Hunters and one of the Allied Nations are causing quite a worry for all of us," he said, "We need your support to make some critical decisions on this matter..."
As much as I tried not to mention my sister, I couldn't help it.
"Why don't you go and find Alex instead?"
"Grand Duchess Alexandra is no longer involved in state affairs. I have tried all possible ways to invite her back, but her decline is resolute," he replied.
"And you consider mine isn't?" I asked sharply. "She wanted Russia back in the first place. If she doesn't care about it now, then why should I?"
There was a long silence.
"Then I have nothing left to say," Victor said in a defeated tone at last. "The whole world is coming to an end. And this time, it starts with us."
I stared at him blankly. Then I noticed the middle-aged vampire for the first time. He looked worn out like he hadn't fed for weeks. The dark circles around his eyes were visible under the dimly lit hall. Victor had always been like a friend for many decades. His work for the empire was his whole life. For a moment, I realized I was being childish and a little too selfish.
Victor bowed to me again and took a few steps back before turning around. The rest of the black-coated soldiers were ready to follow him.
"Wait!" I said. The man stopped in his tracks and I silently cursed myself for this. "Alright, I'll go with you."
We boarded my private jet, getting ready to fly back to Moscow before dawn. It was a long boring flight. Over the years, I had found ways to deal with boredom, but as of now, they didn't seem appealing anymore.Fortunately, Jean-Phillip had given me a few presents to amuse myself with during the trip-two human girls and a human boy. Among them was Lyra, the little beauty I seemed to grow fond of ever since the lustful night in Versaille. The French royal had insisted on seeing me off, but I refused with a promise that we would meet again in the near future. The nephew of King Louis was a fun company after all.Victor didn't bother me with any boring details of the Council's matters though he could have done so. For now, he just left me alone. I knew it wouldn't be long until I was bombarded with responsibilities. This gave me more reaso
~ALEXANDRA~I looked from the portico to the aqua blue sea. The tides were gently rolling over the whiteness of the shore. The light tropical breeze constantly caressed my skin. Yet, I sensed that it was going to rain anytime soon. The calm before the storm was obvious in the air.Turning back inside, I walked towards a small table by the open window and flipped over some of the golden envelopes that laid on a silver tray. They were sent to me from Kremlin many days prior, but I didn't have the heart to read them until now.I dropped myself on a cushioned armchair and reached over to switch off the lamp as the bright light stung my eyes. With a long exhale, my hands effortlessly broke the red wax that sealed th
ANASTASIAThe great façade of the cathedral glimmering with gold onion domes rose in a multicolored mass opposite the Red Square.My eyes were a bit sensitive and my mind was still hazy, but I could still make out the city layout for miles. The beautiful Kremlin, in the heart of the City of Moskva as known in Russian, was still a huge walled enclosure containing many magnificent buildings and monuments as I had remembered. Beyond this central area were vacant highways and railroads that divided the city into five great circles with their own gates.Turning back from the window to look around my enormous dwelling, I realized that I had not been here for quite a long time, but the heavy feeling th
Within the confinement of the marble-covered building,Beliy Dom, the White House of Russia, I sat among the parliament members, listening without the slightest interest in their contents of the meeting."Grand Duchess, we would like to inform you of a few cases that you haven't reviewed from the past few years," one of the men spoke with a respectful bow. Moscow had a council with as much power as the government of a republic. The city was divided into ten districts and each elected its own council representative. Behind me was a white marble wall hung with the royal emblem of a two-headed eagle made of gold. I sat in my respective place, which was actually a throne for the Czar.I sighed to myself, thinking of all the lineages and histories that had woven into this seat. I shifted my body uncomfortably. As the acting hea
Strolling along the hallway of the Kremlin Palace, I could remember vividly all the events that took place in its five enormous reception halls. My family used to host elegant banquets and official ceremonies numerous times in here. Terem Palace could also be seen from one of the arched windows.Among the seven hundred rooms, one of them I recognized by heart. My hands pushed open its grand double door and then I stepped inside. The richly sculpted antique desk was set by the window. It had a large globe on one end and was usually littered with maps and papers.Behind it was a great curve-legged chair made of dark wood and painted in gold. I walked around my father's large office, taking in the unforgettable surroundings and recalling the day when I had burst into this room with my brand new China doll and asked my father to come and pl
Ostankino Palace was one of the most beautiful places outside the Kremlin Walls. Many stone mansions were made of white marbles and plaster-covered woods. It belonged to a count named Sheremetev back in the day. His servants performed plays for his wealthy friends in his beautiful Theater Hall. Obviously, the count was into classical music and dances. And that was what I was here for.After we stepped out of the car, I looked around the frozen manicured garden. Everywhere I turned was covered in deep white snow. The whiteness almost blinded me. Turning to a royal guard, I requested for a pair of sunglasses."Are you well?" Estella asked as I adjusted the shade on the bridge of my nose. Claire looked on with concerns but I just waved them off."You shouldn't let yourself weaken so much,
My eardrums almost burst from the sound of an explosion that echoed like a clap of thunders. A strong force hurled me against the wall along with various unidentified objects in the room.I collapsed onto the floor again with a thud. The stage was suddenly engulfed in flames. The chaos erupted. A few patches of flames scattered around the theater. Pieces of broken furniture laid everywhere.I painstakingly picked myself up off the floor as plumes of dark smoke thickened the hall. In the midst of havoc, I heard swift movements coming from the backroom.At the same time, a troop of royal guards burst into the theater through the front entrance. They started shouting out orders and immediately surrounding the damaged room. Then all I heard was shooting.
I woke up stiffly in the corner as the running truck came to a halt. The engine noise that had damned me throughout the restless night suddenly stopped.I bit my lips to minimize the flaring pain and forced myself to sit up. Then the heavy metal doors screeched open dryly.A burst of white light poked my hazy eyes. I winced and averted my face. My wounds had finally closed up, but the raw anguish still roamed my body like biting bugs.My silk shirt was ruined by sticky blood and now clung to my flesh. My injuries would take a few more hours in order to heal back to normal, yet I doubted that the Hunters would let me live to see another day.I heard them barking orders at each other for a few seconds before I realized what was happenin