*ana*Well, this is a first. I steal a look around the room. “Why is everyone quiet?” Even Mykhol is uncharacteristically quiet. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the room so silent. It is the last thing I expected. I assumed there would be questions. I was ready to answer. But they look more shocked than curious.“Speak.” I urge, looking to look at Aunt Funda and Uncle. Aunt Funda steps back out of the line of sight, leaving Uncle to take the fall. He seems to fumble but tries to start.“Your Empress…” Uncle steps with a hesitant look between Mykhol and me.“You can speak.” I encourage him with a smile. “I want to hear what you have to say.” But the smile has the opposite effect, and Uncle steps back to join his wife. “Cousin, what do you say?” I turn to Mykhol as my last resort. Mykhol pulls a misshapen smile that doesn’t seem so confident.“Anastasia, this is…” Mykhol falls off as he looks over the room and sees the same shocked faces.“Yes?” I lean in, ready to hear the first opinio

*King Alexander/Johan *“Oh, happy day,” Alexander sang as he traversed the halls with Johan in tow. Johan only shook his head at the apparent display of joy. Alexander was on the brink of bursting by this point. “As old as you are, you never learned to be subtle, did you?” Johan remarked as soon as they were back in the room. But even as he said it, he receded.“But I suppose your good mood is warranted.” “Of course it is!” Alexander laughed and took a spot on his couch. Then he was up on his feet. He couldn’t sit down if he wanted to. I need to do something- dance, sing- whatever. Energy and joy were surging through him. “Any father would be over the moon!” Alexander put his hands in his pockets to pull them back out again.“If I could just replay that moment, Johan, it was amazing.” Alexander moved to the small desk provided in the room. The chair squeaked as he sat, only to get up again. “It felt so damn good to see all those faces fall at once!” “It was.” Johan relished in