The Lives Of The Romanovs

Caught

Anastasia

I was drinking tea around 14:00 with Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Alexei, and Dmitri. Igor and Vladimir had decided to go to the St. Petersburg Opera House to see an afternoon ballet. It was probably informal for just them to go even when they were staying with the Tsar, but Papa did not seem to mind them leaving. Dmitri liked to just flirt with the ballerinas afterwards, but chose to stay here with Tatiana.
"Do you all want to go the park with me later today? We could have some fun and have a snowball fight." Dmitri asked.
Alexei smiled. "Oh, yes that sounds like much fun."
"I'm afraid you cannot join us in that, dear Alyosha. But I change my mind. Why don't just you and I go to the Alexander Park and build a snowman and an igloo."
Alexei gasped and practically jumped out of this seat. "That sounds so fun! We should go now!"
Dmitri laughed. "Not just yet, Alexei. We should wait about an hour. Say, how is your Sailor nanny?"
"Nagorny is well now. He almost died if it hadn't been for Doctor Botkin saving his life."
The doors opened to the sitting room. We turned around and saw Anna Demidova standing. She looked at me but had a frown on her face.
"Anastasia Nikolaevna, the Tsar asked me to tell you to go to his study. I think it is something serious."

I opened the doors to Papa's study. He was sitting on his desk with a letter in his hand. Mama was sitting on a small sofa by the wall, right to the desk. I approached them slowly, feeling my heart begin to beat faster.
"Dearest Papa, what is going on?" I asked him.
He ignored me and looked over at Mama.
"Sunny, do you know who Alice Paul is?"
Mama shook her head. "No, I do not." That's when Papa looked right at me. I have been caught.
"Anastasia, do you know who Alice Paul is?"
"No Papa, I do not know who Alice Paul is." I nodded. He squinted his eyes at me and furrowed his eyebrows.
"Are you lying to me right now?"
"No, I'm not."
"Well, I must say it then. Alix, Alice Paul is an American Revolutionist that has been corresponding with our youngest daughter."
I groaned. "She is not a revolutionist!"
"So you admit it! You admit that did lie and that have been corresponding with this American woman!"
I groaned and crossed my arms. "Yes, I am sorry that I lied. But Papa, you must understand that the world isn't the same place it was thirty-years ago! Life after the war is going to be different."
Papa scoffed and stood up from his desk and walked over to me and held up his finger. He hadn't waved his finger at me since I was about fourteen, he left most of the scolding to Olga and Tatiana now. At this moment, I almost wanted to cry. I disliked it most when Papa scolded me.

"Anastasia, you will stop corresponding with the American woman. You are grounded from writing any letters to anyone for the next month. Do you understand?"
"Are you going to stop me from eating and breathing too?" I shouted. Mama stood and walked over to Papa. She made an angry face at me.
"I will not accept this behavior from you. Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova, you will apologize to your father this instant. Or else I will keep you from seeing Jimmy or any of the other pets for a long time."
I pouted and lowered my head. I knew they had won on this one. Oh, but the disappointment was too much to bare.
"I am very sorry, my dear Papa. But you must admit, if it was Alexei or Tatiana who had done what I did: you both wouldn't be as angry."
Mama scoffed. "Oh, that is not true and you know it. We are just trying to help you avoid scandal. It's important you can still create a life for yourself."
"I understand. Can I go now?" I sassed. Papa and Mama both sighed.
"Yes Nastya, you may go." Papa nodded. I quickly turned away and walked out the door. I started to walk down the hall back to my room.

"That sounded very heated. You're into the Women's rights movement?" A woman's voice said. I turned around and there stood Rebecca. She walked closer to me. I just furrowed my eyebrows at her and rolled my eyes.
"Whats it to you?"
"Well, I just so happen to know other feminists from America and England both. If you would like, I could secretly post your letters." Rebecca gave a mischievous smirk. I was absolutely puzzled by her offer. We had only ever spoken once. Why would she want to help me with anything?
"Why do you want to help me? Are you expecting something in return?"
Rebecca shook her head. "No, I just want to help. I'm also a bit of a feminist."
"You are a feminist?"
"Sort of. But I believe you and I could be a good team."
"I would hate to lie to my parents and go against their wishes."
"Fibbing to our parents is sometimes alright. We do not always have to agree with them, you know? It's important we form our own views."
I thought for a moment. Perhaps Rebecca was right. I mean, my great-grandfather and my grandfather were great examples of family who just didn't agree with each other. I did not want to lie again, but they would slowly see the world start to change too. I just knew it.
"Alright Rebecca, you have yourself a deal. I want you to write to a certain Alice Paul for me."