Together

Pictures In Frames

Hello hello hello! Sorry I didn't post an update yesterday- my computer was in the shop. Here's a fun little filler update. I had a chorus concert tonight so I'm EXHAUSTED. I'm gonna get some rest, but enjoy/comment/vote
-ab

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November 10, 2025

Harper

I smile to myself as I straighten the tiara that is resting upon my head. Today marks one week since I took over the role of Anya, and I'm here at the Piccadilly Theatre early, so that we can take some promotional shots.

It's weird for me to think that they want to plaster my face on tube posters all around London, but that's apparently the plan.

So here I am, in my big red dress, all ready to take some pictures. After that, I'm going to change into my 'travel outfit,' and capture some photographs in that one.

"Oh my gosh, Harper, you look fab," Ruby, our 'Young Anastasia,' tells me. Of course, she is not to be confused with Cassie, who is our 'Little Anastasia.'

"Thanks," I smile at her. "You do too." Ruby and I have become pretty fast friends since moving into theatre, since her dressing room which she shares with the rest of the Romanov sisters is right next to mine. She's quite social, and the entire cast loves her.

"Are you all ready? I think that they're finishing setting up onstage, and I was told that we have to get a picture with all three generations of Anastasias."

"Oh! That's fun!" I exclaim. "I've just gotta get my shoes on."

Ruby stands in the door as I slip on my little red heels, then we run down the hallway together, giggling as both of us hoist up our skirts to our knees to offer optimal movement. When we are finally down on the stage, where a professional photographer has set up a green screen backdrop, we watch Cassie finishing up her solo shot. She looks ever so adorable, with her wig freshly curled and her pink dress and tiara sparkling in the lights.

"Alright, that's perfect, Cassie," the photographer says. Then, he turns to us. "Hi. I'm Oliver. Are you Ruby and Harper?"

We nod.

"Wonderful. Nice to meet you two. Come on up, and we can get your group picture before we do your solo shots so that we can let Cassie out of here to get some rest before this evening's show."

"Perfect," I smile, stepping up. "How's it going?" I whisper to the little girl, placing my hand on her shoulders and giving them a squeeze.

"This is fun!" she exclaims.

"Perfect," I tell her. After that, Oliver starts to position us into a pose.

After about ten minutes, I'm certain that he has taken about a thousand pictures of us, and he dismisses Cassie.

"Let's get Ruby's solo shot first, and then we can do Harper," he suggests. "After that, we have the Romanov sisters, then Anya and Dimitri. Then, we are sending Harper and Toby off to change into their other outfits, and we are going to take some more solo shots."

"This whole thing is quite the ordeal," I whisper to Ruby.

"True, but it's so cool that we are going to get these pictures outside of the theatre and on posters and stuff."

"It is," I agree.

As Oliver is snapping my solo pictures, I notice Toby walking in. Oliver finishes up my picture, then waves Toby over, beginning to pose us.

"Okay, so you two... hold hands and look at each other lovingly."

We do as we are told, posing in a few different positions, before Oliver looks at us. "Can we do the kiss?"

"I don't see why not," I shrug. "Other than the fact that it'll make my fiancee incredibly jealous."

Toby laughs.

"Don't worry. We are getting our engagement photos taken on the 30th."

"That's fun," he tells me, handing me his suitcase, which I plop on the ground and perch on top of it.

"Yeah. We are getting them done by the Tower Bridge, if the weather is nice... if not, then I think we are going to an indoor studio."

"I hope you have good weather, then."

"Okay, go ahead and hold that kiss," Oliver instructs us, so I lightly allow my lips to meet with Toby's. "Perfect. Perfect. Keep that up."

I hear his camera clicking away as we kiss, and it quickly becomes awkward. "I've never even kissed Patrick for that long!" I exclaim with laughter, breaking away from him when instructed to do so.

Toby chuckles. "Well, you can go ahead and tell him that. I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

I roll my eyes, playfully slapping his arm.

Then, Toby and I are instructed to go change into our costumes from the first half of the show. We are apparently going to do some 'Journey To The Past' style shots, then some 'Once Upon A December' and 'My Petersburg' style shots.

It seems to take forever, but eventually, all of the necessary pictures have been taken. Toby and I are dismissed with time to quickly grab dinner before our call time.

After changing out of my costume and into my street clothes, I tug my Hamilton beanie on over my wig cap and walk out of the theatre. Briskly, I walk towards Shaftesbury Avenue and down the street, passing the Queen's Theatre on the way to the Pret A Manger.

Once I'm there, I grab a sandwich for takeaway, and on the way back to the Piccadilly Theatre, I stop at the Theatre Cafe for some of my favourite tea.

I've grown to quite enjoy this walk, passing so many theatres on my way.

Back in my dressing room, I leave my door open with hopes that somebody will pop their head in and talk to me, while I unwrap my sandwich and begin to eat.

Sure enough, Ruby walks by pretty soon. Without even asking, she walks into my room and flops down onto my sofa.

"I'm so tired, Harper," she melodramatically groans. I laugh.

"We just have to get through the show, and then you can sleep."

"Can I take a nap on your sofa?"

I raise an eyebrow at her.

"Just... wake me up at the forty-five minute call."

"Fine," I laugh. "I'll even shut the door for you so that nobody disturbs you."

"Thanks, love," she says, curling up with the soft, Tayor Swift blanket which was draped over the back of my sofa. "I've got to get my beauty sleep in, you know."