The ship quickly sailed away from the coastline.

Maria and Anastasia decided to look around the boat while Grandmama took a rest.

As they traveled down its endless corridors, the sisters observed that the ship was lifeless, dark, and ugly. Pictures of the ship's layout covered the wall in dusty, cracked frames. This ship was nothing like the Standart. That boat had been homey, with friendly people around every corner you'd turn. There wasn't a person in sight on this ship.

Maria thought back to the happier times she had spent with her family on their beloved yacht. Her mind wandered, trying to remember that wonderful summer years ago.

It was nineteen fourteen. Maria and her sisters had spent the day on the decks of the Standart roller skating, taking photos, playing shuffleboard, and of course, flirting with officers. The sisters had resided at one end of the boat, relaxing as they talked in the shade. They all had teased Olga about her matches with Prince Carol of Romania and David, the Prince of Wales. As they did, Tatiana stood up and declared a letter had been addressed to Olga. The sisters all peered around, wondering who it could be from. Maria elbowed Anastasia but the youngest sister shrugged, claiming she wasn't behind it. Once Olga had opened the letter, she declared that Anastasia was behind this. Anastasia said once again that it wasn't her. She snatched the letter from Olga's hand and laughed uncontrollably, holding the picture up for everyone to see. It was a newspaper cut out of a photo of Prince David's head pasted onto a picture of Michelangelo's David statue. The sisters burst out laughing with Olga's face now as red as a tomato.

As Maria returned from her daydream, she bumped into a young man holding papers. They flew from his hands and scattered all over the floor.

"Oh, I'm so clumsy! Let me help!" Maria exclaimed, dropping to the ground to help him pick up his papers.

"It's alright. I wasn't watching where I was going." the boy smiled as he bent down. He had light blonde hair and hazel eyes. He looked to be around twenty.

"Thank you. See you around." the boy smiled as he stood up. He turned the corner, disappearing from view.

"Oh, dear! Mashka has fallen in love again!" Anastasia placed her hand on her forehead and pretended to faint.

"Nastasia! Don't be annoying!" Maria griped.

The girls walked back to their cabin to see Grandmama resting on one of the beds in the corner. Their room was small and cramped. You couldn't even walk without bumping into the bed or the wall.

"Grandmama, Maria has fallen in love again!" Anastasia laughed as she jumped onto her bed.

"Oh, dear sweet Maria. We are both so alike. I was falling in love with every man in sight growing up. I even got married at your age!" Grandmama reminisced as she adjusted a cold cloth that was sitting on her forehead. Maria and her Grandmother were very much alike. Their names were even the same.

Maria smiled at the word marriage. She hoped to see that man again during their journey.

-

A day passed and it wasn't until the family was returning to their cabin after dinner when Maria spotted the boy walking down the hallway. Instead of following, she ran after the man. Once she reached him, she tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hello!"

"Why miss? Have we met?" he joked, trying not to smile.

"Yes, we have. I helped you with your papers."

"Right! Of course!"

"I never caught your name."

"I'm Valentin Golovin. Yours?"

"I'm always called Citizen Romanova, but I'm Maria. Just call me Citizen Romanova. I don't want you to get in trouble by saying my real name."

"Well, I like Maria better." Valentin smiled. Maria started to blush, her cheeks turning pink.

"I'm going on deck to watch the sunset. Would you like to accompany me?" he asked.

Maria accepted. They both found a secret spot on deck to watch the sunset's blazing colors.

It turned out Valentin was the same age as Maria, nineteen, and came from a wealthy family from St. Petersburg. He was the eldest of five children, two little boys, and two little girls.

Maria figured he must hate her since she comes from the royal family, which the Russian people overthrew but surprisingly, he didn't make a fuss.

"You mean you would still talk to me even if I'm an ex-grand duchess?" Maria asked nervously.

"Of course! You were so kind as to help me with my papers. Most of the other sailors wouldn't even look at me if I dropped something. I'm much younger than them, so I know they have their reasons."

"Even if I was normal?"

"Definitely."

Maria sighed in relief. Long after the sun had set, the two were still talking on the deck. Just as Valentin was about to tell a story, they both heard footsteps in the distance. They both crouched behind a big pile of ropes, trying to take a peek at who the person was.

"Maria?" the voice called out.

"Anastasia!? What are you doing up here?" Maria stood up, dusting her dress off.

"And what are you doing up here?"

"Talking with Valentin. Why aren't you back in the room?"

"Why aren't you?" Anastasia stood with her hands on her hips. "Why did you leave! I had no idea where you were."

"Just give me a minute! I'll be right down." Maria called. Not wanting to wait for her sister, Anastasia left the deck.

"That was Anastasia. Anyway-"

"Chief of all firemen!" Maria heard Anastasia call out from a distance.

"That's a nickname she has for herself. Anyway, I'd like to invite you to one of our plays tomorrow. We love to perform little antics for our Grandmama and we'd like another member of our audience. It will take place in the storage room next to our cabin."

"I'd love to come. Just let me see if I have any work to do. If not, I will come!" Valentin answered, a huge grin on his face.

Maria finally returned to the cabin to see Grandmama sleeping and Anastasia lying in bed, reading a book she had packed.

"Finally! What took you so long?"

"I'm sorry, I had to tell Valentin goodnight."

"You didn't have to sneak away!"

Maria groaned. She knew she shouldn't have snuck away but it was only for one night. It was no big deal. Maria changed into her nightgown and climbed into bed next to her sister.

"This bed is very uncomfortable," she complained as she laid her head on the starchy pillowcase and pulled the itchy wool blanket onto her body.

"Now, what were you really doing with Valentin?" Maria heard Anastasia giggle.

"All we did was talk. Don't be so nosy. He's a wonderful man. Nothing happened. Nothing." Maria replied.

She yawned and closed her eyes as the boat rocked her to sleep.

-

The warm April air brought life to Ekaterinburg. Vendors returned outside to sell their things and children swam in the Iset River. The end of the war had brought peaceful times to the town. Dasia and Andrei still lived together. After the death of the Romanovs, he decided to find new work since he wanted nothing to do with the new government or Yakov Yurosky.

Andrei found a job at a mine a few miles away, and Dasia ran a small shop in the town square. Every time Andrei came home, he would anxiously ask if a letter had been sent to him from Anastasia. He would always become sad when there wasn't and he'd stare at the photograph of him and Anastasia standing in front of the tree in Saratov. In the photograph, Andrei stood up straight and didn't smile while Anastasia grinned a devious smile as if she were about to cause mischief.

One night, Andrei came home late to see an unopened letter sitting on the kitchen table. As he read it, his smile disappeared. Now he knew he would never see Anastasia again.

Hearing Andrei return home, Dasia ran into the kitchen where she saw Andrei, an opened letter on the floor.

"She's gone. Forever." Andrei whispered, staring at the letter.

"What do you mean?"

"She's gone to England."

Dasia rushed to her nephew's side and hugged him tightly, hoping it would comfort him.

"I'll never see her again."

Little did Andrei know, he would see Anastasia again.