June 12th, 1920

The next day was so chaotic for the newlyweds because it was the day they would leave for their three-week-long honeymoon in France.

"Do you have everything?" Anastasia asked as she tried to get close to her sister. That was challenging since a group of servants surrounded Maria and Valentin, making sure everything was packed and ready.

"Yes, I'm sure!" Valentin walked out the door, still surrounded by servants while Maria stayed back to give her younger sister a hug.

"I'll miss you lots."

"I will too, Shvibzik."

"Say you'll send a postcard?"

"I promise."

Oliver motioned to Maria that it was time to leave. Anastasia gave her sister one last hug.

As the car started to leave, Anastasia wanted to race after the car, begging her sister not to leave. She didn't want to cause a scene although she was very concerned for her sister. They hadn't been separated since two years ago and Anastasia had dreaded this moment.

After the car disappeared, the group went back into the saloon. Valentin's parents, Milana and Egor sat on the couch chatting to Andrei and Anastasia while Valentin's little siblings were outside.

Leonid was twelve, Mikhail was nine, Catia was eleven, and Sinvoia was seven. Vasili, who was still twelve, was thrilled to have playmates. Anastasia and Catia had become close over the last few days. Catia was a prankster, just like Anastasia.

During Maria's wedding reception, Anastasia had caught her tucking a table cloth into someone's belt. If her plan had followed through, everything off the table would go crashing to the ground if the person had stood up.

"I'm a famous prankster and even I know that's too far." Anastasia had said.

While chatting, Milana asked a question that sent a shiver up the youngest Romanov's spine. "Are you two a couple?"

Anastasia gulped while Andrei smiled a bit.

"No, we are just friends." Anastasia answered. Andrei frowned. He wanted ever so much to be a couple.

"Oh, well friends are great too." Milana smiled, pushing her dark auburn bangs out of her face.

Anastasia and Andrei spent the rest of the day with the children, playing in the garden, where Catia challenged Anastasia to a tree-climbing race. Anastasia figured she'd still be the champion of winning challenges, just as she beat Vasili in about every race he begged to do, but surprisingly, Catia beat Anastasia by a few seconds. This left Vasili astonished.

'I really need to up my game!' Anastasia thought.

-

June 18th, 1920

Anastasia was very unhappy to be celebrating her nineteenth birthday without Maria. They both had never spent their birthdays apart. Although the day was filled with fun and presents, Anastasia still felt lonely without her sister by her side.

A few more days passed and now Anastasia had to miss Maria's twenty-first birthday. On that day, a postcard arrived from Paris. Anastasia shouted with joy as Liesel handed her the card. She sprinted to the garden where everyone sat, listening to the gramophone.

"A postcard!" she squealed as she ran. "A postcard from Maria!"

Anastasia cleared her throat and read it aloud for all to hear.

Dear Anastasia and all,

Valentin and I are having a magnificent time here in Paris! The weather is hot and sunny all day! The shops are pleasant and sell nice little trinkets. We are staying at a lovely hotel right on the coast of the Seine andEiffel tower so when we look out of our windows, we see it them both! I'm very sorry to have missed your birthday, Anastasia so I send all of my love in this letter. I miss you all and we can't wait until we arrive back home!

M and V

Anastasia was jealous. Very jealous that her sister was living it up in Paris. But she was at least happy that Maria had kept her promise.

-

July 3rd, 1920

Maria and Valentin finally arrived back home during the first week of July. Anastasia almost knocked Maria down as she ran to hug her sister.

"You must tell us every detail of the trip!" Milana and Egor led the couple into the saloon while servants took their luggage from the car.

"The city was wonderful. The buildings shimmered like gold in the sunlight! The little shops were very nice!" Maria remembered.

"Yes, it was! The weather was amazing! Only rained once or twice while we were there." Valentin added.

"Ah yes! The memories!" Oliver reminisced. "My wife Meg and I have traveled there a few times before."

"I wish I could have gone. Paris sounds like a dream!" Anastasia sighed sadly.

"Yes! We'll have to go. All of us!" Maria said. "That reminds me, Shvibzik! I brought everyone something!"

Maria began distributing her gifts. She gave Milana a flower-shaped hair clip, Egor a silver cigar box. Dasia a scarf. Xenia, a sketchbook. Olga, watercolors. Alexandra, a necklace. Vasili, toy soldiers, and Anastasia, a bottle of flower perfume. The children also received gifts too. Leonid, a matching tin of soldiers, Mikhail, a little toy dreidel, Catia, a hair ribbon, and Sinvoia, a fairytale storybook that was written in French.

"How am I supposed to read this?" Sinvoia asked.

"Maria knows French. I'm sure she'd read it to you. Would you?" Valentin turned to his wife.

"Of course!"

-

July 7th, 1920

On the seventh day of the month was Vasili's thirteenth birthday. A garden party was given for the boy and while all the family sat and talked, Anastasia and Catia stood under the willow tree, chatting up a storm.

"Did you see your Aunt Alexandra's mole on her chin?" Catia giggled, making a face.

"Yes and you are perhaps more wicked than I am!" Anastasia crossed her arms and leaned against the willow tree.

"I suppose that's good then!"

"What is!"

"That I'm more of a trouble maker than you!"

Anastasia stammered. She couldn't get the words out.

"Oh, I know I've gotten in more trouble than you! You're just a little girl!"

"A little girl. I see. Name one thing you've done that's absolutely wicked!" Catia cackled.

"Well, I tripped almost all of our servants back at home...took tea cakes from trays?"

Catia's hazel eyes seemed to cut through Anastasia with a simple gaze. "Even wickeder."

"I've stuck out my tongue at officials and baked a cake with salt instead of sugar on purpose! Back in Poland a few years ago, while my sisters were having a snowball fight, I put a sharp rock into a snowball and threw it at Tatiana!

Catia didn't seem phased. "Did it hit her?"

"Yes."

"What's the meanest thing you've done that let's say...cost your life!"

"Well, I honestly could have been killed doing something I've done."

Catia's eyes were wide with shock. "What?"

"Back at the Ipatiev house, I was looking out of a window. I was sticking my tongue out at the soldiers that stood in front of it. One caught sight of me and started firing bullets at the window. Luckily I backed away so they didn't hit me."

"Wow...you can have the title. Want to hear what I've done?" Catia whispered.

Anastasia nodded.

"Once I was so mad at Sinovia for taking my stuff so I took one of her favorite dresses and threw it into the fire. She doesn't know it to this day!"

Anastasia giggled at this story. She would have never dared to burn one of her sister's prized dresses. She was sad she had never thought of doing that.

"So ya don't think you'll ever tell her about the dress?" Anastasia asked as she walked out from under the tree.

"No."

Anastasia chuckled to herself.

She knew she and Catia would be good friends.