Maria could not clear her head of Marcell.

She had told her sister about her time with Marcell and Anastasia had been happy that she had found love.

"Are you going to marry him?" she asked once she and Maria had gotten home that night and were back in their room. Even though Anastasia was married, she and Andrei slept in different rooms.

"I want to very, very much, but don't know anything about his family or his life-" Maria started.

"You don't know one single thing?"

"No. Only that he is thirty and the most charming man I've met." Maria insisted. Once she had said that, she remembered the drawings.

"Look," Maria said as she gave the drawing to her sister who was sitting in her bed.

"Wow!" Anastasia exclaimed. "That's me!"

"His drawings are wonderful, aren't they?" Maria yawned as she lay her head on her pillow.

"I know you don't know much about him but I do like him, Mashka. I hope if you marry again, you will be happy. Truly happy...this time."

"I think I'll be happy," Maria answered. "But i'm too old to marry again."

"No, you aren't!" Anastasia laughed. She had married at twenty-seven. Maria was only a year older. "We have to go back to London!"

"Why, Nastasia?" Maria asked, alarmed at her sister's burst of energy this late at night.

"So you can see him! Confess your love for him! Ask him to marry you!"

Maria was shocked. She couldn't find the words to express her feelings. "It's way too early in a relationship to ask that person to marry you! You-you have to meet a few times-"

"Oh shut up, Maria!" Anastasia interrupted her.

"Please, I know you want to marry him. I just want you to be happy. Now it's your choice to marry. You don't need guidance from Olga or Xenia, or me. Do it, Mashka." she smiled, her eyes gleaming in the faint lamp light.

Maria nodded hesitantly but became more confident. "Yes, Shvibzik. I will! We'll go to London tomorrow!"

-

Maria shook with excitement as she tried to think of what to say to Marcell when she arrived.

Anastasia, who didn't care as much about matters of love, found herself bursting with aspiration. She thought of this journey as an adventure. A quest for love.

As Big Ben chimed twelve in the distance, the girls stepped out of their car. They both walked into the lobby only to find that it was much quieter and emptier than last night.

"Where do we find Marcell?" Anastasia whispered.

"I'm not sure," Maria answered. Just then, she remembered. He could be in one of his secret spots he had shown her last night!

"I know a way." Maria led Anastasia to a wall, trying not to bring attention to themselves. She placed her hands on the wall.

"What are you doing!" Anastasia hissed under her breath.

"Just trust me, please."

A few seconds later, she pushed open the secret door, leaving Anastasia bewildered.

"What..." she breathed.

There was no time to waste.

Just as Maria stepped into the door, they heard someone shout.

"Hey! What are you doing!?"

They turned around to see a worker charging towards them. The girls sprinted onto the staircase inside, Anastasia slamming the door behind her just as the man was about to enter. They were half-way up when they heard the door reopen.

"It's that man!" Maria fretted.

"Just keep going, Mashka!" Anastasia laughed.

They pushed the top door open. The footsteps could be heard coming closer and the sisters didn't know which way to go. Either left or right. Anastasia started to run left, grabbing Maria's arm as she passed her.

"Do you remember which door you went in!" Anastasia asked while running.

"No! Just try any door!" Maria answered.

"Hey! Get out of here!" the man yelled.

Maria was suddenly pulled into a door by Anastasia. It slammed and locked behind her.

"I think we're safe now, from the man at least." Anastasia panted as she placed her hands on her knees.

"This...is...so-" Maria said between pants.

"Cool!" Anastasia finished her sister's sentence. Maria glared at Anastasia.

"What!? You cannot tell me that this moment in time doesn't feel like a chase in a film!"

After Anastasia's statement, the sisters looked around and found themselves in a dark space. This was where Marcell had shown Maria his drawings!

"This way." Maria motioned for Anastasia to follow her.

As they lurked in the shadows, hoping not to be seen, they heard a doorknob trying to turn. It was the man! He had figured out where they were! Maria was grateful Anastasia had locked the door. Hopefully, if they stayed quiet, he would leave!

"Open this door!" the man shouted.

"No!" Anastasia answered his demand.

"Shvibzik!" Maria scolded her for revealing they were here. Anastasia only laughed.

They kept on running until they spotted one shining spotlight among the dark. Once they approached closer, they spotted a man sitting under the light, sketching in a book.

"Marcell!" Maria ran to hug him from behind.

"Maria?" Marcell questioned as her arms wrapped around his shoulders. "I thought I was never going to see you again! What are you doing here?"

It was time to explain.

"I want to marry you." Maria blurted. That wasn't how she thought she would announce the question but it was out.

"What?" Marcell was so shocked at what she was saying.

"I want to marry you," Maria said slowly.

"I want to marry you too." he answered, his voice soft as well.

This didn't feel real. He only had a mere crush on her and now she was asking him to marry her.

"What about your family? We have to ask them."Maria pulled herself out of their hug.

"I haven't had a good relationship with my parents. We needn't ask them."

"Come on! Let's go home!" Maria stood up.

"Home." Marcell breathed, eyes sparkling. That word had never had a truer meaning to him until now.

I must get my things," he added.

"Right, where do you live?"

Marcell led the girls out of the spotlight wing and into the circular hall where they passed the man that had chased the sisters. He stared them down as he walked, not saying a word. Once he had turned his back, Anastasia stuck out her tongue at him which made Marcell laugh.

"You live in the opera house?" Anastasia asked as she entered his room.

"Afraid so. It's horrible here but it's the only place I have." Marcell said, ashamed.

The room was small, so small that the girls had to walk in a line in order to fit inside. It was painted pale yellow and the walls had scuff marks all over. A small light hung on the ceiling. It was clear its bulb was old. A metal bunk bed sat in the corner, its blankets covered in dust.

Who would have thought such a beautiful building would have such faults?

Marcell gathered his belongings. "May I say goodbye to my buddies?"

"Of course, we'll be outside." the girls left the room.

A half-hour later, Marcell returned outside of the opera house.

"Are you ready?" Maria asked as she took her hand in his.

"I'm ready as I'll ever be." Marcell smiled back at her.

The three piled into the car and it sped down the streets of London. Marcell knew he would be very happy living with Anastasia and marrying Maria. He hadn't been this happy for a long, long time.

He smiled and rode off into his brand new life.