꧁•꧂

"Well if it isn't a little Russian Rat so far away from home."

The man called as he emerged from the darkness as he took in the sight of Stasia who had left Mirabel's room in Casita to investigate what she saw from the window. And her suspicions had been correct, it was in fact a soviet soldier.

"What are you doing here?"

Stasia asked.

"I could ask you the same question, printsessa."

He stepped closer to her.

"My name is General Stephen Volkov of the Soviet Union." He introduced himself. "

And may I just say it is an honor to be in your presence."

Stasia's eyes narrowed at him.

"I am not who you think I am."

She replied coldly and the man laughed.

"I beg to differ, Vashe vysochestvo."

He kneeled before her and took her slim hand in his to press a kiss to her tiny fingers until he noticed a strikingly familiar golden ring. He slipped it off of her finger like a pit pocket steals jewlery. Stasia didn't even notice he had removed it from her until she saw him holding it.

"My this is a priceless thing."

He said as he admired the craftsmanship of the item of value.

"Isn't it, Printsessa Anastasia ?"

her blood ran cold.

"I am afraid you are mistaken."

Stasia said.

"That woman is dead."

"So you lead us to believe."

Stephen replied. Stasia realized her attempt to fool the man was useless. She sighed.

"How did you find me?"

She asked and Stephen took a letter out of his pocket as he handed it to her. She read it's contents carefully.

"Who sent this to you?"

"I don't know."

Stephen said.

"So now what? Are you just going to kill me?"

"Eventually, yes, my dear that is the goal."

Stephen replied.

"But first, do you know who my father was?"

"I'm sorry?"

Anastasia asked.

"My father he was-"

"No I'm just sorry. I'm sorry that I don't care to listen to your poor little sob story. If you're going to kill me then just do it already. I've waited long enough, nearly forty years."

This seemed to anger Stephan.

"Anya, my father was the man who killed your father."

He snapped.

"And now I am going to finish what he started."

"A vengeful death."

Anastasia noted.

"This would be a cool way to die."

Stephen was only agitated more by her constant chatter. The click of the safety being turned off on his revolver brought Anastasia back to reality.

"Finish it."

She said coldly.

"I am my father's daughter."

"And I am my father's son!"

Stephen barked, raising the gun so she was at gunpoint.

"Finish it I must."

He shook only slightly. He had pictured this for so long, finishing what his father had started.

"In me may you see my family. See their faces in mine, imagine their terror, hear their screams, see their blood!"

Anastasia shouted at him.

"Finish it."

She said.

"Finish it and I will be with them in that cold cellar in Yekaterinburg all over again!"

She added fiercely.

"You will be."

Stephen replied.

"The Czar lies cold, Anya."

and with that he pulled the trigger.

꧁•꧂

The sound of a shout of pain echoed in Anastasia's ears as she watched the man who held her at gunpoint fall to his knees.

"What is this?"

He asked as he looked up. A woman with a cross expression glared down at him. She was beyond elderly but gripped a walking cane fiercely in her hand which she brought down on him again knocking him unconscious.

"Stasia!"

Someone else shouted and she turned to see Bruno followed by Mirabel racing towards her.

"You're alright!"

He added when he reached her.

"You're alright."

He said again much more softer then the first. His eyes moved from her to the man on the ground then to the old woman still vigorously holding her cane, ready to strike. Bruno stood in front of Anya, protecting her.

"Who are you?"

Bruno barked at the new stranger.

"Nana?"

Stasia spoke up from behind Bruno. Bruno's demeanor softened at the sincerity of Stasia's tone and shuffled out of the way. It sounded like she knew this woman.

"My Anastasia!"

The woman shouted as she scuttled over to her.

"I thought you were dead."

Anastasia said.

"Anastasia?"

Bruno asked with confusion.

"Is that how you address a grand duchess!"

The woman said fiercely as she turned to bruno swiftly, cane raised and ready to attack him.

"Babushka, net."

Anastasia said as she held out her hand to stop her from harming him.

"Grand duchess?"

Bruno asked.

"Una Princesa!"

Mirabel shouted, putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

"No."

Anastasia said sharply, shutting her down immediately.

"Anastasia is dead."

She said as she looked to her grandmother.

"She died with the rest of the Romanovs in that house years ago."

"I'm sorry but who is Anastasia?"

Bruno asked.

"You mean you don't know?"

The elderly woman asked with a scoff.

"My granddaughter, the Grand Duchess and Princess of all of Russia. Printsessa Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanov."

"I AM NOT ANASTASIA!"

Stasia shouted causing a silence to befall everyone as they turned to look at her.

"Not anymore."

She sighed as she turned to her grandmother.

"I mean what I said, Anastasia died many years ago with the rest of the Romanovs. I am not the same little girl I was all those years ago."

"No you are not."

The woman replied.

"But you are still my granddaughter."

Anastasia looked to Bruno and Mirabel.

"Could you please excuse us?"

she asked.

"This may take some time."