Im Not Your Prince, Anya.

“I’m not your prince, Anya.”

“The Grand Duchess Anastasia would beg to disagree, Dima.”

Anastasia Nikolaevna sick with diphtheria ~ May/June 1907

Alexandra Feodorovna, Alexandra Tegleva and a nurse taking care of Anastasia Nikolaevna while she was recovering from diphtheria at the Lower Dacha, June 1907

“22nd May. Tuesday. …I went home and during breakfast I found out that poor Anastasia has diphtheria. Now it was decided : I’ll move with the rest of the children to the Farm. Alix stayed with her…The first vaccination was done at one o'clock…” “23rd May. Wednesday. …Thank God, Anastasia spent the night calmly and had a normal temperature…” “24th May. Thursday. …Anastasia’s health stayed the same, the temp. is below normal, sleep is satisfactory…” “27th May. Sunday. …In the morning I saw Anastasia through the window…” “29th May. Tuesday. …In the morning I went to see Alix. I saw Anastasia through the window…” “15th June. Friday. …Today Anastasia went out for the first time…” (1907 Diary of Tsar Nicholas II)

Photos from Alexandra Feodorovna’s 1903-1908 Album

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1906

Anastasia can’t look at Mama. She knows she’s in trouble, but she doesn’t understand why Masha isn’t here too. They’re both responsible for the prank, after all.

“Anastasia.”

She looks up, eyes wide. “Y-yes, Mama?”

“Do you understand what you did wrong?”

“Y-yes Mama.”

Mama sighs and paces the floor again. “Then what on earth possessed you to do something so… so childish?!”

Anastasia shrinks into the couch. She can’t say that it was entirely her idea. Masha had been the one to suggest it. But Mama loves Masha, and Olya, and Tatya. Anastasia is the only one who gets in trouble for things.

“I-it was Masha’s idea, Mama. We just… wanted to play a trick on them.”

“Oh it was Maria’s idea? I find that very hard to believe.”

Anastasia nods. Maria is devious, even more so than Anastasia. It was Maria’s idea. Anastasia was merely the instrument through which the prank was played.

Her mother clicks her tongue, and shakes her head. “Do you think this is the way a princess ought to behave?”

Anastasia shakes her head. She should know better. She knows that. But it was just a silly game, a little trick! Didn’t other girls play tricks too? Hadn’t her Mama ever played a trick? They were only frogs. Three harmless, little frogs.

“It’s not my fault they dont like frogs!” she cries out, face pleading for any kind of mercy.

“Well, I can’t imagine anyone wanting a frog in their bed! You mark me, there will be consequences for this!”

“B-but Mama!” It isn’t fair! Masha had been the mastermind! Anastasia is innocent. Or at the very least, she’s not as guilty as Mama always insists she is.

“No buts! Now, I will have to discuss punishments with your father.”

Anastasia’s face falls and she looks to the ground. No one ever believes her.

“What are you discussing with me, Alix dear?” Her father’s voice is cheery, booming, and in an instant Anastasia lights up running to him.

“Papa! Papa it wasn’t my fault, Masha planned it I promise, it was just some frogs, no one got hurt please Papa!”

Her mother scowls as he laughs and scoops her up into his big strong arms. “Don’t tell me you’re entertaining this nonsense, Nicki.”

“Oh she’s just a child. You won’t put frogs in their beds again, will you, Nastya?”

“No Papa! I promise!” She could cry with relief. Her papa always understands.

“Well then, off to the nursery with you. Your mama and I must discuss adult things now.”

“Yes Papa!” With a kiss to her head he sets her down again, letting her dash off through the palace.

Alexandra sighed as she watched the child go. “You’ll only encourage her Nicki.”

“Ah, my dearest, she’s only a child still. It’s better to let her play while she can.”

She shook her head, a slight smile creeping onto her face. “Well… I suppose that’s true. But if it happens again, she won’t get off so easy.”

He smiled back, and kissed her forehead. “Of course not.”

Anastasia had placed the frogs, yes, and it had been childish. But what was the point of a child if not to act like one, to make a father smile and a mother fret? Anastasia would be a child as long as they could let her.

“Rank meant little to the girls. They worked alongside their maids in making their own beds and straightening their rooms. Often, they visited the maids in their quarters and played with their children. When they gave instructions, it was never as a command. Instead, the Grand Duchesses said, ‘If it isn’t too difficult for you, my mother asks you to come.’ Within the household, they were addressed simple Russian fashion, using their names and patronyms: Olga Nicolaiavna, Tatiana Nicolaievna. When they were addressed in public by their full ceremonial titles, the girls were embarrassed. Once at a meeting of a committee of which Tatiana was honorary president, Baroness Buxhoeven began by saying, ‘May it please Your Imperial Highness…’ Tatiana stared in astonishment and, when the Baroness sat down, kicked her violently under the table. ‘Are you crazy to speak to me like that?’ she whispered.”

Nicholas and Alexandra by Robert K Massie

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what’s your tumblr KDR (followers divided by following)? mine is 1.69 lmaooooo

Grand Duchesses Anastasia and Maria, 1904

“It [whooping cough] speedily spread to the nurseries and to the four children. The Russian nurse and I contracted it. I had told the children that they were to be most careful not to cough on anyone, or that person might take the disease from them, and they were very obedient.

One day the little Grand Duchess Anastasie was sitting on my lap, coughing and choking away, when the Grand Duchess Marie came up to her and putting her face close up to her said, ‘Baby, darling, cough on me.’ Greatly amazed, I asked her what she meant, and the dear child said, ‘I am so sorry to see my dear little sister so ill, and I thought if I could take it from her she would be better.’ Was it not touching?”

- Margaretta Eagar