Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2006 15:19:01 -0700 (PDT) From: ***Zak Hoffhines*** Subject: Key to The Past (part 2) By Xander Kesielstein This is part two of a three-part installment. This story is a work of fiction, it contains sex and relationships between a 16 yr old and a 15 Yr old if any of this bothers you I advise you to leave now. You have been warned. . Comments email me at imthesupermodel@tmail.com enjoy . . As soon as I was sure the Tsarina was well away from our rooms . .I jumped out of bed and hurried over to the door . . I peaked through and there Alexei sat giggling and looking back at me . . That was close. . He said . .today is our day . He motioned for me to come sit again. ." I have some very special things planned for us today . .now go get dressed and meet me back here in half an hour . . And that's an order . " he smiled n gave me a quick kiss on the lips. . I hurried back to my room and could barley contain my excitement as to what that sweet prince would have in store for us . I put on my best dress shirt I owned along with my heavy jacket. And my nice new wool pants Misha bought me before I came here. When I returned to Alexis room he was standing in front of his mirror admiring himself in his nice buttoned jacket and matching navy sailors hat and pants . . Reddy to have some real fun . He said as he tugged at my shirt and we started down the hall . . We were almost at the stairs when I heard that voice again . .it was her . ."Alexei darling. . Where are you off to this early ". . He popped his head in the room and replied ohh just out and about ma ma . . Me and Xander are going to play around the palace . . He said. I, stood once again awestricken as he swung open the door to prove I was there . .as I looked in I saw the Tsaritsa fastining her rubies and brushing her hair . . I fell to my knees in a respectful pose . . Matushika Tsarina . .I said with a shaky tone in my voice . . She smiled back and said. . " ohh come now, there are no nobles to be seen here, rise from your knees and come help me fasten my hairpins. " I knodded and looked to Alexis as he gave me a smile and rolled his eyes .. I made my way over to her elaborate boudoir . . She was clearly a woman of taste and fine up bringing . . As she handed me the ruby and diamond incrusted clasps to put in her hair . .once again I had another flashback of disbelief as one day I was scrubbing the filthy floors of a dark and cold boys home . .to fastening the finest of gems into her Imperial highness hair . . When I finished, Alexei walked over and gave his mother a kiss . .Darling be good now, make mummy happy hmm. As she patted his head with a smile . .ohh mother . . He said with slight embarrassment .. . As we turned to leave she addressed me once more calling out a " you take good care of my boy, is that clear" yes your highness I said quickly bowing as I left the room with Alexei . . Mother is such an eccentric sometimes Alexei said as we made our way down the stairs. . He led me through the kitchen and took a small basket from the counter . . This is for us he said . . This was the first time I has seen the inside of the palace in the daytime . . It was even more beautiful than last night . . When we got to the main exit two giant gold plated doors swung open by two very tall Ethiopian guards . The barrage of guards that lined the hall all genuflected as myself and the boyprince passed . .we reached the outside doors and saw a carrage with two horses awaiting . This. .to is for us . .he said . . I climbed up and we sat down inside and I wiped the frost off the window with my hand . . I'm going to give you the grand tour he said . .as the carriage started to pull away . .I wrapped my hands around myself . Still getting used to the cold . . Alexei reached above the seats and pulled out a dark blue blanked and wrapped it around us . .there. . Better . .he asked . . I nodded with a smile . . He slipped his hand under the blanket and grabbed my hand interlocking our fingers together . . And with one quick movement of the other hand out the window to signal the driver . .we were off . The carriage made its way all the way around the enormous winter palace and Alexei pointed out the different rooms as we passed them, he showed me around the palace grounds . We stopped at the Grand Duchess Anastasias window and he bent down and scooped up a large white frozen ball of snow and hurled it towards her windowpane . . Just seconds later she threw open the window and shouted a " you asked for it!" within minutes she came bounding out of one of the side doors snow already in her hands in attempts to chase us down .. I had never had an actual snow fight before, at the orphanage we weren't even allowed to go outside without a specific reason .. .it was a truly magical afternoon, just me, my Alexei, and Anastasia playing in the snow, building forts, having snowball fights, and eating homemade snow ice cream. . .later on it started to get dark so Alexei and I decided to depart from the courtyard of the winter palace and go get ready for dinner . That night Alexei had made special provisions so that I could accompany him at dinner . Normally, servants and their masters were never placed at the same table. I washed up, put my nice clothes back on, combed my hair, and walked down the hall with Alexei to the dining hall. As we entered and took a seat I was seated next to Alexei. I had never seen so many utensils in my life! Spoons, forks, knives, of all sizes plates, and cups grandly decorated china with solid gold rims, all priceless I'm sure. This was a far cry from the small wooden plate and cup I was used to. I leaned over and whispered to Alexis . .I have absolutely no idea what any of these are for . . ."shh don't worry about it " he said reassuringly. I grabbed his hand under the table and gave it a quick squeeze . .I was scared to death sitting at the same table with the empress of our country .. the Tsarina sat at the head of the table at the left side sat the four grand duchess Olga,Tatiana, Marie, and Anastasia. Alexis myself and a couple of the Tsars ministers and Vladimir were seated on the other side. however I found out that night that the tsar was still away at the war . I could sense the odd tension in the air as I'm sure no one at the table had ever dined with someone of such a low class as myself before. We had the most magnificent dinner I had ever seen. roast duck with sauce, pickled mushrooms,Pirozhki, Pelmeni,and for dessert a big serving of sryniki, medivnyk, and shokoladno mindalnyi tortes kofienym kremom. . .I had never eaten such rich food in my whole life . . After we were dismissed from the table Alexi and I trotted back up to our rooms to go to bed .. Little did we know . .that night he would go to sleep a prince and wake up . . A normal boy . .because while we slept that night . .the tsar returned home . .with the crippling news that we had all dreaded. . .he had lost control of his army . . And was forced to abdicate the throne . . . That sad sad morning we were awoken by the sound of silence. . .I climbed out of my bed and found it odd not to hear the sounds of everyone in the palace moving about with their chores and duties. . .this morning . .I heard nothing . . I was confused by this and hurried over to Alexis room to see what was the matter . .when I got there I heard soft sobbing coming from under the covers. I ran over to the bed and patted the sobbing little boy under the covers and asked him what was wrong . .the sobbing continued . .I pulled back the covers and took my boy in my arms and held him close . . baby please tell me what's the matter, I pleaded again . .he just looked up at me with those sad puppy dog eyes of his and simply said . .its over . . .I didn't quite understand what he meant . . What's over? I asked. .what . . What happened? Wiping his tears from his face and blowing his nose on his tissue . He told me what had happened the night before . .that their family was no longer in power and that they had been placed under house arrest . .my heart sank as not only did I hurt for this boy but also for the fate of our country . What was to happen to us all now that we were no longer under the rule of the Romano's, who have ruled over Russia for over 300 years? we could only wait . .and hope for the best . . .an eerie fog was cast down over the winter palace . That . .not so sunny morning . .as I walked throughout the palace corridors . .absent of the doorman and servants that used to stand guard .. Most of the house staff had left during the night , all hearing the news. . .back to their homes I suppose, back to their families scattered all over Russia . .only myself and a handful of loyal servants stayed. . There was silence in the house that day . . The silence of uncertainty. . No one knew what was to come . .that was until . .that afternoon . .when what we had been dreading . . has finally happened . .we were all called downstairs servants and former royal children alike and lined up behind the tsar and tsarina and explained to that we were to be moved to a small town in the outer reaches of Siberia . Called . .Tobolsk . . We were to pack our things and be ready to leave by train by this evening . . The girls started to cry . .I was at a loss for words . .I didn't even know what to say . . Alexei just grabbed my hand and we ran back to his room .. Once inside with the door shut . .that's when he started to cry . . He fell to the floor and just cried . . I sat there with him, and held my boy like you would hold a scared little puppy . .I rocked him back and forth until the crying and sobs subsided . . Do you think were going to die? He said . .no I answered back . .we'll be fine . .as long as I have you and you have me . .we'll be fine . .I want to tell you something Xander. He said, why anything darling . I said .. . He looked me square in the eye .. Kissed me and said . .I . . I love you . . .and . .and . I want to make our last afternoon here special . . Come here .he smiled as he held out my hand and led me over to his bed . .he pulled back the sheets and we crawled in . . after it was all over I laid there next to my boy . .still amazed by what just happened and loving him twice as much . .leaned over and kissed him . .wishing we could stay like this forever . .and knowing we couldn't . .already two hours had passed by now . .and we still had the rest of our things to pack . .well . . His things at least .. I didn't have much to pack . .he gave me another long kiss . . And then we climbed out of bed and threw out clothes back on and proceeded with packing . .it was heart wrenching seeing him pack his life's belongings into some small boxes . .this was his whole world . .his families whole world and their world was being taken over . .and they were powerless to stop it . . That's when . .again he stopped me and took my hand once more . .and I felt him slip something on my finger . . It was his ring . . The golden double eagle head ring with the diamonds I had seen the first day I got here . . "I want you to have this" he said . "Just in case ". . . I felt tears start to well up in my eyes again . . As I turned to seal up the last box . . The Former Tsarina entered the room . "Alexei' she said with a smile . .have you finishes your packing . .we must leave soon . . Yes mother . I'm done already . . He replied . . "Xander. ." She said with a sharp tone in her voice . .if you will follow me please" . .this startled me, because she usually didn't address me in such a stern and serious tone . .I looked back at Baby . .he mouthed a "its okay" so I turned and followed her down the long corridor . .the sound of her heels click clack . Click clack . .and the rustling of the train on her dress as we hurry down the hall . She stopped at a small copper door and she removed a small key from her pocket and unlocked the door . .pulled me in and locked the door behind her . .the room was still dark . She lit a small candelabra on the wall . Just enough to cast a small shadow . ."the time has come xander, you know as well as I do what could happen to us, you have been one of our only faithful and loyal servants" she said . ." I am now giving you a choice, and only because I care for you like I care for my children . . I'm giving you a chance to get out . .your time is now if you choose to leave us, I will have a carriage take you into the city and out of the palace gates safely, I shall set you up with food ad whatever provisions you might need to keep you sa-- " No. " I cut her off . ." No, I said again. . I am loyal to my mistress and I am loyal to master Alexis . I repeated . .I understand the risks Matushkia . And I am willing to face them . ."she threw her arms around me and made the sign of the cross ,looked at me and said simply . God does not punish the pure at heart . .and since you have chosen to stay . .I have a dire task for you . .this task must be kept under the greatest secrecy . .no one must know what I am about to tell you , not even Alexei, . .she removed something very large and shiny from her bodess . .and slipped it in my pocket . ."what's this" I asked . . It felt very large and heavy . ."this . .she said . .Is the Alexander Diamond., the most precious diamond our family owns, it is one of the rarest diamonds in all the world. It was worn by Catherine the great . .((in present time it is worth four times as much as the Hope Diamond)) What! I said with surprise . .but. . .why are you giving something this precious to me? . .because she said .. . If we get taken away . .God knows they will try to take everything we own . .jewelry and all . .and I'm not letting this slip out of the family's hands . Do you understand me . . .if we escape they will search us from stem to stern . They won't even think about touching you . . And this way if we do make it out we will have money to live on the rest of our lives in exile . . I understand your highness . I replied . . .she patted my head and touched my cheek , like a mother would . .and then she opened the door quick as to let no one see us . And we hurried back down the hall she ushered me into her boudoir and told me to help her pack the remainder of her things . .the code word she used for jewelry was "medicines" . .after I started packing all the rubies and diamonds, emeralds, pearls, sapphires and countless other gems each one costing a small fortune I'm sure . . I helped the tsaritsa fashion her hat and as we took one last look around her cavernous mauve boudoir with the pictures of St. Feodoir still adorning the wall . .we heard a sharp rapping at the door, it was the colonel that had been sent to . .Keep watch over us on our transportation to Siberia . ."Frau Romanov . .he said in the gruffest of tones . . you have had more than enough time to assemble your things, now I must have you down stairs at this very moment or it will be your head! . .she just froze with a stern and confused look on her face . .never in my life had I seen such lack of disrespect for a woman of her stature . .she was as shocked as I was . . Ordinary men who once bowed down and practically worshiped them . . Now mocked and jeered at the Romanovs, their former leaders . . .I turned back to look behind me . .as were led down those palace steps . .one . . . Last . . .time . .when we arrived in the front hall I saw Anastasia, Marie, Olga, Tatiana, The Tsar, Vladimir, Demidova, Marianna the queens nurse, and Piriee' Gilliard' the children's tutor, and my boy . My Alexei . .all among the masses of boxes trunks and bags . .alright . .said the colonel . .load em up . . Everyone grabbed a suitcase or two . And started to parade out of the palace doors . The doors that used to be things of grandeur with tall Ethiopian guards keeping watch and opening the door for only the most royal of subjects . .now stood empty and cold . .as one by one we all walked out of the palace . .the palace that was more than just the symbol of a fallen nation . .the palace . That was our home . .led out into the palace courtyard in the snow . .like common prisoners . .Vladimir bid us goodbye and we were all loaded up into a cold . . Rickety military laurry I was seated next to Alexei and he next to his mother . On the other side of me sat Demidova . .the girls , the former Tsar, Pierre Gilliard' and Marianna were seated opposite from us . .and in the middle was placed a guard . .with strict orders to shoot if anyone tries to escape . .little did we know that it would be the last time any of them would ever walk out of that palace . . As we pulled away . .the girls were in tears . .the servants fell silent . .the Tsar sat with a stone face . .looking at the palace that had belonged to his family for over three hundred years . .as we crossed over and out of the gated . .they were shut behind us and locked . .as the Romanov's looked on longingly . .helplessly . .saying goodbye to the only world they knew . .as the laurry trotted and sputtered down that road leading them into exile .and an uncertain future. Stay tuned for the third installment which will be available shortly . .~ Please contact me with suggestions or comments imthesupermodel@tmail.com