A Curse For Life Pt.6: Crowns (Continued)

The news spread, "like wild- fire", as the saying goes. It spread to the farthest reaches of the Empire, and then leaked through to the other European nations. Interest was not as big, but there were those whose interest was piqued. Royalty across Europe were informed of the event. Plans were made for the influx of nobility and Royalty. Imperial Houses, Castles, and Palaces were maintianed in impecable states. The children remained out of the way of the rushing and fussing attendants. Alexander and Maria did not get to see them very often in the time that lapsed between the announcement of their coronation, and the actual event itself.

Nikolas was angered. These were his parents, and they couldn't see him, or speak to him for five minutes without being disturbed. One incident angered Nikolas so much he snapped at an attendant and was soon- after reprimanded by the Patriarch. Nikolas had walked to his father's office wishing to speak to him for five minutes. Just to see how he was. The Patriarch was also in there, and this made things better. The three of them could talk and laugh. It had felt like eons since they'd done this. No sooner had Nikolas closed the door, but a weak knock came from the other side. Nikolas, eyes ablaze with anger opened it. In the doorway stood an attendant. He waited for the Tsarevitch to acknowledge him and allow him passage into the office. Nikolas stood in front and stared the attendand down.

"Speak." he said simply. The attendant look taken aback. He looked over the Tsarevitch's shoulder to the Tsar and gave the message. The Tsar was being asked to check plans for the security and routes that would be taken by the Imperial procession after the Tsar's coronation.
"AGAIN!" shouted the voice in Nikolas' head.
"AGAIN ONE OF YOU FOOLS TAKES MY FATHER AWAY FROM ME!" Nikolas couldn't stand the site of the attendant any more. Without a bow or a look towards his Tsar, he stormed out of his fathers office, and made no attempt to avoid flashing a look of rage at the attendant. The attendant was shocked and scared. Alexander was horrified, he didn't know what happend. The Patriarch had noticed the look of rage in Nikolas' eyes. He figured why, but didn't let his assumption grow. He walked out after the angered adolescent straight after.

"Holiness please, talk to him. That behaviour was unacceptable." Begged Alexander before departing with the still frightened attendant. The Patriarch went all over the Palace looking for the Tsarevitch. He found him nowhere. It was only when George almost ran head- long into him, playing a war game with Alexander and Michael, that the Patriarch had any idea where the angered adolescent Tsarevitch may be.

"Careful George!" exclaimed the Patriarch, catching the Tsarevitch before he fell.
"What are you doing running through the halls of the Palace hmm?" Inquired the Patriarch, smiling slightly as the young Tsarevitch brandished his play sword.
"Playing a war game with Alexander and Michael." Stated the Tsarevitch simply, smiling back at the Patriarch.
"You know you shouldn't be running through the Palace. What if you have an accident?" The Patriarch didn't like insulting the intelligence of the children and being a hyporcite. He didn't like feeding them the sanctimonious clap- trap about behaving "Princely", however, living in a Royal Family often means your hands are tied.
George was crest- fallen. "I know," he said dejectedly.
Tikhon changed the subject. Tactfully trying to make up for his blunder of being "an adult".
"What war are you all acting out?" he asked. George was distracted and his childish face lit up like the sun.
"Alexander and I are Generals of the Imperial Army of Ekaterina II, the Great Empress of Russia. We are out to destroy Yemelyan Ivanovich Pugachov, the Cossack serf who is causing a riot in Moscow." The young boy brandished his sword again. Tikhon smiled.
"But you said Michael was playing too, what is Michael playing? Another General?" Tikhon feared the answer. Again he was assuming, this time he let the assumption grow.
"He's playing Pugachov." George laughed, and Tikhon looked worried.
"That's not fair!" he added in defence of the young Michael. George laughed, almost evily.
"He's only little."
"Well, Alexander is to good a sword- fighter for Michael and i, and that rules out me playing Pugachov because Alexander would kill me anyway, so that left Michael to play pugachov, and he didn't say no, he was excited." George smiled sweetly at the Patriarch.
"That's because the blessed creature doesn't know he's destined to die!" finished the Patriarch. George laughed heartily again.
"Speaking of blessed creatures, George have you seen Nikolas at all?" asked the Patriarch, remembering the errand he was on.
George nodded. "He went storming out into the gardens just a few moments before i almost landed at your feet." Described the Tsarevitch. The Patriarch hoped that Nikolas was still out in the gardens. Although, he hadn't wasted to much time talking to George, so he still held hope. Just then Michael came padding around the corner, also brandishing a sword. He stopped dead in the middle of the hall when he spotted George. Alexander came bounding around the corner soon- after.
"En Garde!" Called Alexander from behind Michael, to far to engage Michael. George moved forward waiting to lunge. Michael moved to George's left, trying to find enough room to make an escape. Tikhon watched the two size each other up. He smiled, but quickly remembered he had to leave. He walked briskly towards Michael and picked him up in his arms. Taking the sword from him too.
"God's grace shines over Pugachov today. He escapes and flees Russia, awaiting another day to battle the Generals of Ekaterina II." With a swipe of the sword he disarmed Alexander and held the sword at the Tsarevitch's throat. Alexander grinned.
"That's cheating, and he'll loose anyway!" he stated cheekily.
Tikhon pressed the sword a bit harder, smiling back.
"For now he wins! Yield!" he said firmly.
Alexander raised his arms in defeat. "I yield!" he said.
Tikhon turned back to face George, still holding Michael, who was smiling brightly. George groaned and threw down his sword, conceding the defeat.
"You'll pay for this Pugachov!" he exclaimed dramatically. Michael responded by shutting his eyes tightly and poking his tongue out. Then he threw his arms around the Patriarch's neck, and kissed his cheek.
"Thank you" he said, before bounding off with his brothers, all three laughing heartily.

The Patriarch watched the three run off happily. In that instant he wondered what it would have been like to have children of his own. Things, definitely would have been different. He turned away and headed towards the gardens.
"However," he thought to himself
"I'm now luckier than any father i know. I not only have the children of my family to call my own, i have an entire nation of people, adults and children alike, to call my children. For that i would exchange every opportunity to have my own."
His devotion and committment reaffirmed, to himself, and his mind set on being greatful for that which the Lord had given him; Tikhon made his way into the gardens to console the Tsarevitch Nikolas, whom he was still to locate and hear from.

c. John Apotsis 2008- 2009