3 1.3

After Literature was over, I had some free time before the lunch gong sounded, so I ended up wandering deep into the Winter Gardens. After wandering around for a while, I eventually sat on a mossy rock and stared at two frogs croaking away by the edge of one of the many ponds in the gardens, seemingly at peace and free in their tiny world by the pond.

Unlike in the palace, the gardens were pretty peaceful and not many of the nobility ventured this far in, which meant that I had pretty much the whole space to myself, and that I was startled when I heard rustles in the bushes behind me, before feeling a hand touch my shoulders. My instincts immediately kicked in and grabbed the hand before twisting it before I even knew whose hand that was. When the person squealed, however, I immediately let go of the hand in surprise.

"Pytor! I'm so sorry, dear brother-" I began.

Pytor started laughing, despite his wrist. "Th-that was funny-" He chuckled. I glared at him.

"Why're you here, Pytor? I didn't know you knew this part of the gardens." I queried.

"Actually, Yul, I do; I just never bothered to tell anyone about the secret trail here." He smiled, before continuing, "I came to tell you that Papa is holding a meeting of the court in the throne room now, and he wants you present too." At that, I hurriedly stood up.

"Now?" I asked. "Aye, now, Yul." Pytor nodded.

I strode back towards the main palace with Pytor in tow. This was an odd time to be calling for a meeting in the throne room. Why now? I soon reached the gold-gilded doors of the throne room, where two burly palace guards stood with halberds crossed across their massive chests. As I approached with Pytor hot on my heels, the guards stepped aside and pushed the doors open to let us through. The moment I stepped through, I saw Papa gesturing for me to approach the throne.

I quickened my pace as I strode over. "I bid you a good day, father." I greeted Papa. For some reason, the words left a bitter taste lingering in my mouth. Papa raised a hand in acknowledgment and beckoned me to come closer.

When I was right beside his throne, he leaned over and whispered, "You're the eldest daughter amongst all my children. Prove your worth and your power to the whole court." I squinted, confused.

"Is this the issue at hand, Papa? To show the court how powerful I am as a mere Tsesarevna?" I queried. It wasn't like Papa to ask me to do something awkward like that.

"No, the issue at hand is Andrei and Ivan's sudden and abrupt disappearances." Papa whispered back. I smiled to myself in relief. Sitting upright again, he said aloud for the whole court to hear, "Today, we are gathered here for a simple reason. Has anyone seen Tsarevich Andrei and Tsarevich Ivan?"

There was a soft murmuring all around, before a resounding 'no' echoed through the air. I could see Papa's jaw tighten in frustration before he gestured for me to take charge.

I cleared my throat. "Fellow lords and ladies, dukes and duchesses, it is imperative we find both my brothers immediately. Their disappearances are both worrying, in regard to the safety of my father's throne. If you know anything regarding their disappearances, please come forward."

Mama cleared her throat. "Tsarevna Yulia, Ivan was last seen at the blacksmith by one of my ladies-in-waiting who happened to pass by on her way to the teahouse. I know nothing else after." She eyed me warily.

I grumbled under my breath. "Might you be able to present this lady-in-waiting to this court, Mother?" I questioned and waited for an answer with bated breath.

A long silence ensued as Mama stared at me with an indiscernible expression. Finally, she nodded. "Call Lady Tatiana in, please." She ordered one of the guards who promptly headed out of the throne room in search of her.

I turned back to the court. "Tsarevich Ivan's situation is settled for now, until Lady Tatiana comes back. And what of Tsarevich Andrei?" Silence.

I sighed aloud and began to pace around the throne room. "We must find Tsarevich Andrei. How has absolutely no one seen him at all?" I stopped with my back facing the throne and turned around. "Father, have you sent out a search party?"

"To no avail, I fear." He muttered and leaned back in his throne. I groaned inwardly. This was practically impossible. No one knew where Andrei was, and the search party had come back with no results? Andrei wasn't a specter, for Slyev's sake! No one could just disappear like that without a reasonable explanation. I started to panic and sweat under my armor as I could sense the amount of time I had left to prove myself was running low. Then, the throne room doors inched open to reveal Lady Tatiana standing at the entrance. I beckoned her over.

"Lady Tatiana, where were you when you last saw Ivan?" I cut straight to the point.

She glanced at Mama before replying, "Near the teahouse, Tsarevna. I happened to see Ivan heading into the blacksmith's before I went into the teahouse to collect Her Majesty's favorite Oolong tea leaves."

I squinted. Mama doesn't like Oolong tea. Not one whit.

"Tsarevna, I wasn't feeling too well, and the physician had suggested that I take Oolong tea to revitalize myself, which is why I had Lady Tatiana bring me Oolong tea leaves. I still have some in my room." Mama spoke up and I nodded slowly. That seemed to make sense but it was probably a story she had agreed with Lady Tatiana beforehand. But then, I wouldn't know until I found out Ivan's side of the story.

"Dismissed, Lady Tatiana. Please return to your duties." I waved her away.

Right there and then, Papa leaned forward.

"It seems as if no one knows where Tsarevich Andrei is?" He queried. "No, your Royal Highness," all the courtiers answered and I shut my eyes in despair. My time was over. Papa gave a firm nod and intoned, "Leave us, all of you. Tsarevna, stay." I groaned aloud this time. This wasn't going to be good.

Just as the first of the courtiers made to leave, the throne room's doors swung wide open to reveal a lean boy with bright blue eyes, dressed in a cowl, who promptly pushed his way past the courtiers and to the throne. "Father." He bowed.

I glanced at Papa's face just in time to watch his resigned expression morph into one of boiling rage. "Tsarevich Andrei." Papa replied with barely restrained anger. "You took a very long time to come back."

"I'm sorry, Father." Andrei stood and sneered at Papa. I glanced at Mama and saw her eyes look like that of a snake honed in on its prey, sharp and hard. "We were very worried, Andrei-", I began but Andrei cut me off.

"Were? Am I not missed?" He snapped.

"You've been gone so long that no one misses you anymore. We've gotten used to your absence." I answered carefully.

"Oh, is that it?" Andrei growled, baring his teeth at me. I stood my ground and stared at him. "Is what it, Andrei?"

He made a scoffing noise under his breath. "Why don't you stop talking down to me, Tsarevna? You're acting like you will be the Tsesarevna anytime today." He stepped closer to me, and I involuntarily took a step back.

"I am the eldest child, Andrei. It's only right for me to be the Tsesarevna." I explained, but he would have none of it.

"You're just a-" he gestured at my bosom, "-woman. Female. Useful for breeding and nothing else." He leered at me, an ugly contortion of his face. He looked like a hungry hound baying for blood.

Mama stood up from her throne and yanked Andrei over to her by his hood. "Useful for breeding and nothing else? This is your sister, Andrei. Your older sister!" She hissed.

I started to back away from the throne. This would end up being violent sooner or later, and I wanted none of it, but Papa held me by my wrist and wouldn't let me go.

"Tsarevich Andrei, if you insist so much, I will make you the Tsesarevich instead of Tsarevna Yulia," Papa said, his eyes narrowed at Andrei. My surprise quickly turned into shock, and then anger.

"What did you say, Father?" I twisted my hand free from his grasp angrily.

"I'm making him the Tsesarevich instead of you." He breathed and held up a hand to stop me from interjecting. "Yes, I know. I will regret this." A pained expression that seemed out of place appeared on his face, and he fell silent before turning his head away.

"If I'm the Tsesarevich, crown me! Give me the crown that all the heirs wear!" Andrei shouted at Papa, spittle flying from his mouth. The palace guards made to step forward to restrain Andrei, but Papa shook his head mutely, and they stepped back into place, but they were still ready to stop Andrei if he attacked Papa or Mama.

What was it Mama had said after I had sparred with her earlier on? An honorable Tsar or Tsarina never runs away from his or her battles? I clenched my fists to steel myself, before pointing a finger at my brother.

"Hear me, Andrei!" I shouted. The courtiers that were mumbling to each other earlier on fell silent quickly.

"I am the eldest child, daughter of the Emperor and Tsarina of Aesfomlaer. By law and by tradition, I am the rightful Tsesarevna, and subsequently, Tsarina of Aesfomaler when Father passes. If you disagree with the old laws, battle me for my crown as heiress!" I challenged Andrei in front of the court. I knew very well that fighting wasn't Andrei's strong suit, and this was the only way I could think of to stop him from causing more chaos in the throne room. I added as an afterthought to goad him into either fighting or to stop chasing after my title as crown princess, "That is, if you're manly enow to fight a woman, whom as you said, is only useful for breeding." I smiled to myself, expecting Andrei to turn me down.

'Swish!' Andrei drew a steel sword from a scabbard hidden under his cowl and he threw his hood back. "I will fight you for it. I am a man, and the next eldest child. The title of crown prince was always meant to be mine!" He held his sword up.

I glanced at Mama. I had just wanted to goad Andrei into settling this issue amicably! How had it turned into a fight to the death? I could feel small streams of sweat trickling down my back. I glanced at Mama and Papa, who nodded at me reassuringly. I took a deep breath and drew the dagger that I usually hid in my dress sleeve.

With a high-pitched shriek, Andrei charged at me, his feet slipping on the marble-tiled floor. He swung at me once, and seeing how he had put his whole body weight into the swing, he would be off-kilter if he didn't manage to strike me. I stepped aside breezily and watched Andrei's mouth form an 'O' as he overshot his target and careened into the wall opposite instead, drawing chuckles from the courtiers, whom I saw whispering to each other from out of the corner of my eye. Part one of my plan complete: make Andrei look like a total fool in front of the court.

Using the slippery marble flooring to my advantage, I dropped to my knees and skidded across the floor, tackling Andrei just as he managed to push himself to his feet. With a loud thud, he fell to the floor again and banged his head against the step of Papa's throne. Knowing Andrei and his rock-hard head, that wouldn't be sufficient enough to give him a nice concussion, but part 2 of my plan complete: rip away all chances for Andrei to strike me.

I stood up and dragged Andrei to his feet by his chin. In my hands, he sagged like a marionette doll without its puppeteer. A small trickle of blood danced its merry way down his temple as he mumbled, "Go on, then. Kill me. Kill me in front of everyone as my punishment for trying to usurp your title." I shook my head. He was my brother and no matter what he had done, I would not kill him with my own blade. "I'm not like you, Andrei." I whispered. "I'm not power-hungry, and I don't fight for things that aren't meant to mine. Sleep tight." I continued before striking his temple with a well-placed hit to his temple with the handle of my dagger, before dropping him to the floor in a heap. I was breathing heavily, and that had taken much more energy out of me than I had imagined it would. I stumbled against Mama's knees as I sagged to my knees myself, and passed out.