Laying the Foundations

Since I turned four recently I think it's time for me to meet my grandmother. I'm somewhat fluent in Russian and meeting my grandmother, Elizabeth of Russia, can allow me to get some nice gifts, I couldn't meet her because she was 'too busy', well this time I don't care I need to lay down some foundations, she should at least give me some gifts before she dies.

As I was being escorted through the Winter Palace hallways with my 3 faithful subordinates I was pondering on what gift I should ask for, maybe some estates? or what about a huge amount of money?

I was knocked out from my day-dream by my nanny who got promoted to a full-time maid, looking around I see a large door and the door opened to reveal a woman dressed in a regal dress and laced with jewelry of the finest sort, she has the air of a dignified monarch, her bright blue eyes show no emotion, she should be in her late-40s but she still looks quite beautiful.

Well, I guess this is my grandma in this life, actually this reminds me that this is the first time I've seen her so they weren't lying when they say Elizabeth was unattentive to Paul, then that probably makes sense why Paul made stupid decisions, the guy had no parental love in his life.

"Well? What brings the Young Prince to seek an audience with me?", Elizabeth broke the silence with her question, talk about a cold attitude I'm her grandson, and she acted formally, well I should probably answer back.

"Grandmother, you may not know this but I have just recently turned four and I would sincerely love it if my grandmother gave me a gift on my birthday, perhaps the gift you wanted to give me isn't ready?" I questioned her with my childish voice, I know I'm guilt-tripping her but I very much need this. It seemed to work as she flinched but I guess being a Tsarina for many years made her regain her composure and she quickly posed a question back to me.

"Well what gift does my dear grandson need from his grandmother?" she asked with a curious look or maybe intriguing is the better word? But this is a good start as she didn't deny my request.

"Many people ask for money for their birthday and I would also love it if I could also get some land and a large amount of money if it isn't too much to ask. It would also be better if the land was around Moscow", yup I decided to ask for land and money I decided to gamble on getting both things, I can't risk waiting another year and Elizabeth dying and getting land with no cash to change it.

For a brief moment, there is silence, Did I push her buttons too much? Oh well, I can always back down and ask for the land only, but just as I was about to concede defeat I got a response.

"Since my little grandson asked for it I'll grant it, but what will you do with the land and money?" Elizabeth questioned me, I planned for this beforehand though so it wasn't a surprise. "Well money can buy books so the more money I have the more books I can buy and I need a big house to hold many books".

There was another silence after my claim, Is she going to retract her decision for my childish excuse? I thought it was reasonable that a child would like books and the childish naivety of using all his money to buy books should be plausible.

All my thoughts were distracted by a snorting laugh and the source of it was my grandmother the previously cold woman, "pff-uhahah well if my grandson wants to purchase all the books in Russia who am I to deny his wish, as for the land I cannot grant you land near Moscow because you'll be too far from me but I'll give you a nice estate close to Saint Petersburg and when you grow older you can go there, hmm? That sounds like a good exchange to me, what do you say Paul?", This is still good I got both land and money and it seems that my grandmother may show me some more attention from what it sounds, "I agree grandmother, and I'll be off on my way if you don't mind".

Before I could go on my way, Elizabeth looked at her guards quickly and just as quickly the guards understood her message and made for the door and blocked me, "Where do you think you're going? You should accompany your grandmother to some lunch, what an ungrateful grandchild I have and right after I gave him a gift" my grandmother at the end was lamenting at her 'misfortune of having an ungrateful grandchild'.

Seeing where this was going I quickly played my role as the grandchild who had been wrongfully accused, "Why I have been accused of the most foul treachery by my most dear grandmother, I would love to accompany her".

The rest of the afternoon I spent in my grandmother's presence and it truly seemed she cared about me, an awkward love it was, maybe because she never had a child of her own, we would talk a lot about books, I think she assumes that since I want to buy a lot of books I loved books, of course she never talked about mature books only story time books which showed at least she had consideration.

I went back home thinking that it truly is a shame that she will die when Paul was close to eight, I wouldn't mind that she lived until Peter got himself killed but I wasn't a doctor in my past life.