The Empress Grandmother (1)

«Are you sure you want to do this?» Alexander asks me. His eyes are worried, and he feels uneasy.

«It's your grandmother we're talking about. Of course, I want to meet her.»

He sighs, and we walk into the building where the Dowager Empress, the late Emperor's mother, lives. She hasn't come out of here for years. At least, from the day her second son died. She spent ten years alone, meeting only those that dared to come to find her.

«You're not required to meet her. You can at least wait for the baby to be born.»

«I can't use our son as an excuse, Alexander,» I chuckle. «And don't talk as if this was dangerous.»

When the invite was delivered to me, I had to read it twice to be sure. Seemingly, the Dowager Empress invited Alexander and me to have tea with her. She wanted to see her grandson and to check whether the news about a baby on the way was correct.

We're accompanied to a waiting room, where we sit for half an hour.