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Thirty Seven
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Happily Ever After Thirty Eight
Warning: this chapter contains sexual content. Reader discretion is advised.RPOV"Are you all right?" a concerned, feminine voice wondered.I lifted my head against my lethargic body's wishes, feeling the complaint of my stiff bones and muscles. I felt so drained and restless—I had no clue if it was morning, afternoon, or evening. A yawn suddenly erupted from my mouth, and I rubbed my eyes, dazed and confused. "What time is it? Where am I?" I managed to speak.The voice spoke again, this time informative, and I realized that it was Lissa. "It's half past noon, Rose," she told me. "Why on earth are you still in bed? You missed breakfast, and we're supposed to be having lunch."I rolled off my stomach and sat up, meeting my stepsister's gaze. Her jade-green eyes were so curious and puzzled and worried…She deserved an explanation about why I slept in so late, or more precisely, barely slept at all. An unbearably haunting voice inside my head had been pestering me for approximately 12 ho
Happily Ever After Thirty Nine
CW: Graphic depictions of physical and sexual violence. Reader discretion is advised.RPOVJanuary 9th, 1686Today is the day where my precious dreams will come true. I am going to spend a magical evening with Cesarevich Dimitri, the dearest love of my life. We will dine and wine and dance the night away, with the stars and moon as our most ethereal spectators.Even though there will be hundreds, probably thousands of guests at the annual ball, it will feel like it is only me and him. However, these experiences will only occur if I am indeed alive to live them, and according to Ms. Yeva Belikova, his clairvoyant grandmother, I am going to have to kiss the world and everyone I know goodbye.Unless I somehow change my fate.If there is a next time,Rosemarie MazurI wrote the entry early in the morning, and the dark quill and velvety journal almost felt foreign in my hands. It seemed as if I hadn't recorded my thoughts in a long time; however, it was probably just my imagination.The re
Happily Ever After Forty
DPOVMy royal dresser eased me into an ornate, pure-white jacket adorned with numerous, silver buttons that vertically ran down my torso. Black fur lined its collar and hems, while metallic patterns swirled in between. Black trousers covered my legs, tucked into equally dark, knee-length boots decorated with lighter swirls. My brown hair fell around my face, lightly brushing my shoulders, as a lavish headpiece stood a foot tall atop my skull."You look incredibly handsome, your imperial highness," my royal dresser said in Russian, his eyes glowing with pride. "The maidens will certainly admire the outfit I've put together for you tonight." I gave him a smile, my body filling with nervous excitement as I thought of Rose. I couldn't wait for her to see me tonight—I had enough faith that бабушки's vision wouldn't come true—and marvel at how much effort I'd put into looking attractive for her.Yet, most importantly, I couldn't wait to see her."They absolutely will," I agreed in Russian,
Happily Ever After Forty One
Part ThreeRPOV—One Week LaterPure-white light shone in the darkness. Mother stood before me with her arms outstretched, her hazel eyes sparkling with eternal love. Her beautiful, auburn curls floated like a cloud, and her rare smile rivaled the radiance of the sun. Everything was silent—perfectly silent—and I knew that this was it. This was where I belonged.Heaven was my new home.However, the silence suddenly broke. Voices shoved their way into my ears, meshed into a disorienting cacophony. The calmness I'd felt dissipated as my body started twitching. Mother was ripped away from me and replaced by a man, as the heavenly light transformed into something dimmer."Oh my god, she's awake. She's finally awake!" the man cheered. My vision focused after several moments, and I found him staring back at me, his chestnut-brown eyes watering with tears. My heart swelled as I realized who he was.Father.I tried to sit upright, but my gaze automatically blurred, and a stiff object that was a
Happily Ever After Forty Two
January 17th, 1686RPOVRhea stood at my bedside, penetrating me with her jade-green stare. I was incredibly surprised to see her here—I'd expected her to be halfway to England by now—even though she'd said she'd return. Countless emotions captured her wickedly beautiful face, but I couldn't place them. Did it pain her to see me like this? Was she internally dancing with joy and victory?"What are you doing here?" I asked, feeling confused. I sat up in bed, slightly wincing at the pain that shot through my body. Dr. Olendzki had been giving me effective pain relievers—they made me feel so fantastic—and the pain was nicely fading away each passing day.Rhea had the audacity to roll her eyes. My blood sizzled. "I told you that I was going to come back," she snapped, bristling with irritation. "You seriously forgot?" I couldn't believe this woman didn't have the consideration to be patient with me, after my grisly attack. If she was going to continue being rude, then she needed to get th
Happily Ever After Forty Three
January 18th, 1686RPOVAs I sat inside the palace greenhouse, fragrant aromas filled my senses. I'd asked Dr. Olendzki if I could go outside and get some fresh air; being confined to a chamber, let alone a bed, had been like being a prisoner. Everyone had the freedom to roam about, but it seemed as if that had been prohibited for me. Luckily, Dr. Olendzki had allowed me to venture around; I would've lost my mind, if she hadn't.My fingers stroked a vibrant, red tulip that rose from the ground. It was a mirror image of the tulip Cesarevich Dimitri had given me on our first, official date. That night had been one of the most wonderful times of my life. The food, conversation, setting, kiss—everything had felt magical, as if I'd been experiencing a dream.A smile pulled at my lips, and I plucked the flower from most of its stem, putting it into my loose, dark locks. Since I had no idea where the original tulip was—I couldn't believe I'd lost that precious gift—I believed a replacement w
Happily Ever After Forty Four
RPOV The ominous, black walls of the dungeon glistened with moisture, filling the air with an unsettling dampness. Drops of water fell from the uneven ceiling, and my feet stepped in murky puddles, shielded by the thick boots that protected them. A powerful chill ran down my spine, unraveling my nerves as I marched to Tasha and Czar Aleksandr's cells with Yeva and Cesarevich Dimitri. A few prisoners stared at us, while we hurried to our destination. It was impossible to ignore their sunken eyes and sallow skin, and I peered into a passing cell, nearly fainting at what I saw. A grime-covered man was slouched in a stony corner, and maggots eagerly consumed his flesh, as he lifelessly gazed ahead. He was dead—deader than anything I'd ever seen—and I shuddered violently. What had he done to deserve this? When we reached the criminals, Czarina Olena, my family, and a few guards already stood before them. Everyone glared at Tasha and Czar Aleksandr with hurt and anger, but the only one w
Happily Ever After Forty Five
January 19th, 1686RPOVThe pale, morning sky greeted us while we waited in Red Square. Its fluffy, grey clouds released crystal-white snowflakes that fell to the earth with grace, but their beauty failed to maintain our attention. As we stood underneath the descending ice, our gazes locked on the empty stage before us. Hearts pounded incessantly and breathing seemed impossible.I gripped Father's hand with all the force I had, trying to keep my tattered emotions at bay. Even though Czar Aleksandr and Tasha were about to be vanquished, I couldn't help but picture how their executions were going to unfold. I'd never witnessed a death sentence before, and I was worried these ones were going to be awfully gruesome. Sleep had frequently abandoned me, last night, and I'd been a slave to my imagination, ever since.Hopefully, peace could save me.Surprisingly, Father wasn't bothered by my painful squeezing. I supposed he was too consumed by his emotions to notice, but I decided to loosen my
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