ROMANOV AUTUMN
Chapter Fifty-Four

The following morning, Mac was up at the crack of dawn, unable to sleep much longer. She shook her father's shoulder impatiently, not caring that the sun hadn't come up yet.

"Mac, honey...honey, what is it?" Jack grunted, covering his eyes with one hand and blinking them open. He realized the shack was still dark and looked to where she sat. "It's still early, sweetheart. Go back to sleep." He cleared his throat, pulling the pillow close to his chest, and Mac frowned.

"But Daddy, the sooner you get up, the sooner we can go and see the palace again!"

Jack made a small noise of irritation; this was the first time he'd been able to sleep in since they arrived in Russia.

"Please go back to sleep," he begged, and she stuck her lower lip out with disappointment. "Or at least let me do that," he added, and Mac sighed, glancing through the window. Would the sun ever come out?

When it finally did, Jack forced himself awake and bathed as well as he could with their accommodations. He frowned at his selection of clothing, most of it worn and dirty from years of traveling the world.

Mac watched as he dressed, her legs swinging impatiently back and forth.

After eating breakfast around 8:30, Jack took his daughter's hand and led her through the front door of the shack.

They walked together in silence, both too nervous to say very much. Jack wondered what Mr. Popov would say regarding his sudden absence, though he was amazed when he came to the realization that he honestly didn't care.

"Here we are!" Mac exclaimed when they reached the palace gates and went through once a guard dressed in red and white opened them.

Jack felt quite sure he would pass out from nerves as they reached the stairs, and Mac immediately recognized the tall black guard from the day before.

"Hello, Jim!" she greeted, and Jack looked at her, horrified by the outburst.

"Good to see you again, child," Jim replied, and with another bow, opened the doors so they could enter. Jack had never been inside a palace before in his life, and realized Mr. Rockefeller's mansion in New York City was the largest building he had had the privilege of entering.

They were greeted by another line of guards, who were told to direct them to the Tsar's study, and the butler took them the rest of the way. Jack couldn't help but feel surprised by the guards’ behavior...he was no one special!

"It's because you're going to see the Tsar," Mac whispered. "Anyone who's allowed to do that is important."

Jack chuckled at her serious tone of voice and followed the butler to the drawing room.

The door opened a short time later, and Jack felt as though his knees would buckle. Sure enough, he recognized the Tsar as though he had just met him the previous evening himself! While the man was a bit older than he looked five years ago, he had the same kind face and hair/beard coloring Jack remembered.

He bowed low, and Mac curtsied as taught by the footman, and the Tsar encouraged them to step out into the hall. "Sir?" Jack asked, confused, and Nicholas smiled.

"I will show Miss Dawson to the nursery, so she may spend this time with my children. I do believe she met my two eldest daughters yesterday."

Mac gulped...she had no urge to meet those two again anytime soon!

"That would be very kind, your highness...thank you," Jack replied, and encouraged Mac to follow them down the hallway. Nicholas led them through a few twists and turns, up another flight of stairs, and down another narrow hallway.

Mac rocked anxiously back and forth on her heels as he opened the door to an enormous nursery, full to the brim with toys. Three girls were running around giggling, while one wore a blindfold and attempted to catch her victim with her hands. Mac recognized two of the daughters, Olga and Tatiana, though she didn't recognize the blindfolded girl or the smaller blonde.

"Girls? May I have your attention for just a couple of moments?" the Tsar announced, and all four stopped at once. The chubby girl who had the blindfold on removed it and smiled when she saw the strangers standing in the doorway. "Olga, Tatiana, I do believe you remember Macena Dawson from yesterday?"

Mac could tell they were giving their father forced smiles, and nodded in recognition.

"Now, her father is here on an interview, and I would appreciate it very much if you would keep an eye on her until we are finished."

"Yes, Papa," the four girls chimed in at once, and Mac gave her father an anxious look.

"Be good, honey," Jack replied, kissing the top of her head, and presented the princesses with another smile before following the Tsar out of the room.

Mac stood staring at the four girls, unsure of what to do or say. "Oh, do come in," the chubby girl spoke, and Mac did as requested, though shooting a hesitant glance at Olga and Tatiana. "I am Maria. That is Anastasia." She pointed to the small blonde, and Mac tried hard to smile, though the girl called Anastasia merely made a hideous face and stuck out her tongue.

"How old are you?" Maria asked, and Mac felt her face growing hot with embarrassment.

"Four and a half," she replied.

"I'm nine, Anastasia's eight, Olga is nearly twelve, and Tatiana is ten."

"Hello," Mac squeaked, and Maria took her gently by the arm.

"We're playing tag," she explained. "I was wearing this scarf around my eyes, and I have to try and catch the others with just my hands."

Mac nodded in understanding.

"She's too little to play that game," Anastasia groaned, and though Mac wanted desperately to argue otherwise, she knew she had better not.

"Well, what would you suggest we play, then?" she asked, and Olga grinned.

"Let's play pirates!" Anastasia exclaimed, grabbing a fake sword and aiming it at Mac's chest. "And she can walk the plank!"

"We've played that so much," Tatiana groaned, flopping down into one of the chairs. "We can play grown-up ladies at a ball!"

Anastasia made another face and folded her arms across her chest, sword still in hand. "I say pirates," she argued, and Olga rolled her eyes.

Mac felt rather awkward, and would have been perfectly content to sit and wait for her father in the hallway. She could feel Maria's eyes on her, and looked up to see the princess giving her a sympathetic smile. "I'd like to play pirates," she spoke quietly, and Anastasia stared, her blue eyes wide.

"Fine, then. You can only play with us if you walk the plank!"

"I suppose you want me to be captain again?" Olga asked, and Tatiana gave her a playful shove.

"It's my turn to be captain...you were last time," she argued, and Maria gave Mac a sympathetic smile. She knew what it was like to be cast out by her elder sisters, though Anastasia tended to stay beside her for the most part.

"She shouldn't have to walk the plank," Maria interrupted as the girls began to plan who would play which part.

"All right, then, she can swab the deck," Anastasia replied haughtily, and pointed to the entrance of the nursery. Maria sighed and took Mac by the hand.

"As long as Macena's swabbing the deck, then she should have some help." She turned on her heel and led Mac into the hall, where both girls stood leaning against the wall in silence.

"You can just call me Mac," Mac whispered, and Maria grinned at her.

"Don't mind them," Maria insisted. "My sisters are pigs."

Mac giggled. "So, what's it like being a princess?" she asked, and Maria shrugged, gazing up at the ceiling.

"It's all right," she replied. "Most of the time, when we aren't expected to be here or be there."

"Oh." Mac chewed on her lower lip. "D'you suppose if my father works for you I'll get to live here at the palace?"

Maria hugged her knees to her chest and cocked her head to one side. "What is it he is going to do?" she asked. "He's very handsome, I must say!"

Mac made a face. "Don't you think so?" Maria asked, startled by the response to her comment, and Mac stood up, peering through the crack in the door. She noticed the other girls weren't playing pirates at all...they were just lounging about playing with individual toys, or reading books.

"I don’t know," she admitted. "He just looks like my father's, all." She looked down at her shoes.

"Oh. Well, I suppose you'll live here if my father hires him, and won't that be grand!" Maria stood, straightening the wrinkles in her dress.

"The others don't like me," Mac admitted, and Maria gave her another smile.

"They will once they get to know you," she replied. "They gave me an awful time before, but ever since Anastasia was born it hasn't been so bad. She comes up with ideas that are very clever on what to do. She's quite funny, I think."

Mac remembered the horrible face Anastasia made when she was first introduced and shivered a little. Clearly, it was going to take quite a bit to gain the princesses' trust, and she hoped someday they would end up liking her.

"Oh...and we're not called princesses," Maria spoke suddenly, and Mac blinked. "They call us Grand Duchesses. I just thought you ought to know."

Mac blushed and promised she would get it right the next time.

When her father and the Tsar returned to the nursery, they were surprised to see the two girls playing in the hall.

"Please say she will be able to come back, Papa," Maria begged when the Tsar announced it was time for Mac and her father to return home for the afternoon.

"She will be back tomorrow," Nicholas replied, and Maria beamed as Mac stared at her father, mouth hanging open with realization.

"Oh, Daddy!" she squealed, and without thinking, leapt into his arms. Jack laughed heartily at her enthusiasm just as the Tsar opened the door to the nursery and the three remaining Grand Duchesses looked up at once.

"I hope you displayed positive manners to our guest this morning," he announced, and Mac could see the guilt on Olga and Tatiana's faces. "Her father is going to be Alexei's new guard."

Olga's mouth opened and closed, though no sound came out...Anastasia dropped the toy she held, and Tatiana kept her head high and maintained a very regal expression on her pale face.

"They're living here?" Olga asked, and Nicholas nodded.

"Yes, and we will be moving a spare bed into Anastasia and Maria's room tonight so she has accommodations."

Maria walked over to where Anastasia stood, and the youngest of the Grand Duchesses shared a glance.

"See you tomorrow!" Maria called, waving with excitement written all over her face, and Jack took Mac by the hand and led her down the hallway.

"Sir, I can't thank you enough for your kindness to both of us," Jack told the Tsar as he led them towards the front entrance.

"Jack, I only wish I had known you were in the country, or I would have sent for you sooner. A leather factory is no place for a man such as yourself."

Jack chuckled, keeping his hands protectively on Mac's shoulders. "I'll admit I didn't want to bother you," Jack replied honestly. "Even if you had met me once, I was doubtful you would remember after all of these years."

"When a person has made such an impact as you did, Jack Dawson, I never forget a face," the Tsar replied, and Jack knew that comment could be taken in different ways.

"Thank you, sir," Jack answered just as they reached the palace doors. "We will be back first thing in the morning."

"I will sent a motor car for you," Nicholas insisted. "There is no need for you to walk each time."

"I don't mind it," Jack promised. "I'm so used to walking that it doesn't bother me in the least." He noticed the sky had begun to turn a light shade of gray, which meant rain was settling in.

"At least allow me to do so for tomorrow," the Tsar encouraged, and Jack decided it was best to agree.

"Thank you," he replied. "Good night, your majesty."

Nicholas gave a gentle wave as the young man led his daughter away from the palace and turned to head back inside.

Upstairs, the Grand Duchesses continued to sit in their nursery, whispering amongst themselves. Maria was the only one who kept out of it, not wanting to cause any trouble. She liked Mac, and did not understand her sisters’ jealousy towards the child.

"Who does she think she is, just waltzing in and acting as though she's part of the family already?" Olga seethed, and Tatiana kept her arms folded.

"How come Papa didn't throw her in jail?" Anastasia asked, and Maria stepped forward.

"Because he knew her father," she answered. "I wish you wouldn't speak so about her. She means no harm."

"Little bow-wow always takes the side of the paupers," Olga teased, and Maria scowled at the nickname her sisters came up with a few years before. She was a bit pudgier than Olga, Tatiana, or Anastasia...not that it pleased her, of course. She hated how her mother fretted over everything she ate, warning that she might turn into a right marshmallow before her eyes.

"Only if they're kind to me!" Maria spat. "And Mac was quite kind!"

"Well, anyway, we can't trust her," Anastasia spoke up. "She's a spy!"

"This is going to be an interesting war," Tatiana pondered, and Maria leaned against the wall, knowing all of her comments on Mac's behalf would be in vain.

"A war," Anastasia thought out loud. "I like that! And Maria, you just butt out!" she snapped, pulling her eldest sisters aside so they could start plotting their revenge.

Chapter Fifty-Five
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