Everyone Accounted For
*Ana*
Father! I quickly duck my eyes down, staring at my feet, before yanking my hand back from Nicoli, to coil up at my side, desperately trying to pull myself in and be smaller, less noticeable, anything that might stop what I know Father has caught me doing.
"Ana?" Nicoli, meanwhile, asks looking over at me when I pull back my hand, a quick flash of confusion running over his sapphire eyes.
"Why did you let go?" And as if to make things worse, he goes back, reaching out, his fingers stretching out to take my hand, to bring me back into that safe comfort and warmth. But I can't.
Not now, not when he's standing right there, watching this whole thing. I press my hands tighter to my side, before taking another step back.
"Ana, come on." Nicoli furrows his brows together with a quick pout when I do. "What are you doing?" Nicoli goes, trying again for my hand. "Ana, I wanna hold hands." but I'm already turning towards them all, sucking in a breath before forcing my voice to be calm and clear as I speak.
"Your Majesties," I curtsy, my head tilted as I pull up the sides of my skirt in Dawny fashion. But even, then, when I straightened back up, I couldn't dare lift my eyes ahead of me, too afraid to see what might be waiting when I do.
But I can't just keep my head down, and at last, I force my neck to crack up, my eyes darting to see past Mykhol and Naska, that maid and stepmother, to at last fall on him. To meet his sapphire eyes, waiting for me with a quiet stare.
He's looking right at me! I shiver as my hands start to hurt from clenching the side of the gown apprehensively.
What will he do now? I look on at those sapphire eyes, the same ones Nicoli has, yet so very different. Because, instead of finding warmth, I can only see the letter burning in the fire that day.
Gone forever, like he asked. And just like he asked I stay away from Nicoli. And here I am, standing right next to him, holding his hand!?
"Ah," I steal in a quick wince of air, trying not to cry, feeling the sides of my vision blurry and dark as I stare after his sapphire eyes. Waiting.
Waiting to see… what will he do to me?
"Ana?" Nicoli, meanwhile, turns completely to face me, the tone in his voice now dripping with concern as his sapphire eyes grow wide. "Ana, you are shaking like a leaf!" He goes, looking me over, his concern only growing the further he watches.
"Is it from the water?" He asks, taking a step closer, "Are you cold?" He makes to come even closer, his hands reaching out for me, fingers almost reaching me, almost touching mine before…
"Nicoli!" A female's shrieking voice has Nicoli flinch, on the spot, while I snap back, everything suddenly becoming loud and clear again.
Wait, I know that voice. I haven't heard it in a long time, but I do. And when I turn in time to see her mouth still open from shouting, Nicoli straightens his spine, before breaking into a sheepish smile.
"Oh, hi… Mom." Nicoli starts with a slight pause as if checking his tone to be casual, just like he's not been caught doing something he shouldn't be.
"And…dad." Nicoli goes again, moving to scratch the back of his head, shifting his still-damp curls. "You guys…are up late." He ends with a soft, uneasy laugh.
"What are you thinking!" Stepmother only snaps again, her grey eyes burning hot with fury, her hair half fallen out of the updo as if she was running before, completely disshelved.
"Mom, it's not-" But he never gets to finish as Belinda cuts him off.
"What are you doing!?" Belinda snaps again. "Going outside like this! Do you have any idea what time it is!" And then she stops, blinking, as if something else just occurs to her, making her face pale, before going red.
"AND IN NOTHING MORE THAN A NIGHTGOWN!" Belinda's voice hits an octave so high that it cracks when she shrieks, her hand with the finger, shaking, as if unable to contain the wave of emotions coming over her in one second.
"YOU!" Her head suddenly snaps to glare at me. "What did you do?"
"I-" I try to shake my head, trying to say I haven't done anything, but seeing those grey eyes stare down with such fury almost making them turn red themselves, I can't help but lose my voice, and shrink in a little on the spot dead silent.
"Julia!" And like that, Belinda turns, her eyes pulling from me to her newest victim, the maid, Julia, who was only now just meeting us, the last to arrive. She didn't even wait for her to fully rock on her foot in a stop, before just pointing a thin finger over at Nicoli.
"Take the Prince back inside before anyone sees this!" Belinda snaps again, another brown curl slipping from her up-do, to fall in front of her left eye, more hair down than up at this point. "Now!"
"Yes, Your Majesty." Julia returns, voice calm and dry, before she starts, heading directly over to Nicoli with purpose.
"No, come on," Nicoli shakes his head, bouncing his damp curls, as he digs in his feet, pushing up rocks and grass. "It's not that bad." Nicoli insists. "Let me stay,"
"You are soaking wet, Ana." A velvety voice, meanwhile, comes from my side before I realize he is even there, let alone standing next to me.
"Cousin," I greet as Mykhol moves to touch a curl, his long fingers wrapping the piece thoughtfully around the digit, before shifting his blood-red eyes up to find mine.
"Why are you wet?" Mykhol asks again, curiously, shifting his eyes to look over my damp gown, disheveled hair, and flushed face.
"What happened?" He goes again stepping a hair closer, reaching to touch my face. "I was so worried when you didn't come back." Mykhol's fingertips grazed my cheek, feeling cold to the touch. "And why are you out here?"
"I was just…" But the words fall as I hear the deep voice sound off again, making me freeze on the spot.
"I take it you both found the fountain?" Father laughs lightly, smiling again, watching me with those sapphire eyes.
Is he smiling? I blink after him, confused. Why would he do that?
"Ana," Mykhol, meanwhile, flinches his fingers a little, making his lips slightly pruse, as his eyes flick to Father and back. "Let's…get you inside to dry and change." Mykhol goes again, lowering his hand from touching my face, to flip and expose his palm, in waiting for mine.
"Cousin, come."
"Yes," I nod, gliding my hand into his, feeling his longer fingers quickly curl over mine, and pull me away from the spot, as if more than ready to take off from here and back inside.
All of which I'm more than grateful to do, but I know this is only temporary. I can't avoid Father forever. No, we will have to talk. Eventually.
But for tonight, I plan out. I'll go with Mykhol. And tomorrow I will meet Father. And by then, I should be prepared.
I will have a proper apology and-
"No!" Nicoli's voice is suddenly in my ear, and the next thing I know, the world is spinning.
"Ana's staying with me." Nicoli asserts firmly, standing straight up on his tippy toes, arms wrapping around my waist, as his head goes over my shoulder, to glare back at them.
"Nicoli, what are..?" Belinda's eyes dart to Julia first, before turning to Mykhol, having him start up again.
"Cousin," Mykhol, meanwhile, steps forward, his hands reaching back for me. "Let's go back and-"
"No." Nicoli snaps again, his arms holding me closer."She's coming with me!" Nicoli goes again, lifting his head. "We are going to sleep together." He swivels on his heel, switching to take my hand firmly, before making to head back to the castle.
"Nicoli, that's-!"Belinda steps in front of us, before turning her head to Father, grey eyes wide and wild. "Husband? Do something!"
"Hmm, oh?" Father seems to blink from his stupor to suddenly huff a laugh. "Can't he?"
"You…!" Belinda drops her face a moment, her grey eyes blinking at him before her face is up again like it were on strings, "Nicoli," Belinda switches, suddenly sweet and tender to match her sugary voice. "Empress Anastasia will use her own rooms. You can not-"
"We have rooms, then?" I finally find my voice in all of this and look around, asking Julia. "Are they done yet?"
"Julia?" Belinda, meanwhile, also calls, spinning on her heel to peer directly at her. "Well?"
"The arrangements…" Julia starts slowly, moving to fold her hands in front of her."... are still being sorted, I'm afraid.." Julia then bows her head. "I am sorry, Your Majesty."
"But that's…no…" Stepmother forgets to close her mouth, eyes wide, slightly trembling, gasping for air or words. "We…Nicoli…this.."
"My my," Father laughs suddenly, pulling us all to look over, as he seems to gaze up at the stars a moment, before turning slowly to regard us.
"It is growing late, " Father's eyes linger on me for a moment, a strange warmth residing in the blue that I don't understand. "So, what shall you have me do?" Father finally lifts his gaze from me to fall over to Nicoli. "Shall I let you and your sister go?"
'Sister'? The word hit me unexpectedly, making me blink before I could even register Nicoli's nod.
"End of discussion." Nicoli raises his voice, pulling me close to his hip, before lifting his lips to show all his white teeth. "Ana stays."
"Sure," Father shrugs, "Then go ahead, you two."
"No! Alexander!" Belinda reels back, slapping him on the chest but Father is just winking at both of us, waving his hand as if to say go ahead, smiling again, at me.
What? I blink confused but Nicoli doesn't need another prompt, quick to take the chance.
"Let's go," Nicoli voices, pulling forward.
"Ah," I drag my feet a second, not ready, but I manage to push my shoes into the dirt as fast as Nicoli, aiming back for the stairs.
But even as we head back, Nicoli holding my hand tight to him, I can't help but turn my head, to look back to Father, still seeing him smile.
Only growing more confused as this was not…what I expected.