Chapter 18

Note: I have changed my mind again about the fate of this Wattpad version. I will not abandon this until the end of Arc 2 of 7 or so, as this will only be a preview of the full mature version on Ao3.

November 24, 2022

St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Anton felt ambivalent about his maturity in an eventful, chaotic time. As with all experiences growing up, he had lost his bliss in return for bitter lessons. Anton realized that the Russia he knew never actually existed. He had once thought it was a wonderful country to call his homeland. He had thought that it was a true haven for Russians, the Slavic ways, and Orthodoxy. Little did he know that this ideal was a lie in truth's clothing. Such was the nature of the national propaganda which deceived people like the devil.

Then the Russian Grand Duchesses resurrected. The events dissipated the mirages of a life that never was. He now understood many new things, facing the painful truths behind his life. Russia was not the stable, welcoming, lawful homeland he thought he lived in. Now there were riots between angry mobs on either side: the mighty leader Putin or the miraculously risen princesses. He had seen people arrested, beaten, or sprayed with tear gas. Some of them were even his neighbors, or even friends of friends.

What also worried him was the possibility that Russia would descend into another civil war. It had already gone through over a hundred years ago- just after the Russian Revolution. Back then, the people had chosen a new regime over the old, tsarist one. But what of now? He did not know.

His parents, however, felt bitter that Russia did not gain a true victory. The schism of the Orthodox Church between Russian and Ukrainian did not help either. The combined factors of demanded reparations for Ukraine, worldwide condemnation, civil unrest, and a now disgraced regime had taken their toll on Russia.

Perhaps the Russian bear was made of paper mache... Anton, for the first time in his life, could not shake his conviction that he was not meant to serve a country. He only needed to live a righteous life for God.

How he would do it was the priceless question, however.

At that moment, he felt worried about Olga. He wondered about how she was doing in Germany with her siblings and her cousin. After all, their trip to Germany was approaching its end. What still confused and worried him was that Olga had hardly texted him recently.

He checked his phone, and he texted Olga again. He waited a few minutes. Surely she would still be busy, and he braced himself for another silent day. However, this time his smartphone vibrated when a text notification appeared on the small screen...

You have a new text message from "Olenka". Swipe to dismiss this notification...

His mouth curled into a wide grin. Now he felt something wonderful. It was hope. It was not only hope for his country, but also to see someone he truly cared about. Anton glanced around, hoping his parents would not snoop in and interrupt him...

Olenka: Hey, Anton. A lot happened btw. Met with a seer in Oberammergau, the passion play town... She gave us a warning, and I wanted to let you know something. Will you trust me?

Anton: Of course, baby. Please let me know why Russia is really crazy now.

Anton waited again, staring at the small screen and wondering about what would come next... When it did, it surprised him very much.

Msg. 2 from Olenka: She said that God does not favor countries, but only people who do righteous things for Him. Russia is actually the prophesied Gog ruled by the wicked Magog (that sly Putin), as revealed by the Savior. We will return there to warn the masses... Stay safe as you wait for us. Hugs and kisses, O.

Anton read further and nearly flinched at the second message. It should not have shocked him to see the revelation, yet it did not seem so bizarre as he thought further about it. The signs had come and went. The riots, political, and economic turmoil were the red flags. It still disappointed him that Russia was not a favored nation under God.

He felt conflicted, putting his face in his palms. What would he do, even if he trusted his newfound girlfriend Olga? His heavily patriotic parents and the government would never believe this news. He, too, would have to either fight or seek refuge in another country. To leave his comforts and old life behind... Could he really make such a sacrifice?

All he could do was stay safe for her. They would figure out what to do. Perhaps he could persuade his parents?

Anton: I will... Hope to Skype with you today. Love you too.

A heart emoji appeared in his texts to reassure him that he would see her again. He smiled, deactivating his smartphone. Another vibration happened.

Anton checked his phone to see a message again! He checked the text message, and this time, it did not come from Olga. It came from his buddy Ivan who worked as a laboratory security guard.

Ivan: Hey Anton, would you like to meet at my home this evening? The riots are over for now. It's been a while since we got to meet up.

Anton: Yeah, sure thing. Anything else you need?

Ivan: Yes, it's something urgent. I think I need some tips on how to speak to Maria.

Anton smirked. He definitely suspected that his old friend Ivan would have feelings for Maria. Although he did not know what truly happened between Ivan and Maria on the day she rose, he knew that they were definitely talking behind closed doors. It was ironic, seeing Maria and the descendant of a Bolshevik guard get closer together.

He would play along with the game. It was best for him to feign ignorance. No way would he ever want to embarrass his friend... Neither did he really know about what really happened when Maria rose in the lab. He suspected that something happened between Ivan and Maria...

Anton: Ah, I completely understand. Been there. What hour would be best for our rendezvous?

Ivan: How about after six?

Anton: Yes, yes. I can explain to my parents that I'll be visiting you to help out with something. Will keep this a secret!

Ivan: Sounds good. Thank you.

Anton smiled for a brief time, knowing that he would have some advice for Ivan. He had found love again and dated the infamous Olga herself. Surely he would be in a place to tell Ivan some tips about how to speak to the opposite sex- Even if they were resurrected, infamous princesses of times long past.

This will be very fun, Anton thought, staring distantly at the Romanov iconoclast...

(Line Break)

Oberammergau, Germany

Maria grinned wide, seeing the message on her texting app. She squealed in delight, hopping. She had received a text from Ivan!

"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Nastya, Nastya, come over here!"

"Wait, what thing?"

Elisabeth and the Big Pair sisters stopped their chatter with Monika, who also seemed startled. Olga and Tatiana went over to Maria to see what had brought their little sister delight. Olga then thought back to their meeting with Anton and Ivan in the hotel. Could it be?

Monika was confused as well. She, too, did not have much experience in romantic business. Still, she had gotten to know the four infamous Russian princesses along with their cousin. She knew what had happened to them and understood where they had come from. She also saw why the Russian princesses had worked for Putin, as they were lost and confused. Honestly, she would have done the same in their places.

As Monika reluctantly stepped closer to the five women, Maria showed her text to Olga. The sight of the message made them both smile.

Ivan S: Hey Maria, hope you and your fellow sisters and cousin are doing great over there. If you all are free, Anton and I would like to Skype with you and Olga.

"What should I reply, Olenka?" Maria asked in a whisper, blushing.

"Just say yeah."

Maria: Yeah! It's been a little while fr. We'd love to catch up with you guys. <3

"What happened?"

"Monika, some special accomplices of ours in Russia contacted us. We know it is unsafe to go, but as you said, it's our priority," Olga said.

"Interesting. What sort of accomplices?"

"My boyfriend."

"Oh... I see. What about your sister Maria?"

"He's someone I like, but, like, romantically," Maria replied, glancing at her iPhone once again.

"May your relationships go well. I haven't felt attraction to anyone yet, however."

"Ah, that's okay. You'll find someone someday, either platonically or romantically."

"Thank you, Maria. I'm also glad to have helped you all."

"Of course. I appreciate your reminder. After descending from Heaven, it feels jarring to make even the little mistakes again," Elisabeth spoke in a quiet tone...

"From what I've seen, I know that every person except Christ makes mistakes. But I'd say that being perfect is not the priority, but the approach of perfection instead. Even my parents who used to nag me as a little girl would agree."

"I know that you have been chosen for a great duty with your cousins, Elisabeth, but do not stumble over the smaller things. Focus on the bigger things first. As some Americans say, you go girl!" Monika added.

Elisabeth laughed. "Thank you again! I appreciate your advice."

Monika and Elisabeth hugged for a moment, and soon enough, the rest of them joined in. The real journey had just begun.

(Line Break)

Olga watched Skype launch on her laptop. Close by on the same bed, Maria watched the screen with eagerness to see the one she liked. Both sisters had been left alone in the inn room while Elisabeth, Anastasia, and Tatiana had gone out to visit Monika's home. Both sisters left behind would have plenty of time to converse. It was something that they yearned for as their trip approached its end.

The Skype app opened the video call, and the screen changed to images of a smiling Anton and Ivan. Olga grinned.

"Heyy, Anton! I missed you very much these past few weeks."

"Hey, baby. Same here... And I see that Maria is here to talk with my good friend Ivan."

"Yeah! Hi Ivan! It's also been a while for us, and are both of you okay? I heard of the trouble in Russia, like riots and more..."

"Uh, hey Maria. We're doing fine for now. The riots and police waves have stopped for today, so we'll be safe for now. Putin has been very quiet, however."

"Oh... I hope he's not planning something terrible... yet."

"I have a bad feeling about that, especially about what the German seer told you all."

Anton shrugged. "Eh, I'm unsure about when the worst will happen. Again, it's nice to see you both, and I think we should go on a double date when everything settles. Olga and I, Ivan and Maria."

Maria blushed, smiling like a shy little girl. "I... I'd love to."

Olga glanced at Maria, and she made a small mental note to interrogate Ivan whenever she had the chance. Something weird must have happened, and her sisterly instincts could not lie.

"How about you, baby?"

Olga blushed, looking into Anton's eyes. She knew that this was the right thing to do.

"Same as Maria."

"Sweet! What about your trip to the U.K and Germany?"

"Uh, it was a long story, but overall it went well. Especially when we met Queen Elizabeth the Second."

"Really? Sounds wonderful, but what about the tense history between Romanovs and Windsors? How- How did the Queen settle that?"

"That's also a long story... it did get resolved."

"Can you tell us?"

"Yes. A lot happened, and we visited a lot of places. It all started with some tension, since we were forced to help Putin before in state propaganda. You might have seen our cars being egged and pelted with thrown things..."

"That BBC newscast? That was crazy to see. I cannot imagine how much the British royalty had to do to control the angry crowds..."

"They kept quiet rather than give public announcements, although they did provide us escorts and a prepaid tour of England. We are grateful that Prince Harry and Edward unofficially spoke for us on social media, so we would not get totally canceled."

"Great, what about the meeting with the Queen? I'm wondering the most about that time. How did it really feel to you all?"

"It felt like many things, Anton. It almost felt like visiting a wise grandmother, although she was our great niece I think. On that day, it was raining heavily, and then we were taken by Highlander guards in red coats to the Sandringham House..."