Part 24 (1/2)
”I had no idea mother. What else has changed since I've been gone?”
”You've started going gray I hear,” Anastasia said as she breezed in, pulling her husband behind her.
”One. Only one. Sergei sure does have a big mouth.” He murmured 'goat' in Sezynian with a look at Kat that got them all laughing.
”Baba is also requesting the presence of your betrothed.”
An edgy silence spanned between them. ”I don't have a betrothed. Yet.”
”Any candidates would do,” the Queen said with an arched eyebrow.
Sebastian let out a lazy-sounding laugh at the look. ”Do you think I'm being obtuse?”
”I think you're being capricious and indecisive but since when is that untrue?”
Roman cleared his throat slightly. ”Yes, you need to be on your way,” Anastasia said, quickening across the room.
Kat grinned. ”I get to come and see your vineyard today, right Roman? I believe you owe me a bottle of wine.” ”I believe I owe you a case of wine. At the very least.” Roman turned to Sebastian conspiratorially. ”Do not play poker with this woman.”
”Oh I already learned that lesson. She took me for all I had.”
”Hmm, I don't believe you've ever paid up either. Just add it to the list of things you owe me under the s.h.i.+rt.”
”You told me you'd never played before.” Roman looked at her with shock. Kat just shrugged.
”Who's better at poker Roman or Sebastian?” Anastasia asked with interest.
”Better question Kat or Mother?”
”You play poker?” Kat asked the Queen. She smiled demurely and raised a graceful hand.
”Don't let that serene look fool you. She's a shark.”
”I have been known to go for the jugular on occasion.” She rose from her seat. ”Just be sure to stay on my good side dear.” She smiled to herself as she left the room.
”Was she serious?” Kat asked hesitantly.
”The Queen would eat you alive,” Sebastian said, patting her hand in rea.s.surance. ”Stay clear of Baba too, just in case.”
”And on that note,” Kat said as she rose, ”let's get out of here.”
The vineyard was fascinating. Kat had never seen anything grow before. Her home was made of a dozen floors of steel and iron. She was surrounded by concrete, stone, brick. She rarely made it out of the city, never even saw countryside. The power that Roman had, to create something, nurture it, watch it flourish and grow, it spoke to her. Roots, all she'd ever wanted were roots.
The winemaking process was interesting as well, if a bit boring. She thought making wine would be like what she'd seen on black and white reruns, Lucy stomping on grapes. It all turned out to be very precise and technical; here were people that used chemistry on a daily basis. But the sight of huge barrels in the cellar was just her thing, the romantic pursuit she'd been looking for. A perfect location for a party or business retreat. Their tour ended back outside overlooking all of the acres of empty s.p.a.ce just waiting for a bounty to grow once more, thoughts of alcohol themes running through her head.
Roman left them to go talk with his staff and Kat looked out across the expansive hillside and couldn't contain the question any longer. ”How did you do it?” she asked, trying to convince her heart that she didn't know perfectly well why she was asking.
”Do what?” Anastasia prodded gently.
”Meet someone normal. Meet Roman. Fall in love. Live happily ever after.”
A wistful smile appeared on the princess's face. ”I love telling this story,” she began, her voice getting just a bit dreamy for a moment. ”But it doesn't start out well. Starts with the same problem Sebi's having now having to get married. My father had been telling me for years that he could arrange a marriage for me, a good match, and I'd finally convinced myself that it was my only choice. So I relented and my father set a meeting.”
”You and Roman were an arranged marriage?!” Kat couldn't keep the disbelief and awe from her voice.
Anastasia just patted her hand. ”I insisted if I was doing it, I was going alone, no witnesses. I made the bodyguards follow along behind me. I was on my way, driving down some country roads, when a blizzard blew through and separated us. The weather had been bad but it just snuck up on us, on me, literally. My car ended up run off the road and dead. I was forced to get out and walk. Just as I was almost frozen solid, I spied a farmhouse up ahead and sought shelter. I walked in the front door and there was Roman, standing in front of the fire.”
”What did he think, having a princess show up on his doorstep?” Kat asked.
”I didn't tell him who I was. I didn't tell him my name at all. He called me Feyalka because I still had a flower in my hair, even after the long walk. And it was instantaneous. We spent the first day in bed.” Anastasia actually blushed and Kat couldn't hold back a laugh. ”And the second day arguing about politics in French. We rarely ever agreed, we rarely ever agree, on anything, but that's part of why I love him. When you live this life, you don't want for anything except perspective.”
”What happened next?”
”The snow melted and I left. I never made it to meet my match. Went back and told my parents it was off. They weren't happy, especially when I told them I'd met a vintner. I didn't know how he felt about me but after knowing how I felt about him, I wasn't going to let myself settle for anything less. Luckily Roman's one of the most earnest people there is, no playing games. The princess thing surprised him but it didn't stop him from asking me what I was doing for the rest of my life.” She smiled a bit serenely out at the vines, lost in her own memories.
”And your parents?”
”Mother came around. She sees it. Father, he still wishes I had married the politician's son, the investment banker with the weak chin and beady eyes. He doesn't say no to the wine though.”
”Do you think he's stopping you from being Queen?” Kat asked.
Anastasia laughed. ”No. I was never going to lead. Sezynia has never had a Queen rule; we're a male lineage state. The most I can hope for is to be Baba Katya, determine the lines of succession. It's a very important job and one I'll a.s.sume with honor and grace. And maybe then my great niece can rule.”
”That kind of sucks,” Kat said after a moment. They shared a rueful smile.
”Progress is a snail. You can't always notice the difference in just one lifetime.”
”Well I'm American and we're all for feminism. And progress. And opportunities. And I want for you everything you want for your brother, no restrictions. Your lack of a Y chromosome shouldn't hold you back.”
At that Anastasia laughed again and leaned against a wooden post. ”You do have a refres.h.i.+ng way of putting things. You remind me of boarding school. I liked boarding school.”
”It's so beautiful here. I can't imagine why you'd ever want to leave, even for boarding school.”
”You haven't seen anything yet,” the Princess said with a twinkle. She grabbed Kat's hand and pulled her back towards the car.
Kat was lost again; though far from being upset about it, she just smiled. Not even the prospect of wandering the halls for hours could dampen the peaceful air that had overtaken her.
”Hey, Kat?” a voice called out to her. She backpedaled and saw Sebastian sitting in an armchair by an empty fireplace, official looking doc.u.ments spread out all around him.
”What are you doing?
”Hiding from Sergei.” He pulled restlessly at the knot of his tie, loosening it ever so slightly. ”I haven't kept on my reading of the business of the country and he's in a mood. Come and keep me company.” When she walked farther into the room he finally got a good look at her and smirked ever so slightly. ”And what have we been up to all day?”
”We went on a tour of the countryside.”
Sebastian put his papers down and looked at her critically. ”With who?” If those Lotharios in landscaping had carted her away he might have to go remind them of some things.