| Prologue. Tsarskoe Selo. St Petersburg, Russia. 1915. Marie Nicholaievna Romanov smiled and looked out the window down towards the snow-caped ground from her huge three-story bedroom that she shared with her younger sister of two years, Anastasia. Quickly looking around her dark bedroom to make sure neither her Mama or Papa were watching, Marie climbed up onto the window seat and with a mighty heave, pushed the twin French windows wide open, letting the frozen Russian air dance inside. The light brown haired, 16 year old girl sighed deeply and closed her eyes, feeling the snow drops fall off the roof of the Alexander Palace and land on her creamy nose. She grinned wickedly, for she knew if one of her parents found her here catching her death there would be hell to pay. She opened her eyes with that thought, gazing with her doe like blue eyes down out into the deserted streets of Tsarskoe Selo, the lights reflexing off the mighty Palaces the only light that could be seen in the night sky. Marie shivered, wrapping her French silk nightgown around her body and tried to forget about the harsh winter�s breath as she made her way out of the window to sit on the ledge, her bare ivory legs dangling off the side. �Mashka, what are you doing?� came a furious whisper and Marie turned her head gracefully, regarding her beautiful 14 year old sister in amusement. �Dear, Ana.� Marie told her, giggling. �Are you to tell me you have never ventured out our magnificent window to watch the moon?� Anastasia nitted her delicate eyebrows regally, trying to think of an answer that wouldn�t get her in trouble. Marie saw her intention and grinned, beaconing her beloved sister over to her. The girl let out a sigh of relief, realising she should have known her favourite sister would never tell their Papa of her adventures. She frowned. Not like her other sisters, Olga and Tatiana. Anastasia sometimes thought the two girls soul aim in life was to make her life a misery, always getting her in strive with their parents...not that Nicholas and Alexandra could ever expect anything else from their mischievous youngest daughter. �Hurry up, Malenkaya.� Marie urged, grabbing her coat arm and pulling her up beside her on the window ledge. The two friends fell silent, just content to watch the stars shine brightly down on their homes and the high towers of St Petersburg comfort them that they would all be safe and happy as long as they stayed inside the Palace walls. Marie turned to her sister, her face oddly wise. �Do you feel anything, Ana?� she whispered urgently, her saucer like blue eyes wide and curious. Anastasia inclined her head to the side and looked at her strangely. �Whatever do you mean?� Marie just sighed, turning back to the city. �Something�s coming, Ana. I can feel it.� Her youngest sister�s eyebrows nearly hit her hairline. She quickly leaned in towards Marie and gripped her forearm tightly, a delighted smile playing on her face. �Really, Mashka?� she asked excitedly. �Like what?� Marie frowned, looking deeply troubled. �For the life of me I wouldn�t know, dear Shvizbik.� She started to play with her nightgown in her lap nervously until Anastasia got so tired of it she put her own hands over her sister�s to still them. She jerked, startled to feel her usually strong sister was shaking. �Mashka, what�s the matter?� she asked in alarm, wondering if she should return inside to fetch Olga or Tatiana. Marie turned to her sister, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. �It is the dreams, Ana. They keep me up so late I can�t get any sleep.� she complained. Anastasia leaned forward again. �Dreams?� She hissed, fascinated by the subject. �What dreams?� Marie sighed, leaning forward slightly to look if there were any guards on duty by the Palace doors who might just happen to look up and see them sitting there and tell their parents. Seeing she wasn�t answering, Anastasia groaned in annoyance and thumped Marie on the arm, getting her attention. �What dreams, Marie!?� she asked, becoming insistent. Her older sister didn�t turn to her, just continuing to watch the sparkling city in front of them. �A girl.� she finally explained quietly. �A pretty girl with hair the colour of gold.� She looked sharply at her gaping sister, frowning to tell her to close her mouth. Anastasia clamped her mouth shut, urging her sister to continue. �She doesn�t speak, Ana.� Marie explained, biting her lip with the thought of her dream visitor. �But she seems awfully unhappy as she sits there, staring out to space.� �Where is she?� Ana asked, her eyes huge as she struggled to take all this in. Marie cocked her head, playing with the long strands of her curly brown hair idly. �She�s in some sort of bedroom, I know that.� She huffed. �Where though, I wouldn�t for the life of me know. The room was so strange, everything was so bright and colourful.� She turned to the silent Anastasia, smiling. �Nothing we have is like that.� Her sister frowned with that, thinking they had everything. �Could she be in somewhere like Australia?� she asked, desperate to help her troubled sister. �You remember Mama telling us about all the odd things they have over there.� But Marie only shook her head. �I think maybe she was in America. I tend to remember a strange looking flag.� Ana yelped in delight. �America!? Oh, my!� Marie hushed her, her huge blue eyes darting back in their room nervously, as if she expected her father to come barging in the doors any second. But seeing they remained where they were, she turned back with a look of relief. �Why are you dreaming of her, Mashka?� Anastasia asked, picking up a handful of snow and forming a ball idly between her hands as she glanced at her long haired sister. �I don�t know, Ana. But she will affect us all, I know that now.� Marie whispered in reply. Ana gave out a very unlady-like snort and drew back her arm only to heave the snowball off the roof and watch wickedly as it smacked into the tree, causing birds to squawk and flee madly into the nights sky. �How?� she finally asked, looking around for more snow. Marie sighed, gathering her sister in her arms as they continued to watch to moon shine proudly down on them. �I don�t know, Ana. I really don�t know.� And with that, the two girl fell into silence, not knowing that soon in time a sudden meeting would change not only their own lives, but that of their beloved family as well, forever.... PART 1 Sunnydale, America. 2001. Buffy sighed in boredom and looked around the dark, deserted graveyard. There wasn�t a vampire in sight. Putting her hands on her hips impatiently she let out a frustrated breath of air, searching almost desperately for something to kill. But when she heard female laughter behind her, she quickly spun on her heals, her hands squeezed into fist and placed in front of her chest. She frowned when she got a good look at the laughing person�s face. �Will, you really shouldn�t sneak up on people like that!� the Slayer told her best friend sternly. �I could have killed you!� Willow just laughed, walking the rest of the way that separated them and patting Buffy in mock pity on her arm. �You might be good, Buffy. But you not *that* good.� Buffy sniffed, battering her hand away in a fake insult. But the huge grin she had on her face gave it all away. The two friends fell into step beside each other as they continued to walk through the dark cemetery. Finally Buffy turned to Willow and asked, �Were did you come from anyway?� Her eyes started to scan the distance, searching for her other friends that she knew where all out there somewhere, patrolling. Willow stuffed her hands into her parka pockets and jerked her head to the side. �That way somewhere, I think.� She grinned at her friend. �Riley thought we�d get more luck over by the playground.� Buffy frowned again, not really liking how her boyfriend had seemed to take over the Slaying from her...not like Angel had....Buffy stiffened with that thought, shaking her head slightly. Wouldn�t she ever get over him?? �Hey, Buffy!� The familiar cry made both her and Willow turn, the figures of Riley, Tara, Xander and Anya bringing smiles to their faces as their friends all jogged over to them. �Did you find anything?� Riley asked, wrapping his hands around Buffy waist and leaning his head on her shoulder. Buffy bit back a shudder, finding him far to clingy lately. But she didn�t say anything and the small group of friends all headed towards the gateway of the cemetery, the night�s Patrol well and truly over. �Nah, the place is deserted.� Buffy told her boyfriend, heaving the heavy backpack over her shoulder as they started towards Campus. Inside where bits and pieces she had retrieved from her mother�s house before going on Patrol with her friends: photos and cards, her CD player and a few CD�s that she forgot to pack when she originally had set of for Collage. Riley saw her discomfit and frowned in concern. �Do you want me to take it?� he asked, ever the gentleman. But Buffy only bristled and gave him an odd look. �Ri, i�m stronger than you, I think I can manage.� He raised his eyebrows in surprise at her sharp tone, wondering just what he had done wrong. Buffy saw this and sighed in apology as they crossed the man street of Sunnydale, the shops dark of any life. �Sorry, its been a long night.� Riley smiled sadly at this, rubbing her arm. �And just think, Buff.� Xander added helpfully from her side. �You only have to do the exact same thing tomorrow night!� Buffy laughed and slapped his arm none to lightly. �Hey!� Anya complained, inspected Xander�s arm in concern. �There is only one person who gets to wack Xander around here, and it most certainly isn�t you, missy!� Buffy held up her hands in defence, trying to hide the grin that she couldn�t seem to keep of her face. �Sorry, Anya.� She kept her face serious. �I�ll try to remember that in future.� Anya gave a sniff and nodded, excepting her apology, not seeing Willow and Tara cover their mouths with their hands, the Witches bodies jerking slightly as they giggled. Xander leered towards Buffy. �If that�s the way the river runs, who gets to spank you, huh, Buffy?� But any reply she was going to make was cut of as the stunned Xander watched with his own eyes as his dear friend suddenly gasped in pain and disappeared into thin air, the only trace she had been standing there seconds before was her muddy footprints in the gutter on the road... **** Tsarskoe Selo. St Petersburg, Russia. 1915. Buffy stumbled, her feet freezing almost instantly as she felt herself standing in knee deep snow. Raising her head she looked out desperately into the fields of white nothingness, the mist making it so she didn�t even know where the sky ended and the ground began. �Whaaat??� she choked, looking around for any sigh of Willow, Xander, and their friends who had been walking just beside her mere seconds before down the main street of Sunnydale towards the dorms. They were nowhere to been found, Buffy finally admitting to herself that she was well and truly alone out here...wherever here was, she thought. Starting to shiver, the Slayer wrapped her arms around her body closely, wishing suddenly that she had decided to wear more warmer clothing than the short black singlet top she was now wearing and her tight leather pants. She began to walk, where she didn�t know, but quickly deciding that anywhere would be better than the freezing cold she now resided in. But she had yet to take two steps when her feet crumpled under her and she feel face first into the snow. Being a typical Californian girl that she was, Buffy wasn�t used to having these sort of conditions thrust upon her. �Shit!� she cried, her voice muffled from the snow as she lifted her now soaked blonde head from the wetness and brushed the fluffy white snow off her face furiously. �When I find Giles, i�m gonna kill him.� Buffy muttered, getting more madder as the minutes ticked by and she still continued to stand in the snow, gods knows how far from the nearest telephone. Seeing that it wasn�t any good to move, the slayer looked around her at her surroundings curiously, searching for people. �Jeez, it�s cold.� she whispered, her lips turning blue as she noticed her legs go weaker. �Woah, there.� she told herself, sinking to her knees on the white covered ground. �What until Willow hears about this.� was her last mutter as she felt her eyes go impossibly heavy and close, her breathing weak and shallow as the cold started to take affect on her almost uncovered body. It was just so cold... **** Marie closed her eyes again as the Troika flew across the icy grounds, the soft mist of snow leaving tiny damp kisses on her cheeks, and turning her eyelashes to lace as she listened to the horses� bells dancing in her ears like music. Faster...faster, Marie grinned as the driver forced the shining black horses on with his whip through the snow. As she opened her eyes again, she could see the Village just outside Tsarskoe Selo. She smiled to herself as she squinted to see the two twin palaces just beyond it, and pulled back one heavy fur-lined glove to see how much time it had taken to travel home from St Petersburg. Looking up, Marie looked out the window again, content to watch the now white trees wizz by her line of vision as the slay hurried along the road, Marie�s belly wishing she was home already for she knew dinner would soon be on the table. Then she caught something out of the corner of her eye, a dark bundle in the snow. �Fokine, stop!� Marie screamed at the driver who instantly rained the whining horses with a yell. The round old man turned just in time to see the side door fly open and the young Grand Duchess stumble out onto the deep snow, her ankle length, white dress darkening instantly as her weight pulled her down into the fluffy white snow. �Your Highness, wait!� Fokine yelled, quickly making his way off the Troika as well. But Marie ignored him, struggling to pull her short legs through the coldness as she picked up the end of her dress and hurried towards the dark bundle laying in the snow. She didn�t know what had come over her, the Duchess knowing only to well what her father - the Tsar - would say to his beloved daughter tramping over the frozen fields at this time. With the Great War raging around them, none of them were safe...not that any of the Imperial family thought they would be in danger. But this was far from Marie�s mind as she struggled over to what she now knew was a figure, laying frozen in the snow. She was panting in exhaustion as she finally reached it, falling to her knees beside the unmoving body, causing her long brown hair to come loose from its holdings and fall around her face. Reaching out with her now shivering hands, Marie firmly latched onto their shoulder and gently pulled, causing the small body to roll over on their front. Marie gasped. Laying there, her eyes closed in what looked like sleep, was a beautiful blonde girl. Her lips were blue with the cold, her cheeks having received a pink tinge. Marie gazed on in wonder, completely unable to tear her huge blue eyes of the girl's enchanting face, her hand slowly raising from the ground to cover her mouth in shock. It was the girl from her dreams. Marie barely noticed Folkine thunder across the snow in her direction and then pause, putting his huge hands on his knees, gasping for a breath. The driver then stilled, realising for the first time that his little charge wasn�t moving...seemingly content to sit there on her knees in the freezing snow, her graceful hand held up against her mouth in elegant surprise. The peasant nitted his thick black eyebrows in a frown, turning his gaze towards the cause of their current troubles. He swore when he realised the sex of the bundle, sighing in pity. What a waste to loose such a pretty girl to nature. But knowing instantly that the young Duchess shouldn�t be exposed to such horrors, Folkine eased himself up onto his feet again and regarded the small Princess at his feet. He had worked for her grandfather as a boy, and his father had worked for their family before him. Only for Marie would Folkine discard her parents instructions and let her sit here, exposed to the wild and alien environment that she had no part of in her normal life. Only for her would he risk her father�s ire and her mother�s silent, elegant displeasure. But Marie was his favourite of all her sisters and even their little brother...a fact that surprised them all for everyone loved Alexei, and Folkine had to admit that he found the little Tsarevich enchanting. Marie might have been his favourite with her large blue eyes and round, kind face but Alexei was special. Everyone knew that. But now he only felt pity towards the lovely girl who his wife had helped raise since birth. Slowly bending his knees, the old man stood behind the soft brown haired girl and layed a comforting hand on her fur covered shoulder. �Come, M�lady.� Folkine told the shivering Duchess gently. �She is dead. There is nothing you can do.� But the words were barely out of his mouth will the sleeping blonde girl moaned and turned her head to the side feverly. Marie jerked, falling back on her butt abruptly as she stared, wide eyed, at the figure who was now weakly sobbing into the snow, her long hair encrusted with snow and her cheeks red from the cold. The 16 year old Duchess paled instantly and quickly reached out for the girl, sitting on her knees and latching her arms under the blonde girl�s armpits, attempting to pull her towards the warmth of the Troika. Folkine saw her intentions and was by her side in a flash. Stumbling, the tall man gently pushed Marie out of the way and took her place and with a grunt, heaved the light girl into his arms. Marie tried not to wince when she saw her head fall lifelessly to the side, her lips seemingly getting bluer by the minute. �What does she expect?� Folkine muttered loudly. �Wearing clothing like that in this weather...it�s a disgrace.� Marie started and as they hurried towards the waiting horses, noticed for the first time just what sort of clothing the dream girl was actually wearing. She dropped her mouth in surprise, her big blue eyes travelling over her short singlet and tight leather pants. And as Folkine gently placed her on the fur covered seat and Marie jumped in beside her, the Duchess reached out with a curious hand a fingered the rough leather in wonder. But whatever opinion she was about to master was abruptly cut off as the horses set off with a slash of Folkine�s whip. Wrapping her new companion up in the thick fur blanket that she knew was under the seat, Marie tightened her grip on the side of the Troika and gazed, unable to tear her eyes the magickal form of the girl from her dreams. And as she heard the unmistakable sound of the Cossack Guards stopping the Troika as they neared the Palace gates, Marie bit her lip in frustration, mentally hoping her father�s guards didn�t ask Folkine why they were in such a hurry and check back with her to see just what they were hiding. But there was no such luck. She heard the argument that started, and sighing in fury Marie ignored her sensibility for a moment and jumped up out of her seat...only to poke her brown haired head out the sleigh window. The Cossack spun around instantly, spotting her abrupt arrival out of the corner of his eye. But when he looked closer at not only her face but the quality of her clothes his black eyes opened wide and he stiffened to attention. �M�lady?� he asked. �Would you please get out of the way?� Marie snapped. �My father is expecting me to be home for dinner and it will be you I send him to if I am late!� The young man nodded his head slightly, understanding the order. And with a crisp salute he stepped to the side, barking orders to his men as they followed his lead. Marie inclined her head gracefully. �Thank you.� she told him simply. Seeing that her job was done, she disappeared back into the Troika, ignoring the confused expression of the young man�s face. But then Folkine was off again, Marie looking up and across at the impressive twin towers that were looming over the tree tops and they raced through the pure gold gates and down the mile long drive. She closed her eyes in dread as she spotted the almost impossibly high peaks of the Alexander Palace as she only just then realised she had no clue what so ever what her mother was going to say...they had too many sick people to care for as it was because of the war. But she quickly tightened her lips together stubbornly, gazing with tender eyes down at the sleeping, flushed face of the girl she saved. Marie came from a family who painted history, but in all the luxury and beauty she had seen over the course of her life in Imperial Russia...it would be this sleeping girl who would change her life forever. **** The Empress Alexandra almost had a heart attack when she came flying down the grand staircase at the raised tone of her third daughter�s voice, only to spy Marie standing just inside the front door with one of their servants, covered from head to toe in snow. �Mashka!� Alix�s displeased voice could be heard vibrating throughout the huge hallway. But the Tsarina�s cool blue-grey eyes opened wide in alarm as she noticed the black bundle in Folkine�s arms. Marie turned just in time to see her beautiful, elegant mother come gracefully jogging down the stairs, her floor length violet gown held up by her small, slender fingers to help her move. Marie smiled lovingly at the dignified vision of Alix, hoping with all her heart that the Tsarina didn�t turn out their new guest. �Mama, look!� Marie cried, running over to her mother and kissing both her cheeks in greeting. Alix returned the gesture warmly but her daughter could see she was distracted by whatever Folkine was still holding in his arms. Quickly, Marie released Alix and grabbed her silk sleave, pulling her impatiently across to the now shivering servant and the sleeping girl. Alix smiled at Folkine, telling the uncomfortable man to relax as she slowly gazed at the beautiful blonde girl in his arms, taking in her red cheeks and blue lips. �Who is she, Marie?� The Empress asked her gentle daughter who had walked up hesitantly behind her. But Marie only shrugged her shoulders, smiling at the silent maid who hurried into the room suddenly and took her coat, releasing the long mane of light brown hair down her back. �I wouldn�t have the slightest idea, mama.� Marie told the Tsarina. �I saw her lying in the snow on the side of they road and we stopped and got her.� She bristled at her mother�s suddenly displeased expression. �What was I suppose to do, mama?� Mashka asked. Her voice was never raised, but her displeasure was easy to read as she looked at her. �Leave her there to die?� Alix frowned, her cool grey eyes locked on her daughter�s soft round face. �Of course not, Mashka.� The Empress told her and she smiled gently when she saw her daughter wince. Beckoning the short girl over, Alix wrapped her arms around her shoulders and at the same time, let Folkine up the stairs. �I am glad you brought her here, although I wish you could have informed us sooner.� Marie didn�t answer, only followed her golden haired, German mother down the deserted hallway. She saw people stop and stare at them as they continued their journey, maids and such. But she ignored them all, her worried eyes never leaving the frozen girl in Folkine�s arms. The three of them were silent as Alix lead them off down another passage way and stop, poking her regal head through the door to see if anyone had taken up residence in the chosen room. But with a satisfied nod, the Tsarina turned to her daughter and beckoned them both in, Marie�s eyes going impossibly wide when she realised just where they now where. It was her mother�s room. Noticing the girl�s shock, Alix smiled. �It is the only place your father wouldn�t look, Mashka.� she told Marie, watching nervously as the silent Folkine eased the sleeping girl down into the Empress� own bed. Stepping back, Marie and Alix took his place, the servant bowing respectably as Alix waved her slender hand towards the door, telling him he could now leave. But as soon as they heard the click of the door, the two scions began the task of removing her clothes...much to Alix�s dismay. She had taken one look at the singlet and pants Buffy was wearing after they removed the fur blanket she had been wrapped in and stepped back in surprise. �Where did she even get such strange clothing?� The Empress muttered unlady-like, eyeing the pants she now held in her hands in bewilderment. But Marie only laughed, finding the items fascinating. With curious hands, she held the singlet up against herself, not noticing her mother�s frown. �Don�t even think it, Marie.� Alix told her in a firm tone but she was still smiling. �Your father would have a heart attack.� Marie only smiled shyly, running to the armoire only to return with what looked like a dressing gown. It was made of heavy white brocade silk and had a low square neck. Gently, Alix and her daughter slipped it over Buffy�s narrow shoulders and slowly leaned her back into the huge bed. Knowing there was nothing else they could do, the two Russians sat on the side of the bed, Alix pulling her daughter onto her lap and wrapped her arms around her front lovingly. Marie sighed at the gesture and leaned her head back against her mother�s chest. They had only been there for a minute or so before they heard the gentle knock on the bedroom door. Alix jerked, her head flying gracefully towards the barrier. But swallowing, she raised her chin and said in a crisp voice, �Yes?� They both saw the turning of the door knob as they waited in dread for who was about to enter, both woman unconsciously expecting their Tsar, Nicholas. But as the sheaf of hair seemed to precede their visitors they both sighed in relief when the door opened and three heads poke in curiously. Olga, Tatiana and even the young Anastasia�s mouths fell open when their eyes searched around the room and finally rested on their mother and sister, sitting on the edge of Alix�s bed, watching the blonde figure who was shifting restlessly in the bed, her head turning from side to side feverly. Marie smiled at her sisters, beckoning them over even as they hesitantly left the doorway and slowly creped over. They were all so different, Marie mused, eyeing them kindly as the walked over, Tatiana gripping the short Anastasia�s hand in her own. Olga, the oldest at 20, had dark blonde hair like their mother, icy blue eyes and a short nose of which she was somewhat self-conscious. A kind person, Marie was always impressed by her frank, honest manner. Sometimes, however, because she was the oldest, Olga could be a bit spoiled and was constantly at odds with her mother, Alexandra. She was more close to Nicholas and got on with him perfectly. A brilliant student, Olga was far better at her studies than the younger three, and liked to make the fact known by teasing her sisters. Although not Tatiana, Marie thought sullenly. They never had fights, the two older girls having best friends since infancy just like her and Anastasia. Tatiana though, didn�t have any excuses why she wasn�t as good a student than her older sister. The 18 year old was only 18 months younger than Olga and was considered the most beautiful of all Alexandra and the Tsar�s daughters. She was tall and slender with long auburn hair and deep set grey eyes. Tatiana loved fashion and dressed in all the latest styles. But to compensate for disliking her studies, the girl was an excellent artist. With a sad frown Marie had to admit that Tatiana was also very reserved. The shy girl was always trying to make other friends her own age but they always failed to become close. Marie smiled as a thought suddenly came to her. Not like Anastasia. The youngest daughter of the Tsar had always been known as the family comic. She was short, stout, with her father�s blue eyes and her mother�s golden hair. Anastasia was also an accomplished mimic, her humour often touching upon sensitive spots, and she could tease ruthlessly at times. Though she was quite intelligent, Anastasia preferred climbing trees over her lessons and was fiercely independent. She was a tomboy and rarely cried. Overall, Ana was a boisterous child who loved taking pictures of her family with her camera. But now, as the three girls reached them all Marie felt was love. Olga sat down beside her mother and Tatiana led the gaping Anastasia over to stand at the end of the bed. �Is she dead?� Tatiana asked quietly, eyeing Buffy critically. But Alexandra only laughed, ruffling Marie�s long hair with her hand. �No, Tattie.� her mother explained gently. �She�s just very sick.� �Wherever did you find her, Mashka?� Olga abruptly asked her sister, reaching out with her graceful hand and touching Buffy�s still arm, seemingly just making sure she was real. Frowning, Marie battered her hand away protectively. �Me and Folkine saw her on the way back from St Petersburg.� she explained, catching Anastasia�s eye and giving a slight nod. The girl�s eyes flew open in alarm, stepping forward to grip the foot of the bed as she stared down at Buffy in a whole new light. She mouthed the words, �America?� and Marie smiled excitedly, this whole exchange going unnoticed by the rest of the family. �What is father going to say?� Tatiana said in a low voice, glancing at her mother with a sly grin. But Alix only sniffed, pushing Tatiana away with a laugh. �I�m sure he would have done the same thing.� Olga coughed, totally disagreeing and her mother gave her an odd look. But whatever further conversation was going to follow was abruptly cut off as Buffy suddenly moaned, squeezing her fist into balls. The five Romanov�s all turned to her expectably, waiting excitedly for her to wake up. And under Alix�s watchful gaze, Buffy sputtered and her eyes fluttered open. She winced at the light, blinking madly to clear her vision. But when she did, the Slayer thought she was dreaming....for staring back at her was a beautiful middle aged woman....and four enchanting teenage girls, their eyes locked on her. Buffy blinked in surprise. |
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| Olga and Tatiana |
| Marie |
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| When the little Grand Duchess Olga was born, the Tsar Nicholas is reported to have said: "I am glad the child is a girl; had it been a boy he would have belonged to the people; being a girl, she belongs to us." |
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