Saving the Romanov family #18

ГА РФ, ф. 683 оп. 1 д. 125 л. 17 фото 281

Copenhagen, December 1918

We were given shelter in Amalienborg, home of the Danish royal family. The Romanovs were jubilant, especially when they were informed there's a Russian Orthodox Church nearby. Over the next few days, the refugees began to go their separate ways. The Konstantinovich and Alexandrovich families left for Stockholm on the invitation of the Swedish queen while others went to France and England.

Our mission was finally complete. Where the Romanov family go from here is up to them. I advised Nicholas and Alexandra to avoid politics and not respond to any more letters from purported monarchists. Writing their memoirs for posterity is enough. It won't stop the Soviets from demonizing the Romanovs, but at least they'll get to tell their side of the story, something they were never given the chance to do in my time. Above all, I urged against ever going back to Russia, otherwise our efforts were for nothing. Their only responsibility now is to their five children.

The Professor met the Romanov family with a bountiful supply of clotting factor for Alexei. He was careful not to say anything about the future. The grand duchesses were sorry to see us go. They cannot thank us enough for all that we've done for them. There was no royal ball and no formal ceremony, just an icon and a Faberge egg for each of us from the Romanov family as farewell gifts. This was a covert rescue and we wish to remain a secret. If anyone asked the Romanovs about their escape from Russia, they'll deny any participation or even knowledge of our existence.

The five of us left the palace at nightfall to find a secluded location to return to the present. We didn't inform the Romanovs we were leaving. Tatiana discovered our departure and caught up with us. She handed me a photo album with her monogram on the cover, then slowly leaned forward to kiss me before running back to the palace. She never said a word.

We set out to rescue seven Romanovs and ended up saving the lives of over 40 people. The Professor was pleased with the mission's outcome, though he believes we should've killed Yurovsky. He can't be certain what the present will be like. If we return to our timeline where the Romanovs were murdered, I'll visit their graves at the Peter and Paul Cathedral to pay my respects. If it's a parallel universe affected by our actions, I'll still visit their graves and locate their descendents, if there are any.

No matter what happens, I cannot deny that this has been an incredible journey. It wasn't just the time travel, the rescues or having the upper hand over the regicides. It was Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia. They were my greatest adventure.

Saving the Romanov family #17

ГА РФ, ф. 673. оп. 1 д. 203 л. 10

Norwegian Sea, November 1918

Most of the refugees were on deck watching Murmansk fade into the distance. The Romanovs have finally been evacuated from Russia. Now the Standart is all that remains of their beloved home. In this timeline, Olga lived to celebrate her 23rd birthday. I presented her with belongings and valuables Geralt and I recovered from the Alexander Palace in Tsarskoe Selo, notably several Faberge eggs and photo albums the Romanovs left behind before their deportation to Tobolsk. It was my last surprise for her and her family. Olga was moved to tears. Her only regret was that we couldn't take Cisco with us.

The yacht was in poor condition when Geralt and I found her in Kronstadt. Revolutionaries used her as a barracks ship, stripping or defacing all the original furnishings. The Romanovs nonetheless occupied their cabins without complaint. Since the four of us were short-handed, Nicholas and his children were willing to help out anywhere they could, even offering to assist Chief in the engine room. They'll probably have to sell the yacht one day to pay for their expenses, but at least they get to sail on her again.

For once in a long time, the Romanovs were out of danger. More importantly, they were free. Anastasia was so happy that she was on the foredeck screaming with Alexei. The refugees wanted to contribute a portion of their remaining valuables to make a tidy sum as a reward for rescuing them. Neither me nor my companions accepted it. They'll need it more than we do. Such kindness reminded Olga that there are still good people left in the world, restoring her faith in humankind.

Ultimately, I chose not to tell OTMA that we were from the future. They would've plied us with questions and I don't want them to think the grass is greener where we're from. Telling them my real name and where I was born satisfied their curiosity, though I stopped short of letting them see my face. Olga has been impressed with our extraordinary fighting abilities, overcoming superior numbers while barely taking a scratch. She wonders where we received our combat training. Olga is smarter than I thought.

One evening, the grand duchesses messed around with me in the wheelhouse while I was on duty. Maria removed her scarf and wrapped it around my neck, believing I was cold. After Aragorn took over the helm, the grand duchesses stayed with me in the captain's cabin, resting on a sofa. Maria and Anastasia fell asleep on either side of me. They had been craving this proximity ever since we left the Ipatiev House. I looked like a brother to Olga and Tatiana, watching over the little pair with great affection. I have come to value them more than my own life. The Professor plans to meet us in Copenhagen, where the Romanov family will finally come face to face with the man who made this rescue possible.

Saving the Romanov family #16

ГА РФ, ф. 673 оп. 1 д. 204 л. 21 об.

 

Murmansk, October 1918

Maria was up early to fetch water. I had a surprise for the Romanov family and since she was the first to awake, I took her with me to the harbour. I told her to close her eyes before we came within sight of the harbour. When I let her open them, she saw the imperial yacht Standart moored in the distance. Her eyes adjusted for a moment before she turned and threw her arms around me, almost throwing me off balance. She missed me so much.

I did the same for her sisters when they awoke, taking them to the yacht one by one. Olga broke down in tears when she saw it and Tatiana almost fell to her knees, crying on my shoulder. Anastasia was the hardest to surprise. She kept trying to peek so I had to blindfold her. She burst into joy after I removed the blindfold. Another surprise for the Romanovs was their friend Anna Vyrubova, whom I managed to locate while in Petrograd. Geralt and I wanted to drop her off in Copenhagen while we continued to Murmansk, but she was eager to be reunited with the Romanov family.

No one in her family or entourage could believe it. Geralt and I liberated the Standart from under the very noses of the Petrograd Soviet. I didn't go into detail as to how we infiltrated Petrograd, the epicentre of Red Terror. What matters is we finally have a ship. Olga said she would've been horrified if she had known what I was planning. She will never forget this. It's been four years since the Romanov family last sailed on the Standart and three years since they last saw it. Soon they will get to sail on her again.

The Standart needs a refit for the long voyage ahead. We planned to depart on November 16, the day after Olga's birthday which would be her last in Russia, but she is prepared to leave as soon as the yacht is ready to sail. It doesn't matter to her where she celebrates her birthday. The Russia she loved is gone. At least she'll get to celebrate her birthday on the Standart, the imperial family's home from home.

While the Standart was in transit through Denmark, the Danish royal family supplied us with provisions for the journey. In return, they asked us to bring the imperial refugees to Copenhagen where they will be granted asylum. Fitting, seeing as the Standart was built there. A few refugees had grown too comfortable in Murmansk, believing evacuation was unnecessary now that the Allies were here. I had to explain to them that the war-weary Allied troops had no desire to fight another conflict and the White Army was politically divided. The anti-Bolshevik movement was a lost cause.

Before Geralt and I captured the yacht, we went to Moscow to pay Lenin a visit at his dacha, the Bolshevik dictator responsible for murdering the Romanov family. He was recovering from a failed assassination attempt. I let him know I wasn't fooling around, driving a bayonet into the palm of his hand which pinned him to the bed. I threatened him at axe point to leave the Romanov family alone, then we disappeared into the darkness.

I ought to have done the world a favour and put Lenin down. But I didn't travel through time to kill a monster. We've meddled enough with history. The Russians can keep him since they love him so much. He won't live long anyway.

Saving the Romanov family #15

ГА РФ. Ф. 683. Оп. 1. Д. 125. № 414

Murmansk, August 1918

The rescue party was forewarned of the Finnish Legion at the train station. Igor and I awaited their arrival while also keeping a watchful eye on the legionnaires. It took my companions days to find every Romanov relative. Anyone they could not locate was either in the Crimea or had already escaped Russia. My companions said Petrograd was a hellhole. They had to incite a mass prison break at Spalernaia prison as a diversion in order to rescue the four grand dukes incarcerated there.

There are over 40 refugees now. More Romanov relatives than I thought, a few of them accompanied by their own loyal staff. The Konstantinovich family is by far the largest. Elizabeth Mavrikievna, her brother-in-law Dmitry, two daughters-in-law, seven children and four grandchildren are present. Vladimir Paley's parents, two sisters and two of Sergei Mikhailovich's brothers are also present. Any more relatives and I'll have to create a list.

The new arrivals were warned about the flu pandemic and advised to practice good hygiene. The Romanov family busied themselves by helping their relatives settle into temporary accommodations. Paul Alexandrovich is in very poor health and is being looked after by his wife Olga Paley with some help from Dr Botkin. Not all the relatives seem happy to be here. Some of them are still bitter towards Nicholas and Alexandra for their association with Rasputin. Olga is devoted to her father and it saddens her to see so much scorn for him.

I gave everyone the ill news that the British squadron will not evacuate us. We've ruled out going back to Arkhangelsk as getting a ride on one of the Allied troopships runs the risk of catching the virus. It's been days and we should've received word that the king had sent a ship by now. Can't afford to wait anymore. I didn't tell the refugees what I plan to do next, only that I'll be leaving Murmansk for a while. They'll probably think I'm insane if I told them. Geralt has volunteered to go with me as he doesn't want to babysit the refugees.

After leaving instructions with Aragorn and Chief, Geralt and I stocked up on supplies before heading out. OTMA saw us leaving and thought we were embarking on another rescue mission. They wished us luck. I left Cisco behind to give the grand duchesses some company. For now the Romanovs will continue to live in Russia, but they are not out of danger yet.

Saving the Romanov family #14

ГА РФ, ф. 683 оп. 1 д. 125 л. 14

Murmansk, July 1918

Woke up one morning to discover an insignia of Anastasia's regiment, the 148th Caspian Infantry, on my shoulder sleeve. Anastasia took my jacket while I was asleep and sewed it on. It bothered her that we have no insignias, so she made me a soldier of her regiment, affectionately calling me her darling Caspian. The actual regiment was disbanded after the revolution. Still, I won't disappoint her.

We've split into two groups. Aragorn believes he can rescue the other Romanov relatives in Petrograd, but he needed Master Chief and Geralt to go with him. It was a risky operation which I reluctantly agreed to. They were joined by Sergei Mikhailovich, Vladimir Paley, Ioann Konstantinovich and his brother Konstantin. Ioann's brother Igor stayed with the convoy because of his fragile health. After the convoy reached the outskirts of Arkhangelsk, the rescue party headed off to Petrograd, into the lion's den.

I warned the refugees about the deadly influenza pandemic before we entered Arkhangelsk. The city was bustling with Allied and White Army troops. We left our vehicles behind when we reached the port, using them to barter for passage across the White Sea. After crossing the sea by boat, we got on a train to Murmansk, finally getting there at dusk. The train station was guarded by the Finnish Legion, a Royal Navy unit composed of communist volunteers. It was only because I was in British Army uniform that they didn't detain Nicholas and Alexandra.

The admiral of the British North Russia Squadron has good relations with the Murmansk Soviet and he preferred to keep the peace by refusing to help the Romanov family. His priority was to defend Murmansk from the German-backed White Guard, hence the Finnish Legion. He gave his word that they won't harm the Romanov family, but I'll be keeping an eye on them. There has also been no word from the king, thus we're stranded in Murmansk unless we can find a ship that will take us abroad. With potential hostiles in the town and my companions away, I supplied Igor with ammunition for his rifle and gave Olga my M1911 pistol. I told her to be careful with it. Hopefully she won't need to use it.

Once the refugees had settled into temporary accommodations, Igor took the first watch while Tatiana and I went to have a look around. She's elated to see the sea again, something she'd missed so much in captivity. Alexandra and Alexei's health have improved both physically and mentally since leaving Ekaterinburg. Tatiana fears I may have burdened her family with a debt they can never fully repay. I'm just glad she's happy. On the way back to our lodgings, I lifted Tatiana off her feet and carried her the rest of the way. She's never looked at me with a blush before. I would've locked eyes with her too if only I didn't have to watch the road. Her life was in my hands.

Saving the Romanov family #13

ГА РФ. Ф. 683. Оп. 1. Д. 125. № 433

En route to Arkhangelsk, July 1918

The convoy didn't cover much distance today. Empress Alexandra was tired so we had to stop to let her rest. The four of us scouted the surrounding area and harassed a few Red Army patrols that strayed too close. Upon returning to the camp, we reviewed a map of the area. Anastasia took an interest in our meeting and silently watched us from behind.

Nicholas and his daughters were smoking cigarettes. I felt compelled to let them know that it was bad for their health, something that wasn't known during the Great War. People still smoke in the future, but the lives of the Romanovs are important to me and I hope I can encourage them to quit, especially OTMA. If the Bolsheviks don't kill them, smoking will. It was another vital piece of medical knowledge for Dr Botkin.

Anastasia later went for a walk with her pet dog Jimmy. I accompanied her in case she ventured too far from the camp. While we were walking along a river bank, she bent over to look into the water. She lost her balance and nearly fell forward, but I caught her with my hands. That was when I felt jewels hidden in her blouse, and there was a lot of them. Anastasia was embarrassed. She said the jewels are her family's valuables. Her sisters also have them sewn into their underclothes and they're carrying them for their mother. Not that they don't trust us, they just didn't think of another way to carry them. I promised to keep her secret.

The grand duchesses took the phonograph from their luggage and used it to play music in the evening. Ioann Konstantinovich danced with his wife Helena to lift the refugees' spirits. The couple later asked me if it was safe for them to go to Petrograd to pick up their two children, who are being looked after by Ioann's mother Elizabeth Mavrikievna. I advised against it as the Petrograd Soviet will recognize Ioann. Come to think of it, in preventing the murders at Ekaterinburg and Alapaevsk, we may have unwittingly endangered the lives of other Romanov relatives still in Petrograd. The Bolsheviks could unleash their anger on them.

Went behind a vehicle to run diagnostics on my cyberware optics. The program was almost done scanning when Maria appeared. She expressed her gratitude for the rescue. It's been a while since armed men treated her family with kindness and respect. She feels like a grand duchess again. Before Maria left, she could've sworn she saw my eyes glowing orange. Lines of code would appear in my optics during diagnostics, making the iris glow. Next time I'll be sure to keep my eyes closed.

Saving the Romanov family #12

"Потопление Мордвинова"
ГА РФ ф. 683 оп. 1 д. 125 л. 20

En route to Arkhangelsk, July 1918

We cautiously infiltrated the enemy frontline under the cover of darkness. The diversion we created gave the Red Army soldiers the impression they were under attack by a large force. While they were distracted, the convoy was able to pass through unnoticed. The refugees were in awe at the flares, explosions and gunfire when we rejoined them and continued on our way. Most of them have never seen combat before.

A few miles into enemy territory, we came across an abandoned Gulag. The prisoners had been massacred by the retreating Cheka, probably to prevent the Czechoslovaks from liberating them. The half-dug graves suggest they left in a hurry. The bodies had been stripped and mutilated similar to what Yurovsky would've done to the Romanov family. I warned the refugees to stay back but some of them wanted to see it for themselves. Despite Empress Alexandra's protests, we didn't bury the bodies and moved on. We had lingered long enough.

We set up camp in the evening. Our Mosin-Nagant rifles were passed on to the princes Ioann, Konstantin, Igor and Vladimir Paley, seeing as they were decorated war heroes before the revolution, though I stopped short of supplying them with ammunition. For now I only trust my companions with loaded firearms. Giving them bayonets for fixing to their rifles is enough.

A few refugees were gathered around a small campfire. They couldn't sleep after such an eventful day. I tried to take Olga's mind off it by asking her to think of a good memory, something that made her really happy. That was when she began reminiscing about one of her family trips to Mogilev in the summer of 1916, when they messed around with an officer by the name of Anatoly Mordvinov and sort of tried to drown him in the Dnieper river. Her sisters also remembered that day and spoke fondly of it, giggling for a bit. I finally saw Olga smile, though it slowly disappeared when she wondered what happened to him and the officers in the tsar's escort.

The grand duchesses speak to us in English nowadays. They had long suspected from our accents that we were not Russians. It disappointed them once I confirmed their suspicions, for they had hoped to be rescued by their compatriots, particularly someone they knew. But anyone still loyal to their father is either dead or powerless to help. Now their fates are in the hands of us mysterious foreigners. Nonetheless, they are deeply indebted to us for our aid.