Preservation

The letter from her cousin in Saint Petersburg couldn’t have come at a better time. Ekzhol lost her husband in the Great War and each day she spent in their home in Miyaly, the more depressed she became. It’s been four years since her husband passed and Zhanna offered her an opportunity to work under the Romanovs. Ekzhol quickly wrote a letter telling Zhanna he was coming.
A week later, Ekzhol boarded a train to Saint Petersburg. Her fluttered with the excitement of even being close to the Romanovs, especially Alexandria whom she admired greatly. Snow fell as Ekzhol disembarked the train meeting Zhanna again for the first time in many years. The cousins spent time together in a tavern before heading to the palace. Ekzhol’s new job was a chambermaid.
The actual job didn’t matter to Ekzhol as long as she had something to keep her mind off her husband. Ekzhol enjoyed her duties in the palace and she enjoyed the men in Saint Petersburg and around the palace. She had only seen the Romanovs but never talked with any of them.
When spring had come to Saint Petersburg, Ekzhol relished her afternoon off in the garden. To her surprise, Alexandria appeared in the garden and sat beside her. Zhanna informed Ekzhol never to speak with the Romanovs unless they started the conversation.
“Lovely day, isn’t it?” Alexandria asked.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Have you been working here long?”
“Only since January,” Ekzhol replied.
“Do you like it here?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Ekzhol replied.
After a few moments of silence, Alexandria lost her composure and spilled her troubles to Ekzhol. She listened patiently as Alexandria talked about Nicholas and his poor decision making, her daughters who seem uninterested in marriage, and of Alexei and his disease. That afternoon in the garden a deep and trusting friendship began. Alexandria trusted Ekzhol with every secret and Ekzhol trusted Alexandria with her own not as important secrets. Soon Alexandria promoted Ekzhol to her personal assistant. Ekzhol loved Alexandria as if they were sisters and would never betray her.
***
The revolution worsened Russia, innocent people died all the time. The Czar spent his time locked in his room or somewhere else. Ekzhol, on the other hand walked the streets of Saint Petersburg and visited shops and taverns for any and all information. Then late at night she reported her findings to Alexandria. The discontent in Russia empowered the Bolsheviks.
“What are we going to do?” Ekzhol asked Alexandria.
“I don’t know.”
“The people are unhappy.”
“I know. Nicholas is no help at all.”
“Lenin is more powerful,” Ekzhol said.
“I know,” Alexandria murmured.
“Are you afraid of what might happen?” Ekzhol asked.
“Yes, very.”
***
Ekzhol saw a man part of the Bolsheviks. Anatoly trusted Ekzhol completely and a after a few hits of vodka, he told her everything he knew. Once he passed out she would go to the palace and tell Alexandria. She told Alexandria of the abdication. Alexandria knew there was nothing she could do and wept in Ekzhol’s arms.
After Nicholas’s abdication, the Romanovs were exiled to Yekaterinburg. Ekzhol and Alexandria parted ways but only for a short time.
Anatoly’s commander gave him orders to guard the Romanovs. Anatoly told Ekzhol that he couldn’t be apart from and asked her to marry him. Although, she didn’t love Anatoly, she knew marrying him would bring her close to Alexandria. Ekzhol convinced Anatoly she hated the Romanovs. He believed her and got her job as a cook at the Impatiev House where the Romanovs were kept.
Ekzhol passed notes to Alexandria in her meals and Alexandria wrote back. Ekzhol knew her husband always knew what was going on so she made sure the vodka was always handy.
One cool night in July, Ekzhol cleaned up the dishes. As she gathered dishes from the dining room she overheard some soldiers, including Anatoly talking.
“Tomorrow night,” one man said.
“How?” Anatoly asked.
“Doesn’t matter. Lenin wants them to disappear,” the man replied.
“All?” someone else asked.
“Everyone. He said it’s time to do a little cleaning.”
The men laughed. Anatoly raised his glass, “To us gentlemen, for cleaning out Russia.” They cheered and drank.
Ekzhol knew Alexandria was in danger. She had to think of a plan to save her and Alexei since he could be the Czar one day.
She stole a uniform Anatoly and another to fit Alexei. While the men smoked and rank after supper she sought Alexandria.
“Ekzhol, what’s wrong?” Alexandria asked.
“They’re going to kill you and Nicholas and the children,” Ekzhol whispered.
Alexandria said nothing.
“I know a way you and Alexei can leave,” she said, “do you trust me?”
“How?” Alexandria asked.
Ekzhol produced the uniforms, “I can save you and Alexei but I can’t save the others.”
Alexandria paled at the though of her husband and daughters dying but she could save herself and save the future Czar, “all right,” she said.
Ekzhol worked diligently as she Alexandria’s black locks to look like a man. Alexandria dressed and the women went to Alexei. Hi mother told him nothing nor did he ask almost as if he knew. After mother and child were dressed, Ekzhol checked the hallway- empty. The trio walked to a set of steps used by workers and soldiers.
They crept into the kitchen, Ekzhol heard the men in the basement; laughing and carrying on. She poked her head outside and the guard had left his post to join the others. It was midnight and night duty entailed drinking to stay warm and staying awake. Ekzhol led the group onto the grounds.
Marching to the edge of the woods, Ekzhol knew they had to move fast since the men did as they pleased and could come around at anytime. After an hour of walking in the darkness, they rested for a short while.
By daybreak, Ekzhol left Alexandria and Alexei in an abandoned cottage and searched for food and clothing. She a found a farm further down the road. A stoutly woman hung clothes. Ekzhol greeted her and offered her a good deal of money for clothes and some food.
She retuned to the cottage. The remaining Romanovs changed into their peasant clothes. After eating, Alexandria spoke, “what now?”
“I guess we’ll go to Miyaly. We should be safe there,” Ekzhol said.
“And if not?”
“We’ll keep going. We’ll just keep it secret until Alexei is ready.”
“What do you think happened?” Alexandria asked with tears falling from her eyes.
“I don’t know I can’t bear to think of it.”
The spent the day walking to a train station. Ekzhol spent the rest of her money on train tickets to Kazakhstan. Alexandria and Ekzhol breathed easier as the train left Russia.