God Save the Queen (28 page)

Epilogue

Five Years Later

             
The interview was in less than half an hour. I was almost done with my hair, which was good because I didn’t want anything getting on this white sundress. I looked in the mirror as people were rushing around behind me, shouting orders. Suddenly I saw Rachel, the temporary lady-in-waiting, run up toward me. Mari and Avery were both out at the moment--Avery for bed rest, and Mari because she and Barnes had decided that this would be the perfect time (three years and one baby later) to take their long-postponed honeymoon. Rachel was not remotely as calm as they were, and today was definitely not the best day for her to start.

             
“Umm…ma’am…Your Majesty…” she stuttered behind me.

             
I turned around from my dressing table and tried to settle her down by placing my hand on her arm. “Rachel, please. It’s Anya. Now take a deep breath and tell me what it is.”

             
“Yes, ma’am,” she said, and I waited patiently as she composed herself. “Ma’am, the photographer wants to know where the duchess and dukes are, and if they’re ready.”

             
A sudden panic swept through me. “Oh no, the photographer--I completely forgot!” I got up and ran out of my room to the hallway. Praise the gods, Antonio was just then passing by. “Oh, thank heavens! Can you get Maria for me, please?”

             
Antonio gave me a reassuring smile as soon as he saw my panicked state. “No problem, where is she?”

             
“Taking her nap, and you know it takes her forever to get her going. If you could bring her here, we’ll get her dressed and ready to go….”

             
“Consider it done,” he said, but before he could get away I grabbed his arm. “Did I say happy anniversary today?”

             
“That you did,” he said with a nod. “I really can’t believe it’s been two years. Avery is just as shocked.”

             
“Well, don’t worry, it only gets even more shocking as time goes on,” I said, speaking with the authority of a four-year veteran of the married state. “Speaking of which, where’s my better half?”

             
“Right behind you,” Antonio said with a grin, and then went off to fetch Maria.

             
“Oh, Kevin, there you are! Can you go wake up the twins? I… my, what kind of get-up did they put you in?”

             
“Oh, don’t you start,” Kevin muttered, looking down unhappily at his ensemble. “You really think I want to wear an all-white outfit?”

             
“Relax, we’re all wearing white, so it’ll be perfect for the photo,” I said as I fussed with the collar on his shirt. “And you need to go wake the boys. The photographer’s ready for us.”

             
“Okay,” he said and pulled me into his arms. “By the way, I don’t think I told you this today, but…” He kissed my forehead. “…I love you.”

             
“I love you too,” I said as I kissed him on the lips. “But I won’t love you anymore if the boys aren’t ready to go in two minutes. Now go!” I said, pushing him away.

             
“Farewell, my love!” he yelled dramatically as he walked away. I rolled my eyes and turned around to see Antonio walking with Maria hand-in-hand down the hallway.

             
“There’s my girl!” I cried, holding out my arms. “Hello, my little darling!”

             
My three-year-old daughter Maria began to squirm from my arms the minute I held her. Like her parents, she had the spirit of a fighter. Once she broke free, she started running around, her blonde ringlets bouncing with each step. I couldn’t help but laugh at her little sailor suit dress.

             
Kevin arrived just then, holding the twins in his arms, both outfitted in matching sailor suits.

             
“Just woke up, but they should be fine,” he said as he carefully put them down.

             
At eighteen months, Dimitri and Viktor had become quite adept walkers. Dimi and Viktor were the apple of our eyes and a major aspect to both Kevin’s and my family’s life. Kevin was the last-born male member in his family and, well, my family’s history is legendary. These two little cooing boys were the reminder that the Romanov curse was finally broken.

             
Rachel suddenly burst on the scene again. “Miss Anya, ma’am, we really have to--”

             
“We’re coming, Rachel,” I said as we all made our way down the hallway.

*
              *              *

             
“So how does it feel, being married for five years?” the reporter asked. “And at such a young age?”

             
Kevin and I looked at each other as we each balanced a twin on our laps. Maria was sitting on the floor, happily playing with her dolls.

             
“Well, it’s been wonderful,” I said, turning to smile at Kevin. “What do you…”

             
“Wonderful, yes,” he said, pulling me in for a little squeeze. “But there’s got to be a word more wonderful than
wonderful.
If you think of it, you can call it that. It’s been everything and more than I’d ever hoped it would be.”

             
The reporter, obviously charmed, beamed along with us. “Now, many people know about the whole ordeal with you two and Michael. How has that relationship with him been since then?”

             
“We’ve all remained friends,” Kevin said. “He and his fiancée Emily are coming over tonight to have dinner with us.”

As the reporter jotted it down in her pad, I gave Kevin an approving nod. That was one question I was glad to be asked. We both w
anted to make sure that the world understood that there were no hard feelings with Michael, even after five years.

             
“And what about your children? Three children in two years! How has your life changed that way?”

             
“In every way imaginable,” I said, holding Viktor close to me as I looked down at Maria playing at my feet. “They’re our world now, and there’s nothing that I would do to change that. Of course, we’re fortunate to have a wonderful staff to keep an eye on them when we’re called away, but even five minutes away from my darlings is too long. I miss them terribly.”

             
“Five minutes?” said Kevin. “More like two.”

             
I gave him a playful punch on his arm as the reporter laughed. “Just a few more questions,” she pressed on. “How has the kidnapping changed your outlook on life? For the both of you?”

             
I shifted uncomfortably at the mere mention of the incident. Kevin and I never really liked to talk about it, but we’d come to expect it from reporters. “Well, I think it taught us both that there are no guarantees in life and each day is a precious gift,” I said. “It certainly brought the two of us closer and made us realize that we needed each other in our lives.”

Kevin was looking at the ground
but nodded his agreement. “Next question?”

             
“Well, this is actually my last one. Where’s your favorite place in the world?”

             
“Anywhere Anya is,” Kevin said without hesitation.

             
And I added, “Anywhere Kevin is.”

*
              *              *             

             
Later that night, Kevin and I were lying in bed, reading our books. Something had been preying on my mind and I couldn’t keep it to myself any longer. I set my open book on my lap and sighed.

Kevin looked up and put his book down too. He knew that something wasn’t right and of course, he wanted to address it before it got to me.

              “Hmm? What is it, An?”

             
“It’s nothing, I just… never mind.” But I couldn’t lie to him. It wasn’t ‘nothing’; it was something important on my mind. “I think maybe I lied…no, I
did
lie, no maybe about it… to the reporter today.”

             
Kevin put his book down too and reached for my hand. “Really? I hope it wasn’t treasonous or anything… and we’ll have to lock you up in the tower like Rapunzel. Wait--do we even
have
a tower? Maybe we should have one built. ‘Cause I’d like to put Ms. Rontes in it for giving me such a teensy sliver of cake for dessert.”

             
“Kevin! I’m serious.”

He took my hand in both of his and gave me a peck on the cheek. “Sorry, I guess I didn’t think that lying to a reporter was such a big deal. Okay, so w
hat did you lie about?”

             
“About what our favorite place was… I lied about that.”

             
Kevin sat straight and gave me a playful hurt look. “You mean your favorite place isn’t with me?”

             
“No, it definitely
is
with you, but it’s not just anywhere with you.”

             
“So, wait, it’s a certain place?”

             
“Yes!” I said, relieved that he understood.

Kevin
was quiet for a moment, just nodded as he thought. “Aha! I got it.
La Salle en Verre?
”

“Nope.”

That surprised him. “But I thought that was our favorite room, at least here in the palace.”

“It’s our favorite
room,
I’ll grant you that. But what’s my favorite
place?
”

“Ooo, sneaky,” he said, narrowing his eyes at me. “I didn’t know it’d be a trick question. I give up.
Where is it?”

             
I laughed just thinking about it. “Well…I don’t know if I should tell you. It’s kind of corny.”

             
Kevin held up his hand. “Hold on there, you can’t tell me because it’s corny? You think I can’t appreciate corny? An, I’m the corniest guy you’ll ever meet. Come on, tell me…” he said, leaning in close for a kiss.

             
“No!” I said, laughing as I pushed him away. “It’s not just corny, it’s… personal.” I wasn’t going to give in. It was my place, my own little secret place.

             
“Really?” he said, kissing me on the forehead. “Not even if I do this?” He kissed me on the lips. “Please…?”

             
“Kevin! No, come on now, give it up,” I murmured. “Persuasion never works. It just leaves us with more kids.”

             
“Ha! So it does work!” he said triumphantly.

             
I rolled my eyes and groaned. “You win. Fine, I’ll tell you!” I took a deep breath and sighed. “My favorite place…is in your arms.”

             
Kevin looked at me for a moment and then roared with laughter. It was so loud, I was afraid that he was going to wake the kids, so I punched him in the arm to shut him up. “It’s not funny!” I said. “I
meant
it.”

             
“I know, An, and I swear I’m not laughing at you,” he said between gasps. “I’m laughing because I didn’t guess the answer and I knew it all along!”

My mouth dropped open. “You did?”

“Sure, every time I hold you I can feel you… how can I say it without sounding arrogant? I feel you, um…”

“Melting?”

“Melting, that’s it,” he said, pulling me into his arms. “You love being there, and honestly, I love holding you. I love knowing that when you’re there, you feel safe and loved, and I
love
that feeling.”

             
I looked up at Kevin and smiled. “You do?”

             
“Of course I do.”

             
“Well, what if I said I want you to hold me in your arms forever? You think you can handle that?”

             
“As long as I can take an occasional break to hold the kids, or use the remote control, I’m willing to hold you in my arms forever.” He held me tighter, kissing me on the top of my head.

             
“Forever?”

             
“Forever and ever and ever and ever…”

             
And sure enough, I melted.