Anastasia

Novelized by RedWolfZakuro

Disclaimer: I do not own this movie, or story, or anything in it. I just felt like writing it out.

Chapter One: Once Upon a December

There was a time, not very long ago, when we lived in an enchanted world of elegant palaces and grand parties. The year was 1913, and my son, Nicholas was the Czar of Imperial Russia. We were celebrating the 300th anniversary of our family rule, and that night no star burned brighter than that of our sweet Anastasia, my youngest granddaughter. She begged me not to return to Paris, so I had a special gift for her, to make the separation easier, for both of us.

"Oh, for me?" she squealed with delight as I handed her the little golden box. "Is it a jewelry box?"

"Look," I said, and placed a key in a hidden lock. The top opened and a waltz tinkled out, making her giggle again, her eyes wide with wonder.

"It plays our lullaby!"

"Yes. You can play it at night before you go to sleep and pretend that it's me singing." She joined me in the song: "On the wind, 'Cross the sea, Hear this song and remember: Soon you'll be, Home with me, Once upon a December." I then gave her the key, which was a necklace. "Read what it says," I told her.

"Together… in Paris," she read. "OH, really, Grandmamma?" She gave me one of her precious hugs and I smiled. But was not to be.

The people twirled about in their dance, beautiful as any royal, and no one would have believed them unhappy. But the spark of unhappiness had been fanned into a flame that would soon destroy our lives forever.

Two weeks later, there was a siege on the palace. As we tried to leave, she turned back to find her music box. I followed her, but they had broken into the palace. We were trapped in that little room.

"Hurry, Anastasia," I tried to move her towards the door.

A servant boy, who I now vaguely remember, came into the room. He had a panicked look on his face. "Anastasia! They're looking for you! You have to get out of here." His perfectly parted hair flew around his face as he grabbed her arm and pulled her to a hidden door. "Come this way, through the servants quarters!" He pushed me through the door too. Anastasia dropped her music box in the room once again, but the boy hurried her away. "Go, go!" He shut the door, and we heard a crash as the guards broke into the room.

There were distant voices demanding, "Where are they, boy?" We heard no reply except a series of crashes. We breathed with relief as we reached the train station.

"Oh, no! Hurry. Keep up with me, darling! We caught up with the moving train, and the passengers pulled me on, but my little Anastasia could not keep up. "Take my hand, oh, Anastasia!" She grasped it for seconds, but slipped away as the train gained speed. "Anastasia!" I cried, but the others on the train would not let me off. The last I saw of her was lying with the Paris necklace next to the track.

What had always been was now gone forever, and Anastasia, my beloved Anastasia…I never saw her again…

AN-This is just the introduction. I promise the next chapter will be longer. Also, I'm taking the fantasy out of it, just to make it less Disney (I know it's Fox). I don't know if anybody will even read this. But if you do, please review. I really want to know how I'm doing. Actually, I just saw the movie a few days ago for the first time, but I think I can write it. It's one of my many mini-obsessions. So, yeah. Please review.