Ivan thought it was better if he stayed out of sight for Russia and Germany was having major conflict and a presence of a Russian man, not to forget a Red guard may ruin my chances to be heard.
Please tell the Kaiser that his niece, the Grandducchess Olga, Her Imperial Highness wishes to be presented to him" I said in a regal and commanding manner.
The guards laughed. In front of their eyes, they saw me, a young woman dressed in a peasant clothes, a far cry from a Princess. I looked like a beggar. One guard asked me to leave before he put me inside an asylum for he thought I was mad.
"My name is Maria Romanov. Third daughter of Tsar Nicholas ll, late Emperor and King of all Russia, murdered by the Bolsheviks. Sister of the Tsarevich Alexei, the new and only Tsar, Emperor and King" I boldly said.
I never knew where this courage came from.. I just knew that I needed to see the Kaiser before something bad happen to my brother.
The guards face turned pale. " My lord, she is indeed the Grandducchess! I remembered seeing her inside the carriage when the Tsar visited his cousin the Kaiser". An older guard screamed.
Escorted inside the palace, I was led inside a room
and not long after, I saw Papa's most despised creature. The one he used to call a viper.
With a very sharp eyes, he asked " Is it true that Nicky is dead?
I curtsied to him and answered " You are correct Your Majesty. The Tsar, the Tsarina, the Grandducchesses Olga, Tatiana and Anastasia were all executed and burned by the Bolsheviks.
Kaiser: And who are you?
Maria: I am Maria, the Tsar's 3rd daughter. Grandducchess and Princess of all Russia.
The Kaiser laughed and exclaimed " How am I supposed to believe you? Look at yourself! You look more of a chimney worker!"
Maria: Papa said you that you are crippled and that one of your legs are shorter than the other, he also said to that you have clubbed fingers on your left hand that you often hide it with your gloves..
And when you were young boys, Uncle Georgie made you cry when he teased you about your head being twisted by a forcep when you were born, and your face was twisted. It only became normal after several days.
From that moment, I knew that he already acknowledged me as who I really was. He knew that I was telling the truth.
The words I said were his deep secrets. Only the adults in his family and our extended family had that knowledge about these conditions. He bullied all his relatives to hide his insecurities from his childhood disabilities.
The Kaiser ordered a his servant. " Prepare a room for the Grandducchess. Wash, dress, give everything she needs."
Then he walked away, his face turned red, visibly embarrassed by the revelation about his secrets.
"What will he do to me?" I asked myself
"Is he going to give me refuge? Use me as a puppet? Or will he turn me over to the Bolsheviks in exchange of a deal for his own hidden agendas?"
Did I make the right choice? Or was it the beginning of the end for me and for the new young Tsar?