On an enormous, decorated bed in a needlessly large dark room, a girl is sleeping peacefully. All of a sudden, the girl sat up quickly on her bed; it was as if she was just pretending to sleep. 

"Dear Anna, did you sleep? What is wrong?" A gentle voice rang beside the bed. It was an elderly woman sitting on the chair next to the bed.

Anna did not say anything as she quickly got out of bed and walked to the table on the further side of the room. Her actions are done with such haste that the elderly woman simply followed her.

 

 

'Quickly, I need to write it down, before I forget.' Such thoughts echoed in Anna's mind as soon as she woke up.

In her eyes, she can see the dark room as if it was daytime. After arriving at the large writing desk, she quickly opened the drawers. She took out papers, a fountain pen, and an inkwell.

She quickly filled the pen with ink and started writing on the paper. Under the cover of darkness, Anna perfectly wrote what the host told her at the tea party.

The elderly woman simply stood behind Anna. She did not want to disturb Anna because of Anna's serious expression.

It took plenty of time before Anna put down the pen in her hands.

Afterward, Anna turned to look at the elderly woman.

"Grandma... is the Muscovy Empire sick?" Anna asked in a feeble voice. 

There was a deafening silence in the room.

The grandmother finally answered. "Dear... you're still too young to worry about these things."

 "Former Queen Maria Feodorovna, is the empire sick?" Anna asked again in a firmer tone.

The grandmother let out a deep sigh.

"When I married your grandpa, he forbade me from involving in politics."

"However, I wasn't completely oblivious to the state of the empire. I have my people to find the empire's situation."

The former queen began recollecting her memories.

"Your grandpa was a reactionary man. When he became the king, he reversed many of the reforms made by my father-in-law."

Anna asked curiously.

"Why? Won't the reforms make the empire more prosperous? "

The elderly woman looked at the windows as if reminiscing.

"I don't know my child. Maybe it's because the nobles are agitated due to his father's reform. Maybe he hated the revolutionary people who killed his father."

Maria moves her gaze from the windows back to Anna.

"At least your father is more open to reform like your great-grandfather. Maybe he can direct this empire into a better tomorrow." She tried to comfort Anna.

"Haha!" Anna bitterly laughed.

"Grandma Maria, I'm going to talk to father later today. I don't want to see Muscovy vanish without doing anything." Anna said with a firm conviction.

'My cute little child she remembered is now a ferocious beast,' Grandma Maria thought to herself.

 

 

In the capital of Muscovy is the Great Peter Palace. This is where the Tsar governs the entire Muscovy Empire. Right now, in the lavish halls, a young woman is walking unimpeded.

'Ever since I saw the tea party host's clothes of simple elegance, these white and golden halls are now gaudy.' Anna thought to herself as she went forward.

Soon she stopped in front of her goal. It was two white doors decorated in gold engravings. On both sides of the door are two Muscovy imperial guards with deadpan expressions.

Anna slowly approaches the door and knocked, then she stepped back away from the door.

'Knock' 'knock' 'knock'

The door opened and a tall lanky man stepped out.

"Terenty, may I speak with father," Anna asked the tall man. 

Terenty did not reply, but simply gestured for Anna to inside.

Anna entered the room. It was a large study filled with a collection of relics accumulated by the previous Tsar. Anna can count on her hand how many times she has been here. In the middle of the room is a desk filled with papers and another man.

"Princess Anna Romanov greets Nikolai II, Emperor, and Autocrat of All the Muscovy." Anna did a curtsy.

"Anna dear... what are you wearing?" Nikolai asked puzzledly when he lifted his gaze from the papers in his hands. 

Unlike her usual clothes, Anna is currently wearing a simple pink dress with minimal frills.

"Do you like it, father? I requested the royal seamstress to make it " Anna said as spun around showcasing her dress to her father.

"It certainly is ... unique. But what happened to your other dresses." Nikolai asked worriedly. 

"Father, thank you. I just think sometimes less is more." Anna answered confidently.

"Less is more... huh. What profound words. Well, what brings my cute scholar to visit me personally." Nikolai asked.

The Romanov members rarely visits the Great Peter Palace unless it is a special occasion. Most of the time, the Romanovs stay at Catherine Palace.  

Anna paused and clenched her fist tightly. After taking a deep breath, she looked at her father and asked.

"Well, ... father... I was thinking I want a government position."

The room was silent.

"Absolutely not. Anna, you are simply too young!" Nikolai II said in a firm voice.

"I just want to help father with his work," Anna said in a sad tone.

"I.. No Anna." Nikolai II's voice faltered a bit.

"..." Anna looked at her father with a pitiful expression.

"Fine. Just stop that expression." He finally surrendered.

Anna beamed a smile at her father.

"Seriously this child. she and her mother are really similar." Nikolai grumbled as he fixed his posture.

Nikolai cleared his throat and looked at Anna with a serious expression.

"I, Nikolai II, hereby grant Anna Romanov ... the position ... inspector to the ... ministry of the imperial court. Effective immediately."

"Thank you, father!" Anna exclaimed with glee as she went out of the room.

"Master Nikolai II. Is it truly wise to grant the fourth princess a government position? Boorish people might take advantage of her." Terenty, who kept quiet the entire time, finally spoke up.

"It's fine, my old friend. The position I gave has no real power. More importantly, we need to talk more about the movements in the Saxon Kingdom."

 

 

"This room is entirely mine" Anna exclaimed as she leaned on her chair. 

When Anna was eating lunch with her father, her father simply told her that her office was ready.

"Many officials are probably displeased with your father's decision." Grandma Maria sighed as she goes behind Anna.

Before Anna could reply a sound interrupted her.

'Knock' 'Knock' 'Knock'

"Come in"

The door was opened by the guard outside. Another person entered in great stride. 

Once the door is closed, the man bowed to Anna.

"Greetings Fourth Princess. This humble servant is Woldemar Freedericksz."

"Count Freedericksz, you are one of the core members of reactionary nobles. I ask you to swear your fealty to me." Anna ignored the man's greeting and issued a command.

"Huh! Why would I, a count, swear fealty to a girl? In the first place, you simply got this position due to your cowardly father." Freedericksz showed his disdain for Anna.

Anna shrug and stood up from her chair. As soon as she stood up, the room turned cold. Freedericksz can see his warm breath turned visible in the room. He wanted to step back but found his body stuck in place.

As Anna approached him, Freedericksz's face, which was full of confidence, became full of fear.

Freedericksz tried to scream, but his frozen closed mouth muffled it.

When Anna was right in front of him, she touched his chest with her hands.

Freedericksz's body convulsed violently. Deep purple veins started to appear on his exposed skin. The color of his pupils turned purple. The black hair now has traces of white. 

Feeling light-headed, Anna steadied herself on the desk. 

"Are you alright?" Grandma Maria asked.

"I'm fine. I simply exhausted myself from converting him to a ghoul." Anna said as she looked at Freedericksz.

Freedericksz's body is slowly returning to normal. After opening his eyes, he kneeled in front of Anna.

"I, Woldemar Freedericksz, swore his everlasting fealty to lord highness, Anna Romanov."

Anna smiled and asked. "What do you think are the main key destabilizing problems of the empire."

 Freedericksz paused then began listing several k

"With the abolition of serfdom, the nobles could no longer control how much food crops to plant for each season. The flood of food crops has caused the price of food to plummet."

"There are revolutionary movements that are supported by capitalists and some reactionary nobles."

"Some regions in the empire are starting to have an ethnic identity."

"Most importantly, the military of Muscovy is way behind with its neighbors."

Hearing some of the problems, Anna's head hurts. 

Anna began pitching her ideas to Freedericksz.

Can we use boats to move the food surplus to other places?"

"No, with the volume of ships we need, we will lose money since we need to pay the toll from Osmanli Empire. The neighboring countries in Europa can only buy so much."

"How about using Airships to sell it to Persis, Durrani, and Mongyol?"

"It could work... I would talk with the other nobles." Freedericksz answered.

"Next, I want you to convince other nobles to send their serfs to the east. Especially, those living in the capital. We need to dilute other regions before they formed an ethnic identity to be formed. We can use the Trans-Caspian railways to do so."

"That should be easy to do," Freedericksz said confidently.

Soon the first meeting between Anna and Freedericksz ended. Just as Freedericksz is about to open the door, Anna's voice called him.

"Freedericksz, I want to meet other reactionary nobles. Particularly, those that have influence or are in key positions." Anna said.

Freedericksz nods and exits the room.