August 30th, 1926

"Are you dressed yet, Shvibzik!" Maria called from the hotel room to Anastasia who was in its bathroom, taking longer than usual.

"Coming, Mashka!" Anastasia huffed as she gathered her dress from off of the floor. She had become sidetracked thinking about Andrei. The family was taking a trip to the opera for their last destination to visit before they would leave the following day.

The girls dressed in their evening gowns, fixed their hair, and made their way from their room to the hotel lobby.

(Anastasia's dress is below)

(Maria's dress is below)

In the next room over, Valentin stepped out of the bathroom, dressed in his suit. His chevron mustache was shaved, and his blonde hair was slicked back.

"Andrei, are you coming to the opera?" Valentin stuck his head through the open glass door of the balcony.

"No."

"Why?"

"I can't do it. I can't face Anastasia after all that's happened."

Valentin stepped fully onto the balcony.

"Andrei, buddy. You must!" he said, putting his arm around his shoulder.

"Valentin, I can't!" Andrei demanded, bending out of Valentin's grip. As he did, Valentin clutched his pajama shirt collar and pulled him close to his face.

"I. Think. You. Must." Valentin muttered through clenched teeth. Andrei, who was a bit frightened now, broke away.

"Alright then. You don't have to join-"

"No, no. I'll be there." Andrei reconsidered. Valentin was acting very strangely and he was determined to find out why. While Andrei changed in the bathroom, he heard Valentin walking towards the door.

"I'll meet you in the lobby. The others have already left. We'll go together."

As Valentin walked past the bathroom, Andrei opened the door a crack to see Valentin holding his suitcases.

"Why is he holding his luggage? We aren't leaving until tomorrow.' Andrei thought as he shut the door quietly.

Andrei dressed and traveled to the lobby where he hid under a staircase. He watched as Valentin talked with a young man who he did not recognize. Andrei couldn't understand what the two men were saying but he knew he heard French between them. The men then parted ways, the stranger walking away with Valentin's luggage. Once the man was gone, Andrei dashed over to Valentin.

They both called a taxi to Paris Garnier, the opera house. A storm was approaching. Andrei could hear thunder in the distance.

He was in for a long night.

-

They arrived at the glamorous opera house to see the family waiting in its lobby. The two staircases located in the corners of the lobby were crowded with people dressed in elegant clothes. The women were dressed in bold colored gowns and draped in jewelry while the men wore silk plaid suits, the latest style.

A brass chandelier lit with millions of tiny gaslights enchanted the opera house, welcoming guests with its warm glow. On the square-shaped ceiling were painted scenes of angels and religion, glittering with dark murky colors. Six floors of hallways leading to the boxes of the house could be seen. All that could be heard was the loud chatter of the crowds and the sound of canes and heels clacking the marble floor.

The second Andrei stepped through one of the many doors into the lobby, he spotted Anastasia, standing with Charlotte, Catia, and Sinvoia. Andrei couldn't deny it but she looked beautiful.

Instead of rushing to Andrei, Anastasia stayed with the girls. But for some reason, she couldn't stop looking at him. Loving someone for years only to be rejected. She knew Andrei had loved her, she wasn't gullible, she just had never expected the marriage type of love.

Once the men had arrived, the family traveled to floor five. The sisters shared a box while the rest of the family sat around them.

Just like in the lobby, a bigger chandelier hung in the center of the theatre. The stage's bright red curtains were shut and the orchestra in the pit was finishing tuning their instruments.

The orchestra's noise died down but suddenly returned with a loud bang, starting the overture of the famous four-act French opera, Aida by Giuseppe Verdi. The lights went down and the curtains were raised to reveal a set of an Egyptian palace.

Maria and Anastasia took turns looking through opera binoculars, invested in the plot of the show.

During act two, the girls heard giggles coming from the box that the Golovin children were sitting in. Vasili also sat with them. Anastasia leaned around the barricade to see the children gathered around Catia and Sinvoia. A tin of chocolates was in Catia's hand.

"What are you doing?"

The children turned to Anastasia, their faces shown by the light of the stage.

"Look!" Sivnoia grinned as she pointed to Catia who had a piece of chocolate in her hand.

Catia threw the chocolate out of the box and it disappeared into the sitting crowds below. They then heard a remark from what sounded like an old man. Leonid, Mikhail, and Vasili stifled their laughter, pleased with their sister's antics. Anastasia knew she shouldn't laugh but she couldn't help it.

"Bullseye!" she snickered.

"Please don't tell our parents!" Mikhail begged.

"I won't!" Anastasia reassured them. "But you five better keep it down!"

Anastasia sat back down in her chair to see Maria looking at her. "What's happening over there?"

"Nothing," Anastasia whispered as she put the binoculars to her eyes. She didn't want to ruin their amazing trick.

In the boy's box, Valentin and Andrei sat watching the show, taking turns with a pair of opera binoculars Valentin had owned.

"Here ya go, buddy." Valentin took the binoculars from his eyes and handed them to Andrei. Andrei looked through them and asked a question that would mark the start of a very unfortunate night.

"What's she singing?"

Since Valentin knew French fluently, he would help with opera translations. Once he didn't reply, Andrei took the binoculars from off of his eyes to see Valentin's chair empty, the box door open.

His briefcase that he had set near the door was gone.

Valentin had vanished.