Olga sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes quietly watching the snow fall outside her window. The world was quiet, still, and white. The snowflakes floated down like feathers from the sky, piling gently on the trees, the rooftops, and the frozen ground below. It was a beautiful sight, but her heart was far away from it.
Her fingers were wrapped loosely around a half-empty cup of tea. It had gone cold. Just like her thoughts. Her eyes didn't blink as they followed the snow, and soon, her mind drifted far away.
To a different time. To a day that had never stopped haunting her.
---
It was nearly twenty years ago. She was still young, still in her twenties. Back then, she was the Grand Duchess, and the palace in Svetlana was alive and full of warmth and people. It was a different time. A different life.
That afternoon, she had been sitting quietly in her chambers, going over some documents, when a gentle knock sounded at the door.
