I DON'T OWN ANASTASIA. THIS IS INSPIRED BY GRAND DUCHESS MARIA NIKOLAEVNA ROMANOV AND HER LOVE FOR SOLDIERS.

Winter, 1908. Pushkin, Russian Empire.

In the corse of one cold winter's day, Aleksandr Smirnoff did something that changed his life forever. The strange thing was that all he did was steal a loaf of bread. It all started one frosty morning. 11 year old Aleksandr was on the streets of Pushkin, searching for his next meal. You see, food was as accessible to him as it was to others, on account of his being an orphan. His father had been a soldier who was killed in the Russo-Japanese war and his mother had died of dysentery 2 years later. As such, Aleksandr had been orphaned and was left to fend for himself admist the cold Russian landscape. As a result, Aleksandr and several other orphans would wander the streets, looking for a place to stay. Their meals were whatever they could find, whatever they were given. On the day that everything changed, Aleksandr was walking through the marketplace. There were several vendors with goods to sell. Stealing from vendors was a challenge though. Over the years, the vendors had learned to keep a sharp out for thieves. However, the orphans were so hungry that were willing to take the risk and steal anyway. Aleksandr spied a local baker who was selling bread. The bread smelled wonderful and he was sure it tasted better. Luckily for him, the Baker was discussing rates with a customer.

"One loaf is 3 roubles." The baker insisted.

"All I have is a few kopecks. Are you going to let my children starve?" The woman asked.

"What do I care for your brats? If you don't have the money, then be gone!" The baker demanded. As he sent the lady away, Aleksandr quickly swiped a loaf of bread. Unfortunately for him, he was seen.

"HEY!" The baker shouted. "Stop, thief!" Aleksandr took off running as the baker gave chase. As he passed by a Cossack, he heard the baker yelling.

"That street urchin stole the bread that I made with my own two hands!" Immediately, the Cossack galloped after him on his horse. Aleksandr dashed through several alleyways until he was sure that he had lost the men. Once he thought he was in the clear, Aleksandr immediately devoured his prize. Once his stomach was full, Aleksandr fell into a content sleep.


Many hours later, Aleksandr awoke to the sting of kicks to the stomach. He looked up to see an angry Cossack. The Cossack grabbed him and drug him out of the alleyway. When they went into the moonlight, there stood the angry baker.

"Is this the boy?" The Cossack asked.

"Da, That is him, the thief!" The baker shouted. The Cossack turned to Aleksandr.

"You must pay the baker for the bread you stole."

"I have no money." Aleksandr replied meekly. The Cossack grunted.

"Then it's prison for you." he growled as he placed the boy under arrest. Aleksandr spent a miserable night in the town prison and in the morning, was brought before the judge. He felt great fear as the judge stared him down.

"What is this boy accused of?" The judge asked.

"Thievery." The Cossack who had arrested Aleksandr stated. "He stole a loaf of bread from a local baker."

"I trust the baker has identified him."

"Da, he swore that this boy was the thief." The judge looked down at the boy.

"Who are your parents?" He asked.

"I'm a orphan, sir." Aleksandr replied.

"Well, I suppose some mercy should be shown." The judge stated. "For the crime of thievery, you are hereby conscripted into the imperial army for a period of 17 years. Bring in the next case." As the gavel was pounded, Aleksandr's heart sank. Being drafted into the army was basically a death sentence. Men, especially boys, were lucky if they survived a month, let alone a year. After his sentencing, Aleksandr was given over to the custody of the Imperial army and was put on a wagon for an army base in Novgorod. Throughout the long and hard journey, Aleksandr wept, thinking that his life was surly over.

NEXT TIME, WE GET A GLIMPSE OF ARMY LIFE. REVIEWS NEEDED.