December 1907
The sharp crack of blunted rapiers echoed across the training hall as Alexei and his fencing instructor, Mr. Yakov Nikitin, clashed fiercely at its center. Though it was merely a training session, it hardly looked like one. The intensity of their exchanges made it seem more like a genuine duel, causing everyone watching to hold their breath as the pair continuously traded blows, parrying and countering each other's attacks without allowing either side to score a decisive hit.
Their rapiers flashed back and forth in rapid succession, neither willing to yield an inch. Every thrust was met with a precise parry, every advance answered by an equally determined counter. Mr. Nikitin's years of experience were evident in his movements, but Alexei matched him strike for strike, his footwork smooth and controlled as he maneuvered around the training hall.
In truth, Alexei could have ended the match shortly after it began, but where was the fun in that?
It had taken him quite some time to convince his mother to allow him to train with real rapiers rather than wooden practice swords, and now that he finally had the opportunity, he intended to savor every match. Besides, the constant exchanges helped awaken the combat instincts and muscle memory he had accumulated during his years in the cultivation world. With each parry, deflection, and counterattack, those long-forgotten habits felt a little more natural now.
As the duel continued, however, the difference in stamina gradually became apparent.
Mr. Nikitin's movements began to slow. His attacks lost some of their sharpness, and the precision that had characterized his earlier strikes became increasingly difficult to maintain. Sweat formed along his brow as his breathing grew heavier with each passing minute.
Alexei noticed it immediately.
One exchange followed another, and then another after that. By now, Mr. Nikitin was visibly struggling to keep pace. After one final clash of steel, he stepped back and lowered his rapier slightly while drawing a deep breath.
Then, with a tired but satisfied smile, he raised a hand in surrender. "I concede, Your Highness."
The moment the words left his mouth, Alexei's sisters, who had been watching from one corner of the training hall, immediately broke into applause. Their cheerful clapping echoed through the room as they celebrated their brother's victory.
A broad grin appeared on Alexei's face as he lowered his own rapier. "Well fought, Mr. Nikitin."
In contrast to his instructor, Alexei looked as though he had barely exerted himself. His breathing remained steady and controlled, and aside from a faint sheen of sweat, there was little indication that he had just spent a considerable amount of time dueling.
Seeing the relaxed expression on his pupil's face, Mr. Nikitin could only sigh to himself.
"Sometimes, Your Highness," he said wryly, "I wonder whether I am actually teaching you anything at all. More often than not, it feels as though I was hired to be your sparring partner rather than your tutor."
The remark drew a few chuckles from the attendants nearby, while Alexei could only smile at the comment before replying modestly. "You have taught me a great deal during our exchanges, Mr. Nikitin. Do not sell yourself short."
He paused, shifting his rapier to his left hand before extending his right toward the fencing instructor. "Anyway, well fought, Mr. Nikitin. I look forward to our next lesson."
The two shook hands.
"In the meantime..." Alexei continued as he glanced toward his study companion, Vasily Kuratin, who had been watching the duel from the sidelines with wide eyes. The boy was already dressed in full protective padding and clearly prepared for today's lesson. Alexei then looked back at Mr. Nikitin. "My partner over there, Vasily, would appreciate some of your guidance in fencing. Please teach him everything you can, Mr. Nikitin."
A faint smile appeared on his face before he added, "Of course, you may rest first before continuing the lesson with him."
He then gestured toward the corner of the training hall where his sisters were happily chatting amongst themselves while their mother watched nearby. "If you'll excuse me, I still have to entertain my sisters."
After following Alexei's gaze toward Vasily and then toward the Imperial Family, Mr. Nikitin hurriedly nodded.
"Of course, Your Highness," he replied. "You may spend time with your family while I teach Vasily after I have had a chance to rest. Do not worry."
"Thank you." Alexei gave the instructor's shoulder a friendly pat. Now that he had grown taller, he could comfortably pat most of his attendants and tutors on the shoulder, a habit he had gradually grown accustomed to, over the years.
He then nodded toward Vasily, who suddenly looked far more nervous now that his own lesson was about to begin, before turning and making his way toward his sisters. Their excited chatter grew louder as they spotted him approaching, and Alexei could already tell that escaping them would be far more difficult than winning a fencing match.
It did not take long for him to reach them, and the moment he did, he was immediately greeted with a barrage of praise.
"You looked amazing out there, Brother!" Tatiana exclaimed first, raising her hand high in the air.
After passing his rapier to Sednev, Alexei immediately returned the gesture with a high five, earning a delighted grin from her.
"How can you go toe-to-toe with your tutor when you've only had a few lessons, Brother?" Olga asked next. She too raised her hand expectantly, and Alexei promptly high-fived her as well.
"Your brother is a genius. That's all there is to it, Sister," Alexei replied cheekily.
Olga rolled her eyes at his shameless answer while Tatiana giggled.
Meanwhile, Maria had already stretched out both hands toward him, unwilling to be left out. Alexei chuckled and clapped her hands together before turning toward Anastasia, who was being held securely in their mother's arms.
Seeing him approach, Anastasia immediately reached out toward him. Alexei smiled and gently pinched her cheek, earning an indignant pout from the little girl. However, he paid little attention to her pouting and instead sat down beside his mother.
Sednev promptly handed him a towel, which Alexei accepted with a nod before wiping his hands with it. Then he turned toward his mother, Alexandra and asked with a faint smile, "What do you think, Mother? I'm quite good at it, aren't I?"
Before Alexandra could answer, she first had to calm Anastasia, who was still pouting after being ignored by her brother. Only after soothing her youngest daughter did she turn her attention back to Alexei.
To his surprise, she was frowning.
"What you did out there with your tutor was very dangerous, Alexei," she said, her voice carrying a hint of reprimand. "One wrong move, and you could have been injured, or worse….."
She sighed heavily as Anastasia finally settled down in her arms.
"Honestly, I do not know why I allowed you to train with real steel in the first place. Now I am beginning to wonder whether I made the right decision at all." Her frown deepened slightly. "I should never have agreed to this training in the first place."
"This is all your father's fault," she declared. "He was the one who kept insisting that every Romanov boy must learn how to fence and that it was somehow necessary to make you more manly."
Alexei could only blink at the sudden accusation and silently offer a prayer for his father.
Alexandra paused briefly to catch her breath before continuing. "Listen carefully, Alexei. If you are wounded, even slightly, we will remove fencing from your activities immediately."
As if he would ever allow himself to be injured during these light sparring sessions with blunted rapiers and comparatively slow opponents. Still, Alexei wisely kept that thought to himself.
Instead, he nodded obediently and gently patted his mother's arm in an attempt to calm her down.
"Please calm down, Mother," he said. "I was actually happy that I finally got to practice fencing. And now you're already talking about taking it away from me."
Alexei shook his head and deliberately put on a sad expression. "I don't know how I'm supposed to enjoy any of my activities anymore if I have to worry that they'll be taken away whenever you decide they're too dangerous."
Alexandra, who had finally begun calming down, looked at her son's pitiful expression and immediately felt a twinge of guilt.
"I didn't mean it that way," she said softly. "It's just your safety that worries me."
After handing Anastasia to one of her maids, she took Alexei's hand in her own.
"You are the only son your father and I have," she continued gently. "And I think you're already old enough to understand how important you are, not only to us, but to the Empire as well."
Her expression softened further. "That is why I must always worry about your safety."
She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Do not worry. I am not going to take away everything you enjoy. I simply want additional precautions in place."
Then she added, "Such as using wooden practice weapons instead of real steel during your fencing lessons."
"Okay, Mother," Alexei replied with a nod, still maintaining his sad expression. Then, as if seeking confirmation, he asked, "Only if I get injured, right?"
Alexandra studied him for a moment before letting out a sigh. "Yes. Only if you get injured."
Then she reached out and brushed a hand through his hair. "Now stop looking so sad, alright?"
Alexei let his expression brighten slightly as he replied, "Yes, Mother."
He then turned his attention toward Vasily, who was now in the middle of the training hall beginning his lesson with Mr. Nikitin. His eyes watched the pair, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
He had almost shot himself in the foot with a single innocent question. His mother's protectiveness was becoming an increasingly serious problem. If things continued this way, he would eventually have to choose between constantly accommodating her concerns or simply disappointing her and doing as he pleased in the future. Neither option appealed to him particularly. Still, he hoped that as he grew older, Alexandra would gradually become less protective on her own.
After a while, Alexandra spoke again.
"How is your selection progressing?" she asked. "Have you decided which of the girls from the photographs you would like to become friends with first?"
Alexei inwardly sighed.
He still had not informed either his mother or his father about his idea of personally visiting the various princesses instead of choosing from their portraits. He had been waiting for the right opportunity to bring up the subject, preferably when they were in a good mood and less likely to dismiss it outright.
As a result, he had no choice but to answer carefully and buy himself a little more time.
The conversation continued for a while as Alexandra questioned him about the candidates she had painstakingly chosen from what his grandmother had gathered, and Alexei did his best to provide answers that were vague enough to avoid committing himself while still satisfying his mother's curiosity.
Fortunately, Alexandra eventually seemed content with his responses.
Meanwhile, their attention returned to the training hall, where Vasily was currently making a complete fool of himself under Mr. Nikitin's instruction. Every few moments, another awkward mistake or clumsy movement would draw laughter from Alexei's sisters, much to the poor boy's embarrassment.
Eventually, however, he excused himself from the gathering. As entertaining as watching Vasily struggle had been, he still had an important meeting scheduled with his father later that afternoon, and unlike fencing practice, that was something he could not afford to be late for.
—---------
Nicholas II furrowed his brows as he turned another page of the report lying before him. After finishing the summary of the thick stack of documents his Prime Minister had rather casually delivered to him, he let out a quiet sigh and set the papers down on his desk.
For a few moments, he simply stared at the mountain of reports before shifting his gaze toward his Prime Minister. Then, in a slightly tired voice, he said, "I will finish reading the rest of these documents tomorrow."
He rubbed the bridge of his nose before leaning back in his chair. "Is there anything else you wish to discuss?"
Stolypin shook his head. "No, Your Majesty. I came only to deliver the documents and remain available should you have any questions regarding the proposals. Since you do not, I shall take my leave."
As he rose from his chair, a knock sounded at the door. A moment later, the door opened slightly, and one of the guards stationed outside stepped in.
"The Tsarevich is outside, Your Majesty," the guard announced. "Shall I let him in?"
Nicholas immediately smiled upon hearing that his son had arrived. "Yes, please let him in."
He then turned back toward his Prime Minister, who had already risen to his feet. "Take care of yourself, Prime Minister."
Nicholas did not always agree with Stolypin's methods, particularly his relentless campaign for land reform. Nevertheless, he had to admit that the man was remarkably effective. Since assuming office, Stolypin had done more than most to suppress revolutionary activity throughout the Empire, and the results were becoming increasingly visible.
Walking around his desk, Nicholas extended his hand.
Stolypin accepted it immediately, and the two men exchanged a firm handshake.
"Thank you, Your Majesty," the Prime Minister replied.
Nicholas then gestured toward the door.
Understanding the dismissal, Stolypin bowed slightly and made his way toward the exit.
Just as he began walking, the door opened and the tsarevich walked in.
Nicholas's smile froze. His eyes immediately drifted toward the thick stack of papers in his son's arms. The headache that had only just begun to fade threatened to return at once. Slowly, Nicholas furrowed his brows before forcing himself to relax and smile as he greeted his son. "Welcome, Alexei."
His gaze dropped once more to the documents before he said dryly, "Please don't tell me those papers are for me to read, my son."
Alexei was slightly surprised to find the Prime Minister inside. He had scheduled this meeting with his father several days in advance and had not expected anyone else to be in the study at this hour. Nevertheless, he nodded politely toward Stolypin before turning to his father.
"Good afternoon, Father," he greeted. "And don't worry. If you don't wish to read what I brought, I can simply present it myself."
Then he glanced back at Stolypin. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything, though."
Nicholas let out a sigh. "The Prime Minister was just on his way out."
He walked back behind his desk and gestured toward the chair opposite him. "Come. You specifically requested time in my already busy schedule, so let's not waste it."
With that, he sat down.
Alexei nodded before turning back toward Stolypin. "If you are not busy, Mr. Prime Minister, I would like you to stay and listen to what I wish to discuss with my father."
Stolypin blinked in surprise. Of all the things he had expected to hear from the Tsarevich, that had not been one of them. For a moment, he hesitated.
Before he could respond, however, Alexei continued. "What I wish to discuss actually requires your input as well. So, would you be willing to spare a little more of your time?"
Now Stolypin's curiosity was thoroughly piqued. He looked toward the Tsar, who was already regarding his son with a slight furrow in his brow. After a brief pause, Stolypin glanced at the clock on the wall and considered his schedule.
"I suppose I can spare a little time," he finally said.
"Perfect." A faint smile appeared on Alexei's face as he walked toward the chair opposite his father and took a seat. "Come, Mr. Prime Minister. This shouldn't take long."
Though still uncertain about what exactly the Tsarevich intended to discuss, Stolypin found his curiosity getting the better of him. After a brief moment of hesitation, he returned to his seat without another word and waited for the young heir to begin.
Meanwhile, Nicholas leaned back in his chair and eyed the stack of documents in his son's hands, wondering what exactly Alexei wanted this time. He could only hope it was not another competition or sporting event that his son wished to organize. Nicholas simply did not have the time to act as an award presenter every time his son organized one.
Since his father clearly had little enthusiasm for reading another pile of paperwork, Alexei instead handed the documents to the Prime Minister.
"You can read my proposal, Mr. Prime Minister," he said. "It seems my father is rather tired of reading documents today, so I'll simply explain the contents to him myself."
He smiled politely as Stolypin accepted the papers and began reading through them.
Meanwhile, Nicholas narrowed his eyes slightly. Whenever Alexei approached him with documents, it usually meant that the boy had spent far too much time thinking about something and had already convinced himself it was a brilliant idea. More often than not, Nicholas eventually found himself agreeing.
Alexei then turned toward his father and gave him an innocent smile before he started.
"What I came here for is nothing too complicated, Father. I simply wish to establish an organization that can support, standardize, and oversee the various sports our people already play throughout the Empire. Football, for example, is steadily gaining popularity. The shooting competition that recently concluded could also fall under its authority. Even the automobile race that Mr. Andrei Nagel, the same man who organized the motor show, plans to hold next year for motor enthusiasts, could be included."
He paused briefly before continuing. "I want to create a proper organization at the center of it all. Especially now, with the Olympic Games taking place next year, and Russia still lacking a dedicated institution capable of properly selecting, training, and organizing our athletes. What do you think, father?"
Having finished his explanation, Alexei fell silent and waited for his father's response.
Nicholas, meanwhile, stared back in complete silence.
Just moments earlier, he had been hoping that his son was not about to propose organizing yet another competition. This was somehow far worse. Much worse. Several levels worse. His son was not asking to organize another event. His son wanted to create an entirely new organization.
Nicholas slowly leaned back in his chair and rubbed his forehead.
For a brief moment, he wondered where his son kept getting these ideas. When he had been Alexei's age, he had certainly not spent his time thinking about organizations and administrative structures. In fact, he could not recall having thought about half the things his son seemed to concern himself with nowadays.
Shaking his head, he finally spoke.
"Where do you get these ideas from?" he asked. "Do you realize how difficult it would be to build an organization like the one you're describing? Not to mention the money required to support it. I'm not saying your idea is bad, my son. In fact, it is quite a good one. But for you to build such an organization..." He shook his head again before continuing. "I think it is beyond your capabilities at the moment."
Alexei, however, was not disheartened by his father's skepticism and replied calmly. "Of course, I never said I intended to build the organization myself. I can simply hire people to do it for me. The man who organized the shooting competition, for example, or the one who plans to organize the automobile racing competition next year. They may be ordinary people, Father, but they are capable. I can remain in the background and provide direction while they handle the actual work."
Nicholas chuckled at that and tried to discourage him. "I understand that you'd prefer to let other people do the work, my son, but what you're proposing is not easy to accomplish. You're still undergoing practical training with the Okhrana and the Ministry of Finance, aren't you? Do you even have the time? You still have your military training on top of that."
Alexei merely shrugged. "My practical training with the Okhrana and the Ministry of Finance only takes place once a week, Father, and my military training is also only once a week. I have more than enough time to work on what I'm proposing right now. Besides, all I really need to do is establish the direction I want the organization to take and let the people I hire handle the details."
"Hm." Nicholas nodded before pressing further. "And where exactly do you intend to find the money to build such an organization, Alexei? Because I'm telling you right now that the Ministry of Finance has already submitted its annual report and budget. They neither have the funds nor the time to accommodate your organization at the moment."
Alexei frowned slightly at that. After thinking for a moment, he crossed his arms and replied. "I can fund the organization's first year myself and request funding from the Ministry of Finance next year. Don't worry. I'll prepare the proposal personally and present it directly to the Minister of Finance when the time comes. You don't need to concern yourself with that, Father."
He then looked directly at his father. "All I need from you is permission to begin."
"And what if I refuse to give you permission to build such an organization?" Nicholas asked tentatively.
Alexei immediately slumped back in his chair and let out a dramatic sigh.
"Then I'll be very disappointed," he replied. "And I'll keep bothering you about it until you finally agree."
Nicholas stared at him for a second. Then he laughed. He laughed so hard that he had to lean back in his chair, and it took him several moments to compose himself. Eventually, he reached for the glass of water beside him and took a sip before looking at his son again.
Still amused, he turned toward his Prime Minister, who had remained silent throughout the discussion.
"What do you think of my son's proposal, Stolypin?" Nicholas asked. He took another sip before continuing. "Please tell him that he only turned twelve this year and that he should focus on his studies instead of matters like these."
Stolypin finally looked up from the documents in his hands. He first nodded respectfully toward the Tsar before shifting his gaze to the Tsarevich.
"In these documents," he began, "you wrote that many people within the Empire can be easily persuaded by revolutionaries because they have little to occupy themselves with beyond work. What exactly do you mean by that statement, Your Highness?"
The moment he heard the question, Alexei knew he had captured the Prime Minister's interest. That particular point had only been included as a supplementary argument in favor of establishing the organization. He had not expected Stolypin to focus on it so quickly.
Even his father appeared puzzled at the prime minister's question before turning towards his son for an answer.
Suppressing his satisfaction, Alexei cleared his throat before answering. "Well, I spoke with people such as Nagel and Zakharov, both of whom have organized competitions, and they in turn gathered opinions from participants and spectators. I also came to some conclusions of my own."
He paused briefly before continuing. "Think about it this way, Mr. Prime Minister. If people spend most of their lives working and have very little entertainment, recreation, or healthy competition available to them, they will naturally seek other outlets for their energy and frustrations. Unfortunately, not all of those outlets are beneficial."
Stolypin and Nicholas remained silent, allowing him to continue.
"Sports, competitions, clubs, and public events give people something to look forward to. They create communities, rivalries, ambitions, and goals. They encourage people to improve themselves and spend their time on productive activities."
Alexei leaned forward slightly. "But if people are bored, frustrated, and have nothing to occupy their minds outside of work, they become far more susceptible to anyone offering them purpose, excitement, or a sense of belonging. Revolutionaries understand this very well."
The study fell silent.
"They offer causes, meetings, movements, and promises," Alexei continued. "And for someone with nothing else in their life besides work and hardship, those things can become very attractive."
He then gestured toward the proposal resting in Stolypin's hands.
"That is why I believe this organization is necessary. Not merely because it can improve our performance at the Olympics or organize sporting events or simply because I want it, but because it gives ordinary people something else to invest their time and energy in. Something that encourages competition, discipline, goals and pride rather than endless discussions about revolution."
After finishing his explanation, Alexei leaned back in his chair and waited for both the Prime Minister's and his father's responses.
For several moments, neither man spoke, and Alexei simply allowed them time to consider what he had said.
It took nearly a minute before Stolypin finally broke the silence. "You have certainly piqued my interest with what you just said, Your Highness."
He then turned toward the Tsar. "What do you think, Your Majesty?"
Nicholas had originally hoped that the Prime Minister would help dissuade his son. Instead, Alexei had somehow managed to capture Stolypin's interest.
Still, Nicholas had to admit that his son's argument contained some merit. Whether it was actually a significant factor in driving people toward revolutionary movements, however, was another matter entirely. After a moment of thought, he nodded.
"You make a valid point, I suppose, my son," he said. "But you need more than the opinions of a few people before concluding that this is truly one of the reasons individuals turn toward revolutionary ideas. You need evidence."
He then turned toward Stolypin. "Why don't you investigate the matter yourself, Prime Minister, and report back to me? If there is truth to what Alexei is suggesting, I would like to know."
"That was my intention as well, Your Majesty," Stolypin replied. As he spoke, he glanced toward the Tsarevich with a look that was equal parts curiosity and admiration.
"What about my organization and proposal?" Alexei asked, frowning slightly. He already had a bad feeling about where this conversation was heading.
Nicholas smiled.
"How about we wait until the Prime Minister finishes his investigation before discussing your proposal further?" he suggested. "It won't hurt to wait a month or two before making a decision."
Alexei let out a slow breath. There was little he could do about it now. Pressing the matter too aggressively would only make it seem as though he cared more about getting his way than proving his argument. Besides, he was confident in the reasoning he had presented and had no doubt that Stolypin would investigate the issue thoroughly.
In the end, he could only nod. "I suppose we can wait, then."
Satisfied, Nicholas leaned back in his chair. "Good. A proposal like this is not something that can be decided in a single meeting, my son. You'll understand that better once you begin attending meetings yourself in the future."
After a brief pause, he decided to inform Alexei of a decision he and Alexandra had already discussed.
"Speaking of meetings," Nicholas continued, "I have decided that you will begin observing ministerial meetings starting next year."
Stolypin immediately looked toward the Tsar when he heard that. Upon seeing that Nicholas was entirely serious, he wisely kept his thoughts to himself. In truth, he considered it a sensible decision. If the Tsarevich was already submitting proposals that resembled those presented by ministers, then exposing him to the actual workings of government could only benefit him.
Alexei, meanwhile, was genuinely surprised. For a moment, he simply stared at his father before finally asking, "Really?"
Nicholas smiled slightly. "Really."
Then his expression became more serious. "You will remain silent during the meetings and simply observe. You are there to learn, not to participate. Only when I specifically permit you to speak will you do so. Do you understand?"
Alexei could only nod at that. "Yes, Father."
Even then, he found it difficult to believe. He had planned to request permission to attend such meetings eventually, yet somehow his father had offered the opportunity before he could even bring up the subject himself. Sometimes, it seemed, things simply worked out in his favor without him having to do anything at all. The thought pleased him greatly.
The Tsar then returned to the matter at hand and began asking about the other reasons Alexei wanted to establish such an organization. After gathering his thoughts, Alexei proceeded to explain the remainder of his proposal in detail until their meeting ended.