Once Upon A December

We've been here for years, trapped in this place. The castle, once full of life and laughter, now stands empty and still. We're the ghosts of the Romanov family, the tsar and the tsarina and the little grand duchesses. We died that night, the night of the curse, the night Rasputin tore us from our lives.

I remember it clearly, the sound of the guns and the screams of my family. I remember the feel of the cold floor beneath me, the taste of my own blood in my mouth. And then there was nothing, only darkness and silence.

But the silence didn't last. Soon, I could hear the whispers of my family, the feel of their spectral hands in mine. We were together, even in death. And so we stayed, our spirits trapped in the castle.

The years passed, each one a blur of sameness. We watched as the world moved on, as the castle was looted and left to rot. We saw the seasons come and go, the summers hot and the winters cold. And through it all, we were stuck, unable to move on.

We were the echoes of the past, the whispers in the halls. We saw everything, but no one saw us. We were invisible, insubstantial. We were nothing more than memories.

And then she came. The little girl with the big eyes and the dark hair. Anya, the orphan who might be Anastasia. We watched as she explored the castle, her footsteps echoing off the marble floors. We saw the curiosity in her eyes, the wonder. And we felt a spark, a flicker of hope.

Maybe this girl could set us free. Maybe she could bring us peace.

Anya moved through the castle, her hands trailing over the walls and the furniture. She seemed to feel the weight of the place, the sadness that hung in the air. And yet, there was something about her, something bright and alive. She was a spark of light in the darkness, a breath of fresh air.

As she explored, she began to sing. "Once upon a December," her voice clear and strong. It was a song from our time, a song we knew. And as she sang, we began to stir. We felt the pull of the music, the call of the past. We began to take form, to solidify.

We were the ghosts of the ball, the waltzing couples in our finest clothes. We twirled and we spun, our skirts flying and our coats flapping. We danced to the music of the past, lost in the memories. We were alive again, if only for a moment.

Anya watched us, her eyes wide and shining. She saw us, really saw us. And for the first time in decades, we felt seen. We felt real.

As the song came to an end, we began to fade. We reached out to Anya, our spectral hands passing through hers. And then we were gone, nothing more than mist and moonlight.

But the memory of the moment stayed with us. The feeling of life, of warmth. It was a glimmer of hope, a spark of light in the darkness. Maybe we wouldn't be trapped forever. Maybe there was a way out, a way to finally rest.

And so we wait, the ghosts of the Romanov family. We wait and we watch, our eyes fixed on Anya. She's the key, the girl who might set us free. And when she sings, we dance, lost in the music and the memories. We're the ghosts of the past, but maybe, just maybe, we'll find our way to the future.

Once upon a December, we were alive. And maybe, just maybe, we'll live again.

Days turn to weeks, and the weeks turn to months. Anya comes and goes, sometimes alone and sometimes with the boy, Dimitri. We watch as they grow closer, as they laugh and love. And we feel a pang, a twist of sadness. We had that once, that love and that laughter. But it was taken from us, torn away by the curse.

But even in the sadness, there is hope. Anya is the key, we're sure of it. She has the spark, the fire that we once had. And maybe, just maybe, she can bring us back. Maybe she can set us free.

And so we wait, the ghosts of the Romanov family. We wait and we watch, our eyes fixed on Anya. We see the strength in her, the courage. And we know that she is the one. She is the girl who will set us free.

And then comes the night, the night of the final battle. Rasputin is back, his evil stronger than ever. He seeks to destroy Anya, to keep the curse alive. But we won't let him. We won't let him take her from us, not now, not when we're so close to peace.

We gather our strength, our spectral energy. We reach out to Rasputin, our ghostly hands wrapping around his throat. We pull him down, holding him fast. And as we do, we feel ourselves growing stronger, more solid. We're not just ghosts anymore. We're the Romanov family, and we will not be defeated.

In the end, it is Anya who saves the day. She remembers the past, the night of the curse. And with that memory comes the power to destroy Rasputin once and for all. We watch as she confronts him, her eyes blazing with determination. And we know that she will win. We know that she will set us free.

As Rasputin falls, we feel the curse lifting. We feel ourselves growing lighter, freer. And then we're gone, our spirits finally at peace. We're the Romanov family, and we're finally home.

We see the world one last time, the castle and the gardens and the girl who set us free. And then there's nothing, only light and love and laughter. We're together again, the tsar and the tsarina and the little grand duchesses. We're a family again, whole and complete.

And as we fade into the light, we hear the music one last time.

"Once upon a December," the song of our past and our present. We're the ghosts of the Romanov family, and we're finally at peace.

Once upon a December, we were alive. And now, we live again.