EXT. IPATIEV HOUSE -- DAY

It rains heavily. The droshkies pull up in front of the palisade, flanked by the armed guards.  Olga, Tatiana and Anastasia rush out of the droshkies and hurry through the rain.

Nicholas and Alexandra embrace their children with welcoming arms. Marie hugs and kisses her sisters and they head toward the house, clinging together. Nicholas carries Alexei in his arms, stepping into the house.

INT. IPATIEV HOUSE -- NIGHT

MONTAGE

Alexei shares his bedroom with his parents, taking his sister Marie's bed. The dog Jemmy quietly crouches by the fire. Alexei bumps his knee on the edge of the bed as he climbs into it. Alexei's groan in pain disturbs his parents.

In the adjoining bedroom, the four grand duchesses sleep on the nickel-plated camp beds.

The maid Anna sleeps on a chaise in a small bedroom.

Dr. Botkin sleeps on a chaise in the sitting room.

Other male servants sleep on cots set up in the stair hall and the kitchen.

In the Commandant's office, Moshkin, the commandant's assistant, uses a low sofa as his bed.

Some interior guards sleep in the commandant's office, the foyer, or in the anteroom, on mattresses laid on the floors.

One guard is posted in the foyer inside the main floor.

Victor is posted in the secondary hallway adjacent to the doors leading to the bathroom, lavatory, kitchen and corridor.  Marie approaches him from behind, puts her hands around his waist and leans her head on his back.

INT. BEDROOM -- DAY

The four duchesses help the maid Anna strip beds and gather soiled clothing and linen.

Alexandra, thin and gloomy in her dark dress, finishes combing Alexei's hair and begins to trim Nicholas' hair.

Nicholas wears a double-breasted khaki tunic and short leather boots. In the mirror, Nicholas looks at his bushy square beard and short grey hair parted slightly to the side.

OLGA

Mama, why don't we send for a barber?

ALEXANDRA

The Commandant doesn't allow any visitors.

INT. BATHROOM -- DAY

The walls have been scrawled over with political poems, pornographic graffiti and obscene pictures of Alexandra and Rasputin.

Anna and the four duchesses enter to do their laundry. Anna covers Anastasia's eyes with her hand.

ANNA

Don't look at them, Your Highness.

Anastasia takes off Anna's hand and looks at the graffiti.

ANASTASIA

I don't like these pictures. They're so weird.

Anastasia teases her sisters by splashing water to them. They begin wash their bed linens and towels with imperial CRESTS and undergarments with the emperor's MONOGRAM.

OLGA

The scrawls are so awfully disgusting.

TATIANA

Mama must be pathetically embarrassed.

MARIE

Just ignore them, and then, you'll be less distressful.   

EXT. GARDEN -- IPAVIEV HOUSE -- DAY

Under the sunshine, the four duchesses stroll in the garden surrounded by guards.

Nicholas carries Alexei in his arms, hugging his son to his chest. Alexei holds on to his father, and then relaxes to be put into a wheelchair.

Nagorny pushes the wheelchair down the courtyard to the garden. Alexei plays with his toy tin soldiers, accompanied by Leonid, thin and tall at his age of fourteen, with a pale face and jet black hair, mature and concerned.

Nicholas brings his son some smooth pebbles and fresh flowers. Alexei fondles the pebbles but tosses the flowers away into the bushes.

Alexandra sits on the steps of the main entrance, watching her husband and children in the garden.

INT. DRAWING ROOM -- DAY

Alexei plays chess with Nagorny. Olga, Tatiana and Marie play cards. Nicholas reads. Alexandra writes letters.

Anastasia practices basic ballet, using the back of a chair as the barre. She puts one leg on the back of the chair and bends her body toward her leg, trying to reach the toe with her hand. Suddenly, she loses her balance and falls over. The chair topples onto the floor with a BANG.

The doors are kicked open. Avdayev rushes in with a gun in his hand, hopping mad. Victor follows the Commandant and watches them in the doorway. Anastasia hastens to stand the fallen chair.

AVDAYEV

Who made the noise? It sounds like an explosion.

ANASTASIA

Sorry, if it bothers you, Sir.

AVDAYEV

What happened? What did you do to make such a horrible bang? Huh? Do it again. Come on, repeat it. Show me what you did.

Anastasia repeats her ballet movement and bangs the chair against the floor again. Avdayev watches her and cannot help laughing and shaking his head.

AVDAYEV (CONT'D)

Ha, ha, ha, you silly girl. Damned silly girl. Victor, can you do carpenter?

VICTOR

Just a little, Sir.

AVDAYEV

Fetch wood and tools. Fix up a barre, a real barre for ballerinas.

VICTOR

Okay.

AVDAYEV

(to Anastasia)

Next time, if you made such horrible noise again, I'd break your legs, you bet.

Avdayev leaves irately. Victor brings in wood and tool and fixes up a barre on the wall panel. Anastasia shows her graceful movements of ballet with the barre.

ANASTASIA

Thank you, Victor.

VICTOR

Welcome, angel.

Alexandra finishes her writing and gives the letter to Nicholas. Nicholas reads the letter and hesitates.

NICHOLAS

I don't think it'll pass the censorship, darling.

VICTOR

I can smuggle it out.

Victor conceals the letter in his pocket.

OLGA

Would you like to join us playing card?

VICTOR

May I?

ALEXANDRA

Yes.

Victor sits beside Marie and play cards with Olga and Tatiana.