The Legitimate Children of Grigori Rasputin

Everyone loves a fraud. From the pinch of suspicion to the euphoria of capture and then the ecstasy of the reveal. And then we love to kiss our liars and con artists and say thank you for entertaining me, what will you do next?

But we aren’t the deceiving kind. We inherited an honest life. We’re patient.

The three of us remaining in the family gathered one night to discuss our options. My brother, Carmichael, my sister, Fairweather, and me - Santorini. All of us bled from the same mythic blood; diluted now, but legendary still. All those stories, are they true? We don’t know and it doesn’t really matter anymore.

“I’m going to marry a Romanov”, announces Fairweather, “as soon as I see one on LinkedIn.”

Carmichael is going to start a line of herbal supplements.

People are afraid of those who can wound them without using weapons. Even words can be clunky and unnecessary. Slow eyes, still eyes, serious eyes. Power is in the crocodiles that float below the surface. Watching, waiting. Then suddenly, someone makes a silly mistake. And after both are gone, which is more valuable: the brittle fish bones, or the predator’s armour? It is far more dangerous to have an enemy that lives forever, than one who dies without anyone noticing.

But we don’t want to harm anyone. He was a healer, and so we shall be too. Even if the only person he could heal was the little prince. You only need to get one.

I work at a daycare for the rich. The parents want the best for their children, the children want even better. This is an area that has large families, and I see siblings year after year. Each with the same sticky hands, the same screeching voice. But I can wait for the right heir to come along, the one who opens the door to my legacy.

Alexei is a very special boy. He is starting to recognize words in the books, even at such a young age. And are either of you mathematicians? He knew how many cups of juice the group needed without being told. Have you ever considered submitting him to an enrichment program? We don’t have one at this school yet, but I have been working to set one up. He would be the perfect first candidate for a Gifted Education Program.

And I wear my crocodile leather shoes every time I go to church.

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Kelly Hornung is a writer and narrative designer; currently working in video game development, but formerly from the theatre world. Her hobbies include planning theme parties, swing dancing, and freelance detective work. Based in Montreal, QC.