Anna                                   by: Janet L. Stickney                  JanetLynn17@Hotmail.com

 

"The way you see me now started back many years ago." The old woman sat in her rocker facing her Great grand son and daughter. "I know that you found it when you were in the attic cleaning. Lord knows that I should probably tell you how it started. When I was young, the women wore very fancy dresses of silk and satin, big bustles, and lots of lace. There was a war stirring in Europe as the Kaiser kept arming his troops. Then that Duke was killed by a sniper, and all of Europe went crazy. I enlisted right away, but because I was so small, I was taken to a special camp. Nobody wore uniforms there, and it seemed awfully informal for an Army camp. I was taken to see Major Katerina Wellenberg.

"At ease soldier. Do you have any idea why you were sent here?" I shook my head no, and she continued.

"Your record says that you were in the theater. Impressions if I remember correctly. Is that right?" "Yes Ma'am." You have a skill that we might need shortly, and you might fit the bill as they say. Come with me." She stood and walked out a door in the back of the room. She was definitely an imposing woman. She was at least 5'10" tall! I was taken to another room in which a withered old woman sat at a desk. She looked me over carefully before she spoke. "He will do very nicely indeed. Have him dressed and back her at 11 tomorrow morning." Her voice was raspy and sounded like she looked... old. The Major led the way, and I was shown into what could only be described as a dressing room.

"I hear that you know how to wear these. Put them on and then knock and I will come see." She handed me a bundle of what was obviously women's clothes. I had done skits on stage that required me to wear women's clothes many times in the past, so I wasn't ashamed to change into them. There were corset hooks on the wall which I used to pull the laces tight and reduce my waist. The rest of the clothing went on easily, and when I was finished dressing I knocked on the door. My ability with makeup and a lack of noticeable beard worked in my favor. The wig has done in the current style as was the dress. The little hat was perched on my head and cocked to one side. When she saw me she gasped and bowed! She took me by the hand and back to see the General. He too stood when I walked in. My walk, poise, and mannerisms perfect, I was treated as royalty. "YES! She is perfect!"

"Private, we are a special unit formed by the government for the express purpose of infiltration. We have people here with a wide range of skills, disguise is just on of them. When the Archduke was killed their government went into turmoil and the remaining family members fled the country, or were killed. The daughter of the king was visiting, and she has been taken prisoner to try and force rest of the family back into the country. Of course, if they go back, they'll be killed. The princess is 20 years old, and the only person they let her keep was her personal maid. A woman named Gretchen Schenkamper. Her son lives in New York right now, and is able to communicate with her. We have approached him, and he has agreed, to get word to her that we are going to try and get the Princess out of the country. We aren't sure yet, but it might be possible to place a substitute for her in the castle. You have the skills, and your resemblance to the Princess is uncanny. We want you to replace the Princess, and after the war you can come home." The Major stood by the desk as General Remarten told me what they planned.

The Major told me that there was a lot of preparation to do before they would be ready, but that it was a voluntary type of mission. I was free to decline if I wanted to. "If you decide to accept this mission, we will have the very best people to help you. Dress, makeup, mannerisms, and so on. Your knowledge of the country has to be better, and even though you speak the language, we will improve your skills in that area as well. Every effort will be made to assist you, but once in place, you will be on your own." There was no choice. It was the assignment of the century! "I'll do it of course." I was taken to a small house on the base, and introduced to Dame Edna Hapston. She was related to the royal family by marriage, and had an intimate knowledge of the castle and the family. The sentries at the perimeter were armed with a new personal machine gun, and patrolled the area 24 hours a day. There was a small man there as well, named Horace. He was an odd duck, but he knew every makeup and dress trick in the book, and he would be my tutor as I became the Princess.

"Now then, lets get you dressed shall we?" Horace led the way to my room, which was very large. "I understood that you had some skills at dressing as a woman" and as he looked at me, completely dressed, he said, "your skills were understated". Why don't you get undressed and we shall see what, if any, improvements we can make." I was left alone in the room. I looked in all of the closets, dresser drawers, and so on. Clothes of the finest materials hung in the closet. Several wigs sat on stands in an ante room. I stripped naked, and went to the bath. They wanted my best, and I was going to give it to them! I had a bath, and used a razor to remove all traces of body hair. I had almost no body hair anyway, so it was merely a matter of minutes and I was done. My beard was very light, and blonde, and after I shaved, my skin was as smooth as a young girls. I was just 17 then, and weighed just 120 pounds. I went into the dressing area, pulled a pair of underpants out of the drawer and slipped them on. They were silk of course, and came almost to my knees. The corset was smaller than the one I had on earlier, but I slipped it around me and tightened the laces. I had to use the corset hooks on the wall to get it as tight as it needed to be, but I managed.

The dress I selected had a bodice that was low cut and allowed the tops of the breasts to be seen, so I used an old trick. The corset had pulled by chest together, and I used a stocking full of matting that I took from the seat of a chair. I pulled the matting apart, making it loose, and slipped the stocking into the corset under my own breasts. It filled out the area, felt soft enough to be the real thing, and gave me the breast shape of an average 20 year old girl. The slip was a heavy, white linen affair that went almost to the ground. The dress I had chosen was dark green. It had the built in bustle in the style of the era, and long sleeves. I made sure that I could get it on since it looked awfully small, but it fit. I took it off and went to the makeup table. I used a cream type foundation similar to grease paint but lighter. I had to mix a little white powder into it to make it match my skin tone. Using two fingers I applied it to my face. I did not use a lot of it, and after I dashed powder on my face and dusted off the excess, my skin had a healthy glow without the heavy makeup look. I used a soft black pencil sharpened to a point to outline my eyes, and a small amount of blue powder to accent my eyelids. I was ready for the dress, and slipped it over my head. As I buttoned up the dress the material snugged against me closely, the form fitting bodice making my small breasts stand out. I selected a wig that was quite long, and put it on. The image was almost complete. I used a small brush to outline my lips and a red lipstick to fill in. The perfume on the vanity was in a sprtizer, and I gave myself a few dashes on the wrists and neck. The shoes had to be buttoned up, and I used a button hook to secure them. The heels were only about 2" high, but they worked wonders for the total look. Before I had them on, the dress dragged on the ground. I opened the door to my room, and walked out.

"Oh my God!" Dame Hapston clapped her hands to her face. "You are the spitting image of the Queen when she was your age!" I turned to face Horace, and he was also stunned. "I'm not sure I can show you anything!" We sat in the parlor and I answered his questions. He wanted to know how I managed to have such a nice "breast." I told him, and he went out of the room for a moment and returned with what was obviously a fake breast. It was soft to the touch, and had a small rubber balloon inserted into it. "It has a water like gel in it that will warm to your body temperature. That way, if anyone touches you, it will feel real. He also had one that would do the same as my homemade one. It would hold my own breast up, and at the same time fill out the bra. "You could use spirit gum to attach either of these to your body if you need to. You can clean them with plain soap and water." He handed them to me, and I knew that these would be perfect! Dame Hapston took my hand and asked me if I would like to have dinner in town.

A chauffeured car came to the door and we went into town to Butchers. It was a restaurant that had the best food in town. Several soldiers walked by our table in a steady procession, wanting to talk to me, but obviously afraid. The General walked in and saw Dame Hapston and walked to our table. "Please sit down General. Let me introduce Her Royal Highness, Anna Von Sibouton, heir to the throne, and holder of the Royal Staff of Tyrolea." "Marvelous! She is simply marvelous! My dear, you bring hope to an old mans heart. For the first time I'm beginning to think that this might work." As we ate, he outlined how I would be taken into the country, and then the castle. "There is much for you to learn, and precious little time." He looked at me and asked if could join him at a reception at the Whitehouse the following Friday. "Edna will see that you have the correct clothing, and will accompany you. Please be ready by 9 am Friday morning. We will take my private train." Dinner after that was mostly small talk, and all of the soldiers quit coming by the table after the General sat down!

On Friday morning I took the new breastforms Horace had given me and used spirit gum to attach them. I dressed in a traveling frock with coat, a wide brimmed hat with a veil and gloves. We were taken to the train for the 4 hour ride to the capitol. I was given an adjoining room with Dame Edna. She and I had become very close, and in my character, I became less and less concerned if she saw me in any state of undress. I needed her to pull the corset laces tight after I had attached the partial forms to my chest. The resulting cleavage was even better than I had done with my homemade ones. I did my makeup very carefully, using every trick I had learned from my stage career. This time I did my eyes in a brighter shade of blue powder, and outlined my eyes, both upper and lower, with the black pencil. The dress was all white satin with a white lace over brocade design sewn on. Edna gave me a diamond necklace that hung between my breasts, its glitter only enhancing my beauty. The earrings were heavy diamond pendants that matched the necklace. My shoes were of the finest leather, white and shiny with diamond shoe clips on the toes. As a last item, I drew a cupid bow mouth, and filled it in with red. Rouge was applied to my cheeks, just enough to make everyone think I was blushing all of the time. Dame Edna was resplendent in a royal blue dress, her heavy breasts in stark contrast to mine, but she carried herself well and was every inch a regal figure. My hair was done in a Gibson that left tendrils of hair wisping against the side of my face.

Dame Edna and I walked into the reception hall and were announced by the Corciere. "Dame Edna Hapston, and her Royal Highness Anna Von Sibouton." We walked through the reception line, meeting the heads of various government offices, and finally I stood in front of the President of the United States. President Wilson was charming and greeted me warmly. He asked that we sit at his table, which was a great honor.

"Mr. President. Do you mind if I take your charming guest away for a dance?" He said "no, of course not" and the young man asked me to dance. I could hardly say no, so I took his hand and we went to the dance area. He was an excellent dancer and we swept around the floor in a melody of turns and it became magic. His name was Robert DeFarango, and he was a Colonel in the Army. He was about 25 years old, 6 foot tall, with broad shoulders, brown hair and soft brown eyes. Handsome was the word most often used to describe him. He took me back to the table and the President asked him to join us. Of course, he sat next to me. Around ten, the President said he had to leave, but would the Colonel and I join him in his private offices in 30 minutes!

"Your portrayal is exceptional! I have, by direct order, promoted you to Major. Colonel DeFarango will be going with you on this mission. It is his responsibility to see to your safety. He is a descendant of another Royal house, and has access to the real Princess. It is he who will be getting out of the country and placing you in a position to take her place. You will leave in 5 days." The Colonel and I left the office together. "I will be at the base to pick you up on Wednesday. We will use the Generals train to take us to New York and a Liner to get to Europe." He bowed, kissed my hand, and left me in the company of Dame Edna. We went back to the base, the General enthusiastic in his praise for me. Dame Edna and I packed for my trip. She and I had gotten close, and she and I knew it might be the last time we ever saw one another. Robert came to get me in his car, and the train to New York sped us along the tracks. "I have our passports in my pocket. For the trip over you are Mrs. Olivia DeFarango. It's much better that we travel as man and wife since it's safer for you."

During the voyage across the Atlantic, Robert and I got to know each other better. He came from a family that had been almost completely wiped out by the Kaisers men. All of his families lands had been taken, and given to Germans close to the throne. We danced in the ballroom every night, held hands at every opportunity, and generally supported the idea that we were newly wedded. I grew very fond of him as we went over the waves, and knew I would miss him terribly if he had to leave.

Once in Europe, we made contact with people that could get us into the country, and within a week we started our journey. We went by rail to Switzerland, and by carriage into Austria. Our passports had been changed to reflect us as Austrians. In Salzburg we stayed at the Kerenbaun hotel which was on the north side of the Salz river, close by the Mayors residence. Robert and I made sure that people saw us dining and sightseeing the "old Section" of the town. We visited Mozarts residence, an old yellow house seriously worn with age, and the large cathedral at the west end of town, and so on. We were taken to a castle about 30 Kilometers outside of town. It was a hideous shade of yellow, but the people there had new identities for us, and we changed our clothes. I wore a blonde wig, and dressed as a servant. Robert was dressed in the manner of a valet. We crossed the border without incident and made our way to the home of the Princess. With our forged documents, we gained entry to the castle. The guards seemed to be lax, and we were admitted freely with only a minimum of checks.

We made our way into the inner sanctum where I went to the Princess' chamber. Knocking I went in. She was sitting at a small table writing a letter. "Your Highness. I am here to help you escape to freedom." I explained what she had to do, and she readily agreed. We changed clothes, she wore the blonde wig and my clothes. Later that night, when all of the servants left the castle, using my documents, she left the castle. Robert took her into Austria and handed her over to an associate. He returned within a few days, and took up his duties as valet to the new General that had come to live there. I of course became the Princess. My hair grows quickly, and within two months I had no need for the wigs. The General made every attempt to take me to his bed, but failed each time. I saw Robert everyday, and I, in my guise as the Princess, and a woman, began to see that he was a good man. I can't tell you when exactly, but I know that I fell in love with him. His constant attention to me, and his gracious manner drew me to him. The Axis was eventually crushed, and they finally surrendered. It was then that we learned the news.

The Princess and her escort had been killed, along with 289 others when a German torpedo boat sunk the ship that was carrying them to safety. Robert and I knew that I was in an impossible situation. Everyone thought that I was the Princess, and various governments had returned lands and money that rightly belong to her family. Each time I had signed her name on those documents. If I were to undo my disguise and reveal myself as an agent of the United States government, I would undermine months of negotiations, and possibly return Europe to a war like state. I would have to remain as the Princess. Robert and I were alone discussing it one night when he reached over and pulled me to him. He kissed me, at first tentatively, but then with great passion. I too felt strongly about him, and returned his affection. He and I decided that we would be married. It was a way for him to keep me safe, and be able to use the power of my house to regain his lost lands. As he was also royalty, we had a wedding of immense proportion. President Wilson attended, along with other heads of state. The President congratulated us, and never said a word about his involvement in the original plan.

As we could not have children of our own, he had a third cousin that we brought into the secret. She bore Robert 3 children, which he and I raised. It enabled us to have heirs that had royal blood, and could be proven. My children grew up and married and had children of their own. My son David died in the second conflict, but his heirs were safe in Switzerland. "That my children is the story. The real story. Over the last 75 years I have blessed the fates that gave me such a fine family. I ask that you take this no farther than this room." Her Great grand children looked at the old woman, so regal in her bearing, remembering all of the times they had sat in her lap as she read to them, or stroked their foreheads when the were sick. They both knew they would never reveal her secret. Watching her, the children saw her head bow for the last time. Her funeral was, like her wedding, attended by the heads of many states. The President of the United States had been informed of her real status, and silently saluted a soldier who held his post to the last. She was laid to rest next to her beloved Robert in the families plot.

 

© 1998
The above work is copyrighted material. Anyone wishing to copy, archive, or re-post this story must contact the author for permission.

At the request of the author, this story is presented in 12 point, Times New Roman.