9

Kyoto, Japan
Fall 1888

Tsarevitch Nicholas Romanov had been bored with the entire trip since leaving Russia several months before. The countries he had visited in Europe and the Orient held no particular interest for him, that is, until he reached Japan. He had fallen in love with the vibrant, colorful society. At last, he seemed to be enjoying himself. His two traveling companions contrasted with the introverted Nicholas; his brother, Grand Duke George, and his cousin, Prince George of Greece, were both extroverts who seemed to enjoy themselves wherever they went. As much as he liked Japan, Nicholas remained very angry with his parents for sending him on this prolonged trip.

The fact was, Nicholas was in love. He had decided on a bride for himself, and his parents did not approve. He had first met Princess Alix of Hesse in 1884 at the wedding of Alix’s elder sister, Princess Elizabeth of Hesse, to Nicholas’s uncle, Grand Duke Serge. He was smitten with the sixteen-year-old girl at first sight. They corresponded regularly, and when occasions such as marriages of European royal families brought them together, they were inseparable. Related through the House of Hesse, they were, in fact, second cousins. Alix’s grandmother was Queen Victoria of England.

The Tsar and Tsarina had several reasons to dislike young Alix of Hesse. First, she was Lutheran and had displayed no interest in converting to the Russian Orthodox faith. That issue had been the source of several disagreements with young Nicholas. Knowledge that her older sister had converted to the Russian church to marry Grand Duke Serge offered hope to the lovesick Nicholas. The other reason for the Tsar’s dislike of Alix was her dour disposition. In spite of her nickname, Sunny, the girl rarely smiled and seemed socially awkward. "She’s just shy," argued Nicholas to his parents, but to no avail. The princess was also very educated and cerebral, and at times, this quality intimidated Nicholas. Nicholas was never a scholar, so this aspect of her personality was something else the Romanovs’ seemed to resent. Nicholas had no doubt that his current trip abroad, arranged by his parents, had been largely designed to cool his ardor for his young princess.

Nicholas had been so angered by his parents’ interference that, to provoke them, he chose as his traveling companions the two Georges, who were both known and indiscreet homosexuals. The Tsar was infuriated when he found out, and Nicholas was glad. There was much to resent about his domineering father. In Nicholas’ view, his father was more proud of his son for his affair with the famous ballerina, Mathilde Kschessinka, than he was about anything else Nicholas had done in his life. The only thing that seemed to please his father was Nicholas’ military service. At age nineteen, he had entered the military and soon was commanding the Hussar Guards. Much to Nicholas’ surprise and delight, he very much enjoyed many aspects of military life. The pageantry, the pomp and circumstance, and the camaraderie all appealed greatly to the Tsarevitch. This part of his life appeared to be the only one that Nicholas ever heard his father speak of with great enthusiasm and pride.

The tour of Japan had been spectacular for the three royal travelers. The architecture, the tea houses, and the geishas had dazzled them all. The previous night in Kyoto culminated in a banquet at the governor’s palace where the young Russians had been fawned over by several geishas. Much saki had been consumed, and when the banquet ended, Nicholas returned to his room quite intoxicated. His brother and cousin, he was certain, had gone on to explore the underside of nightlife in Kyoto. Now, this morning, Nicholas felt slightly hung over as he arose to bathe and dress. He looked forward to the day’s journey. The governor had recommended they visit the picturesque town of Otsu, not far from Kyoto. The three royals and their bodyguards would be departing after breakfast.

Oh shit, he thought to himself. He had forgotten! Today he was supposed to link up with Yuri Kodarov for the rest of his journey. Just when he was really beginning to enjoy the trip! He never felt comfortable around Kodarov, whom he viewed as one of those smug intellectuals who liked to think deep thoughts. For some reason, the Tsar really liked young Kodarov and thought he would be a good influence on Nicholas. No doubt, that was why the heir to the Putilov Metal Works would now be accompanying him. I’m sure, thought Nicholas, that Father can’t stomach the thought that I might be traveling with my brother and cousin. He had often heard Alexander III privately refer to both of them as ‘reprobates.’ Sure, Kodarov could be very pleasant at times, but he always seemed so condescending to Nicholas. Kodarov managed to bring out Nicholas’ insecurities about his own intellect, the way that his beloved Alix did at times. Nevertheless, Nicholas consoled himself. It was he and not Kodarov who would someday be Tsar. And, oh yes, he recalled, Kodarov was traveling with a young American he seemed to recall meeting back in St. Petersburg. Wonderful, he thought derisively.

Before leaving for the banquet the previous night, a message arrived informing him that Kodarov, his America friend, and a bodyguard would be arriving in Kyoto the next morning to join them. With his typical distain for others who were not of royal blood, Nicholas decided not to wait in Kyoto for them to arrive, but instead, left instructions for them to meet him in Otsu. After all, he reasoned, spotting three royal Europeans and their bodyguards shouldn’t be too difficult in a small Japanese city. After breakfast, the three royals departed in a carriage for Otsu, followed by their bodyguards in a second carriage.

* * *

Reading the message left at their hotel in Kyoto, Yuri Kodarov was clearly annoyed. Typical Nicholas Romanov behavior, he observed to Stephen Morrison and Amos Johnson. “Why am I not surprised by this behavior?” he asked himself rhetorically. Without even checking into their hotel, the three arranged for a carriage to take them to Otsu, where hopefully, they would link up with the Tsarevitch without too much difficulty. As they set out on the journey, Kodarov thought to himself, This is the last full day I will get to spend with my American friend. The following day, the two Americans would be heading for Tokyo, where they would begin their voyage back to the United States. Kodarov had very much enjoyed the company of this new intellectual American friend, and he remained confident that they would always be lifelong friends. As far as Morrison was concerned, the feeling was mutual.

They arrived in Otsu around lunchtime, and their guide took them to a little restaurant where they dined and formulated plans to link up with the Tsarevitch’s entourage. Nicholas had actually been accurate in his assessment; the royal entourage was not hard to find. The town was abuzz with news of the visiting Russian dignitaries, and on many streets where the Tsarevitch travelled, residents had lined up to greet them.

Kodarov's guide inquired at the local police station and discovered the proposed route of the Russians. After finishing their lunch, the three travelers set out on foot for the street nearby where they knew the three royals would be arriving. After a short walk, they came to a corner and turned into a narrow street.

Small shops lined the street, with throngs of townspeople standing in front. At the far end, Stephen could see a carriage with three passengers coming toward them. “There they are,” exclaimed Yuri, recognizing the three Russians. He waved to them as he and his American colleagues walked toward the approaching carriage. “That’s odd,” said Sergeant Johnson, taking note of the lone carriage in the street. “Don’t those dumb-asses know they gotta have bodyguards in a foreign country?” The two young men nodded in agreement, as they strode toward the carriage. The crowds waved and, in some cases, women threw flowers at the carriage. Finally, Nicholas deigned to recognize them and waved with a smug look on his face.

Kodarov, Morrison, and Johnson were standing about twenty-five feet from the carriage when all hell broke loose. Nicholas, who was sitting on the right side of the open carriage, had turned to his left to speak to his brother when a man leaped from the crowd and, with a blood-curdling scream, attacked him. The man wore the uniform of a policeman and brandished a large saber in both hands. To all the spectators, it appeared that time moved in slow motion as the man ran to the carriage and brought his saber down on the Tsarevitch’s head. The hilt of the sword crashed against the right side of Nicholas’ forehead, and blood immediately began to spurt. The stunned Nicholas cried out, “What? What do you want?”

When the assailant raised the saber again for a second blow, Prince George reached for the bamboo cane he had purchased that very morning and struck it across the attacker’s face, temporarily stunning him. The delay proved to be enough. Sergeant Johnson had begun running toward them when the attacker had first emerged from the crowd, and after Prince George struck the man, Johnson tackled the assailant to the ground and began pummeling him. “Get them the hell out of here!” he ordered, as he continued to punch the policeman until the man lost consciousness. At this point, the Tsarevitch’s bodyguards finally appeared. Several of the crowd descended on the attacker after Sergeant Johnson left him unconscious.

Johnson looked up and saw that Nicholas was surrounded by Morrison, Kodarov, and the other two royals, who formed a protective ring around the Tsarevitch. Nicholas appeared very groggy, with his face dripping blood. Morrison reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out one of his handkerchiefs, pressed it against the Tsarevitch’s wound, and applied pressure to stop the bleeding. By now the local police had arrived on the scene to take the assailant into custody and disperse the crowds around the foreigners. They indicated that the Tsarevitch should be taken to the local governor’s home. The Russians and the Americans were loaded into the carriages and driven to the governor’s residence.

Morrison assisted Nicholas into the house. Supporting the Tsarevitch with his arm under his left armpit, he held the handkerchief against Nicholas’ forehead with his right hand. The governor directed the entourage to a room in the back of the house. As they seated the Tsarevitch on a large cushion, Morrison could hear Johnson screaming at the Russian bodyguards, “What kind of worthless assholes are you? Why the hell weren’t you doing your damn jobs? I’ve got a good mind to kick all of your asses right now!” Morrison smiled, knowing that the Russian bodyguards obviously didn’t speak English and had no idea why the older American was ranting at them.

Morrison settled Nicholas down into the cushion and then sat down on his left; Kodarov sat on the Tsarevitch’s other side. Nicholas trembled slightly and seemed to be getting his wits back. In a hesitant voice, he asked, “What in God’s name was that all about? I … I have never seen anything like this!” He looked at Kodarov and then Morrison. “Thank you both for saving my life.” He motioned to Sergeant Johnson, who was still engaged in a one-way shouting match with the bodyguards, and said, “And thanks to that brave man also.” With a wry smile, he looked at Kodarov and quipped, “And so, Yuri, how have you been? It is good to see you again.”

“I’m doing well, Your Highness, especially now that you’re safe,” replied Kodarov. “I’m very much looking forward to the remainder of our trip together. I trust your brother and cousin have been keeping you on your toes!”

“Indeed they have,” chuckled Nicholas. He turned to Morrison and asked, “And who might this young man be?”

“My name is Stephen Morrison, Your Highness. My father is United States Congressman Caleb Morrison of New York City. I actually met you at the Winter Palace last July. Yuri has been traveling with Sergeant Johnson and me.”

“Will you be accompanying us on the remainder of our tour?”

“No, Your Highness. We leave for Tokyo in the morning and I must catch a ship back to the United States later in the day.”

“That’s too bad,” replied Nicholas with feigned sincerity. He reached up and took the handkerchief from Morrison’s hand. “I’m sorry I ruined your handkerchief.” About to re-apply it to his wound, he stopped when he noticed that it had colorful embroidery in the corner. He unfolded the bloodstained handkerchief and saw a pair of gray, crossed anchors embroidered in the corner with the letters USNA in blue under them. “This needlework is exquisite! What does USNA stand for?”

“It stands for United States Naval Academy. I’m going to begin school there next summer. My mother had several of these embroidered for me.”

“I’m so sorry this one was ruined!”

“Please, Your Highness, I have several others. The point is that you are safe, and this gift from my mother helped you. That’s all that matters.”

“Well, thank you for your kind words,” said Nicholas, whose demeanor quickly changed. He seemed sincerely interested in the young American. “Do you know that I am a military man, too? I am leader of the Hussar Guards of St. Petersburg.” He suddenly judged the American worthy enough to talk to and began an animated description of his military ventures. After ten minutes of a one-way dialogue on military life, the local doctor finally arrived and through a translator explained that most of the people should leave the room because he would now be suturing the wound on Nicholas’ head. As he was being escorted from the room, Nicholas looked back at Kodarov and his two American guests and said, “Once again, gentlemen, thank you for your valiant efforts in saving my life from that madman. I will never forget you.”

As the door shut, Stephen looked down at the blood-soaked handkerchief. To himself, he thought, My first military mission.

* * *

That night, Yuri, Johnson, and Stephen arrived back in Kyoto. After a large Japanese meal, Morrison and Kodarov sat out on the veranda of their guesthouse. They had arranged for a large bottle of saki to be delivered to them, and the young Russian pulled out several excellent cigars. “If Sergeant Johnson knew I was hoarding these, he’d probably have me shot!” quipped Yuri. They lit the cigars, charged their glasses, and sat back with their feet up on the railing. The clear, starlit night provided a most enjoyable environment.

Stephen spoke first. “Yuri, I just want to tell you how much I’ve enjoyed your company these past several weeks. I feel like I’ve not only seen Russia, but also I now understand the country a lot better. I’ll be forever indebted to you for this trip. I mean it. I’m not trying to be some sort of sentimental bore or something like that. I really mean it.”

“I know you are sincere, Stephen. I feel the same way. You know, until I met you, I had the same opinion of Americans that most Europeans do, that you’re all loud, crass, nouveau riche cowboys. You have provided quite an education to me, my friend.” Yuri puffed on the cigar and paused to take another swig of his saki. “Stephen, do you remember what I told you the first time we dined together?”

“No, not really. We’ve talked about many things.”

“Well, I told you that I detected greatness in you. You strike me as the kind of person who can make a difference, who can change the world. That feeling has only been strengthened these past several weeks. Stephen, you are a man of destiny!”

“Please, Yuri, you are starting to embarrass me. I think you’re hitting the saki a bit too hard.” Stephen leaned over with his glass extended and said, “To friendship everlasting!”

Yuri raised his glass to his friend’s and repeated, “To friendship everlasting!” as they clinked their glasses together and downed the contents.

Yuri refilled their glasses and continued. “I mean it, Stephen. I’ve been thinking about this. Fate is at play here. The stars have lined up a little for this one. Here you are, the son of a congressman, a most influential American, and instead of becoming the typical rich playboy, you chose a life of military service. Instead of going through the motions of an education, you have become a real scholar, a multilingual scholar. An upheaval is brewing in the largest nation in the world, and you have come here to study it firsthand.

“I really believe that God has a great purpose for you, my friend. Continue to study, become a fine officer in the navy, and become a leader who will change the world!” By now, Yuri's speech had become slightly slurred from the saki. He started to speak again. “Promise me this, Stephen Morrison. Promise me that we will always be friends. Promise me that we will write to each other and keep each other informed of our worlds and our achievements. Promise me that we will never lose touch with one another.”

Stephen looked over at his friend. “Yuri, I promise. Our friendship is too important not to sustain it. Besides, should you lose touch with me, I’ll have Sergeant Johnson come to Russia and kick your ass, as he threatens to do with everyone else in the world!” Both young men erupted in laughter. Stephen extended his hand and Yuri took it in a firm handshake. Yuri impulsively pulled his American friend over to him and embraced him in a firm bear hug.

With tears in his eyes, in a low voice Yuri said, “God bless you and your journey through life, Stephen.”

The following morning, Stephen Morrison and Sergeant Amos Johnson left for Tokyo to catch their ship back to the United States. It would be seventeen years before Morrison would set foot in Russia again and under very different circumstances.