I sat on my bed, playing with my moose. Rita was walking around, trying to get the string I placed on her off. So far she was having no luck. I couldn't help but giggle. I looked out the window and blinked. Someone was coming down the path to our house. I stood up and rushed to my papa. He was busy cooking dinner. Tonight it was just us. The others were pretty busy. 

"Papa!" I cried, making him turn around and look at me. "Someone is coming!" 

He blinked and looked out the door. He tilted his head, trying to see who it was. Once the person got closer he couldn't help but smile. I couldn't even see out the window. This place was not built for little girls but for tall ass Russians. Looking back most of this house was too big for me. The doors were normal size though and Papa sometimes hit his head on them. That was both sad and funny. Sad when it actually hurt him. Funny when he started to laugh. 

"It looks like we have a special guest my little sunflower," he told me. A few seconds later the person knocked on the door. He opened it to show a woman. 

She was a woman who was not that tall. Her hair fell in dark waves that looked like chocolate. Her skin was pale with bright pink cheeks. Her smile reached her eyes. Her dress was very impressive. It was a white dress with gold and silver partners on it. It was very poofy and I could easily get lost in it. She walked in like she usually did, holding her arms out for a huge from me. This was the Empress of Russia and the one who settled in my land who at the time didn't have this name but I think you all would know it better: Catherine the Great. 

I smiled and hugged her tightly. She picked me up, spinning around with me. She always did this when she came by to see us. She very much enjoyed coming over. She loved me and my papa and we loved her. She was so kind and so beautiful. I wanted to be like her when I grew up. She made men both love and fear her. Her husband was very kind too, though I never meant him. His name was Peter. He died so she was now in charge. And man did she do a great job! 

"How's my favorite little Russian doing?" she asked me, sitting me down. 

"I'm going great!" I told her. She looked me over before shacking her head. "What?" 

"That dress is getting to be too small on you," she pointed out. "Good thing I brought you a present!" 

She held out a box that I took. I opened the box to see a few things. The first thing I saw and pulled out was a string of jewels. Some were white and others were clear. In the center was a large purple gem that was the same colors has my eyes. Catherine smiled and took the necklace from me, placing it around my neck. The second were silver and gold ribbons. Once again the empress took them from me, starting to do my hair with the ribbons. The last thing in the box was a dress made of smooth cloth. It looked like silk to me. It was mostly silver with some white and purple to decorate. Catherine took my hand and lead me out of the room. She helped me get changed and placed me in front of a mirror. 

I blinked, staring at the reflection. That couldn't be me. The girl looked back at me had her eyes shinning brightly, brought out by the silver and purple. Her hair fell down in a sea of silver waves that had gold strikes in it. She looked just like a princess. That couldn't be me after all. I was not royalty. I was just a piece of land.   

"You look lovely," she told me. 

"I don't think that's me," I spoke up. 

"Why don't you?" 

"Because I'm not much. I'm just a piece of land." 

"Now where did you hear that?" 

"Everyone says we aren't anything but land. That we don't deserve anything special." 

"Dika," Catherine lightly said my name. She knelt down so she was eye level with me. "You will hear some of your father's bosses say that. I won't be around forever sadly. But to me you and your papa are so much more. It takes a true boss to see what you all really are. Da, he's Russia. Da, you're Russia-America. But that doesn't mean you are just that. Your papa means the world to me. He's kind and caring and has been through so much. I hate to think of what the past has done to him. There will be more pain and heartache in the future. No matter what anyone says you are more than a piece of land. You are a human being with a bright heart. You never let anyone put you down. Promise me that Dika." 

"I promise," I told her. She smiled and kissed the top of my head. 

"Good. Now let's get Ivan looking better. After all you two couldn't come with me looking like that!" 

She stood up, leading me out. We walked over to Papa who blinked when he saw me. He smiled a bright smile that lit up his whole face. Though I was trying to see the pain Catherine mentioned. I couldn't see anyone hurting him. After all he was strong but nice. She must have been talking about someone else. 

"Now go get changed Ivan, we have someplace special to go too," she told him. 

"Where are we going?" he asked her. 

"To a ball. I just learned one was going on and I want to show off my lovely Ivan and Dika! Plus I may have a little bet going on with the old man that I can totally make everyone's head turn towards my countries and myself. I mean all he's got is that kid." 

"You and Fritz are something else," Papa chuckled, walking off. 

Who the heck was Fritz?