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A Resolution of the Soul
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Ursa could barely believe her own eyes. It was Mikhail-- her Mikhail… yet it wasn’t. That baby-faced, bright eyed, optimistic boy had hardened; his eyes were darker, his jaw more defined, a scar ran through the center of his face, over his nose.
“How…?” Instinctively, Ursa’s hand reached to cup his cheek, but he dodged.
“It’s a long story. We probably shouldn’t talk here.” This was all too much. Everything she knew-- everything she thought she knew-- was crumbling right in front of her eyes, and yet he was so nonchalant about the entire thing.
Ursa followed her brother and his companion into a room near the back of the tavern, completely isolated from the rest of the population inside. They sat at a small booth in the corner of the already empty roo
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Behind those closed study doors, a different conversation played out.“I’m sorry, but there’s something off about the Empress’ intentions,” Orlov admitted.“What? I thought we just resolved this. Can we please drop it? I hate to see my two favorite people fight,” Ivan appealed.“I cannot in good faith just ‘drop it.’ There’s something off about this entire situation, from the uprisings, to the sudden push for Romanov representation…”“Woah, you can’t seriously be saying that Ursa has something to do with the terrorism--”“I’m not! I can’t accuse her of something like that yet--”
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The arrival of the snow signaled for court to be adjourned for the rest of the year. As the officials funneled into the great hall outside the throne room, Orlov stopped Ursa on her own way out.“Your Majesty, would you spare a minute for me?” Ursa nodded and followed Orlov out, leaving Ivan to be swarmed by officials who wanted to run something by him last minute. Orlov guided her to the Emperor’s study, where they both sat opposite each other on the sofas. Ursa folded her hands neatly in front of her, waiting for Orlov to make the first move. She was sure he was about to criticize another aspect of the banquet, but she would not prompt him.“You’re a cunning woman, Your Majesty.”“What?” That was not quite what Ursa expected him to say.
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No.It wasn’t possible.Yes, Ursa and her brother had their disagreements-- far too many in the past week-- but not even he would actively try to kill her? Wouldn’t her father have stopped him? Was she not still a necessary pawn in his futile Jex game?All of these thoughts coursed through her head like a rushing stream as she fell from the high terrace and onto the cold, hard pavement below.How could he have done it during her speech? Did he really just kill so many people? Ursa’s heart hurt so much, so much more than any real physical pain she felt, if she could feel at all. Her entire body went numb, unable to feel the numerous cuts, burns, bruises, and punctures that littered her limbs, nor the blunt force trauma that her head was
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