Meeting the Grand Duke

On the other side of the dungeon door was a land completely foreign to Lev. Indeed, this whole time he had evidently been confined within the underground dungeon of a fortified chateau/ palace. As such, in stark contrast to the mossy, uneven confines of the cell, the walls of the palace were instead made of evenly, intricately, and artistically carved stone, draped with banners bearing imperial insignia; that is, the two-headed eagle with a blue backdrop. Similarly, the floor was clean, clear, and glossy, with blue carpeting bearing the same insignia lining the hall. Even the ceiling could not escape the theatrical layout of the building, as hanging from golden coloured chains was a series of meticulously designed chandeliers, situated infrequently yet intentionally. At the end of each doorway stood tall pillars, which although technically acting as support beams more so acted as canvases for more intricately carved patterns and designs. Also infrequently situated at the end of doorways were soldiers dressed akin to those met in the dungeons.

Whilst anyone else may have been mesmerised by the momentous glamour and artistic beauty of the fortified chateau, Lev instead saw the layout as an unnecessary and unpractical display of bourgeois decadence; an obvious exertion of domination and power, with every item – and even the general layout – being ornamental rather than utilitarian. Along every hall he passed through, there were present more examples of these elaborate displays of wealth. Yet, objectively the most potent exertion of power, influence, and wealth was observed in the Great Hall.

Concealed behind a grand oak door, the room was massive yet spacious and empty. A large blue carpet, also bearing a pattern scheme depicting the imperial insignia, split the room in two; which, starting at the entrance, ended at a large throne. The throne itself had blue cautioning, with the frame being gold. Even the footstool was observed to be made from pure gold. Behind this elaborate stately seat was a large blue banner with the imperial eagle.

Seated upon this throne was the Grand Duke himself. Being rather overweight and voluptuous, he hid his poor health behind elaborate clothing; that is, he wore an embroidered tunic, and a decorated cloak fastened by a gold broach. Rested upon his sweating brow was a comparatively more simplistic gold crown adorned with small red rocks. Indeed, rather than an elaborate hat, the crown was more comparative to a band.

[So much for a Grand Duke…]

Yet, whilst the room was otherwise empty of material objects, it was not empty of personal. Explanatorily, lining the carpet, from the entrance to the throne itself, was a series of soldiers on either side. As Lev and his escorting entourage entered the room, the assortment of guards snapped their heels together and straightened their posture. Walking down the aisle, he noticed the soldiers providing subtle yet inquisitive glances, perhaps perplexed by his clothing. At the end of the aisle, Lev stood awkwardly as Kostya and his men kneeled.

"Your Majesty, I present to you…" the Sergeant announced, before pausing and trying to remember the complex epithet provided by his captive.

"… Senior Lieutenant Lev Sorokin" he finished, not daring to even attempt at guessing the rest of his rank.

"So, this is the mysterious foreigner" the Grand Duke responded, his weight halting an attempt at leaning forward to get a better look. Resting back into his throne, he reached out a hand. Lev stood perplexed, not knowing how to break the silence.

"Kiss it… kneel and kiss the ring" Whispered Kostya, turning his head to the captive.

Lev hesitated. His feeling of confusion, which had up until this point plagued his mind, was overcome with a subtly rising anger. That is, after only moments prior being awoken inexplicably in a mysterious medievalesque world, he was now being forced to kneel and submit himself before a fleshy, overly condescending feudal lord made swollen by excess greed. Yet, with the value of his life at this moment overpowering his ideologic zeal, he eventually relented, and whilst grinding his teeth approached the throne, bent to one knee, and kissed the golden ring wrapped tight around the Grand Dukes plump finger. It tasted like sweat and grease.

"Senior lieutenant Lev Sorokin, I present to you His Majesty, the Grand Duke Gavrilov… the Divine Ruler of Kolva, Lord of the Kolvic People, and Father of the Homeland" followed up Kostya in a rather pompous introduction. As was noted by Lev, the Sergeant spoke without any true conviction. Rather his speech sounded like a scripted monologue; emotionless and remembered through repetition.

"Now, now" interrupted the Grand Duke.

"You may arise" he continued, whilst removing his hand with an extent of aggressiveness from Lev's embrace. With that, Lev stood up and moved back to Kostya and his men.

[Scum…]

"Tell me foreigner, what is your land… tell me about it? I can tell from your clothing that you are neither from My lands nor the neighbouring Dukedoms.

['My land' he says… the audacity….]

"I am from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, a free transcontinental nation situa…" before he could finish, the Grand Duke once again interceded.

"I have never heard of such a place… who rules this land?"

"Well, we are ruled by a collective council of ministers… but at the foremost is the Chairman and General Secretary, Comrade Stalin"

The Kolvic ruler was most certainly confused. Firstly, he had never heard of a ruler bearing this name. And secondly, he had never heard of a ruler being addressed as an equal; that is, a 'comrade'. Adding to the second point of confusion was the seemingly ignoble epithets 'Chairman' and 'General Secretary', which for the Grand Duke sounded akin to the stately titles denoting his personal counsel. That is, they were epithets perceived as not suitable for a noble ruler. In responding to proceeding push for more information, Lev delved into the makeup of Soviet society; though, as to not confuse the Grand Duke, he simplified his language as best as possible. To achieve this simplification, he went with the more ideological/ propagandised rhetoric; rather than boring the ruler with a complex lecturing on command economies, and Marxist-Leninist philosophy, etc.

"We are a revolutionary and strictly organized people, built upon the principles of collective ownership and total equality… that is, men and women bare equal status, toilers' bare ownership over the land, and those that work are entitled to and indeed receive adequate food, shelter, and education."

The proclamation had reawakened within Lev a patriotic fervour, derived mostly from his time at the Lenin Military-Political academy; where he had not only studied in warfare, but had also been trained in political theory and how to insight ideological zeal. Feeling overly confidence, and with the honour of the Motherland on the line, he adjusted his posture and stood domineeringly. Although otherwise rather tall, slim, and demure, the seriousness of his gaze stood out glaringly. In response, the Grand Duke sat in silence. The soldiers standing guard, along with Kostya and his retinue, similarly stood confused and glancing at one another; yet all were too scared to break from their positions. Though, it was clear that none had heard of such governance. Suddenly, the overweight man seated upon the throne began to laugh.

"Preposterous!" he cried, slamming his hand into the arm rest.

"The audacity to lie before me!" he continued, his laugh gradually divulging into anger.

"In such desperate times, you dare disseminate such heinous and foul ideals!" He boomed. Although Lev had not the slightest idea what this was referencing, it should be known that the Grand Duchy of Kolva had recently undergone a series of rural riots derived from the cutting of gold and silver coins, and the implementation similarly detrimental tax edicts that ravaged the peasantry.

Regardless, Lev remained resolute and made no attempt at correcting his statement. Instead, he stood silently, his eyes fixated only upon the seated ruler. The whole situation felt completely surreal, and as such Levs heart paced back and forth. Then, with a wave of his hand, the Grand Duke summoned forward two guards, who breaking rank approached the adamant captive.

"Take him back to the dungeon… maybe some time left alone will make our prisoner more cooperative in telling the truth"

With that, Lev was grabbed by both arms and escorted through the Great Hall. Glancing over his shoulder, he observed Kostya attempting in vain to make the Grand Duke reconsider; murmuring that perhaps the captives' statements should be researched further before any decisive conclusions are established. Yet, out of his arrogant chauvinism, the pudgy ruler refused to listen. With another wave of his hand, Kostya and his entourage were similarly dismissed.