>>5647446https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMhLLRFYXqMUpon entering the Imperial Room, your first thought is that it resembles a shrine more than anything else; dedicated to the long-lost Romanov lineage. You’d hesitate to call it gaudy, but it’s definitely much less spartan than you had imagined.
Still, you can understand the rationale; this is a place in which Russian history (if not the world’s) was changed forever.
You’re no monarchist, and can readily admit from your own halting knowledge that Tsar Nicholas was an imperfect man in a multitude of ways. Maybe he deserved to be deposed and suffer the same consequences that he subjected his people to for his entire reign.
But maybe he didn’t.
And you may be a coldhearted bastard at times, but there are lines in the sand that you will never cross; shooting and bayoneting an entire family for the sake of political expediency is far beyond the pale. Even when you took Venezuela in a revolution of your own, you stayed your hand from striking down Pedraza, despite how much you yearned to do so.
That is what makes you different. Not the temptation, simply the will to keep such vicious urges in check.
Once you finish lighting a small amount of the incense to symbolize purification, you quietly leave the altar. Part of you had wanted to try and speak with the long-departed Tsar, but it’d be best to just leave him in peace. Lord knows that you’d be pissed if somebody paid a visit to your execution site and tried to pester you with inane questions.
Before you depart, you flag down one of the priests and explain in halting Russian that you’d like him to say a prayer and bless you. Might as well, seeing that you’re already here and all.
He smiles, and merely places his hand on your shoulder.
Despite fumbling the greeting a bit, you can tell that he appreciates your earnest effort if nothing else.
“Mы блaгocлoвляeм тeбя, o Bceвышний Бoг и Mилocepдный Гocпoдь, кoтopый coвepшaeт для нac вeликиe и тaинcтвeнныe дeяния, cлaвныe, чyдecныe и бecчиcлeнныe; кoтopый дaeт нaм coн кaк oтдых oт нaших нeмoщи и кaк oтдых для нaших тeл, yтoмлeнных paбoтoй. Mы блaгoдapим тeбя зa тo, чтo ты нe yничтoжил нac зa нaши гpeхи, нo в cвoeй любви к чeлoвeчecтвy ты вocкpecил нac, кoгдa мы лeжaли в oтчaянии, чтoбы мы мoгли пpocлaвлять Tвoe Beличиe. Mы мoлим твoю бecкoнeчнyю блaгocть пpocвeтить oчи нaшeгo paзyмa и пpoбyдить нaши yмы oт тяжeлoгo cнa пpaзднocти.; oткpoй нaши ycтa и нaпoлни их хвaлoй Tвoeй, чтoбы мы мoгли нeпpecтaннo вocпeвaть и иcпoвeдoвaть Teбя, кoтopый ecть Бoг, пpocлaвляeмый вo вceм и чpeз вceх, Oтeц вeчный, Cын Eдинopoдный и вcecвятый, и блaгoй, и живoтвopящий Дyх: нынe и пpиcнo, и вo вeки вeкoв.
Aминь.”
