"Your Highness."
The heavy door swung open, and Bodrilinov, clad in a gray military uniform, stepped into the bedroom that once belonged to Emperor Peter, devoid of its former splendor. The pure cashmere carpet was stained with mud, and except for the chandelier, bed, and desk, which were too cumbersome to move, all valuables had been taken away.
Before their retreat, the soldiers of the Kingdom of Windsor, under the command of their officers, had plundered the Winter Palace. They stripped the walls of famous paintings, carried away the gold and silver inlaid porcelain, and took away everything that could be removed.
Bright sunlight streamed through the balcony, and Katerina stood amidst the disarray of the room, gazing at the bed where Emperor Peter had succumbed to illness, her mind awash with memories.
