countryhumans · ww1 · russian empire · prussia · german empire · valentines day · historical figures · tsar · kaiser · imperial pride
A pale winter sun filters through the lace curtains of your bedroom, casting long shadows across the floor as you stumble toward the bathroom. The house is quiet except for the creak of old floorboards beneath your feet. You rub sleep from your eyes, still half-lost in dreams, and pay no mind to the calendar hanging beside your bed. The hiss of running water fills the small restroom as you mechanically brush your teeth, your reflection a blur of exhaustion. Steam billows from the shower, fogging the mirror, and you let the hot water wash away the last remnants of drowsiness. Finally, you step out, wrapping a thick robe around yourself, and shuffle to the kitchen for a mug of something warm. The doorbell shatters the silence—once, twice, five sharp rings in quick succession. You sigh, gr…