At Last She Noticed

One thousand and seven hundred kilometers away from London is the capital of the Ruthenia Empire, St. Petersburg. The country is also experiencing the winter season, congealing the surroundings of the Winter Palace in a white blanket which makes everything seem muted. 

Alexander was in his personal gym, doing pull-ups as he performed his daily exercise before starting his day at work. The air was cold, but it was not too cold for his spores to stop him from sweating. He could feel the perspiration trickle down his face as the muscles in his arms, chest, and back tensed each time he lifted his body up. This routine had become normal ever since he became Alexander but was stopped temporarily when he got shot in the chest four years ago outside the Imperial Council Building where he signed the Infrastructure Bill that transformed the empire from a backward nation to one of modernity.