Kaiserreich: Legacy of the Weltkreig: A Novel

Chapter 4: Lavr Kornilov

8th January, 1936, just outside Petrograd, Russian Republic.

I arrived just outside the city, my horse stealing as he reached a place he has never seen, but I remember this place. When Kerensky had power returned to him he asked that I never again return to Petrograd, after all, I did try to get remove his power. Kerensky is no more, his rules no longer stand.

On the day of Kerensky's death I met with Wrangel. He had a similar idea that I had. I suppose we both fear that the Senate will be too weak to keep Russia together. We haven't had the best history with provisional governments.

After all fighting we did, the uniting of the white front, the victory over the vile Bolshevik, I was not happy with the decision to give that man power. He failed to hold Russia together once, he supplied the greatest enemy Russia has ever had against his own officers. What I did was to protect this great nation that I call home. Kerensky never saw it that way. He saw me as nothing but a Tsarist puppet, but I am not a Tsarist. Nicholas did nothing but hurt Russia. This great nation. That is why I stand at these gates, that is why I must march to the Senate.

The snow fell heavy over the gates of Petrograd. On horse back, ahead of his battalion, in a grey uniform, snow specked across shoulders and chest of the recently halted man, with two military crosses adorning his collar and chest. His face shows lines of stress and age, likely from the recent wars. He has a dark brown goatee that extends down to his chin, then up and around to his lips, encircling two hairless spots between mid lower lip and edges of his mouth, with a large, bushy moustache, parted in the middle, covering parts of his upper lip, and extending beyond the edges of his mouth. His eyes slightly sunken into his head, with thinning eyebrows sitting above. His hair parts to the left, sitting on the crown of his head. His hair is predominantly a comb over, combed to the right. The hair across the side of his head shorter, but enough to almost run your fingers through. Lavr Kornilov took the reigns of his horse in hand, signalling the horse to gallop forward, through the streets of the city.

As Kornilov entered the city people began to leave their homes, to see what was causing the ruckus. Metal met stone as Kornilov road through the streets, now rife with people. He rode past the shocked people of Petrograd. What would the future hold, a second Kornilov affair? Will Kornilov even be able to lead Russia?

The clack of hooves came to a stop as Kornilov stood face to face with the Tauride palace. A large, expansive building with a lemon walls and a mint roof. The entrance before him was 5 large acropolis pillars under a triangular roof, with doors on the other side. Kornilov dismounted his horse and tied it to a pole outside the palace gates. Upon seeing him the guards open the gates, and he walks into the grand building. Knowing the Senate would be in session, Kornilov knocked on the Senate doors.

As Kornilov walked through the hallways there was no sound, other then that if the military man's march towards his destination. The sound of his large boots not helped by his ordinarily loud feet. The halls where Barron, the Senate has barely time to get enough loyal representatives, let alone anyone to maintain the building. Russia had essentially shut down, these halls where but one shred of the evidence.

Knock, knock. A single man stood in the room, and the knocks rung though the room, over the top of his speech. He tried to continue before he was interrupted again. Knock, Knock.

"Mr speaker, I must ask you to dismiss this interruption fro..." the man began.

Knock, knock.

The speaker stands up. "Mr Pavlov, I must ask that you sit." As he gestured to the man standing. He stood for a moment hesitant, before sitting down. "Open the door."

As the door was opened the Senate erupted with gasps, as they all stare at Kornilov. The speaker is lost for words, the chairman is lost for words. The room falls silent, you could hear a mouse scurry past where one doing so in that moment.