#konigreich

[mel-rhodes-place]

GERMANY’S FAR RIGHT IS SURGING

Peter Fitzek is the self-proclaimed “King of Germany.”  (https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/2018-08-09/ty-article-magazine/.premium/guns-anti-semitisms-and-fake-kings-germanys-dangerous-new-cult/0000017f-f7e9-ddde-abff-ffedb1fd0000) A Skynews report earlier this week profiled a town in Germany where thousands of “extremists” were gathering to give their allegiance to the new king of…

[homomenhommes]

IMPORTANT LORD LIEUTENANTS CEREMONIAL MACE FOR THE KINGDOM OF HANOVER, London,John Northam, 1816. 18 ct. gold and enamel. Composed of three cylindrical shafts in gold, enameled in light blue, with raised lions 'passant guardant'. The end pieces in gold, one side surmounted by a lion on gold royal crown of Great Britain above motto of the 'Order of the Garter' and von Münster coat of arms. Verso inscribed: GEORG PRINZ REGENT VON GROSS BRITANNIEN IRLAND UND HANNOVER ERTHEILTE NACH WEEDER HERSTELLUNG DER OEFFENTLICHEN RUHE BEFREYUNG UND ERWEITERUNG DER DEUTSCHEN STAATEN SEINER MAYESTAT DEM GRAFEN ERNST FRIDERICH HERBERTH VON MÜNSTER SEINEM STAATS UND CABINETS MINISTER DIE ERBLICHE MARSCHALL WÜRDE DES KONIGREICHS HANNOVER ZUR BELOHNUNG SEINER DIENSTE AM 12TEN AUGUST 1814. The opposite end with the 'Saxon Steed' on the crown of Hanover above the motto 'NEC ASPERA TERRENT', the royal coat of arms of Great Britain and the royal monogram under the royal crown. Marked for John Northam, London and 1816. With original leather case. Enamel chipped in some places.

[deathleadsarc]

various lore bits about her World.

Konigreich des Stolzes is ruled under King Mutigsten. With a flag so deeply green with silver in its border and emblem, boldly displaying the outline of a creature. In the form of an animal called a ‘lion’, with the shape of magnificent wings protruding from its back, its long tail curling around the legs like a snake. The closer you looked at the head of that lion, it seemed as if horns had sprouted to crown its intimidating appearance.

The Kings Knights consist of 6 very skilled and brilliant alchemists, accompanied often by the learning and aspiring squires ( who know little of impressive alchemy, but are quick to learn ) All squires were under the service of the King, either themselves or their family members, and are required to do a 'blood' test to be certain they are 'capable' of performing Alchemy in His Service. With the exception of a single squire by the name of Atlas, who is believed to be the reincarnation of the god of strength - Poros.

The World a mixture of fantastic beasts and alchemy mixed with steampunk elements as alchemy and mechanics struggle to out-class one another. there are the more traditional 'creatures' you see in fantasy media : kobolds, sahaghin, faerie, golems, dragons, etc etc ( said to either be an alchemy-made phenomena, or directly created by the EinSof itself ) - but there are also the creatures you find in medieval alchemy texts.

There are religions in this world. Christianity and cults do exist and consider EinSof believers ( alchemists ) to be heretics that place themselves above their god. there is a political aspect behind all kingdoms that is fueled by their religions and King Mutigsten is perhaps the most zealous of all. Their Kingdom Stolez is surrounded by all borders by opposing religious Kingdoms, and though all Kingdoms agree to keep peace for the sake of the people, King Mutigsten is not known within the castle for his peaceful co-operation ( hence, why he enslaved Qistina after her awakening with Khrosteia, for even deeper reasons to be revealed at a later date. )

the world is called Egedore, and she lives in one of the many Kingdoms in their region.

[heirxann]

We Need A Little Chistmas! // NOT Accepting!

@konigreich​ said: “I’m glad we get to spend Christmas together this year.” ( >:3c you already know whomst )

     ❛   When was the last time we spent a Christmas together? The 19th century?   ❜   The very thought had her grinning ear to ear. And what a CHRISTMAS that was! Perhaps the first Christmas she had ever spent with actual people. It was so vivid in her mind she felt as if she could relive it over and over for eternity and never grow tired of it. She had Gilbert to thank for that, of course. He saved her life, gave her a reason to keep going, and treated her with such kindness. Then there was Reiner... Who made things even more MEMORABLE for her.

     Erin couldn't quite bring herself to look at him. As the days passed, the more she found herself growing ever more SHY. There was something she wanted to say to him, something that desperately wanted to come out. These outings to the Christmas market were annoying to her at first, but now provided her with the perfect distraction. She could avoid looking at him, thinking about him, NEEDING him, and ENJOYING him if she threw herself into Gilbert's busy work. It was almost working too, had it not been for the memories it brought her.

     She found herself shifting from side to side as they looked at the many trinkets the market had to offer. Though it was cold, his words kept her WARM. Her nose and ears now tinted a light red, she was grateful she could blame it on the cold. Instead, she reached out, her glove hand awkwardly grabbing his. She had wondered many times before if it was okay to do so and, even now, she didn't have the courage to ask if she could. He had never pulled away at least. She saw it as a POSITIVE.

     ❛   ...I don't like Christmas.   ❜   She whispered, as if she hadn't said it at least a hundred times before. She was still unable to look at him, opting instead to lace their fingers together. She had never hoped to become INVISIBLE before, but she would have given anything for him not to see her.    ❛   I never have. I've always found it to be the most lonesome time of the year. Everyone always puts such an emphasis on family and friends; I could never bring myself to fully enjoy a holiday that always left me feeling so isolated and alone. And... Well, spendin' it with you is different. I feel at home here, WITH YOU and your family. I feel so...   ❜

      LOVED.

          She felt LOVED.

     But that was a feeling she had to shake for now. Love, for them, could wait. She could take her time with this. Erin was still trying to understand him. He was still a mystery to her one that she was slowly unraveling over time. She was grateful for what they had and grateful that they were working on things. However, she longed for something. Something that would allow her to be selfish. Something she's wanted for centuries on end for the both of them. Life was cruel, however. She was always so close, but so far. Painfully close to the finish line only for life to push it back even further. She as was so close. THEY WERE SO CLOSE. She had to wonder if she as doing something wrong.

     Without warning she moved closer to him and stood on her toes -- oh how she still LOATHED doing that -- before finally pressing her lips to his cheek. She lingered for a moment before pulling away, green eyes finally staring into an ocean of blue. Blue; one of her favorite colors, if not her favorite color of all time. Her smile widened and her heart was full. 

               ❛   Merry Christmas, Wencel. M’fhíorghrá... Is ceol mo chroí thú.   ❜

[sininensalo-a]

📝 tell me what the soft bear wants

find out what to put under Jaska’s Christmas tree / kind of accepting

warm scarf

knife

alcohol

nice etheric oils for the sauna

vinyl of one of his fave bands

[kwiecista-archive]

@konigreich II Lyric starter call (Adventure of a Lifetime; Coldplay) 

“‘Everything you want's a dream away and we are legends, every day,’ That's what she told me.”

[tsariniia]

“ are you bleeding? ” ( here's your concerned friend anya )

blood sentence starters. // ACCEPTING

“NO! I’M–” A PAUSE, realization smacking into her. “Oh, Gilbert…It’s just you.” She’d turn to better face him, her over-sized coat concealing most of her burdened form. 

“I’m fine. It takes more than a few bullets to keep me down, you know that.” Her bloodied hands found the pockets, finding a home in them. “Are you alright? Need a medic?” 

[mengdiex]

@konigreich​ liked for a starter

❛ It’s been quite some time since I last saw you, old friend  —  ❜  Bi Yu said as she poured the other a cup of tea. She hummed quietly as she finished, her hands setting down the jade-color teapot as she reached over to place some dried plums on his plate. 

❛ Do you still take your tea bitter or has time passed by so much you prefer it sweet?  ❜

[samtoaa]

@konigreich liked for a small starter

“ Reiner, I’m this close,” She said as her index finger and thumb almost touch each other, leaving a hairline gap between them, “ To losing my shit if you don’t let me scrub in. ” 

[collectioons-blog]

@konigreich liked [ x ]

[She’s watching him. Quiet.] 

[Yes she let herself in. A tip of a head and she watches him for a minute more.]

“...It’s crooked.”

[ezusthiid-a]

konigreich replied to your post: ( *cracks my knuckles*  WHO WANT A STATER? ) 

// I OWE U A STARTER SO THIS IS REVERSE

WHERE IT BE AT DANI HUH 

[wurst-kaese-szenario-blog]

Numbers, Letters, and the Godforsaken Stairs

@konigreich

Ludwig sat in his bed, waiting for someone to come help him get up and into proper clothes. His nightshirt was baggy to say the least. This was not because it was the incorrect size but instead because Ludwig was as thin as a stick. Okay, maybe the stick might beat him. Ever since he had woken up he had been consistently exhausted, and he knew that it would be awhile longer before he would be able to walk without supervision. Until then, Ludwig could endure the embarrassment of so many people having to help him. It was another thing entirely to remember that one of the people who helped out the most was his own brother, which made the slow rehabilitation more manageable.

Still, as the door creaked open he couldn’t help but hide under his covers. God above, why couldn't he have five more minutes? He wasn’t even sure that he’d ever be able to walk like his brother, so what purpose did it serve to get out of bed anyway?

Upon seeing his brother however, the young German's eyes lit up and a grin stretched across his lips. He couldn’t help it! “Guten morgen,” he said with a hushed voice, the words spilling from his tongue as fluidly as water pours from a fountain. “How are you today, brother?” Ludwig asked as his brother came closer, a smile creeping across his lips.

[miocortieni-blog]

Kairosclerosis - the moment you realize that you're currently happy ( for the word meme! )

down memory lane…  // accepting !  ft. @amortossefumo , @italitude​ , @lavitaebellax​

Roma, Italia; Il 25 dicembre 1946.

      The cracks in the cement trickled down from the ceiling, the only accent on a bare wall except for a narrow window. From outside came a shallow, mild breeze, tickling the red petals of the poinsetta stood on the sill. Despite the lanterns of Roma washing out the night sky, Feliciano was sure he could distinguish the glow of the Northern star somewhere out there. 

         An impressively fluid string of profanities from his right interrupted his observations, and a twitch came to his lips as Margherita responded in kind to Lovino’s outburst from across the table. Not having paid attention the past    —    oh, ten or so minutes    —-     Feliciano could do little but watch wide-eyed as Viola stood up to cut between them with a few choice words of her own.    (    This did not bring Viola much higher than she had been, but she seemed content to have her hands firmly planted on the table, at least.     )     Lovino slumped back with a grumble, tipping the bench he and Feliciano shared, and Feliciano quickly scrambled to take a hold of the table to keep them from careening. Margherita fell back into her own seat with a laugh that filled the whole room. As he glanced between the other two to see slow smiles sneaking involuntarily across their fellow features, Feliciano found a laugh bubble up through his chest. It took him by surprise, and his shock only made him laugh louder. As he felt tears prickle, he heard the chuckle of their Southern siblings join in, and Feliciano’s cheeks ached.

           It was only when his lungs burned and he had to force himself to breathe between hiccups of giggles that he remembered the pains. The bone-deep ache and the wounds yet to heal. But even though the now-familiar sensation should have sobered him, Feliciano felt that it was easier to smile.

             Well, it had to come back someday, he mused, and as Lovino pulled him in to ruffle a hand through his hair, Feliciano glanced up to the girls across the table, and thought that they all might just have come to the same conclusion, too.

[deathleadsarc]

after thinking thoroughly, i think i should have a masterlist of all the Kingdoms around the one qissy is living in so I can keep up with it. and you know... for Lore reasons :> of course, i'll be running it by knight since our lore should be built together and all

for ex. Konigreich des Stolzes is ruled under King Mutigsten. With a flag so deeply green with silver in its border and emblem, boldly displaying the outline of a creature. In the form of an animal called a ‘lion’, with the shape of magnificent wings protruding from its back, its long tail curling around the legs like a snake. The closer you looked at the head of that lion, it seemed as if horns had sprouted to crown its intimidating appearance.

The Kings Knights consist of 6 very skilled and brilliant alchemists, accompanied often by the learning and aspiring squires ( who know little of impressive alchemy, but are quick to learn ) All squires were under the service of the King, either themselves or their family members, and are required to do a 'blood' test to be certain they are 'capable' of performing Alchemy in His Service. With the exception of a single squire by the name of Atlas, who is believed to be the reincarnation of the god of strength - Poros.

[heirxann]

Like Real People Do

a / n ; so this fic is a looooong time coming because i keep asking for updates on the reinerin situation. ANYWAY, HERE Y’ALL GO. this is basically...where these two fucking IDIOTS are a this point in time. also this fic is long as hell and im angry about it. 2,500 words. anyway @konigreich here’s our idiots. this one’s for you.

Erin wasn't sure what she had been thinking. Reiner wasn’t sure what he had been thinking either. She asked him out. On a date. He agreed to go. On a date. They don’t do dates. In fact, neither of them were sure if they had ever been on an actual date before. Reiner was skeptical, but Erin remained positive. It wouldn’t be that difficult. They would go out to dinner and talk like real people do. Everything would be fine in the end.

It was a disaster.

Now, here they sat in her car in silence. She didn't tell him where they were driving to, but he could tell that they were no longer headed back to her apartment. He had hoped that maybe they would just sleep with each other and forget everything that happened. That maybe things could just go back to the way they were and they'd never have to talk about their feelings or dating ever again. That was wishful thinking on his part.

Instead, Erin drove to a field unfamiliar to him. He had never been this far outside of her city before. She pulled off to the side of the road. There were no lights that lit the road, but the moon seemed to light the sky. After a moment of pure silence, Erin sighed and looked at him. And he looked at her. And she felt that twinge of guilt. She couldn’t help but think about how she forced him to do this. She asked him to go out with her. Maybe he felt obligated; like he owed her for leaving her high and dry with no explanation. She hoped — God she hoped — that wasn’t the case. That maybe he was curious about what was there between him. That maybe, just maybe, he felt the same.

She signaled for him to get out the car and he followed her. The field was pitch black. All that was illuminating them were the millions of stars in the sky and the moon. It was silent, save for the grasshoppers singing into the night. She looked at him again and there was that same look on his face. The look he held all night through their painfully awkward date. He was holding back. He’s been holding back since he apologized. She knew it wasn’t right.

That was why she brought him here. That’s why they were in a field, just the two of them. So he wouldn’t have to hold back anymore. She came here plenty of times when she needed to let it out. To scream in a field where you won’t be judged, where you won’t be judged. Stars don’t judge you when you scream in pain or cry to the heavens. She had learned that on her own. Now, it was Reiner’s turn to learn that same lesson.

“I want you to scream.” she told him. For a moment he tried to interrupt her, but she stopped him again and firmly held her ground. “I want you to scream into that field. I want you to let it out, Reiner. I don’t want you to hold back from me anymore. You can’t just bottle it up and I won’t let you anymore. You need to do this. Please. If not for me, do it for yourself.”

He knew he couldn’t argue with her. She was only trying to help him. She didn’t ask for him to open up or tell her what was wrong. She only wanted him to yell. He thought it was an unusual request. He moved towards the field regardless. He was unsure this would work ( and so was she. ) But he screamed. He sounded like a man that had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Erin felt herself tense as his screams filled the void. How long — she wondered — had he been holding this inside? How long had he been hiding these emotions from everyone? And just as soon as it started, his screaming stop. The silence was even more jarring than his scream.

He turned her to her and she noted he appeared to be on the verge of breaking. She wanted to comfort him, but she didn’t know how. “Your turn.” he said. She swallowed hard. She knew she couldn’t say no. It would be cruel to deny him.

So, she moved forward, further into the field, past where Reiner stood until the grass reached up past her ankles. She stared out, for a moment pretending as if he wasn’t there. She closed her eyes, the hot summer wind blowing through her hair. She wanted to scream too. She wanted to let out everything that she had bottled up for the past few weeks. No holding back. But when she tried to speak, when she tried to scream, nothing came out. Instead, words came out. Words she had been keeping tucked away.

“You just... You left me, Reiner!”

It dawned on them both that they never really talked about what happened between them. They never talked about what happened or why he left. She never quite told him about what happened after he drove off. How she cried the whole way home and then cried for several days more. Now here they were, their first date, and it was all falling apart before their very eyes.

Erin could feel every part of herself breaking. Her facade she had put up, the idea that everything would be okay and that she would be okay. The one she hid behind when he was around out of fear. She was always afraid that if he saw her, broken down and afraid, that he would leave. Her strength would not carry her forever. And this — whatever they were — needed one of them to remain strong. He made it so difficult for her to function these days. She wasn't quite herself. She had been holding back for so long.

It was only a matter of time before it all came pouring out.

“You can't keep doin’ this to me!” Her voice suddenly cracked, but she never bothered facing him. She couldn't bare to. It was just her and the stars, the endless void that contained her cries for help. The stars never judged her or answered back. The stars wouldn't run away like she knew he would after this. “You can't just keep hurtin' me and thinkin' you can come back every time. You're not allowed to be the only one that leaves the situation unscathed! I've always been there for you or at least I’ve tried to be there for you. Well, now it's my turn, Reiner. It's my turn to freak out and panic and you're goin' to stay right here and listen to what I have to say!”

Somehow, Erin found the strength to turn to him. To see his shocked expression and face him like he couldn’t face her. She had been crying over him for so long that she didn’t even have the strength to cry anymore. She was just angry and hurt. The wound he had left her with wasn’t just raw, it was open. He needed to know what he did to her, what he continuously did to her. It wasn’t okay like she said it was. It was never okay to begin with.

“You're not gonna hurt me anymore. Because you-- You're goin' to try. We're both gonin' to try. No more leavin', no more ignorin' what we have. We're goin' to figure this out and you know what? When we get through this we're goin' to be better people for each other. But... I can't... I can't keep chasin' you, Reiner. I can't be the only one that cares. You can’t keep leavin’ me heartbroken and afraid I’ve lost you forever. I need you to want me just as much as I want you. You need to be better. Otherwise, I don't…”

Sigh.

Erin ran her fingers through her hair, still staring at him. He just stood there, shocked, unmoving, not speaking. It was as if he was unable to think in that moment and she knew this look. The same look he gave her the day he left her at the airport. She shook her head, a quiet and bitter laugh escaping her lips.

“The keys are in the car if you want to leave.” Defeated. She was defeated at last. She turned back to the field and sat down before laying down completely, now staring at the stars. It was always so much easier before she admitted to her feelings. It was easier to hide it. To ignore it. She had to ask herself it was worth it. Were her feelings really worth losing him over?

The sound of him moving closer surprised her, but she didn’t dare move to look at him. Her green eyes remained focused on the sky. However, it wasn’t until he laid next to her, so close, that she finally looked over at him. He didn’t look angry, he didn’t look upset, but that worried her more than the former ideas. She looked backup at the sky, now frowning. Why was he here still?

“Are you mad at me?”

“No.”

“You're mad at me.”

“Erin.”

“Just say you're mad at me you don't owe me anythin’—”

“Aileen.”

She froze, forcing herself to look over at him once more. He was now sporting an amused grin and Erin felt her heart skip beats. How long had it been since he called her that? She couldn’t remember the last time he used her name. Her original name. Even then, as she looked into his eyes, she could have sworn his blue eyes were glowing. They always seemed to glow when he looked at her. Still, Erin sighed. She didn't get it.

Why was he still here?

“I’m sorry. I… I never knew I hurt you that much.” Well, no, he always figured he did. But hearing it from her, seeing her anger towards him… It was different. It hurt him, but he knew he deserved it. He deserved every second of her anger. The only thing he didn’t deserve was her. “Can I ask you something? Why do you keep coming back if I hurt you? I just don’t get it. I keep hurting you and you keep coming back anyway. How can you trust me when I’ve hurt you so many times?”

Now it was her turn to be stunned into silence. How could she even respond to that? What was there to say? It took her a moment to think of anything, something to say to him. She eventually found the right words, but she feared they weren’t the right words to say.

“It’s because I like you. I don’t... have a rational reason for why I keep comin’ back or why I continue to trust you. I know if it were anyone else in the world, I would have stopped tryin’. But you… I think about all the time we spent together as kids. I think about your smile. I think about how when I’m with you… I feel like my old self.”

Those words. They struck a nerve before she could even finish. And Reiner stared at her as she spoke. All this time, he thought he was the only one that lost himself. He thought it was just him, but he was wrong. Somewhere along the way, Erin lost herself too. And she found herself again in him, just as he did with her.

“You make me feel like I’m not completely alone. You understand what it’s like… I think that’s why I keep comin’ back and--”

“You make me feel like myself too.” he finally interrupted her and he saw her start to smile, “Listen, I don’t know… I don’t know if I want this. I don’t know if I want a relationship. But what I do know is… I don’t want to lose you, Erin.”

It was the most honest either of them had been with each other in a very long time. Erin knew he wasn’t good at this. Neither was she, but seeing him try gave her hope at least. Hope was something she had long since gave up on, not just with Reiner either. However, that feeling in her chest, that warm feeling… That was hope. She knew it was.

She cleared her throat finally, laying on her back once more to look at the stars just as he had. “...You know how I feel about you now.. We don’t need to define what this is yet. We don’t even have to tell anyone. Whatever this is, whatever we are, we can keep it between us. We can...go out again maybe. We can still sleep with each other. ...But Reiner, I can’t give you all the answers. This is somethin’ you need to figure out for yourself… So, take all the time you need. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

There was a sense of relief for the both of them in that moment. No labels, no pressure, they could resume with their usual. Reiner especially felt less tense. It was as if she had washed away most but not all of his fears. It felt peaceful between them at last. A calm after a long battle they had been fighting. It was well deserved and well earned.

His hand clumsily reached for hers and Erin nearly pulled her hand away when she felt the contact. It took her a moment or two before she returned the gesture, holding his hand in hers. It was different from how it was earlier when they held hands. No longer were either of them tense, their palms no longer sweaty. It felt almost normal. It almost felt like they were real.

“Can I be honest with you?”

“Hm?”

Neither of them bothered to look at the other now, their eyes focused on the millions of stars above them. For the first time in a long time, Erin felt as if she could be honest with him. Completely honest without any worry of backlash.

“Reiner... I've lost you too many times to count. I don't want this to be the end of us. Of our friendship I mean. The truth is... I'm so scared of what comes after this. I’m terrified… I just don't want to lose you again.”

There was a small pause of silence, the sound of crickets and near by toads filling the dead air. She held her breath, as if she were silently making a wish as she awaited his response. Suddenly, she felt him squeeze her hand and she could breathe again. She didn't need to look at him to know what that meant. She didn't even need verbal confirmation, yet he still gave it to her with his soft response, “You won't.”

And so, they stayed there in the field until the sun started to come up. They talked about everything under the sun, things that didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. They pointed out constellations, laughed about old times. She listened, closely, as he talked about his childhood. She responded by telling him about how special this field was to her. They listened to one another that night. Every time she looked at him, every time he looked at her, it felt like a reunion. Not for Erin and Reiner, but for Aileen and Wencel. They could be normal, just for a moment. They could talk and laugh and just exist in the moment.

Like real people do.

[sininensalo-a]

Three Octaves.

There are some people you would do anything for. @konigreich / @ezusthiid

The piano keys pressed by gentle fingers of a Polish man soon let a melancholic tune vibrate and embrace the gathered audience, much broader than Jaakko had imagined it to be. Every fiber of his anxious body demanded an explanation for this reckless decision, they wanted to understand why the Finn who feared eye contact agreed to public singing. He couldn’t withdraw now, no, for that would be a shame more immense than the performance itself, but he knew damn well he wanted to do that more than anything in this world. There was not enough alcohol running through his veins, too few to chew through the cage of his petrified brain. In a brief second of sheer panic, it began mixing up the lyrics of the only two songs he had planned to perform, and English pronunciation not being his strongest suit only added insult to the injury. Fortunately, he was given some extra time due to the long intro, as if Feliks wanted to show off, but soon it was time to begin. His own self-consciousness had yet again done him dirty, and in a desperate attempt at reducing stress, Jaakko closed his eyes as he sang the first verses.

I've heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord but you don't really care for music, do you?

Three octaves. Many a singer would kill for a range his voice had, and here he was, letting it rot in his throat, not talking, not singing, greedily keeping this treasure to himself. Would it have been different if his persistent self-loathing hadn’t throttled him every waking hour? It was difficult to tell. Jaakko enjoyed singing, adored playing the kantele stolen from him by fate, but as soon as there was another pair of ears listening, his courage would crumble like a house of cards, so carefully built and yet so fragile.

She tied you to her kitchen chair, she broke your throne, she cut your hair, and from your lips, she drew the Hallelujah ...

It was beyond him to dare peek at the people, at all that judgemental jury he personally asked for. The rows of the newlyweds’ guests, the plethora of saints observing him carefully from every nave like predator birds perched on the walls and cornices. His own voice echoed in an acoustically perfect place to perform a song like this, it banged against his chest, it ripped his heart out in both fright and excitement. It must have been the first time since ages that he performed in a church. The parish choir career was long gone, after all. The redness of the walls fit the gold framing it, and Jaakko’s face adapted quickly, like a chameleon, with his face flushed burning red and with blond hair encircling it. As he sings, he tries, oh God be his witness in his very own house, he tries. It takes a superhuman effort for him to look up, even if briefly, to scan the present faces in search of the one he wishes to sing the following words for.

Baby, I've been here before I've seen this room, I've walked this floor, you know, I used to live alone before I knew you ...

Oh, the challenging part ensued. The release to a built-up tension came in the form of a tempest, verbal thunderstorm coming from the top of the Finnish lungs as if Jaakko’s second nature, the repressed and unbridled one, the primal and long forgotten, wanted out and to be seen by everyone. Catching breath is difficult, but the relief assumed the shape a soft chorus, the imagery of the demon defeated, the devil caged, the dragon slain by Saint George.

Hallelujah, hallelujah Hallelujah, hallelujah ...