It's a common thing, is it not?
A chant, muttered by marching men. Soldiers, doing what they were told, common ground known as each step solidified thoughts, actions, ideals. All of it said in that one universal chant. Left, Left-Right-Left. What else would it mean? What else could it possibly represent to a person?
Alexei's mind was a harsh, cruel reality. It's thoughts twisted upon as shuffling feet pounded the words into his head until he found himself brokenly whispering the mantra. Trying to carry on out of the city. Broken foot-falls growing sagged until he couldn't carry on. His body wavering, back hitting harshly against the wall with a sufficient smack.
Whispering words pounding in his head, ears bleeding from the unheard song of left-right-left. A man of the military is never truly free, not when it is where his family still rests. Not when it is where he would wish upon wish to go back. But hate himself if he did, did fall into those same temptations, those curses of a worse life, a worse empire.
He must have been an odd sight, cloaked figure holding his hands to his ears to block the sounds of rustling feet, unknown to all of how it made his mind bend into the past and dip it's feet into the pool.
