Winter Forest, Ivan Shishkin Some time ago, on a dark snowy winter’s night, in a land far from here, four Councilors to the Emperor stood together huddled in the cold at the foot of an immense mountain at the far northern reaches of the Empire. These were wise men and women, each learned in their respective fields of study. They lived in fine wood-paneled scholars’ chambers near the Emperor’s headquarters. they had fresh fruit from the southern shores of the Empire delivered to th...
