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ISSUE 3 - LONG LIVE THE KING

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EDITORIAL The Queen Elizabeth I of Tudor once stated “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.”

We can only continue this path of thought to say that maybe it has not been the Lord’s doing this time, yet we do hope that it is seen as marvelous in your eyes.

Thank you one and all for the quick look-through, for the proper read, the words, the support and the love.

Issue brought to you by Alise Golovacka, Edgars Spudiņš, Isabella Leandersson, Jānis Pētersons, Nastia Yeremenko, Nathan Hunter, Robin Rönneke Belfrage, Marek Navrátil, Merel Blok, Ieva Vīksne, Mairi Sõelsepp, Jaan Kristjan Utno, Signe Rudoviča, Kārlis Caune, Andre Tamm

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The THE RISE AND RISE OF DAVID BOWIE

King of Controversy -Merel Blok

Semi-retired, not having published an album since 2003, and married with children. David Bowie’s enormous fame seemed to have come to an end. Yet, a surprising friend and foe, the new album called ‘The Next Day’ was published in March this year. ‘The Next Day’ was critically acclaimed and reached the number one position in charts all over the world. How has the chameleon of music managed to remain famous for almost fifty years?

He loves working on a distinct concept for performances. The most famous example is his character Ziggy Stardust. After touring and giving press conferences as Ziggy, he let him die on stage. Following the Ziggy Stardust phase and a short period of drug-abuse, Bowie reached world-fame in the 80s. Though his fame decreased in the following years, Bowie stayed in the public attention. Along with his new album, he is back on track to take his fame to the next level. The Bowie icon David Bowie started his canever becomes boring. reer playing the saxophone in several blues bands. He And that image is the reainitially became well known son why Bowie remains so thanks to the song ‘Space famous. His ever changing Oddity’ – released right af- style of music, performing ter the moon landing in and presenting himself are 1969. After reaching the a part of that image. There top-5 position, things pro- is one thing you can count gressed rapidly. Bowie’s an- on when it comes to David drogynous looks and open Bowie: there is nothing you bisexuality sparked much can count on. controversy. Apart from constantly stretching his music into many different genres and sounds, the image surrounding David Bowie became world-famous and even notorious.

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HOW DOES THE SESSION MAKE YOU FEEL? -Jānis Pētersons

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DROPS FROM THE PADDLE - Robin Rönneke Belfrage

“Get that paddle in the water!” my mother barked the words. At that time I was four and it was the first time I sat in a canoe. The waves from the speedboats almost made me drop the paddle in fear each time they struck the hull. Those paddles have broken the waves many times since then. Canoeing is all about closeness, you are close to the water, the wildlife around you and especially yourself.

The water course defines everything; your canoe can cut gracefully across an expanse or the waves can be a never-ending struggle towards a troubled horizon. In a canoe or a kayak there is just a centimetre of plastic between you and a swim.

That creates a respect for the sea; it is not only beautiful but also dangerous for those who are unprepared or too daring. There always comes a time when one has underestimated the circumstances: you are a bit too far out, the weather is just too windy and the water too cold. It is when taking a risk – unwillingly or not – that you appreciate life the most.

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On a different tour the head of a seal pops up an arm’s length away from you.

The seabirds sit perched as guards on the cliffs – coloured in shades of grey, white and apricot. Oystercatchers, terns, gulls, and the occasional raven, they are wary, but not disturbed. The water is crystal clear and the canoe passes over unearthly landscapes of sand and seaweed that one travelling by boat misses so easily.

It is these moments that make you grow, the storm that sharpens your senses and makes each wave a tiny victory. The calm twilight when the setting sun makes the cliffs blaze like molten gold or when the horizon opens up before you on a summer morning. Canoeing is soothing, the rhythmic paddle strokes and the vastness of the ocean empties the mind of worries as well as strengthens the body. My reasons for canoeing are many and you should get some too. For all I ever did was getting the paddle in the water.

LECTURE TIME! - Isabella Leandersson

‘Made me remember things I’ve done and things I can do.’

‘Since I have been doing voluntary work for 6 years I didn’t exactly find the lecture informative, yet I did find it inspiring.’

‘I should have slept more during the night.

‘I really liked the idea of making your wishes come true through helping other people and volunteering.’

‘The greatest thing about the lecture was the inspiration it gave to me. I have worked as a volunteer previously and so I already knew most of the information. People shared their knowledge and experience, which is a great motivation to not stop where I am, but to try more and something new. Also, it made me realize how much society depends on volunteers and individuals like us. So, you could say it raised my self-value, which probably is a good thing.’

Having a Voluntary Work Day as part of the session is still fairly new within the EYP and not something you hear about often. The Voluntary Work Day at LNC’13 started off with lectures at Zeimul’s and continued with the clearing of the Vipinga woodlands. Because this feature is still quite novel to sessions we were all especially curious of its reception, so we want to share some interesting things the delegates had to say about this experience.

‘I really loved the committee dream sharing. Hearing everybody’s future dreams and plans was really inspirational. We all feel so much closer now.’

‘It was inspiring and now I’m considering doing some voluntary work in foreign countries.’

‘I really can’t wait to go to NY, USA.’

‘The lectures were a little bit boring, but they were also useful.

When I go home I will check volunteer opportunities.’

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EMPL - Employment consists of so many different personalities, still being in complete harmony and accaptence of each other. Even the chairs were surprised. The delegates themselves once said: ‘’We free gipsies from the leash, no more living on selling hashish!’’

CULT I - number 1

LIBE I - A tight-knit group filled with people who work very well together. They were some of the people who collected the most garbage at the voluntary work day – making them real masters of garbage! Sometimes what keeps them going is what they call “wise words from San” a time filled with well-chosen words and humour.

committee of pretty faces the funny group began to say and that was the start of a somewhat different day with a jumba teambuilding some began a bit afraid but thanks to an unexpected bond

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all committee members were amazed over the past week each minute together was much more than fun and now, my friends, I can proudly say I was the journo of pretty faced CULT I banana

the committees

LIBE II - Just a group of young and ambitious people with different backrounds who have gathered here to stand for freedom, liberty and equality in Europen Union member states. But apart from academic angle LIBE II is a diverse and caring team of caring girls and a guy who would impress you by their opinions and devotion to their beliefs.

the committees

AFET - The Committee on Foreign Affairs has forged strong bonds during the session and developed an enormous hugging potential as well as a passion for the ninja game. I have witnessed them pass the challenges of the session with bravo and in their own words they are as harmonic as melted butter.

ENVI - If you spend five minutes with the committee ENVI, you will immediately feel the great team spirit. They were in the first place at the Eurolympics and four of the delegates performed at the Euroconcert.

Its delegates are very friendly and know how to make their chairs proud!

CULT II - The KORB (Kingdom of Red Bowties) also known as CULT II has been a great deal of fun. Taking into account not only their creativity when solving tasks together, this bunch also has a wonderful selection of “that’s what she said” and even “that’s what she had” jokes.

BUDG - The BUDG amazed me – going through teambuilding, completing challenges and working on their resolution. I loved all you as a group and each individually. Your poorly done song and your genuine and caring chairs Arnolds and Anna will always stay in my mind, the same as you. Put your minds together the same as you did with your feet. Why? Because you can!

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A CARPET OF

If ethnicities were coloured yarn, the city of Rezekne would be one of the most colourful carpets of Latvia. The town has existed since the Middle Ages and has a rich history and a vast array of cultures. As an outsider coming from a country that is home to many different nationalities, I felt it would be interesting to offer a short observation.

Just like Rome, Rezekne is built on seven hills, which is immediately noticeable if you go on a sightseeing tour. Latvians call Rezekne “the heart of Latgale”, for it is the geographical centre of the region. The town is also an important junction for railroads and highways. It was rapidly industrialised after the Second World War, thus many Russians came to live here. Nowadays the town still is multi-ethnical. Apart from some small minorities, most citizens are either Russian or Latvian. The cultural diversity is also noticeable in the town architecture. A large variety of religious and cultural locations can be found in Rezekne.

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But multi-ethnicity comes with its problems. It is common for multi-ethnic societies to have tension between the various cultures. In the Netherlands for instance, misunderstandings often spark up between immigrants and the ‘native Dutch’.

Populist parties gain a lot of recognition by making hateful comments about the Arabic culture and religion. Therefore multi-ethnicity attracts much negative attention from the media. It is easy to infer that the integration process is not going too smoothly. Luckily, it is not difficult to find inspiring initiatives as well. Varying projects from theatre events to dance nights with traditional music from the immigrants can be found in nearly every town or village.

topic for a lot of Latvians. Fortunately, the people I spoke to were very open and calm about the subject. Martins Zilinskis said that ‘it seems as if there is very little interaction between the Latvian and Russian people. Both cultures are to exist besides each other’. Ieva Freidenfelde added: ‘That is very true. What seems to increase the problems is that Latvia is a small country with a decreasing population, so some people feel that the Latvian culture is threatened and has to be protected from the Russian one.

While on the other hand, the Russian population feels as if they need to protect their minority’s culture.’ More importantly, beside the problem of cultural protection, there is the problem of speech. The fact that the different cultures do Obviously the situation in Lat- not share a common language via is different. Where in the increases the feeling of both Netherlands the non-native cultures ‘living apart from each Dutch are either from previ- other’. ous colonies or economic immigrants, the history of Reze- Yet, like the Netherlands, more kne – and Latvia in general – is and more initiatives are takmuch more complicated. As a en to promote interaction beformer member of the USSR, tween both cultures. Krievi for the past can still be a sensitive example is a documentary pro-

CULTURES

ject by Tina Remiz. She was born to Russian parents in Latvia. In the July issue of F8mag she states: ‘Throughout my life in Latvia I have often been reminded – subtly but pointedly – of my status as a guest that has been accepted to stay, as long as he or she causes no trouble, shows no sign of displeasure and does not insist on equal rights in the household.’

Her collection contains a huge variety of portraits of both Lat-

- Merel Blok

that, it would be a beautiful thing to open up the dialogue and openly debate about the social problems Rezekne is facing. Though it might take more time to create a base on which such discussion could take place, I believe that it eventuFor as far as I am able to per- ally will. Hopefully, the youngceive, it seems as if there were er generation will play a role in certain prejudices between the it too.

Latvians and Russians. Bearing in mind the history of Latvia, this is nothing odd. Despite vians and Russians. Though these projects obviously differ from the ones in the Netherlands, there is one thing that unites them all: trying to create a dialogue and cooperation between the cultures.

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European

zen

h t u yo

- Edgars Spudinš

The path of the well-travelled one is not an easy path to follow, yet all it takes is to put that one step after the other. Zen-Buddhism is often viewed as a complex thing, which it is actually not, since its teachings can be easily summed-up in simple statements such as Nike’s famous slogan ‘Just do it’.

Ergo, the idea of translating the Buddhist teachings to an EYP format arises. As Buddha himself once said, words should be viewed and used as a figure of speech, nothing more. So it does not really make a difference, whether we describe the one willing to learn as a monk or a delegate.

This article contains EYP themed koans (Zen-Buddhist riddles) that one can use in order to free the self from unnecessary thoughts and feelings. Live in the present moment and real life instead of a mind-conjured world of dreams and assumptions.

Feel free to use these koans as food for thought whenever you feel like opening yourself, meditating and willing to try something new.

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A delegate named Otto said to the Chair: ‘I am not too smart and I am unprepared. Will you give me support?’

Chairperson said: ‘Otto?’

Otto responded: ‘Yes, sir.’

The chair said: ‘There is the committee overview and your mind, the best wine in EYP. You have already finished three cups, and still you are saying that they did not even wet your lips.’

The VP saw the delegates of two different committees fighting over a di-

rect response placard. He seized the placard and told the delegates: ‘If either of you says a good word, you can save the placard.’

No one answered. So the VP boldly cut the direct response in pieces.

That evening a chair met the VP and he told the chair about this. The chair took a pen and paper and, placing them on his head, walked out.

The VP said: ‘If you had been there, you could have saved the committee placard.’

Rob was being chaired by Brian. One night he came to Brian’s room and asked many questions about the best ideas and solutions for the committee topic. The chair said: ‘The night is getting old. Why don’t you retire?’

So Rob bowed and opened the screen to go out, observing: ‘It is very dark outside.’

Brian offered Rob a lit candle to find his way. Just as the delegate received it, Brian blew it out. At that moment the mind of Rob was opened.

Two delegates were arguing about their coat of arms, which was put on a pole outside.

One said: ‘The flag is moving.’

The other said: ‘The wind is moving.’

The committee’s chair happened to be passing by. He told them: ‘Not the wind, not the flag; the mind is moving.’

Step after step, the walk turns into a jog.

The river keeps flowing, despite any branches and rocks in its way. This is what Zen both is and is not at the same time.

Farewell friend, may your footsteps leave marks for other fellow travellers along the way for guidance. It was great having you here.

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There is a problem...

‘Love is blindness’, Jack White once sang, and everyone accepts it. It is true that you cannot choose who you love; it strikes unexpectedly. There is nothing wrong about it, it is natural. However, what happens when the object of your love does not match society’s traditional concept of who is supposed to be loved and by whom? While on an individual level opinions can be discussed or disregarded, as soon as love shared by two individuals requires a formal recognition from the society, namely, the recognitions of marriage ties, we face a wall of disapproval and prejudice.

Throughout centuries, homosexuality has existed alongside our daily life. The only thing that has changed is society’s perception of it. Going back in history we see that Plato viewed same-sex relationships as a natural, pure form of love. This perception survived until the Middle Ages, however, around this period homosexuality emerged as a conflict between God’s will and human lust.

The Renaissance period revived not only the values of ancient wisdom, but also shed light on the concept of homoerotic love. Its purity and essence is wonderfully depicted

in the literary art forms of William Shakespeare: Two loves I have, of comfort and despair, Which like two spirits do suggest me still: The better angel is a man right fair; The worser spirit a woman coloured ill.

Homosexuality has, does and will continue to exist. It always finds a way to be present and to demonstrate society’s perception of it. This is clearly visible in the 20th century cinematographic representation of some of the related burning issues. On the big screen homosexuality moves through decades reflecting contemporary attitudes towards gay-people.

As a result, we see that during the 1920s homosexuals are seen as funny, out-going and ‘gay’ people, while the 50s bring the notion that interest in same-sex relationships is a certain deviation from the norm. However, since the 90s we have begun to fear homosexuality. The progression of the so-called stereotypes is visible, but the driving force of it remains unknown.

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... Or is there?

It is unclear why it happened and what the future might bring, but the fact remains – no one knows whether we are entering the Dark Ages of a new era or moving towards the bright future. It might bring new perceptions of homosexuality, as well as

stereotypes and arguments to go with it. We cannot really figure out what gave rise to this problem of prejudice, but we can still manage this situation by being tolerant, open-minded and fearless in the face of change.

- Nastia Yeremenko

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Mum dun’ know better

- Alise Golovacka

There are these little, obscure things our moms do that make us promise ourselves – I will never ever be like that! Well, good luck, because at the end of the day you will most probably turn out to be a slightly modified version of your own parents, and your children will make the same promise to themselves as you did. Starting with such annoying things as your mum considering herself smarter than you in computers and technologies in general and ending with her complaining about you always being away from home and at the same time still somehow spending too much time inside. And all the chores they make us do!

Food has always been an alarming issue for mums. Remember how much you hated when she made you eat your vegetables? Now that we have grown up unbelievably healthy from all those vitamins, we should have the opportunity to be independent in at least choosing our food. But do not complain just yet about your mother constantly reminding you to drink as much water as possible. At least she is not trying to convince you to do the cinnamon challenge or trying to do it herself because as it turns out the youth has finally come up with one fun activity that is actually healthy. Or a mum who has clearly different opinion on putting together a proper diet for a teenager – no meat! At all! Because Some mothers have more extreme methobviously when you die, you will reincarnate ods of raising their children. Few of our own as one of the animals whose meat you have officials and delegates have been brought been eating in this life. up with water poured on and food thrown at them. When the sun goes down, moth- There is a theory my mum uses as an exers hide somewhere near the path from your cuse whenever I am right and she is not – room to the toilet and patiently wait for an the next generations are always wiser than opportunity to scare the hell out of you. Or the previous ones. When your mum buys all imagine that you are studying for the massive her clothes a size too small in hopes of losexam you have the next day, not procrasti- ing weight and right afterwards eats a slice nating for the first time in your school year, of cake or tries hitting a car while spitting and suddenly – bam! – the door slams open from her balcony, it really makes you wonder with your mum standing in the way spraying about the sincerity of the theory. In Turkey pepper spray into your face. ’I just could not they have a belief that because of the balresist the temptation to try this out. And you ance of all things, when someone gives you a are not coming to dinner!’

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compliment, something bad must happen to that virtue. To safeguard themselves and their families, Turkish mums pay about 60 euros to astrologists who have that power to unarm all compliments.

With all the weird features our mums have and all the strange things they do, we still love them. And I actually hope I will do similar random stuff that will make my kids laugh.

Our mothers told us that we are special. Our mothers are special too.

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Writer’s Rant - Isabella Leandersson Writer’s block, the mythical devil lurking in the back of every writer’s mind. To have writer’s block is like losing a limb to someone who is supposed to be able to weave strings of words into messages of import. When you put all of your hopes on being able to do that one thing, the thing that seems to encompass your being and put it in sharp relief, and having it suddenly not work is the definition of hell. A hell where every minute is yet another century where rampant thoughts have gone to war, taking no prisoners and accomplishing nothing.

So, how does one then recover? Is there a twelve-step plan? When your brain is filled with soft cotton where the ideas hide cleverly out of sight, it can be a trifle difficult to find your way out again.

Why do you think so many famous artists are alcoholics? Artists live for the days when the ideas go marching in, and fret for those moment of morose monstrosity where one is left with nothing but a ghost town lacking all but bottles of liquid pity.

In my experience the absence of appropriate words can only be replenished by using the slightly unsuitable ones. Say, for example,

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the ones marvellous for ranting about having nothing to say. Only then will the best ones come back and that is truly the best feeling I know. That’s what it is like to have a passion.

When present, the pure power of it will provide a constant surge of energy allowing you to become superhuman and forget about stupid stuff like, say, eating and sleeping. Passion is the secret ingredient, the magic behind all magical things in the world. To live without passion or interest is to resign to boredom.

The greatest myth about passion is that you have to somehow earn it. It is the notion that you have to have talent or genius in order to be allowed to be passionate.

I believe everyone has passion. I believe even the most boring and dull person has animated ideas of passion somewhere in there. I think that whenever obsession with the mundane leaves our minds, ideas will be there, eager to bloom and burst with zeal and eagerness like mini fireworks within the workings of our minds.

My hands unmoving Feet unnaturally still Eyes darting to and fro A flurry of hands Dodging, striking back, missing Sh*t! I have been hit!

Lost hand means lost turn Waiting no fight but a step The coal gets colder Last glimpse of a flame A sting of pain, broken skin Ninjutsu over.

- Robin Rรถnneke Belfrage

Ninja haiku

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Now that the session has come to an end, it is time to collect phone numbers, email addresses and random kind messages from your newly acquired friends.

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- Nathan Hunter

session memories storage unit

Remember that in EYP we never say goodbye; instead, we say see you at the next session.

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L e e h t d n i h e b n People s - Jānis Pētersons

1. How does the 11th angle of the session – a National Conference of visual one. How did you EYP Latvia look through come to that? the lens of a camera?

Jaan: I started with phoJaan: It looks pretty colour- tography in the 9th grade; ful and hot! it is now 5 years since that.

When I started university, I Ieva: Hot! Yes, I stress that. needed a camera for filming, Mairi: Everybody is so hot which is when I started taking videos. here!

Ieva: And the weather as Ieva: I have been doing photography 5 years as well. I well. had a bad memory, so I de2. You are the ones cided that I should take picwho present a different tures and make memories.

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Mairi: I have been into photography ever since the first digital cameras came out.

My family are all semi-professionals at it, so it has always been my calling.

3. What qualities should a photographer and a video editor possess in order to succeed in doing their job to the highest standard possible?

Ieva: Patience...

Mairi: Yes, definitely. You

have to wait for a long time content to put in the videto find those 4 or 5 seconds os? of the perfect shot.

Mairi: I do not make any Jaan: I would like to say that plans before the session, but it is also thinking ahead of I just decide when reviewing time and creativity. the filmed material.

4. So you can compare Jaan: For me the most imit to fishing? portant things are the esthetical and the professional Jaan: Yes, fishing is quite quality of the filmed materialike. als. It has to have both, be5. Considering that you cause only that way the videxperience the session eo gains the same values. from a different angle, 8. You are all noticewhat are your highlights ably creative people. Do of LNC`13 so far? you have other hobbies Mairi: Smackcam! (every- apart from EYP and photography or filming? body starts laughing) Jaan: I enjoyed the switch Jaan: I enjoy reading, long of emotions during the ses- walks on the beach, red wine sion, comparing the first day and computer games as well and the next one. Everybody as drums. (laughs) opened up and it was fun to Mairi: I actually recentsee. ly picked up painting, it is Ieva: I loved Euroconcert and amazing. the Royal Reception party, Ieva: For me it is filming, but though my highlight would not editing though – I’ve not be doing a photo-training got the patience. for the journalists and afterwards seeing that they used 9. Is one born with army advice – it mattered tistic characteristics or can what I had done. those be developed during time?

6. Ieva, this is the first time EYP Latvia is hav- Mairi: Nobody knows really, ing a separate role for the of course both have an inphotographer, how does it fluence. feel to be a pioneer?

Jaan: I believe that anybody Ieva: I knew that there was can learn anything; all is in going to be such a position, the passion for the particular so I was looking forward to idea. it a lot. About pioneering, it was great – I hope that such Ieva: I have to say it is passion, because, from my exa position will stay. perience, only constant work 7. Jaan and Mairi, how shows results. do you decide on what

10. Do you consider yourselves to be artists?

Jaan: Definitely!

Mairi: Being an artist is a feeling inside, thus it is not relevant to say this aloud.

Ieva: An artist is the next level of what we are doing now, as it calls upon a complete ability to express your mind in an abstract way.

Jaan: I am an artist, I do not care.

11. Jaan and Mairi, why do Estonians think Latvians have six toes?

Jaan: Because you need help in holding balance. (laughs) Mairi: Actually it is from the Latvian licence plates on their cars – “LV” is a contraction to “extra toe” in Estonian.

12. Would a pick-up phrase “You smell like garbage, may I take you out?” have any chance with you?

Ieva: It depends on the one asking, if he can pull it off – then why not?

Mairi: I agree.

Jaan: Yes, but it depends on how badly I smell at the moment, just so that I would not feel inappropriate with that. But, if I would use it, I would blow the persons mind, so that he could blow me away afterwards.

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The Royal kidnapping Ever wonder who really abducted the King? His son, in a fit of jealousy? Or perhaps it was the Prime Minister?

It was morning and Prince Arnolds, a spitting image of royalty, was walking around the castle wearing his calfskin slippers and his nightcap lined with fox fur, all whilst fiddling with his gold encrusted iPhone. The story begins with the King’s disappearance, and even though the Prince later stated otherwise, it was he who first noticed the King’s absence.

Sixteen hours later, the King’s acquaintances were called to an emergency meeting in the great hall. They were all there: Duchess Kati chatting away with a worried Lady Bircan while Queen Kate was standing by the window giving them the stink eye. Lord Kārlis and Princess Diāna were talking quietly with Lord Kārlis’ trusty advisor Marek. Sitting right by the fireplace was the Prime Minister Andre and Princess Ira, and standing in the corner silently observing was the royal painter, Ieva.

Prince Arnolds led the questioning, pacing up and down the room, wearing the carpet off inch after inch. He would sometimes stop in front of one of them and tilt his head. After fifteen minutes he finally spoke.

‘Hmph,’ nine of the title-bearing heads turned towards him. Jackets and dresses were smoothed out and neutral smiles instantly dominated the room. ‘As you are all now aware the King, my father, is missing. Naturally,’ his gaze turned to the Prime Minister who started laughing nervously, ‘this raises suspicions’.

‘I don’t quite see why she has to be here.’ The comment was obviously intended for Lady Bircan. ‘Unless, of course, she’s at fault,’ Queen Kate was noticeably irritated, and it was puncturing her mask of neutrality.

‘She’s just as likely to have done it as you, your Majesty.’ Princess Ira received such a killer gaze after this utterance that she seemed to shrink in her stuffed chair.

‘Me? I beg you pardon, miss, but that is a remarkably dumb statement to make since we all know that I was playing golf with my dear daughter Diāna.’

‘Now, now, there’s no need to get into an argument,’ Duchess Kati was known for her diplomatic approach to most situations. An approach that got her into trouble surprisingly often.

‘And you. What’s your role in this? You are, after all, the one that announced my husband’s

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– another gaze at Lady Bircan – disappearance. I find that slightly suspicious, I must say.’

‘Mother, you’re accusing a duchess of kidnapping? Please, be reasonable!’ Princess Diāna sighed heavily and rolled her eyes at Lord Kārlis.

‘Calm down, Diāna,’ Prince Arnolds started walking towards the far end of the room.

Prince Arnolds was in fact zeroing in on the one person present who had been suppressing several inappropriate fits of laughter since he had arrived. But Prime Minister Andre had his own suspicions, directed both at Prince Arnolds, who dismissed them immediately, and at Lord Kārlis, who was defended so forcefully by Marek and Princess Diāna that no one dared to accuse him again after that. It took until dinner time before the whereabouts of the King became known by accident. Not one of the people present had managed to figure it out for themselves.

The Queen had been right about the King and Lady Bircan planning to run away. This was in fact why they had spread the rumour that Lady Bircan was visiting her pregnant sister.

No wonder Lady Bircan was worried, she too thought the King to be missing! The King was neither hiding, nor was he abducted. The truth was that the King was stuck. He had been walking on the roof taking in the view one last time before starting his new life with Lady Bircan, and distracted as he was he failed to notice the chimney before it was too late and with a Bang! and a Crash!, and a cough and a Squawk the King fell out of the fireplace and landed with a cloud of soot a few steps from the feet of his son.

- Isabella Leandersson

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RT OF:

H SUPPO IT W D E IS N A G R O

5. VSK.

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