On the Other Side

A Royal Visit

Hood: This...is insanely awkward

Hood and King George V were walking through the large building, towards wherever George is taking Hood.

Hood: I guarantee she wants to talk about her Ass whopping earlier today, so I'll have to think of something quick...thank God I learned to lie!

George: Alright Miss Gaje, we've arrived

She opened the door and let Hood walk inside, she followed her in.

Hood: You act like a man yet you're one of the most beautiful women I know George

?: It's great that you could join us here Commander Gaje

Hood: Oh no...

She looked ahead and saw Elizabeth sitting on the left of the table, with two other chairs meant for her and George.

Hood:*bows* It's an honor to be here (Just because I'm not here as myself doesn't mean I still can't have fun!)

Q.E:*shocked* P-please take a seat

Hood walked to the right side, across from the Queen. She inwardly giggled when she saw the impressed glimmer in George's eyes.

Q.E: I hope you don't mind if I ask you something, in return, you may ask me something, is this acceptable?

Hood: Yes your majesty

George poured them tea, as both of them watched Hood to see what she did. She grabbed the top of the handle with her thumb and pointer finger, and balanced the cup with her middle finger.

Q.E: This girl...

George: When did she learn etiquette?!

Q.E: Shall we begin?

Hood nodded

Q.E: Very well, May I ask who you are, fully?

Hood: A trick question? Very well, let's play that game

Hood: My name is Emilia Gaje, I'm 29 years old. My home is in the northern section of the Ironblood base, where the offices are, and I am not married. I have recently both graduated from Bundeswehr College and became the Ironblood Kommandantin off a recommendation from Bismarck herself. I work usually from 7:30 AM to 5 PM at the latest. I don't smoke, but I use to be quite the alcoholic for reasons I will keep to myself. I'm in bed by 11 PM, and I try to get at least 7 hours of sleep each night. After reading a book for a bit and occasionally drinking a small bit of Bärenjäger, I sleep like a baby. I never wake up with fatigue or stress unless I was drunk the previous day.

...

Q.E: Well that's...quite the sto-

Hood: I was told there was no issues on my latest checkup, and I was healthy minus my recovering liver, which was already fixing itself after I ended my addiction. As I have stated here, I answered your question fully, answering my entire life that has mattered for this meeting up to this point.

The two ships were completely silent as they digested all the information Hood dumped on them.

George:*shaky smile* W-well I'm happy you dealt with your alcoholism

Hood: It wasn't so bad, I focused on other things and I just forgot about it (Now that's a lie in a half on my part)

Hood: May I ask my question your majesty?

Q.E: Go right ahead

Hood: How have the Royal Isles been holding up in the last few decades? I never fully invested in the military until I came to Ironblood so I'm clueless about my native country

George: Allow me to answer that

She put her cup a down and coughed in her hand.

George: The Royal Isles have been holding up rather well in the last few years, the economy has been going strong, and the people have been generally happy about life. Beforehand however, we were suffering on the brink of collapse after World War 2. We slowly got on our feet but the problems only got worse when a few years after-

Hood: The sirens invaded

George: Precisely, we fought hard against them and allied with any nation that had a naval force, leading to the current day and our lull in Siren activity, as well as general peace amongst Humanity

Hood: I see, and yet that peace is slowly crumbling

Q.E:*sigh* Unfortunately, it is. You have a good head on your shoulders Commander, I hope you do your best to prevent this war from happening

Hood:*bows* I'll do my best your majesty

Elizabeth put her cup down and stood up.

Q.E: I thank you for coming to talk with us today, it was a rather short talk, but it is late

Hood: Its of no problem your majesty, thank you for allowing me over

Hood placed her cup down and stood up. She left the room as the two Royals watched her leave.

...

Hood: Oh my lord, it was so hard not to laugh at their shocked faces! Haaah~

She walked down the hall, returning to her room.
—————

Back in Elizabeth's room, both Royals were staring at the door.

Q.E: You were right George, she looks and acts exactly like Hood

George: I still can't believe today...we came to talk peace, then this Hood doppelgänger shows up and makes me believe she's still alive!

Q.E: Calm down George, if it helps at all, I feel the same way

George calmed down, but was still flustered about the situation.

George: She's been dead for decades, everybody mourned for years but we all accepted it...

Q.E: I hear you, it's like meeting a ghost

...

George: Wait

Q.E: What's wrong?

George: The Ironblood group will be here for a few days, correct?

Q.E: Yes, what of it?

George: Warspite is coming here tomorrow

Q.E:...Oh dear

George: Exactly what I was thinking

Q.E: Well we can't avoid it now, she should be around halfway here now

George: She was the closest to Hood, so how should we handle this?

Q.E: Simple, we don't

George: What?!

Q.E: We can't do anything, they will inevitably see each other either somewhere in the base or in a meeting. All we can do is pray she doesn't ruin our new relationship with their Commander

Elizabeth looked over to her desk and saw a picture from the past. It had her, George, Warspite, Illustrious, and Hood all taking a group photo.

Q.E: Tomorrow will be an interesting day indeed...

George: Oh, I forgot to ask her how she incapacitated me earlier

Q.E: Hold on WHAT?!