Sisters (On Pause)

Hilda - Tsesarevna

Hilda pov btw

Sitting, and staring into space, next to a girl who just absolutely hated your guts for no apparent reason was the pits. 

Don't believe it? Well, Hilda Stone was actual living proof. 

Waiting outside of Madame Coldbrooke's office. 

Anna went in first, obviously, because she was a sort of superior figure. She came out flushed and pink cheeked, and Hilda had to ask her, 

"Who?"

"Duke Maximillen of Bedos, in France. Pretty large, nearly a whole third. He's drop dead gorgeous and he's already a multi-millionaire. " Anna paused, then added, "Not that it's any of your business, though. "

Hilda then decided to check the clock perched above the door.

"Time to go, Stone, did your foster father ever teach you how to be punctual?"

So I went inside. 

"Darling! It's .... Bathilda Stone. Dearest Hilda, you look absolutely wonderful. Just that your pumps don't seem to have too much of a heel. But that's okay, your just a lass of eleven, I'll let you off. " Madame Coldbrooke exclaimed. "Anna and you are twins, am I right? And that means you have the same birthday - you are both Virgos, born August 26. Right, dear, or was Anna playing one of her silly games again?"

"Umm... That's, right, Madame."

"So she was playing one of her silly games?"

"No, Madame, she was telling the truth."

"Aah. Well. Even the silly do good sometimes. Call me Alina, by the way, Madame makes me feel like the fifty-year-old I actually am."

"'Kay?"

"Good. Well, that's settled. Now, I have selected five gentlemen I think will match your Virgo blood and British status. British allies - we have Germany, of course, a favourite of Queen Victoria, we have Russia, and Denmark, and Greece, all who still have nobility. We also have Monaco and Spain. You could marry an Englishman of nobility as well. You see, I, Alina Coldbrooke, have many choices for you. And they all have kindly decided to meet with you via Zoom. Together, you and your assistant and I will think of the perfect match."

"Giana?"

"Yes, she will be coming in after the Zoom meeting!"

So, Alina logged on to Zoom and five other female faces popped up.

"Don't worry, my dear, we aren't matching you with these nice ladies, they are also in the business with me."

Hilda breathed a sigh of relief. Cat-eyed rhinestone glasses on a fifty-year old was really ugly, and she didn't like the all-too-sweet look. 

"Let's start off with Tsesarevich Nicolaj, shall we?"

"Well, Alina, in all fairness I do think that a mere English Baroness isn't enough for our future King." Tsesarevich Nicolaj 's matchmaker piped up in a thick Russian accent.

"Darling Marisol, has King Juan and Queen Leonor expressed any sort of discomfort or disagreement at all to Baroness of Clearwater and Duchess of Cheavies?"

"The Duchess of Cheavies?"

"Yes, did you not know already? The English Queen had two roles up for grabs.  Duchess of Cheavies and Princess of Montoger. Given to two honourable ladies. Hilda and the Queen's own great-granddaughter."

"Well, in that case... what languages do you speak, Hilda?"

"English, French, Russian, Spanish and Italian."

"Perfecto, and you look gorgeous as well. Dark hair is extremely beautiful. Consider it done. We'll get the betrothal agreement signed as soon as possible."

"Wait." Hilda recognized this foreign language to be Russian. 

"Your Highness, what is  wrong?"

"Who is this Hilda, and why don't I get to meet her?"

"Hilda, Baroness of Clearwater and Duchess of Cheavies. Currently in boarding school in the North of England."

"But why are we talking to her?"

"She will be your future wife."

"How do you know what the future holds?"

"It's a betrothal agreement, your Highness, you two shall be wed when you both come of age."

"But what if I die? What if she dies?"

"Your Highness! Please don't think of it like that!"

"Why not, Marisol, why not?"

"Alina, I think it's time we left the Zoom now." Marisol quickly blurted in English.

"No worries, my dear Marisol, toodles!"

"Adios, Alina!"

***

"What do you lovely ladies want for dinner?" 

"Just some bone broth." Hilda replied tiredly.

"Are you alright, Hilda?" Genevieve asked, worriedly.

"I'm fine. Hey, you don't just get a chance to become the tsesarevna out of nowhere."

"The tsesarevna?" Rose gasped. "Are you going mental?"

"No." Hilda said. "It's going to be a whole long ride."