Former grand duchess of Russia,
Queen Valeska Jönsson of Switzerland A TOUCH AS COLD AS FROST, WAVES HITTING AGAINST CLIFFS, SECRET SMILES HIDDEN BEHIND A HAND, AND A BIRD SINGING OUT OF SIGHT.
“I assure you, while I understand that the rumors are concerning, the king will do everything to see to the safety of our guests.” She didn’t need to ask Dante if that was true or not, because it was the kind of reassurance you gave when something went wrong, and people panicking over assaults and contagion was certainly wrong. “This is only a travel destination for you, but this is our home with our son. Of course we want it to be safe.”
dmitry kept his mouth shut as his sister spoke. though dmitry wondered if he could, truly, call any of his siblings well siblings. just because they felt more like strangers than family. but when his sister stopped did dmitry open his mouth. “you do not have to pretend, or put up a front with me valeka.” he had seen worst in his life, and this did not worry him.
While she didn't have the closest relationship with her siblings, Valeska had always wanted to be close with them and even now, years into her life in another country, there was some part of her that wanted to think Dmitry understood and to feel close to him. tilting her head to one side, she offered him a faint smile, nose scrunching. "Do you know how many people have come to me as if this is the end of the world, and I've failed them by allowing the sky to fall?" As if they had not all gone through the plague.
“Are you worried about being attacked, your majesty?” Closing the door firmly and making sure it was secure, there was as much chance for honestly in that moment as their ever was, something that was becoming more and more rare with all the guests around the queen, needing her time, demanding her attention.
While Vicente found it offensive that the soldiers of the castle had somehow missed an assassin, he was equally irritated at the way so many of the visiting royals seemed to think they were at liberty to make demands of the queen, as if she was lessen than them despite being a royal twice over. “You look tired.” @grandqueens
Fingers tapping errantly against her arm, Valeska turned to look over her shoulder at her guard before her eyes wandered to the door. With all the guests gathered in Switzerland, only in her rooms did she feel unobserved and not she couldn't guarantee that she was safe. But that was Vicente's job.
"I am tired. Very much so." She sighed, willing to show weakness to him if to no one else. Hands pressing flat against her stomach, Valeska tried to think of how long she would be free before someone would come searching for her, but the truth was there never seemed to be enough time lately. Still, she moved decisively towards him, arms going up to wrap around his neck as she buried her face into his chest.
“ you’re not as discrete as you may think, ” he announces, voice echoing through the large room as he drops his pen against the grain and leans back into his chair, never looking into their direction. he’d been attempting to compose a letter for what felt like an eternity and had failed miserably every time. a few sentences would be written only to be scribbled out, paper wadded and tossed onto the ground next to where he sat. nothing felt quite right so maybe no word was better than the wrong ones. “ curious, are you? ”
"This is my home, I don't have to be discreet. But if I was, it would be a courtesy because it's polite not to interrupt." Although he wasn't looking at her, Valeska found herself crossing her arms, just waiting to see if he was going to try to chastise her in her own castle. "Yes, I was curious. Considering the recent ill luck with the Queen of the Netherlands, I found myself quite curious who was holed up in her by themselves and wanted to investigate."
“i understand that, your majesty, but--” maxim takes a breath, poised despite everything happening. he knows how to maintain himself, especially with the hosts of this summit lest his father have his head served on a platter for disrespect. still he still can’t help the irritation he feels whenever he tries to go to the kitchens at night and is questioned every step of the way. he leans, as if what they speak about is a secret and not common knowledge. perhaps he just doesn’t want to make a scene, not have his own selfish wants fulfilled. maxim has more couth than that, surely. “wouldn’t it make a bit more sense to lessen the guard status? it might unintentionally raise more panic, seeing one posted at every pillar, corner, and table in the palace, no?”
Out of all the encounters she'd experienced with other royals following the attack on Priya, so far the one with the English prince had to be her favorite if only because he didn't seem to be in danger of losing his head or his manners about it. Perhaps it was finally someone that realized that they weren't the only one impacted by the events that transpired and that they couldn't pull rank when attending a summit filled with kings and queens. "Prince Maxim, I've also heard the exact opposite, that we are not doing enough to provide safety. I think our effort should be put into tracking down who did this and not watching us when we're all gathered in large numbers. If your King would agree that the extra precautions for the safety of his family are unneeded, I'd be happy to talk to my king about a different arrangement for England."
"Well spoken." While Dante hadn't exactly known just what he would find Valeska doing considering their duties as hosts were never ending, he was pleased to find that she was doing something good for the reputation of the country and not sitting around singing back at birds of anything like that. Defending their choices following the attack on the Netherlands Queen was good, and Dante nodded at their guest as he came up beside Valeska, offering her his arm. "If I may borrow my wife for a moment."
Tension went up her spine at the way her husband had managed to come up behind her in her distraction, but beyond her eyes widening for a moment, a twitch that he couldn't see, Valeska's expression went unchanged. "Of course." The lord before her bowed quickly, not daring to contradict the wishes of the king as Valeska turned to him with a smile and took his arm. "Excuse us," Valeska told the lord as she turned, ready to be whisked away. It was only once she felt confident that she wouldn't be overheard that she muttered, "Thank you for the rescue."
“Rumors.” Amitis raised an eyebrow at the other queen, “They’re far from rumors, Priya was attacked here in your castle. Where we’re all supposed to be safe.” If it had been one of her people or herself, her fury would have been immeasurable. As it was now, she was angry. “And yet a Queen was almost killed, your promise of safety hasn’t been fulfilled.”
"You are not the Queen of the Netherlands. And as such, I am not going to go spreading stories about a guest in my castle, even if you are another queen." She wasn't going to let another Queen push her around in her own home, either. "I will tell you that she's alive, and I will tell you that we have increased the guard and we are questioning those around the palace. If there is anyone you hold suspicion towards, I'm happy to listen, but I am not betraying anyone's privacy."
"I assure you, while I understand that the rumors are concerning, the king will do everything to see to the safety of our guests." She didn't need to ask Dante if that was true or not, because it was the kind of reassurance you gave when something went wrong, and people panicking over assaults and contagion was certainly wrong. "This is only a travel destination for you, but this is our home with our son. Of course we want it to be safe."
(danielle galligan, female, she/her, 34) ** ♔ announcing VALESKA JÖNSSON NEE ROMANOVA, the QUEEN OF SWITZERLAND ! in a recent portrait they seem to resemble DANIELLE GALLIGAN. it is a miracle that SHE survived the last five years and for that reason, they are FOR the kingdoms working together. reflecting on them now, they remind me of A TOUCH AS COLD AS FROST, WAVES HITTING AGAINST CLIFFS, SECRET SMILES HIDDEN BEHIND A HAND, AND A BIRD SINGING OUT OF SIGHT.
A Tsarevna, a bargaining chip, she was born on a night when the wind screamed and she screamed back. Always so loud, there was never any denying she was alive.
Everything around her seemed cold, snow covering the land and the relationship she held with her family. Warm was sought elsewhere, in the pictures and paintings of far off places and in the stories of travels come from distant countries. She couldn't connect with her family, all of them scheming while she dreamed, all of them involved with their own interests.
They traveled and they fought and they always seemed to do whatever they wanted, or at least they did in Valeska's perspective. She didn't feel like a person, only a doll and one that wasn't even prized. A placeholder for an alliance, maybe, and that did eventually come.
Though younger than her husband to be, Valeska didn't care. She was born to be married off, and thought hopefully that was why she never felt at home. She always knew she was destined to belong somewhere else, and maybe that desired sense of unity would come to her in a new country.
Far to the southwest of Russia, Valeska found herself wed into the court of Switzerland at only twenty and a few years. Traveling through so many other places on her trip to the country she would be queen of left Valeska with wonder in her eyes, joy at all the strange new languages and customs.
Trained and groomed to be a bride, tutors had worked at her for hour after endless hour to help make sure Valeska slipped into her new home seamlessly. She could speak the language and didn't commit any unforgivable blunders, but while soon she could dance her way through the days with ease, falling into something comfortable with her husband didn't come naturally. She thought maybe she wasn't meant for marriage. She thought wrong.
The story of how she fell into the arms of her own guard is one that Valeska will never tell a single soul, out of fear just as much as out of scandal. The plague was arrived and she wanted comfort, and the sight of him sparked a warmth in her belly that no one else ever had, so surely she could be forgiven?
The baby in her belly wouldn't be forgiven, of that Valeska was certain. As the people around her continued to die, Valeska gave birth to another man's son and by a miracle, both of them continued to breathe. She could have chosen to call a halt to it all, to be grateful for her good luck and stay honest and true to her husband.
She didn't. As seasons changed and her son grew, Valeska came to admit the truth - that she enjoyed her new home, and that she loved her son endlessly, but also that she'd finally found that sense of connection she'd always sought. It wasn't in the person she married, but it didn't matter. She wouldn't give it up.
DANIELLE GALLIGAN as NINA ZENIK IN “SHADOW AND BONE”
On the source link below there are 307 gifs of DANIELLE GALLIGAN as NINA ZENIK in the TV Show “Shadow and Bone”.
All gifs were created by me, so I would appreciate if no one claims them as their own if they use them in a gif hunt. Please, do not edit these gifs in any way, crop them, or turn them into gif icons. Thank you, and please like or reblog if you plan on using them.
in the source link, you’ll find ONE HUNDRED FORTY-THREEgifs of the actress DANIELLE GALLIGAN in SHADOW AND BONE (SEASON 1). all gifs were made by me from scratch, therefore i’d appreciate if they are not edited, redistributed, added to other gif hunts or claimed as someone elses. if you enjoy or plan on using them, please like or reblog the post. if you enjoy my work, please consider buying me a coffee! tw: water
Tsarevna to Queen @grandqueens - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag
