Primadonna Girl

41 x Valentina Pandora Aleksandra Anastasia Romanova III

[miilenv-archive]

@valofrussia

“so…” milena started as she settled into the armchair across from valentina. “your fiancée, is it political or a love match?” she didn’t know much about the current situation in england, just that it was a race to the throne because the king couldn’t keep his pants on, and frankly she didn’t care enough to look more into it. but she was interested to see her cousins take on it, and why it was important. “her name is antonia, yes? what’s her popularity like? she has younger siblings, what makes her the best choice for queen?”

[valofrussia]

Valentina chuckled softly at her question. “It was love at first sight, Lenya. I saw her and then I was head over heels,” she smirks and rolls her eyes.”She’s the oldest, she’s the smartest, and she’s the one the public can relate to the most. The other’s are too much like their father, they’re impulsive and don’t know what they’re doing. Where is this sudden interest in my love life coming from?”

[valofrussia]

vntcniv‌:

“Well.” She didn’t usually tiptoe around subjects but this time she really had to pick her words carefully. “You’re Russian.” But failed. “Getting people to accept you is hard as it is, getting people to trust you is virtually impossible.” The sliced onions were thrown on a sizzling hot pan. “You mean how I plan to gain more popularity and win, or what I’ll do with English politics once I win?”

“And how did you plan around that?“ There wasn’t too much Valentina could do. She would try to assimilate but she wasn’t going to give up her Russian culture. She loved her country, she’d always keep them in the back of her mind. “Both. But more how you plan to turn the politics around. You’re in a sticky situation. You have to make the English people like you and then the rest of the world.“

[luvzsick]

[brittany]

Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005), dir. Doug Liman

[valofrussia]

vntcniv‌:

For a moment Antonia wondered if Valetina was simply telling her what she wanted to hear — that was until she voiced her uncertainty. A soft scoff slipped past her lips and shook her head. “No.” She directed her attention back to the onions she was chopping. “It would make things difficult.” And it would require Antonia to trust the woman before her.

Valentina took a sip from the glass of wine in front of her as she put her book down. “Difficult how?” Transitioning from being mere strangers to fiancée had been a bit harder than Val had expected. Where were the lines drawn between what she could and couldn’t ask? “What exactly is your plan to turn around the situation in England?” She wasn’t going to ask if Antonia had a plan, she assumed she did.

[miilenv-archive]

º ✧ 。— 15.07.2018.

[valofrussia]

miilenv‌:

lenya vaguely registered how the situation might be uncomfortable for her cousin but she was going to be selfish and just hope it might be overlooked in favour of comforting her. she knew both of them would likely deny this ever happened come the next day, hell, it’d be denied as soon as her eyes were no longer bloodshot. henri would laugh at her right now, he wasn’t heartless but she’d cried a total of once in front of him and he’d just tried to make her laugh and smile and forget about the hurt they both experienced. 

she felt like she was a small child again, who’d grazed her knee and ran crying to her mama, and it was both calming and brought upon the feelings of truly deep sadness that she only ever encountered when thinking about losing her parents and brother. her crying slowed a little, enough for her to lock eyes with valya and nod shakily. “i—.” her voice broke but she powered on, “i haven’t cried yet.”

Val kept her cousin close to her in a tight embrace as she waited for her to calm down a little bit. She had never lost a husband and she’d never really cared about anyone to feel this kind of grief that Milena was feeling, so there was nothing to tell her. All she could do was give her the comfort she needed and assure her that she was going to be fine. She was going to move past this and be stronger. 

She nodded slowly at her confession and let out a soft sigh. Of course she was falling apart like this then. “Why, Milena? You know you could have come to me.. You don’t have to be strong all the time. It’s okay to fall apart and feel things.”

[valofrussia]

ncdyc‌:

❛  nobody’s saying anything about romance. ❜  nadya’s the last person who’ll worry about whether valya’s heart gets stolen by some messiah who will deliver her from bleakness and mediocrity.  ❛  you’re right it doesn’t matter. on that front at least, but the future queen consort of england will look like a fool for not understanding the ins and outs of who she’s marrying.  ❜  valya should have thought of that before deciding to wear the ring antonia gave her. the english are a judgemental bunch. valya will be under unfair scrutiny, winning them over will be important.  ❛  i’ve been vouching for you, i’m the only one. i’m just covering your blindspots valya. england is near worthless now. do you have a plan ?  ❜

Valentina slowly raised an eyebrow as she listened to her little sister rant. Part of her was confused, and the other part was almost annoyed that Nadya was questioning her. She knew this was a risky move, but she didn’t need more people questioning her anymore, she wasn’t stupid. “Why are you vouching for me? You don’t seem to like this at all.” She knew it probably wasn’t smart to snap at Nadya. It seemed like she was on her side, and even if Val hated being questioned, she was sure Nadya wasn’t trying to disrespect her. “Of course I do, Nadya. And they might be worthless right now but I don’t doubt that she’ll be able to turn their situation around, especially with my help. They’ll become a good and valuable ally to us in the future, it’s good to have somebody on the other side of Europe.“ 

[miilenv-archive]

º ✧ 。— 15.07.2018.

[valofrussia]

miilenv‌:

milena prided herself on not showing her emotions, emotions were messy things and they were more trouble than they were worth. those around her knew she loved them, it was never explicitly stated, her love was as silent as it was fierce and she dealt it in gestures and actions. she found herself wondering whether henri really knew how much she loved him, he was so vocal about it and then he was gone and she was left alone. 

she was too choked up to speak, too grateful to verbalise, too everything. valya was probably the cousin she found herself closest to, if only because of how much she’d idolised her older cousin as they grew from gangly teenagers to functioning adults, and she would deny it until her last breath but she needed someone to hold her right now, someone to be there, and it being val was an immense comfort. 

lenya took as deep a breath as her lungs would allow and wrapped her arms shakily around her cousin in turn, clinging for dear life as if this cruel world would take everything else she loved if she didn’t grip it tight. “i’m sorry.”

Val let out a soft sigh as she held her cousin closer to her and rubbed her back. She didn’t know what to say or do but figured that just holding her would help. Val’s friend ususally didn’t come to her when they needed emotional support because they knew she didn’t know how to react to the situation. They came to her for advice, guidance, logical things. Still, she was happy to be here for her baby cousin, even though it broke her heart to see her in this way. She wanted to take the pain away from her and she fel helpless that she couldn’t.

“No, no. Don’t be sorry. It’s okay. Just make sure you breath. Just breath,“ she kissed the top of her head and ran a hand through her hair before pulling away slightly so she could look Milena in the eyes, “don’t be sorry. You can cry all you want. I’ll be right here. Ok?“

[miilenv-archive]

º ✧ 。— 15.07.2018.

a 𝒸𝓁𝑜𝓈𝑒𝒹 starter for @valofrussia

milena had tried to pretend she was okay, she tried to grieve normally, but what is grieving normally? is she meant to wear black for a year, quietly sob into a monogrammed handkerchief and sit around like a stepford wife hoping he’ll come back? fuck. that. so instead she just acted like it was all fine. 

she should have known it wouldn’t work. but she only truly realised it when she was sitting in the middle of her destroyed bedroom — the television shattered on the ground, pillows torn open, furniture broken — sobbing hysterically. it felt like her heart had been torn right from her chest and pierced with a thousand shards of glass, it felt like it would never stop hurting now that she’d let it consume her.

she saw a blurry figure through a sheen of tears, and only after hastily wiping them away did she see her cousin. “valya,” she managed to croak out before a fresh wave of sobs overtook her.

[valofrussia]

Valentina was glad to have Milena back home. Even though the circumstances weren’t ideal, she was glad that her cousin was back home where Valentina could keep an eye on her. She was surprised at how.. calm Milena had been but she figured that maybe that was her way of grieving. But today she realised that it wasn’t the case. Valentina had planned on taking her out for a shopping trip, a new store had opened that she was sure Milena would be interested in, which was how she ended up in her bedroom. She had knocked but when she had gotten no reply she walked in and let out a small gasp as she took in the state of the room.

“Milena.. are you okay?“ she asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she took slow steps towards her cousin. She softly stroked Milena’s back before wrapping her arms around her, “it’s okay.. I’m here, you’ll be fine. Take a deep breath.“

[valofrussia]

ncdyc‌:

❛  okay.  ❜  the reply is simple as she examines the ring on valya’s finger. relatable. as much as antonia might want to think about her as such, nadya doesn’t believe an ounce of her is relatable anymore. no matter where they started, they’ve ended up in the same place. ❛  there are shops at that upstreet place i’ll text the driver.  ❜  it isn’t long before they’re in the vehicle. ❛  how well do you actually know her ? aside from the general story. the one straight out of the hallmark channel ?  ❜

Being in the car makes it a bit easier to ease the tension between them. Val glances at her sister before she leans her head to the side and thinks about her answer. “Not too much,” she finally admits. “Part of me believes it doesn’t matter. I know her intentions, I know why we’re doing this. We’ll never love each other, what’s the point of acting like some happily married couple? Going on dates, getting all romantic and stuff. Anyways,” she scoffs softly and shakes her head. They didn’t get into the car to have a sentimental heart to heart. “We’re still working on this.”

[vntcniv]

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something.” She twirled the ring on her finger a few times before looking at the older woman. “How much influence do you expect to have at the English court?” The voice she used made the question sound relatively innocent but she was looking for a very specific answer. ( @valofrussia )

[valofrussia]

Valentina raises an eyebrow and lifts her gaze from the book in front of her. She wondered how long Antonia had been thinking about this, and what answer she wanted to hear. She shrugs her shoulders softly, “not much. I will be your wife so I’ll be there for you for guidance and such. But I’m not expecting to call any big shots. Unless you want me to..?” the last part comes out half as a question and half as a statement. 

[valofrussia]

miekezulu‌:

“I’ve always found running a bit too monotonous. Perhaps a quick sprint every once in a while… but nothing that builds stamina.” Perhaps she was too picky with her regimen. “Boxing? Hm… I think I’m close to eight years now. It took me a while before I started to enjoy it.”

“Well, it is, that’s what makes it so nice. You don’t have to think too much about your next move or about what is happening around you, you can just run. And your body does it instinctively. Eight? That’s quite some time. What else do you do?“

[valofrussia]

ncdyc‌:

she is pulling leather over her shoulders, shrugging dark tresses from their confines as she steps out the door. her distaste for the activity is apparent, and her disapproval that valya was undoubtedly not going to choose the ring herself, even more so. nadya knows how this ends. her own taste is niche, and she can be very opinionated about design. ❛  you associate lawyers with romance ?  valya …  ❜  the name is spilled with an exasperated groan that is signature to little sisters everywhere. the furrow in her brows lingers. hadn’t she last read that antonia was a banker ?  when had she changed careers ?  ❛  let me take another look at what she gave you, it won’t do to get her anything less expensive.  ❜

Val knows Nadya isn’t too happy with this outing and she can’t lie, it’s what makes it just a little more fun. She does love her siblings but annoying them a little bit every once in a while never hurt nobody. She shrugs her shoulders at her comment and lets out a soft sigh. Maybe this hadn’t been a good idea. She lifted her hand and showed her the ring she had been given. “I don’t think it cost too much. But I don’t think it’s a good idea to give her something too expensive either, she’s supposed to be ‘down to earth’ and relatable. I’m not sure a huge rock on her finger will help with that.”

[valofrussia]

ncdyc·:

❛  we ?  ❜   if valya wouldn’t ask one of the boys, why ask her ?   she isn’t even asking, that’s the worst part. even so, the last thing lyosha needs is an extra load on his hands, fighting it would only unnecessary headache. the conclusion draws a measured sigh from soft lips.  (  pastel today, not a common sight. )  ❛  i’m fine like this. do you know anything about her style ?  ❜ 

“We, us, мы.“ She shruggs softly. Nadya hadn’t been her first option, she didn’t think she would be interested, and they didn’t usually do things like this anyways. “Alright then,“ she nods and starts heading towards the door. “I don’t know. Something romantic? She’s a lawyer.“ And this was why she needed the company. She could barely put a label on her own style, how was she going to buy something for someone else? “It can’t be too flashy though.”

[valofrussia]

zhcnyv‌:

“They are pretty disgusting,” she tried convincing but Valya was probably right. The pictures wouldn’t help her with her mission. Zhenya let out an incomprehensible mumble before brushing her hair off of her face. “It was still an assumption. It’s— we’re… I’ll bring him up when I have something to tell, okay?” She wasn’t sure what she thought of Valya’s engagement: she had been happy to find out that the older woman was giving a committed relationship a try but the more she listened to the grand duchess herself speak, the clearer it became that it was just another political move. Just a political move. “There should be something to say.”

“Will it make you feel better if I just let you show me the pictures?“ Valentina couldn’t help the large smile that grew on her face as Zhenya mumbled. “Alright then, if you say so.” She couldn’t care less about whatever she had going on with the duke but seeing her mumble and fumble with her words was quite entertaining. What was there to say? Valentina thought for a moment, even though it was clear to everyone that the engagement was a political move, maybe she didn’t have to be so cold about the subject.  “She’s a smart young woman, and she’s beautiful. I’m a lucky fiancée.”

[valofrussia]

miekezulu‌:

“Ah, don’t worry, it’s not my plan to push myself too hard,” Mieke assured as she got into a stance. “What about you? What do you usually do as a workout?” she asked between punches.

Valentina nods and accepts the punches, slowly moving along. “It depends on why I’m doing it. A bit of punching is nice when you need to blow the steam of. Otherwise I’ll mainly just do some running and maybe some strength. What about you? How long have you been boxing?”

[valofrussia]

ncdyc‌:

eyes flutter briefly to the door of the vast suite that kostya had thankfully taken the pains so she could have her privacy even though she didn’t need the added space. how had she forgotten to close it ?  coal gaze tears away with a bracing breath to settle on her sister — nadya’s own mild irritation wearing a convincing cover of polite apathy.   ❛  that they are round and they go on fingers. why ?  ❜

Valentina thinks about her answer for a moment before nodding. “Good enough. We’re going ring shooping for Antonia,” she says it so casually, as if she’s buying a friend a treat and not an engagement ring to her fiancée. It was easier to handle the situation if they didn’t put too much weight on it. “Put on some decent clothes and let’s go.”