"There you are!" Zelda's voice cut in from the entryway to Elaina's room. Elaina popped up from her book to see her sister as she'd never seen her before. Gone were any signs of her previous gothic persona. Instead, the girl formerly known as Zoe's natural brown hair fell in elegant waves out from under the riding cap she was wearing. Indeed, she was dressed from head to toe in traditional equestrian clothes, with a dark blue tailored jacket, crisp white riding pants, and fine leather riding boots. She idly twirled a riding crop in her hand as she pouted.
"I thought we had plans to go riding after class! I've been waiting at the stables for an hour, Elle! What are you doing hiding away up here?"
Elaina stammered, she had no idea what plans she had or hadn't made in this world. Plus she'd never ridden a horse in her life! Still she needed to respond here.
"uh, sorry, Zee" she attempted to mirror the nickname her sister had used for her. "I just got distracted."
Zelda's expression melted into one of sympathy and she crossed the room to sit next to Elaina on her massive bed. "You okay, sis? Is it nerves about tomorrow?"
Desperate for an excuse, Elaina seized on the one Zelda offered her. "Yes, I'm really nervous about tomorrow, that's totally it!"
Zelda gently took her hand, "I thought you were excited? Are you worried they're not going to like you or something?"
"Uh, yes?" Elaina hesitantly responded.
Zelda smirked, "As if anyone's ever not liked you, Elle. You're like sunshine personified. They're going to love you. Besides, it's just a first meeting; give yourself a chance to get to know them. It's not like the wedding's tomorrow or anything."
"Wedding!?" Elaina squeaked; it suddenly dawned on her that in a world where aristocracy was ascendant, it made sense that arranged marriages for diplomatic reasons would very much still be a thing.
"Like I said, you've got years before you have to worry about that. They're just coming so you can get to know each other, and if it really is a bad match, you know mother won't force you into it. Not after what she went through with her first fiancee." Zelda's expression grew dark momentarily, before clearing. "Besides, from everything I've read, you could certainly do worse for your intended. I mean, imagine getting engaged to one of Duchess Meadows' brats." Zelda laughed and Elaina forced herself to laugh along, even though she didn't understand the reference exactly. Though, if Meadows referred to Biff, she certainly didn't want to imagine that engagement. Still, Elaina was now terrified of who her mystery intended could be, especially since she'd realized she had no clue where the stone had gone.
"Um, Zee, what's my fiancee's name again?"
