𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑡𝑜𝑛. ʙʀɪᴛɪsʜ ʀᴏʏᴀʟ ғᴀᴍɪʟʏ

36 ♔♕ 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺

the twenty seventh of july 2012

The opening ceremony was unbelievable. The absolute best of British and to be able to watch it all as an athlete, as part of the British team, well, that was the cherry on top.

She hadn't been able to believe her eyes when the screens that all the athletes were watching the ceremony on had shown Buckingham Palace. And then inside the palace, with James Bond walking through.

"Is that Monty and Willow?" She had asked Zara, squinting desperately to try to be able to see the screen. The fact that she didn't have her glasses on meaning that all she could see really was two corgi shaped balls of fluff toddling after Bond.

"Yeah I think so," had been Zara's reply, "as if Granny let them use her corgis."

"Look." Bella had gripped on to Zara's arm as he walked through into the room they had been in so many times, "no, no it's not."

"It looks like Granny." Zara had practically shouted as the camera changed to show the back of her.

The two of them waited, holding on to each other as she began to turn around.

"Good evening Mr. Bond."

Whilst Bella would have never admitted to screaming as her grandmother spoke those words, she definitely, definitely did. Along with the millions of people in the stadium.

"It's granny! Jesus, Mary and Joseph, it's granny!"

Jumping up and down, Bella finally stopped when Zara, who had much better eyesight, grabbed hold of her arm again and said, "look look look Bella, she's acting! Granny's actually acting."

"Aww," she replied, becoming almost tearful as she watched the film, "and the dogs are doing such a good job."

The two of them stood together, watching in delight as the film played on. And then both falling into a stunned silence as the helicopter arrived overhead and a woman wearing exactly the same thing flew out holding onto a Union Jack parachute.

"Christ alive."

"I don't think it's her Bella."

"I suppose." She had sighed, a huge smile now permanently on her face, "oh my god Z," she had exclaimed as they watched her enter the stadium, "she's wearing the same outfit... oh, granny is such a legend."

♔♕

The rest of the ceremony played out much the same. The two of them getting overexcited about things, Zara having to point out what was going on when Bella was too blind to see them and then Bella moving to another level of excitement once she knew what was happening.

And then it was finally time for them to walk out into the stadium. The other countries seemed to have been going for ages and now, as the host nation and therefore the last to go, it was their turn.

The roar that went through the stadium as 'Great Britain' was announced was unlike anything Bella had ever heard before. It was pride. And hopefulness. And joy. All mixed into one.

And she was part of it.

Standing next to Zara, the two of them waved in the direction of their family as they walked alongside people from all different backgrounds but with two things in common, their love for their sport and their love for their country.