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🌸 A N E E L A 🌸
Ravka's weather was opening the ladies' second day at the Grand Palace with bright sunshine as the prince led the way from the building into the gardens, where some servants had prepared the playground. Everybody seemed to be in a good mood but that would change once the game of cricket would start and they all began to play their strategy against the others. A few words of instructions were exchanged among every party before they parted in front of the terrace.
"It's good that he's choosing to spend more time with the ladies alone instead of the entourage tagging along." Aneela's father whispered to her as they stopped at the edge of the stairs that led up to the elevated platform where they could overview the game. „That's a good sign. He's committed to the courting season and wants to see how well everyone does in the game. This is an easy win for you, my child."
His youngest took an unsure breath. "We'll see how it goes ..."
"Good luck! It's going to be fun, you'll see."
Yaniya winked at her. "Please give the others a fair chance before you destroy them."
Aneela grinned. "I'll try to play civil."
"But don't lose against the fjerdans." Her father joked. "We have a reputation to loose."
Cricket was one of Aneela's strong suits in sports. Her and Yaniya were playing for years, her mother loved the game and occasionally, their father - who hated physical activities - would join in as well. There wasn't a summer when the sisters didn't play, and it was always great fun when all the family came together for a game.
To say Aneela was quite good at it might be an understatement but now she had to hold herself back at the beginning and see how everything developed. It was yet another test by the participating prince and Grisha Triumvirate who was settled at the terrace as well. The Queen herself was occupied elsewhere but the Grisha would report back to her. The way the attendees would play said a lot about their strategic thinking and one might forget that in a competitive game. But Aneela was prepared, so it was best to observe actively and then unpack her talent in the right moments, making her win the game which was a nice add on to the whole situation.
Not that I need to impress anyone here ... but I do want to win, this might be the only activity that I am going to like.
As the prince explained the rules after having handed out the mallets, her sight shifted from him towards the terrace once again. The country's representatives sat at small tables with tea and some sandwiches. Neither of them talked to one another, there was occasionally chatter among the parties but never with the others, the focus was clearly on the field of grass beneath them where the game was taking place.
A shiver went down Aneela's back when she eyed the Grisha who sat the furthest to the left, near the last gate. She hadn't seen anybody watching a cricket game this intensely, not wanting to miss any second. Well, in the end, this wasn't a simple cricket game. And everybody knew that, but the serious faces of the Triumvirate were another reminder.
