Servitude: The Hydrangea Chapters

Chp 57: Frail Illusions of Harmony - Part 2

With both teams graciously thanking each other for the game, the next pair of teams approaches the field to warm up. The winning team heads to one of the nearby gazebos to relax, observe the other teams' play strategies, and recharge for the first wave of the official tournament. Two more games are played, with each team occupying a gazebo, and they congratulate each other on their wins and the honor of playing against them next.

As Mordecai observes their civil interactions, Tessa notices and slightly frowns. She can only imagine how strange it must be for him to see how Urushians typically behave within their communities. She also notices that the usher who escorted them to the pavilion approaches the teams that lost, likely speaking with them to see if they'd be willing to play with them. The responses are mixed. Though they seem polite when declining, some players' body language shows signs of discomfort or uncertainty.

Even with Adelina making it clear that they are to be treated the same as anyone else, it's not always easy for someone to cast away their prejudice almost overnight. There's also the fact that Mordecai is most likely suspected of being aligned with the Giftless Republic they came here to escape from, and Aurea being part of these 'Tribes' that the Urushians have their own concerns about. Clearly, the Ébo don't come and mingle with the people; they stay at their volcano and the Wall, so they probably don't know what to think other than they are not a threat due to Adelina's presence.

In the last team that is about to leave, Tessa recognizes a couple of the players as ones she escorted. She remembers them as brothers, good-natured men, but they were always making subtle passes at her for her affection and competing with each other for her attention. Even though she told them it wasn't plausible, and she had little interest, it was still amusing how they kept joking about it until parting ways when she got them to the Wall.

The other male on the team, who seems to be close friends with the brothers, has an expression of shock, as if he had heard of Tessa through their tales. Tessa doesn't recognize him, so he might be from one of the parties that used to gather to cross the desert, for strength in numbers. At some point, it became too dangerous since big groups attract more predators, and some defensive scars on his arms prove it.

The only woman on the team, with the third man's arm tenderly wrapped around her shoulders, has her eyes fixed on Mordecai, her expression revealing deep mistrust.

With the brothers showing reassurance, pointing to Tessa in particular, the usher and the rest of the team follow to approach them.

"It seems we've found a team that will play, if you are all still up for it?"

Immediately, one of the brothers, whose name is Keanu, steps forward and takes Tessa's hand, overplaying a romantic gesture, and lifts his brows playfully.

"We meet again, my lovely desert flower. This must be fate, and you're even more beautiful than I remember, especially in that dress."

Mordecai and Aurea watch in complete bewilderment. Not long after, the other brother, named Akoni, steps up behind Keanu. He bends and leans so that Keanu's height matches the length of his arms and shoulders, then grips him and flips him over his shoulder, causing Keanu to faceplant into the sand. Following through with the toss, Akoni kneels and takes over, holding Tessa's hand.

"Forgive my brother; he still can't control himself. But I am more than pleased that you are healthy and well, and hopefully I impressed you with my skills?"

Mordecai and Aurea, still unclear about what's happening, Tessa bursts into laughter and slaps Akoni's hand.

"Alright, that's enough of that. You both get one, but that's all you get. I'm taken now, so no more of that nonsense."