My least favorite sister

He could not. That was the point. Evie smiled with delight and finally dropped the rose to the ground, clearing her hands for the game at hand. 
“There is a first time for everything, Your Highness.” She spoke sweetly and then giggled once more. “Now, the game is very simple. All you have to do is catch me. But now it is my turn to warn you. You see, I am very quick.”
Being chased by her older siblings and sometimes even father had been her favored way of spending time in the garden as a child. Despite both Luca and Andrea being older and taller than her, it had not taken long for the youngest Romano to muster a speed that put both of them to shame. Now, years later, she was the reigning champion. 
Before the prince had been given an opportunity to properly react to the game presented to him, Evie kicked off her shoes, and ran.
Her feet trotted swiftly across the gras and although she had given herself quite the heads start by dismissing a proper countdown, her loud laugh would surely serve as an indicator of her whereabouts to the poor, losing prince.
She ran around bushes, ran in circles only to confuse him and then finally, as he was catching up to her, she came to a sudden stop by a tree and jumped to catch a branch above her head. Then she heaved herself up on a second branch, slightly higher up than the first one, where she sat down. Her bare feet now dangled in the air above him.
“I believe you lost, my prince.” She said, very much aware that none of these past actions of her had been particularly ladylike. The bare arms and the bare feet, the running around and climbing trees, the ordering a prince to play and most of all, refusing a royal man his victory.



Luca went to fetch himself some wine and as he raised the goblet to his mouth for the first sip, he noticed that the queen leaft the table and walked right past his sister. 
He took another sip, a larger one this time around, and rolled his eyes. The queen obviously knew that Andrea slept with her husband at any given opportunity and his dear, sweet as a button sister in turn obviously knew that the queen knew, too.
One more sip and then a couple of more, and the cup was beginning to echo with emptiness. He was about to have it refilled when Andrea decided to bless him with her presence and Luca scoffed.
“If it isn’t my least favorite sister.” He greeted her and took a quick look around the room. His actual favorite sister was nowhere to be seen and neither was the prince. At least their father would be satisfied with the accomplishments of one of his children this evening. Although, Evie could break the hand of a lord in front of the entire court and Lucian Romano would cheer whilst either of the twins would be shunned for the very same deed.
“You are right, as always. It is a wonderful night.” Luca finally agreed and emptied the cup of what little wine had been left. “I can’t help but to wonder whose bed you will end it in.”
He glanced at the lord with whom she had danced prior to this, and then towards the king. Either of those two, he reckoned. 
“Andrea.” Another blessed presence, this time in the form of their father. He stopped behind the twins and his voice was cold as ice. “I expect you to save a dance for the king.”
Luca smiled because surely, that was the answer to his question.