"Hurry up and deal, Tethras, I'm getting impatient."

Varric shuffles one more time, with a flourish, and then deals cards out to Raeli, Talia, Isabela, Anders, Ilska, Fenris and Henri.

"Obviously, I live by your command, Lightfoot."

Raeli laughs, and then they can get down to the serious business of Wicked Grace.

Varric seems to take an easy lead, but always just manages to lose to Anders, Henri or Talia.

Anders gives up pretty early in, and instead watches Ilska's hands with interest.

Isabela cheats almost shamelessly. 

If Ilska's cheating, it's hard to tell. And while she has a faint smirk on her lips, her expression never wavers. She's good at this game.

Isabela takes it as a challenge, to out cheat Ilska.

Fenris takes it as a personal insult.

Ilska's smirk gets a little bigger at Fenris' response, and she seems to take it as a challenge.

The game devolves into Varric, Ilska and Isabela outcheating each other.

Ilska is perfectly happy with this.

Talia is smiling as she watches, leaning back in her chair, watching the room as well.

"You are not going to get the best of me, sweetheart," Isabela says, whipping out a card she definitely didn't have.

Ilska responds with a card Isabela had had - up her sleeve.

Isabela looks shocked-

And then laughs. "You little shit!"

Ilska smiles impishly. "You started it."

"I didn't expect to be matched! How dare you!" She sounds delighted.

"Someone matched our Rivaini?"

"I'm as shocked as you are, Tethras."

"Makes a change to her cleaning us out!" Henri says cheerfully with a wink.

"Was definitely a good idea to give you some other opponents, Ilska."

"It's nice to have another source of income for the clinic."

"Yeah, me! And I already was one!"

"Learn to cheat better."