Mortals In The Dragons Eye

Segment 3

“You don’t want that room,” the man from the door shook his head. “Where can I put you tonight?” His long fingers tapped each other eagerly stroking his hands with a practiced air. “You’ll want the room at the end of the hall. That’s where I’ll put you.” Reaching into the depths of his coat he pulled out a key and handed it to Sarah. He looked her squarely in the eyes his steady blank stare unnerving. “You’re key ma’am.” He opened he door with a flourish. “Now, dinner.”
He led them through the inner courtyard lush in ivy, fruit trees and bright happy flowers. Over the dark earth tiles he touched lightly the door to the inner dining area and bowed letting them walk first into the inner sanctum. As they walked the sounds of merry making and laughter grew near and louder. As they entered the dinning area they found a dance floor already occupied with two odd dozen people, and on one of the tables a jester standing on his head juggling one handed with both hands.
Gavin caught Sarah by the elbow and guided her towards the back where a small table was open. The long limbed man found them there and brought a plate to each of them. Steaming stew. Most of the vegetables were either old or not nearly ripe. The meat was tough and stringy. Sarah refused to complain–her stomach had been through much in the past fortnight. It was filling though, and it certainly beat Gavin’s stabs at what he referred to as cooking. Tearing at the meat she realized briefly that two weeks again she never would have let it get in stomach. The world had rotated and now she was on a very different path.
“Eat slowly,” Gavin rebuked, “you’ll live longer.” he turned and winked at her. Sarah blushed and returned her concentration to her soup. Gavin stood his plate already wiped clean. He stopped his right hand falling slowly to his side. Sarah looked up aware instantly of the tension in the room.
“I like the look of the girl–don’t you.” A short squat man stood his feet wide apart and arms crossed. “I think we need to have a run at that.” He eyed Gavin’s sword. “How about a wager old man?” He held out a handful of runes worn and greasy as his face.
Gavin relaxed moving his hand away from the sword, “I don’t think you carry anything valuable enough against that.” Gavin snorted. “Not that she’s worth much for your purposes hasn’t been out of the nursery and out with the men long enough.
The short man frowned scrunching up his face tight like a pigs. “Really, what a waste, makes her worth less doesn’t it? I think we could put enough to match such inexperience.” He smiled wide until his eyes folded up into their own flaps.
“More actually, where I am taking her the Shiku’s will give common man’s wage for ten years ten times over.” Gavin smiled his teeth flashing in the flickering light like a wolves.
“One, two,” the short man was pointing at his fingers, “three…No one, two…” he looked confused then glared at Gavin, “that’s a lot right?”
“More then will flow through your fingers in an entire lifetime.” Gavin intoned, “of course to collect you would need the cunning of a wolf, the ferocity of a bear and strength of a dragon. They prefer to cut out the throats of those who visit them and take what they like.” He looked down at the man, “you’d likely be buried in sand, covered in honey and sacrificed to ants.”
The squat man blanched at this clearly able to follow the last part of the conversation no matter how slow his brain. Gavin reached into his cloak and brought out a small sack letting the coin inside jingle throughout the room. “I’ve brought better currency in any circumstance.” The sight of gold coins clearly mezmerized the crowd. When the inner circle clearly those closest to the fat man were seat they became serious.
Sarah for a moment was uncertain if she should feel insulted at they way they had spoken of her, disappointed that no one appeared interested any longer, or frightened that maybe he was actually telling the truth. She moved closer so she could watch the game as it was played.
There were seven runes: Fire, Sky, Night, Woman, Hero, Wolf, Dragon. Each was cast simultaneously by the players. Everyone it seemed had a place at the table, and there were seven players. Gavin played the dragon. His casts were always higher than every other player his eyes closed and one hand in the air two fingers clenched, the other two skyward. As they fell he dropped his hand, but not with out subtle movements that Sarah barely caught. The rules seemed very complex, two absolutes stood out to her. The first was that to have every player on the table cast your rune was good. The second was to have your rune turn up absent eliminated you from the round. If you cast your own rune up you could use your combination almost as a tool against another player, and possibly eliminate him. Every round it seemed brought up a question on the rules, one player said you could do this, another said it had to be done a certain way. Either they rolled around on the floor fighting while everyone else drank, smoked, or it was put to a vote and the matter was decided, argued about and quickly forgotten.
Money shifted around the table like a ball inside a bowl whichever way the wind turned a large amount of cash rolled their way. Usually it was all lost quickly. No one it seemed was allowed to leave the table with money. That all went to the winner of the final round who having eliminated the reserves of the entire table was left standing. Sarah watched the rune throwing with some interest. No one had ever gambled around her before.
One, by one they left the table…Night, Hero, Fire, Sky. Only the Woman, the Wolf, and Gavin the Dragon remained. Gavin paused as he gathered up his runes. The Short squat man laid a hand on his arm. “What say you we raise the stakes?” He nodded towards where Sarah sat. She became aware quickly of if not everyones eyes their interest laying on her.
“What do you have that you intend to offer?” The short man snapped his fingers and held out his hand. Someone in the crowd slipped him a shimmering sack lined with bright silver and rubies. Inside an object brimming with power lay just beyond the light cloth. Sarah stared transfixed. It was as if she could see through the sack and past the hard outer covering. Something inside was alive. Sarah gripped the chair tighter and glanced nervously from Gavin’s chiseled glare to the squat man’s smug and confident smirk.
“No, I think not.” Gavin rubbed his three runes together. “throw.” He tossed high his runes and watched them come tumbling down with a bang and a flourish. “Dragon, Woman,” Gavin crowed. The squat man was late to the throw his rolled and spun on the table as the other man called out, “Woman alone.” Two runes showed blank. The final rune upright showed Wolf. Gavin took his woman rune and slid it towards the squat man, “Woman chokes the wolf–you’re done.” The squat man cursed. he fumed for a moment then brought the sack back out. What if I were to wager this as buy–in. Gavin looked from the sack back to the man cheery around the eyes but his hand shook with the rage within him. Sarah cursed him with her eyes. “Let’s see whats in there.”
The Wolf set the bag on the table and turned it upside down letting the contents slide slowly to the table. A rock dark blue with shimmering patterns of forking light crossed over the surface. Sarah felt drawn to it at once, but as she leaned forward something seemed to the push her back and she drew back hidden and forgotten once more.
“Now, shall we?” His face drew twisted with a grin and his body seemed far more reanimated. They cast once more. “Wolf, Dragon, Woman,” Gavin announced. “Wolf, Woman,” the squat man replied. “Blanks.” A pair of you shall produce no future. The squat man slid his woman towards Gavin. He took his share as well as the Woman’s share. “Wolf and Dragon.” He announced. It would now end very shortly for either player to draw a blank on his rune would not be difficult and victory would be sealed. The both cast Gavin high the squat man low. The squat drew blanks. Gavin’s Wolf turned up, his Dragon tumbled down last spinning on one edge then hoping quickly to the other. Down meant defeat, up was a recast. Gavin’s hand seemed to quiver with effort as they watched the piece wobble on its side. The squat man’s eyes came up and met Gavin’s. The piece fell down. Gavin stared across the table his face unreadable, but his eyes. Sarah could always read eyes. Gavin bowed, stood and walked to the stairs. Sarah slipped after him trying to avoid the crowd on the way.
Sarah frowned when she entered the room hesitating by the doorway. “There is only one bed.” Wrapped in the corner and clearly made of the softest down feathers it seemed to call her name with promised lush embraces.
“I’ll keep watch, I’ll have need of very little in the way of rest.” Gavin jumped up into the window ledge and shutting it tightly folded up into a sitting position his hands together. Sarah regarded him for a minute and then closing door behind her dragged the mattress to the far side of the room and let it unravel. It was the first bed of any comfort she had slept in for many years. She had chosen a much harder mattress of matted straw at the castle. The feathers seemed to embrace her body like a lovers arms and sleep called her name while curving a seductive finger deep within her mind.