He hesitated. “That would be a poor bargain on my end, I’m afraid. If you have a couple of good hands before I win any, you could buy your freedom with my money. If I win, it is my own money I win. That is not much of a wager.”
“Not so,” I argued. “I cannot buy my freedom with your money. First, I must win enough to pay you back all that you loan me, then win that much again to buy my freedom. In other words, I must be twice as good a player as you for that to happen. Are you scared that I may be twice as good as you?”
“But it is all my money we are playing with,” he argued.
“No, it is not. You loaned me money, and if I lose, I still owe it to you—or my future master does. That way, you can be paid twice for selling me. If you play well enough.” I still hadn’t moved closer to the game table but suspected the last taunt would earn me either a whipping or a seat at the game.
He relented. “You might be right. If you can defeat me, you are worth far more than all of those others huddling in the cold outside. The way you’ve put this is a challenge and a way for me to earn a gold coin or two instead of some small silver. Don’t think I don’t see your other game.”
“Yes, sir.” I hung my head respectfully. Inside, my feelings were the opposite. The gross man deserved no such treatment but it seemed the best way to manipulate him.
However, the Slave-Master was also conniving and scheming now, perhaps even more than me. He glanced up and snarled at his guard, “Get this man pillows and something to drink. Red wine, I think.”
I preferred white, but this was not the time to quibble. I wasn’t going to drink it either way. Wine and gambling are poor companions. While the dragon was close enough right now to share her Essence and give me my small powers, it might not remain so close, and I’d lose my magic when it went hunting in some distant place. Dragons eat a couple of large deer, elk, cows, sheep, or other animals every day. It might have to do a little hunting to earn a meal, or since the day was ending, sleeping. I didn’t know what happened to my powers when it slept, but I intended to play fair.
I said, before moving to sit, “There is one more thing we need to clarify. You said that if I defeat you, I’m worth more than all the others outside.”
“I did say that.”
“If I win, I’ll pay you twice the original loan, and I’m a free man. Is that what you said?”
“That’s not . . .” He paused and smiled evilly. “No, that is what we agreed to, I guess. You left the ending open if you win, and you twisted the wager to your favor. It’s my fault because I didn’t think you were so devious. I heard your words but didn’t look beyond them to your ultimate intent. No matter, I’ll agree with your silliness. Too bad none of my guards can provide competition for me, or you’d go back to the chains.”
I started to sit and pick up my tiles but paused and remained standing instead as a last thought came to me. “To know who is truly the best, we will pay a dead-man game, right? We will play until one of us is dead or out of money, as they say. Not who is ahead when you choose to sleep or end the game, but who is out of money. No matter how long it takes. That way, winning a part of the money on the table does neither of us any good, and we know for sure who is the better player.”
He laughed. “Sure, why not? It seems I have less to lose and more to gain. Besides, if one of us leaves the game because of death, it will be you.”
“As long as you win, that’s true.” I ended the conversation with a low, gracious bow sure to impress him, then moved to the table. When I glanced his way again, there was almost, but not fully a smile on his lips. Yes, he was a fool and believed he would win. I fought to control my grin. This would be fun.
CHAPTER TWO
Princess Elizabeth
“Please excuse the interruption, Princess Elizabeth,” the ship’s purser said in a mannerly way. “The captain sends his regards and asks if you have any requests of him or the ship?” I’d been musing over our situation and sorely missing the company of Damon and Kendra who had departed to take the overland route to Dagger.
The normally arrogant purser on the Gallant had quietly approached as I stood at the rail overlooking the still burning city of Trager in the distance across the wide bay. His manner was respectful, as always, his eyes tired from remaining awake and on guard against citizens of Trager hoping to flee by boarding our ship during the fiery night. Panic had erupted as the city burned, with residents fleeing in all directions.
The captain sending the purser to ask me the question was not as outrageous as it might at first appear. The ship ran a regular route from Trager to Vin, to Dagger which was the capital of the Kondor Kingdom, and then returned to the Port of Mercia located in the kingdom my father ruled. If the captain intended to continue the lucrative circular trade route, he would please me—and thus my father.
“I wish to continue sailing to Vin if we can sail past that damned unmoving storm that has prevented us from going there.” I didn’t mention that Kendra had determined it was a mage-storm, created by mages located on ships located at sea behind the storm, to prevent me from reaching Dagger.
He nodded curtly. “I’ll tell him.”
That was unfair. I was also tired from staying up all night, as had the entire crew and all the passengers on the ship. We were out in the bay, where the ship sat lightly anchored so that it could be quickly pulled, and the ship could take to sail to safety if needed. In the distance lay the smoking ruins of what had been the port of Trager, only yesterday. Much of the city had burned this time, those portions not already blackened, and from the safety of the ship in deeper water, we’d all watched a city die. For our safety, the captain had moved the ship out into the bay during the night when the fires had first erupted—a wise and prudent move.
There were three things to be scared of during those dark hours. Foremost, were the approaching flames that could have burned and sunk the ship, followed closely by the rampaging dragon that knocked over buildings and could have just as easily stepped on, and broken our ship. Candles and lanterns had ignited the dry wooden buildings as the enraged beast trampled its way through the city. The last item was the most dangerous of all. It was escaping from the panicked residents of a city on fire, people who were looking to survive the night in any manner. While most had fled to the safety of upper Trager through the closed city gates intended to keep them down in their squalid lower part of the city. Many had appeared as frightened mobs at the harbor piers, and the hoped-for safety near the water, and possibly boarding a ship that could move to deeper water. The Gallant was the only one in port.
“Sir,” I called to his retreating back. The purser spun and hurried to my side again. I gave him no time to speak. “I apologize. I too have been up all night, and my temper is short. Tell our good captain that my wish is to sail out of the bay and into the open sea, again sailing south to Vin. If that endless storm is still there, we’ll decide what is best to do at that time.”
He bowed slightly and turned on a heel, as only well-trained people did when they faced my father at court. Two items stood out about the purser. First, he was always polite and exceedingly good at his job. Second, he was well-trained in courtly manners, unusual for a sailor. His history would make an interesting story.