Noble Arcana

As I laid my cards on the table I knew he would draw his dagger on me. Luckily, I was quicker

The Endless Gutter, Emeril Farlow

Solomon found himself riding in a two wheeled carriage with heavy curtains. James was sitting next to him and in front of them was a driver dressed in much plainer clothes than all of the butlers had been wearing. They moved swiftly through the streets, and Solomon watched as their surroundings became seedier and seedier.

James hadn’t said exactly what the plan was, and Solomon was finding himself regretting agreeing to it. Normally he’d have refused, but he’d found himself curious. Now he was worried they’d be finding themselves at some horrific brothel, or watching a dogfight.

After a few more turns they reached what appeared to be a corner pub. James climbed out first, patting his driver on the shoulder as he exited and Solomon walked closely behind. They walked up to the main door of the pub and dozens of eyes immediately moved in their direction. Men and women worn down from a long day of work were staring at them, but once they saw James they averted their eyes.

The Viscount didn’t acknowledge them as he walked forward, straight toward a large pair of doors in the back. A man was sitting in front of them on a stool, but when he noticed them he quickly opened the door and held it for them.

Solomon could hear the sounds of laughter and the clinking of coins as they walked down a series of steps. At the bottom was a brightly lit room that was so sharp a contrast with the pub above that he was concerned he’d walked through a magical portal of some kind.

The floor was covered in rich red carpet and there were a half-dozen tables filled with card games, dice, and marked sticks. Men and women cheered and jeered as they won or lost piles of silver and gold. Women in tight corsets walked around serving drinks and occasionally blowing on a pair of dice for luck, and in the corner was a bar that was far better appointed than the one in the pub above.

It was a gambling hall, and judging by the manner of dress of those within it exclusively catered to the richest merchants and nobility. Gambling was legal within Drakthiss, but not for the nobility. It was considered unseemly, and one could be punished by hefty fines for taking part in it. He’d heard rumors of places that skirted such laws, but he hadn’t expected to find himself in one.

James led the way, exchanging a few nods with some of the other men and women there before reaching the bar and holding up two fingers. The bartender poured something strong and brown into two glasses and slid them over to them.

“Not what you were expecting?” asked James with a smile. He seemed, looser, more relaxed than he’d been in his manor.

“Better. I was concerned you were taking me to a brothel.”

James laughed and patted him on the back. “The night is young.” He gestured at the tables. “Is there a game you favor?”

Solomon glanced around. He was unfamiliar with everything except for one of the card tables at which they were playing Strange Fate.

“I’m afraid I didn’t bring much coin,” he responded. He didn’t particularly wish to gamble. He found it unseemly. In his mind his coin was meant to be spent on improving his station and those of the people he had a responsibility for.

“I’ll spot you a hundred gold coins,” responded James. “If you win anything I’ll take half the winnings, and if you lose I’ll only ask for half repayment.”

Solomon frowned, seeing no way to refuse without being rude to a man who had taken him to a strange gambling hall.

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“Fair enough. I suppose I’ll try a few hands of Strange Fate at that table.”

“Good choice,” responded the Viscount, pulling a lean case from his jacket and handing it to him. It was jingling pleasantly.

Solomon took it and walked to the table. They’d just finished playing a hand and so he slid into one of the chairs. There were three others aside from the dealer. One was a merchant wearing an obscenely showy black vest with real gold buttons, another was a woman wearing a white fur stole who winked a green eye at him, and the last was a short man with a pinstripe suit and spectacles. Solomon was at the far end, next to the woman.

“Shall I deal you in?” asked the dealer. “Buy in is five gold draks.”

Solomon nodded, opening the case and sliding the coins across the table. The others followed suit, their motions more relaxed and casual. This was not an unfamiliar setting for them.

The dealer drew all of the coins into a neat pile before lifting his tarot deck and shuffling it expertly. His hands were a blur of motion and after just a moment he threw out one card to him, and then to the others, repeating the process until each of them was holding five cards in their hand.

Solomon lifted his hand carefully, making sure that it wasn’t angled in such a way that they could see and took a look at his hand. He’d gotten a decent first hand. The fool, the tower, a three of cups, a four of pentacles, and the ace of swords. The two upper arcana made the hand a falling fool, but the lower arcana didn’t do anything to help him as they were. He slid another gold across the table, and the others did as well. Then he slid forward the four of pentacles.

The dealer took it, as well as the cards the others had slid to him, and dealt out corresponding replacements. Solomon had gotten lucky, he’d gotten a two of swords. With that his falling fool became a falling fool stumbling down the steps. He threw three more gold coins into the pile. This led to the bespectacled man placing his cards down and shaking his head. The green eyed woman and the garishly dressed man stayed in the game though. When it came time to reveal their cards the man had a host of angels, which was Temperance, The Lovers, and Justice. The green-eyed woman was holding a blasphemous rebellion which consisted of the Devil, Strength, and all swords besides. All in all they were three statistically highly unlikely cards to draw from a deck. There was little surprise that they’d all gone through with their hands.

Luckily for Solomon, a host of angels was cancelled out by a blasphemous rebellion, so he took the pot. The dealer slid the coin toward him.

“You won as a fool would,” said the green-eyed woman with a chuckle. “Luckily tumbling down the tower to avoid a war of angels and devils.”

‘Hopefully my luck will remain the same for the next few hands,” he replied with a smile.

The dealer waited for them all to buy in again and dealt the next hand. Solomon had only ever played cards with his former valet, Edmure. The man had been very diligent at explaining each rule and combination and the importance of remembering how each sequence of cards was valued. In spite of his lack of experience though, Solomon found himself winning more hands than not. His successes were such that he began to wonder what Edmure’s hobbies were that he’d been able to teach him so well.

As he played cards he watched James gravitate from game to game. Wherever he wound up people were smiling and he seemed to lose more often than win, but maintained a jovial attitude anyway. Eventually he stopped at Solomon’s table, clapping him on the back.

“I see you’ve made us a nice bit of gold.”

“I’ve had a few lucky hands.”

“He’s been absolutely tearing us apart,” commented the green eyed lady.

“Isn’t that something you enjoy, Priscilla?” he asked.

“When it’s someone like him doing it I don’t mind much,” she replied, turning to Solomon.

He coughed a bit, and cleared his throat with brown liquor, fairly certain that the burning he felt in his cheeks was from her comment and not the alcohol, but pretending the opposite was true.

“How about I give you a break from him,” said James.

“Please do,” responded the badly dressed man.

James gestured for Solomon to follow and they walked back to the bar.

“Thank you. I was due for a break.”

“No problem. I was honestly a bit worried you’d start to piss off Big Rike. He’s not… a safe person. Your name would probably protect you, but he’s lost his temper before.”

“The man in the black and gold?”

James shook his head. “No, the man in the spectacles.”

Solomon raised his eyebrows in surprise. The bespectacled man had been quiet and respectful the entire time. He also wasn’t one he personally would give the moniker ‘big’ to, but perhaps that was the point.

“So, how did you find this place?”

“An acquaintance introduced me to it. As well as a few other similar establishments. I try not to frequent places like this too often, you know? It’s just I haven’t had a friendly visitor in some time.”

Solomon wasn’t sure he believed him, but smiled at him and nodded anyway. He opened his mouth to ask another question when he suddenly heard some kind of commotion from above. That’s when a strange metallic object came clattering down the stairs.