Your Deal

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 24th June 2017

Characters: Kiomo, Fymer
Description: Kiomo and Fymer get to take each other's measure over a game of cards...
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 12, day 11 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentions: Bryvin, Xelandrie (not by name)

Kiomo had watched as the last player, yawning his exhaustion, gathered his winnings and pushed himself away from the table. Garnet Valley and Sunstone were practically on the same line of longitude, so a time lag was no issue, and yet his body still was not tired. The tavern seemed the perfect place to go to meet locals and spend the time until his body demanded it's own rest.

He had been watching the game off and on. It seemed the Harper was doing decently well, and while his companions one by one had all dropped out, he seemed to show no signs of slowing. As this final competitor pushed back his chair, Kiomo picked up his mug and made his way to the back corner table.

"Are you done for the evening? Or could I tempt you to play another couple hands?" he asked, shaking the small pouch of coins hanging from his belt.

"I'm always ready for one more hand," Fymer replied with a tight little smile. He was having what he called decent day, not winning much but not losing either. The other players just didn't seem to be much of gamblers, folding way too easily.

"Great! If I told you that I hadn't played in a while, would you believe me or just think I was trying to soften you up?" Kiomo asked with a grin as he pulled the chair across from the Harper out with a scrape.

"I'm sceptic by nature so I would say it's the later," Fymer sounded amused and shuffled the deck. "I'm Fymer, journeyman Harper, and you are?"

"Kiomo, personal assistant to the Lord Holder, lately arrived." The holder wiped a few crumbs off the table. Obviously the game had been played over refreshments. "Are you Hall trained or were you trained locally?"

"Well met. I'm Hall trained, I have permanent contract here," Fymer replied and started to deal. "New, eh? Welcome to the Sunstone seahold."

"Thank you," Kiomo said, gathering up his cards. "What's your specialty?"

"I've mastered pretty much all of them," Fymer said with false modesty. "Since there's only two of us, let's keep it simple."

"Does that mean you don't want my marks?" Kiomo asked with a raised eyebrow, fingering a coin on the table.

"Of course I want your marks," Fymer grinned and inspected his hand. Not bad, he had a good beginning. "Just with so few players, why complicate it with extra rules." He discard two and picked two new cards.

"Three please." Kiomo said as he slid his cards across the table towards the dealer. "When did you get assigned to Sunstone?"

Fymer dealt him three. "Oh, about eight Turns ago, before it was even a major Hold," he replied.

"Back when Morin was in charge, eh?" Kiomo looked at his cards and threw a quarter mark into the middle. "What do you think of Bryvin?"

"Yes. He's capable Lord Holder, I rise by quarter," Fymer replied. Bryvin didn't seem to have any need for Fymer's special talents, so he saw him no more than any other harper serving at the Hold.

"Call," Kiomo said, throwing his coin on top of the Harper's. "Let's see what you have."

Fymer spread his cards to the table. "Pair of threes and pair of sevens, two pairs," he said, his face showing absolutely no emotion.

The holder cocked his head to the side with a smile as he displayed his cards. "You got me. Pair of Ladies. Well played." Kiomo waved over to the man behind the bar. "Another mug of ale for me, and another of whatever he's been drinking." Turning back to the table, he gathered up the cards and began shuffling. "This round's on me."

Fymer never drank alcohol when he was playing seriously, so when the waitress brought the drinks, it was glass of fruit juice for him.

Kiomo dealt seven cards to each of them an nonchalantly threw his ante into the middle. "So, what do you know of Bryvin's Lady? I haven't met her yet." A Harper should at least know something, he was sure.

Fymer inspected his hand and added his ante. "She's Lord Xelfin's daughter and all that that comes with being a Lady of Blood. She doesn't seem to be very interested in running the Hold's domestic affairs. Mostly she seems to socialize with the other ladies and produce children," Fymer replied. "Deal me three new cards," he discard three cards from his hand.

Kiomo gave him three from the top and took two for himself. "I have known my fair share of Ladies like that," he said with a slight frown. "My mother was an excellent Lady Holder, but my brother's wife..." He shook his head disapprovingly. "I'm surprised a man like Bryvin would have chosen such a wife."

"I don't think he had much choice, but I wouldn't mind waking up next to her, she is beautiful," Fymer said. He had nothing in his hand, not even a pair.

"Obviously they haven't had much trouble in the bedroom. This is her second pregnancy in just about as many Turns, right?" Kiomo glanced at his cards and waited for the Harper to make his move.

"Yes,," Fymer agreed and decided to bluff it. He was gambler after all. He did have few high cards, so if Kiomo had nothing too and he had the higher ones, he could still win.

"So you knew Morin pretty well, I take it," Kiomo said as he waited for Fymer to lay down his bet.

Fymer did that. "Yes, I was his assistant," Fymer said with slightly boast.

"I remember. I was Lord Ishek's at his confirmation. Morin seemed like a remarkable man." Kiomo met Fymer's bet, and then doubled it without a thought.

Fymer decided to call it. "He was, he is greatly missed. I have to admit I don't remember you. But then, all the Lords had their staff with them and I was busy scribing."

"I wouldn't expect you to. You must have been very busy during that time, and a lot of people were vying for your Lord's attention." Kiomo laid his cards down. "Just a pair of twos."

"Which is better than nothing. You win this round," Fymer said and showed his cards.

"Just got lucky I guess." Kiomo reached out and passed the cards to the harper before collecting his winnings. "Bryvin didn't want to keep you on as his assistant? I would have thought your experience would have been invaluable."

Fymer just shrugged , both to his losing and Kiomo's words. "Bryvin has his own confidents and I'm not one of them. I was Lord Morin's man, not his." Being being pushed aside had rankled but Fymer was pragmatic. He still had his work and gambling.

And just what was it about this Harper that Morin saw that would lead him to include him in his inner circle? Kiomo wasn't yet sure, but he definitely was interested in getting to know this man more. "I hope my being 'Bryvin's man' so to speak won't effect your opinion of me, Journeyman Fymer. I'm new here and in need of a good poker player around to keep me sharp."

"You be careful with that," Fymer warned him. He rather liked this young man, sensing a sharp mind like his behind that charming smile. "In the end, only man for Bryvin is Bryvin himself. Rest of us are discardable," and if he sounded bitter, well, he was bitter.

Kiomo leaned forward a little. "In the end, aren't we _all_ like that?"

"You're correct," Fymer chuckled and saluted him with his juice.

The Holder leaned back in his chair with a broad smile, pleased that he and Fymer seemed to have come to a mutual understanding. "Your deal."

Last updated on the July 4th 2017

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