The Snare

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 19th September 2014

Characters: Humari, Taril, Bortem, Jakin
Description: Taril has Bortem over for a 'friendly' game of dragonpoker
Location: Sunstone Seahold
Date: month 8, day 20 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Yriadha, Yarmel

Humari

Bortem

"There you are! Welcome!" Taril called from his seat at the table as Humari led Bortem into the room. The table was clear save for a decanter of whisky and a trio of matched cut-glass tumblers, each with an inch or so of amber liquid. The glows were banked so that it was pleasantly dim, and the room smelled of some sort of herb. The merchant grinned broadly. "So glad you decided to join us."

"Thank you for inviting me." Bortem followed Humari, glancing around at his surroundings with interest. It seemed the Humari had indeed made a good match in the wealthy merchant, despite his physical flaws. She looked healthy and had greeted him as a proper woman should, with submissive gentility. This Taril had apparently reined the girl in properly. Good. He sat in the seat Humari indicated and then looked down at the tumblers. Three? "Will we be having another guest?"

"I invited Jakin to play too-- the harper," Taril said when Bortem looked puzzled. "We might even be joined by Pinnon. He's the captain of the Snapper, but he might not be able to come by. Last I heard, there was an issue with some of the cargo. Brave man is transporting a herd of caprines to Topaz Seahold." The merchant shook his head. "One can only hope that he'll have a ship to sail back in."

"Caprines?" Bortem whistled softly. "He is a brave man, especially considering the mess they'll make as well." He looked up as Humari began to set small dishes of finger foods around the table. "And you, sister? How are you faring?"

Humari looked up only for a moment, the spark she normally had during her games with Taril completely absent. Instead, she was the picture of submission. It had been Bortem that had first discovered her relationship with Vreena. While he had not done the beating that followed, he had not shielded her from it either. She spoke softly, eyes once again downcast. "I'm quite well, Bortem. Taril is a gracious husband."

"Humari, would you please fetch us something to eat? See if we have any cheese. Or nuts," Taril said, both to get her out of the room and to relieve her of her brother's presence. Once she was gone, he turned to Bortem. "And yourself? How are you fairing?"

She looked down at the plates she'd already laid down, but bobbed her head in a quick nod. "Yes, Taril." There was a flicker of relief in her voice, barely there, but acknowledging what he was doing.

Bortem watched the interplay with interest. She certainly had been brought to heel. His mother would be pleased by that. He turned back to Taril, satisfaction on his face. "I'm quite well. I spent the day with my family and now the evening with my sister."

"And Yriadha? I hope that she's not too distressed by that nonsense down by the docks," Taril said, referring to Arnott's graffiti.

Bortem sighed. "She was extremely upset at that vile piece of handiwork. Yarmel's good name ruined..." He shook his head. "But they found the boy responsible and it's been taken care of, so I understand." He took a sip of the drink in front of him.

**Shit.** Arnott, caught already? That was not... good. "What happened to the boy?" he asked casually.

Bortem shrugged. "I don't keep pace with what the guards do unless it concerns my craft, which it rarely does. I think my mother said that the guards handled the punishment and he was sent off somewhere." He finished his drink. "When are you expecting Jakin to be here?"

"He should be here." Taril frowned and poured Bortem another thumb of whiskey. News of Arnott's capture should have reached him. What if the boy had said something? "In the mean time, what did you bring for the pot?"

"Hmm." Bortem nodded his thanks. "Pot?" He paused with the drink halfway to his mouth. "I didn't realize we were playing for anything other than chips tonight. I didn't realize there were actual stakes involved." He grimaced.

"Oh? My mistake. I must have failed to mention it," Taril said innocently. He waved his hand. "No matter. This is your first time in my home, so I'll cover it. When she returns, I'll have Humari fetch another length of copper beads from my desk for you. Consider it a gift."

As if immediately summoned, Humari appeared, setting down a block of cheese and a carafe of wine. She nodded to Taril and murmured softly. "I'll get them." She frowned a little, glancing at Bortem, but returned shortly with a length of beads.

Bortem's face relaxed. "My thanks to you, Taril. I appreciate your generosity. My sister has fetched herself a fine husband." He saluted Humari, who inclined her head and hurried out of the room.

"It's no matter," Taril said offhandedly as he withdrew a second length of copper beads from his beltpouch and tossed it into the middle of the table. "I'm more interested in the game, to be honest. Ah--" he looked up and smiled in greeting as Humari escorted Jakin into the room. "My wife has sharp hearing. I didn't even hear you knock."

"Sorry I'm late," Jakin slid into the third chair and downed the third tumbler of whiskey in a single gulp. He pulled a thick skein of embroidery thread stamped with the Weaver Hall's mark from his beltpouch and added it to the pot. "Shall we play?"

Taril smiled wickedly. "The game is on," he said, but only two of the players at the table knew the rules.

~*~

It was several candlemarks later when Taril finally threw down his cards in mock-disgust. The chips on the table had been accumulating in front of Bortem all night, and now the Tanner had quite the stack by his elbows. "Well," the merchant said, "You've cleaned me out. Well played, Bortem."

A bit drunk, and far too pleased with himself, Bortem hoarded the chips close. "Skill. Pure skill, Taril. Some of us are born with it, you know." He took another sip of whiskey with a slightly unsteady hand. "Humari! We're out of whiskey!"

It took a moment for Humari to appear, her face showing her sleepiness. "Would you like more, Taril?"

"Good woman, staying up to wait on her husband. Y've already got 'er well trained." Bortem saluted Taril as he gathered the chips in front of him. He ignored Humari's flushed face as he continued. "We started it, but you've finished it. Good man."

Jakin snickered from his seat in the corner, but Taril's smile was tight. "Well. She's mine now, and I take good care of what is mine. But you're right about skill, Bortem. I salute you." He raised his glass before draining the rest. Jakin was a drunkard and Bortem had finished whatever Jakin had left. This was only his third whiskey, but the other two men were too focused on dragonpoker and deep in their cups to notice. None of them needed more whiskey, so he ignored Bortem's request and changed the subject. "I feel hard done by! You can't deprive me of the chance to get my winnings back. Perhaps another game, soon?"

"Well, if you feel like losing again, I'll be glad for another round with you." Bortem nodded. "Anytime you would like!" He rose and wavered on his feet.

Humari watched, her brow furrowed as she glanced sleepily at her husband. One brow rose is askance. She knew her husband's skill at cards.

"Perhaps two days time, down at the dockyards?" Taril asked casually. "I've got a regular game going there. It's always a good time, plenty of beer and good company."

"Done." Bortem grinned and gave a half bow. "I will see you then." He took a deep breath, collected his winnings and with a jaunty good bye, strode away, whistling. Jakin followed with a salute and a bow, and went the other way down the hall.

Once the door was closed, Humari turned to Taril, her brow knit as she spoke softly. "You let him win."

Taril eyed her, wondering how much to trust her. Bortem was no favourite of hers, but still... he was family. Something - maybe the drink - made him want to find out. He held out his hand to her. "What makes you say that?"

She stepped forward, placing her hand in his. "Bortem's never been good at cards. And you are." Humari frowned a little, her lips pursed in thought before her sleepy brain put two and two together. "You want him to think he won on his own. And that he can win again."

"Clever." He kissed her knuckles, then let her go. "My wife has eyes, and knows how to use them."

She smiled a bit, but her questioning gaze never wavered. "He makes his own decisions, I suppose." She shook her head and gave a half smile. "May I clean up in the morning? I'm very tired."

"Of course. I'm tired as well." Taril rubbed his face with his hands, then reached for his crutch. Losing was easy, but losing well was hard. The trick was to win just enough to make it seem like a challenge but not enough to win the game. The snare was laid-- now all Bortem had to do was succumb to greed and come by the docks for another taste of victory.

And when he didn't find the riches he was looking for, Taril would be there to give him a loan, and then another. After all, that's what family did.

Last updated on the September 21st 2014

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The Snare