"Bang... Bang... Ting... Ting..."
Drummen yawned as he watch the firewarrior and Harnio work on the forge. "This is boring brother... All they do is just heat the metal... Hit the metal and than reheat the metal followed by more hitting..." Drummen cursed as he watched them work. He turned to Cliffhopper. "Lets go and find something to do... something that is not as boring as this is."
"Yes... Lets find some gambling action or at least something to drink around here." Drummen stood and waited for Cliffhopper to join him outside the forge. "Hurry up brother, we have coin to win, and wine to drink before we head back... Maybe something to eat as well."
"Coming brother... Where shall we go? Back to the docks?" Drummen shook his head... Not enough coin to make around the docks anymore, since all the fat purses are around here."
"We should ask Mouse to teach us how he can take purses the way he does." Drummen smiled. "No need..." He pulled out his cup and dice shaking it in his hand.
"Rattle... Rattle..."
"With these, we will be winning a lot of coin, we will have to take their pouches to put it all in." He saw Cliffhopper smile. "That's great brother... Still, you haven't told me where?" Drummen lifted his arm and pointed to the market square. "There... I spotted a place where there is a den with all the merchants... I am sure that is where we go to make our coin in the Capital."
"Than lets go brother." They left the forge, leaving behind Stannir and Harnio as they worked on the weapons and armor. He saw Cliffhopper look behind him and waved his hand at him. "Don't worry about them, they will be fine... When we get back to the tavern the armor and weapon will be ready for the both of us... Also, if we stay here I am sure we will distract them, and we will ruin their concentration. That would cause them to make mistakes and it wouldn't be as good... So lets relax and have some fun."
"You know better brother... Lets go... You are right about if we stay here... We would cause trouble." They walked away from the forges towards the market district and stood staring at all the vendors selling their wares to those walking past them. Drummen pointed at a small door on the opposite side of the square with a person standing outside watching the market. "That is where we are going... I can smell the wine and coin from here."
"My brother's nose is better than mine... I'm excited... I can't wait to get in there and make coins." Drummen nodded and put his arm around Cliffhopper's shoulder. "Lets go..." They walked over to where the muscular man was standing, and Drummen looked at him with a smile. He pulled out a coin purse from within his robes shaking it so the sound of coins could be heard.
"Fine you can go in... I wasn't going to stop you anyway... Go in and enjoy losing your coins... Hehehe..." Drummen smiled at him. "I don't think I will be losing any coins today," and walked through the door with Cliffhopper at his side. As he looked around he stopped and stared at the large groups of merchants sitting in comfortable chairs watching events happening in the market square. Drummen cursed and frowned. "What type of gambling is this?"
"Yeahhhhhh... I win... I knew she was going to sell the meat for 10... Pay up."
Drummen turned and watched as a group of merchants handed coins to the person who had cried out. "Cough... Cough... It seems you are new to the capital, and don't understand what is going on here." Drummen turned and smiled at the voice. "Hello there beautiful..." He walked up to her closer smiling and staring into her large eyes. "My brother and I will be in the ritual, and we wanted to gamble some coin to pass the time, however we have never been in a gamble house like this... Can you find it in your beautiful heart to help us find our way around here?" Drummen cursed as she watched her eyes focus only on Cliffhopper.
"Certainly... I can help you with that... Here cards, and dice have no play, it can be rigged and is quite boring and not entertaining... So the merchants here bet on what happens in the market square. From a certain price something is sold, or if someone does something silly and stupid." Drummen looked at her with a sour face. "Can't that be rigged too?" He cursed as her eyes never left the smug looking Cliffhopper. "No,the rules state once a bet has been made, no news of it must leave the building, or death... They can not influence what happens out there, and neither can we."
Drummen sat down on a chair and listened ignoring what Cliffhopper and that woman was doing. "Cliffhopper, don't do that especially, when she was going to be mine."
"She was never going to be yours in the first place... She saw you, and was bored of your looks... She saw me, and was immediately smitten... See brother. She can't stop looking at me, and biting her lip."
"So what?" Drummen spat and moved chairs, to get closer to the other merchants. "Hello sirs, what are we placing our bets on today?" He smiled and sat in an empty chair. "We are betting on the number of people that go to the fruit seller in half a mark... What is your bet? I say fifty people..." Drummen looked at the fruit seller, and smiled. "She has a pretty smile, I think seventy five will come and visit the fruit seller."
"He sounds confident... Put your coin where your mouth is, and we shall see." Drummen nodded, and pulled out his purse laying coin on the table. He rubbed his hands together. "Lets get this started. Hahaha." He looked around. "Is there some wine I can drink while watching?"
"Yes. yes... Girl... Girl! Get the wine for this gentleman here." Drummen looked up as another serving woman came and gave him a mug of wine. He smiled and winked at her as she walked away. He followed her path away from them. "Hey boy... Ignore the girl, you need to be watching your bet... Or you will lose your coins to me today. Hahahaha..."
Drummen turned his head as a sand timer was turned over. "This sand time lasts for half a mark... Better start counting boy." Drummen nodded at the merchant smiling, his eyes shooting daggers into the merchant. "This is an interesting way to gamble."
"Yes... a lot better than cards and dice... You can't forget them... They are a very respected gentleman's game, yet using the environment outside in the square, makes for a more unpredictable experience... If you know what I mean?" Drummen nodded. "I know exactly what you mean... Those thieves trying to cheat with cards and loaded die... It can be quite annoying if they are found."
"Hahaha... Yes boy you get it... Outside it is chaos... Unpredictable... It all lies with lady luck and her kindness to you, or her preference to more matured gentleman, such as myself." Drummen swallowed the wine from and mug and smiled. "I feel lady luck is on my side today, and when she is with me I end up winning more coin pouches than I can carry."
"Hmm. It sounds like you are a bit of a professional... A man after my own heart... How about we make it a bit more challenging than?" Drummen leaned forward... "What do you have in mind?" He followed the eye line where the merchant was looking and frowned. "What about those two?"
"I bet you five hundred coins, that she will reject that man you walked in with and he will leave here with you... coin less of course, but also with a black eye from the girl he is talking to." Drummen smiled at him. "Easy money... I will take your bet, but I will also say that I bet five hundred, that not only will I not be walking out of here pouch less, but he will be walking out after either kissing her, or walking out with her arm around his waist."
"Clap... Clap... Clap... Boy I like you, and I like your wager... Bring the coin to the table and lets have this bet." Drummen placed another pouch on the table. "This one has the five hundred... What about you?" He smiled and watched as the merchant placed a coin pouch on the table smiling. "Lets sit and watch shall we?" Drummen leaned back in his chair and smiled, as he rubbed his hands together under his chin. "Yes... Lets sit and watch."
"You know the rules boy?" Drummen nodded. "Yes. I know the rules... I am going to sit here, and wait patiently until I will collect my coins from my victory..."
"You seem awfully confident with your friends ability with women." Drummen smiled. "I have seen him in action before..."
"Well... That woman is one of mine... So regardless of what happens, he will be getting a black eye from me." Drummen tensed his muscles, "what about the rules?"
"Yes, I am following the rules, don't worry about that... This is my place after all... I made the rules." Drummen breathed a sigh of relief. "Still... I am impressed that you aren't worried, that I might cheat you of your coin or something?" Drummen raised his eyebrow and took a drink from the mug. "We are playing a gentleman's game after all."
"Hahaha... I like you... So you don't mind if he gets a black eye for what he is doing to my servant?" Drummen shrugged his shoulders. "What he does is his choice... I'm sure he can accept the cost... Whatever it is." Drummen leaned forward. "You are not thinking of killing him or something?"
"Hahaha... No, if I did that, it would hurt my business... I just don't like people touching what is mine that way in front of me that's all." Drummen nodded. "I would be the same as well... Especially if it was my daughter and all." He smiled when he heard the merchant cough slightly. "How did you know that boy? Have you been following me or something?" Drummen shook his head. "Not at all... Just how you reacted when my friend here was talking to her..."
"That's good than... I would of had to kill you or something if you were really after me or my family..." Drummen smiled. "Also to be honest, I have also had experience of angry fathers chasing myself after spending time with their daughters."
"Hahaha... I like you... You remind me of myself when I was younger..." He leaned forward towards the merchant as they leaned forward. "I used to be like that too... That was until I was caught, and ended up with my wife now... Well she might be a bit strong, but she there is the product." He saw his eyes twinkling when the merchant stared at Drummen and his daughter.
"What are you thinking of doing?"
"Maybe, what those angry parents did to me when I was younger... It is making my heart race in excitement." Drummen nodded. "I don't blame you... But you did say you will follow the rules until the bet is over."
"Hahaha... Yes, you have a point... How about this. You win the bet and take the coins. I go over there and give him the black eye, and you don't interfere?" Drummen looked at the coins on the table and smiled. "You have a deal sir." He leaned forward and collected the purses.
"Good man... Now enjoy your new wealth, and if you want to come and place a few bets here in the future I will accept them happily... Now if you excuse me, I have to go see to a boy who needs to be punched in the face." Drummen looked at him with a smile. "How about we make one more bet?"
"What about? I hope it has nothing to do about me giving him a black eye?" Drummen shook his head. "Not at all... I wish to bet about the team who will become the guard... I will put all the coin on the table for it as well." Drummen sat in the chair and smiled at the merchant. "Hmm... You have my full attention... Then, I will go deal with your friend..."
"Brother... He is my brother."
"Ohh... Then, after we make the bet about the winning team of the ritual, I will deal with your brother." Drummen smiled. "Lets bet..."