A few days passed after I received the lute where the Ermine’s lost most of their standing appointments after the news that the Duke Gaelin was put into danger. Most of which I spent entertaining the children. Then it came to the day that I would meet the male servants for drinks at the Bear Brews. I made sure to wear my least fancy clothes so that I wouldn’t be afraid to spill drinks on it and make a fool of myself. I wanted to ingratiate myself in many of their minds so that I could start asking them little favors and arrange for meetings through them as an option for me to entertain the members of each of the houses.
Pulling on my traveling hide boots I looked myself in the mirror and made sure that I didn’t look anywhere near proper. I know that many of them would take this as a chance to be as relaxed as possible and that I should play the part.
I made my way to the servant’s quarters and met with a few of the younger men that were waiting for their elders to be ready. The feelings of a jovial energy filled the room and I was glad for it to be there. I wondered how many of them looked forward to this day. I know if I was stuck serving the nobles endlessly throughout each of the days until nightfall I would be well and ready to let loose while at a friendly tavern.
One of the younger men approached me, “So, stopping from being snooty with all the Ermines and letting go of your station today?”
“If it weren’t for me being there to save the Duke I doubt I would still be in the guest wing. I would much rather be down here to be honest. I was so used to bunking with others while on the road that I am rather used to sleeping in a room full of snoring men!” I laughed heartily and the others joined in patting me on the shoulders.
“Master Johnathan snores like a bear in the winter!” Called one of the middle ages servants I believe his name was Timothy. The others joined in with laughter as the head servant walked in frowning.
“I do not! My wife would tell me if I did.”
“She doesn’t hear about you napping while sitting in a closet either. You’re getting a little long in the tooth if you all know what I mean.”
Johnathan the head servant cuffed the younger man on the ear playfully before pulling him in a side hug that I never would have expected from the proper man. “Lets go get some drinks lad. I’m sure we will see some ladies dancing tonight. I have the coin to get a barmaid to hike her skirt up a little higher while she does!”
Several of the men wolf whistled as we headed out the back door to the house and slipped through a rear gate heading to the less noble part of town. I made sure to talk and be genial with all the other men so that they relaxed in my presence.
Timothy came up to me and nudged our shoulders together, “I’m surprised you didn’t take your lute with you. I think you could show up the usual player. I’ve heard you playing those strings like I play my wife!” He laughed while his cheeks grew rosy at the thoughts of romancing his wife. Probably what he planned to do later in the night if I suspected anything.
“I’ve probably had my instrument longer than you’ve had a woman to keep you company!” Timothy slapped my shoulder hard as everyone laughed. The guards didn’t stop any of us as we left the stuffy and noble part of the town and entered where all the serfs, peasants, and lesser merchants would be living.
We snaked through the streets until we found a little hole in the wall place with a sign swaying above the door. A bear dancing with two mugs of ale in his hands wearing a jester’s hat creaked in the light wing. The door didn’t so much as creak as the group of us headed inside. Several groups of similarly dressed men were around the room and all of them started to push together the tables in a large circle. One massive table sat in the middle of it all with a chair backed up to it.
A beautiful woman of middling age stood by the chair. She had a scandalously short skirt showing off all the way to below her knees and thin small slippers on. Her legs were long, pale and smooth. Muscles from dancing shifted under the skin as she walked around flirting with the men. Her hair was auburn with eyes like soft chocolate. She wore a bodice that pushed her breasts together and almost had them spilling out as an offering to the eyes of the men.
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She stroked some of the younger men’s chins and they melted at her touch. Several of the men slipped her a few quarter bits and some even larger. No doubt part of the entertainment tonight. A few minstrels sat in the corner of the room and were discussing what they would be playing for the evening as I went around and introduced myself to all the men at the gathering. A lot of them winked at me and whispered for me to keep this place a secret from the womenfolk. At least what they chose for entertainment.
I headed to the bar before anyone else and bought a full round for everyone that was here tonight and called out to them. “First rounds on me boys!”
Everyone cheered as I handed over the Pence that it would cost before taking my own pint and making my way to an empty chair between some of the older men. One had the faint worn colors of the Gaelin family and the other of a house I had yet to study. I settled myself down in the chair as the Gaelin man clapped my shoulder.
“I heard you saved our fat bastard of a Duke from choking on a biscuit is that true?”
“I sure did. Reached down his throat and ripped that thing right out of there. Caused him to lose his stomach over the ordeal. I’m surprised anything could upset a stomach that big though.”
The man laughed and took my hand, “I’m Jeremy. I’m the cook over at the Gaelin estate and he has been making sure that I make nothing but the softest of foods for him to eat. Something like that has him in a might of a fright I tell ya. You kept me in a job though. I’m not sure he is going to be willing to eat anyone else’s food for a long time. Maybe it’ll help that gut of his.”
Someone brought out a deck of cards and started to hand each of them out to all of the men. As I went to look at it the man clapped a hand over mine. “Oh you don’t look at it lad. Here is how it works. You’re gonna stick it to your forehead and over the night you’re gonna try and find out what your card is. Whoever is sure that they have the highest card is in charge of buying the next round. If he is right we all pay him back. If he is wrong then he is out the pence it’ll cost. Oh you can ask the people next to you for hints but if you get asked don’t be so direct.”
I nodded showing that I understood and watched as everyone licked the back of their card and slapped it on their forehead. I followed suit and had mine secured in place as the music started up and I sipped my pale ale. It was wheaty and strong to the tongue as I watched the woman climb on top of the table and pull her skirt up just enough to show thigh before she started dancing for the menfolk. All of them were calling out that she lift her skirt higher or let her breasts spill out as everyone enjoyed their beers.
Jeremy leaned in, “What is the suit of my card?”
I looked at his forehead and smiled, “It is neither a Club, nor a diamond.”
“Clever bastard fine I’ll tell you that you don’t have a club either but that is all you’re getting from me.” My other companion had his rapt attention on the woman as he licked his lips. I could see a burning loneliness in his eyes and could guess enough that he had no one waiting for him at home. He called for her as one of the loudest ones.
I scanned the room and checked who had club cards on their forehead and saw one man with a jack of clubs being the highest. So if I had a queen of any other suit I might be on the hook for another round of drinks. Soon enough everyone was staring at nearly empty mugs and all of them started to ask questions. The woman stopped dancing as the music quieted for everyone to enjoy the game a bit.
She sat with her legs crossed showing glimpses of smooth milky thighs and the ruffles of her inner skirt that was designed to make sure the people glancing would stay interested. I went about searching for hints and soon had it pinned down that I had a diamond card on my forehead. I noticed one other man having a queen of diamonds so I was feeling pretty sure that I didn’t have the king.
The man came up to me and stared at the card on my forehead before he looked at me closely. Almost as if he was trying to see his own card reflected in my eyes. “What is my card? I’ll tell you yours if you tell me mine.”
“I don’t think that is how the game works but I’ll tell you that you’re rather high in the courts of man. Some say that you are truly in charge of it all.”
“Damn,” he stroked his chin and looked at everyone elses cards. I saw one other queen and no kings about. “I’ll head to buy the next drinks. I think I’m gonna grab that queen of spades bastard and tell him we’re both up to buy the drinks.”
Everyone booed as the two headed to the bar and ordered the next drinks. I paid the man back for my drink and shook his hand. “Well done. Next time I might have to lie to you!”
“Lying is against the rules you cheeky bastard!” His mood was rather high as he went around getting his share of the money he spent on the round refilled into his pocket. I passed my card to the deck after glancing at it. A simple seven or diamonds.”
I watched a couple of the men approached the fine woman and flash some coin no doubt trying to buy her attentions for the later part of the night. She turned everyone down with a smile. I vaguely heard, “I only dance standing up. Never lying down.”
She still raked in all the quarter bits though that the men through to the table. She tossed a pouch of them to the minstrels in the corner and I could see one of them. Lock eyes with her. The fire there was plain enough for me to guess that they were an item.
The night went on and I made plenty of friends with the others. It seemed everyone shifted seats after each round and soon enough most of them were a little tipsy by the end of the night. I saw Jeremy and Timothy leaning on each other and whispering conspiratorially. Half way through the next round I heard a couple people sneaking up on me. The sloshing of water could barely be heard over the sounds of music and dancing.
I took the dumping of the cold water good naturedly and called them some foul names as I stood soaked as everyone laughed. Both of them called out, “For the hero of the nobles! Never look down on us ya hear!”
“You all just want to see me in my skivvies, is that it!”
Everyone jeered as I stripped out of some of my clothes and stood bare chested. The last thing I remembered that night is climbing on the table and dancing for the men to all their hoots and hollers of drunken joy.