Book 1: Chapter 39 - Gaming [Part 1]
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“Gambling is a disease of barbarians superficially civilized.”
- William Inge.
Taking a leisurely bath with Eloise was reasonably pleasant, and the inn more than lived up to its luxurious reputation. The marble bath, reminiscent of a miniature Roman pool, was fed by a network of pipes and warmed by wood fires below. In moments like these, Seraphina appreciated how far local civilization had advanced, especially when it came to good plumbing.
The two girls chatted idly about a range of trivial matters, and for a few precious moments, Seraphina truly let herself unwind. For the young noblewoman, it was a rare opportunity to simply let go and relax.
After the bath came a simple roast pheasant in a wine glaze dinner with sauteed potatoes in her room, Seraphina was finally ready for a very different kind of evening activity. Leaving Eloise to her studies and to play with her snake Cornelia, she opened the door and stepped out into the inn's corridor.
“Milly,” she cried out, unheedful if she disturbed the other guests.
“Yes, Lady Seraphina!” came a quick response as Miriam rushed out of her room next to Seraphina’s suite.
That’s why she liked her maid, monster or not, she was enthusiastic and vaguely competent. Not to mention that she had a lot of utility.
“I will be going downstairs to have play at the tables… you will be of course joining me!” the young noblewoman declared, almost skipping down the stairs.
“But what about money!” squeaked Miriam behind her.
“Don’t worry about it, Milly! Honestly, you can be such a stick-in-the-mud at times…” Seraphina shouted back at the bottom of the stairs. “Come along now!”
The two girls worked their way through the common room, Seraphina with a purposeful stride while her maid clutched the front of the dress looking left and right like a worried mouse. She nodded briefly to Haze who was plying her trade in a corner, a small bowl in front of her gradually filling up with silver coins.
For a moment, Seraphina wondered where Ibn was. With a shrug, she decided he was likely off handling the countless tasks that fell to a page or squire. As long as they did not work him to death, she considered it part of his necessary training. Character building even, she decided.
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All eyes in the common room seemed to be on her and Miriam. For a brief and paranoid instant, Seraphina half-expected someone to spring forward and attack, but the presence of her father’s men scattered throughout the Gilded Gryphon reassured her. It was just a surge of pre-game nerves, she told herself.
Her goal lay ahead: two burly guards stood by a doorway, ushering guests in and out. It was time to play.
It seemed Vellens had given the guards advance notice, for beyond their assessing stares, they offered no hindrance. Inside, the room was plush and inviting, its red velvet walls illuminated by soft lamplight. A haze of pipe smoke drifted lazily near the ceiling. Groups of men played dice and cards, their laughter and murmured wagers blending into a low hum.
Seraphina’s eyes scanned the crowd for the innkeeper but didn’t spot him. Instead, she stopped a red-haired server balancing a tray of “free” drinks, moving briskly between guests.
“Where do they play Braggarts?” Seraphina asked, her tone pointed.
To her credit, the server was unphased by the interruption and kept a polite smile. “Braggarts? There should be a few games over there, miss. I mean, milady,” she replied, correcting herself quickly as she pointed toward a room in the far corner.
At least the girl recognized quality, Seraphina mused coolly. “My thanks to you,” she said, dismissing the server with a wave.
Braggarts, the game Seraphina intended to play, was one of the mini-games featured in The Maiden of the Wisterias. Inspired by the Western card game poker, it was adapted to this fantasy setting with its own twists on winning hands and ranking plays.
Like poker, Braggarts demanded subtlety, strategy, and a keen understanding of both mathematics and human nature—exactly Seraphina’s sort of game, if she said so herself.
Before proceeding, she paused to confirm something. “Miriam, please tell me you know the rules of Braggarts.”
“Why, milady,” Miriam began, shifting uneasily, “as a lowly servant of the Duke, I never had much time or opportunity to play…”
Seraphina looked as though she might strike her.
“Sorry!” Miriam squeaked, shrinking under her mistress’s glare.
The young noblewoman closed her eyes, exasperated, and then grabbed a thin glass of liqueur from a passing waiter. Sitting herself at an empty table, she gestured for Miriam to take the chair beside her.
As if attuned to Seraphina’s mood, another serving girl approached with a tray of dried, sugar-coated fruit, thinly sliced ham, and artfully shaped cheese. The metal tray clinked softly as she set it down, and she flashed them a warm smile.
“Can I get you anything else?” the servant asked sweetly.
“No, that will be all,” Seraphina replied, waving her away.
Turning to Miriam, Seraphina sighed. “The things I do for you, Miriam. You really should be more grateful. Sometimes, I truly can’t take you anywhere.”
She took a sip from her glass, tasting an aniseed sweetness that was just a bit too cloying, yet still pleasantly aromatic. Then Seraphina spent the next half a glass’s worth of time explaining the basics of Braggarts, occasionally quizzing Miriam to ensure she understood. The irony was not lost on her: she was teaching a character in a game the rules of another game within that very same game.