Chapter Six

The clerk nodded and walked into the back.

I walked to a table by the window where I could see down the street at a local brothel. One, I knew my mother didn’t own but a rival gang.

Cath dropped beside me and smirked at Elena. “Hey, we should go to a casino next.”

Elena sat down on the opposite end of the table.

“You want Miss Princess to go to a casino? Nice thought, dumbass.”

I wondered where and when they picked up this weird rival.

“We can go to Casino. I heard there is one called Black Raven with high stakes.” I said before they started a fight about whether or not to go.

Cath shot Elena a smug look. She reached out her arm to wrap around my shoulder like we were commoners or something. I smacked her hand with a dagger hilt before it disappeared into the folds of my desk.

“Fu—.”

She rubbed her knuckles while looking at me with a wounded puppy face. I rolled my eyes and moved on. Looking forward to the dishes, maybe the ice-cream more than the others. The weather is incredibly stifling.

Elena put her elbows on top of the table as she leaned across. I had an urge to smack her. Wait— why not just do it anyway. Teaching manners is a long-term project. My wrist flicked out, deftly and accurately smacking each of her elbows. The dagger returned so quickly that it only looked as if I leaned forward to fix my dress.

The thuds and her snapping back, not knowing which elbow to hold. She looked even more awestruck and wounded than Cath seconds before.

“Sh—.”

I laughed lightly, waving my finger, the same hand that had held the dagger.

“No arms on the table, belief.”

The clerk took that brief respite to roll a cart with our delicacies upon it. She layed out a plate with spoons in the center of the table. Positioning plates around it as if it was the center of the flower. She then layers candles that smell like honey, around the outer ring.

I was confused about the arrangement, until she put down folded animal shape napkins around the candles then trotted off with the candles.

I then understood her arrangements.

The candles were making us hungry. I could see it in the way Elena leaned forward, licking her lips. Her eyes seemed slightly dilated and I could tell that she half feared me smacking her hands for being impolite.

Turning my head, Cath similarly leaning forward. However, she had a little more control of her outer appearance. Her lips were parted to the point that you saw a bit of her teeths. They were glistening with saliva. Even though her eyes were taking in the crowd outside, she was still sending many glances to the dishes.

I glanced at one of my knights who came back with a cart and a steaming bowl on top. She dipped her hands in before grabbing a soap bar and scrubbing them clean. Dipping a second time before drying off her hands.

This is what I expect when I ask for a meal to be prepared, not passing me the food with your bare hands without even considering washing them. Do I look like I trust you like that?

The knight began passing out the dishes based on my eye directions. The training of these female knights are extraordinary. If only they could act as my assassins as well, but it would be traceable.

I unfolded a napkin and began rubbing my fork while the other two with less manners;. Dove into their selections, showing that they really enjoy the dish. I had three to eat from, so I could not even be so superficial even if I wanted to.

I carefully cut an edge off the baked ice-cream. Napkin underneath, I brought it to my mouth, leaning forward ever so slightly. If you were to measure my posture with a straight ruler, then sitting in a chair is a full right angle, ninety degrees. My body is supposed to be close enough to the table where I can lean barely eighty degrees. With the chin tilted upward or downward, it would still be a straight line down to the edge of the table.

This is what is taught to us from a young age. In comparison, Elena elbows were lined with the table. Her chair was pushed out enough that she had to lean in more than forty degrees. If she had to get up and run, she would be capable of it.

However, if she sat up abruptly, the food could possibly fall directly into her lap without any possibility of catching upon a napkin or the table cloth.

Then comparing her to a half-decent trained assassin. Cath sat almost similar to me but instead sitting on the edge of her chair, legs tensed to shoot right up. If she turnt quickly enough, maybe the chair would glide back a centimeter.

However, whereas, Elena was thinking of escaping. Cath’s chair position was settled to allow her to roll backward without hitting her knees to the table. Using the chair to block a potential bolt if the enemy is prepared, if not, the chair is an obstacle that would give her time to draw her weapon.

Sadly for eating habits, she hunched over a bit too much. To the point that her body from an almost seventy degree straight line to her legs.

Anyway, I was tired of thinking about their lack of manners. I wasn’t anywhere proper to begin with, how many nobles would shop at this type of location?

The baked ice-cream slid down my throat with a few chewing motions. Feeling so delightfully good that I quickly forgot about the improper behavior of my companions. I almost wanted to take another bite of it but I held back. Switching to my selection, enjoying the sweet taste of the strawberries blending with the soft almost tongue melting honey- bread. The coating just enriched the entire blend. I almost did not want to move on past this dish.

The dish Cath picked out at what I believe was random, looked like a type of pudding with an almost clear brown coating. Upon my fork attempting to cut into an edge, it was all but depressed. It was a real effort to get a slice and upon letting rest upon my tongue. It felt almost like a breaded dish, the caramel was kind of different flavor to what I was used to. I licked my tongue over my teeth after swallowing it.

Mm, if I had to pick based on the snack options they picked out. Then Elena won this one, no competition.

I went back to my dish just not to give away which I favored the most. They both watched me eat with a kind of fanaticism that left me tingling with hidden joy. Being wanted was a nice feeling.

I only ate half of my crepe before taking a bite out of the baked ice-cream to wash down the strawberry taste. Not to override it but because it was sweet and delicious.

I turned to a knight after I wiped my mouth and savored the feeling of coolness in my stomach.

“Please find out if the owner is willing to make one of these for my dinner.”

Elena gave a little squeak and Cath slumped back into her chair. Looking for all the world like she just lost a competition that would change her life forever.

The Knight saluted before disappearing.

“So, the casino next?” Elena asked with a toothpick in her mouth.

Arms back on the table, my hands were like blurs. I smacked her hard enough to leave a bruise. Working the hilt down her arms, to her knuckles before sitting straight and looking out the window.

She couldn’t even curse. She just rocked back holding her arms against her body. My knights laughed, along with Cath, but she had it coming with that too relaxed behavior.

“How many people with the black Raven tattoos on their necks did you make out?” I asked Cath while sending a glance down the street.

“Seventeen, give or take a few others who had it on the back of their hands or just carried themselves like thugs. How about you?” She turned serious as she reported.

“Twenty-three. There were two guys looking out the top window towards our direction several times. I assumed they were keeping an eye on me. My father was a well known fallen noble who acted as a thug before he broke up with my mother. I am pretty sure they are assuming I would do the same or trying to figure out what is my purpose being back.”

I tossed some rounds upon the table and stood up.

Too bad for them, I wasn’t planning to make a move for the entire first month.

***

I stared at the grand casino. Towering over its counterparts, making this street look even more grand than it normally would. The heavy scent of horse shit and other pissed smells, weren’t as well concentrated in this area.

I guess the owner hired people to clean up this area. Smart move, a lot of nobles weren’t fans of my Mothers but being the only successful casino on the nobles concentrated streets. They had no choice but to go to her casinos or suffer a journey to the less than amiable poorer districts. Where you could find yourself losing your winnings just as easily as catching a bad case of upset stomach.

We walked in and I couldn’t help but praise the subtle colors that pulled at your attention. Dimming of lights and cheerful atmosphere, playing with plants to table ratios. I almost felt like I had just walked into a ball instead of into a business at the edge of the wealthy district.

Cath pointed at a table.

“I’m going to try my luck? Let’s see who has the better hand after?” She was not talking to me even though her eyes were glued to mine.

Elena huffed.

“You already lost once, asking for a second beating so soon? Is your pride deep enough to handle that?”

Cath snorted. “The question is are you willing to bet?”

Elena rolled her eyes, crossing her arms, nose tilted up. “Me?! Afraid to bet? How about this, if I have the most winnings before we leave, I get to spend time with the Princess and you have to disappear for three days.”

Cath eyes ignited and I knew she almost slitted Elena's throat. Cath was not the person to gamble with her love but I stepped in with a hand up.

“I think that is a marvelous idea. Winner will get to spend one day in my company, while the loser will be tasked with doing a charity errand for me.” I spoke with a laughing lilt but it was a commanding tone.

Both of them stared at me with eyes burning with fire. I wasn’t even sure why Elena liked me, I did not like her. Thieves were next to the people I would avoid. However, it was fine to allow her to amuse me. My mother seems to like her anyway and it would be great to have a distraction so I didn’t lose myself in —.

They split up right after I finished talking, heading towards tables. With my knight entourage, I walked around, watching how games were played before sitting down at a table with a decent looking fellow.

He had sharp eyes, the kind that was constantly taking in those coming in and out. Lingering upon women with my kind of body frame. He was dressed in an expensive black and white lined suit. Even though he smelled of cologne and that expensive pair of cigs, I was sure he wasn’t some noble. There was a faint scar on his right cheek. His sitting posture was all but proper and he swirled a glass of brown liquid as if he was lost in thought. Haphazardly paying attention to the table or the cards he was dealing.

Or so he wanted you to think but his attention was by far the most impressive I witness so far. His winnings never really decreased or increased, he kept even. Which is hard if you did not know this game by heart. Definitely if you were in truth, only half paying attention to the table.

I gave him a polite smile, my dimples must have shown because he straightened up. He took a sip of his dwindling liquor and studied me with more enthusiasm. However, I caught the flickering gaze to the place where my dagger was cleverly concealed. It normally would not show any signs that it was there but I had removed it several times. There was bound to be a fold bent the wrong way.

“Good Evening, my Lady. Care to join me for a game?” He asked inquisitively and I held a hand backward. A stack of tokens were placed in my hand. I clenched my fingers around them bringing them to the table.

Instead of speaking, I separated them according to width, color, and texture. Why? I had this bad habit when measuring someone.

I placed out a hundred round tokens and glanced at my companion as the dealer began dealing the hands. I think the game was like poker, yes? Cough, I should have watched a few hands.

The man not wanting to take a loss, also put out a hundred round token before the dealer finished dealing the hand. We at the same time flipped it over. I lost but it was a small matter to me. We played a few more hands and I learned quickly what cards represented what, so our losses and wins became more even.

We were playing a game of who had the better controlling ability. However, our attention was studying the guest and each other. I was sure this man was some kind of big shot but not just with this casino. I believed he was a higher level character, an assassin or trained knight of somebody.

His mannerism resembled what I often come to expect of knights but at times he would add commoner ticks. Like resting his elbow on the table, while swirling his newly refilled drink. Or slouching back when he lost a hand.

Even though I could see in his eyes that he did not care about the loss or wins. And that he was only using those gestures to scan the crowd, it was quite fascinating. To watch another expert at work, juggling multiple tasks with his cover blown.

Maybe to him, my glances at him was just a noble girl infatuated.

To me, it was picking apart his mannerism to determine what level of competition I would have to pay attention to if I began working in this area. The thugs weren’t even worth more than a passing assessment. They were rowdy, cutting loose, eyes only occasionally drifting to various town guards under guise.

The really interesting thing was the second floor VIP session had a guest constantly looking down at this man in front of me.

He was too shifty, constantly looking down. His gaze would linger upon a passing beautiful girl for far too long. He often took long drinks and I bet he had a soak collar. Like he was under immense pressure or he was scared of something.

So I had a lot to go on to know that this man infront of me, who was sort of intrigued by me;. Was some high level character in an organization.

Before the dealer dealt out this last hand, I moved five hundred round tokens to the pot.

“This will be my last hand, by the way. My name is Willow West.” I spoke in a soft tone while flaring my lips slightly and it caught his attention.

His hand roughly slid five tokens to match my bet but he didn’t pay attention to the cards. For, they were a losing hand, but I could clearly see that his eyes were focused on me. He was trying to remember where he heard that name, when the dealer slid the pot over to me.

I stood up and my knight came to pick up the winnings, leaving right away to exchange them.

I walked with the rest to the front and out to wait on the carriage.

The knight came out with Cath and Elena, plus the winnings.

“Spread my winnings among you, please.” I said after a moment of thought.

My Knights saluted but didn’t pass them out on duty. Impressing me more than I cared to admit, I turned to look up at the window to see the man staring down at me. I gave him a smile and waved my fingers at him before loading into my carriage.

It was no surprise that Elena won. She probably picked pocket people, whereas Cath was raised upon my Father’s principles. She would have played the game, honestly.