Vannerbehn's Luck Pt. 03

The night was still young. I could have gone to see Lesheya, or Joubi, or Codyla, I suppose (two barmaids and a laundress - you'd be amazed by what the people who wash your clothes overhear). Somehow, though, that didn't seem like the right thing to do, immediately after seeing Malena home. Maybe I needed time to think, too.

No matter how I turned it over in my head, monogamy didn't seem to be the answer. Malena would still be in danger, and I would be ... monogamous.

I had promised myself a treat. Some senseless fun. Gambling sounded just right. And finally, I had the money to go to a place I'd been keen to try for just about forever.

The Narimac was a fashionable place for wealthy idiots to throw their money away, and to be seen doing it. Real gamblers also frequented the place, because it was - rumour had it - impossible to cast a spell inside its walls. No magical cheating at all.

Having been regularly fleeced in card games by my former master, I had learned two things. First, never play with money you can't afford to lose. Second, never gamble with wizards. A place that guaranteed no cheating appealed to me. As an added bonus, the Narimac insisted that its patrons divest themselves of all weaponry at the door - not a bad policy, in a Pirate city.

There was also a high-class brothel right next door, where those unlucky at games of chance could be luckier at love - if they had any money left.

I'd stood outside the Narimac before, wondering if I would ever be able to afford to go in. It was built of superior masonry. The stones were nearly smooth, fit tightly together (In other words, impossible to climb). Anyone foolish enough to try, and succeed, would find out whether the gargoyles at the corners of the roof were real or not.

The wealthiest citizens of Kumyr, and the most paranoid, sometimes invested in a real gargoyle, along with the more customary decorative ones, made of stone. Real gargoyles, of course, are living creatures, but difficult to distinguish from the stone ornaments which resemble them.

A gargoyle can remain still for days. Yet they see and hear everything. Wonderful burglar alarms, and security guards. Should an intruder attempt to gain entrance to their building, they can swoop down, soundlessly, on wings hard as rock.

They're resistant to magic, and damned hard to kill - not that I'd ever try. What can a pistol bullet do to a stone statue, except irritate it?

Stonecutters and sculptors did booming business, turning out statues that looked as much like real gargoyles as possible. Would you take a chance, and try to rob a house that had a gargoyle on the corner of the roof?

But I wasn't planning to rob the Narimac. I was going there to throw my money away.

Inside the door, my first impressions were of subdued lighting, smooth stone walls, hung with massive tapestries, and a floor of polished stone. Or was it marble? I could also feel a slight weight on my shoulders - just a hint of pressure, really. I knew, instinctively, that I really couldn't cast a spell in here.

An attractive woman in a ridiculously low-cut gown greeted me.

- "Welcome, Sir. May I take your cloak?" she said. "And may we store your weapons for you?"

It was all very smooth. They took my pistols, rapier, dagger, and my boot knife (I decided not to try sneaking it in), and handed me back a card which listed all of my items.

Then I was steered to a cashier, where I was charged twenty pieces of gold just to get into the Narimac. Twenty! I suppose it kept the idle gawkers away - unless they were rich. Obviously, I was in the wrong business. But, in for a penny ... I cashed one of Mennegon's notes, which gave me 480 to play with.

I'm not a complete idiot; I know that the odds at any game of chance run by professionals are against you. I didn't care. I wasn't here to win money - I was here to lose it, and have fun in the process. I was already ahead: I was seeing the inside of the Narimac.

The dealers and attendants were mostly female, and, without exception, stunning. I didn't see very many males, and they didn't look particularly menacing. Where was the security? I couldn't see how the Narimac prevented trouble.

There were at least a hundred players in the place. Voices were raised, a little loud. Males strutted, females preened, and everyone watched everyone else, to see if they themselves were being watched.

There was music. I looked for the players, and found them on a second-floor balcony. It sounded like dance music to me.

Yes, I should have stuck to card games, or the dice. Thanks for your advice. Instead, I was instantly fascinated by the spinning wheel. It was bright red and black, and when a beautiful girl gave it a spin, it whirled and turned, creating a sight that had me hooked from the very first.

I watched her spin three times, and saw the patrons placing bets on a brightly coloured table, with numbered squares matching those on the wheel. I observed a little longer, until I thought that I understood the game.

There were thirty-nine numbers on the wheel. Nineteen numbers were coloured red; nineteen numbers were black. The odd and even numbers were entirely different. Half of the odd numbers were black; half were red. The first - or last - number was a zero, and it was green. You could bet red, or black, or you could choose odd or even. There were options to choose two numbers, or four - and of course, to bet on a single number.

I watched a little longer. Then - I don't know why - I placed 20 gold pieces on red.

I won.

A little voice told me that a series of small bets would eventually lose, only more slowly. Don't ask me what I was doing: I put the whole 500 on black.

And I won.

With 1,000 to play with, I realized that I could afford to bet 500, and lose twice. Instead, I put the whole thousand on black. And won.

I felt a strange itch, high up on my leg. I put my hand in my pocket, and scratched. That was when I felt the rabbit's foot - the red rabbit's foot, the magical item I had brought home from the dragon's treasure. It was smooth, and oddly warm to the touch - probably from my body heat. It was comforting, though, to roll it between my fingers.

With 2,000, now, I put a thousand on odd - and won. I was grinning like an idiot. If I quit now, I'd have 3,000 gold. That was close to my entire share of the dragon loot. I could give half of it to Mehdawi, and still be loaded.

So of course I put all 3,000 on black.

And won.

There was a loud cheer from the half dozen or so players at the table with me. Even the girl spinning was impressed.

- "That's amazing, sir!" she said.

- "Thank you." I said. Six thousand. The right thing to do, of course, was to quit now. So I put five thousand on black.

And won.

I can count. I was well aware that I had 11,000 gold. That was a ridiculous sum. I wouldn't even know where to put it. Without a second thought, I put ten thousand on red.

And won. Then I surreptitiously put my hand in my pocket, and scratched my balls. They were getting warm, for some strange reason.

- "New spinner!" announced the girl at the table. She raised her hands, and stepped back.

- "Thank you." I said. For some reason which I cannot explain, I gave her a 100 gold piece tip. Again, I must emphasize that point: I have no clue why I did that.

But I was distracted. As the first girl (stunning - absolutely stunning) stepped back, a new girl came to replace her. Others saw her first. There was an odd sort of groan from the other players, and the spectators who rushed over to see what was happening.

I had 20,900 in winnings. But all I saw was the new girl who had arrived to spin the wheel. She had long, thick black hair- dark brown, maybe, but close to black. Her eyes were exceptional: red around the iris, and then green. I'd never seen anything like them.

Her nose was perfect, above full red lips. Her face was astonishingly beautiful. Her dress was fairly low-cut, revealing the tops of a pair of enormous breasts which must have been designed by one of the Gods. And I don't even believe in the Gods. Honestly, she could have powered two sets of bagpipes with those things.

Oh - and her skin was light purple.

- "Hello, sir." she said. "My name is Ludianne."

- "Hah!" said a man behind me. "Kiss your money goodbye, you fool."

I don't remember exactly how it happened, but he was escorted off the premises, while Ludianne asked me what I wanted to drink.

- "Iiran red would be nice." I said. "You're not a dark elf, are you?" Her ears were normal.

- "No, Sir. I am a Janni. A female Djinn, if you prefer. The magical suppression field that you feel is mine."

- "I've never heard of Janni - pardon my ignorance. Are all Janni as beautiful as you?"

- "You flatter me, Sir. The Jann are less prominent in your tales than the Djinn. We do not grant wishes, or live in bottles." I can't even begin to describe her voice. I swear, I could have got hard just listening to her. Thank goodness, the edge of the table hid my erection from view.

- "Would Sir like to place a bet?" she said.

- "Yes, I would."

For some reason - which I couldn't explain - I put twenty thousand on number 6. Some of the onlookers gasped. Believe me, I'm well aware of how stupid that was. All I remember is Ludianne's face (and the tops of her tits), and the growing heat in my pocket.

I'd never seen a creature so enticing as Ludianne. Was I trying to impress her with the size of my bet? Over-compensating, Kelsen? For a brief, ludicrous moment, I felt as though I was outside of my own body, watching myself do this idiotic thing.

Had I been thinking clearly, I would have bet a fraction of my money. The longer it lasted, the longer I could stand across the table from this gorgeous creature. On the other hand, if I made small bets, she might go to a table of high rollers. But I wasn't thinking at all.

I had a momentary twinge of regret, as Ludianne reached for the wheel, and effortlessly spun it. But I ignored that feeling, because I was distracted by a burning sensation next to my left testicle. I reached into my pocket, and my fingers found the rabbit's foot.

It was quite hot. Now, I don't know what people - or Ludianne - would have said, if I'd pulled a rabbit's foot out of my pocket while the wheel was spinning. It was magical, according to Kima's crew. Would a magic item be considered cheating?

I settled for holding it, gingerly, in my hand, inside my pocket - and away from my balls. The wheel began to slow. The people around the table - a large crowd, by now, began to gasp, almost in unison. Then they shouted, or screamed - one willowy blonde shrieked almost directly into my ear.

- "Six." said Ludianne. She sounded incredulous, as if she didn't quite believe it herself. "Six wins." There was so much noise, I'm not sure if anyone else heard her. But I did.

"You won, Sir." Those incredible eyes were fixed on me. Oh yes, I had her full attention now. I grinned like an idiot.

- "How much did I win?"

- "Seven hundred thousand, Sir."

- "Seven? Hundred?"

- "Thousand, Sir."

No, I couldn't wrap my head around a number that big. My heart was thumping - what had possessed me to make such a moronic bet?

The crowd around the table was only growing, and the noise level was increasing. But people began to separate, to make room, as a tall figure loomed behind Ludianne.

- "What'ss going on?" he said, to Ludianne.

I didn't like him, right from the start. First off, he spoke harshly to Ludianne. Second, there was something nasty about his voice - the way he said the letter 'S', for example, made it sound like a hiss.

And then there was his appearance. He was nearly seven feet tall. He didn't have skin; instead, he was covered in scales, like a fish, or a lizard. His eyes were black, and cold. When he opened his mouth, I saw that he had only four sharply-pointed teeth.

The spectators around the table fell silent.

- "This gentleman has just won 700,000 on the wheel. Number six." she said.

- "What?"

Ludianne spoke to me. I couldn't quite describe her expression. It was almost ... apologetic. "May I present Molun, the owner of this establishment? Mister ...?"

- "Vannerbehn. Kelsen Vannerbehn." I said. What was wrong with me? Why was I announcing my name to a large group of people that I hoped to rob one day - if I hadn't already.

Then again, I was now so rich, I wouldn't have to work anymore. Maybe. I might even be able to ask Malena to marry me, and settle down.

- "Assk him if he wantss to make another bet." said the snake man, Molun.

I wanted to laugh in his face. Are you serious? I'm walking away with almost three quarters of a million.

- "Are you certain, Master?" she asked him. I didn't like the sound of that at all. How could such a creepy character as Molun own her? It's not that I was unfamiliar with the concept of slavery, but he was so ... so disgusting, while she was so ... wow.

- "Assk him." hissed Molun.

Not on your life, snakeman, I thought. Not in a million years. You owe me 700 thousand, and I'm walking out of her with more money than I've ever dreamed of.

- "Would Sir like to place a bet?" asked Ludianne.

- "Sounds good to me." I heard myself say.

The spectators went berserk.

The willowy blonde pressed her boobies against my shoulder, and salivated in my ear.

- "My name is Gelaya." she whispered, as she lubricated my earlobe.

- "That's nice." I said. Then, for some reason I can't even begin to explain, I put 700,000 gold pieces on number 11.

Why that number? It was my age when I apprenticed to my master, when I first began to learn about magic. Ludianne nodded - again, I thought she looked sad, or sorry.

Why had I bet it all? Why didn't I keep a few hundred thousand back? A few hundred thousand, he said. I could've funded the Gale for a century.

It was decidedly odd. The people around the table were quiet, all of them staring at the wheel. Only Ludianne was looking at me.

- "Umm - what happens if I win?" I asked.

Ludianne didn't blink. "Sir, you will win 24,500,000 gold pieces."

- "What?"

She repeated the number. The crowd made a collective 'ahhh' sound.

"Wait." I said. "Is there ... is there even that much money?"

Ludianne looked to Molun. The snake man smirked.

- "If you win, I will give you all the money on hand, and the Narimac. And everything in her - including Ludianne."

Including Ludianne? That sounded so wrong. Wait, though - I could win Ludianne?

- "Alright." I said.

How did these sounds come out of my mouth? Molun was smirking, and I knew that something was wrong. And I was completely unable to do anything else.

She reached for the wheel, and gave it a spin.

I have two clear recollections of that moment.

The first was Ludianne's unbelievably lovely face. I was looking into her unusual eyes, but I could see her lips part, as if she was mouthing a word. Was it 'sorry'?

Then I felt the damned rabbit's foot in my pocket go from room temperature to almost incandescent white heat in a matter of seconds. I reached for it, tried to pull it out of my pants, away from my testicles. Oh, Gods - my balls!

Somehow, I managed to pull thing out my pocket. I fumbled it, just as I heard something snap, behind the wheel. It started to slow down. The crowd around the table made a long-drawn out 'ooohhh' sound.

Then the rabbit's foot exploded.

It sent me flying backward - and a dozen people near me were knocked to the ground as well. I landed on top of the willowy blonde. I slapped at the crotch of my trousers, because they were hot, and smoking, and I thought they might burst into flame.

Only then did I look up. The wheel was partly broken. It was tilted over, at an odd angle. But it had stopped ... on number 11. The corner of the table was gone, blown off when my rabbit's foot exploded.

That was one thing that caught my attention. The other was Ludianne. Her eyes were wide, and she had that incredulous look again. But she was also smiling. At me.

- "It's on eleven!" screamed someone.

- "He won!" shouted another spectator.

Cacophony. Mayhem. Sheer madness. Funny - I don't remember that part very well. I only saw Ludianne smiling.

- "HE CHEATED!" screamed Molun. "THAT WASS MAGIC!"

I had no idea what to say. It's true, the rabbit's foot was magical. I knew that. I just didn't know what it did, or how it was magical.

- "It was magic." said Ludianne. "But Mr. Vannerbehn did not cast a spell. His magical item did not cheat. It prevented us from cheating. You have lost, Molun."

The snake man growled, deep in his throat.

- "No - he cheated!"

- "No, Molun." said Ludianne. "You cheated. Or, rather, you had me cheat for you. But Mr. Vannerbehn's magical item prevented us from cheating. He won - fair and square."

The crowd of spectators were incensed. They had suspected, but now they knew - Molun had been cheating them. And now he was broken. But he wasn't too happy about it.

- "You did thiss!" he shouted, at Ludianne. "You planned thiss!"

- "I did not." she said, calmly. "But it would change nothing if I had. I cheated for you - just as you instructed me to do. And you lost anyway."

- "You can change thiss! I order you to fix thiss!"

Ludianne stood straight, and looked Molun in the eye. He glared at her, and bared his teeth, but she simply stared him down.

- "You are wrong, Molun." she said. "Neither I nor the Narimac are yours to command any longer. We belong to Mr. Vannerbehn. He does not want you on the premises."

"Nor do I."

Molun didn't say anything. He chose to storm out. Only two of the employees went with him. Everyone else stayed.

The spectators suddenly broke into applause. A few of them cheered. Most of the employees, I noted, joined in.

But that was only secondary, to me. My head felt a little clearer. I finally realized how absolutely insane I had been. I looked to Ludianne.

- "Can I treat everyone here to a drink?" I asked.

- "Of course you can. That would be a very nice gesture." She announced it, which raised another cheer.

- "Ludianne - do you think I could ... talk to you? In private?"

- "Yes." she said. She led me upstairs, to a balcony opposite the musicians. We could see, and hear, the customers and staff below, simply by looking over the railing. But if we sat down, the balcony became a little island of near tranquility.

- "What just happened?" I asked her.

I was treated to a full on Janni smile.

- "You won, Master Vannerbehn." she said. "You've won the Narimac."

"You've won me."

***

"I'm sorry." I said. "My head is still a bit fuzzy. Can we start with the first part? How did I win, if you were cheating? Is what you said to Molun true?"

- "Oh yes. I placed a strong suggestion on you - that you should bet all of the money on a single number. Somehow, you still won. I could smell the magic, but you weren't casting a spell, and there was no enchantment on you."

- "You charmed me?"

- "Something like that, yes."

- "Sorry - go on."

- "Molun ordered me to suggest - to charm you again, so that you would bet everything on a single number one last time. He rigged the wheel, and instructed me to prevent it stopping on number 11. A double cheat, if you will."

"The magical item you carried was too powerful. The wheel could not bear the strain. My spell was suppressed. But your item also cracked, under the pressure. I have never seen anything like that. What was it that you carried?"