What Is Done

Chapter 29 - Gambling With Cheaters

The two male elves eventually heeded Essaerae's words and went around Lake Oribel, along the far side. On the western side of Lake Oribel was the town of Kaylik, trapped between the Triple Peaks and the water. The eastern side of Lake Oribel harbored a few small villages along its length. They had been closer to Kaylik than they had thought. By the late afternoon, they were halfway down Lake Oribel's length.

They went through the streets of the smaller towns on the east side. Each of the villages was more run down and shady than the last. In this particular village, there were patrons on the streets, sitting outside restaurants and bars. Gambling filled the streets. Many of them didn't pay attention to strangers until someone noticed Laverne's crown.

"Elf King!" A passing dwarf shouted, pointing at Laverne.

Swarms of people surrounded them, hoping Laverne would be willing to gamble and they could make good money off him. Essaerae pulled them off the main street and closer to the lakeside. They could see Kaylik from this coast.

She wondered how a certain person in Kaylik was doing. Essaerae fell deep in thought upon seeing the silhouettes of Kaylik's buildings from across the lake. She kept her head down. She had an old friend living there.

Laverne let Sellion take hold of leading Maehara for a while, while he counted his coins. "It is a good thing I declined gambling. We do not have much money left. I would like to preserve it but I am hungry." They had spent a lot more than any of them were willing to admit on food and dining. 

Sellion lit up, "I can get us more, enough to buy the next few meals! Shouldn't be too hard, this town's probably full of gambling cheaters, anyways." He crossed his arms, relaxed his shoulders and scoffed.

"Discretion, Sellion!" Laverne slapped a hand over his guard's mouth. "Do you want to insult the entire town and have them chasing us with pitchforks and torches?"

Sellion only hoisted his shoulders up then down in a shrug. "It'd be entertaining at the least." He laughed jauntily behind Laverne's hand. Sellion's mouth shifted into a mischievous grin behind the palm of Laverne's hand and he pulled away.

Laverne sighed in response. "What do you think we should do, Essaerae? Should we let Sellion make a mockery of himself?"

"Sounds good to me. I think we could use the entertainment," Essaerae poked fun at Sellion. Laverne removed Sellion's muzzle and graciously let him lead the way.

Sellion tied the horses to a post behind the back of a house, where the edge of the lake crept up to. It was the equivalent to an alleyway. This town had no docks. The water was not deep enough to dock trading ships. Or sailboats. He instructed the two of them to put on their cloaks again, and Laverne to leave his crown behind in Maehara's saddlebags.

Sellion tread back to the main street acting like he was the big man on campus. Laverne and Essaerae could only see him walking in a dorky way from behind.

"What is he doing?" Essaerae laughed.

"Nobody's going to take him seriously walking around like that," Laverne added. "We have lost all the gambles before we have even tried playing."

"Sellion," Essaerae whispered harshly, noticing the stares of civilians, "you're going to get yourself stabbed walking around like you own the place!"

"Stabbed...again," Laverne added, trying to keep himself from snickering.

Sellion ignored the king and the second guard. They trailed behind, not wanting to be known as being with whatever that was. Sellion stopped when he came to a tavern where in front many were playing cards. He watched a pair of girls play. A female elf and a female horned man. He witnessed the horned woman lose, throw her cards at the elf and storm off. She purposely bumped into Essaerae in her rage.