Private Tales Bound to Work

[Wynn]

A Crowded Allirian Street​

Source: Gilles Ketting​

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Steps pounded against pavement, the incoherent murmuring of voices filled the air, and an overwhelming aroma of scents from all of the street vendors assaulted Wynn’s nostrils. It was just another day on the crowded thoroughfare into Alliria’s town center. This was always the spot that the gambler picked to set up his little games for a variety of reasons.

First, it was within eyesight of the guards which usually relaxed people. Surely someone couldn’t scam them in broad daylight near the looming guard tower. Then there was the incredible amount of foot traffic to ensure plenty of new faces each day. Finally, this was the street that tourists and first-time visitors to Alliria were forced to travel upon.

Wynn had a special sort of talent for spotting them. Particularly the rich ones. All of ‘em tended to gander upon the buildings or the various vendors that dotted the roadway. The rich ones sometimes had bodyguards or let their coin purse jangle low on their hip or walk around like nothing could hurt them.

And he wasn’t going to hurt them.

He was going to take their money in a game they thought was fair. Maybe if they were smart or dwelled on the experience they’d think back on it and realized they’d been duped. They’d have no proof though and it was rare that anyone admitted they were gullible enough to get swindled by a half-elf street gambler.

”My my, good sir, you look like you’re interested in a game of chance,” he said as a particularly wealthy looking gentleman walked by with his much younger date. The man simply shook his head in disagreement and shared a laugh with the woman he was with.

Wynn grimaced but recovered quickly as another easy looking mark drew nearer, ”step on up, let fortune fatten your wallet.”

Some days were better for scoring gold than others but today was proving to be a particularly dry well so far.

Amaryllis

 

[Amaryllis]

Amaryllis took a sniff at the air and the scent of mortals, non-edible food and sweat filled her nostrils. Immediately wondering why she had done that, the fae scrunched up her nose and readjusted her brown fur coat. Even though Amaryllis did a good enough job at attempting to fit in, the immortal princess still stood out among the many humans and elves wandering the streets of Alliria. For one, she was taller than many and the female often found herself wondering why none of them chose to grow any bigger than this – there was a whole world waiting for them up here after all.

That being said, Amaryllis was painfully short for a fae herself, but the princess firmly believed that she could grow much taller if only she wanted to.

Secondly, the majority of them lacked the certain spark that made the fae so captivating and while Amaryllis wouldn’t go as far as to call the larger number of people ugly, she thought their faces and auras to be bland at best. Almost as if whoever had created them didn’t bother – not like they had much time in this world or any other anyways.

Today she had glamoured herself to look a little less divine and dashing than usual in the eyes of the lesser folk in order to avoid collecting any worshippers and as Amaryllis sauntered through the alleys, she found herself interested in what appeared to be a game of chance, fortune and luck. All things fae loved manipulating and messing with. After all, luck was subjective.

Much to her surprise, the temptation of a game of luck and a chance at wealth was easily dismissed as not many people even bothered to halt and consider the elf up on his offer. Mortals were bland and boring, but she decided to take him up on his offer anyways. Genuinely curious, the fae with the doe eyes approached Wynn’s stand and offered him a smile and a moment of her time.

“Is it bold of me to assume that you don’t actually have any sort of promised fortune?"

 

[Wynn]

Score.

Some dainty-looking girl with a face of porcelain had noticed Wynn's little game. He pretended not to see her, he'd act startled if and when she approached. Girl's like her were rarer in this part of Alliria, particularly when they travelled alone. Judging just by her face she was too pretty to be a working class Alilrian which meant she either came from money or some noble line. Probably both.

"You're in luck my dear," Wynn smiled broadly after she finished speaking, "as fortune tends to favor the bold."

This was going to be easy. Wynn was in for a meal that consisted of actual meat as well as a bottle of wine. Maybe he'd even make enough off this mark to score a really cheap fifth of scotch.

He patted a large and bloated sack causing a the familiar ring of coin to emanate. "I've got plenty to pay out if you've got the desire to win big." Wynn always carried the sack of cheap iron scraps. As long as he kept them from rusting they clanged together similarly enough as gold to fool most.

A few passerby's waltzed along casting looks at the two. The half-elf ignored them and gestured to the three cups he had placed down on the table before him, he lifted the center cup to reveal a dazzling golden coin. Sure, it was fool's gold but it looked real enough and it helped add to the illusion of wealth.

"Game's simple, you put down ten pieces of silver per play, I spin the cups 'round, and when they stop if you can pick out the one with the coin you'll double your money." He grinned at his 'customer' and plopped a second bag of coins onto the table. Wynn liked to let his marks win their first try.

Once people got the idea in their heads that they could win at gambling they were unlikely to stop. "So what do you say lass, want to try your luck?"

 

[Amaryllis]

“Is that so,” the faerie said, a hint of excitement in her bright voice. “I had a feeling that I am in for a treat tonight,” she admitted and poured the required ten silver coins onto the table. The rules were simple and her interest caught. Amaryllis noticed that people had begun staring at them, slowing in their tracks as they walked by his little stand. She paid them no heed. Her focus and attention belonged to the person sitting in front of her.

A tall male of, if she had to guess, mixed origins. The signs and spots of low birth clung to him like a stench and he fit almost perfectly into these rotten, mortal alleys. She found the marks on his skin unattractive and the look in his copper eyes dishonest. Her eyebrows rose at the sound of clattering iron, the scent causing her to wrinkle up her nose in displeasure. “I hope you brought plenty of time with you,” she said and caught his gaze.

Amaryllis folded her gloved hands together and gave him a nod of approval.

The princess suspected his intentions to be impure and that this game wasn't based on luck but perception and deceit and maybe she too was trying to get something out of this – something that most definitely wasn’t money. “I most certainly do,” she said, as her coin was already on the table.

“Apologies, but I didn’t catch your name?”

 

[Wynn]

His smile and warmth grew as the obvious captivation of the brunette woman before him was made evident. Throngs of other citizens and travelers passed gaping at the lovely maiden who stood before his modest gambler's table. Most of them were, he guessed, shocked that a woman of apparent means was wasting her time with a petty street gambler.

A smirk bloomed fully now as he retorted, "I've always got plenty of coin." He covered the coin she sat down with his middle cup and then slide the cup and coin back towards its proper position on the table. He released his hold on the cups and stared at the girl.

"Name's Wynn, lass." Another faux look of satisfaction painted his face. "And your name?"

Before she could reply he began to move the cups around rapidly, hoping to disorient the girl before him. "Been in Alliria long?" he questioned, hoping to divert her attention further as he slide the coin from under its original cup into his lap. He'd done this a thousand times and was a bit of an expert as sleight of hand.

Unless she was some kind of divine being there was no chance he'd be caught. And if his dishonesty was discovered the worst she'd do is alert the authorities whom he'd sweet talk or bribe if needed.