Fable - Ask There's Something About Nira

[Ichika]

It was impossible not to notice just how happy Khari had become. Briefly, she worried if she might have to hold the girl down lest she float away.

The dresses were beautiful, that was undeniable. This storefront was an excellent choice from afar as the material quality was superb and the selection vast. And now they even had the choice of masks?

Ichika didn't know who this Jarim character was but based on the inflection that the goblin-storekeeper used she was supposed to have recognized him. That was good at least, it meant the masks were likely just as high of quality as the dresses had been. The pair were led through a beaded curtain into a side room that was filled to the brim with masks.

Hangers all over the walls adorned with masks with a large table in the center that showed off even more. There were masks with caricatures of chickens, foxes, pigs, and bears. There were tribalistic masks and masks that depicted various demons and jiangshi. Even a few that were made to look like beautiful men or women.

Eventually, Ichika settled on a mask that looked like a fish with orange and yellow scales and various black markings running along the course of the mask. "I'll take this one."

She placed it upon her face and waited for Khari to make her selection.

 

[Khari]

Khari perused the masks for a few seconds, glancing over the various animals that had been expertly crafted.

It was easy to tell the quality of what was in front of them, just how much work and artistry and been put into all of it. The Daemonette let her fingers grazed over one of them, a wolf, she thought it might have been. A flash of fur actually hanging on the side.

She smiled, and then caught sight of one.

Lips thinned for a brief moment, and she stepped over to the small pedestal that held the mask. It was a thing of red and black, great big fang like teeth. A demon.

"Ah yes, the Oni."​

The Goblin spoke with a smile, though Khari glanced back at her with a look of confusion on her face.

"Spirits, like the Kami. Though different, thought evil by some, but misunderstood in a way. They are those who punish and offer rebuke. Dealing out fates and misfortunes to those who have reaped them."​

Khari stared at the mask for a few seconds more, then smiled. "I'll take this one."

The Daemonette said as she plucked the mask from the pedestal.

 

[Ichika]

Ichika was glad she had been wearing her mask as the goblin gave the explanation of the Oni mask. It was far too close to home for Khari, or so she thought, and the growing discomfort on her face would've been obvious. Peco wasn't that aware of her friend's plight because Peco was a pompous brat.

At least the explanation included the fact that those demons in the tales weren't necessarily evil they were just misunderstood. The short-haired girl thought her friend must've felt the same way.

"Thank you," she said to the shopkeep while issuing a slight bow.

Once the pair emerged back out into the sunlight she leaned in closer to the daemonette. "We look the part now and you look particularly amazing. Time to go make some friends." A broad grin formed behind the security of her mask. She wasn't sure if anyone had ever paid her a serious compliment on her looks and Ichika didn't mind being the first.

Ichika took her seat back in the cart and waited for Khari to re-enter.

"Driver, the fanciest, nicest, hotel in Nira is still our destination."

This was definitely going to work. The pair of them were going to have the city's elite eating out of the palms of their hands before midnight. While Ichika, and possibly Khari, may not have been the type to be the life of the party she was positive that Peco and Tara would be.

 

[Khari]

The fanciest hotel in Nira, as it turned out, was about half as fancy as the Dynast's Palace, which as it turned out was still very very fancy.

They moved together onto the inner island of the City, the Minotaur guiding the cart through the Great Wall and into what most would have called a castle. Even there people were in the streets, men and women who danced, conserved, and ate food that looked so rich it almost seemed out of place on the street.

A few of them looked at the two girls, observing the beautiful gowns and wonderful masks they wore.

Khari could make out some whispers. They asked who they were, what they had come for, how they had afford their dressed. Each time she heard one of those whispers the Daemonette could only smirk, already knowing they would be a great success.

"This is it. The Grand Lotus."

The Minotaur spoke as they came to a stop before a massive marble building. Golden statues decorated it's front, and the sun gleamed from it's smooth surface like a mirror. "It will do, I suppose."

She said, trying her best to sound unexcited.

"Not as nice as that place in Oban we visited, but nice enough, right?" Khari said, glancing at her companion. Her voice loud enough that some of those around them would obviously overhear.

 

[Ichika]

The Grand Lotus seemed more extravagant than the home Ichika had known but a lot of that could be attributable to the fact that her family valued proximity to the port over luxury. Still, most of the nice hotels and venues in Dornoch were much fancier than this place.

"Oh Tara, I doubt many places can rival the Solari Habitis, even the Beauforts are rumored to stay there," she spoke in a voice rivaling Khari's volume. "But this one is quite quaint."

Ichika stepped into the lobby and took in the walls adorned with lavishly made silks. It was likely cheaper than using marble or some other expensive material but it still gave the place an elevated look. Her feet rested nicely on the plush rug that spread out across the entirety of the flooring, its pattern a mix of reds and golds.

Whether it was the fact that they were dressed in such fanciful garments, or that they were just two young women, it took almost no time at all before a member of the staff was approaching them with a cheery look on his face.

"Welcome to the Grand Lotus ladies," the half-orc was so neatly groomed that Ichika wondered if she had ever seen a half-orc so presentable before. He gave a half-bow and added, "you're in luck as we have a suite available. There's a banquet tonight in the ballroom as well. We're having a casino night."

A grin spread over her features. "Oh that sounds lovely. We'll take the suite." She flicked a coin to the half-orc gentleman and smiled over at Khari.

Truthfully, Ichika was awful at cards or mahjong or really any form of gambling. But knowing that such an event was taking place meant that at least a few of Nira's elite were likely to be there tonight.

 

[Khari]

Khari nodded her head. "Where are those damn servants with our luggage."

She looked around for a moment, as if perplexed. A 'tsk' escaped her lips, and she looked at one of the other ladies that was standing near the counter.

"So hard to find good help these days." Briefly the Daemonette wondered if she was being too forward with her jests and remarks, but by the way the other woman nodded she had thought she at least nailed this one. A brief smile flickered over her lips, but it disappeared as she looked towards the Half-Orc.

"A banquet?" She mused. "Who will be in attendance?"

Her tone of voice made it very clear that if the list was not a good one then there was absolutely no point in going.

"Oh only the most celebrated in all of Nira. There is rumor the Daimyo's Son himself will be here, though I can't of course say for sure."

The Half-Orc offered Khari a very obvious wink. "Her son? How interesting."

She gave Ichika a pointed look for a moment.

Were they really that lucky? Could things work out so well? If all they needed to do was attend this banquet and have a little chat with a rich boy...hell, they might be able to clear her name by the end of the night. How lovely that would be.

 

[Ichika]

Surely there was no chance that the daimyo was already wise to their plan? It had to just be a very opportune coincidence. That was all. The daimyo’s son was rich and he liked to gamble so he was coming to the nicest hotel in Nira’s casino night.

That was all. No need to panic.

”Seems like this place has our kind of people in attendance,” she said smugly. Aiming her words solely at Khari so that the half-orc knew he was excluded. ”Perhaps you can take us to our suite while we await our luggage?”

“But of course.”

Once they had ascended the rope-drawn elevator and entered through the secured door at the far corner of the highest floor the trio was greeted by a beautifully furnished room. Two large beds against a far wall, plush rugs or bright violets and gold, and even a waterfall fountain that stood before what she assumed was the washroom.

Rubbing two fingers together at the threshold stood the hotel’s bellhop. Ichika flicked him a piece of silver and he exited out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

”So,” Ichika’s words returned to her normal tone, ”do you think the daimyo is onto us? Or are we just exceptionally lucky?”

 

[Khari]

"Well." Khari said with a slight frown. "We only got here today, and it's a bit of a coincidence but..."

The Daemonette shrugged. "Maybe he just likes to gamble and this happens to be the best place tonight."

In truth there was really no way for either of them to tell. Neither she nor Ichika knew much about Nira or the Daimyo. Coincidence was very much a probability, hell, it was even the more likely option. They had been careful in their investigation, and no one had found them during their break in.

Even if the murderers knew, even if someone had been following them, it seemed so unlikely that the Daimyo would use her own son as a plant.

Khari frowned for a moment, then plopped herself down onto one of the beds.

"I think we just have to take a chance." The Daemonette said with a slight frown.

"We can sidle up to the idiot." She said with a smile. "Sweet talk a little, earn him some coin...and then."

Khari made a slight jumping motion, grinning at Ichika and hoping to encourage some optimism.

 

[Ichika]

Once paranoid crept into the mind it was a hard thing to shake. Ichika’s lips shrunk into a creased line and her tongue pressed against her cheek while Khari spoke.

”Okay,” she nodded in agreement, ”he likes to gamble and tonight we’ll be his good luck.” A broad grin came across her face while she made her way towards the door to ensure it was securely locked.

Keeping herself busy would ease any lingering doubts she still had. The demoness seemed confident enough so Ichika just needed to fake it until she was on the same level. Tonight they were Peco and Tara, young debutantes out for a night of fun. And what was more fun than gambling with the son of a high ranking political official?

”You’re right, we’re going to have a lot of fun tonight.”

Satisfied with the security of their room she sauntered back towards the bouncing horned assassin and pushed her mask up to reveal a resolute face. ”After a few hours with the two of us he’s going to want to see us both again.” And that was when they could strike.

Tonight would be an opportunity for them to mix both work and pleasure.

 

[Khari]

"Right." Khari said, pointing a finger at her companion in encouragement.

Though her words said otherwise, the Daemonette could read the slight hesitation on Ichika's face. Things like this were never easy, and her newfound friend was most certainly not used to doing this sort of work at all. She frowned for a moment, then practically slithered towards the corner of the room.

With a lithe smoothness she hopped over the bar installed in their suite, crouching down before plucking a bottle of Sake from beneath the heavy redwood. "I think."

Khari stated.

"We should pregame a bit." It was a term that she had heard the retainers use before when talking about their nights out. In truth, she didn't really know what it meant, but it seemed right for this context.

"Liquid courage." Khari prompted as she pulled out two ornate stone cups and placed them on the bar. "Make sure the little Daymling doesn't know who he's messing with."

She smirked. "Peco and Tara are going to be a wild storm sweeping through Nira. One this city will never forget."

One way or the other.

 

[Ichika]

Without missing a beat the short-haired woman slinked over towards the bar to join her horned friend. She gave an approving glance and let one hand uncork the sake bottle before filling both cups halfway full.

"Absolutely. The upper crust of Niran society will be reminiscing about Peco and Tara for generations." She clanged her cup against Khari's and smiled before kicking back some of the liquor. Her face scrunched and grimaced as the alcohol burned down her throat. It was surprisingly mellow but no where near as smooth as some of the other sake's she had experienced back in Dornoch.

A quick shake of her head and shoulders followed as she regained her composure and poured a second shot of the sake into the cup. Ichika hesitated to allow her friend to catch up. "The Daymling is going to be knocked of his feet."

It was funny in a way. She always knew games like this went on behind the scenes but never imagined she'd play a part in them. Had someone like Khari and Ichika tried to take down her own family before? Here they were drinking away and enjoying themselves while trying to plot someone's downfall.

She dismissed the thought, drinking more of the sake, after she remembered that the daimyo had brought this on herself when she plotted murder. When she framed poor Khari.

"With a bit of luck we'll have your name cleared by sunrise." That was all that mattered to her here in Nira.

 

[Khari]

"Damn straight we will." Khari said as she shot back the saki.

The Daeomonette did not drink often. Mostly because she had always thought that drinking alone was a bit sad, and she hadn't really ever had many opportunities to...not drink alone. Now that Ichika was here, it seemed more okay to do so.

Thoughts of overdoing it never even occurred to her.

"Plus." Khari said as she hopped over the bar in one smooth motion, taking lithe almost hopping steps over to her pack. "We can win a fortune."

From her bag she pulled out one of the bars of gold.

Both of them were already very rich of course, or rather Khari assumed that Ichika was. Her own funds were mostly gifts from the Daimyo. It made her wealthy, but in a strange way. Nothing she had was truly hers. Maybe she could change that via gambling.

That seemed like a good idea.

Waggling the gold bar at Ichika she smiled. "Do you know how to play any of the games?"

Because Khari certainly didn't.

 

[Ichika]

Ichika raised an eyebrow at her friend's suggestion.

"I know the rules to a few but," she swallowed nervously, "I'm not that great at any of them actually. And, the adage I've always heard was not to gamble what you aren't ok with losing." There were other fun phrases too about gambling. Such as, 'the house always wins,' and, 'don't count your chickens before they hatch.'

She poured another shot glass of the sake and downed it. She really needed to loosen up.

Realizing this before Khari the Tsuri heiress smiled sincerely. "Of course, the way I see it, this is a business trip. That means any gambling we do is a business expense." Ichika wasn't certain what sort of arrangement the daemonette had with the Dynast but she was pretty sure her friend could get repayment if they prevented a scheme that involved killing the Dynast.

And, if they couldn't prevent this plot then they had much bigger problems than some lost gold.

Ichika cleared her throat and looked her friend over. "I can teach you a few of the rules. If you want." The look on her face was coy as she awaited her friend's response. If she said yes she'd run through some of the basic Dornoch gambling games.

A few of them required bluffing. She could see Khari being a natural at those.

 

[Khari]

Khari waved her hand. "Money is money."

The Damonette had no real concept of what it meant to be rich or poor. The 'wealth' she had amassed mostly came from rewards the Dynast had given her, but not for a day in her life had she struggled for much of anything.

She had never needed to worry about her next meal. She had never been concerned about where she would sleep. Everything had always been taken care of. What was the point about worrying when that would all be there the next day anyway?

That was her outlook.

"Lets see about these rules." Khari said as she scooted forward in her little chair. "I want to win."

A smirk touched her lips. "Impress the Daimling and get our man."

She was pretty sure that referring to the boy as a "Daimling" probably wouldn't go over too well, but right now it was just her and her friend. Before the party they could have a little bit of fun, as long as it didn't...spill over. But she was sure they could keep it under control.

Another shot of liquor poured down her throat.

"I bet one gold Yuan!" Khari said, not giving Ichika a chance to even explain the first rule as she slammed down a glittering coin.

 

[Ichika]

"Well the most straightforward game is," Khari blurted out her wager right in the middle of Ichika's explanation.

It was good that Khari wasn't worried about losing whatever gold they had brought. In the Tsuri household the concept of running profitable businesses had been engrained upon her since she was a child. But being in the presence of someone who didn't seem to care, or possibly even know, what profit meant was remarkably refreshing. Truth be told that brash confidence her horned friend showed could be very useful.

Of course it could also just result in them losing all the coin they had brought to Nira...

Ichika smiled naturally back at Khari's smirk. It'd been a very long time since she'd met someone she genuinely liked. "Ok, one gold Yuan. But you don't even know the game yet." The raven haired girl moved her mask down to cover her face, deciding on a slightly different approach. "When you wager keep your tone mellow. Keep your mask over your face, or, you could just exude a wide grin of confidence. Either way you want to make sure that your bluffing is believable." A hand whipped up towards her chin and raised her mask so that her brown eyes focused on Khari.

"And, don't develop any patterns. Be inconsistent. If you're predictable any decent gambler will pick up on it."

At that she went into explaining the rules to the singular game she decided they'd play. It was the most popular gambling game in Arethil and she imagined all the high rollers would be at the table for it. "Cerak Hold 'Em is probably where we'll find the little Daimling. It's a simple enough game that involves bluffing, skill, and a bit of luck." Ichika rifled through drawers until she found a deck of cards and began to explain the rules of the game.

 

[Khari]

Khari nodded along with every word that Ichika spoke.

The instruction was taken seriously, despite her somewhat inebriated state. No matter what she said, Khari took it to heart. The rules were not all that complex, but the intricacies of bluffing and keeping your own secrets were a tad more difficult.

It was odd, but Khari found herself excelling. Of course with each round that passed she would take another drink, and although she was sure that Ichika's pockets were heavier than they had been before they began Khari was confident in her newfound skill.

"O-okay!" She practically shouted.

Her hand came down to slam her empty glass onto the table with a thud. "I think it's time!"

She called.

"The sun is down, our skirts are flowy! and our masks our..are...pretty!" The Daemonette swayed slightly in her seat, pushing a golden coin over the table towards Ichika. "A tip for your time Sensei."

Khari giggled to herself as she dragged her body to its feet. "We have a Daimling to entwine."

 

[Ichika]

In what had turned out to be a wise decision, Ichika had moderated her alcohol intake. She could now see that Khari was much further along the journey of intoxication than she. "We both look wonderful," her voice a beaming sound of joy.

"Two more rules as we go," she squeezed at her friend's arms to steady her and looked warmly into her face, "someone offers you a drink, thank them but don't drink it." Ichika was fairly certain that her daemonette pal had never been to a swanky party like the one downstairs. "And uh, second rule, don't go off alone without me."

Even in Erdeniin territory there were still terrible situations involving awful men and drunken ladies.

With that out of the way the pair moved downstairs into the main lobby which was now decorated even more lavishly with the various frills of the celebration month. Masks were hung upon the walls, a reminder for Ichika to pull her own down over her face. Banners of gold hung from the ceiling with garnishes of flowers all around the interior.

Inside of the main banquet hall a myriad of tables and chairs were arranged for the various games taking place. Nearer to the door were the lesser ranked aristocrats and merchants playing lowbrow games in a haze of cheap cigar smoke. Further inward the tables became more ornate and the patrons were more lavishly dressed. Expensive bottles of liquor on carts ran to-and-fro those. If the son of the daimyo was here he'd be at one of those tables near the back.

And, given that the patrons were about ninety percent male, Ichika was certain that the two girls would find a seat at his table. She grabbed at Khari's hand and pulled her forward, "he has to somewhere near the back," she whispered into her friend's ear before faking a giggle that was loud enough so others would hear.

 

[Khari]

Khari was half lost in the sights around them.

She wasn't exactly a shut in, but it wasn't every day that the Damonette got to walk through a place like this. Especially out in the open. Most of the time people would be staring at her, whispering behind her back, saying something that would ruin the moment.

Here?

Here they couldn't give a rats ass.

Most people were far too absorbed in their own moments. There was laughter, shouting, a mix of dozens of different emotions as people lost and won whole fortunes. Khari was practically beaming as Ichika tugged her along and whispered in her ear.

A laugh escaped her, though whether it was real or fake she had no idea. For the first time in what might have been her whole life Khari was genuinely joyful. Violet eyes flickered through the crowd, instinct taking over as she searched.

"There." She said quietly as she softly pulled Ichika's attention to a table in the far back of the room.

Sitting around the felt topped table were four men, each wearing clothes as ostentatious as the dressed adorning Ichika and Khari. Yet it was not because of them that she knew, it was because of who stood behind them.

Three retainers, each one carrying swords and marked with the Daimyo's own seal. "Which one do you think is him?"

She asked, peering at the four seated men in a drunken haze.

 

[Ichika]

Khari was clearly enjoying herself. It was evidenced by both her demeanor and her sudden laugh. Perhaps Ichika had allowed her horned companion to partake of the sake a bit too much. To her surprise though, the woman was fully lucid as she almost immediately pointed out the table of the daimyo.

Logic would dictate that their mark was the man firmly in the center of the three bodyguards. But it wouldn't hurt to scan the faces of the other three gamblers...

"Fuck," Ichika said aloud as she shuffled her mask over her face.

Right next to the daimyo sat Duong. A man who grew up in Dornoch but apparently had planted some roots here in Nira. During their youth he had relentlessly pursued Ichika despite her constant rebukes. There wasn't anything about his pedigree, in fact, his family had been wealthier than the Tsuri's were. They traded in rare gemstones all across Arethil.

It was the simple truth that Duong was an egotistical piece of shit.

And now he sat at the table the two girls planned to crash at the right hand of the daimyo. Ichika pulled her comrade in closer and whispered into her ear one last time. "The daimyo is the man in the center with the trimmed beard. The guy to his right? He knows me. I'm going to fake a voice and leave my mask on all night... can you distract him if it comes to that?"

The raven haired girl squeezed her friends arm and added, "new plan," faking a southern Allirian accent she stressed in a long drawl, "Peco is from a mighty good family deep in the heart of Alliria's farmin' country."

When they arrived at the table it was almost too easy how quickly the men gestured for them to take a seat.

 

[Khari]

[COLO'R=rgb(176, 53, 172)]"Wha-? Okay!"[/color] Khari said quickly as 'Peco' put on a heavy south Allirian accent and swept forward.

The Daemonette was hardly in any position to argue. Ichika could have said that her name was now Missus Snufflesworth and Khari would have gone along with it. She followed behind her friend quickly, rushing through the crowd until both of them were offered a seat.

"Well 'ello there ladies? Come to play some games?"​

It was the Daymio's son who spoke first, a confident and brash grin plucking over his lips. His eyes soared over Khari, and then Ichika. A wolfish look filled his eyes, but he at least had enough self control not to say anything else. "Oh no no."

Khari said as she settled herself down in the chair.

"We're not here for games. We're here to take all your money." A laugh echoed from her lips, Khari in her current state finding every one of her words utterly hilarious.

"That so, eh? Well we'll have to be playing all night then."​

The Damonette grinned, prodding Ichika gently. "Suits, Peco and I just fine."

"Peco is it? And what's your name darlin'?"​

"Me?" She smirked. "I'll let you know after the first round."

 

[Ichika]

Peco laughed as soon as Tara quipped about money. She produced a small folding fan from her purse and opened it as she sat, cooling herself with the steady motion of the black and pink fan.

"All night? Good heaven's we'll be fixin' to break out tha fanciest bourbon they got." She smiled behind her mask as the intensity of her accent only grew with each word. "How 'bout first to fold buys a round fer the whole table?"

"I'll buy your first round, act of charity before I take your money," the Daimyo's son winked in the general direction of both Peco and Tara. The vagueness of his gesture was extremely obvious. Guess if you don't know which gal is interested in you feign interest in the both of them.

Ichika, or more accurately Peco, continued to fan herself. "My, my, you're awful sweet darlin'."

A snap of his fingers and glasses were placed, brown liquor poured, and the first hand was dealt. Duong was focused on the game, he hadn't seem to recognize Ichika based on her tone of voice so that was promising at least. She'd just have to pray that her mask never fell lose or she didn't break her southern drawl.

Peco placed her cards face down after a brief glance. "Raise."

 

[Khari]

Khari smiled at Ichika, then waggled her eyebrows beneath the mask. "RAISE!"

Perhaps she really had had too much.

The Dealer seemed to wince, mostly because the Daemonette had practically shouted directly into his ear. His gaze swept towards Khari, mouth opening to rebuke her before he quickly glanced towards the Daimyo. The young man shook his head, and then simply tossed another stack of chips in the center.

"We're here to have fun. You wouldn't try to stop my new friends from having fun, would you?"​

For a moment something hung in the air.

Khari recognized it. She knew what it was. Even within her alcohol addled mind she could read the boys words. It was a threat. Khari didn't let her expression change, though her opinion of the Daimyo changed almost at an instant.

She'd thought he was a fool, a layabout, but perhaps he was something...else.

"Yeah!" The Daemonette interjected as she ran her fingers over the top of the cards. "We're here to have fun."

A smile perched on her lips, and that was how the next hour went.

They played hand by hand. Khari lost more than she won, but that didn't really matter. Drinks were served to everyone in a steady flow, though the Daemonette did not drink the half of them. Instead asking for refills before they were even half empty.

On the twelfth hand the Daimyo leaned into Ichika

"Yo-hiccup- she still hasn't told me 'er name. Do you know it, lovely?"​

As he asked his question Khari slammed down another stack of chips. "RAISE!"

She shouted.

 

[Ichika]

Ichika's shoulders tensed as the son of the daimyo made his little threats but the tension relieved itself when Khari lightened the mood. For her part she nodded and tilted her mask up slightly to take a sip of the arriving alcohol, careful not to reveal too much of her face to tip off Duong.

It was a good thing too, the more her friend lost the harder it was for Ichika not to grimace.

"Call," she said in response to the daemonette, briefly ignoring the now drunken man's question. For her own part, the Tsuri woman had basically gone even. Earlier in the night she found herself ahead slightly but the daimling and a man with peppery spots on his cheeks had soon taken enough from the table that now she was a few chips down from her initial position.

She returned the man's lean and whispered, "my, my, seems awful inappropriate for me to be the one to tell you her name."

The short-haired woman threw a few more chips onto the table as Duong raised as well.

"Tell ya what," she raised her palm to cover her words as best she could, "I'll let you know her name if you win this hand."

A few moments later and the dealer was pushing a pile of chips towards the eldest child of Nira's daimyo.

"Tara, you mind passin' me that bottle?"

 

[Khari]

"Peco!" Khari said with a playful slap of Ichika's wrists, her offense voiced as she shook her head and clicked her tongue.

"That was a secret." A sigh escaped her, fingers wrapping around the glass she had been brought. "How am I to maintain this mysterious facade now?"

Khari glanced over towards the Daimyo's son.

The man was looking at her with no small amount of amusement, though that was tinged with something else. It was a look she wasn't exactly foreign to, even back home in Dornoch she had seen it before. It was something she'd never liked, though she supposed here it would come in handy.

As much as she despised it.

An easy smile touched her lips as she shook her head. "Now they'll just think I have my fathers money to burn."

She motioned her hand, raising the bet once more.

"Trading in spices is practically a liberty to mint your own coin after all." A laugh escaped her throat, though the Daemonette couldn't help but wonder if she was being a bit too obvious. This wasn't exactly her line of expertise.

The Daimyo's son didn't seem to notice however, and neither did Duong who called her raise.

"What about you?"​

The man asked as he looked at 'Peco'.

"What does your father do?"​

 

[Ichika]

Her face lit up with joy as she rubbed at her wrist at the faux injury. "My, my, Tara I wouldn't fret over it too much. You've still got plenty of secrets to show these boys," a playful grin and a wink followed Ichika's (or in this moment, Peco's) coy statement.

Ichika flashed one of her cards and purposely slurred her words, "there's plenty of kindling from your father's spice trade," she raised in kind.

Despite the alcohol and both girl's lack of experience in espionage this whole exercise was going quite well. At least, so far... if they kept playing hands like this and putting the facade on much longer they mind find themselves in debt to the city of Dornoch.

When the daimyo's son had asked after the source of Peco's wealth the Tsuri woman was well prepared.

"Pigs."

The noble son blinked in surprise and cocked an eyebrow up. A smile formed on his manicured face as he managed to stifle a laugh, "pigs? He's a butcher I presume?"

Ichika waggled a finger and smirked back at the man. She'd rehearsed this part in her head a few dozen times already and she wanted to nail the delivery. "Pork is a common meat item in Alliria but in some foreign markets it's practically a delicacy. My father maintains dozens of sites that raise, slaughter, and process pigs." She fumbled with the cards in her hand once more before adding, "the hog farms aren't pleasant places. So much mud, and the smell is absolutely revolting! But it's very profitable and the scale is huge."

Spices and pigs were surely needed in a place like Dornoch. If they were legitimate businesswomen they'd surely be granted an audience with the daimyo.