On one particular spring day the Tairen relaxed on a bench near the wall, one arm draped over the back, the other holding a half-empty mug of beer. Other men sat about the table in front of him in varying states of intoxication, their attention largely fixed on the coins and dice that scattered the table between them. The Gaidin watched the game as any half-witted fool should, but he also paid attention to the rest of the room, eyes flickering to observe unusual sounds or sudden movements.
He put down the cup, pushed a silver coin to the center of the table, and rolled the dice. While they still spun on the wooden surface he took a deep drink. They fell still, revealing five crowns etched in red ink on the ivory cubes. “That’d be a win,” he commented with a laugh.
“Cheat-” Dax arched an eyebrow and leaned forward, looking the speaker in the eye with a challenging expression as his fingers collected the pool. After a moment of obvious internal struggle, the man fell quiet. Dax flashed an easy smile and relaxed back once more, the coins slipping into his purse. Sometimes he cheated; tonight was not one of those nights. Sometimes luck was a fickle mistress, and sometimes she did him right. On that particular night, it was the latter.
Before the next round of betting could begin, a man slid onto the bench next to Dax. The sellsword arched an eyebrow, shifting ever so slightly as the stranger got comfortable. Fair skin, fair face, and an easy manner that screamed of nobility. Dax would have asked the man what his business was- but then, Dax had no good reason to be in that particular tavern either.
“Two silver buy in,” the farmer across the table said to the newcomer.