Firebrand

A Gambler and his Valet

They discussed the details over breakfast, Maximilian glaring at any who might approach their table and intrude on the conversation.

"A two-man act is perfect. I can drink and appear the buffoon without harm, as I will not be controlling the dice." Maximilian waved his spoon around. "I can roll them with my eyes closed or throw them over my shoulder. Nobody could possibly suspect I am using magic, since I'm not. And if they inspect the dice, they will find them perfectly ordinary."

"Right," Martel admitted reluctantly. "But won't it be strange that I'm hanging around the table without actually playing?"

"Not if you are my valet accompanying me around, the young nobleman with money to waste on gambling. Unless you prefer to try your hand alone at getting admittance to illegal gambling dens, assuming you can find any in the first place?"

Martel did not prefer that. In fact, having Maximilian as an experienced hand, not to mention he would be doing all the talking and gambling while Martel simply controlled the dice, did seem a better choice. His only concern was that the young nobleman would not take this seriously or gamble it all away at the wrong time with his usual disregard for the value of money. But if nothing else, he needed Maximilian to find the right place that would not check for mages at the door.

"Fine. When do we do this? This afternoon? I have no classes after lunch."

The mageknight shook his head. "Too soon. First, I have to get you the livery of a valet from my home. You must look the part."

"I have the clothes from the solstice celebration," Martel suggested.

A dismissive sound came from Maximilian. "Valets do not wear silk or doublets with random embroidery upon it. No, leave that to me. We should also practice. After all, we must work in unison with precise timing. I do have class this afternoon, but after supper, we will practice until perfection. Tomorrow, we give it a go. No rush, no mistakes."

Martel found himself a little impressed at Maximilian's thorough thinking and methodical approach. Perhaps he misjudged his friend when he thought the mageknight would not take this seriously. "Very well. I'll see you tonight."

~

The rest of the day passed at a slow pace. Following Maximilian's plan, they would not be going out tonight, and Martel had to arm himself with patience. Working in the apothecary and the workshop kept him busy for a while, but once afternoon rolled around, he had no further obligations until meeting Maximilian after supper.

Martel tried to occupy himself with Master Alastair's exercises, attempting to break through the barrier of controlling two different elements at the same time. Yet his mind drifted towards his current preoccupation and whether he had truly chosen the right course of action. While he could not collect all the money Shadi needed, he could collect perhaps half or so by honest work. Maybe it would be enough, along with what she herself and her father could gather.

On the other hand, what if it did not suffice? He would have approached Shadi with his gift of silver and promises of solving her fears, but if it fell short of what she needed, he could only imagine how her smile would falter. He would have raised her hopes with promises of aid and dashed them again. No, he would not leave it to chance. That was the point of magic, after all; taking chance out of the equation.

~

The newly minted pair of partners-in-gambling ate their supper without too many words and left the dining hall for Maximilian's room; unlike Martel's, it could actually comfortably fit two people. The mageknight produced a pair of dice, which he had procured from somewhere, and threw them on his desk. They rolled around and came to a stop showing two different elements.

Martel looked from the clay cubes to Maximilian. "Oh, you expected me to do something?"

"Well, you claimed that you had practised how to decide the throw."

"Usually, I have a bit of warning, seeing as I throw the dice myself. Try it again, and heat them by rubbing your hands first."

Maximilian grumbled but picked up the dice and rubbed them between his fingers before he let them roll.

This time, Martel caught one of them and turned it to show a crown, but before he could focus on the other, it had already stopped, showing an element. "It works best if you delay them. Let one roll first so I can focus on that, and then roll the other."

"The amount of rules for doing this simple task of rolling the dice," Maximilian growled, but he complied nonetheless.

This time, Martel caught the first die and made it show a crown; as the other came rolling along the same path, he grabbed it as well with his magic and turned it to create a pair of emperors.

Maximilian frowned. "Why are you moving your hands?"

"I'm not."

"Yes, you are. Do it again." The acolyte picked up the dice and let them roll.

Martel's immediate attention lay on the cubes, turning them right; yet even as he did, he realised that unwittingly, he twisted and twirled his fingers around in lockstep with how his magic control the movements of the dice. It was unnecessary as such; still, moving his hands unconsciously must have made it easier for him to grab the dice with his magic.

"In the world of gambling, we call that a 'tell', and it will immediately cast suspicion on us," Maximilian warned. "We are going to do this again, and we will continue at it until you can do your part with your fingers completely still."

It took half an hour before the mageknight was satisfied, proving a harder taskmaster than most teachers. As Martel made to leave, Maximilian slapped a set of clothes into his arms; the appropriate livery for the valet of a viscount. Everything was ready for tomorrow.