dozen different designs ranging from solid masculinity to subtle feminism. Her eyes sparkled as she moved behind Bracken and casually glanced over his shoulder. “It's rather a good likeness, I would think,” she said.
Bracken felt his face flush, and he rose angrily to his feet. “I coul' care less the artist's flair, lady! I care only fer the truth behin' the wizardry wha' was used to make it!”
Nathaniel's curiosity was piqued by now. “What is it, Bracken?”
“No' important,” grumbled the dwarf, slapping the card face down upon the table. “An' I s'pose ya have others like this one, too?”
“ Oh, no,” purred the woman, holding up her hand in supplication. “For now, I imagine, that is one of a kind. You should be honored that she made one in your name. Is that not what everyone who plays the Game thinks about? The day that they might come upon a card with their own name upon it? What one of their own cards might look like?”
“ 'Your own cards...'” Nathaniel gasped. “That's a card with you on it?!”
“ That would be dependin' 'pon wha' ya thought o' as me,” grumbled the dwarf. “Tha' card is no' who I be anymore.”
The woman smiled. “As I understand it, the cards reflect important persons and events from when they are important. Bracken the Hero makes a better card, I would imagine, than Bracken the Innkeeper.”
Bracken's features twisted in a rage Nathaniel had never before seen in his friend. “An' who are ya tha' thinks she knows me so well? An' wha' trickery 'ave you been about in my place? First a man, then a lass? Don' think I dinna see ya well 'nough when ya came through my doors!”
The stranger seemed nonplussed by Bracken's outburst, wandering around the table to stand closer to Nathaniel. “Do keep the card,” she said, still speaking to the dwarf though her eyes were fully now upon Nathaniel. “I think it will serve you well. Far better than it would serve me.” At this, the woman grinned. “Of course, one card in a deck does not make for a better deck, but it does add chance to the hand. A chance to return to glory, perhaps?”
Nathaniel reached across the table in his friend's direction, pleading for Bracken to remain calm. He could almost feel the dwarf's muscles knotted like steel cords even at a distance, and he knew that if he did not do something to diffuse the encounter, the dwarf would be unable to keep from assaulting the woman outright.
“ Milady, you are indeed a woman of mystery,” he started. “And I am thinking that is your intent. But your air is insulting at best, arrogant at worst. May I suggest that all withdraw before one of you regrets the outcome?”
The stranger beamed. “Well spoken! Well spoken, indeed!” The woman leaned over and took on a more serious air. “Yet the purpose of your original question remains unanswered.”
The woman remained silent for a few moments, clearly considering whether to say what she would next.
“ Nine to avenge nine,
to shatter those that follow.
Powered by the divine,
defined by mortal hands.
Awakened in order,
marked by sign of chance.
Each will gift its power,
to the last to wield it.
Hidden from the eyes of Gods,
called to the minds of men.
Only one can follow,
only one shall unite.
None shall abide another,
save for the one before.
The fate of each,
and all are one.
To destruction and rebirth,
they shall be forever cast. ”
Bracken shook his head, only now realizing that he had been enchanted by the woman's words. He cast a quick glance to his friend, but the look in Nate's eyes was more fire than ensorcelment. Obviously, he had not been bewitched by the words as had he. Yet neither, it seemed, had he been able to interrupt the woman's speech. And now that she had finished, Bracken found himself yet again enraged at having been magicked upon at all.
“ More sorcery!” he bellowed, bearing down
Bracken felt his face flush, and he rose angrily to his feet. “I coul' care less the artist's flair, lady! I care only fer the truth behin' the wizardry wha' was used to make it!”
Nathaniel's curiosity was piqued by now. “What is it, Bracken?”
“No' important,” grumbled the dwarf, slapping the card face down upon the table. “An' I s'pose ya have others like this one, too?”
“ Oh, no,” purred the woman, holding up her hand in supplication. “For now, I imagine, that is one of a kind. You should be honored that she made one in your name. Is that not what everyone who plays the Game thinks about? The day that they might come upon a card with their own name upon it? What one of their own cards might look like?”
“ 'Your own cards...'” Nathaniel gasped. “That's a card with you on it?!”
“ That would be dependin' 'pon wha' ya thought o' as me,” grumbled the dwarf. “Tha' card is no' who I be anymore.”
The woman smiled. “As I understand it, the cards reflect important persons and events from when they are important. Bracken the Hero makes a better card, I would imagine, than Bracken the Innkeeper.”
Bracken's features twisted in a rage Nathaniel had never before seen in his friend. “An' who are ya tha' thinks she knows me so well? An' wha' trickery 'ave you been about in my place? First a man, then a lass? Don' think I dinna see ya well 'nough when ya came through my doors!”
The stranger seemed nonplussed by Bracken's outburst, wandering around the table to stand closer to Nathaniel. “Do keep the card,” she said, still speaking to the dwarf though her eyes were fully now upon Nathaniel. “I think it will serve you well. Far better than it would serve me.” At this, the woman grinned. “Of course, one card in a deck does not make for a better deck, but it does add chance to the hand. A chance to return to glory, perhaps?”
Nathaniel reached across the table in his friend's direction, pleading for Bracken to remain calm. He could almost feel the dwarf's muscles knotted like steel cords even at a distance, and he knew that if he did not do something to diffuse the encounter, the dwarf would be unable to keep from assaulting the woman outright.
“ Milady, you are indeed a woman of mystery,” he started. “And I am thinking that is your intent. But your air is insulting at best, arrogant at worst. May I suggest that all withdraw before one of you regrets the outcome?”
The stranger beamed. “Well spoken! Well spoken, indeed!” The woman leaned over and took on a more serious air. “Yet the purpose of your original question remains unanswered.”
The woman remained silent for a few moments, clearly considering whether to say what she would next.
“ Nine to avenge nine,
to shatter those that follow.
Powered by the divine,
defined by mortal hands.
Awakened in order,
marked by sign of chance.
Each will gift its power,
to the last to wield it.
Hidden from the eyes of Gods,
called to the minds of men.
Only one can follow,
only one shall unite.
None shall abide another,
save for the one before.
The fate of each,
and all are one.
To destruction and rebirth,
they shall be forever cast. ”
Bracken shook his head, only now realizing that he had been enchanted by the woman's words. He cast a quick glance to his friend, but the look in Nate's eyes was more fire than ensorcelment. Obviously, he had not been bewitched by the words as had he. Yet neither, it seemed, had he been able to interrupt the woman's speech. And now that she had finished, Bracken found himself yet again enraged at having been magicked upon at all.
“ More sorcery!” he bellowed, bearing down
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