//------------------------------// // 21. Ante Up // Story: Time to Shine // by Easysnuggler //------------------------------// Poni, Farsi, Zebric, and Chirp share similar syntax, grammar, and hundreds of so-called ultra-conserved words with Kýrios or Kynikós, though the written forms share no common symbols, and those last two have no written form at all and are more like each other than to anything else. —Pena “On Language and Magic” 21. Ante Up Near Taurkapi palace Ground Pounder Lieutenants Marshal and Taker sleazed up to the counter at the Saddle-Arabian bar Twilight dragging their buddy the slightly intoxicated Navy Lieutenant Close Shave along between them. They were celebrating the Manatee’s departure in the morning, and what the Ground Pounders both termed Shave’s likely “watery demise” in the eastern sea. They ordered three more ales and resumed their conversation. “Shave, why would you let your uncle put you up to it?” “I had to guys. I have the best marks in all our classes, in years, no offense Taker, I know you let me score higher than you on purpose in tactics, and I’m thankful. I’m Navy, I’m an officer, and nobody hates my dad. It’s a crazy honor. If King Iron Hoof Long May His Glorious Reign Last were to kick it, they’d make me King, well if we win the race that is. That’s crazy. But he doesn’t have a kid, and all his family died fighting the Black Sultan or followed him and are disqualified.” He slammed his tankard down, gesturing for another. “Wish the king would just have a kid.” “I hear he has other interests,” said Risk Taker. “There’s the Bags,” observed Marshal sipping his ale. “Everyone hates them” said Taker, “The only reason Wind didn’t end up hanged is because he came out for Iron after the fact and got the steers to stab Black Ball in the back. If that hadn’t happened the social war would still be going on.” “I heard Black was going to hang the Bags for piracy, but was too slow on the draw,” said Close Shave. “Politics is a rough game.” He looked down at his drink introspectively. “Speaking of games, lets join one. Do you see those rich Arabians over there? I’d like to take some rings from them and those other foreigners.” said Risk. “The good looking one, that’s Prince Haakem, of Saddle Arabia, the other slightly less good looking one is Harabi, his younger brother. There are like 19 Saddle Arabian princes. The kirin over there is ambassadress Green Leaves.” said Marshal. Harabi and Green Leaves are going with us. I think Haakem is going with you Shave.” “Who are the two stripes?” asked Close Shave. “Don’t them year you say that - they think it’s an insult. The one on the left is some doctor fellow. Chemist or alchemist. Kept going on about gasses, solutions, and elements. I met him at a mixer at the palace a while back. And the mare is… Bookhorse?” said Marshal. “That’s not her name” said Risk Taker looking at the studious looking mare. She was pretty for a Zebra in a nerdy sort of way with reading glasses and her mane in a bun and tail in a braid. “Well, it’s what she does,” said Marshal. “She reads books, writes books and studies.” “She seems interested in that Prince Harabi fellow.” “Maybe he smells like paste and ink?” “Well, I don’t know but they all look like they have too many rings and not enough luck.” “Let’s go help them out then,” said Close Shave. “In the interest of international cooperation and trade.” “What are we trading?” asked Marshal “Our luck for their rings,” answered Marshal. “Seems fair,” said Risk. — There was just one spot at the table. The three lieutenant minotaurs pooled their rings and agreed to take turns at losses. The game was minotaur draw. 100 ring antes, with a 1500 ring limit. An ace to draw 4, and no joker. Risk Taker volunteered to be the first to throw some money away. Neither Prince Hakeem or the Doctor Zebra fellow were playing but they stood by talking and conversing. 8♣9♣10♣10♠Q♥. Green Leaves folded immediately. Prince Harabi called. ‘Bookhorse’ smiled at Prince Harabi and called also. Risk Taker knew it was stupid but threw in his 10♠. ‘Never draw to an inside straight. Dumb.’ 10♥ - of course Call, call, call. Then failure. But everyone else had better cards than he had even if he’d tossed the Q♥. ‘Bookhorse’s’ full house beat Harabi’s 3 kings. Risk Taker swapped for his friend Marshal, and got a new drink. 9♠J♣Q♠Q♣A♥. Call, call, call. Marshal kept the ace and queens. Drew garbage 7♣,8♠. Considered folding call, call, call, call. Surprisingly won. 7♦7♣10♣J♦Q♦. Ugh. Green Leaves folded again. Prince Harabi bid 500, call, raise 500, call, call. Marshal kept all his cards. Fold, fold, fold. Well, that worked out. 9♦10♥Q♥K♥K♠. Marshal raised 100, call, Harabi folded, call. Marshall kept the kings. Drew two 9’s and a queen. Raise 300. Green Leaves folded again. ‘Bookhorse’ called. Kings and 9’s beat ‘Bookhorse’s’ 2 pair. ‘Bookhorse’ got a sour look on her face. 7♦8♦8♣Q♣K♣. Check, check, check, ‘Bookhorse’ went all in. Marshal called. Green Leaves folded. Prince Harabi called. Kept the 8’s. No help. Check, raise 300, call. Harabi’s aces and kings beat his pair and ‘Bookhorse’s’ jacks. ‘Bookhorse’ sighed, smiled, pushed her glasses up and said, “Good night, dear prince, I must away to bed.” in accented Poni. She smiled at Harabi and walked away. Haakem whispered a translation into Harabi’s ear. Prince Harabi’s smiled waved goodbye and said something in Farsi, his eyes followed her braided tail out the door. Close Shave finished his drink and sat down heavily. 8♣8♠Q♦A♣A♠. No one else joined the table. Close shave raised 400, call, call. Toss the Q♦. A red face card back. Q♥. Well, no worse off. Harabi bid 300. Close shave grimaced, and called, Green Leaves folded again. She chuckled “No good cards tonight.” Harabi won with two pair. Risk Taker sat down again. Harabi raised his eyebrows at this. 7♦9♠J♥Q♠K♥. Risk taker smiled. What a perfect opportunity to show he had learned nothing. He checked and tossed the 7♦ and got an A♦ back. He bid 100. Everyone else checked. Green Leaves finally won a pitiful pot with 2 pair, aces, and kings to Harabi’s lower two pair. Risk Taker giggled uproariously, and Marshal sat down again. 7♠7♦9♥9♦K♠. Marshal looked at Green Leaves. He looked at her chips. He bid 400. She folded. Harabi matched him. He tossed the king. He considered tossing the 7’s. Harabi bid 60. Marshal called. His 2 pair beat the princes 10s. 7♠8♣10♣Q♦Q♣. 300 rings fold and fold. 8♠9♥9♦10♦J♠. 380. Green Leaves went all in. Prince Harabi folded. He also folded his ears down. He tossed the 9♦ and got a 7♠ to complete his straight. It may have been Marshal’s imagination, but Marshal could have sworn the big Kirin’s eyes flickered with flame briefly. With a sigh her three of a kind had Green Leaves leave the table. 8♣9♣10♣7♦Q♣. Prince Harabi bid 300. Marshal raised to 1300. Prince Harabi folded. 7♠9♥10♣K♦A♦. Marshal bid 1200. Prince Harabi folded. 4♥5♣10♠K♦K♣. Marshal bid 1000. Prince Harabi folded. Two tens, raise 1000. Prince Harabi folded. Two pair, bid 1500. Prince Harabi folded. A pair, bid 1500. Prince Harabi folded. K♣A♣, bid 1500. Prince Harabi folded. 7♥7♠10♣Q♥Q♣. Prince Harabi sighed, and went all in. Three Jacks and Marsal shamefacedly stood up. Close Shave sat back down. 7♠7♣8♦Q♥K♦. 720 Harabi folded. 9♥9♦10♥K♣A♥. Keep the ace. 620 Harabi folded. 8♣8♠K♣A♣A♠. Tossed the K♣. Harabi went all in. Three jacks. Close Shave shook his head at the table stood up, and Risk Taker polished off his drink and sat down. “Well prince. Our friend must sail tomorrow, so this must be the last hoof. What say we both just go all in?” Haakem and Harabi spoke quietly in Farsi for a moment. Then Prince Hakeem said in accented Poni “My bother must also sail tomorrow. He asks, are you playing for yourself or for your Navy friend?” “Well, for him. We’re also in the race, but Close Shave is a candidate for the succession. Well, if the navy wins. We would be bad sports if we weren’t backing our friend. It’s just a little adventure for us, but it’s his whole life win or lose.” Haakem and Harabi spoke quietly. Haakem addressed them. “My brother and I agree. You all risk much by racing, so win or lose, no hard feelings.” Both Risk Taker and Harabi pushed all the rings into the center. 10 cards were dealt out. 8♣8♠J♠A♣A♠. Risk Taker took nothing. Harabi changed a single card. He showed his hoof. 9♦9♥Q♦Q♥K♠. Smiling he stood up. Risk Taker made a fist and they tapped fist and hoof together, hoof bumping. The prince smiled ruefully and bowed slightly. Smiling, the three lieutenants gathered their rings, and bought a round for the house as they began to sing the old pony drinking song: “A true, true, friend helps a friend in need A friend will be there to help them see A true, true, friend helps a friend in need To see the light that shines from a true, true, friend!!” Singing and swaying, they grabbed a drink for the road and laughing strode from the tavern and into the city night.