Servitude: The Hydrangea Chapters

Chp 40: Beggar's Gambit - Part 1

In the Povari Slums

It seems Marlina has settled into the Sullivan Mansion, as there has been no sign of her since she left, the two of them waiting for some hours. In the meantime, the twins have their own plan. First, they aim to make some money quickly to secure a room in the Middle Ring.

Getting the room wouldn't be such a problem if their money hadn't been taken. Money saved up after years of deliveries, sales, and trades, gone. Those goons, after the attack, picked them clean of any Colonial Coin they had, even their Urushian Gems, which they most likely intended to sell for jewelry.

Out of all of them, Aurea was the most devastated. Every Coin and Gem she owned was dedicated to buying a ship for her people, with everyone else pitching in when they could. It's only been a few years, but now it feels like years of effort have been lost.

Even if they tried to start over again, depending on what happens with Elek, all they would have is supply trades and transportation. They could take up monster hunting, but that would just put everyone at risk all the time. Elek has been helping maximize profits by identifying remains, and the twins handle the deliveries. It's the premise and the money that earned the twins a blessing from the God of Fire, allowing Colonials to retrieve their loved ones' remains, presumably because they felt it was a generous and harmless enough service.

Right now, there are too many details to consider. All the twins can focus on is being prepared for the worst if things go awry at the Sullivan mansion. Whenever they need some quick cash, there is a fight club in the slums that is a reliable way to make a fast buck.

Before all those factories were built, this place was the hub where desperate men would beat the teeth out of each other just to earn a few more Coin for more food on the table, or to afford a brief distraction from their downtrodden lives.

Having visited this place enough times, the twins head straight for an old tavern. As weary men enjoy their drinks and the jaunty tunes to lift their spirits after a long day's work, no one pays the twins any attention as they descend a flight of stairs beneath a sign that reads 'Beggar's Gambit'.

The further down they go, the louder the cheering, jeering, and shouting can be heard in the narrow corridor. Once the room opens up, the stairs line a wall of a large rectangular basement made of tightly stacked stones. Supported by numerous stone archways, the room is divided by the arches, with each enclosed space serving as a small arena for contestants to fight. At the far end of the basement is a bar with a large board displaying names above, indicating which section they will be fighting in and their corresponding betting odds.

While people crowd around each arena entryway to watch and cheer for their chosen fighter, dozens of tables are filled with patrons, battered and bloody, enjoying a drink and celebrating their win.

As they descend the stairs, the twins' eyes scan the faces and figures of everyone in the room. When Neterion's eyes lock onto someone, he taps Natalia and points her toward the person he spotted. It has to be their lucky day, since it is one of the spies who ambushed Mordecai—Rueben, they recall. He is at one of the booths with several others. Like some trophy, Mordecai's decorated scimitar lies across the table, while his crossbow rests on one of the other men's backs.

If it were up to them, Natalia would don her arm crossbow, place a bolt between each of their eyes, and be done with it. Of course, that wouldn't end well. So, they must take everything back in the best way they know how.

As the two approach the table, they linger there with intense stares, their topaz eyes fixed on the man. Once he finally notices them mid-drink, he spits his drink all over Mordecai's scimitar in front of him in surprise.

'What... the fuck... are they doing here?' 

After Rueben collected his payment for the intel, it's not like he was informed about the Sullivan Head's next move regarding the information he provided. The liaison just seemed to be focused on the tall one clinging to the Urushian woman. When any of the Five Heads shows a keen interest in something, it isn't easy to understand why.

Perhaps they were hired by the Sullivans for their visas for the Wall. Having lackeys like them saves effort and money, he supposes, but the looks in their eyes speak volumes towards vengeance.

His friends are confused by his sudden spit-take. Rueben takes a moment to puff out his chest and adopts a cocky demeanor.

"Well, if it isn't the couple of desert rats I told you guys about," he says, pointing to the twins. "What? Come around to get revenge for that old Urushian? If anything, I did you two a favor. The barbarian could have slit your throats in your sleep whenever he wanted."

"Like he did to your friend when you cowards jumped him?" Neterion states sharply.

"Big man you are, attacking an old man after he treats you with drinks and a bed and rides your pathetic ass across the desert," Natalia says while crossing her arms.

Rueben's eyes narrow, but his friends chime in. 

"Who are you calling a coward? After that Urushian killed Alan, Rueben did the honorable thing and gave him what he deserved."

One of the friends, who happens to be carrying Mordecai's crossbow on his back, spits at them. The two don't move, and the spit hits Neterion's shoe. 

"Now fuck off, or he'll give you the same. Unless you two are just as stupid from being around that caveman."

As the man is about to take a drink, Neterion grabs the crossbow and kicks with the foot that was spat on, swinging it into his face. It knocks him off his seat, spilling his drink all over him. The men at the table quickly stand up and pull their firearms, pointing them at the two as Natalia lifts her hands in a battle-ready stance and Neterion partially draws one of his swords. Although the fights continued in the background, many people at the nearby tables fell silent to watch the commotion.

They all stand in tense silence, ready to erupt into a fight, when Neterion slowly lowers his sword back into its sheath and points to Rueben. 

"Let's settle this like men. I challenge you to a duel." He holds up the crossbow while pointing to the sword. "I want the scimitar and this crossbow, and everything that came with it."

Though the look in Neterion's eyes is unsettling, Rueben does his best to play it off. 

"Doesn't do much good for a dead man, but I guess they make good memorial trinkets. Was going to make a nice mantlepiece with the sword."

It seems he rushed away from Mordecai so quickly that he didn't realize he was still alive.

"It's none of your business what we want them for," Natalia states. "That's a low price to pay despite the embarrassment you'll get."

"Big talk from a little girl. You were prettier with long hair. You're not fooling anyone with the trim and the clothes. Even so, I'll take you as payment when I win." Rueben tries to maintain his cocky demeanor.

While Neterion releases a humor-laced huff, aware of how well that would go, Natalia's gaze shows she has already plotted every way she could gut him like a trout.

"Take that bet, I don't have anything to worry about," Natalia tells Neterion, but her piercing stare remains fixed on Rueben.

Their demeanor didn't amuse Rueben as much as it did his friends; if anything, it worried him. 

'I barely got away from that Urushian with my life. Throwing Alan in the way barely gave me the chance to stab him and run. If these kids fight like him, there might be a problem.'

Another option is to challenge the girl, but he'll just be laughed at. If she wins, he'd never live it down. Even now, he's starting to regret using her as a bargaining chip, given the murderous intent in her eyes. He slowly rises from the table and extends his hand towards Neterion. 

"It's a deal."