by Pirateaba
—-
Twenty minutes later Erin sat at a table in the middle of the street and played with a pawn. She stared at her opponent, another Drake, this one colored bronze. He was thinner than the shopkeeper, but still taller than she was. He finished setting up the pieces on his side and smiled at her across the table.
“I rarely get a chance to play any games within the city. May I know whom I am playing against?”
“Of course. My name’s Erin. Erin Solstice.”
He nodded to her.
“I am Olesm. I believe you know my uncle, who asked me to play in this match.”
Erin gave her opponent a friendly, genuine smile and then looked over his shoulder.
“Is that your uncle? My, you two don’t look alike.”
The Drake hovering over his nephew’s shoulder hissed at her. Olesm raised what would have been his eyebrows if he had any.
“I understand this is a game with a wager. I would urge you not to bet against me. I am quite a good player.”
The shopkeeper interjected quickly.
“We have already agreed to the terms. The human cannot back out now.”
Olesm glanced at his uncle in irritation, but Erin shook her head.
“I’m not backing down. Let’s play. Besides, I wouldn’t want to disappoint the crowd.”
She gestured at the crowd of watching people. They were definitely people, but Erin wasn’t sure what else to call them. Drakes, Gnolls, and even one of Klbkch’s kind, the Antinium were all gathered in a circle to watch the game. Some of them seemed to be betting as well, and though Erin couldn’t see what they were saying, they didn’t seem to be betting on her victory.
Olesm sighed, but made no further objection. Instead he peered at the board and made sure his pieces were all aligned within the squares. He struck Erin as a very meticulous and careful type, which made him unique among the Drakes she’d met so far.
“I’m surprised you know about this game. It was invented just a year ago.”
“You don’t say.”
Erin was busy examining the board. She tapped one of the pieces.
“I’m not sure if the rules I know are the same in that case. This piece here. You can move a king together with a pawn like this, right?”
The Drake blinked.
“That’s right. I’m surprised you know that move.”
“Oh, I’ve seen a few players use it. Knights move like this, right?”
“Correct.”
“And pawns move two spaces on their first move, right?”
“You seem to know this game. Well, well. This might be a good challenge after all.”
Erin smiled blandly at the Drake.
“I’m no expert. But there’s a wager on this one so I’ll play my best. The white side moves first.”
“Indeed it does.”
The shopkeeper smirked and the other watchers crowded around closer as Olesm pushed a pawn forwards. Erin smiled at him.
“Not many players lead with a pawn from the side. Most like going down the center.”
She pushed a pawn forward quickly. Olesm shrugged as he contemplated his next move.
“I have found this strategy to work in some of my games. It is fascinating to play such a new game of strategy, and so I always test new theories out on the board.”
The shopkeeper anxiously hovered over Olesm’s shoulder.
“So long as you win. You must win no matter what.”
Olesm narrowed his eyes but didn’t take his eyes from the board. Eventually he pushed forwards a pawn to counter Erin’s pawn.
“Have you played many games, then?”
Erin pushed another piece forwards instantly. Olesm blinked and the onlookers muttered.
“A few. But should you not spend more time thinking?”
She waved a hand at him.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry. I’m having a blast. I just think fast about my next move, that’s all.”
Olesm frowned at her.
“You should think harder. I have played over a hundred games so far, and won over two thirds of them. If you truly are betting something important, it would not do to lose this game so easily.”
Erin smiled back at him.
“A hundred? Wow. But like I said, don’t worry. I like to play chess too. And I’ve played a…few games too. I’m not worried.”
“Why’s that?”
Erin smiled wider.
“Because I’m going to win.”
—-
By the time Relc got to the market street Erin was on, the game had gone on for twenty minutes. A few customers were at the stands haggling, but most were still watching the game. One smart Gnoll was selling them food as they watched, and the shopkeepers seemed content to put their business on hold to watch the fun.
Relc was not having fun. He shoved his way to the front of the crowd and grabbed Erin. The crowd protested angrily. So did Erin.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“What are you doing?”
Relc snapped back at her. He pointed angrily to the game of chess where Olesm was taking his time considering his next move.
Erin shrugged.
“This? I’m getting my money back. Let go of my shirt. It’s new.”
She tried to peel off Relc’s claws from her shirt. Relc let go, but pulled her away from the game. He leaned forwards and hissed at her.
“Stop playing. This isn’t a fair game.”
“What?”
Erin looked at the board and back at Relc.
“You can’t cheat in chess. It’s fair.”
“No, it’s not.”
Relc raised his voice and pointed to the shopkeeper.
“Hey, you! Yeah, you. I know you. Stop the game. This isn’t fair. The bet’s off.”
The crowd rumbled in discontent at Relc’s words. The Drake shopkeeper spread his claws out innocently.
“It is a fair game. She let me name my player and we agreed to the wager. There are many witnesses. It would be wrong to cancel the game now, Guardsman.”
Relc eyed the Drake shopkeeper balefully. From her seat Erin noticed the shopkeeper’s tail was wagging a bit. He also had a gleeful look on his face if she was reading his face right.
“I hate to agree with that jerk, but he’s right Relc. I agreed to the wager and I want to play. I’m going to win my money back and play some chess while I’m at it.”
“Are you crazy? You’re going to lose this game.”
Relc hissed at Erin. She blinked up at him.
“Am I? Why’s that?”
Relc growled under his breath. He jerked a thumb over at the seated Drake who was studying the board with a frown.
“That guy you’re playing? He’s a [Tactician]. The highest-leveled one in the city!”
Erin blinked again.
“So? Does that mean he’s good at chess?”
“Very!”
“Well, so am I. It’s still a fair game, isn’t it?”
“No!”
Relc seemed close to tearing out the spines on his head.
“All [Tacticians] can tell when they’re being led into a trap! It’s a class skill! How do you not know this? If you play one in a game they’ll win almost every time! Plus that idiot loves to play that stupid game!”
The Olesm looked up and glared at Relc. Erin glared too.
“It’s not a stupid game. And so what if he likes to play? Like I said, so do I. And I’m a good player.”
“You still can’t win.”
“I can.”
“You can’t.”
“Oh, hi Klbkch.”
Erin turned away from Relc and waved at the silent ant man who had come up behind Relc. Klbkch nodded at her politely.
“Miss Solstice. Please forgive my companion’s interruption. We are on duty and it is improper of us to disturb a member of the public without cause. But Relc insisted we speak with you once we heard of the bet that had been made.”
“Really? You he
ard about the bet?”
Klbkch nodded.
“Indeed. It is all over the city.”
“Yeah, everyone was talking about the stupid human who was dumb enough to wager on a game of chess against that idiot.”
Relc jerked his thumb at Olesm. The other Drake continued pondering the board, but Erin could see him grinding his teeth in his seat.
Klbkch nodded.
“I understand this is a bet made to recover your lost coin. However, I fear I must issue the same warning as Relc. The odds of you winning a game against Olesm are quite slim.”
“Olesm. Oh yeah, that’s what his name is.”
Erin covered a smile as Olesm’s eye twitched. She turned to Klbkch and Relc.
“Look, I’m glad you two care. But I’ve got this. It’s fine. You’ll see.”
The two guardsmen stared at her, unconvinced. Relc turned to Klbkch and whispered. Unfortunately his voice was still quite loud and Erin and those around them could hear him quite plainly.
“I don’t think she gets it. Humans are kinda slow. You explain the [Tactician] bit to her.”
“I believe you have given her adequate information. If she will not listen to you, she will not listen to me.”
“Exactly. So stop calling me stupid or I’ll hit you.”
Erin glared at Relc who shuffled his feet and looked away. She glared at Klbkch who raised all four of his hands and bowed his head and then shifted her glare back to Relc.
“Let me play. You two can watch, but I’m going to play and win.”
“But—”
Erin raised a finger.
“No. Go away and let me play.”
Relc opened his mouth, closed it, and then hissed long and loud. He threw up his hands and stomped back into the crowd.
“Humans!”
Erin slid back into her seat and smiled at Olesm.
“Sorry about that.”
Olesm glanced over Erin’s shoulder and sniffed at Relc and Klbkch.
“Think nothing of it. But if we’re done with the interruptions, it’s your move.”
“So it is.”
Erin pondered the board. Then she slid another piece forwards.
“Oi, Klbkch. What’s she doing? Was that a good move? It looked like a bad move.”
“I am uncertain at this point. Allow me a few moments to assess the board before I give you my opinion. And please, lower your voice.”
Erin covered a smile as Olesm’s eye twitched. She waited for him to play another piece. As she did, she studied the board.
Chess. The pieces were different, and she was playing in a street in a city full of walking lizards and talking ants. But it was still chess.
It was wonderful to play again.
—-
Olesm frowned as he toyed with a bishop Erin had cornered with one of her knights. He moved it diagonally one way, and then frowned. Then he moved it another way and frowned again. He glanced up at Erin.
She stared back at him innocently.
He moved his piece back and forth around a rook she’d used to attack his queen, and then took one of her pawns with it. His frown didn’t go away, but he seemed content with the move.
Erin moved another of her pieces forwards instantly. Her knight – a scaly Drake with a buckler in one hand and a scimitar the other – took one of his pawns.
“Check.”
A susurration went through the audience around the two players. That was, except for Relc who had gone to one of the stalls to buy something to eat. Olesm leaned back in his chair and gave Erin an admiring look.
“Well done, I hadn’t anticipated that.”
“It was just a lucky move. Well, not lucky, but it was quite nice, wasn’t it?”
“Indeed.”
Olesm moved his king sideways.
“Your turn.”
Erin pointed at the board.
“Oh, that’s check too. Sorry.”
Erin tapped her queen and pointed down the board. The Drake player grimaced and moved his king the other way.
“That’s check as well. See the rook?”
Olesm paused and blinked at the table. The crowd murmured more loudly and Relc came back to look at the table.
After a minute Olesm made a move that wasn’t check and the game went on. But now he took longer and longer between each move and his frown which had started about five minutes ago didn’t go away.
Meanwhile his uncle the shopkeeper watched the board with clear anxiety. He glared at Erin who smiled serenely back at him. Whenever Olesm made a move she would instantly move a piece and take one of his own or threaten his king. Eventually she stopped staring at the board and stared at the shopkeeper with a smile on her face as Olesm frantically searched the board for a comeback.
“Check.”
“Check.”
“Ooh, no check this turn. But watch out for your rook. It’s that or your queen.”
“Check.”
“Check. And it’s check if you do that too. And that…”
“Check.”
“Check.”
“Check.”
1.20
“Checkmate.”
At last Erin slid her last rook into position. Olesm stared at the board and then tipped over his king with a trembling claw.
Erin cracked her fingers and grinned. It wasn’t her best game, but she’d gone for style over efficiency. Her opponent had a single king left in the middle of her pieces and she had a small army surrounding him. She smiled up at Olesm who’d turned pale. Her audience was gaping at her and the chess board.
“Good game. Let’s play again sometime, okay?”
She reached over and patted Olesm on the shoulder. The Drake looked slightly shell-shocked and made no reply. Erin shrugged and stood up.
Klbkch and Relc made their way through the crowd to her. Relc was gaping at the board.
“You won. But how did—but he’s—you won!”
“Congratulations on your victory, Miss Solstice.”
“Why thank you, Klbkch.”
Erin grinned at Klbkch. The ant man nodded back.
“May I ask how you managed such an incredible display? I would not have thought it possible, nor deemed it prudent to bet against Olesm in a game of chess until this moment.”
Erin shrugged. There was no harm in telling. Besides, both the shopkeeper and his nephew were still staring at the board.
“You said he’s played for a year, right?”
Klbkch nodded.
“And he is a Level 22 [Tactician]. There are no higher-level Tacticians even within the Liscorian army.”
“Good for him. But I’ve been playing chess for twelve years now. I started a bit late, but I used to play at least three games before I went to sleep each night. He might have a fancy skill, but a rookie’s still a rookie.”
This time it was Klbkch’s turn to do the staring with Relc. Erin smiled at both of them and then tapped the shopkeeper on the shoulder.
“I want my money back. All of it, thank you. And while you’re at it I’ll buy the chess board and pieces too.”
The Drake gaped at her. Then the color returned to the scales in his face and he backed away.
“I—that game was—”
Erin interrupted him.
“If you’re about to say it was rigged, don’t bother. And if you want a rematch, I’ll gladly play again if you double how much you owe me. But otherwise, don’t bother. I want my money.”
The Drake blanched and his scales turned pale. Erin smiled at him. His tail was twitching hard in agitation.
“My mind is…slightly hazy. I’m afraid I have no recollection of how much you spent. Unless of course you could tell me?”
Erin gave him a winning smile.
“I have no idea. But I’m sure Klbkch and Relc could help you find out.”
The shopkeeper turned pale. Klbkch nodded seriously and bowed in his direction.
“As a Senior Guardsman we would be happy to provide assistan
ce in assessing all financial income for your business, as well as any unpaid taxes that may be extant. For now we will have to order your shop closed while we begin a thorough investigation of your wares and inventory.”
Relc grinned evilly.
“Right. Let’s start flipping over tables until we find a receipt.”
The Drake shopkeeper made a strangled shrieking sound. He tried to block Relc, but the other Drake was already happily trashing his store. Erin hid a grin.
Olesm walked up to her, his tail dragging low on the ground.
“I must congratulate you, Mistress Solstice. I have been truly humbled by your skill. Please, accept my sincerest apologies for questioning your ability.”
Erin fidgeted awkwardly. She hated this bit.
“Oh no, you were a good player too. I really shouldn’t have played like that as well against a rooki—another player.”
“You are too kind. But I know when I’m outclassed. I have to ask—are you a [Tactician] by any chance?”
“Me? No. I’m not. Sorry?”
Olesm drooped further. Erin could practically feel him kicking himself. She tried to cheer him up.
“Don’t feel bad. I’m not a professional player, but I’ve won a chess tournament or two in my time. I even played a Grandmaster, once. One of the few female ones which was really cool. But I was so nervous at the time I totally forgot to castle, and I lost my rook to—”
Erin broke off and cleared her throat, blushing. It was a bad memory, but at least Olesm stopped looking like a kicked puppy-lizard. Indeed, he was staring at her with vivid interest.
“Is this Grandmastery you speak of a class? Is it possible—could I take such a class myself?”
An alarm bell went off in Erin’s head. She tried to think fast and failed.
“Um. Maybe? It’s more like a title where I come from. Besides, Grandmasters only play chess. I’m not sure if that’s a class.”
Olesm nodded. Erin could practically see him taking notes in his head.
“Perhaps it’s a class only obtainable at high level in the [Strategist] class line. If ever I have the opportunity I shall take that class at once.”
“You can do that?”
Erin blurted it out. Olesm nodded again.
“Of course. I am merely a lowly [Tactician], the first of the strategist class line. But should I advance in level and learn more skills I might qualify for the [Strategist] class. And perhaps after that I might one day become a [Grandmaster]…? It makes my scales shiver to imagine such a class.”
