The Black Dove Tavern was hardly Leander’s favourite place in Old Rose Harbour. A place of distinct ill-repute, the galdori-raised young man had, initially, turned his nose up at the disgusting premises, and the violent punters who frequented it. He had thought himself better than them all for years after being left in the city. He had thought himself better than most in the city, truth be told. The proud sone of two proud scholars, the filth around him was difficult for him to comprehend.
Even now, the passive struggled, remnants of his upbringing bleeding into the belief that he was undeserving of the last eight years of his life. Somehow a mistake had been made. It was this denial which kept him from crumbling and accepting his lot in life. It was this denial which made him careless, reckless. It was this denial which made him still refuse to bend his pride, even as he stepped through into the tavern, counterfeit documents in hand, with the plan to cheat some of the most dangerous criminals in Anaxas out of their money.
Forged himself, the documents were not perfect. But he was a fast learner and, chances were, most of the people he would be gambling with would be illiterate anyway, so the risk level was minimal. Regardless, he was down to his last few tallies and shills, and his recent exploits had left him owning more than he had left. With few other forms of income, Leo had no option but to gamble - even doubling his money would put him in a more secure position. The counterfeit document, proclaiming deeds to a nonexistent property on the edge of the city, was his buy in to a larger-stakes game. The plan was that he would win anyway, so the Brothers would be none the wiser.
“‘Evening, gentlemen,” the dark-haired passive greeted the men with a confidence he didn’t feel, releasing the clasp on his outer clothing with one hand and casually flinging it over the back of one of the unoccupied chairs. the tavern was, for the moment, relatively quiet: it was filled with merrily drinking punters, but there was no raucous discussion, no rowdy brawls yet. It made it easier, not having to shout to be heard. The young man was not unfamiliar with most of the men around the table. Some he didn’t know, but Leo had become a frequent visitor to the Black Dove Tavern over the more recent seasons.
That was how he found himself to be in debt in the first place, but also how he thought he had a chance at winning his money back. Were he in any way slick with his hands, he would have risked a more ballsy attempt at securing his winnings. “What are we playing tonight? Another round of Rooks?”
“Si’down Leo,” the man shuffling the deck gruffly replied, “Though Gods know why, unless yer here to pay yer debt?” The boy smiled and made a show of straightening his clothes out before sitting. As if he could be told what to do by the lowlife criminal. when he did sit, he clapped his hand down on the table, forged deed underneath it. One of the other gamblers picked it up and examined it while Leander placed his other coins on the table, there to be used as gambling chips. “Buyin’ yourself back in, then. So be it.”
The first hand dealt, Leo leaned back in his chair as he pulled the cards from the table to look at them. It was hardly the best of hands, but he had brought it home with worse. The corners of his lips curled imperceptibly as he fought to maintain an impassive expression. He had a good feeling about tonight.