Draw

Gambling had always been kind of fun to me.

Granted, it really shouldn't be, there was a reason it was called an addiction, after all—there was just something incomprehensible about gambling that made your life worse.

Only those who had nothing to lose could stake their all. Such people were the hardest to deal with.

They were all crazy.

Of course, I saw myself as an exception. As I was normal.

However, I understood them a bit.

There was an exhilarating feeling, much like being close to death, when all I was doing was playing a card, or tossing a coin. It was the simplest way to make life thrilling.

Still, it was only a little bit.

The cards in our hands turned, spinning around themselves like skewered lamb spit roasted over fire. It was at times like these when gravity seemed to be much stronger and I even imagined my wrist hurting from the pressure of that single card, thinner than a leaf and smaller than my hand.

"Actually, what happens if it ends as a draw," I stopped in motion and asked.

"Uhh," Raya turned her card around, "I, I don't know," she said and revealed the pricture before she could stop in time.

It was a simple design of the sky with happy little clouds and bright sunshine; The heaven card.

I hadn't turned my card yet as I berated her, "you don't know? You have to clarify such things before you start a game."

Raya didn't reply immediately, instead her focus was entirely on her own card. She stared at it with such concentration that she probably was able to count every fiber used to create it. Afterwards she felt apologetic.

"If that happens, I guess we should end the game as a draw then. No rewards, but also no punishment," she suddenly said and her eyes glimmered due to her idea, "what do you think?"

I smiled faintly, "that is a decent idea. We could end the game and just return to how we were before."

"Yes, yes." She nodded vigorously. "To be honest, I have gotten bored of this exchange. If a draw were to happen, let us just call it a day."

"Hmm, what great honor. A draw would be great, it would be like the old stories were your foe turns into your ally after a hard battle, a very inspiring tale, " I joked and then gently turned the card, "but this is reality."

It was the all so familiar tree that had been seen a lot today. From all the cards, it may have been the most normal one, but for Raya, it was the worst picture that she could ever encounter in her life; the earth card.

I had realized from all the gambling I was involved in, there was something much more fun than risking ones own life.

It was destroying someone else's.

The quietness kept ringing in everybodys ears.

It was the saying of how silence could be deafening. The crowd all stared dumbfoundedly at the results, their eyes and jaws wide open.

Anyone daring to say a single word would choke from the stifling air. Anyone daring to move a single finger would be cut by the heavy wind.

There was only one single person who would disregard such an unpleasant atmosphere.

I laughed loudly, my shrill voice woke everyone from their stupor, "that's too bad, really too bad," I screamed, while I held my cramping stomach. Little tears were welling up and pushed out by my fanged grin.

It was an exhilaration I hadn't felt in a long time.

The contract which had been floating in the air the whole time calmly burned away. The white flame that consumed it completely, not even leaving any ash. It was over.

Raya, who had been hopeful to end the game on good terms was frozen solid. A mild smile was still on her face and the light in her irises hadn't faded yet. She stared at the card and stayed unmoving. She rubbed her eyes once, just to ascertain what she was seeing had been the real deal but her scenery didn't change.

The girl then shuddered from agitation.

She grabbed her chest which rose intensely and her breathing turned heavier and heavier. She covered her mouth with her fingers, forming a small grid, but still puked a mouthful of water.

A clear liquid splashed on the table and spread towards the edges.

Maybe she was currently on the verge of insanity.

"Come on, smile for me," I pinched the endes of my own mouth and pulled them upwards.

As soon as I said that, the corners of her mouth were slowly forced upwards. It was like she was a puppet that was controlled by string.

Her pupils dilated, and moved erratically as her cheeks flushed bright red, even though she had been turning pale the whole time.

Her eyebrows moved in confusion, like a squiggly worm searching for food. It was a devastated face.

But her mouth dutifully obeyed and showed me a bright smile.

It was an extreme contrast.

A shiver ran down my spine as I observed her expression, "ahn, the face you are making, for a second I saw you as even more beautiful than me," I told her while the heat rose to my head.

I felt ecstatic, and I felt like I was falling in love for the first time in my life.

It was the closest I would ever come to consuming drugs and it certainly had me addicted.

Yes, such was the feeling of seeing despair in someone's eyes.

I subconsciously nibbled on my fingers and my breathing too turned unsteady. There was an uncontrollable itch surging through my body.

I pushed the table aside as that would only get in the way. It fell towards the crowd, which then scurried away, to observe further in the distance.

I crossed my legs and ordered, "first of all, kneel."

Again, she moved stiffly, while her face was incredibly indignant. She went down on her knees like a prisoner facing the scaffold, or a sinner who prayed her guilt away.

I pointed at the ground and demanded, "lower."

Raya looked at me confused, but ultimately went down until her head touched the floor and she was prostrating. She bit her lips until they started bleeding.

I walked towards her and sat on her back, my legs were spread apart and like I was riding a horse. She only flinched and was still bowing obediently.

"I wonder what I should do with you." Just the thought of keeping her made me excited. I pulled her hair to lift her head up and whispered directly into her ear, "should I make you run around the household naked, or would you rather I stick a sword up your ass," I laughed, and it sounded like the laugh of a siren, "or maybe you could earn me some coins as a prostitute for the rest of your miserable life."

I felt the shivers again. From atop my neck flowing the direction of my spine. Ah, C'est la vie.

"I . . . ize. . ."

Suddenly Raya started mumbling. Her body was tembling at first, but then it began shaking violently. She curled up and her back moved slightly, causing me to almost fall down.

"I apologize " she repeated with a cracking voice, this time louder, loud enough for everyone in the garden to her, "I, I, I'm sorry. Please forgive me," she pleaded with her head lowered.

"What, forgive you?" I grasped her hair tightly, and moved her delicate face towards mine. What I saw were her tears and mucus imprinted on her skin, leaving gentle marks, "is this not the same thing what you wanted to do to me," I asked harshly.

"No," she shook her head, "you are wrong. I didn-"

I interrupted her, "bark for me, doggy."

She reciprocated immediately, "woof, woof, woof," her voice resounded throughout the garden.

"I understand. I know you have your reasons, I know you want to explain yourself." I curled my arms around her head and stared her right in the eye, "but I won't let you. You won't find time for your excuses. Instead I want to you to suffer, to feel the stifling sensation of locking the truth in your heart, the unfairness." I smiled again.

Was I currently being scary, I wasn't sure. However, the people around us stared at me with terrified expressions. They were like little sheeps waiting for slaughter. Some even fell down as their legs gave up.

Celestia was no different. She was determined, but her lips were white.

Agnes wasn't saying anything either.

"Come on, not even a congratulations, it was hard for me too, you people," I said in protest, "hey, Raya, don't move too much," I ran my hands through her slender nape, "I accidentally might rip your hair, and I don't want that. I quite like your hair."

Her face slightly flushed when I told her. I was able to tell by her ears which turned red. Did she perhaps like the compliment?

I ran my hands down Rayas back, my fingers glided down her silky dress and reached her the end of her spine, "your face might not be as good as mine, but your body is certainly great, look at how plump your butt is," I said in amazement, "ah I know, how about we show what you are hiding underneath the clothes, surely there are a dozen that are intersted," I laughed again and gently lifted her dress, but no one replied.

No, their faces turned grey and further shrunk away. Well, alright, some may have been interested, but the heavy mood stopped them from approaching. Everyone only stayed silent.

"Che, boring," I played with Rayas body and she couldn't do anything about it, "it was just a joke. As if I would give away my hard earned prize."

Even though they had been so eager at the beginning to act out all kinds of emotions, they were completely mute now. Wasn't that a bit unfair to me?

After a while and seeing no reaction except for their horror stricken faces, I stood up and patted the dust of my dress, "maybe I should buy a whip just for you," I slapped her butt, "you can move again now, or you might turn into a pig instead of a dog."

I gestured at Celestia, whose mind had gone into overdrive and was currently rebooting; I gestured for her that we were leaving and only when I pinched her cheeks did she react.

I was still feeling quite happy, and about as satisfied as eating a full course meal, so I turned around one last time, facing Raya who hadn't moved even though she could, and yelled, "take care of yourself, you are my precious item now."

Afterwards, we left, leaving the peanut gallery and Raya to themselves.

"Uhm Agnes," Celestia called me coyly, "I don't know if you have noticed, but her partner had sneaked out after they lost. He might be up to no good."

"Oh really? I didn't," I said surprised, "but it's good that he did. I still need him to carry out my plans."

Celestia simply nodded, indicating she had understood, "I'm glad we won."

I patted her head, "of course we did, it's because I trusted you."

"Geez, I didn't do anything at all," Celestia complained and began walking faster. She was stomping the ground but before she left, I thought was able to see a faint smile on her face.

"ʜᴏᴡ ғᴀʀ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘʟᴀɴs," Agnes suddenly said.

"There's one last major step. More importantly why didn't I hear you say anything?"

"ᴡʜʏ, ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴇɴᴊᴏʏɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ sʜᴏᴡ," she said with a unusually giddy voice, "ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴄᴜʀᴇᴅ sᴏᴍᴇ ᴏғ ᴍʏ ʙᴏʀᴇᴅᴏᴍ, ʏᴏᴜ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴅᴏ ɪᴛ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴏғᴛᴇɴ."

"You are really sinister, do you not treasure your cousin?" I stretched my arms, it felt like I had been sitting for a long time.

"ɪᴛ's ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ, ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʙʟᴀᴍᴇ ᴍᴇ," she looked into the distance and I couldn't see what kind of face she was making, "ʙᴜᴛ sᴇᴇɪɴɢ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏᴅᴀʏ, ɪs ɪᴛ ᴀʟʀɪɢʜᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴏᴋ ғᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ғᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ ᴀ ʙɪᴛ?"

"Of course, I never owned a slave," I grinned when I thought about Raya, "I have a lot of things planned."

"ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ɴᴏᴛ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴍᴇᴀɴᴛ." She squeezed my nose.