Topaz walked into the RDI with just enough time for a cup of coffee or two before the duels would start for that evening. She waved to Icer, the Red Dragon Inn's resident dragon, then noticed Klinton, sitting at a table. ?Good afternoon, Klinton. What brings you here at this time of day??



?Afternoon Topaz.? He looked up from the ivory figurine he was polishing with a soft cloth and returned the fairy?s smile. ?I'm just here for a coffee.? A pile of figurines lay in the chair next to him. Something about them struck Topaz as odd but familiar.



?Same here. Do you mind if I join you?? At Klinton's friendly nod she slid into an empty chair and studied the figures more closely. All of the pieces were highly detailed, each a piece of fine art, and very old. Could it be that Klinton of all people owned a set of Rushna, and knew what it was, she wondered as she recognized the pieces, surprise showing in her features. ?Where ever did you get those? Do you know the Rushna rules??



Klinton gave a strange look, then showed her the figurine he had been polishing. ?An old game of my father?s. He picked it up and taught me how to play. I assume I know the correct rules, but, my father may have modified things a bit.? He gave a slight chuckle and his face took on a far-away quality. He snapped back to the here and now when Topaz spoke again.



?Amazing! I've not ever seen a copy of it in Rhydin. I didn't think anyone here knew to play.? She grinned. ?Well, the rules are complicated enough to serve as an excuse for any adjustment.? The rules for the game were indeed complicated and intricate. Rushna, a game of the Tuatha, was not a game one could comprehend and learn to play in a matter of days. And to hear of humans having learned to play it ? well, it boggled the mind. ?How often did your father let you add a troll to the map??



Klinton smiled, apparently pleased. ?Oh, I rarely beat him at it. So, maybe 5 trolls I've added, he had many more.?



She grinned at his answer. ?It looks like you even have all the pieces even. Mine's missing a couple, a blue house and a purple dragon.? Regret over the lost figurines vibrated in her voice.



Klinton nodded with understanding. ?I'm not sure where to get replacement pieces, so I made sure I kept them all. He said that this one was a special set as well. It has a green fairy that is hardly ever seen.?


?Really? Mine has a green fairy, too.? Topaz had not been aware of that being something special. Then again, perhaps his father had told him so to make certain the boy would treat the game components as the treasures that they were. ?I do wonder where your father picked it up, though.? Her eyes started to sparkle as she thought of the prospect of actually playing the game.


Klinton gave a short laugh and a shrug. ?There's no telling. I guess the first time we played he had just arrived at the Hwang Forests. Maybe it is common after all. Do you have time for a game??



?I most certainly do have time for a game.? She beamed him a smile and helped him with setting up the map.



?I'm surprised to know another person who plays!? He seemed to be as delighted as she was. When the table was set he began dealing the cards, ten to each player.



?Is that forest known to have fae folk living in it, or perhaps even rumored to have had Tuatha city in it??


Klinton looked thoughtful for a moment. ?I believe so. I was pretty young. It was before he let me really go with him. I just waited for him mostly. ?



Topaz picked up the top card when he was done dealing the stacks. ?It is an old game.? Then frowned in thought at her card before looking up to Klinton. ?Unless you've even worse luck than me, you'll be starting.?



Chuckling he drew the next card. ?I've got the Goblet of Farfria, a value of 7.?


?Aye, you start. I have the beggar's purse. So you got to travel with your father? That must have been an interesting way of growing up.?



Klinton moved one of his goblin figurines by two spaces and discarded his card. ?Absolutely. I went every where with him.? Topaz in turn placed her card face up next to the stack of her cards and switched out her body guard with her blue house. ?Is this game native to Fairy Folk? I don't know its origins.?


?You must have seen and experienced a lot. No, the Tuatha brought it with them.? She watched him agonize over his next move.



We went a lot of places, that's for sure.? Klinton played his next card, which allowed him to place his Calvary halfway across the board.


?I would love to hear of them.? She turned over one of the disaster cards and gave it an odd look. ?My luck had better be picking up. Well, pick a piece.?


?My deck,? he smiled, ?I suppose it falls in my favor. I didn't have the luck playing against my father but then, it was his deck.? Laughing he quickly removed her blue house. ?I'd rather that not be on the board.?


?Ruining my strategy already.? Topaz chuckled and surveyed the pieces on the map while Klinton placed another card and drew one of hers. ?The next time I'll bring my deck.?


?Funny, I never thought I'd play it again, after Dad's murder.? His grin faded.



?Your dad was murdered?? Klinton had never mentioned that before. She watched as he merged his goblin with the cavalry, forming the goblin rider piece. ?Ha!? The card she had turned over allowed her series of moves and she moved her purple dragon and goblin pieces into position and took his body guard figurine. "Now it's a game again. So, are you going to elaborate on what happened with your dad?"




?Right back in it.? Klinton shook his head and, feeling like the turn of the game forced him to do so, played his own blue house. ?They caught the murderer, but tried to pin it on me. That was right after I arrived in Rhydin.?


?Wow, how did that happen? That must have been terrible, losing your father and then getting accused of the deed.? Topaz absently played her second goblin. ?You had better do something or next turn, card or not, you'll lose that pretty lady.?



Klinton glanced back at the board. The tables had turned, and she was in position to take the Lady. He thought for a moment. ?It was not my shining moment. They finally did get the right man.? He sighed. ?I hope this card can block!? and turned over the next card. ?The tower of protection.? He looked relieved. ?I've got three turns.?


?Well, do your worst.? Topaz prompted, grinning. She had his body guard and therefore his options were limited in regards to the game.


?So, anyway...after that, I never had the desire to travel anymore. At least not too far.? He charged his goblin rider forward to take her bodyguard.



?I can certainly understand that.? She gave a mock frown, hoping he didn't see what opportunity that may have just opened up for her as he played another card, allowing him to build his fortification on her side of the map.


?Ahh...All I need to do now is to get your lady, and find the troll!? He sounded pleased.


?Aye, so you do.? Topaz allowed herself a little chuckle when he drew the troll card next. As he queen was still on the map, he had to forfeit the card. He also had failed to do anything about the position of her dragon figurine.


?Well, that's my three cards. You?re up.?


?So I am.? This time she kept the card she had just picked up in her hand. I shall trade my card for moving the dragon.? With a little smirk she sat her dragon on top of his stack of cards, effectively keeping him drawing any more and handed him her card. ?Your turn.?



Klinton mulled over the situation. ?Well, I can't draw anymore cards, unless I can move that dragon.? He then moved his goblin rider in position to take her Lady the next round. ?Looks like this is coming down to the wire.?


?Well, you do have the one I gave you.? She knew full well the card she had forfeited to him was fairly useless. Klinton was laughing when he saw the card. She turns over the fate card. Reluctantly she moved his green house between his goblin and her queen.


He smiled, then played the disaster card. ?Pick your piece.?


?Oh no! You would turn that horrible card into an advantage.? Eventually she decided for the option to remove his rider from his cavalry.



?You trying to end this?? Klinton chuckled.


?Isn't that the object of the game?? Topaz laughed, trying not to give away her plan to perhaps save the win yet. But the cards had definitely turned the game in his favor.



?You made it awfully easy to take your queen.? That was true enough. She turned over the next card.


?It appears you won anyway.? The moves the card allowed were not allowed this late in the game. ?Well played, Klinton.?


?My deck, the cards go my way. It was well played my friend. Another game??



?Some other time.? She smiled. ?And I?ll bring my cards along then. But I believe I'm out of time for today.?


?Fair enough.?


?Thank you very much. I've not played this game in ages and sometimes I miss Lucien something fierce. You certainly helped make the time pass faster.? She gave him a warm smile as she helped him clean up the map.



?Be safe.? Klinton rose when she did.



?You too.? With that she headed out to meet with Lucien