“Yes, my lord,” responded the short heavyset man as he set the dirty dishes on a table and wiped his hands on his apron. He made his way to the cellar and it was only then that he realized that after days of drinking and eating, this group had left him with only two jugs of wine. He hoped it would be enough and that they would soon be on their way. He reminded himself that with the money they had spent in his inn he would have more than enough to restock his shelves before other travelers arrived, as long as they paid before leaving.
“It’s my turn now,” laughed Jude. “Hand me the dice and get your money out, if you have any left.”
“It’s not your money I want with this roll,” returned the man across from Jude.
Jude took a drink from his cup and handed it to the woman at his side. She took a drink as well and wiped her mouth with the tips of her fingers. “Oh no?," asked Jude as he looked at the man askance. “What is your bet then, Enoch?”
Enoch too took a drink and looked at Jude. He then turned his gaze upon Miriam who was licking the little drops of wine from her fingers. “How about that little bird who shares your cup and your bed?”
Miriam took another drink of wine and smiled at Enoch. She then turned toward Jude and looked at him wondering if he would be offended or take the bet. Many of the men she had been with would be offended by such an offer. She didn’t care either way. Over the last few nights she had made more than enough money to last her for quite a while. Why should she care where she slept as long as her purse was full?
Jude looked up at Saul who was standing in a corner of the room smoking a pipe. He only nodded. “Enoch, that’s quite a bet. What could you possibly have left that would equal the exquisite beauty of this white dove who loves my perch,” Jude said with a wry sarcastic smile.
Miriam leaned toward Jude and whispered in his ear as she moved her hand slowly across his thigh. “You better win, my Lord, I can’t imagine myself on another perch tonight,” she said as her hand moved higher.
Enoch reached into his cloak and pulled forth a leather bag. He untied the drawstring and emptied the contents on the table between the two men. 30 silver tetradrachm poured forth and the sound of the coins grabbed everyone’s attention. The entire room became quiet, even Saul moved in for a closer look.
Jude stared at the coins before him and a bead of sweat formed on his brow. “Such a high wager for this dove, Enoch? You could purchase an entire brood for that amount! After all you’ve lost it appears you have more coin than sense!”
Enoch smiled at Jude, then at Miriam. “I’ve heard her company is worth ten times that amount my friend. I’d wager another bag of coins that you may agree. Oh well, maybe it is too much,” he said as he began to put the coins back in the bag.
Saul gave a slight cough but attributed it to the pipe and took a drink of wine, “inn keeper, my cup appears to have a hole in it and my wine keeps disappearing. What sort of trickery is this?”
All in the room gave a little laugh and went back to their own business. The inn keeper made his rounds, slightly embarrassed, filling up the cups to the top. When he came to Saul he whispered without a smile, “I hope your master has enough to pay for this wine and some new cups.”
Saul drained his cup to the last drop, “Ah, see it’s gone again!”
Laughter filled the room and the innkeeper filled Saul’s cup and quickly turned back to the pile of dirty dishes he had left on the table.
“Wait,” said Jude to Enoch who was slowly putting the coins back in the bag. “30 silver tetradrachm would easily replace all he had spent in this wretched place over the past few days,” he thought. He looked at Miram who continued to rub his inner thigh. “Enoch, you push a hard bet but you are right. This bird is surely worth ten times that amount. Best of seven wins the coin and the bird.”
The other men and women in the room began to gather around the two men, the coins, and the woman. Enoch shook the cup containing the two dice and then slammed it, open end down upon the table. When the cup was lifted the two dice revealed a Jackal and a Dove. Enoch replaced the dice into the cup and handed it to Miriam who had to remove her hand from Jude’s thigh to receive it. She looked at Jude and he nodded. The woman shook the cup for a moment and slammed it to the table surface. Her roll revealed a Lion and a Jackal.
“That’s one for Jude,” shouted Saul. “Enoch, I’m sure Jude would allow you to walk away now with your purse only a single coin lighter if you wanted. After all, this has not been your night, my friend.”
Enoch turned round to look at Saul. “It appears as though Jude has two birds here with him,” he said with a wicked smile.
Saul’s hand quickly moved to his sword as the place erupted in laughter.
“Relax, Saul,” laughed Jude. “There’s no need for that with a game among friends. Besides, I like pretty birds not roosters whose hackles raise up with every word.”
Saul yelled for more wine as Enoch continued to keep his eyes locked on the young rooster.
“Let’s roll again, my lord,” said Miriam gently. “I’m anxious to be with my rooster tonight.” With that the woman picked up the dice, shook the cup, and slammed it down again. When the cup was lifted a Bear and a Fish could be seen.
Enoch took the cup for his turn and revealed another Jackal and a Pig. He was disgusted with his roll but kept his disappointment hidden. He quickly scooped up the game pieces and rolled again, a Bear and a Bear. He smiled and handed the cup to Miriam.
“Would you like a turn, Jude,” said the woman as she took the cup from Enoch careful to let her hand linger on his.
Jude whispered in her ear and she giggled. Miriam shook the cup again and slammed it on the table. This time a Fish and a Dove.
A man in the crowd who had obviously drank more than his fair share of the free wine shouted out, “It looks like the woman has lost her touch, at least in the area of gaming!” There were a few chuckles but the woman gave him such a severe look that he quickly turned and walked to a table on the other side of the room.
Jude took the cup and gathered the two dice. “Maybe I should take a turn since I have so much at stake,” laughed Jude. He rolled a double Bear as well and the room erupted in applause.
Enoch began to sweat as he grabbed the game pieces. He took a long drink from his cup as he was shaking the dice. He finished the drink and at the same time slammed both cups on the table, a Fish and a Pig.
“I hope you’ve already paid for this wine,” said Enoch as he called for the innkeeper.
Jude smiled at Enoch, “The score is 3 to 1, my friend. One more roll and those coins will be enough to purchase an entire vineyard for me and my friends. Who knows, I may even be so generous as to let you be my vine dresser.”
The crowd erupted in laughter but Enoch kept his cool. He winked at Miriam and gathered the cup and dice. “Would you kiss my cup for luck, dear sweet dove,” he said stretching out his arm.
Miriam gave him a foul look as she moved closer to Jude. With a score of 3 to 1 and all he had paid thus far, she didn’t want to take a chance and make him angry.
“Very well then, dove,” he said, clearly disturbed by her rejection. “You’ll have time enough to put those lips to use later.” Enoch angrily slammed the cup to the table top. As he lifted the cup a Jackal and a Bear appeared on the top of the two wooden dice.
“I guess I should say thank you,” began Enoch as he picked up the pieces, “that kiss may have been a curse because who knows where those pretty red lips have been!”
The room came to life with laughter at this crude joke and Miriam blushed slightly but only Enoch noticed it. She took the cup from his hand quickly and handed it to Jude who was now too drunk to defend the harlot even if he had wanted to do so.
He did his best to appear in control as he shook the cup containing the dice. He slammed the cup to the table and left it there. Miriam reached out and slowly lifted it to reveal a Dove and a Fish. She swiftly picked up the pieces and leaned to whisper in Jude’s ear.
“That’s right,” he said, slightly slurring the word ‘right’. “It’s still 3 to 2, my friend, Enoch. One more roll and it’s sudden death for you.”
Saul asked the innkeeper to fill Jude’s cup with a little wine and a large amount of water. Jude then excused himself stating that he had a bird of his own waiting in his nest.
Miriam began to sweat heavily as she picked up the cup and began shaking it. She shook it longer than usual this time. Enoch noticed and gave her a tilted smile. She slammed the cup to the table in defiance, a Jackal and a Fish. It wasn’t a terrible roll. She didn’t pick up the cup to hand it to Enoch but rather made him get it himself.
The man took a slow sip of wine as he gently shook the cup with the dice. The voices in the room were slowly dying as the tension at the table grew. With enormous force Enoch slammed the cup to the table once again. This time rather than looking at the dice himself he looked for the reactions on Jude and Miriam's faces. The round was his, a double Jackal. The score was now 3 to 3.
The innkeeper filled Jude’s cup to the top with the crimson-tinged water then stepped back a few paces to watch the final round. All eyes were glued on the three at the lot table. A horse whinnied outside in the distance and hooves could be heard growing fainter with each passing second.
The wooden cup and wooden dice sat motionless on the table. The etched figures of Jackals, Fish, Doves, Bears, and Lions could be seen on the visible sides of the dice. The cup, carved out of Sycamore was reddish-black from years of use by sweaty gamblers. Everyone looked at the dice, the two men, and the woman.
Enoch reached out and grabbed the cup with one hand while using the other to deposit the dice. He capped the cup with one hand to keep the dice from flying out while he shook it with the other. The sound of the cup slamming to the table surface echoed in the silent room. As he lifted the cup, the engraved images of two Bears appeared. Enoch sat back and took a drink of wine as he watched the son of Abbas stare at the Bears.
“Two Bears,” thought Jude. “A great roll but it can be beat.”
Miriam shifted in her seat and as she did so a man who up until now she had not seen took up a position directly behind her. Jude continued to stare at the Bears and then took a sip of his wine flavored water. He looked at Miriam and then Enoch. He looked up and saw the dumb old drunk who blurted out something about Miriam earlier. What did he say? He couldn’t remember. He looked at the faces staring silently back at him. Were they real? Were they statues. But one statue was missing. Where was Saul?
“Saul,” bring me more wine said Jude. His words were not answered. No one moved. No one looked around for Saul. They all just stared at the young man.
“Well played, Enoch,” said Jude regaining some of his composure and with a sheer act of the will pushing his drunkenness aside if only for a moment. “Yes, well played but as we both know it can be beat. In fact, earlier today I believe I beat this very same roll against you when we were merely playing for drinks.”
Enoch gazed at the boy, for that was really what he was, a boy. A kinder heart, a weaker man would have had pity on the lad. Enoch was not kind nor was he weak. He was a trader and what he traded was human flesh; slaves. He had contemplated betting Jude his freedom but a boy of his stature wasn't worth the effort. Miriam on the other hand would fetch top dollar and if he won, he could tell his buyers first hand of her exquisite features.
Most of the regulars at the inn knew Enoch and his crew. Many had even done business with the man only to later regret it. Enoch was a shrewd businessman and an even more cunning gambler. He played to win, he played for blood or flesh. “Roll, Jude. See if the luck of your dove can bring forth two Lions,” said Enoch coldly as he snarled at Miriam.
Jude picked up the cup and placed the dice inside. He silently whispered a prayer to the God he no longer worshipped. The cup landed on the table top with barely a thud. The gentle placement only caused a slight ripple in his cup of pink water.
Miriam stared in horror as he slowly lifted the cup. When she saw the dice, the animal etchings she feared staring back at her, she began to rise.
“Don’t even think of it,” said Enoch. “Take her to my room. I’ll find out if she was worth all of this trouble tonight then we’ll place her with the others.” The man standing behind Miriam grabbed her by the arm and half walking, half dragging, took her to Enoch’s room.
Jude’s hand removed the cup completely from the dice to reveal double Pigs, the worst roll possible. In silence, the room began to clear. The shuffling of feet could be heard moving out into the street. Muffled voices carried gently on the cool night air.
Enoch slid his coins back into his bag as he looked at Jude. He was on guard, waiting on an assault but the boy was in shock and drunk out of his mind. Jude only sat and stared at the opposite wall as though he were in a trance.
Enoch drained the rest of his cup of wine and tossed the inn keeper one of the silver coins, “Get yourself some more wine and keep your big mouth shut about what happened here tonight or I’ll be back to make you one of my little birds,” he said with a sick, drunken laugh. With that he headed out the door toward his room and the trembling Miriam.
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