The Fortune Deck

White smoke hangs in the air of the tent, scenting the air heavily. The flap at the front opens, bringing a puff of fresh air to Adina’s face, and she smiles behind her veil. A trio of teenage girls enter her tent, looking around at the decor with evident trepidation.

“Welcome, *lo konraid*. Please, take a seat- who wishes to consult the *taiboa*, the user of fate?” Aldina gestures gracefully to the low stools on the other side of the table, each covered in a different color of satin. “Sit in the center, if it is your time to see.”

Adina watches the girls closely as they sit down.

The first to sit is the blonde girl, who settles on the left with a wide smile and her elbows on her knees. She gestures encouragingly to the smallest girl, who adjusts her ruffled skirts to settle on the center stool before looking up and biting her lip. Adina watches the interaction carefully- she would bet that the girl in the center expressed interest in her tent, but wouldn’t have committed without the other’s encouragement. Finally, the tallest takes a seat to the left, folding her skirts around her knees and giving Adina a rather piercing look- that one is the skeptic, Adina surmises, here to watch out for her friends. Adina certainly understood the worry, what with the pageantry carefully arranged to create a certain atmosphere, but it would hardly be necessary.

“And what may I call you, *konraid*?”

“Ah- Maricia, my name's Maricia, *konraid*.”

“Maricia. Excellent. Well, Maricia- today we will be asking the *boaniss*- the fate deck- about you.” Adina spreads the cards in front of her on the low table, the painted backs sliding against the smooth silk as the rune light above the table brightens at the touch of her other hand under the table. Maricia leans forward to look at the intricate images on the cards with a small gasp, while the encourager on the right glances up at the light and grins.

“And what shall I call you? You are welcome to watch, and perhaps draw yourselves, but I hope to know your names.” Adina gives the other two girls each a moment.

“I’m Lillian,” says the one on the right, tipping her hat slightly. “Always thought this stuff was cool.”

“…I’m Ari,” says the other, giving her friend a look across Maricia’s back. Definitely the skeptic- Adina almost wants to laugh.

“Maricia, Lillian, and Ari. Welcome to my *ponx zxai*.” The words just meant “tent”, but it sounds fancy- Adina sees Ari’s eyes narrow as if she noticed, but she doesn’t say anything. “Now, to begin. Maricia, take the cards and shuffle them- gently, of course, but they should get to know your soul.” She sweeps the cards back into one pile and sets them in front of Maricia, who looks up with slightly widened eyes.

“Oh, I- don’t know how to shuffle!”

“That’s fine- just handle them a bit. Pick them up and reorder them any way you like, it will work just as well.” Adina nods as she sees Maricia begin to pick the cards up and relaxes into herself. It doesn’t- really do anything, she thinks, but it makes her feel better anyway. She takes the time to relax her muscles from her head down to her fingers, then looks at Maricia again.

“Whenever you think the cards have gotten to know you, we can proceed.”

Maricia nods quickly and hands Adina the stack of cards again. Adina takes them, fanning them slightly just to check that they’re all facing the right way before laying them in front of her.

“We ask the cards, today, for guidance and understanding for Maricia. And so,”

She draws one card at a time, placing them facedown on the table.

“Flames Above,” one toward the right, “Flames Below,” one to the left, “and Blood in the Middle. This is meant to tell us about a particular challenge- the best and the worst that might happen, and the factor that might make the difference in the middle,” Adina explains, gesturing to the cards as she goes. “First- Flames Above. The best case scenario.” She turns over the card.

The image is dramatic, with dark shadows dominating. It’s looking up at the face of a man with black shoulder-length hair, golden brown skin, and a shovel slung up onto one shoulder. On the shovel is perched a large black bird. Both figures look at the viewer with intense, dark eyes. Twelve black feathers are scattered throughout the image, in the man’s hair and the bird’s wings. Across the bottom of the card in stark black letters is written The Rook.

Maricia gasps slightly and looks up at Adina while Ari leans in and frowns.

“I- the Rook? Isn’t that- death? That’s the- best case-?” Maricia worries until Adina silences her with a raised hand.

“Not necessarily, *konraid*. The Rook is most commonly associated with death and the dead, yes, but in the *boaniss* he also symbolizes letting the past lie and moving past it. In the Flames Above position, it may mean that, in the best case, you’ll be able to move past whatever challenges you’ve had in your life and live well in spite of them.” Adina watches Maricia’s face closely. Lillian leans in when Maricia still looks unsure.

“Huh, I guess that makes sense. Like- you can let your past challenges be dead? Like- all those rules you hate, letting them just be in the past is the best scenario.” Lillian looks at the card, then at Maricia’s face.

“Well- I guess so! That would- that would be best.” Maricia nods, first slowly then more quickly. Adina starts moving again, then, satisfied that the connections have been drawn.

“And now, on the other side- Flames Below. A particular challenge, or something that might go wrong.” She turns over the card.

This card has the image of a young woman with rich mahogany skin and hair pulled into cascading ringlets down the back of her head. She looks at the viewer with a smirk, two silvery octahedra braced between the fingers she’s holding to her lips. One of the dice in her hands has the 7 visible. Across the bottom is written The Trickster.

Adina watches the faces of the three girls across from her- Maricia’s is curled in confusion, while Lillian simply looks interested.

“The Trickster card is emblematic of, in short, stacked odds and secrets. Someone is in control of factors that may make things easier or harder for you. In the Flames Below position, she usually indicates a secret or more hidden agenda that someone may use against you, or simply in opposition to your Flame Above.”

Maricia nods slowly, frowning. “My parents, then. Or the church.”

“They’d have a reason to not want you to move past them, for sure,” Lillian adds. Ari just has a small frown on her face. Adina nods along with the assertations, allowing them to draw their own conclusions- that was really the beauty of these things, she found.

“And finally, Blood in the Middle. This can be a factor that might make a difference between which happens. It’s the most present-focused of the three.” She then turns the card over.

This card shows a woman with light tan skin and brilliant red hair, wearing an equally red dress. She is laughing and reaching up for a red jaybird to land on her hand, displaying the two ribbons hanging from her wrist.

“This is the Jay,” Adina smiles. “She stands for mirth, joy, and doing what you love. In her position here as Blood in the Middle, she’s a suggestion to focus on what makes you happy and reach for it with both hands.”

“Hey, we know about that!” Lillian grins and elbows Maricia lightly, smiling. “Just like I said, you should lighten up and do what you can get away with!”

Maricia giggles lightly and shoves back toward Lillian. Adina waits a moment for the noise to subside.

“So, in summary- Flames Above, the Rook: the best case scenario is that you can move beyond what happened in the past. Flames Below, the Trickster: there may be agendas you don’t know about looking to keep you from achieving your goals. And finally, Blood in the Middle, the Jay: focus on what makes you happy now, and the joy it gives you. Thank you, *konraid*, and I wish you the best.” Adina inclines her head at Maricia, who quickly bows back.

“Thank you, *konraid*!” Lillian grins. “I might be back later.”

“Yes, thank you!” Maricia chirps, looking at the cards.

“Now- let’s get some fresh air.” Ari is the first to stand and lead the others out of the tent while Adina collects her cards and smiles.

## Adina's Deck

1. The Crow- “sorrow”, steadfastness in the face of pain
2. The Jay- “mirth”, joyfulness, carefree celebration
3. The Raven- “funeral”, reflection on past pain, a change not necessarily made but certainly felt
4. The Forge- sustained effort, dedication
5. The Knife- “silver” (the silver knife): A sudden and unexpected new factor
6. The Magpie- “gold”- deals, an equal exchange
7. The Trickster - “secret”- a secret, a hidden agenda, uneven playing fields in any direction
8. The Gambler-  “wish”- true chance or luck
9. The Lover- “kiss”- love, relationships of all kinds, other people
10. The Thief- skills and tools, whether having or lacking
11. The Blood- passions, personal ambition
12. The Rook- death/the dead, letting the past lie, moving beyond past circumstances