Mercador

[continued from Bahamut and Avandra]

As Mercador dealt the cards he could sense the tension brewing between his brothers. He knew that both would be overeager in their wagering since Avandra would obviously be seeking revenge for his lost hands and Bahamut would be attempting to obtain a replacement tongue. Seizing the opportunity, Mercador slyly dealt himself a very favorable hand from the bottom of the deck.

Again the bets mounted and it was Mercador's turn.
 * "Brothers," he said, "I know that you are both very sore at each other and that both of you would like to determine once and for all who is the most powerful. You could trade limbs back and forth all night, but in the morning what would we be left with?  Two useless and disfigured abominations.  Nothing will have been decided.  So I propose now that we end the game here and rest for the night.  Elsewise we will have formidable head pains in the morning from the drink and your relations with each other may be irreparably damaged."

Predictably his brothers objected at his, so Mercador proceeded with his plan.
 * "Alright, if that is the way you want it, let it be settled here and now. I submit that we each bet one of our balls on this hand; winner-takes-all, and afterward we will have our undisputed leader."

Bahamut and Avandra each hesitated, and their hands went immediately to cover their respective crotches. Neither wished to be seen as cowardly, however, so both eventually agreed.

Mercador won the hand easily and his brothers were forced to concede to him the leadership role. Bahamut's plan had backfired because of his greed for physical prowess as a means to attain power. Mercador, however, knew that really makes a leader is his balls. Now, he had four balls. That's a lot of balls.