The gentle sound of string instruments.
Fine marbled ground. Paintings along the walls.
The guests sat on reclining couches.
Small tables, by the side, holding single plates.
Fine silver. Crafted patterns on the rim.
A cave shrimp in the center. Still half alive. Its innards have been ripped out.
The guest poured drips of sauce on the creature and stabbed it with his fork.
"You're right on time."
One of the guests told the mysterious figure standing un-assumingly at the door.
A raven mask on his face.
The mysterious figure bows.
"Please, sit down, that can start later."
The mysterious figure takes his seat.
A waiter pushes a small table in front of him and serves up a squirming cave shrimp.
The figure briefly glances at it.
"Ah. It's good to be here. That was another rough day at the senate."
A guest took a sip at his glass.
"Yes, yes. All of us know that you serve in the senate already. You have already broken any measure of suspense on that matter."
"I bet you do too. I might have a good idea as to who you actually are if you keep up that jesting."
"A bit touchy are we? Do you happen to be representing the farmer's union?"
"Not a chance. Though I did see some women amongst the delegation. Perhaps your mother is amongst them?"
"My mother is too dignified of a woman to be engaging in such trivialities. Speak ill of her again and I'll shove that cave shrimp up your nose and have it eat your brains out."
"Ha! You can try. But you might lose your nose to my fist first."
"Gentlemen. cool it. the rest of us are busy letting off steam and the ruckus is making it difficult." A guest with a unicorn mask intervened.
The two glanced at each other and sipped their glasses.
"Now, does anyone have any gossip to share? Interesting stories? Trivia? Now's the time to share it. We all love a good story, don't we?"
"Hear. Hear."
A guest swallows his cave shrink and pushed it down with a bit of wine.
"I'll go first. I had a run in with the farmers the other day. Herda's grace, they were armed with muskets. What has the kingdom come to? Shitting in my pants all the way. Hired some extra guards. Worth every piece of plywood."
"Boorring! You might as well be presenting the agricultural statistics."
More guests groaned at the story.
"Any other stories?"
"Speaking of the plywood. Has anyone managed to trade any for gold? The royal house 'promised' that they would be redeemable with interest. It's carved right on the print."
"Stand on the lighthouse in the middle of day and you will find a crowd rioting in front of the depository. Stand on the lighthouse at night and you will find the guards firing off their muskets at robbers. I'd say you have a better chance of redeeming your gold from digging the behind of Herda's statue at this rate."
"Haha, sounds like you've tried. Any luck?"
"None, I'm afraid." The guest chuckled.
"Any uplifting stories?"
"I got one, I was in Escher for the festival. Most beautiful time of the year. On other days, it's just a cramped mass of stone. The wyvern pass was just cleared. Goods from Moradale can get through more easily which makes them cheaper. Best time to go shopping."
"Herda's tits! You should have invited me. Don't tell me you're keeping all that good stuff to yourself."
"Did you get drunk all night?"
"I commend you for your gusto. That region had been plagued by wyvern raids and a war. Now the Carla shaft is still giving problems."
"Are you planning to go all the way to Moradale?"
The unicorn mask raised his hand to signal the other guests to give him the floor.
"I certainly did. But then I attended the annual festival of flowers. I would have gotten drunk all night if it weren't for the event."
"Ha! That sounds like you alright."
"But listen carefully. Something incredible happened at the festival."
"Really? Isn't it the same every year? Several girls present themselves. If you like them, you toss them some flowers. The same scam. Those flowers cost a bomb."
"Indeed. There's always an option to refund them. And I normally refund most. But this year, I came across the most incredible beauty I have ever seen in my life. Immediately got my thing standing instantly."
"Oh shut up. You don't have to tell us that."
"I'm dead serious. I'm not the only one. The crowd instantly tossed her all of their flowers. I lost all of mine too. That's why I had to cut my trip short when I might have intended to go all the way to Moradale."
"That sounds like an incredulous story. Not even the queen could pull that off. Sounds more like you got drugged and lost your money. What else is there to it?"
"I swear on Herda's tits that I didn't. I had myself checked for that and made a scene with the hosts of the event."
"Let's stop it there. That's a good story. Now, on with the main event for tonight." The unicorn mask signals.
The musicians changed up the music. The mysterious figure walked to the fore of the stage.
"Now, let's see what you brought for us today."
The mysterious figure cued the waiter.
He pushed a display case with a cloth covering it to the center of the small stage.
The mysterious figure unveiled the display case.
A silky saddle. Fine red cloth. Pink flower embroidery weaved masterfully into the fabric.
"This belonged to lady Pirtruilor. It was obtained on a Tuesday after her fishing trip to the pond."
"That glass of expired milk?"
"Shut up, not everyone shares your taste."
"I'm entitled to my opinion."
"You are not entitled to spoil the soup for everyone else."
"Enough." The unicorn mask silences them. He turns to the mysterious figure.
"Continue."
"Any takers? The normal starting price."
"Pass."
"Pass."
"Pass."
"I'll take it. I was still missing that one for my collection."
The mysterious figure looks around.
"Any other takers."
Much of the guests had begun sipping on their glasses.
"Going once. Going twice. Taken."
The scribe at the side jot down some notes.
The waiter pushes the display case away.
Another one was placed center stage.
The mysterious figure unveiled the case.
Light green with a hint of sunny yellow.
Some members of the clientele sat upright.
"Lady KilarTenteli. She sits in the garden all day as usual. A rare slip in security allows my agent to nap her saddle on the same day. It's the bloom season. You may find the sweet smell of Lilis on the-"
"50 percent!" Before he could finish. The first bid came.
"60!"
"70!"
"100!"
"110"
"115"
"116"
"117"
"118"
"119"
"Are you messing with me?"
"Not at all. It's just fair game."
"120"
"121"
"122"
"123"
The two bidders glared at each other.
"124"
They continued.
"Now, now. I think in such a tight bid, we should use the other method to decide the winner."
The unicorn mask assured them. The two nodded.
The scribe jotted something down.
Another glass case took center stage.
"Lady Kerene Unenkof. She was-"
"Pass."
"Pass."
"That exhibitionist. We see her saddle everyday. I bet you just picked one of hers up off the street and tried to sell it to us."
"Hear. Hear."
The mysterious figure bows in apology.
A pause. The next display case did not show up.
A waiter carried a painting and placed it at the center.
It was a picture of a giant silver haired knight clad in steel armour. Wyvern plague the skies, raining fire down on the infantry men. The knight points her sword at a wyvern, her size matching the beast.
"Hey? What is this? That looks like a poster painting. Are you out of wares for the night already?"
"The painting is quite good actually. I would buy it and hang it somewhere. It's just clearly a work done by a street painter."
The mysterious figure held up his hands and assured the guests.
"The next one belonged to an individual that has yet to visit the Herdial capital. She was responsible for defeating the wyvern queen and securing the wyvern pass. Which is why I wish to present a painting of her to the esteemed guests."
Nods of approval from guests.
"Interesting, we like strong women at times just like we don't always like our steak all broiled and soft."
"Ha! Indeed, it looks like this one is going to be a tad bigger than what we are used to."
The mysterious figure cued the waiters.
A rumbling sound of the helpers rearranging things behind the stage.
The guests looked on with curiosity. It was after all an auction for primarily small items.
Eventually the waiters managed to push a huge display case onto the stage.
It was the size of an aquarium.
"What is this? Did you bring her entire suit of armour?" A guest chuckled.
"I for one would mainly pay for the saddle."
"Quiet, I'm intrigued to see what surprises lay behind that curtain."
The mysterious figures bow.
A waiter takes his position on the opposite side of the display case.
Together, they pulled the cloth down.
"Apologies, due to tight security and interference, only the front half was recovered."
The guests remained silent. Some with their mouths agape.
They stared at the huge triangular piece of cloth big enough to cover their torsos.
A hint of a dried red stain in the middle.
The sound of a silver fork landing on the marbled floor.