155 Auction House

As Assessor Alirac voice tapered off the silvery blue glow around the storm iron slowly faded. Turning to Jayde, he looked at her his hazel eyes sparkling, while a soft blush of pink flooded his cheeks.

"One hundred percent pure storm iron," he declared his voice tremulous, his fingers hold the storm iron nugget trembled. Assessor Alirac tried to remember the last time he had assessed a piece of storm iron this pure. Ah, it was that strange old mage that used to come here once a year, he thought, but he hasn't been around for nearly twelve years now.

Hmm, this nugget is similar to what he used to bring, I wonder if this girl knows him, Assessor Alirac thought. Although he was eaten up with curiosity, it was against the Auction House policy to pry into a clients personal life. While Jayde wasn't a client yet, Assessor Alirac was determined to get her to give these metal ores to Aeris Auction House to auction, it had been over a decade since they had been able to offer such high-quality metal ores.

Placing the storm iron nugget down, Assessor Alirac picked up another piece and began to sing. Once Assessor Alirac had confirmed all ten pieces of storm iron where hundred percent pure, he moved on to the doom copper, like the storm iron the doom copper only showed one color, but this time instead of silvery blue, the doom copper glowed a creamy yellow.

Jayde took careful note of the different color.

[Isha is the color shown the same for each metal caller?]

[Ah, yes as far as I am aware.]

Interesting, Jayde thought. Although she hadn't awoken her metal affinity, she did wonder that when she did if she would be able to 'talk' to metal like Assessor Alirac. With this in mind, Jayde started to memorize the song that Assessor Alirac was singing.

Jayde took note that humming titanium glowed a bright silver, while dwarven dark gold was a shimmery gold with black specks. Once Assessor Alirac had finished assessing all the metal ores, his poor legs were bouncing up and down, he could barely sit still in his chair.

"And those?" he asked pointing to the two porcelain bottles.

"Enchanted dust," answered Jayde.

Assessor Alirac had already felt like he had received a lifetime of Imbolg❶ gifts in one day, so when he heard Jayde say that those two bottles contained enchanted dust, he felt dizzy for a second.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he reached over and picked up a bottle, removing the cork he sprinkled some of the enchanted dust onto his left hand. While it was called enchanted dust, it didn't look like dust, enchanted dusk was tiny pearl-shaped ores, each about the size of a grain of rice. They were pitch black with a paper thin gold stripe down each side. Each grain was identical in size, shape, and color and it was impossible to duplicate.

Placing the bottle down on the table, Assessor Alirac ran his right index finger through the grains held in his left hand. He could immediately see that each grain was perfect.

"Lady Jayde, Aeris Auction House would be honored to auction these items on your behalf," Assessor Alirac said, as he poured the grains back into the porcelain bottle.

"Hmm, if I ask Assessor Alirac how much do you think you will be able to auction these ores for?"

Giving Jayde a solemn look, Assessor Alirac said: "It would be best to auction the metal ores off separately, very few could afford to buy all of them, and as to the enchanted dust it is best to sell it per ounce. If we auction these goods that way, you will make more profit. All of this should sell for no less than five million gold pieces, normally the auction house takes twenty-five percent, but with such high-quality metal ores we will settle for ten percent."

Jayde was taken aback by Assessor Alirac statement, she hadn't realized that the metal ores she had brought in were so valuable.

"That's fine Assessor Alirac we will do it as you suggest, when do you think you will be able to place these items up for auction?"

"I will speak to the auction master right away and see if we can arrange for them to go to the auction today."

With that said Assessor Alirac took out a piece of parchment from one of the draws in the desk and began to jot down a receipt of the items as well as the agreement.Once he was finished he removed a small key from his pocket, and opened up a locked draw were he remove a black metal card. He then injected his magic into the card.

Handing over the receipt as well as the black metal card he said: "This is your Aeris Auction card, it will entitle you to your own VIP booth as well as a ten percent discount on all your purchases. I have already loaded five hundred thousand pieces of gold onto the card as a deposit for your goods."

Taking the card as well as the receipt, Jayde stood up. "It has been a pleasure," she said.

"Oh, and one more thing Assessor Alirac, would you please keep my identity a secret when selling these ores."

"Rest assured Lady Jayde, Aeris Auction House takes the privacy of our clients very seriously," Assessor Alirac said as he finished packing away the ores and porcelain bottles into a large satchel.

"Will you be attending today's auction?" he asked.

"Yes, I am interested in seeing what you have to offer," replied Jayde.

"Then please allow me to arrange for my assistant to take you and your friends to your booth."

Jayde followed Assessor Alirac back to the reception area. Raven was the first to see Jayde, standing up she walked over.

"Everything sorted?" Raven asked.

"Mm-hmm."

"Lady Jayde if you will wait a moment, I will send my assistant to you shortly."

Nodding her head in agreement Jayde and Raven walked over to Ash and Nova who were already standing.

"Hey, what's that all about?" Nova asked.

"Oh, Assessor Alirac is finding someone to lead us to a private booth," Jayde said nonchalantly.

"Ahhh! A private booth?" Nova yelped. "By the gods, Jayde what did you sell to make them treat you like royalty?"

"Royalty?" Jayde enquired.

Nova leaned closer to Jayde. "Yes, only noble families and royalty get private booths," he whispered.

"Wait you said us?" he burst out. "Does that mean us three?" he said pointing to himself, Ash and Raven.

"Mm-hmm."

At Jayde's affirmative, Nova started to bounce from foot to foot, while a huge grin spread across his face, then he grabbed Jayde and lifted her off her feet, and he swung her around.

"You are the absolute best boss in the whole world!"

"Put. Me. Down."

"Oops, sorry boss," Nova said grimacing as he gently put Jayde back on the ground.

But unable to contain his excitement, he immediately turned to Ash.

"Don't you dare," Ash said his voice ladened with threatening undertones.

"Ah! Ash did you not hear we going to be seated in a private booth," Nova gushed.

"Yes I heard, I think the whole of Doha might have heard you by now," Ash said sarcastically.

"Spoilsport," Nova grumbled as he pouted.

But even Ash's rebuke couldn't keep the young man down for long, within a minute he was humming to himself as he bounced from one foot to another, it was as though he could stand still for a second.

A young woman soon entered the reception area, walking over to the group, she bowed low.

"Lady Jayde, if you will follow me," she said.

Nodding Jayde and her group followed the assistant, through a discreet door behind the counter. They were then led through a small passageway and up five flights of stairs.The assistance then led to them to a private room. Opening the door, she beckoned them to enter.

Jayde and her group entered the luxuriously private room. Four comfortable leather chairs were lined up next to a large window, next to each chair was a small table with a platter of delicious looking sandwiches and finger snacks, a medium size crystal bowl filled with candies as well as a decanter of blue color liquor with a small crystal glass.

In the rear of the room was a wet bar with various decanters of different color liquors, a couple of jugs of different fruit juices,as well as tea set with various tin's of different teas lined up. There was also another three-tiered silver tray filled with petite artistic cakes next to the tea set.

The assistant then pointed out to a button on each chair, which would light up the window, this was to indicate that they were bidding on an item. The assistant informed them that the magical glass would allow them to see out, but no one would be able to see into their room.

After informing Jayde that her items would be auctioned today, and ensuring that Jayde didn't require anything else, the assistant left closing the door behind her. As Jayde walked over to one of the chairs, Nova was spinning around the room.

"By the gods, this is incredible!" Nova exclaimed.

Walking over to his chair he lifted up the decanter of blue liquor. "This is arctic blossom liquor, have you any idea how much gold this costs?" he asked, as he poured himself a small glass.

Taking a small sip, Nova smacked his lips. "Wow! My grandfather receive a bottle from the emperor for his hundredth birthday, he wouldn't allow anyone to even touch it, I have always wanted to taste it. Can't wait to see that old man's face when I tell him that I had a whole bottle to myself."

While Nova was sipping his arctic blossom liquor and smacking his lips, Ash was perusing the other liquor bottles in the wet bar. "Winter Cognac, Smooth Velvet, Hushed Petal, Red Wine Fury, Summer Eye. Got to say they really look after their VIP's," he said.

"Yup, and look at these candies," Raven said while digging through her candy bowl. "Snowflakes, Raffits, Fluxies, Speakers, Fairy Rings. Oh! By the gods, they even have Nudgefudge and Lunasnappers."

Picking out a small round dark brown square as well as a round silver ball, she held them up to show everyone. Then she stuffed both into her mouth.

"Sooo gund," Raven said around the sweets in her mouth, her eyes were nearly creased into slits as she sighed in pleasure.

Jayde lips curled into a half smile at the three antics. While Ash was pouring himself some sort of liquor in the back, Jayde poured herself a glass of arctic blossom. After taking a small sip, she had to admit it was delicious, it tasted similar to blueberries back in the federation. Jayde had just helped herself to a small sandwich when Reiko wail pierced through her mind.

[Cakes! Jayde you have to give me all of those cakes, don't let those hooligans steal my cakes!] he pleaded.

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➥ Notes

❶ Imbolg, a celebration held every year on the first day of spring. It was customary to give gifts to partners and family members to celebrate the new year.

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