Esme’s Gilded Coin Summer Auction

August 22, 2025

Date: 2025-08-21 19:03

(Esme’s Gilded Coin Summer Auction)

[Thu Aug 21 2025]

Auction House – Stage and Seating
The heart of the theatre has been transformed into an artfully dedicated space for auctions. The proscenium arch frames what is now the raised auctioneer’s podium. The stage floor is a dark, polished oak. Rich velvet curtains in the same gold as the Viewing Gallery are drawn closed, hiding whatever lies backstage. The floor along the space and in the box balconies is carpeted in a rich red with

The seating area has been reconfigured some with several rows of refurbished theatre seating in the front, giving way to more of a dining experience beyond and within the boxed balconies above. Round tables with plenty of seating are covered in thick linen table cloths with decorative centerpieces. The chairs are a dark wood with comfortable red upholstery that matches the theatre chairs.

It is about 65/span>/span18C) degrees. The mist is heaviest At Birch and Lake/span>/spanDovie waves to Sofia through the crowd.

“I try.” Esme offers to Evalina with some amusement, waving to Sofia and Shay as they come in, working on a few last minute adjustments still. “I heard there was a raid or something just ending so I’ll probably more officially start things in 15 or so. Give people some time to get themselves together. ”

Sofia smiles over to Dovie with the over the clack clack of heels as she enters, plucking a snack from a platter as she moves on through the seating area to take a casual seat near the woman.

Shay makes his brisk way into the theatre and heads straight for one of the nearby vacant seats, preferably somewhere in the front, though not forgetting to shoot Esme an upnod as he does.

Sofia nods her agreement to Esme as she settles down with a casual cross of her legs at an ankle, keeping a canape clutched between her fingers. “Raid has ended, folks should be trickling in.”

Dovie enjoys a plated meal while waiting for the bidding.

Evalina grimaces, considering, “I should find a seat then before this place is cramped.” She decides, heading off to the seating area and settling down there. She starts tip-tapping away at her phone, occasionally grinning like a maniac.

Dovie eats happily while waiting, eyeing some particular items though she does not linger too long on any so as not to give too much away as to her intentions.

Esme moves up and over to the stage, checking a few things there next and keeping an eye on the door and the time

Shay is mostly on his phone, though his head often lifts up to watch the area with some certain scrutiny, before returning his gaze back down to the dim lighting of his phone screen. Must be busy.

Dovie waves to Arachne from her seat.

Esme moves toward the podium on the stage, checking over some papers she’s gone. There’s a smile offered toward Arachne when she comes in.

Evalina still on her phone, notices Arachne from the corner of her eyes. She gives a slight shiver, offering her a wave, should she be noticed. Though she doesn’t, exactly, make herself noticeable.

Evalina waves to Annabelle, “Hi Hannahbull!” She greets her with a cheerful smile.

Arachne inclines her head to the familiar faces around her, pausing at Dovie’s side to press a kiss to her cheek before she drifts to a seat beside August.

Sofia puts in an order of beef wellington with a passing waiter, hum humming to herself as she scrolls her phone. Her hair, around her shoulders, slides up of its own accord and begins braiding itself into an elegant high bun in sentient strands, practiced and easily, as she sends a little smile towards Annabelle, and gently jokes with Evalina, “I think you’ll find she’s really AnnaBananna.”

“Haaaai.” Annabelle greets back, putting a considering thumb and forefinger on the bill of her cap, consider whether she’s going to go Ash Ketchum with it. She saves it for the bids and hops on over to Evalina by merit of following the sound of her own name.

Arachne gives a little wiggle of her fingers at Gabriel when she spots him, then turns in her seat to Mercy. “You look as though you just drug yourself from some filthy work, Mercy. You couldn’t spare a moment to clean up before you came in? It must have been dangerous,” she murmurs her way, intrigued. “All is well then?”

Quietly, August sips at his drink where he sits, legs cross, one hand above his knee with the other holding that bauble shaped glass. In a manner that isn’t all too pleased with the shape of the container, clearly, but he does turn his head towards Arachne when she settles beside, to smile just a little to break the monotony of his expression, and then cover it up with another sip.

Dovie has finished with her beef Wellington now, and gazes around at the crowd, sizing up the competition while furtive glances are given to certain foods, her eyes never lingering too long.

Evalina glances at Sofia, furrowing her brow. Thinking. “Mmmm. Well, I am not entirely sure if I am at the stage of giving her nicknames yet…” She murmurs, glancing at Annabelle, “But it works for me, Bannanabull.” She ruins it, smirking. As she’s asked about healing – she flushes a bright, bright red. Likely some sort of misunderstanding, going by the way she tenses up, looking about to sink into the floor before blinking, scraping her throat. “U-h. I don’t /think/ I’ve any sort of injury to be worried over…”

Mercy slides a half-lidded gaze over to Arachne and tells her very matter-of-factly, “Homeless shelter ain’ got any good showers or nothin’, so.”

“Alright! We’ll get things rolling. Funny I really only like focused on the ‘auction’ part of this and not the being a host part.” Esme chuckles. There’s a nod toward others as they come in. “Welcome everyone and thank you for attending the very first auction here at the Gilded Auction House. The items up for bid tonight are a collective of items that I’ve been hanging on to for a while through the Dragon’s Hoard Pawn Shop and things I’ve come into possession of via different out of town jobs and offworld excursions.” She explains

“We’ll be doing a Free for all sort of Silent Auction. When bidding opens, you’ll be able to place bids on the tablets next to each item so you’re free to wander, eat, mingle. The bidding window will be open for One Hour at which time the tablets will stop allowing new bids and I’ll begin reviewing everything for the winnings bids.”

She looks over the group a moment. “If you have any questions about any of the items before or during bidding, I’m happy to answer them as best I can. Or if you have any questions about the bidding process. We’ll start the bidding in about 30 minutes. So take your time, look over things, eat, mingle, and ask any questions you may have!”

“Quite,” Dovie murmurs succinctly, “A little competition warms the blood though. I am imagining there will be a lot of glaring through this silent auction.”

Aeryn wanders toward a chair, pausing briefly to wiggle her fingertips in greeting before seating herself.

Dovie waves to Aeryn.

Gabriel nods to Dovie, “Mhm. It’ll be very interesting to see what everyone finds value in.”

Mercy finds value in the free and cheap meals here, evidently, and not much else.

Alice slips in quietly, immediately wincing when she spots the size of the crowd. Her eyes track over the participants, but she notices Annabelle’s gesture and heads that way, weaving through the crowd until she can stand near the other girl, Sofia, and Evalina. She mutters, “Noisy,” as if that were a greeting.

puts a pair of fingers to her lips then sends them in the general direction of Alice, blowing a kiss just as the waiter brings her beef wellington over. “That’s a pretty decent one,” Sofia confirms to Evalina as she unfolds her napkin and sets it in her lap, paying quiet attention to Esme on stage. “It is,” she agrees up to the nearby Warden as she reclines in her chair.

Aeryn beams a smile toward Dovie, twirling a lock of hair around her index finger before she finds her cousin. “Maybe I will bid,” she relents with a nod to Arachne. “Once or twice.”

Evalina listens attentively to Esme, seeming quite interested, then whispering softly. “…I don’t know most of these items. But…” Here eyes fall on a pair of earrings. It seems someone’s found a shiny. Her eyes flit to Alice as she squeezes in, grinning at her. “It’s good to see you again, Alice. And — this time without any need for fighting.” She says cheerily, “Lovely.”

“How unfortunate,” Arachne murmurs toward Mercy’s direction in a facsimile of sympathy before she turns in her seat to cast a curious study of Constance from beneath her lashes. “Constance, you’re certainly … a vision,” is all the monarch deigns to say before she reaches up for August’s drink, gently tugging it toward herself to sample it, with a glimmer of amusement in her eyes that flick to Aeryn when she joins.

“More than once or twice!” Dovie enthuses to Aeryn. “So many interesting items!”

“I’m not a very loud presence at things like these,” Alice says softly, greeting Evalina with a smile nonetheless. “Big crowds not really my scene. The stuff on auction looks cool, though,” she says, and her eyes fall mostly on the crystal ball, a little spark in her eyes despite the crowds. “Plus, I may as well be social.”

“It does feel more like a take my money situation,” Aeryn agrees with Dovie, nodding her head. “It makes things a bit more difficult.”

Mercy pointedly ignores Arachne’s less than subtle attempt to put her on the spot or otherwise inspire shame for the state of herself, going so far as to lean forward in her seat and casually brush some dirt from the sleeve of her coat onto the floor.

Constance glances up at Arachne as her own name is mentioned, then returns her attention towards the floor about five feet in front of her when it seems nothing Arachne said elicited a response from the giant woman.

Just before Arachne pulls August’s drink away from his grasp, August takes one more long sip, then leaves it in her hands. Instead of leaving the hand idle, August’s arm is spread behind her seat while he glances aside, and across, inspecting the auction’s items with a dull look — then, unlike everyone that ever did, he makes his intentions pretty clear, “I think I’ll bid on the crystal ball.” And then something else, quieter, is whispered to Arachne’s ear.

Dovie nods in agreement with Aeryn, “Yes but if we do not fill our lives with beautiful things what else have we in the world?” she teases.

Evalina snorts at Alice, nodding, her eyes flitting briefly to Annabelle and Sofia. “I can’t stand crowds myself, so I get it. I usually never show up to these things-” Beat. “But it’s an auction. By Esme. There’s no way it won’t be entirely fascinating. There’s definitely things here I am going to want, I think.” She tilts her head. “Presuming I can manage, I am sort of spending everything on my shops lately…”

Esme steps off the stage after she speaks, drifting closer to the seating area to keep an eye on things and do a little socializing herself before the bidding opens.

“Food,” Aeryn attempts to reply to Dovie very seriously, before laughing softly. “The last time I went to anything where I could take something home, I ended up with three cats.”

“Cats are pretty great though.” Esme muses to Aeryn with a chuckle. “Good to see you tonight!”

Dovie’s eyes light up at Aeryn, “Oh yes me too but that was really such fun and for such a good cause! How are the kitties doing?”

“Lovely to see you as well,” Aeryn gives Esme a smile, “And I’d suppose they’re not horrible, but fur gets on everything. They’re settling well. The kitten tends to be on top of our kitchen cabinets all the time, and I’ve no idea why,” she tells Dovie, wrinkling her nose.

“….I feel like if Esme had put a maine coon on auction and made sure to invite Mootthew, this auction would have drained the city of its GDP…” Evalina remarks in a quiet tone.

“Are maine coons a hot commodity?” Alice asks with interest, brow raised. “We have one,” she says, gesturing between herself and Stelle. “His name is DJ Catled.”

Dovie catches Evalina’s comment and gives a giggle as well as a nod of acknowledgement.

Arachne subtly leans into August’s side, tilting her chin up to hear his whispered words with an idle twist of her mouth, before bringing her pilfered glass to her lips for a delicate sip. Her thumb swipes briefly over her phone, swiping through a few screens before its tucked beneath her crossed thighs. “Matthew would vote on anything simply because he could if it interested him enough, but the Maine Coon would definitely be the lure,” she voices toward Evalina at the remark of her cousin. Her head turns now, spotting Alice and Stelle. It’s the former, first, that’s beckoned with a curl of her fingers, with a vivacious smile at the babe of a latter. “There’s my favorite couple. A moment, if you will, Miss Renwick.”

“The competition for them was pretty fierce at the cat adoption event,” Sofia confirms with Alice, skewering a slice of beef and chowing down, without much of an attempt to do so with refinement.

Stelle glances at Alice and shrugs, attention briefly pulled away from the items. “We sort of do, I suppose, it is closer to say we are catsitting, no?”

Shay lifts his helmeted head up from the direction of his phone once it’s eventually tucked away within the safety of his Carhartt jacket. Shifting his posture around on his seat, he turns to look beside and behind him at the gathered crowd, and then to the stage where the items are, while sunk comfortably into his own theater seat. Just watching, like a silent sentry.

Dovie eyes the items again on display, letting out a hum of thought.

“No,” Alice answers to Stelle with shocking firmness. “We have him. He’s my cat and he lives at our house and I’ll die before I let Preston have him back.” She almost sounds whiny. A little. But the Warden would never. It’s then that she just barely notices being beckoned. She excuses herself with a little wave from the current group and slinks over towards Arachne, opening with a wide smile. “Miss Arachne,” she greets. “We’re definitely not your favorite couple.”

“A pistol like that, and it makes you want to shoot things,” Aeryn muses quietly, arching one brow as she surveys the items for auction.

Stelle glances back a moment but her attention quickly returns to the items, a rather silent meander as she peeps the goods.

Evalina chuckles softly, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen people as passionate as at the cat events. Honestly. I’ve seen a lot of protests by the Order, Hand pearl clutching and Templar rage, but it all fades in the amount of care shown there if you ask me.” She says in pure hyperbole, “I think if the major societies of this city would just all pick a cat to represent them, peace of any kind would quickly find itself untenable. Thank goodness they’re responsible enough to avert this mutually assured destruction.” She is dry, joking to no one in particular, then giving Alice a worried look.

“Perhaps I should bid on it. I am always in the market for a new pistol,” Arachne murmurs toward Aeryn, scrunching her nose with just a touch of humor for the hushed words spared between her and August before she turns in her seat to receive Alice with a glamorous smile. “Nonsense, Warden Renwick,” she laughs brightly. “Of all the couples, you are a favorite. Not the the top, perhaps, but highly regarded among them. Have you met my better half, August Pierce?” she wonders, motioning to August at her side.

“You should,” Aeryn nods her head to Arachne before crossing one leg over the other and glancing at her phone.

Esme glances to her watch a moment and then the doors as if debating something and then moves back toward the stage.

Alice drags her gaze from Arachne to August at the introduction, looking him up, then down, then up again. After a long blink, she shakes her head left to right, then looks back to Arachne, where her eyes will no doubt be more comfortable. “He looks familiar,” she manages, “But I don’t think we’ve met.” Back to August, she forces a smile, and introduces herself with a sweet, “Alice Renwick. A pleasure.”

“Better half?” August glances aside at Arachne, and he looks almost offended at the insuniation, down to the crease of his brows and the slight frown tugging the edge of his mouth low. Or, maybe it’s just his usual expression, coupled with the mirthless look of his eyes that slide from Arachne to Alice, and her inspection is returned in a narrower sort of gaze. One that’s just as bereft of the smile that he efforts to bloom, for the sake of being cordial. “You’re the girl that blew the baseball competition out of the court, am I wrong?” After a few seconds of pause, he adds, “Maybe I’m wrong.” And offers an easier look, and a simple dip of his head. “August Pierce, pleasure’s all mine.”

unconcerned by the obvious, beeping nature of her phone, Annabelle begins to turn her hat crooked in preparation as she conspires to Sofia.

Esme takes to the podium again, “I’ve changed my mind. I’m going to open up the bidding now. Bidding will close at 9PM! Bids will be in increments of 10. So, for example if you want to bid on this Crystal Ball, the first bidder is 200 and then every bid after that should be an increment of 10. 210, 220, etc. You can bid higher than that, so long as it follows the increment.” She explains, pressing a few things on her phone. “Enjoy! And I’m still available for any questions you may have about anything!”

((OOC: The Form is now open for accepting the bids!))

Mercy side-eyes Arachne from her seat, evidently having overheard something, but with such a perpetually blank expression it’s hard to tell for sure.

Aeryn shakes her head at Arachne, looking confused.

Dovie gazes at her phone intently, watching the first few vids

Dovie watches BIDS.

Alice furrows her brow, trying to remember the truth amongst all the confusion. Eventually, though, realization strikes her, and she shakes her head, instead pointing to the blonde French-woman no doubt lurking nearby. “That was probably Stelle you’re thinking of,” she manages. “I’m more likely to hurt myself with a bat than I am to hit a home run.” She says it with a little smile, but then, after a glance at Esme as the bidding begins, she glances back at Arachne, asking, “Do you want your present now, Miss Arachne?”

Mercy shrugs with a yawn and stretches back in her seat languidly.

Dovie narrows her eyes and looks around suspiciously, updating her bidding app.

More like than not to hover, Stelle is in fact nearby Alice though not so close as to be smothering and seemingly not paying particularly close attention to the conversation the redhead is participating in either. Her phone comes out but she shakes her head, exhaling deeply.

“Maybe.” August hangs a shoulder, but doesn’t seem at all interested to see whether she’s right or he is. Which, she is. August’s attention is down on his phone, thumbing through his phone to check the bidding app and putting down his bid.

Dovie gasps and narrows her eyes while watching the app.

“I know everyone by name, but I don’t think we’ve met, formally.” August replies without lifting his head from his phone, but, like he has some kind of preternatural awareness of his surroundings right now, the arm over Arachne’s shoulder moves. Lifts his hand to wave two fingers towards Stelle, then drop. “I’d greet you in french, but I’m a bit occupied. Nice to meet you.”

Alice nods, brightening up a little at the chance to give a gift. She holds up a finger, silently asking Arachne to wait a moment, before she retrieves her mothman backpack and shoves her whole arm into its mouth, burying herself up to the elbow in the poor bastard of a squishmallow. She fishes around in there, distending the squishy cryptid’s bloated corpse less than she probably should, before she finally retrieves a painfully green little paperback novel, which she extends out to Arachne with a big grin. “It’s nothing fancy, but it’s like, the best yuri to hit the market probably all decade. Sumiko Arai is probably a genius.”

Sofia clears her throat a bit and squints as she figures the app out, leaning in slightly. She doesn’t bid just yet, instead watching numbers scroll by idly.

Dovie leans over towards Sofia, “Waiting for the swoop, are you?” she winks.

Sofia leans back in towards Dovie, winking. “Hour is an awful long time of bidding.”

Stelle dips her sunglasses but elects to remove them entirely, nodding towards August and mirroring his two fingered greeting with her own bandaid clad fingers. “Yes, nice to meet you,” she replies, her own attention on her phone before she glances over towards Alice.

Mercy checks an invisible watch on her wrist for the time then gets up from her seat, shuffling through to make her way out and remove her crude presence from polite society. Not before swiping a few canaps for the road, though.

“They’re discussing their super secret strategy!” Dovie tells Evalina.

“Dovie, darling,” Arachne calls over toward Dovie. “Do you know what yuri is?”

Evalina says “I forbid anyone from answering Arachne’s question“

Alice brightens up again as Arachne accepts the book, even though the monarch doesn’t seem all too thrilled. Alice answers cheerily, saying, “Well, it’s not necessarily that I thought you’d want it, but more that… I wanted to share my interests with you,” she explains, widening her smile a little. “If you hate it, though, I won’t be offended,” she lies. It will definitely hurt her feelings.

“A gift from Miss Renwick is a gift from beyond our understanding,” Stelle replies quietly before humming to herself, eyes on the phone in her hand. Definitely in her hand.

Evalina says “Let her find out on her own, it will be far more fun that way“

Dovie blinks blankly at Evalina and then turns to blink blankly at Arachne, “What?”

Dovie looks clueless, and turns to Gabriel. “What is yurie?”

Evalina glances between Dovie, Alice, Arachne with an incredibly amused expression. “Trust me. Just try reading it when home alone later. You will have a… fun discovery.” She grins. “I’d love to hear your reaction.”

Tamar meanders in pretty late but she is here all the same. The girl glances around at the faces scattered about the seats and then eventually drifts over to Shay to take a seat quietly.

Sofia misdirects casually, saying, “Yuri Gagarin, the first man in Orbit,” nodding knowingly to Dovie and Arachne before winking to Alice.

Evalina says “Poor innocent spider is going to have the shock of her life“

Arachne looks no more educated on the ways of Alice’s strange gift-giving practices than Dovie, for her expression resembles her red-headed cousin’s perfectly. “Well, I’ll certainly give it a look over when I have a moment,” she promises to Alice, before Evalina’s words have her a touch more suspicious, and thus turning toward August again.

Gabriel considers Dovie for a moment before saying, “Yeah I’ll tell you what’s going on later.”

“I don’t think its something you should know.” August tells Arachne, but also, he slips into a perfectly fluent French as well like the rest of them. “But,” August’s eyes lift slowly from his phone to set first on Arachne, then away from her to set that peering glare over at someone and Alice, “I’ll explain it to you later, when people aren’t trying to corrupt the innocence out of my girlfriend.”

“I don’t think its something you should know.” August tells Arachne, but also, he slips into a perfectly fluent French as well like the rest of them. “But,” August’s eyes lift slowly from his phone to set first on Arachne, then away from her to set that peering glare over at Stelle and Alice, “I’ll explain it to you later, when people aren’t trying to corrupt the innocence out of my girlfriend.”

Alice beams happily, her psyche immensely fulfilled by another successful gift-giving. She turns to Stelle, as if to say, ‘did you see that?’ with a wide smile, before her attention is back on Arachne and August. She just smiles blankly at August, though, barely understanding the words he’s saying. “Uh, oui?” she manages, totally lost.

Shay is silent and observant, and probably judgey behind that helmet of his at the ongoing conversation happening around him, but he doesn’t budge much from his comfortable enough position, leaning to the side on his chair and sunk into it. When Tamar approaches, he does swivel his head to give the woman a nod in acknowledgment, before returning his attention back to the stage and the people. He looks busy, even if he isn’t.

Evalina grins, seeming greatly improved in mood, “I never knew Alice had such a talent for gift-giving. It gives me a newfound appreciation for the Order.” She says to no one in particular. “Very lovely indeed.”

Sofia squints a little bit at the lots on auction and then shakes her head, lamenting to Dovie, “No, I don’t think we’ve got any spaceborn items. That I can tell. Meteorite ore jewelry is kinda cute though, when applied correctly.”

Dovie says “sofia Yes I do love all of those jewels“

Arachne nearly chokes on her sip of gin and tonic, gray eyes flashing in alarm toward August, then Alice and Stelle, before she clears her throat delicately and presses the glass back into his possession. A napkin is lifted to dab at her lips. “Mystery solved,” she murmurs demurely, then lifts her eyes toward Alice once more. “Thank you, Miss Renwick. Are any of the objects on auction of interest to you?” she wonders conversationally, before spotting Shay from the corner of her eye. He’s given a furtive wiggle of her fingers, before her attention turns to August, tagging his cheek in a chaste kiss. “How are the bids looking?”

“Um,” Alice manages, furrowing her brow with a little worry. “It’s like wishing on a meteor, right? If I tell you, it won’t come true.” She pauses, though, glancing over at the lots, and determines that determinism won’t do any good. Eventually, she points, first at the crystal ball, then at the armor, then lastly at the tome. “I guess those three look pretty cool. I’ve actually kind of started collecting weird books, after Ambrose gave me one for my birthday. I figure I can start a bookshelf, and then when people come talk to me in my office, they’ll look at all the neat books on my shelf and think I’m much smarter and cooler. It’s what college professors do,” she explains.

August’s arm slowly withdraws from behind Arachne, and in the midst of the motion, he thumbs down another bid while also taking the glass from her with his newfound freedom of an extra hand. “It’s looking.” August’s answer is flat, perhaps not very intrigued, but he doesn lean, in some curiosity, to glance ahead. “Just a second, spider.” August vacates his seat, glass in hand, to put his arms down over the empty seat next to Dovie, and lean low for a second, near to her ear to whisper something.

Sofia waggles her sharp brows back to Dovie and squints down at the bidding list, supposing, “Just which jewels are you actually gunning for though, Ms. Fairchild? HMMMM.”

Dovie listens to August’s whisper before murmuring back to him in a quiet, low voice.

Tamar is contented to just sit beside Shay though she does give the helmet an odd look. Besides that she scans the other faces in the crowd, giving Annabelle and Evalina each a little not of greeting then trying to follow the rest of the conversation going on.

Esme’s steps bring her closer to Shay and Tamar offering them both a smile. “Things are looking good so far I think.” She tells the former, with another brief glance toward the lobby, periodically keeping a general eye on things herself. “It’s good to see you again, Tamar. How have you been?”

Annabelle shifts out of her earring trance at a face looking at her in her periphery, finding none other than an indigo-flavored friend, and takes a chat down to her phone.

Aeryn seems to remember to move, glancing up from her phone momentarily.

There really isn’t much going on on Shay’s end besides the occasional shifting posture, hands placed demurely on his lap, gaze no doubt piercing through the dark tint of his helmet’s visor. Arachne is given a curt nod in response, but the man doesn’t look all too interested to initiate any conversations. Watching, dutifully. At least until Esme walks on up to him and Tamar. “Looking good, yeah. Great start and all,” he tells their host.

Tamar lifts her chin to look up at Esme, smiling faintly. “I am doing very well, thank you,” she murmurs. “And yourself? Your ankle is better, I hope?” Her gaze drifts to the things on auction and she adds, “Are you planning on buying anything?”

Tamar blinks a moment at what Shay say then looks back at Esme. “Oh, this is your auction?” Clearly she really has no clue how these things work.

“I suppose you could liken it to that,” Arachne allows toward Alice with a faint smile creasing her lips, gray eyes following the point of the Warden’s finger toward the crystal ball, armor, and the tome with a modicum of interest. “Popular items,” she observes, falling quiet, chin pressed to the backs of her knuckles as she watches the crowd from beneath her lashes. “I wish you all the best is getting what you’d like, darling. You deserve that wish on your meteor.” And with that, the monarch turns her attention toward a wave of texts flooding her phone, bemused.

Esme grins to Tamar, “It is, indeed, yeah. I’m doing well and my ankle’s totally fine.” She assures her with a soft laugh. “Just enjoying the ambiance really and watching how the bidding’s going.”

Alice glances over at Stelle with another wide, beaming grin, shooting her two dorky thumbs ups. She gives a little finger-wiggle wave to Arachne since the monarch is busy, now, and makes her way back to Annabelle and Sofia, significantly more pep in her step now that she’s finally gotten that ten thousand pound gift off of her soul. “I think she really liked it, guys,” she says with a chirp. “She seemed really happy.”

“I mean, it’s not salacious, or anything,” Alice defends herself with a pout. “It’s a really cute kinda slow-burn story. I don’t wanna spoil it or anything.”

Stelle raises an eyebrow at Alice and nods. “It is euh… a gift from the heart, no? Anyone would be happy to receive something like that,” Stelle replies, “And yes, euh… not the spiciest one I have read.”

Tamar smiles a little, recovering from her faux pas, “It seems very popular,” she tells Esme, looking around at all the other faces then back up to the other woman. “I like the armor,” she admits, pointing at it.

“So do I get to bring home any items that don’t get bid on?” Shay tilts his head back, almost exaggeratedly, to look at Esme while he’s side-leaning in his seat after the inquiry is given. His expression is hidden under the helmet, of course, but there’s definitely a hint of amusement in his voice.

Aeryn turns back to her phone with a clear look of amusement on her features.

That last whisper said, August pushes away from the seat he was leaning on, takes a long sip of his drink, and steps back to his seat next to Arachne. His legs cross as they did before, with the glass held over his knee, while his arm spreads behind Arachne’s shoulder.

Alice blushes just a little at the thought, glancing away from Evalina. “Well, I dunno about all that, it’s just a story,” she mutters, not willing to give yuri the power it truly deserves just yet. Instead, she furrows her brow at a text coming through, but decides it’s better to focus on the here and now, her mood indefatigable. “Are you bidding, Miss Evalina? There’s a lot of nice things.”

Esme grins to Shay’s question, “We can rock paper scissors for them.” She offers to him. “I’m fond of the armor too.” She nods to Tamar. “You know, I landed the killing blow on the basilisk the hide came from.” Spoken just as a fun factoid rather than any kind of brag. “It attacked me so I figured this was good revenge.”

Evalina nods to Alice, “I’d like the earrings actually. I could always use more accessories – and I just love the design of them.” She raises a hand, a lock of her hand smoothly curling around her finger as if on command before she rubs it with her thumb, “I’d love to own more things with a real mystery to them. I mean, I could also bid on one of the other accessories, but those seem to have ‘special’ gems and well,” For explanation, she takes out an anklet from her purse, showing it to Alice, “…It makes me look a lot prettier but I don’t really want to draw attention with this many people…”

“You’re teasing,” Shay decides with a light shake of his head to Esme, his attention drifting away for a moment, towards the stage where the items are. But then he snaps his focus right back to the host, and she can definitely feel his eyebrows lifting under that dark visor. “Wait, you being for real?”

“Really? That must have been quite the battle,” Tamar replies to Esme, tilting her head to one side. “We should spar some day, if you would like?”

“Oh!” Alice declares, looking at Evalina’s little trinket with her mouth forming a little ‘O’, eyes wide. “That’s so pretty! You should wear it all the time,” she decides, nodding at Evalina as if to seal the deal. “You’d be super pretty and probably everyone would want to hang out with you.”

Esme lifts a brow briefly at a text and then quickly responds as she answers Shay and Tamar, “it was on an expedition in the Other and there were a few of us fighting it but it seemed to like me for some reason.” She tches. “I’d be down to spar, sure. I don’t do it enough. Could be fun.”

Evalina giggles softly at Alice, “It wouldn’t be special if I wore it all the time. Besides, anyone who would hang out with me simply because I am pretty – and needs such an attention grab to notice it, I do have a nice face in general I’d like to think – is not someone worth my time.” She opines as she puts the anklet back into her purse.

Esme sends off a few more texts and then smiles toward Arachne as she begisn to take her leave. “It was good to see you, Arachne. Thank you for coming.”

A fond wave is given toward Arachne as she moves to leave. “Take care, cousin,” Aeryn smiles.

Shay is silent while he’s processing a thought, before shaking his head to Esme. “No no, not the basilisk. I mean the rock paper scissors thing.” He’s definitely grinning under there. “Like, actually?”

Esme laughs to Shay, “Well, yes. But also I don’t think anything’s going unbid upon.” She muses.

“Oh, we’ll see about THAT,” Shay sounds quite confident in his belief otherwise, head nodding firmly to Esme in response.

“Yes we will.” Esme winks to Shay and then takes a look over the crowd and checks on some of the bidding via her phone.

At Sofia’s prompting, Annabelle stands to go get some food from her plate. She lamely waves at Arachne as she leaves, but her hands are busy-busy things. She scoffs at a goblet of deep red and murmurs, “Wow. that’s a lot like blood.” And puts it together with an owlish look just after she passes it by.

Shay starts brushing his hands like Birdman.

Tamar smiles faintly at Esme, filing away that little offer to spar sometime for a later date.

Alice gets a glass of root beer as she waits for the bidding to close down, practically glowing with good humor.

Tamar’s gaze drifts to someone, watching quietly as she starts to head off then gaze dropping to her phone as she texts.

Tamar’s gaze drifts to August and the other woman, watching quietly as she starts to head off then gaze dropping to her phone as she texts.

Aeryn snorts softly and shakes her head with an amused expression given toward her phone.

Esme speaks up as she clocks the time. “Fifteen more minutes to get your bids in!”

Esme waves to Jakem as he comes in. “Hey! You made it. There’s a little under fifteen minutes of bidding time left.”

Annabelle is sat down on just one leg, technically in a half-stand, juggling a half-completed plate and a phone when she turns up to Jakem. “Oh, hey. If you have money you should get something, probably. Or don’t. Frick the authority.”

Esme chuckles, “Can’t wait to see it.”

Sofia echoes in a breathy, “Frick!” after Annabelle.

“Not anymore they’re not.” Annabelle replies in solidarity.

Tamar looks around at the other people putting in bids, checking her phone as well then look up at the items on auction again.

Annabelle looks at Jakem with a mock scrutiny, deciding it’s time to turn her nose up at him as she chews A Thing. “MmmMMmm mmmm.”

After some time has passed, Shay breathes out what may appear to be a sigh of relief while he peers down at his Swiss-made wristwatch, checking the time. Then he’s turning around to finally begin addressing Tamar properly, arm resting on their side of the armrest. “How you doin’, Tam-tam?”

Tamar turns her head to look at Shay, leaning in a little towards him. “You look like a robot,” she informs the young man, bringing up one hand and tapping a fingertip at the visor of his helmet.

Alice reaches out to excitedly poke Stelle, looking down at her phone as the bids keep rolling in. She points at one line item in particular, switching between jabbing Stelle in the side and tapping at her screen.

Stelle looks down at Alice’s screen, then back up at Alice, then back down at the screen. The blonde nods a few times. She’s being silent respectfully.

“Yeah, I kinda do,” Shay offers a helpless shrug to Tamar after saying. “But that’s also kinda cool as hell, no?” He huffs out a faint snort of amusement, barely audible. “Sooo… you’re bidding, or what’s going on? Just here to watch?”

“Four minutes left!” Esme calls out a warning.

Jakem hmmm’s “No one’s raising any auction numbers. I bet I’ll get everything if I just put up a circle with a seven on it.”

Tamar lets her hand drop away from Shay’s helmet, tilting her head to one side and then the other as she studies him. “It is cool. I do not have enough money to buy anything,” she murmurs, lacking any real regret to it. “I had never been to an auction before so I wished to see what it was all about.”

Annabelle hip checks Jakem, given that it’s her only free appendage (and kinder than her skull), and gestures with a phone to the 12Silent Auction Rules.

Annabelle is particularly flamboyant with her point, for she pointing in pink instead of gold.

Jakem nods, grabbing a tablet, using a sharpy to write on the back 7 and raising it up.

Evalina glances towards Alice suddenly with a curious expression, then tears her eyes away, focusing on something on her phone.

At 9:00 PM on the dot, Esme/span/i>/b“And, time.” August mumbles to himself, drums his fingers on the screen of his phone, and clicks it shut. His head finally lifts to watch the stage and Esme, take a slow sip of his drink while idly waiting for the end of the bid.

Evalina glances to Dovie, smiling. “Thank you!” She returns cheerily, “Aren’t they? I’ve been wanting items with some actual story to them for ages. So it makes me rather happy.” She shares with a bubble demeanor, seeming in quite the mood before looking slightly apologetic. “…Sorry if you were feeling the same way…”

Constance gets up and turns around, attempting to quietly exit through the eastern door.

Esme takes to the stage and reviews the bids for a few moments. “Alright, Lot 1, the Sharkskin Bound Tome is going home with Alice for $400! I think you’ll really love it.”

Alice trots up to the stage when her name is called, having been excitedly watching the bids on her phone to see if she’d win. She’s got quite the pep in her step, and doesn’t seem to shy away from the stage for once, holding her hands out with anticipation. “I’m excited! I love collecting weird books,” she explains.

Evalina nods to Dovie, “I will definitely let you know what I find out! Any earrings like this are bound to be owned by someone interesting before. Though I won’t resist wearing them either – I love how they look.” She says with a smile, then glancing at Alice. “…Wait, is this the same sort of ‘weird’ book you gave to Arachne?” Beat. “Because if so…” She smirks. A joke, clearly, between that and her sparkling eyes.

Esme marks something on her clipboard and an attendant carefully transfers over the tome to Alice. “Please let me know what you think of it.” She smiles to her. “Next up, we have Sofia! Winnings Lot 2 and 3. The Obsidian Bracelet and White Gold Necklace respectively. for a total of 1260.”

Annabelle stretches with a stifled yawn, rolling her wrist around as her sleeve keeps attempting to swallow her phone. “Eugh. That’s like an entire paycheck.”

Stelle mumbles, “Three paychecks…”

Evalina gasps, “She won both! And so pretty too. She’ll really dazzle now!”

Shay’s attention is pried away from Tamar once the bidding is over and people are being called up to the stage, rapidly glancing between the items, the winners, and Tamar. “Fair enough. I don’t got the money for any of ’em, either.” He holds up a finger, then. “But that’s why we’re having our rock paper scissors after this!”

Sofia strides up to the stage with a gentle dip of her head to Esme, pulling up her phone and sending off a transfer before nodding over to the auctioneer with a smile, extending her hand. “Thank you kindly.”

Alice uses a dusty tome with a curious binding: A barely–there breeze passes you, carrying the smell of brine and rotting kelp

“Ohhhhh,” Alice/span>/spanEvalina smiles at Annabelle, “You know, if you like this sort of thing, I sometimes invite people over for dinner at my – fairly upscale – restaurant. Groups of 3-5 really, whomever is around at that time and is pleasant enough company..” She tells her with a smile, “Perhaps next time, you should show up as well?”

August’s nose twitches, in distaste.

Sofia turns the gemstones over in her hand with momentary fascination and a hint of a smile before she returns back to the tables with a nod.

“You are quite welcome. Enjoy them.” Esme smiles to Sofia. “Lot 4 was the quite coveted Sapphire Earrings! Evalina will be taking them home with a winning bid of $650!”

Tamar follows Shay’s look to the stage, catching her lower lip between her teeth briefly. “I know this game,” she tells Shay. “I watched people play it at Eloa’s game night.”

Dovie claps politely for Evalina.

Evalina walks onto the stage with a skip in her step. Approaching Esme, she writes out a cheque and hands it over. “Thank you very much. This was lovely and you really did an incredible job collecting all these rare items. I can’t wait!”

“Oh- I’m actually super poor.” Annabelle immediately concedes with a slump, setting down her place in her seat to save her space. “Most of my money goes to operating costs, I can’t even afford a nice dress in good conscience. I’ll come over though!” She chirps hopefully.

Jakem looks to Annabelle “What do good dresses cost these days? Why not just make your own. Don’t you have a bunch of spare hospital gowns?”

“I’m glad you had a good time and you’ll definitely have to let me know how you like them.” Esme tells Evalina as she consults her clipboard. “Going out of order a little bit here we have Dovie winning Lot 5, the collectible whiskey bottle, and Lot 8, the Basilisk Armor for a total of $480!”

Annabelle’s eyes lid heavily to Jakem, lips parted in a full ‘h-wat.’ “Gaek, I can’t just make dresses. I’m not Her, like. I’m not going to stich the cheap hospital gowns into a dress unless I am.”

August gives a slow, mirthless golf-clap at Dovie.

“It’d be cute, but. I dunno.” Annabelle dims down to her phone. “It’s weird to advertise myself like that, like nursing is some kinda calling. It’s just a way to do good, I don’t really wanna be Nurse Lee outside of the hospital.”

Jakem nods to Annabelle solemnly “I think you’d look smashing in a restitched frankensteinesque monstrocity made of stolen hospital linens.”

Annabelle says “Thnkkkss. “

Jakem says “Anytime. “

“August is our next winner! Now the proud owner of a crystal ball for $200!” Esme says with a smile to the group as an attendant preps the item.

Esme says “Which was Lot 6!“

Annabelle applauds for the Augurstus.

Dovie grins at Sofia while clapping politely for August, “You too!”

Once Dovie takes her seat again, August leans forward, over her shoulder, “Are you going to tell me what the deal with the bottle is, at least? I’ll cover half of what you paid for it.” But the offer is left for her to ponder, because August transitions that lean into motion, and stands up to get on stage.

Evalina says in a softer tone to Annabelle once she’s seated once more, “I usually pay when I invite people to my restaurant. I don’t feel very comfortable making a profit off of people I choose to meet for my own enjoyment.” Beat. “…Plus, it’s free advertisement basically.”

Jakem nods to Sofia “I know what you mean, Pizza-queen. Sometimes you gotta diversify your scene.”

“Yeah, it’s a classic,” Shay informs Tamar, clear amusement showing through in his voice. But people kept being called and the items kept being taken on by one, and suddenly he has his full attention on the stage, arms folded over his chest while he watches. Perhaps hoping that one won’t get to escape this place by the end of the night.

“Thanks, neighbour.” August tells Esme, and hold up the ball over his head for people to see. It’s the most they’ll be privy to, apparently, because he continues his stride. Dovie is given a simple ‘call-me’ gesture on his way out the door.

Tamar nods to Shay, pushing up to her feet and then pausing when she sees Robert walking in. The girl offers the latter a polite dip of her head, “Captain.”

Jakem nods solemnly to Sofia “Added lasagna to the mix didja? It’s about damn time.”

“Thanks for coming out, August.” Esme tells the man as he heads out. “Our next Lot is 7. That’s the Gold-Tipped spear from El Dorado which is finding a new home with Stelle for $400! Congratulations!”

Jakem elbows Annabelle lightly “Mondays, amiright?”

Dovie claps for Stelle.

Alice claps for Stelle, only breaking the reverie of looking at her book for the blonde.

Stelle taps at her phone a few times and moves towards the stage, smiling faintly.

Robert inclines his head to Tamar, his tone brisk and professional. “Tamar,” He answers, agreeably. “Good luck with the old ladies. We’ll have to start organizing regular sparring sessions – people need the practice.”

Robert turns as Evalina calls him out, raising a hand and giving an easy wave and a faint smile. “We should, Evalina. Did you plan to attend the upcoming class? I’m afraid my schedule’s been full recently, so this might be one of the few chances we get.”

Stelle looks the spear once over again now that it’s within her hands, twirling it once or twice as she looks it over tip to butt before scurrying back to Alice’s side.

Sofia waves a hand dismissively back at Evalina, saying, “No, no, I can make plenty of other Italian food, but I only serve pizza at my restaurants.” She pauses, and glances back at Jakem with a little side-eye. “I don’t even count the mozzarella stick appetizers at Italian food.”

Tamar glances at her phone then back to Robert. “She is worried about some people lingering on her street this time of night. I should be back in a couple of hours and we can spar then if you are still awake.”

Evalina furrows her brow at Jakem, then giving Sofia a look that could kill. “I can’t believe you. I flew in a chef and you bring in necromancers?” She sighs, then perking up at the explanation. “Right right. Remind me to stab Jakem later.” She refocuses her attention on Robert, “Nope. I should be free.”

King is mostly focused on his phone, but he finds a place to sit, giving nods to people who acknowledged him like Evalina. But he is alone for the moment and chills by himself off to the side, watching and listening when able.

“And lastly we have the Winchester Pistol in Lot 9 which is going to Aeryn for $900!” Esme announces as she marks one more thing off her clipboard.

Dovie claps for Aeryn, “Congratulations!!”

“Huh? Necromancy?” Alice asks, looking up from her book again with a raised eyebrow. It takes her a moment to track the voice that said it, before she lands on Evalina. “What’s that about necromancy?”

Aeryn bounces from her seat and up to the stage, handing Esme money before clapping her hands.

“-Really-,” Robert says, his brow furrowing in consternation at Tamar’s words, his mouth downturning into a frown and giving Evalina more serious glance at those words. “Ah, good. I should be. It would be nice to finally put some of the exercise rooms to work.”

Evalina gives Alice a snort. “We’re just joking around. I keep my dark necromancy of attractive gothic lesbians a secret I fear. Maybe some other time.”

Jakem looks to Alice “People are saying something about necromancy fueled lasagna. I’m not sure where it’s made, but I heard Sofia cleaned off lasagna from the menu in a hurry recently. no trace of it left.”

Aeryn says “Thank you!“

Aeryn returns to her seat near Dovie, beaming a smile. “And you, too!”

Evalina gives Robert a rather confused look

Tamar’s gaze shifts between Evalina and Robert curiously, but she leaves that for another time. “I am off to do good deeds,” she reassure Robert. Which probably includes scaring off some hoodlums in the next town over. “Be back as soon as I can.”

Esme transitions that into a, “and thank you all once again for coming out to the auction! Congratulations to all our winners and I hope you all enjoy your new purchases. I look forward to seeing you all again for the next one! This will wrap up our event tonight but please feel free to chat and eat while you check out your new wares!”

Sofia rolls her eyes faintly back to Evalina and smirks loosely, saying, “My pizza skills are based on a lil over ninety-five years of my family being in business. We’re pretty laser focused. Just pizza.” She brightens her eyes back to Alice, not feeling the need to defend herself to her against Jakem’s onslaught. “Alice knows I would never serve anything vaguely resembling deep dish pizza at Vincenzo’s.”