“Who are the real one percenters? Those who merely skim the top of the vat instead of milking the cow. It is far easier to concentrate wealth from the many than the one.”

Head Bean Counter of the Royal Accountants

Guppy carefully made her way through the streets to the north end of the district.

Several times she had to deflect people with her left hand, all the while holding the hatbox cradled under her right arm like the ball in a Jukaloo game.

Travelling under such tension burdened her senses even as she rode a high of adrenaline, her eyes darting to and fro and she struggled not to listen to her instincts and break into a run.

Every loud noise, sudden movement, gust of wind or odd smell caused her to twitch as she frantically tried to process all the information currently flooding her senses

Was walking slowly ever this hard before? She couldn’t remember a single time when it was.

One positive side to being so high strung was that she foresaw and dodged several collisions by slick handers who were curious about her cargo, slipping away before they realised they had missed.

But was she being targeted? Every slick hander she crossed seemed to be targeting her, did they know? How could they know?

Guppy stopped walking as a flash of insight hit her.

‘What a fool I am, I must look really shady to all the slick handers, nervous and twitchy as I am’ Guppy realised.

This epiphany helped her to calm herself somewhat, and she waited until her nerves calmed and trembling muscles stopped before she headed onwards once more.

Her steady and brisk walk lasted for a while, until she entered slavers square.

People thronged here, the flesh market as popular as always.

In the center of the square stood a woodern platform where hundreds of slaves were auctioned off everyday.

While the slaves mainly consisted of orcs the occasional debt slave of human or merfolk origin could be seen as well, their eyes dull and broken.

“Forty-nine royals for the orc mother and her rare green limbed twins, who’ll give me fifty? Fifty from Duke Darringtons butler, Who’ll give me Fifty-one? No one? Going once, going twice, sold to the fine duke’s butler”

Guppy shivered and hunched her shoulders, she never liked coming through here, this place stood for much of what she hated with the current system, greed, excess, and the grinding down of the poor.

Guppy hated the slavery system, always had. Hwamu's teeth, she had been close enough to becoming one herself on several occasions, what with her inherited debts hanging over her the last few years.

Guppy pulled her hood down further over her face, skirting the square quickly and hopefully unnoticed.

She was close to her objective now, the pleasure district lay all around her, down that street lay the pink district, drawing lonely men and women alike.

Down another lay the gambling dens, legal and illegal with their fighting pits and divers animal races.

Cloudy alleys spoke of Joombla pits, the residents drugged into oblivion with artificial highs.

Bars stood open to the public at every convenient juncture, selling their cheap booze to all comers, some of which was likely to blind you if you drank enough.

Her destination however lay straight ahead at the end of the street, Avarice’s Descent.

The building positively screamed wealth with it’s gilded wood and fancy multi-tiered architecture, not to mention how clean it seemed while all else in its surroundings was grimy and tarnished.

However just looking at the heavily armed guards with their advanced magitech armaments and the high tier mana barrier that surrounded the place quickly dampened the enthusiasm of any would be wandering plunderer.

Guppy headed not for the massive front entrance, for only wealthy patrons were allowed through there.

Instead she angled for one of the smaller side entrances, there, a muscular man with a great sword strapped to his back held out his hand to stop her.

“What's your business little miss?” he asked, his sharp eyebrows fiercely in contrast to his gentle smile.

“I have a piece of art that I believe your masters would be interested in selling.” answered Guppy.

She gestured to the old hatbox under her arm, and held it up for the guard to see.

While it drew a raised eyebrow from the guard he nevertheless opened the door behind him and bid her to enter.

“First door on the right, you'll find old Pete, he'll appraise it for you”

Guppy bowed her head slightly in thanks and passed through the entryway, the cool interior air washing over her as she crossed the threshold.

She walked for twenty odd paces on a carpeted interior down a curved corridor before coming to a door on her right, knocking loudly she called out.

“Piece of art for Appraiser Pete to evaluate” Guppy announced.

“Come in come in. Don't spend all day about it” a raspy voice cried out.

Opening the door Guppy entered to find an old Merfolk male seated at a worn wooden table.

She was not shocked at the translucent scales or gills that weren't covered by his toga for she had seen the occasional merfolk while wandering around the city, they weren't a common sight, but neither were they incredibly rare.

Guppy took in his scrawny build, shriveled muscles and bland features before loosing interest, instead looking around at the workshop she had entered.

The room was full of odd bits and bob's, tools and parts lying in a spread of organized chaos, Guppy could recognize many that she knew but some were new to her eyes.

In one corner a magitech device drew liquid from a tank and spewed a mist of water vapour into the air at regular intervals.

“I'm old” growled Pete as he noticed her inquisitive gaze.

“the humidifier helps keep my skin and gills from drying and cracking. Nothing more painful than cracked gills let me tell you. But that's not why you are here is it young lady? Are you waiting for me to die of old age? Show me what you have before I keel on over!”

Guppy was torn between frowning and laughing, the seemingly grouchy old man behaved more like a child wanting candy than the image she had of a dignified appraiser.

She set the hatbox on the table, undid the knotted strings, removed the lid, and carefully lifted the golden tree out onto the table, before stepping back to wait for Pete to perform the examination.

When she turned to look at him she saw his mouth gaping open, the sight causing her lips to twitch upwards.

Feeling her gaze he snapped it shut and coughed to cover his embarrassment.

“Yes, yes, very pretty, good artistic touches, the artist is talented no doubt. Now let's see what the composition is shall we?”

Pete shuffled over to a shelf and pulled out a small magitech tool, similar to the one that Guppy had seen Tomsy use, but instead of a scale the end held only a mithril touch point

He brought it over and gently touched it to the base of the golden tree.

Only the gold marble lit up, and fully at that.

Pete paused, shook his head and sighed, then smacked the tool on the table a couple of times.

He turned and dug through a pile of stuff, retrieving a layered block of metal from amidst the jumble.

"This is used for testing the tester" he explained upon seeing Guppy's inquisitive gaze.

Pete brought his tool to the block and activated it once more.

All thirty of the marbles lit up very slightly.

Assured that the tool was now working correctly Pete then again held it to the golden tree once more and activated it.

The gold marble lit up fully again.

A pindrop could be heard at that moment.

Eventually Pete broke the silence Guppy was beginning to find awkward

“A true artiste,” Pete sighed, “Not deigning to work with less than perfection"

"How they got a smith to smelt a metal so pure is beyond me, it would take a master smith with spelled equipment at the very least, but this artist must have had both wealth and connections for the evidence is plainly before us”

Guppy kept quiet, not trusting herself to open her mouth without laughing at the old merfolk's monolog.

Pete's eyes snapped back into focus.

“Yes, this piece will do nicely, very nicely indeed. What was your name again young miss?”

“Gupalagia Esme Bright” she answered as she pulled out her ID plaque.

“But everyone calls me Guppy.”

………….

Six hours later. Avarice's Descent…

After the appraisal Guppy was still left with some time before the auction, she had no money to go shopping, neither did she fancy going all the way back home only to journey here again a couple hours later.

So instead she took Pete up on an offer and was guided to a waiting room which contained a couch and accompanying side table, which held several books, and a fresh newspaper.

A few minutes later a maid had entered and delivered a tray occupied with a fresh pot of mint tea and some scones. Neither lasted long.

Guppy had also received a receipt for the custody of the golden statue, along with the receipt they had also given her a patron card, which the maid explained had spending limit of five thousand gold royals, which she could use to spectate and participate in tonight's auction.

So Guppy thoroughly enjoyed the next few hours reading a rather trashy romance novel involving knights and forbidden romances.

The book was apparently quite popular amongst young nobles according to the maid, and there were many unrealistic parts that made Guppy cringe, yet it proved to be an effective way to swallow up the hours.

When the maid came and informed her that the auction would be starting shortly Guppy stood and left the room, making her way down the corridor and into the auction hall.

There a raised stone platform sat against the center of one wall, faced by terraced seats in a one hundred degree spectrum.

There were different tiers of seats as well, while most were on the ground level there were several luxurious balconies on the second and third floors that overlooked the hall and stage.

A thick veil and curtains combined with clever viewing angles made it impossible for Guppy to get a look at any of the occupants, but she had no doubt they could view the hall as they pleased.

Guppy made her way to a seat in the middle of the hall whose number corresponded to her ticket and sat with crossed legs.

The people sitting around her took one look at her worn and threadbare clothing and sniffed, turning their heads away in disdain and excluding her from their conversational circles.

Guppy didn't mind much, she wanted to avoid attention and dialogue in any case, so she kept her hood pulled down and her mouth shut.

Peering around she noticed that she was not the only one to do so, evidently a few others here valued their privacy as well.

Before long the lights overhead dimmed and the chatter quieted.

Everyone's eyes focused on the gentleman who stepped out from the parting curtains, he was tall, easily topping six foot.

The gentleman wore a magnificently tailored suit and waistcoat that screamed money with its fine cut and mithril thread stitching.

Yet the way he wore it caused it to appear elegant rather than gaudy or flamboyant, the beautiful clothes only accentuating his rugged good looks and trim muscled figure.

His white gloves and neatly trimmed blonde hair spoke further to his charm, belieing his age the crinkles around his eyes revealed.

He carried himself like a mountain, utterly sure of his place and purpose, his very presence demanding respect and deference. And yet, it was not a forceful, arrogant demand, instead engendering it naturally.

The gentleman tapped his cane on the floor once, and there was silence.

He opened his mouth, revealing two rows of pearly white teeth.

“I bid you welcome ladies, and gentlemen, to the second auction of Autumn, I am your host and auctioneer tonight, Lyle Larrow Luther the third. I wish everyone a wonderful evening with us, may you find, and win, your heart's desire.”

A beautiful smooth voice sounded throughout the hall, Lyle did not yell, or even raise his voice, yet it sounded clearly in everyone's ear as if he stood before them.

“Keeping with the theme of Autumn we have decided to keep tonight's focus on none other than items with a gold motif.” He then paused as a woman in a shimmering gold dress with pinned up and cascading blonde hair pushed out a table on wheels.

She stopped when it reached the center of the stage, and Lyle removed the cloth covering it with a practiced flick of his wrist.

“The first bid tonight will be on a one hundred and seventy-two piece cutlery set made by the Hammarsdale Brothers. Bidding starts at one thousand gold royals…”

Guppy watched wide eyed as one piece after another was wheeled out, displayed, and auctioned off for seemingly ridiculous prices.

Jewelry, cutlery, gold sheaf chairs, even the title deed to a small gold mine.

The sheer wealth that moved this night alone flabbergasted her, and yet through it all Lyle calmly conducted the evening as if he was auctioning off items from a yard sale.

‘And they get a ten percent cut of every sale’ thought Guppy as she helped herself to some fruit juice and cream puffs from a traveling refreshment station.

‘No wonder these snacks and drinks are free, despite their obvious quality and expense, they’re a pittance to what is being earned’,

Guppy stuffed one of the cream puffs into her mouth, then paused as her tongue melted and her brain stopped for a second…

‘fudge knuckles these puffs are good!’

“Serving Lady, back here please!!” she shamelessly called

The sight of Guppy greedily stuffing her face with cream puffs further lowered her impression with the surrounding people.

Not that she cared at all right now, with her cheeks bulging and a silly grin on her face she was in paradise.

When Guppy finally came back to her senses some time later, her attention was captured by the next item.

“Here we have an egg found in the wilds by some explorers who brought it to us to sell, the species is unknown, but it's golden color and beautiful striations on the shell make it quite the collectors item"

"Bidding starts at five hundred royals, do I hear six hundred?” Guppy's hand shot up holding a little bidding board that contained her seat number.

“Six hundred from number two-six-two. Do I hear…”

The bidding mounted higher, it approached one thousand royals, but the enthusiasm started waning before it could.

“One thousand royals” called out Guppy as she tried to suppress the quavering in her voice.

‘did I get too caught up in the atmosphere?’ she questioned,

‘since when did I spend money so easily?’

Guppy's heart was thumping in excitement as she heard Lyle call,

“Going once, going twice, sold to number two-six-two.”

Guppy sat back in her chair and tried to calm her breathing, cream puffs helped. Oh the delicious fluffy sweetness was soooo good.

‘Where have you been all my life’ she sighed in pure enjoyment.

Guppy missed the next few items, barely registering them with her banquet of sampling underway, but Guppy perked up when she heard the final item call.

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for, the cream of the crop, tonight's finale auction piece.

"It is a work by an unknown but fanatically devout artist who pushes the boundaries of common sense in their artistic persuit, demanding perfection from even the materials"

"Made from twenty-four carat, one hundred percent pure gold it is without a doubt unique amongst its peers"

"Without further ado, I give you.. Anuteras.”

With a flourish Lyle whipped the cloth off the table, revealing a glittering tree of exquisite grace.

Guppy admired it's presentation and the showmanship of Lyle, not only did its introduction hype it up, but they had made full effect of its reflective properties with lights shining from underneath the statue as well as the sides, giving the tree a halo of light.

The audience was quiet as a still moment passed through the hall. “Bidding begins at five thousand royals” Lyle nonchalantly stated into the lull.

For another second there was continued silence, then the crowd erupted into noise.

“One hundred percent pure he said? Nonsense, there are always impurities unless you have a master smith smelt it over a hundred times! Who would go so far for a mere piece of art!?” called out one incensed man

Guppy tried really hard to stifle the giggling that threatened to erupt from her, she failed, but her snorting was thankfully lost in the clamor.

Booomm! Lyle's cane slammed down on the stone stage. Quiet descended once more.

“Bidding is now open.” He proclaimed, his tone carrying an underlying warning.

This time the crowd settled down, the high opening price meant most could not even participate, they could only watch on as the truly wealthy participated.

“Six thousand” came a cold voice from a balcony alcove.

“Seven” came a cheerful voice from another.

Guppy's head stopped working once the amount went past ten thousand.

‘How can anyone have so much money and be able to spend it so frivolously?’ she wondered, perhaps forgetting that she herself had spent a thousand on an item that resembled an oversized clukie egg.

“Sold for thirty-seven thousand royals to bidder number five”

Well that sentence from Lyle woke her up alright, then knocked her straight back into dreamland as she processed it.

It was only after everyone else had left and an attendant shook her gently that she awoke from her stupor and grinned broadly.

“This way miss Bright” beckoned an calgaree dressed in the auction house's subtly lavish attire

“My master wishes to see you”.