Auction -- Andre

[Andre nó Dahlia]

Well, the day had come for my auction. I knew it would come sooner or later, but I wasn't sure if I was ready for it. Yes, I've trained for six years for this moment. I'm as unbending as any of the other adepts that about my age, but I wasn't sure I was truly ready for this. I wasn't sure if this was truly for me. Yes, I was of the Dahlia canon, but I had heard that I also had some of the Alyssum canon. So where did I belong? To Dahlia, my adept trained side of my brain said. I knew that all along, but there was some doubt. I sighed when I entered the room where the auction was to take place and didn't see anyone there. Did I get the time wrong? It was to take place on my sixteenth birthday. It had to be right.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

I'd never really been inside a House of the Night Court before, but that didn't bother me or make me wonder if I was doing the right thing. After all, this was part of d'Angeline life and another opportunity to explore what I'd only begun to learn about in an indirect way. One day maybe I'd even come here for myself, though that wasn't my goal for this evening. My sister was entirely too upset lately and just starting to try and get back into society, so perhaps this would be a good gift to cheer her up.

When I'd arrived at Dahlia and given my name I'd immediately been shown to the Dowayne's chamber in a sort of grave, solemn grace, but I didn't let that intimidate me. I'd been in throne rooms and salons for most of my life and most of the time they weren't really meant to make you afraid, only to convey a sense of majesty- like this place did. When Sabrie had asked her questions I'd answered honestly and she'd suggested the debut that was going on this very evening. Whether it was because having royalty at a debut was seen as an honor or because it might up the bidding I didn't have any way of knowing, but I also knew that Victoire would appreciate a present like this. After all, it was an honor in its own right, wasn't it?

As I walked in I was offered a glass of wine by a younger person who had to have been an apprentice, which I turned down with a smile, and I started taking in the noble beauty of the room. My gown was as nice as it would have been for going to visit the Palace for a casual social event and made of lilac fabric with gauzy sleeves and pale green ivy embroidery done across the bodice and hem in the Serenissiman style. It wasn't a loud dress but it suited me, and I was still smiling as I looked around, unsure of exactly how things were going to happen but willing to go with the flow. Things would turn out like they were supposed to.

[Andre nó Dahlia]

I waited for those attending to arrive, wondering if anyone would even care to bid on a novice adept. I knew adepts in Dahlia that had received such a high bid on their virginity, that they would be contracted by the same patron. But then again, it could just be due to the patron's enjoyment of the adept. I sighed and glanced toward the door.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

The space I found myself in was large, majestic and almost as wonderful as the Palace ballroom I'd been in just a few days before with its chandeliers and fine candles. Even so no one else had arrived yet and the only other person in the room, a boy around my own age. He was handsome, and the brown color of his clothes brought out the paleness of his skin and the color of his eyes to a startling degree. There was an air of quiet nobility to him, rather like some of the more polite, sweet lordlings I'd been friends with in Serenissima, but I wasn't sure how much of that was for show and how much was his nature.

This was one of those times where I wished I knew my sister's tastes just a little more thoroughly but from what I'd seen at the fete Azabel had held for us she liked blondes well enough- and really, could a person ever go wrong with an adept? They were the best-trained people in the land at their business, and even the virgins were supposed to be exceptional, not that I'd had a chance to find out for myself yet. I'd just have to hope that a gift really was mostly appreciated for the giving and not the outcome of it, and that it would make my sister far happier than she'd had cause to be recently.

Giving the boy a warm smile I moved along the edge of the room, not sure if I was supposed to talk to the adept yet but moderately sure this was the one the Dowayne Sabrie had mentioned as being at the center of the debut. Still, it was so quiet here and there was no one else to talk to yet, so maybe it was alright to take a chance and start a conversation? If it wasn't allowed I was sure someone would tell me. "You must be Alexandre," I said in a pleasant, cheerful tone as I walked a little closer, though I stopped a few steps away in case getting too close was frowned on. "Congratulations on your debut, this must be an exciting day for you."

[Andre nó Dahlia]

I saw a young woman enter the room and smiled. So, there was at least one person interested in me. I bowed to her when she spoke to me. "That I am, my lady. My thanks to you. It is exciting." Exciting enough that I would begin my journey to making my marque and leaving the house. It also seemed to be some excitement inside me that had me wonder who among those gathering for my auction would want from me. I surely hoped more would show. "Would you like some tea? I could have some brought."

[Alora d'Aiglemort]

I had heard that there was an adept having an auction at Dahlia and I had decided to see how well I would do at it. After my first assignation at Gentian, I was actually looking forward to the possibility of bidding and winning this particular adept. Granted I had so much to put forth to the auction. I certainly couldn't compete long against one who holds a higher title than myself, but I looked forward to the challenge. I stepped out of the carriage and walked into the House, saying I was there for the auction. I was led to the room and found two other people there. One, the young boy, looked like he was the auctioned adept and the other quite possibly a noble.

"Good afternoon," I greeted.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

When the adept gave a bow I curtsied back politely, my smile never fading as I rose. Now that I was closer to him it was much clearer how much taller than me Alexandre was, but I was so used to looking up toward people that it didn't intimidate me at all. "I'm Noemi, and it's nice to meet you," I said before I took another slightly-amazed look around before my eyes went back to him. "And yes please to the tea, if it's not too much trouble." Eventually I'd have to get over this concern I had about drinking wine but I just couldn't yet, not if there was another choice.

The sound of other footsteps drew my attention and I glanced over at the door, seeing a red-haired woman who I recognized from somewhere, though when I realized why my smile nearly faltered for a moment. The tea party, and that entire stressful day, was something that had been on my mind as well as my family's. It was another reason I'd come here, because Victoire had a harder time calming down and had so much more to worry about with trying to take care of me as well. "Good afternoon," I replied in a cheerful tone as I widened my smile again. There was no reason not to be pleasant to her, especially since she was here for the same thing in all likelihood. Hopefully the competition wouldn't get too bitter.

[Andre nó Dahlia]

I nodded when she accepted my offer of tea. I walked over to a bell pull and pulled it as another walked into the room. I turned and saw a red head woman walk in and my hopes went up just that bit more. A few minutes later, a fosterling appeared and I gave instruction to bring a tea service, and he left. "Greetings, my lady," I said to the red head. I hadn't seen her before. Then again, this maybe her first time to Dahlia.

[Alora d'Aiglemort]

Now I recognized the other woman. She was one of those that were at the tea party. I was certain I didn't get her name, but I was certain she was one of the princesses that were there. I curtsied to her. "Your highness," I greeted. That particular day was indeed stressful, and no doubt Uncle would have had me sequestered at the house for some days afterward. "How have you been?"

[Noemi de Trevalion]

As Alexandre walked over and pulled a rope, likely to get the attention of some other servant or some such, I smiled and curtsied slightly back to the woman. It was always a surprise to me when I was recognized from being out with Victoire since I tended to let my older sister take the lead, but when I was I didn't mind at all. "Hello," I replied in a cheerful tone, rising smoothly after a respectful moment. I wasn't quite sure who the lady was but it was always better to be safe than sorry. "I've been as well as can be expected I suppose. What about you?" As I spoke I glanced over to the Dahlia boy and gave him another warm smile of thanks that also held an invitation to the current conversation. After all, this was his day.

[Alora d'Aiglemort]

"I've been better. I'm Alora," I introduced myself. I hadn't written to my parents about that day, knowing they, especially my mother, would worry unnecessarily about my safety. I turned to the Dahlia and smiled. "And how have you been today, dear adept?"

[Andre nó Dahlia]

The two women began talking about a tea party and I could tell that something must have happened that rattled them enough. The fosterling returned during that time and sat the tea service down onto a table and left. I heard the red haired woman introduce herself as Alora. Lovely name. "I'm Alexandre," I spoke up. "But you both may call me Andre. And I'm doing well enough, my lady."

[Noemi de Trevalion]

"And I'm Noemi, I'm sorry I didn't have the chance to introduce myself before," I replied to the red-haired woman, giving her a bright smile and wanting to put the unpleasantness of the previous situation out of my mind. To Andre I nodded in understanding when he clarified about his name. "Alright Andre, I'll remember." There was a sort of quiet charm to him, one that could very easily be called sweet, but with his poise he certainly fit the canon that was supposed to embody nobility. Maybe I should have tried to drag Victoire here with me, but she may well have thrown a fit and that wouldn't have been very respectful to the situation at all.

[Alora d'Aiglemort]

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Noemi." Okay, a little too informal, but I was sure she wasn't here on any formal business. "And I'll remember that, Andre." He did fit the canon, holding himself upright with a hint of nobility.

[Andre nó Dahlia]

They were both lovely women and I wouldn't mind either one of them buying my virgin-price. But judging from how Alora acted toward Noemi, Noemi was of a higher title than Alora. So, who between them would be the one to take me? Or were they here for someone else? And it could depend how much they had decided to spend today.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

There was a sort of quiet that came over the room now, as though no one knew quite what to say, but I wasn't ever the kind to sit in uncomfortable silence when there was something I could do about it. I may not have known how things worked in the Night Court but I at least knew courtly life as well as the more casual kind of conversations, and between those two I should have been able to come up with at least one topic of conversation. "Well, I think it's good to see you out," I told Alora with another smile, then glanced over at Andre. It must have been hard to know what to say when presented with the people who may be buying you for your first evening as an adept, since you wouldn't want to offend anyone or make things worse for yourself. That's how I'd felt on my own formal debut into Serenissiman society. "I feel like I should be asking you some questions, or you should be asking me some," I said with a light laugh. "Are you sixteen then, or older?"

[Andre nó Dahlia]

"To be honest, I don't know what to expect," I said. "No one ever told me what to expect when this day came. I'm sixteen as of today, my lady." I poured the tea into a couple of cups and looked up to them. "What would you like in your tea, my ladies?"

[Alora d'Aiglemort]

"Congratulations," I said. "A little sugar, please. And thank you, Noemi." It did feel good to be out of the house for a while, even though I knew I should be preparing for the eventual day that Ana gives birth. But I doubted she would be so willing to let the child be outside her own house so soon after giving birth.

[Andre nó Dahlia]

When it was apparent that no one else was coming for the auction, I looked over to the auctioneer and nodded.

"I do believe we're ready for the auction to begin," the auctioneer said. He motioned for Andre to take a spot next to him, which he took. "Now, may I open with one hundred ducats?"

[Noemi de Trevalion]

Taking a cup of tea I smiled widely and with some excitement when Andre said the auction was about to start and watched interestedly. A hundred ducats, was that really how low the auctions started? Not that I'd ever been to one before but I was expecting much more than that, and it seemed almost sad that they'd start him so low. I couldn't just jump ahead to a reasonable rate though; no doubt the Night Court had their rituals that I had no way of understanding yet. Maybe I'd ask Eric or one of my other friends after all of this. They'd probably know a lot more than I did about it.

At least I knew auctions though and I smiled at the auctioneer and raised my hand slightly to signal that I accepted the bid and that the next one could be called out. As he saw the auctioneer raised the price and waited for the next bid to come in.

[Andre nó Dahlia]

One hundred ducats? Surely my virgin-price was worth than that? I looked to the auctioneer, giving him a look that I hoped that would tell him to go higher than that. It was sad that he would even begin with such a low amount. Other adepts had more offered than one hundred ducats.

The auctioneer sees Andre's look and nods. "I have one hundred, do I have three hundred ducats?"

[Alora d'Aiglemort]

I didn't even try and bid the opening one hundred ducats. I have heard of auctions before and if all was offered was one hundred, I've wasted my time. But it seemed like Noemi had accepted it and the auctioneer, who maybe having his first now - why I don't know - raised it to three hundred ducats. I looked to Noemi before I raised a hand, accepting the bid.

[Andre nó Dahlia]

That was better. I saw that Alora had accepted the offer and now waited for the next bid.

"I have three hundred, do I have four hundred ducats?"

[Noemi de Trevalion]

The way the auctioneer raised the bids seemed to make sense and I smiled at Alora as she bid, then turned my attention back to the newest bid and raised my hand. Four hundred seemed a lot more reasonable so perhaps starting low really was for the best, and with a glance at Andre I tried to tell whether or not he was happy with how things were going.

[Andre nó Dahlia]

Now that the bids had risen to 300 then 400, I felt more happy about it. I held myself straighter, chest puffed out just slightly. I surely hoped that I would receive a good end bid. Of course, I knew it would go to the House, but I'd be happy with it nonetheless. Lady Noemi accepted the newest bid and looked to the auctioneer.

"I have four hundred, do I have five hundred?"

[Alora d'Aiglemort]

Now it seemed like it was a true auction. I raised my hand, accepting the bid. I watched Andre puff his chest out slightly. Not at all fitting the canon of Dahlia, but I gave it to him for having the bidding being well so far.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

I could tell that Andre was proud of how well things were going so far and I really thought that was a good sign all told. After all if he was too nervous the night after the purchase may not go terribly well. He deserved probably more than the money was going for right now but the bidding didn't seem ready to stop either, and when the auctioneer asked for six hundred I gave him a nod and it rose to seven hundred almost without pause.

[Alora d'Aiglemort]

I accepted the bid for seven hundred as it went from six hundred without pause. I could see that Andre was near beaming as the amount of his virgin-price rose. I was actually half tempted to offer more than what was being asked for. Andre should earn more than seven hundred. I glanced over to Noemi and wondered if she would accept such an idea. The auctioneer began to ask for eight hundred but then bumped it up to nine hundred in the middle of asking for eight.

[Noemi de Trevalion]

The more I thought about this process the more I wondered if I was doing the right thing. I didn't really know Victoire's tastes all that well and I came here with the best of intentions but as I saw how it was starting to go I couldn't shake the feeling that I was somehow being dishonest. After all I hadn't told Andre that I was here to buy him for my sister, who he'd never even seen, much less met. With that in mind I watched as Alora bid again and smiled, shaking my head slightly and taking myself out of the running. Perhaps I would come to see him again after this evening if he wished but for his first time he at least deserved to see what he was getting and not be a half-appreciated surprise gift.

[Alora d'Aiglemort]

I saw Noemi shake her head slightly, taking herself out of the bidding. I wondered why she had. But I wouldn't push it. I looked to Andre to see his reaction to the result of the auction.