The City of Emillion

The main hall of the Albrecht estate was decked to the nines. Elegant padded chairs had been set in neat rows before a platform, half-hidden behind a deep blue curtain behind which the auctionees shuffled and waited for their names to be called. Off to one side of the hall were a series of benches for those not involved in the date auction; off to the other side was a long table with items of varying value and small plaques denoting less than physical rewards—an offer of "healing services" by one Darius Delacreux had drawn a number of interested onlookers who were debating whether "healing services" meant something else entirely.

When everyone was settled, Viscountess Van Eldt and Countess Albrecht took the platform, introduced the auction with appropriate glamour and humor, and the bidding began.