Chapter 191
The cart rolled unevenly over the roads and it was a bumpier ride than usual. The cart might need a new wheel or springs or something Jay thought to himself.
Dusk had begun to arrive as the light gradually faded until the sky was still lit but the land was covered in long shadows. Jay could smell the spicy scent of dinners being served in buildings all around him as the cart traveled through the city streets. Finally they arrived at the Guild main entrance. Jay was beginning to worry that he might end up late to his own auction.
The cart rolled to a stop and Jay was momentarily jostled. He struggled to get out of the cart this time, no guard offered him help. Eventually Jay managed to wriggle over and out of the bed of the cart.
Vertical once again Jay looked about the courtyard for anyone he might know as he tipped the driver a few copper. He overtipped as usual and the driver waved in appreciation before he gave his horses a flick of the reins and pulled out of the courtyard and back in to city traffic.
Jay stood for a moment to catch his breath but was immediately yelled at by a Guild Guard wearing a rank device on his shoulder and chest. “The courtyard is for loading and unloading of passengers only! Please proceed to the marked walkways and do not impede traffic! Move along!”
Jay didn't need to be told twice and moved aside off of the courtyard and on to a grass lined path strewn with white crushed stones.
“Hold up you!” the guard called over to Jay and Jay stopped in his tracks. He was not about to run from him and trigger a foot pursuit – there was no point in doing so and Jay wouldn't get very far anyways. Jay went the polite route instead.
“Evening. What seems to be the trouble officer?” Jay asked a bit too cheerfully.
The Guild Guard looked at him strangely as he walked up and stood next to Jay.
“Sargent,” the guard clarified.
“Huh?” Jay asked in confusion.
“You said officer – I'm not an officer, I'm a Sargent. You can tell the difference by the fact I work for a living,” the guard said with a dark look.
Jay was quite familiar with the difference thanks to many years of television and movies. Sargents could get quite touchy about being referred to as an officer. It was not a great start for Jay.
“Right. Sorry about that! I mean no offense!” Jay said honestly
The Sargent shrugged it off, “Don't worry about that. You've got other things to worry about. I've been waiting for you. There's a royal messenger waiting for you at your room. You are to proceed directly there at your soonest available opportunity. I'm told that you sometimes misunderstand subtlety. Do you understand what I'm saying?” The Sargent peered at Jay.
Jay nodded, “Royal messenger, go straight to my room, right away.” Jay put on his honest face and tried to assure the Sargent.
The Sargent peered at him for a moment, “I believe you. The other Glimmerhides have already been spoken to, you're the last. Go see the royal messenger, do what you need to do, then be back here by nightfall.”
Jay looked at the sky askance – it was already dusk. He didn't have a lot of time. “What happens when we come back here?”
The Sargent looked at him to see if he was joking but Jay had his curious face on. The guard motioned and pointed towards the other side of the courtyard where a number of carriages were waiting. They were expensive looking and most likely far more comfortable than a cart would be.
One in particular caught Jay's eye. A stylized, cursive, and capitalized S was painted in robin's egg blue on to the carriage's double doors. The remainder of the cart was done entirely in a dark gray color.
“Stringe family sent one over for the Glimmerhides. That would be you wouldn't it?” The Sargent asked as he motioned towards Jay. His hand waved close to Jay without touching him.
Jay nodded, “That's me. Thanks! I'll head right over to my room now.”
The guard nodded as Jay took off at a jogging pace towards his rooms. He had to weave through other people on his way there as the grounds had become overstuffed with guild members who were there for Kagan's Dome or even lesser nobility who were there for the auction that night.
Jay reached his rooms a little bit sweaty from the run and slowly approached his front door. Standing in front of it were two people. One held numerous boxes and had a large canvas bag slung over his shoulder. A metal case that reminded Jay of a fishing tackle box hung over his other shoulder. The man was muscled, bald, and had dark thick eyebrows and black eyes that stared expressionlessly forwards. He wore a suit that fit him well. The man's barrel chest alone must have taken an entire suit's worth of fabric. He wasn't as tall as Jay, but was far wider.
The second man wore a similar suit but with coattails that came down to his knees. He was shorter than the first man and was as thin as a reed. He had very light skin with a spray of freckles across his cheeks and upper nose. A finely coiffed head of curly red hair waved slightly in the wind. The man had light blue eyes and stood with a polished brown walking stick held in one hand. In his other hand he held a sealed folder, a number of wax seals and ribbons ensured that it would be plain to see if it had previously been opened.
It had not.
As Jay grew closer the two men suddenly changed their posture as if their spines had both suddenly and instantaneously been straightened.
“Patron Jay, a pleasure to meet you. I am Topher, and this is my assistant, Perry,” the thin man in front said as he motioned towards the larger man behind him, laden with equipment and packages. “Don't mind Perry. He can't talk. Or he won't. Anyone's guess really.”
Jay smiled, “Good to meet both of you. I was told to come directly here. What can I do?” Jay offered.
Topher chuckled. “Start with opening your door so that we can get started!”
Jay blushed and quickly fished his key card out of one of his many pouches. He swiped it and his door popped open. Jay went in first and his two royal visitors followed along behind him.
“Let me get a good look at you,” Topher said as he took a hold of Jay's shoulder and spun him around slowly. Topher leaned in and took a few big whiffs of Jay. He took a big step back and waved a hand in front of his nose. “You stink! You been running or something?”
Jay laughed, “Yes, on the way here!”
Topher frowned and Perry met his gaze with a frown of his own. Topher rubbed at his own forehead in frustration. “Not much time for a bath but you can't go smelling like that. Let me think...”
Jay shrugged, “Oh! It's ok, really. I can clean myself in thirty seconds. Watch!”
Jay toggled his ability on and it went right to work on his body and clothing. Motes of light rose off of him and then disappeared in to nothing.
His aura also went to work on the closest other person nearest to him – Perry.
Perry suddenly grunted deeply and set his packages and bags on to the floor. He turned about as motes of light began to lift off of him as well. He felt a scratching, like the sensation of having a face cloth rubbed against ones skin. More and more motes lifted off his body and belongings.
Thirty seconds later Jay turned off his Tropical Island Aura. Perry sighed when he did so.
“What the heck was that? I haven't heard Perry make that much noise in ages,” Topher said with a grin as he pointed with one thumb over at Perry. Perry smiled in response.
Perry might not talk, but he still communicated.
“Right. Get out of your clothes down to your underwear and socks. Perry, let's start with shoes – that will take the longest,” Topher explained as he began to move things about in Jay's front room until a space had been cleared out in the middle of the room for Jay to stand in.
Jay took his clothing off but left his gloves on. Topher raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. If Jay wanted to wear gloves who was he to argue? Besides, it wouldn't interfere with Topher's work at all.
Perry had meanwhile gone through his packages and brought two boxes over to Jay and set them on the floor in front of his sock clad feet. Perry leaned down and popped the tops off of each box. Inside of each was revealed a bed of what looked like strawberry jelly.
Jay looked at the boxes in horror. “Jelly? With socks!?”
Topher laughed, “It's not jelly – its magic! Just put your feet each in one for me, ok?”
Jay knew they didn't have a lot of time for whatever they were doing so Jay let go of his horror and slipped both feet in to a jelly filled box.
Jay was instantly sorry that he had done so. Both had felt exactly the way he would expect a box of jelly would feel when one stepped in to it with a sock clad foot. Jay made a disgusted face and Topher laughed again.
Lights had begun to appear on the side of each box and Topher took out a small notebook in to which he quickly scribbled down some numbers before he then took a moment to double check his accuracy. Finally he appeared finished.
“You can take your feet out now,” Topher said to Jay with a shake of his head.
Jay took his feet out of the boxes. The jelly felt cold and moist. As his feet pulled free from the boxes however Jay saw that nothing had stuck to his socks. They weren't stained or even damp. It was as if he had never stepped in to the boxes in the first place. While Jay marveled at his dry socks Topher took the boxes to one side of the room and tore off the sheet of paper he had just taken notes on.
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He handed the paper to Perry who opened one of the many boxes he had brought and took out a pile of various leather strips and tools. Using a strangely shaped knife with a notch in it he cut the leather strips down to size.
Topher turned back to Jay, “Right, now that the shoes are on the way lets work on your outfit. I love your ability by the way. That would come in handy in my line of work! Here, stand over here and put your arms straight out to the sides.”
Jay did so and Topher began to take measurements using string that unwound from a device he held in one hand. Each time the device would show a number and Topher would write that number down in the notebook he set down on the table nearby him.
Back and forth Topher went, between notebook and Jay's body. Occasionally he would rotate Jay or have him hold his arms down or in front of him. Once he had all of his measurements written down he pulled up a chair for himself and opened one of the larger boxes that Perry had carried in. It took him some time to set it up but once he did Jay recognized it immediately.
A portable traveling sewing machine.
Topher changed out the needle and selected a bobbin with purple thread. He wound it through the machine's mechanisms until he had it strung properly through the needle. Finally he looked up at Jay.
“This is going to take a few minutes. I'll be concentrating so try not to make too much noise if at all possible,” Topher explained briefly before he sat down and began to sew two pieces of fabric together. A sharp pair of scissors rested on the table next to him and he would occasionally take a fresh piece of fabric and add that to what he had sewed together so far.
Jay nodded. “Ok, I'll be right out front then,” he said as he pulled on a pair of light pants and then shrugged in to a light shirt.
Jay stood out in front of the door to his room and leaned on the railing that overlooked a well used path lined with plants and flowers. There were still a lot of people about and Jay watched as groups of people wandered by the men's living area. Some wore training clothes, others looked as if they had just come back from a dungeon run. Still others appeared as if they had never run a dungeon in their life – those he assumed were there for the auction that night.
Time passed and the light began to fade. Night drew closer and Jay began to wonder how long he had been waiting when Topher called out to him from inside his rooms.
“Come on back now, let's see how this all worked out.” Topher said with a smile.
Jay stretched his arms over his head and rubbed one shoulder. He felt a bit stiff – he'd have to do some workouts again soon. Jay returned to his rooms and shut the door behind him.
Perry was no longer working. Instead he held a pair of shoes that looked more expensive than any Jay had ever worn. The leather had been dyed a dark reddish brown and had numerous cuts and flourishes that had been worked in to the leather. It was a set of shoes any master craftsman would be happy to create. The soles looked thick and the stitching was flawless.
Perry set the shoes on to a nearby table and set out a matching pair of dark colored dress socks.
“Ok, shirt and pants off, lets get you all gussied up.” Topher said as he brought over two hangers of clothing.
Jay got undressed and quickly began to put on clothing one item at a time. Under shirt. Button up brilliant white shirt. A black inner belt that was worn to keep the white shirt from becoming untucked. Black tie. Silver tie clasp. Black button up vest. Black pants. Jay paused as he moved about in the pants. They fit perfectly and neither pinched nor bunched up.
Topher helped him straighten his outfit out and explained how to line up all the items of clothing properly. Jay adjusted his suit until it met Topher's expectations.
Next up was the inky black suit jacket and as Jay shrugged it over his shoulders he noticed a large badge sewn on to the left breast. Entirely made out of Glimmerhide hide it glimmered bright colors even when held still. On to it had been embossed in black a stylized Glimmerhide head drawn in straight lines and sharp angles. Jay noticed a purple diamond had been sewn in to the bottom right corner.
“What's that?” he asked and Topher looked at Jay as if he were an idiot.
“Really?” Topher asked before he remembered himself and apologized. “Sorry! It's a well known marking. It indicates you have the King's favor.
“What happens if you lose favor?” Jay wondered.
Topher chuckled, “Well then you either remove the mark yourself or the King will have someone do it for you.”
Jay smiled. Of course. “Did all the Glimmerhides get that mark?”
Topher nodded, “Of course. The Glimmerhides are considered friends of the crown according to the King Himself.”
Jay wondered at that. They hadn't really done much to warrant the King's largess but Jay wasn't about to turn it away.
Topher had Jay remove the suit jacket so that he could alter it as he wasn't entirely happy with how it had fit. Then he had him get entirely undressed once again and set the clothes that had fit aside.
Perry took a white bed sheet out of one of his bags and spread it out on the floor. Then he took one of the chairs and set that in to the middle of the sheet. Perry pointed at the chair and stared without emotion at Jay.
Jay nodded and took a seat. Another sheet came out of the bag and was tied around Jay's neck so that the only thing that was exposed was his head and neck.
Perry moved aside and riffled through some of his bags before he returned with a comb and scissors. Without a word Perry went to work on Jay's hair and began to snip away at it. Bits of hair fell all around him as he tried to clean Jay up a bit.
Jay had been in Eden for over a month by that point and his hair had grown quite shaggy. No one had ever mentioned it so Jay hadn't given it much thought. Now that someone was actually cutting his hair Jay began to worry. Perry hadn't even asked him what he wanted for a hair cut – there was just one available option and it was whatever Perry decided at the moment.
Topher continuously snipped and sewed Jay's suit jacket as the hair cut progressed.
Jay was getting worried. It was starting to look pretty dark outside his window. What would happen if he was late? It was his first auction and he didn't know enough to answer his questions.
Topher ruffled Jay's hair with one hand as he swept away at his head to remove any stray hairs. He then took smaller scissors and began to trim his eyebrows. Finally, he took an unlabeled tube and squirted something in to his hands. He rubbed his hands together and then ran them through Jay's hair.
Jay didn't know what was in the tube and didn't really want to know upon further reflection.
Perry picked at Jay's hair and smoothed a few spots down while fluffing up other spots until he nodded in satisfaction. He held up a hand mirror for Jay and Jay grinned.
“I look handsome!” Jay said and Perry grinned. Jay's hair was short on the sides and a bit longer on the top with a bit of a messy curl look to it. The goop he had put in to Jay's hair would keep it that way for the night.
Perry motioned towards Jay's new suit and Jay obediently got dressed once again in everything but the suit jacket. Perry carried over the shoes and had Jay put them on and stand in them.
Perry gave Jay a shooing motion and Jay realized that he wanted him to walk in them. Jay walked in to his bedroom and back. The shoes were comfy and almost felt as if he were wearing sneakers or slippers. Jay marveled – they were quite possibly the comfiest pair of shoes he had ever owned.
Finally Jay was helped in to his suit jacket by Topher. It fit him perfectly but looked as if it had picked up a tiny ball of lint on the badge of Glimmerhide hide. Jay tried to brush it off but it didn't go anywhere.
Topher noticed Jay's actions and leaned in right away to take a look, “What do you have there?”
On the lower left of the badge was now a tiny almost imperceptible teal symbol. The outlines of two triangles barely touching each other had somehow appeared.
“Did you do that?” Jay asked and Topher shook his head.
“That wasn't me, I swear. I've heard of Her mark showing up sometimes when using magic to make something but that's the first time I've had it happen to me!” Topher insisted as he waved his hands in front of him.
Perry looked interested and examined the symbol too before he grunted and went back to what he was doing.
“This looks almost exactly like what I'd wear back where I come from. Is this a common style around here?” Jay asked.
Topher shook his head, “Absolutely not. The King provided the descriptions for your outfit. He seemed to know exactly what He wanted.”
Jay smiled, “I love it! Hopefully it won't look too out of place around Eden styles.”
Topher grinned and shook his head. “I like this style – I'm going to start offering it to my clients actually. It isn't like anything usually worn on Eden. Severe angles, dark colors, affiliation badge in place of a pocket square or handkerchief – whoever wears it will certainly stand out.”
Perry returned with what looked like a wand and he ran it up and down Jay's arms and legs. It glowed and little bits of lint jumped off of Jay's outfit and stuck to the wand.
Finally Topher pronounced him ready. They dressed Jay properly and again explained how each piece should be worn. The two packed everything back away and Perry picked up all of his bags and containers. Perry smiled and nodded at Jay as he passed him and Topher stopped just as he stepped outside. He turned and handed Jay the sealed envelope.
“This is for you. I'd read it and head right out – you're going to be late!” Topher said before he waved and ran to catch up to Perry who had already wandered off without him.
“Thank you guys! That was amazing!” Jay said with a smile.
Jay inspected the seals on his envelope. King Ferrigualt's seal was displayed prominently as well as the Kingdom's seal. There were others too but he didn't recognize them. He tore the seals free and opened the letter.
Jay, I once asked you to call me by my name and to speak with me after the ceremony at the Dome. You kindly did both. In return, I had promised to reward you for your time and efforts. Hopefully you will consider Perry and Topher's work as suitable recompense.
Before you decide however I would just like to point out that I have come to rely on them above all others when it comes to what I wear. Also, what they did for you tonight would normally take months without the use of magic, and their own skills. Consider yourself as well dressed as a King.
As for the design, I do believe that you will recognize it as it is based entirely off of a popular Earth fashion. While not something anyone in Eden would normally wear I think it has a certain stark handsomeness to the cut. Suit fashions are not the only thing from Earth I have become familiar with – I think there is quite a lot for us to discuss. I look forward to speaking more with you.
Until this evening,
-Fair
Jay folded up the letter and set it aside. Goddess sakes.
Fair knew about Earth? About suit fashion? What was going on there?
Jay, again, lacked enough information to draw any conclusions and was forced to set his thoughts aside. He had places to be.
He rested the removed seals on top of the letter. With a glance he could see out his window and it was plain that nightfall was fast approaching. He looked about his room. What should he bring with him? Jay decided he really didn't need anything and walked out of his room.
As he went to pull the door closed he suddenly stopped it with a kick just before it shut. “Damned it!” Jay said as he riffled through the pile on the floor of his armor and pouches. Finally he found what he was looking for and withdrew a flat black key card. He had almost locked himself out.
As he slid the card in to his pants pocket he stepped outside once again and this time gently shut the door. He turned the knob and pulled but the door didn't open. Good. Locked just as it should be.
Jay walked quickly away from his room and towards the paths that would bring him to the main courtyard. He had some Glimmerhides to meet up with. He couldn't wait to tell M'redith about the King's letter.