CHAPTER 3: FLUTE OF MINERVA
1810 Words
"Are we sure about this?" Czarina whispered to Yin.
"I don't know," he replied. "I just follow him. He's the prince. Who are we to say no?" Czarina elbowed him. "Ouch!"
"You guard the prince!"
"Okay, fine!" Yin agreed. "You'll help me, anyway."
"Guys." The prince looked at them.
"Yes, Prince?" They both replied at the same time.
"It's Kev," he reminded them. "We're friends."
"Right, Kev," Czarina just agreed.
"Do you have magical tools?" Kev asked.
"I have my space ring for storage, and my magical white dust for hypnotism." Czarina opened her palm to show a bag of magical dust.
"I have my storage wristband from my father and a magic pen. The pen can change any writings at my will." Yin showed his magic pen, then made it disappear.
"Do you have anything else?" Kev opened his hands and showed several magical items floating on top of his palm. "These are used in fighting. There are other useful magical stuff you can buy in the market here."
"But those are expensive. We can't afford it," she said. "But I want those, of course."
"Don't worry, if I find what I have been looking for today, I'll treat you. I'll buy you magical tools." Kev pointed at his chest.
"That's too much," Czarina said. She can't accept gifts from a prince.
"Don't worry, it's a welcome gift from the Prince of Zariste, and your friend." He winked at them. "Let's go!"
Czarina couldn't say no to a prince. She just sighed and followed him. They walked on the busy streets of the capital. There are a lot of traders and buyers everywhere.
"Magical wand, armor, swords, anything you want is in my shop!" a man with an apron is shouting in front of his store.
"Do you want to check it out?" Yin asked the Prince.
Kev shook his head. "No, let's go to the National Treasury and bid for good merchandise there."
"Bid?!" They were both shocked because they have never been in a bidding house. They ran to catch Kev who's now entering the National Treasury building.
The two National Treasury soldiers at the entrance blocked the prince. "Where do you think you are going?" one of the soldiers asked.
"I'm going to bid," Kev said.
"Not everyone is allowed to enter the National Treasury," the other soldier said.
Kev raised and opened his palm. He showed them the gold emblem of a prince of Zariste Palace, floating on his palm. The two soldiers immediately bowed. "Forgive us, Your Highness."
"Move away," he simply said. The two soldiers moved to the side of the door to give way to the prince. He looked at Czarina and Yin. "Let's go." He walked like a true prince.
Czarina's eyes were focused on all the displays around the ground floor. There are unique preserved heads and remains of different beasts.
Prince Kev went to the reception desk. "We're heading to the bidding area. I want a special room for us."
He showed his emblem as a prince. He took out a pouch of gold. "Here's ten thousand gold coins. Give me the best room."
"Sure, Your Highness," the lady assigned in the reception said. She bowed to him. She took something out from her desk. "Here's the ticket to the center room on the second floor."
Kev took it and turned his back. Czarina and Yin followed him. They went upstairs and entered the room.
Kev went closer to the sliding wood window and opened it. From there, they can see the stage where the bidding happens. He took three chairs one by one and placed it near the window. He sat in the middle chair.
"This is so cool!" Yin can't explain his excitement. "This will be my first time in an actual bidding! I only saw small time biddings on the street!"
Someone knocked on the door. "Your Highness, here's the bidding cards. Enjoy our bidding," a female voice said. She seemed to be the one from the reception area.
Yin opened the door and took the three bidding cards with number 5 on it. The cards are attached to sticks. "Thank you." He closed the door and went back to the chair, close to the window. He handed the bidding cards to Kev but he refused. The five white bidding cards have number 3 written on it, and there's a space to write down something using the gold pen.
"You do it for me," he said.
"What should I do?" Yin asked.
"Raise the bidding cards and shout the amount I'm going to tell you, for me to bid the item I want," he said. "Experience it."
"I-I'm gonna do it?" Yin can't believe what the prince said. "Let me process it in my head first."
"Yes, you can do it." He grinned. "You two can also bid any item you want. I'll pay for it." He took one bidding card from Yin and handed it to Czarina.
She can't believe what she's hearing. The two are getting closer now, and now they are bidding for the prince. She sat on the right side of Kev, Yin was on the left side. She just shook her head and watched the two. She took the bidding card but she doesn't have any plan to bid.
The chairs on the first floor are starting to be filled. Czarina doesn't know anyone aside from the prince, but she can say that even those on the first floor are well-known and rich enough to bid here. The most important things in their kingdom are wealth, position and power. If you have at least any of the three, you will be respected, just like the treatment Prince Kev received today.
We will start in five minutes, so please be seated and enjoy the bidding!" the lady on the stage said. She has long, silky black hair. She has big eyes and pinkish cheeks. Her lips are bright red. Her nose is cute, matches her eyes and thin eyebrows. Her long, red dress has a slit on the left, showing her fairly white legs.
"What are you trying to buy?" Czarina said.
"I'm actually looking for a sword where I could put my elemental power and use it as an extension of my arm." He placed his finger on his chin. "I've seen plenty in the palace but they don't seem to match with me. Hoping to find one here."
"Can you test it first before bidding on it? What if it won't match with your power again?" Czarina asked.
"I'll give it to someone else, or keep it in the palace's treasury," he casually replied.
She shook her head. "Rich people..." she whispered. "Perhaps I could help. My father is a blacksmith that's why I'm quite familiar with swords and other weapons."
"That would be great!" he exclaimed.
"The bidding will now start," the lady said in a loud voice. Everyone can hear her even from afar.
"Is that her power?" Czarina asked. "We can hear her loud and clear from here even without using a microphone."
"Yes," Kev replied. "You can see a lot of powers here in the capital. It's not just all about elements we manipulate."
"Woah!" Yin was shocked upon seeing the first item for bidding. It was brought by a man in white, with hand gloves and mask. He placed it on the center table for everyone to see. It was a golden flute with diamond stones design on it.
"The first item is the Golden Flute of Minerva. It is known to be a powerful tool to calm everyone in the battle and to stop the fight," the lady proudly said. "It was found in the remains of an empty island used in the world battle thousands of years ago. Imortal god Orao acknowledged this flute. The price is one hundred thousand gold coins."
"I want that. Shout five hundred thousand gold coins," Kev said to Yin.
Yin was shocked upon hearing the price, but was even more shocked at what Kev said. He hesistantly raised his hand with the bidding card slowly. He looked at Czarina. Her jaw dropped. "F-five hundred thousand gold coins." Everyone on the first floor looked at him.
- Writer
