The announcer called out the next display. It was the old circus man and his acrobat friends. His circus was mentioned at length and the old man was decked out in what looked like a wizard outfit. It had stars and moons on a blue background and he even had a little wand. The blue was faded and the outfit a little ragged but the crowd knew him so they cheered the antics of the seal and all the actions of the acrobats.
Then the first of the matches was announced, Mangana the younger against Brienne of the easterners. The crowd gathered around the ring cheering for the local and good naturedly booing Brienne. She bowed to their jeers laughing. She went easy on the young man but he thwarted her every advance, he blocked her blows and closed on her quickly. She began to work harder to touch him but he kept evading her. She was reminded of her spar with Arya so long ago and so she pushed him harder. The battle went on for many minutes heating up as it went. She managed a feint and landed a blow to the side of his head but he rolled away, got up and nodded to her. He began to press her back and the crowd cheered him on, they were loving watching this local upstart battling the strange large woman. One pass he nearly nicked her and she only blocked it at the last second, this lad was making her sweat. She countered with her best parry and slash action, but he blocked it and attacked back. Her sword slashed one of his curved daggers from his hand but the other was at her throat and the match was over. Brienne thanked him bowing and then turned and bowed to the crowd. The crowd went wild and they were patting his back as he left the ring and they showed due respect to Brienne's effort as well.
There was a break between battles and the crowd circulated around Bart's nosh table and the goods on display. Women would try the tarts and then pay small amounts for the recipe which Jiemba would translate the questions and the small pieces of paper she wrote the recipes on. Some of the poorer women would offer a copper coin and the richer ones a gold or silver. Thomas and Gendry's jewelry table was doing a brisk business. Before the day was over they took in 8,000 gold coins, far outstripping the 5,000 they started with. Nymeria was in her cage with the door open, Calancy had set up a small sign and she was charging a silver coin for cat kisses. Ned would stand between the bars and but heads with all the children that came up. The children would stare wide eyed at the dire wolf, she would woof at some and half snarl at others depending on their bearing and attitudes. The children would shriek or laugh and run back to their parents arms safe.
The last battle of the day was announced but before it began Bronn and Drena did an exhibition of skills. The old iron fence post was mounted in the ring and they did runs at it seeing who could slice it off thinnest. The post would flame or sparkle black at each slice. The crowd began to realize more was going on here than they understood. Drena was declared the winner when the slices were measured and the crowd clapped in appreciation. Jugglers, horn players and minstrels took the ring while the stuff was cleared away and two combatants rested for their match.
When their match started the two circled each other as they already knew each others styles. Several clashes of weaponry startled the crowd with the deadly ferocity of attacks. Bronn pulled a dirty trick he hadn't used on her before by swiping at her legs and punching her as she blocked. The crowd booed him soundly and he laughed and acknowledged them. Drena snarled and went at him hard throwing every trick she had at him. She managed to cut his jacket on a corner. After a long while Bronn managed to nick her arm and the match was called....only the two didn't stop they were angry at each other now. The crowd didn't really know how to act but the men began cheering for Bronn and the women started cheering on Drena. But those two were far past all that, they were out for blood. The fight went on and on both tiring and sweating buckets. At last Bronn managed to sweep her off her feet and slashed at her neck. He pulled up short of killing but it left a burn scar on her neck. The crowd went silent, you could hear a pin drop. He leaned in and kissed her saying, "I think I love you." The crowd wasn't sure what was said until Caelan translated for the announcer and he called it out. The crowd cheered and Drena pushed him off of her and slapped his face. He laughed and she stomped away mad, blushing fiercely. The crowd roared, they had never seen such a display of fighting before nor such an unexpected end.
Then the auctioneer was put on a step so he could see the things being auctioned and the people making bids and the actual auction began. They sold the seeds first and bidding went up and down as small farmers and large bid to get the seeds. Then the flour sold in 5,10 and 50 pound bags and while some of the richer waited patiently for the smaller bags to go to poorer women and men the bidding on the 50 pound bags became heated. Then they moved to a table full of carvings and statues the crewmen had done on board and most went to less well to do families. A couple of them made of rare wood or excellent skills went much higher. Then the horses were brought out. They were much larger than local breeds so they were good stock for local breeders. Most of the poorer folk moved to the far sides as the bidding went high. Then the cattle were brought out, the ox went first followed by a bull and cow together. The locals had never seen this breed so the bidding soared on the pair. The jewelry table brought the big guns and maybe only 20 were left bidding. The prices were high, very high. The lessor swords went quickly but the fancy antique one was the harshest bidding yet. Then it was time for that ruby and as a handful were left to bid, a hooded man ran through the smaller crowd, smashed the glass and grabbed it to run off. The guards were in hot pursuit but Nymeria pounced on him and the ruby was returned to it's rightful place. The guards dragged the thief away.
The bidding for the ruby went over 50,000 gold coins and there were only 4 left bidding. It was cut throat action and finally one man won, he raised his hand at 70,000 gold coins and the crowd burst into chatter.
After the crowd departed and the yard was cleaned a group of guards followed a banker, the ship yard foreman and Antakari into the house. they crew had taken in just over 170,000 gold coins in the auction and Kiaya motioned for the banker to collect the sum. He said you are 60,000 gold coins short on full payment and looked at Antakari. Antakari stepped forward and laid 6 platinum bars beside the other funds. I think this should cover the shortfall for our friends.