The Brotherhood of The Black Rats

5.48 The Realm of Dreams

Fredrico returned to The Dreaming alive, well and oozing with the Wild Magic of The Fae. Yet the sharp sudden movements of the ship did little to restore his confidence. Having a Fairy of his own, now safely tucked away in the confines of his private quarters only added to the weight on his shoulders, there was no turning back at this point.

Thankfully the warmth of The Dreaming came quickly that night. The great hall he'd constructed from the memories of master architects and playwrights stood as a testament to his spell craft and a reminder of the power he held in the realm opposite the Waking World.

All around him masked revealers continued the party in anonymity among the great ornate constructs pulled from the forgotten dreams of The Mundane world's most imaginative minds. While at the center of it all a grand podium of gleaming gold and silver drew the attention of the courts highest bidders as dream versions of the unique and rare items up for auction were presented. Witches and Wizards alike adopted disguises based on the masks they wore keeping their identities a secret as they placed their bids. The Warden had to give credit to Bison for that bit of genius now that it appeared to be working flawlessly right under the nose of The Queen Witch herself.

Removed from the auction, her majesty sat upon a Dias overlooking the main festivities from beneath an enormous chandelier. Fredrico reached the foot of the stairs leading up to the private balcony as the first of Bison's mysterious tapestries hit the auction block. The resounding noises of the bidding war that followed further renewed The Warden's confidence with each step he took.

"One hundred fifty thousand!"

"Two hundred thousand!"

"Four hundred thousand!"

The realization hit Fredrico just before he reached the royal Pavilion. After tonight he was going to be very rich, and very powerful.

The Queen Witch and her court had arranged the space provided them in The Dreaming into a cozy nook of regal comfort and the typical expected imperial trappings. A quad of The Warden's personal serving staff attended to their every want and need while a few members of The Grey Guard stood vigilant outside its entry way.

"I Take it you're aware of the situation below decks?" Asked one of the grey coated sentries as Fredrico made his approach.

"Any updates from your superior?" Replied The Warden.

“Captain Reinhardt neutralized the main threat and is apprehending the thrives top side as we speak,"

"That's good news," stated Fredrico

"Sir," began the other "we've also been informed that Mr. Bison's personal guard used Dream Wine on one of them to gather intel, the suspect should have passed through with the rest of the party."

"You mean one of the thieves actually made it here?" The Warden asked casting his gaze downward toward the mass of costumed guests milling about the floor I front of the auction.

"Yes sir, but we've already got a body locked down on the other side," answered The Guardsman.

"That doesn't matter," snapped Fredrico sharply "Find him and bring him to me. Nobody comes to The Dreaming without my permission."

"But sir, our Orders--"

"Mean nothing to me. In here  I'm the highest ranking official, I'll make an example of the poor fool in front of The Queen Witch if I must."

The idea of displaying the full extent of his power within The Realm of Dreams at the exact same moment of The Auctions final items were revealed was an appealing one to Fredrico. What better way to solidify his place in the new order of things then by publicly offing some unlucky Gutter Mage nobody would miss.