Confronting the Killer

Taken aback by the self-aware words that had left the formerly arrogant Duke's mouth, the blacksmith took a moment to collect his thoughts.

"Come here in three days' time. If the project is complete by then, we can talk price. If not, I will discount it for my lack of ability."

Turning to leave, Michael stopped just before the doorway he hadn't closed after entering. As if a sense of enlightenment had reached him, he turned back towards the counter.

"Forgive me, it appears I have truly forgotten good manners. As I am confident you are aware of, I am Duke Michael Asher. I however am unaware of you name."

"Kid there isn't a person left in this city that wouldn't know your name and not for good reasons. Everybody just calls me Smith so I'll expect you to do the same from here on."

With the exchange coming to and end, Michael silently excused himself from the decrepit shop. Making his way along the poor excuse for a road once again, it was time for the second stop of his outing. Standing before a rather large two-story building, Michael paused and listened to the laughing radiating from within.

With determination burning in his eyes, the door was pushed open with a sense of authority. All inside turned to see who had the audacity to act so brazenly in this establishment. When the recognized the young Duke, everything seemed to make sense. He was, after all, known for his self-centered attitude.

With a sense of purpose, Michael made his way to the main counter that doubled as to bar. Looking at the older woman standing behind it, he consolidated his words.

"I'm looking for somebody and not just anybody will do. I wish to speak to that same someone you had brought me to the last time Madam."

The words that she had just heard were unlike any that had left this boy's mouth in the past. Although the sense of demand was still present, it was accompanied by something new. A feeling that had never been felt by any member of the city before when it pertained to their young Duke. She felt respect in his words and there wasn't even the slightest attempt to hide it.

"Tell me young one, did you enjoy your time with her so much the other night that you've decided to change yourself because of it?"

The mockery and mild disdain were very evident in her tone. After all, she had seen many men frequent her establishment in the past. Some would claim to have fallen for one of her girls. Few would take them away from this life. Nearly none had stayed away even after talking 'the love of their life' away from this dreaded place.

To her surprise, a smile that she had never seen on the young man's face before greeted her hostility in turn. Rather than the lust filled smile that usually clouded the appearance of the Duke in the past, the smile was gentle in nature.

"You could say it's something like that. Now, could you bring me to her? There is something rather urgent I need to discuss with her before I return to my manor today."

'Just what did that girl do to the Duke for him to treat this situation with such care?'

Without a word and a simple wave of her hand, Michael began to follow behind the Madam towards the back of the first floor. After stepping through a door, several young women could be seen laughing around each other. There was a single exception to the group.

On noticing who had entered alongside the Madam, a slim girl with long red hair turned as white as the ghost she believed was in front of her. The first words that left the young man's mouth proved that it was in fact not a ghost.

"Everybody except for you leave now. I mean no disrespect Madam, but that includes you as well. This needs to be a private discussion."

Motioning for the girls to do as the Duke had instructed, they began to file out the doorway. The last to leave was the Madam herself. As she closed the door behind her, her voice echoed down the hall instructing the girls to disperse. Apparently, they all had a desire to eavesdrop on the private conversation.

With the door firmly shut and the distant footsteps fading into nothingness, Michael focused his attention on the only person left in the room. Terror could be read from her face and her posture indicated that she was preparing to run from the room. Taking the seat closest to the doorway, Michael attempted to alleviate some of the tension in the room.

"You can relax. Although I am here because of what happened the previous time we saw each other, I do not intend to bring any form of harm to you. This is likely to be a lengthy discussion but I will do my utmost to explain why I am here and what it is I want out of this meeting. To begin with, I am not the man you believe I am."

Although the words that she had just heard served to mildly lessen her fear, her body was still prepared to flee at the first sign of danger. Still, she decided to probe the mentality of the man before her by poking at his own pride.

"Are you telling me that you are not the lust filled young Duke that destroyed everything his parents had built barely five years after taking possession of it? The same young Duke that would take any woman he desired to before tossing them aside because he grew bored?"

"Although the person you see sat here today was in fact as you just described, I am not him. For that, I believe I owe you my utmost thanks. If not for you, I would not be alive in this world today. I would still be in a blackened void filled with nothing."