"You asked me to come back in an hour, Miss," the man clutched his cap, "I was on my way and His Grace found me,"

"That was," the Duke paused, "That was smart of you, to ask him to come back,"

"Thank you," I said starting to feel pleased about myself.

"But it was foolish," the Duke gently burst my bubble, "To come here in the first place. How could you trust every note that bears my name?"

"I was curious," I said, "Because this note is clearly from your mansion, bearing your seal and your signature," I pulled out the crumpled note from the bottom of my purse and delivered it to him, "I wondered how common criminals could gain your stationary,"

He observed the note and crumpled it into his palm.

He marched to his security who had apprehended the assailants. Lady Fughal wailed and sobbed inconsolably while the priest stayed still - his face pale and gaunt.

"Lady Alma," the Duke said and she stopped squirming sitting at stiff attention with her gaze on him. "Do you want to explain yourself?"

His jaw was clenched and his hand shivered slightly in anger.

"You were supposed to marry me!" she screamed and cried and sobbed, flailing her head about, undoing her beautiful hair. On her knees, in such a disgraceful manner, Lady Alma Fughal looked utterly miserable.

"Lady Alma," the Duke clenched the note, "I do not intend to marry someone who yearns for another. I believe I made that sufficiently clear."

"What choice do I have?" she sobbed bending her neck.

"That does not concern me." the Duke said. "I did not expect you to have the audacity of stealing from me when I brought myself to host your family at my mansion out of courtesy last week. And you endangered the life of my fiance. That is not forgiveable, is it?"

There was a whiff of something more than just anger in his tone and I felt a chill crawl down my back.

"Y-Your Grace!" the priest shouted, falling forward to clutch at the Duke's foot, "I-I have nothing to do with this! I only did what Alma told me to do, I was not in favor of killing that - that lady!"

Liar.

I carefully made my way to the Duke, blowing into the cloth to clear my nose.

Something about this man's attitude upset me. I didn't want to engage in any sort of conversation with him, however, I was furious at him for having unnecessary malice towards me.

Lady Alma had a stunned look on her face, and her shoulders sagged in heartbreak. It must have hurt seeing a man she thought loved her, be so eager to betray her in a manner of few moments.

"Your Grace," I said, drawing his attention, and fought the urge to step back ten paces. His face had blanched and his jaw was wound so tight, it was a miracle it didn't snap. "I ask you to leave the manner of their punishment to me,"

"Y-you know I d-didn't want to kill you right?" the priest stammered withdrawing from the Duke ready to throw himself at my feet. I pulled up my skirt and swung my heel as hard as I could smack into his forehead. The man crumpled to his back with a tight crack and blood sprung from his forehead. Lady Alma stared in horror before screaming at me.

I didn't dare to look at the Duke.

I had never thought of myself as a violent person, but there was an ache in my heart, hollow from the fear that filled it, leaking into me in pure heated anger.

I wiped my heel in the dirt, to remove the bloodstains and said,

"Your Grace,"

"Yes, Miss Damaran?"

"I would like you to inform Lady Alma Fughal's family about her whereabouts and crimes," I said, "If they do not wish for me to press charges and publicly disgrace the Fughal name, I am feeling generous enough to do so."

I hadn't really thought much about what having the Fughal family owe me would do, but having a new card in my deck, helped me feel relieved. I would need all the cards I could get, before going to Lurris.

Lady Alma sobbed into her hands.

A pang hit my heart and I wondered if I was being needlessly cruel. I was sure that if I bothered to ask, the Duke would be more than happy to close this matter under utmost secrecy and preserve Lady Alma's reputation and save her from her family's potential anger. But I felt no mercy.

"And her lover?" the Duke asked.

The priest was still unconscious though he was starting to groan. "Let the Fughal family decide what he must suffer through. I am sure that both of them came up with the idea of taking me, but," I paused, "He wanted to kill me."

"And you're sure -"

"Yes," I interuppted. Their honor will be at stake. They will understand what needs to be done and they will be glad to do it. "We do not need to get our hands dirty more than required," And I turned to face him. I wondered what he thought of me. Was I too harsh? Too lenient? I was sure that the Duke had his own ways of making sure no one crossed him, but I would be borrowing his power to make my own way.

His anger was still rolling off of his shoulders, but there was a sweet smile on his face that became wider as he met my eyes.

"Allow me to take you back home, Aelis,"

"Thank you, Your Grace,"

"Remonn," he smiled, "Please call me Remonn."