In His Castle. In Her Presence.

Outside, There were People are Strange and You a Stranger.

I walked away from the two chairs, leaving Gwyneth behind. Our conversation was long, meaningful and in a way needed.

The next morning came at last. After our intensive talk we parted our ways quietly, without speech. No 'good night', nothing. Her door opened with a shrieking sound, it made her turn in her sleep. I looked at my feet, hesitating to set foot in her room.

Better not do that.

As peaceful and natural as she lay there was like looking at a painting. Her hair was a mess and everywhere, but she didn't mind for her thoughts were somewhere else.
"Dream tight, my dear, go and escape from me. But remember that you are mine, forever and always."
With that I grabbed my black hood and threw it over my head, her door closed and so did the font door.

"Are you sure about this, young master Cobalt?"
"Of course Roderick. I must thank this woman."
He looked worried at me, the same way I looked an hour ago at Gwyneth.
"I have enough power to do this, and they haven't seen my face for decades. No person in that village will know me, unless there grandparents are alive. But with... When the accident happened, I am convinced no one of that time is alive and well to remember."
"I trust you on this master. What must I do with our guest."
I bit my lip as a sign of thought.
"Tell her I am in my study and wished not to be disturbed, she knows what comes to her in she crosses the line with me, it will be no problem."
Before closing my door I added - "I will leave when the sun rises and be back here before diner."
"Yes, my Lord. Have a good night rest and a save trip." Roderick said before fading away.

The sun appeared from the horizon, it was beautiful. How beautiful, you ask? So beautiful it burns my skin. I covered my naked skin and pulled a mask over my mouth. If you would see me, walking down towards the big gate and down the meandering road towards the village, you would think I was part of a dangerous gang for I was in black clothing making my skinny body look big and tough, while I didn't mean anybody harm... This time.

The village I grew up in was quite, only the bakers and smiths opened their doors and windows and hung their boards with the newest products on the market. One woman, she was rather fat and looked like the wife of the baker, came out of her shop and shamelessly stretched herself. When she tried to touch her toes she looked in front of her at my shoes. The woman straightened herself and dusted her skirt off. "Good day, young man." She said with a big smile. "Yer an early bird, ain't ya?". It wasn't until I stood in front of the sun she could see my scary appearance. She looked frightened but managed her cool. Because my back covered the sun, I could take of my mouth covering mask. "I ask you where here an house is with red light and woman for sale." I asked her. Trying to find her words, her supposing husband appeared behind her with flour in his hair and a towel in his hands.
"How can we help you?" The baker asked.
"With peace and no harm." Although my disguise gave me an reputation which suited in me, but didn't help today.
"H-he is searching for a house... With red lights and woman for s-sale..." The wife said, looking at her husband with no clue.
The baker, however, knew what I was talking about and wasn't happy mentioning the place in front of his wife.
"I assume you know this place, sir." I said. The baker send his wife to the back of the building and kept on cleaning his hands. "Ya lookin' for Miss Winsleys Girls, ain't ya? Well they don't open until the sun sets and the woman and children are asleep." I looked at him with disappointment. My hands stared pulling an invisible rope. The bakers towel fell out of his hands and looked at me with big eyes and a red face.
"Now mister Rowland, you got yourself quiet a lovely family. Tell me, how is little Johnny?"
The man almost suffocated from nothing.
"You have more to say, so be a good man and SPILL IT!" I let my hands fall next to me and the baker catches his breath.
"The girls... They live there. They never leave so if you want to find one of them, you can go to the building. Down the street on your right, behind the clothing store. There.... There will you find the club... Please don't hurt me, I didn't do anything wrong..."
And here he was wrong. I grabbed his neck and lifted him a few inches from the ground.
"Knowing that you know of this place says enough for me to judge." I let him go, so the baker almost fell backwards and rubbed his hands around his red neck. With this information I headed down the street.
"How do you know..." He said underneath his breath, thinking I wouldn't hear. But I did. I walked backwards and turned again towards the baker, who regretted the words he said. With a swift and quick move I cracked his neck and the baker lay on the ground.
"I don't, but I do know what respect and dignity is."
The store didn't look promising, not even as a cover up for what was behind it. I tried opening the door, and it seemed unlocked. As I entered I could hear the music, softly, behind the counter.
"Can I help you, good man?" A head appeared from behind a table of clothes. She had the hair colour and structure of Gwyneth, their noses were similar too, yet their smiles where different. This woman smiled on the outside and clenched her teeth of anger and the list of power on the inside, Gwyneth smiles on the outside and cries on the inside.