Alstair had spotted her the day before in his talking with Siduri. She had been tall enough and had the right build. Better yet, she was a human. So at the witching hour he came to her doorstep dressed in black, his face hidden behind a mask that had seen so much pain in Mugroba. Screaming faces and burning villages. He had stepped outside his humanity and had returned to the form of a monster.

He was the black dragoon once more.

He found her amidst the stacks dressed like some paper doll for a spoiled child. Too much makeup, too bold. She may have looked the part but she was not her. With the same swagger of a so many louts he had seen while on the front as they paraded about towns currying favor with the Mugrobi women he approached her.

"Excuse me madam." He said with a deep bow and a flourish of his cloak. His voice was rich and sweet. "Could I perhaps ask a favor of you?"

The woman stopped staring at her strange courier.

"What do you want?" She asked with a resentful voice. "I don't have time for a golly like you. I'm working." Her voice was thick with the accent of the city. It's sound made Alstair want to retch.

Uncouth bitch. If it were not for the fact you looked like her I would kill you on the spot! His mind hissed even as he stood once more taking a calloused hand in his own and giving it a delicate kiss.

"There is always time." He replied "Especially for a customer such as myself." As he finished speaking with a flick of the wrist he procured two shills.

"I'm worth more than that golly." She snapped yanking her hand away from him, eying the money with interest. True she was worth more but...she had worked for less.

Arrogant bitch! You should be happy with this! Nothing more than a cheap knock off of her and you expect payment? You should be honored to imitate her!

"You misunderstand madam." He said taking out another Shill. "I intend to pay you the rest tomorrow. If you show there will be a concord in it for all your hard work" His voice was velvet soft as he held the shills before her, feigning warmth and love for the creature before him.

She looked at the money with hungry eyes. She did have bills...and a concord was well worth the trouble of meeting some galdori pervert at his place of choosing. He really didn't seem that bad. Polite and those eyes...they seemed to draw a person in. Lock them away...
"Alright. Where is it you want to meet?" she said hesitantly taking the money.

"Outside the Sidoranti manor near midnight. Be sure to wear a dark cloak madam. I...I'm sure you understand how a man of my standing would like to keep this a secret." Alstair replied acting worried at the mention of the Sidoranti manor and the woman's presence at said manor.

The woman smiled. She knew this gig. She 'worked' with several men like him most were pretty lousy on the pay though.
"Sure. Sidoranti's right? I can do that." She said taking the money and tucking it away behind her blouse. "I'll meet you there mister. Anything I should say to let you know?"

Alstair smiled. It was the kind of smile he had had when he had first won a battle. The smile for which he had become feared.
"No I should be able to tell if it is a lady as beautiful as yourself coming to my side."

Of course you are a mere puppet in this affair and come tomorrow you shall be set free of this mortal life.

Without another word Alstair turned and began to walk away, all the while speaking softly in a strange tongue. The same words he had spoken before he had approached the woman. Making her a pliable piece of clay willing to dance his little ballet of deceit.