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❝ There was no sin he would not commit for the right price ❞

A smile curled on his lips as he lifted his chin, slowly. "Well then..." His deep voice echoed through the chamber, giving it a more lifelike feel, as if only for a second. His hazel eyes scanned the man beneath him, bowing as he lowered his head once more. His fingertips almost touching his perfectly polished shoes. "I'm honestly not surprised. This is precisely what I was waiting for," Confusion rose from the man before him as he looked up, his blue eyes daringly gazing up at the man before him. "But-" In a swift movement his foot shot up, kicking the bowing man right in his face, which cause him to fling backwards as he moaned in pain. "This is just sad," he chuckled as he looked at the sad man, crawling on the floor, hands covering his own face as he tried to help his broken nose. The dark haired man stepped forward, his hands lowering in the pockets of his expensive pants. "You think we didn't notice? You honestly think no-one would notice?" he laughed as he tilted his head once again. His face was filled with joy as he looked on at the man, clearly suffering from the kick he had inflicted upon him. How joyful. This was but a mere fraction of what he actually deserved.

And in a fraction of his second, his demeanour changed. The smile disappearing as quickly as it had come to him. "You disgust me," His voice was no longer joy filled as he tilted his chin up once more. He looked onto the sad excuse of a man as he heard how tears were welling up, he was in his own world, so it would seem. The wrong kind of action to take when in his presence. His life was on the line and yet, the mage had little to say to him. He scoffed for a moment. "You wasted my time and money," He tilted his head a little bit, lifting his foot en putting it on top of the others shoulder, leaning on it. His weight was enough to make the man cry out once again. Matthew took a deep breath as he swiftly kicked the man once again, right on his teeth. "Silence, don't talk back to me," His voice was stern as he watched on how the man covered his head, shaking. What for... He didn't know. He clearly knew what he had started when he deceived him. "You've betrayed Ashmoor, you've betrayed your people" He shook his head slowly. What a sad excuse of a human being. Although, he no longer was considered a human, was he?

He took a step back, lifting his hand. "Take him away and make sure he doesn't get his disgusting hands on anything," His gaze went towards a guard who swiftly stepped forward, grabbing the wounded man and dragging him away. Matthew followed them for a moment, before turning around. As quickly as his smile had gone, it was back. His face showing of it charms once again. Now he really needed someone to clean his shoes... ANd to clean the blood that was on the floor. He hated that sight so much and that in his own living space. Oh... Well... In a way it was urgent. But at the same time... "Please, clean this up and get me a new pair of shoes," He looked over at his maid, who bowed her head and went on her way right away.

As soon as she left the room he walked towards the window, folding his hands behind his back as his hazel eyes went over the view, as if he was expecting someone. In reality, he wasn't expecting anyone. It was his day off, for once, which meant he could do spend it on his daughter, perhaps... He would love to, but he also knew that he still had some duties to attend to. It was a shame, really, but at the same time it was the life he had chosen for himself. And for that he had been blessed with great fortune. If he could do it all over, he would. He chuckled for a moment, because at the end of the day this is what he truly enjoyed about life.

❝ There was no sin he would not commit for the right price ❞

A shame of his shoes. But it could be corrected. Something that couldn't be said about the man that would be hanging later today. To think that a mage hade been abusing his funds. Oh, how amusing. He had known from the start, but seeing the man struggle, fail and then actually exposing himself. It was better then any play he had seen so far! Really they should hire him to write up a tragedy, because playing around with peoples life really gave him enough inspiration to excel at the job. Then again, the arts weren't really something he was fond of. It would be fun for maybe once or twice, but it would lose its spark rather quickly. Just like much of his toys were they not of much use after he had his fun with it. But hey, perhaps it was worth the try. After all, a job was easier to get rid of then a person.

He heard how someone approached the chambers and he turned slowly, mostly expecting his maid to show up. But when he saw that it was in fact his one and only daughter, a smile curled on his lips. His entire expression softening at the mere sight of her. She, however, went on to comment about the blood, his dirty shoes. He sighed for a moment as he shook his head. "You know that's part of the job, my dear princess," he said with a sweet voice as took a step towards her. She as well stepped towards him. A simple, somewhat, lie as it surely wasn't part of the business whatsoever. It was simply because he enjoyed what he did. Seeing them struggle, seeing them regret every lie they had sold him. It gave him the joy in doing what he did. If not physical violence, then let it be mental, verbal or even materialistic. To rid someone of every penny they had to their name was also quite the sight to behold.

SHe offered his new pair of shoes and he took them over as she announced her return. "Thank you so much my darling," He said with a bright smile. "I am so glad that you are here, please take a seat," He looked over at the maid that had started to clean up the blood. "You!" His demeanour changing since his daughter had arrived. "Hurry up and get my daughter her favourite right now," The young woman looked up in a hurry, nodded and jumped to her feet, hurrying out of the room to prepare a drink for the two of them.

A new smiled curled on his lips as he walked over to the lounge area, taking a seat as he swiftly changed his shoes. "How was your trip to the city? Have you enjoyed yourself?" He smiled as he looked at her once more. He truly felt happy just being around her. She was the only thing that brought him joy in this world. Seeing her happy being the one thing he cared about. All the worries he had about work vanished in an instance as it all became about Maybel. It had become her day, just by showing up.

❝ There was no sin he would not commit for the right price ❞

With work like his it wasn't rare that matter like these occurred. But then again, it was something that all winters came in contact with at one point in their lives. It just be that he handled it like this. With blood sticking to his soles and a bright smile on his face. he enjoyed every part of it. Was he harsh? Perhaps. But he would prefer the term correct, as that more accurately portrayed his way of working. All was well until one took a wrong step. And that's what he was always waiting for. Like a shark attracted to blood, he flocked to the misfortunate and the faulty. Their tragedies were better then any play society could brew up. Oh how he loved doing what he did.

His maids scattered like mice as soon as his tone changed. No longer sweet tongued for them, it was clear they had to their job with absolute precision. Remembering their place and what they were doing here. The tall man looked at one of his maids, who was cleaning the floor as quick as her hands could work. Another had bowed to her master, walking out of the room swiftly after. A smile curled on his lips as he placed his hands over it. His hazel gaze moving back to his darling daughter. She seemed pleased and that was all that mattered. He would do anything to keep that dazzling smile of hers. She meant everything to him. The only thing he still had of his late wife. Oh how he missed her every day. It had been over 20 years now, and yet still... The thought of Cecilia made his heart swell a bit, aching as much as it cried out for her. Oh his dear Cecilia...

Maybel started to talk about her journey to the city and Matthew leaned back, letting the words of his daughter lead the conversation. She was supposed to meet a poet that had been writing to her. But the guy had looked quite ugly, so she had turned away from meeting him. He nodded to her, understanding quite well why she had done that. He would do the same thing. However, those things never seemed to happen to him. If women invited him for... Business related matter, they always seemed dressed up, covered in their finest make-up and linen. But he knew why they did that. Usually acting surprised and great when they eventually found out about the truth regarding the rumours, it was actually him who played them. Not that they had to know that. The blond Winter carried on, ending her story by commenting on how she had gotten some diamonds for his wedding. And in an instance, the entire atmosphere had shifted.

Matthew looked at his daughter, his smile fading as hers had done. Well. Of course he hadn't expected her to be thrilled about the arrangements, but he had at least hoped she had an understanding to it. "Maybel," He started, his voice sounding a tad neutral as he spoke. Not demanding or angry, but more leaning towards the fatherly tone he usually had around her. Although it sounded less filled with emotions as it had done before, the way he spoke was more formal... Not in a bad way. "You have to understand that these are things that have to be done in our family," He tilted his head, his hazel eyes going to the door. The maid from before walked in with a fine crystal gless, filed with the champagne Maybel oh so adored. As the woman walked up to the young lady, offering her drink, he took a deep breath. "I'm merely marrying out of obligation. You understand that, right?" He didn't want to push his daughter away. That would pain his heart immensely. "I can promise you, this will not be like the last one," Rina was a monster and a disgusting witch. The only thing that woman had on her mind was money and power. Almost like someone else in this house that had attached themselves to the Winters through marriage.

"I'll make sure she knows her place," He nodded at his daughter. "Besides," He chuckled as he leaned forward, picking his glass of red wine of the table. As he carefully picked it up he couldn't help himself to chuckle some more. "She's just a pretty face. That's the only reason why I picked her," Yea. And she couldn't expect of him that he would marry and old, ugly hag. Those types of women were useless to him. He just got married for the more intimate activities. Not for anything else. Victoria was never gonna get any power in her hands. She was a mere object in his eyes and he would make sure she would know that. As he leaned back in his seat, he took a sip of his wine, awaiting his daughters response.

❝ There was no sin he would not commit for the right price ❞

If this were anyone else, he would laugh in their face while shutting them down with much ease. Perhaps even use violence. But he would never think like that when it came down to his daughter. She was the only person he really cared for and he would give her the world, if he only could. But not everything could be like he wished it was. Just like how he still had certain desires. It was a careful game of balance, weighen the one for the other as to try and please everyone. It had been years since he last had someone by his side. Even when Rina was still around it never really felt like they were a thing. Not after the first year, at least. The woman had been bitter and cold, only really caring for her son while casting her step daughter aside. Matthew had despised her for treating Maybel like that. A fatal mistake on her part. He could handle anything thrown at him, as he cared little for what the consequences of those actions. It was the reason why he drank so much, why he dabbled in matters that no human should mingle with. He treated his own mortality as a plaything in its own regards, just like anyone elses. But all of that changed when it came down to her. He had promised Cecilia that he would grant her the best life possible. And he would do anything in his power to make that happen.

He could understand her anger quite well, as what had happened with the last one wasn't a pleasant experience. But Matthew was sure that his decision was a good one. Maybel had never known a mother and he couldn't help himself but feel concerned for her. And maybe he was going about it in the wrong ways, but could you blame him? To compromise between what she needed and he wanted was a delicate matter that wasn't easily laid upon someone. In his own humble opinion he really thought that he had made the best choice for everyone. He had picked someone who was close with the church, which would strengthen the ties there and please the Winters as a whole. From what he had heard the woman was also very serious. He was sure that he could get her to do what he wanted, let her be a mother figure for his children, something they really needed. And for him? Well. She was a beauty for sure and that was all that mattered to him. To actually go for a woman his age was... Questionable. Not many aged with grace. A shame, really.

And where he thought that he had picked his words well, she didn't seem pleased. She proved to be his daughter once more and retaliated with words that could cast anyone away. He frowned for a moment as she spoke as if this woman was just like her. "Of course not my rose," He said after she spoke, his voice clearly concerned and it bit surprised. "You are a Winter and my daughter, never forget that. You are not like her... You are not like any of those women," It made him feel bad that she would ever feel like such lowlife, because she wasn't like that. She was above all. She was a winter, a statement that would always indicate much more than just a pretty face. He rose to his feet as he stepped forward, kneeling down beside his daughter as he carefully looked up at her. A vulnerability that only two people ever had the pleasure to see in him. As he looked over her perfect face, he softened up. No longer was he smiling or putting up some charming looks. It all made place for something so very pure; the look of a concerned father. "Please..." He said softly, holding out his hand as to grab hers. But he waited, as to not agitate her. She was clearly angry and if she wanted to hit him, she could do. If she so wanted, she could beat him up as much as she desired. "Never think yourself to be just a pretty face, my angel," he said softly. "You are so... So much more," He tilted his head. "You are smart and talented and so very brave," he said. "You are nothing like any of them. And I will never let something like that happen to you," It was fathers promise to his daughter, his jewel, his everything.

Pleading eyes followed by pleading words. It made his heart ache and made him actually rethink his choices. He averted his eyes for a moment, letting those words sink in for a moment. As he fell silent, he remained on one knee, sitting beside her. A sight that was truly rare. You would never see him on his knees, not for anyone. But this was one of those things he couldn't fool anyone with. "Of course not," He said softly. "I know we are happy but..." He paused for a moment, looking at the floor for a moment as he tried to find the words that wouldn't be too harsh. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized there was no easy way to put this. "I'm getting old," He sighed, softly chuckling. And perhaps that was part of it. A last strive in his prime before his age would catch up with him and he would be nothing more than just an old man. If he would ever make it to that age. It was funny, really. In a rich's man world there really only was one thing they all wanted more of... And let that one thing be something impossible to achieve.

❝ There was no sin he would not commit for the right price ❞

The rules of Ashmoor had always been straight forward, but strict. He never felt anything for it, as he found it so limiting. Yet, he could understand why those rules were in place. To keep people in check and give them a false sense of a greater thing. After all, there was no greater fear than the fear of the unknown. It was the whole reason why people invented religion and believed in something bigger than what they could see. He had always found it a bit amusing, as in a sense it was also a kind of magic. But to be critical and to think outside the box... Now that wasn't really that was appreciated here. Critical minds had strong thoughts and strong thoughts led to problems. Simplicity and obedience were what a leader wanted. Well, a simple leader. To create followers was one thing, to develop something bigger, however, required so much more. It's not that he blamed his brother. It had been like this for generations now. Tradition and guidelines brought peace to the mind of simpletons, that much was clear. But for people like him it was but a mere irritation. He couldn't help but keep questioning it, regardless of the fact that he understood. Didn't they strive to become stronger in the long run?

He honestly felt real concern for her when she spoke like that. It broke his heart to think that she thought of herself like that. Did he play a role in this mentality? He hoped not. She was pure perfecting, a light in this dark world. He wouldn't allow anyone to harm her in any way. It really was the only way to his heart and perhaps the only weakness he had. Being both the thing that brought him the greatest joy, as well as the greatest sadness whenever something did go wrong. To feel like this, was something rare for him, but not when it came to her. His daughter, his pearl, his rose, his everything. He would move mountains for her if he could. And he had always given her everything she ever wanted, because she was worth more than any amount of gold. But when gifts and money couldn't do it anymore, he went on his knees in front of her, asking for her forgiveness in the humblest way possible. Perhaps the only person who would ever witness this, but she was worth it. To make himself vulnerable was perhaps the greatest gift he could ever give her.

She took his hand and offered her apologies by saying that she was sorry. Matthew smiled at her softly, just like she did. As he softly laid his fingers over her hand, he softly squeezed her hand, gently and not for long. It was more of a reassuring thing than anything else. "You don't have to say sorry," he said gently to her, tilting his head somewhat. "I understand that you're upset," He really did. After all, it had also been him who brought Rina into her life. A woman who had proven to be vile to the core. It had spoiled that precious dream he had for them. A dream he was still holding onto. And now with the fact that his backup plan laid in pieces, all was just looking bleak. He didn't like it, at all. To not be able to control every little bit of his life was troublesome. He hated it. He hated being powerless. He hated having to admit to her that they couldn't live the way they wanted. "And that's okay," Because it was okay to feel a certain way about things. "If there's anything I can do, then please tell me," Calling of the wedding wasn't an option, however. It was the one and only thing he couldn't give her.

But then he spoke of his mortality and his age, something that seemed to scare her. He took a deep breath, feeling the weight of her gaze and her reply on his shoulders. She stated that he wasn't, but he knew better. He was getting a couple of grey hairs here and there. Although not noticeable yet, it did confirm the fact that he was getting past his prime. He was still very fit and young for his age, however. But he knew better than anyone else how fast it could go sometimes. Maybel went on and tried to comfort her in her own way. He smiled at her, before averting his eyes. No-one would dare to do that, of course. It would be an insult to the Winter to say the least. Especially since he was the youngest among his brothers. To say he was old, would state that the Duke was getting old as well. And that wasn't a lie, he was as well. But Edward wouldn't state such things to people. The man was way too busy to even care about such thing anyway. His daughter went on with confirming that he was still young, placing both her hands on his as she went on to say that she was sorry and he scared her. Matthew looked back at her, observing her once more, showing her a soft and gentle smile as he did. People thought men like him didn't get vulnerable or weak. Men like him were pillars for others. And pillars, they couldn't crumble.

He remained silent for a moment, before he finally spoke. "I didn't mean to scare you, my rose," he said softly. "But this is the truth," He looked at her, trying to look at her with his hazel eyes. His gaze was soft and warm as it tried to comfort her. "But you are right, there is still plenty of time left," But that didn't mean he was getting younger. However, he could understand what she was afraid of. Telling her he was getting old meant that there could be a time when he wasn't around. And even though he felt like now would be a good time to speak about that, he just... Couldn't. He couldn't bring him to look at her while she felt like this. Scared of a future that was bound to happen. No... Now was not the time. "Let's talk about something else, ok?" He said with a soft smile. He remained there, on his knees, for some time, before he finally rose again. "I'll be going to Dawnmire again soon, would you like to come too? I'm sure Victor would love to see you again," After his visit to Glimmerhollow he would go back to the city he really loved. Perhaps some time away from the big city would do good for the both of them. "I'm leaving for Glimmerhollow in a couple of days though, so it would only be after I'm back from that trip," It would give her some time to get properly ready. And if he was being completely honest, he was really looking forward to some quality father daughter time. And what better place to spend it than the beautiful city of Dawnmire.