Inwardly, Miranda celebrated her little victory. [i]Here's to hoping you've learned your lesson, my lord,[/i] she thought. [i]There's always another side.[/i]

Still, the semi-redhead wasn't so uneducated that she'd object to coin; even if she did have to fetch it. So she took the invitation, and approached the noble at a respectful distance. Carefully, her soft hands took the metal coins from his pocket, and dropped them in her purse. "Much obliged," she said, polity. "M'lord is muh generous."

"Don't kid yourself."

A new voice spoke up, one much more defiant and biting than hers. Miranda's head jerked to the left, and she recoiled back in horror. Out of the throngs of people-all of which were quickly parting- was a tall, slender woman with hair black as night skimming to her waist, and skin as pale as the moon. Two dark, nearly black eyes bored straight into the noble, her robes clinging tightly to her not unattractive form.

"It's the witch!" Hilde shrieked, clinging to Claude. Miranda's breathing quickened, eyes wide, but she dared to speak.

"What brings you here?" she said, voice catching. "w-we're done here."

"I'm not interested in the base tunes of ancient history, you trollop," the witch said coolly. "Your [i]noble[/i] friend has wronged my honor, and I demand retribution."