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	The woman that had been seen walking toward the Blacksmith before Jack entered town, had since disappeared into the Blacksmiths stone-walled and slate-tile roof home. It was the only building in town - far as Jack had seen - to be constructed of the same materials as what he thought was the local tavern, the same he now knew as Greenfalls Inn. Considering this, and the fact that the woman appeared, at least from a distance, to be about the same age as the Blacksmith, he figured it would a safe assumption that she and the Blacksmith were married, or at least a couple. And, of course, Jack being a man who did what he could to win the favour of people he intended to conduct business with, he also decided that using this knowledge of the pair and their home would be a good start to getting a fair deal. Nothing like a well placed compliment to curry favour.  

‘Greetings there!’ Jack declared to the blacksmith with a smile as he stepped into the sheltered work area alongside the house, ‘I see both your house and your wife are made of the finest materials, you must be a man of great taste!’ 

It was only as Jack finished saying these exact words that he realised the many ways it could go wrong. Accordingly, he took a step back out arms reach of the large man. 

The Blacksmith, who hadn’t yet taken his eyes off Jack since he started conversing with the guard, continued to stare deadpan at the stranger, not a move or even so much as a flicker of an eye to suggest he was in the slightest way affected by Jack’s approach or his choice of words. He actually stood staring for an uncomfortable amount of time, causing Jack to wonder if he should just walk away, before, at last, he did reply in a flat, candid manner. 

‘If you desire my wife for the night, I’m willing to work a deal, but you will be escorting her to the Inn. No shenanigans in my home, you hear? Besides,’ he finished, while turning back to the anvil and raising his hammer for another strike at his current job, ‘I don’t care much for watching.’ 

Jack was a tad set back by this response, it wasn’t expected in the least. He watched on, jaw slightly dropped, and blinking each time the Blacksmiths hammer connected. 

‘That isn’t actually what I was after,’ said Jack between strikes of the hammer, ‘I was just saying… good taste you have. You know, that sort of thing.” He shook his head and decided on forsaking any further explanation. ‘I actually just came over to see if I could have you forge me a weapon. Or maybe you have one ready for sale? I’m also looking for a leatherworker, if you know anyone.’