I've been having some issues getting back into the groove writing wise since last weekend's monitor issue so I apologize for not having this done yesterday. Hopefully things will get back on track and I can get back to writing like I was. To the Adventure! -Tim

The road they follow wound up into the mountain, Lord Walter rode alert, occasionally looking about and listening as they moved. He saw the snow line approaching and as he looked back he saw Ralph shivering and he smiled and called a halt. He climbed down off of his charger and walked back to the pack horses and opened one of the packs and brought out the fur coats and gloves he'd had placed inside. Happy, Toby, Allie and Ralph were only too happy to put on the coats and gloves. He gave Sylvester and Sir Cabe theirs and then moved up and passed one to Kaylee and finally Paige before climbing back onto his charger.

Paige looked at him after she had wrapped her coat around her torso, "Where is your coat?"

Lord Walter smiled, "I gave it to Allie, her dress is much too thin for this clime." He nudged his charger and she began walking on up the road and Paige followed along.

As they reached the first plateau in the snow band the wind was howling across it. Lord Walter frowned and stopped, listening he gestured to Paige to hold her position. Closing his eyes he concentrated trying to pick out the sounds he could hear in the wind as it blew through. He shook his head and road back to the pack horses and untied one of the lances and rode back to the front. He began adjusting the straps on his armor, tightening them securely.

Paige looked up at him, "Walter, what is it?"

Walter smiled, "Possibly nothing, but there is a sound, I'd rather be prepared than caught unawares. The road narrows a bit shortly before it passes by an opening that goes back into the mountain, so I want you to ride one horse length back Paige, just in case."

Paige glared at him for a few moments as he rode out ahead of her and then she nudged her horse to follow.

The wind picked up and brought with it a snow shower and visibility quickly dropped from over a mile to less than twenty feet, Paige saw Walter hold up his hand and gestured for her to back off more. She did as he directed. She sat on her horse just in front of Kaylee and Ralph when she barely could make out Lord Walter as he ducked suddenly, and she realized why he had her ride back as she saw his lance go flying right past her and over the side of mountain. She heard a roar that at first she thought was the wind picking up but she could smell a foul stench in the air.

Paige watched as Lord Walter slid off his charger and smacked it causing her to run on down the road and he drew his sword. She saw him duck again and this time she saw a log of some kind, at least twice as long as Lord Walter was tall. She jumped off her horse and drew her sword knowing the howling wind would negate her songs. She ran up as her horse ran back the other way. Kaylee drew her bow and nock an arrow and peered into the blowing snow and fired.

There was a piercing scream and a bluish liquid started dripping to the snow covered ground. Paige finally saw through enough of the snow at the frost giant standing before her and Lord Walter and her eyes went wide as the twenty some foot tall giant turned towards her and swung his club at her and Lord Walter leapt and slammed his sword down on top of the club knocking it to the ground just a few feet before it would have hit her. Kaylee shot off two more arrows and caught the giant in his left arm again. And he roared again as Sir Cabe came running up followed by Sylvester.

Lord Walter used the momentary distraction of the arrows to draw back his sword, and swung and severed the giant's right hand at the wrist. The giant screamed and grabbed his right wrist with his left hand as Paige attacked its left knee and Sylvester threw out that silvery powder and intoned the words of power and lightning flashed out and struck the giant in the chest.

Lord Walter moved in and using all of his strength he swung and his sword sliced clean through the giant's right knee and the giant toppled over as Paige cut through its other knee. Sir Cabe ran up its torso and drove his sword in an upper angle just under his ribs. The giant tried to scream again but Sir Cabe's sword had sliced through its heart and esophagus and all that came out was blood.

Lord Walter stood there carefully trying to catch his breath without inhaling too much cold air by breathing through his hand. Slowly he took his sword and wiped it on the giant's fur before sheathing it again. Paige stepped up to the side of the giant, "Walter, are you okay?" She yelled into the wind.

Walter turned and smiled, "I'm fine, are you okay?"

Paige nodded as she sheathed her sword after wiping it on the giant's fur.

Walter embraced her, "You impressed me my Lady."

Paige smiled shyly.

Sir Cabe wiped his sword across its fur as well and sheathed his sword.

With the giant dead the snow quickly decreased and the howling wind died down.

Happy rode up with Paige's horse and Paige smiled, "Thank you Happy," she told her.

Happy nodded.

Lord Walter held the reins while Paige got back on her horse, as Sir Cabe and Sylvester moved back to their horses. Lord Walter turned and began walking on down the road trying to find his charger. Paige rode slowly next to him and smiled, "Can I offer you a ride stranger?"

Lord Walter laughed as he stopped and Paige moved forward in her saddle and pulled her boot out of the stirrup and Lord Walter Stuck his foot into it and holding onto Paige he rose up and threw his leg over the saddle and Paige nudged the horse on down the road. As they rounded the next corner the road began running back down the mountain. It took them about a half hour to drop back down below the snowline and shortly after that they found Lord Walter's charge grazing on the mountain grass.

They went ahead and stopped for lunch and they packed away the fur coats before continuing on down the mountain. They arrived at the lake Lord Walter had told Ralph about a couple of hours before sunset and they quickly went about setting up their camp about a hundred yards away from the road right next to the lake.

Toby walked over to Lord Walter and held out a heavy sack to him. Lord Walter looked puzzled, "What's this?"

"I'd searched the bodies of those bandits before we buried them, some of the stuff they had looked like it might have belonged to a merchant or two, same with the giant up there. I figured someone might be trying to find out what happened to a loved one and they might want something personal back." Toby told him.

Lord Walter smiled and clapped his shoulder, "Well done my friend, I should have considered that." He took the sack from him and tied it off before adding it to the sack on his belt.

Toby pointed at the sack, "Just how much does that thing hold anyway?"

Lord Walter smiled, "Let us hope we don't have to find out."

Sylvester volunteered to cook dinner and Kaylee agreed to assist him as she had picked off several rabbits on the way down out of the mountain. Allie had shuddered and got a small pot out of the packs and made her own supper of mushrooms left over from last night and vegetables from their stores.

Lord Walter stopped Ralph as he went to put his bedroll in their tent and he opened it up and laid one of the blankets down on the grass beside the lake and dropped his pillow on the far end from the lake and laid his other blanket on top of it. Paige walked over and pointed, "Walter? Don't like the tent anymore?"

Walter smiled, "The night should be nice and clear and I thought being cognizant of sleeping outside of the tent would be a nice change of pace."

Paige smiled, "I know I enjoyed it last night, perhaps I should repeat it with you."

Walter winked, "I think I would welcome your company if you wish to do so."

Ralph walked over, "Can I sleep out here with you?"

Walter smiled and looked at Paige, "If it's okay with your Mother, its fine with me lad."

Paige smiled, "I think the wise Lady would approve."

For Toby's good deed Lord Walter assigned him and Happy the fourth watch and Cabe and Allie third watch and he took the mid watch with Paige.

Paige had spread one of her blankets down partially on top of Walter's and they both lay on top, her head on his shoulder the night clear and crisp. They just relaxed in each other's arms and watched as the moon slowly rose up into the night sky. With its light being reflected by the lake it almost looked like the moon had a twin. Ralph had fallen asleep almost as soon as he lay down next to Walter and shortly after began snoring.

The night passed quietly and as the sun came up on the other side of the lake Walter stirred at a particularly arousing dream that had woke him and he came to realize both Paige and Ralph had crawled further on top of him. Toby noticed he moved and he walked over and squatted down a couple of feet away from his head, "Such a cozy position my Lord."

Lord Walter tilted his head back and saw Toby, and he just chuckled softly, "Jealous?" Was Walter's simple reply to his insinuation.

Happy walked over and grabbed Toby's arm and dragged him back over to the camp fire. Walter just smiled as he closed his eyes and relaxed, happier than he had been in years.

Allie and Cabe returned to camp after they rode off to the west where Allie found a few apple trees and quite a few bushes of black berries and they harvested a goodly number of both. Allie set to task and began by using some of the flour to make enough dough to make four pies and several tarts. Cabe brought over a metal box and set it over the fire. She crushed the berries, setting aside a bit, and mixed them together with different spices and filled two of the pies and filled the tarts with the portion she set back. He opened the box and slide the pies and tarts inside as she turned to start cutting the apples and then mixed them with some sugar and water before adding them to the other two pies and covered them, waiting for the first pies to finish.

As Allie removed the tarts, Sir Cabe helped himself to the bacon and they sat together enjoying their breakfast.

The next time he awoke Ralph was no longer sleeping with him but Paige was still sound asleep on him. He could smell bacon and he tilted his head back towards the campfire and saw Ralph and most of the others gathered around it eating breakfast. He kissed Paige's forehead, "Are you hungry my love?" Paige's eyes opened instantly and she looked up at him and Walter frowned, "Is something wrong Paige?"

She shook her head, "You never actually said the word love to me before." She smiled as she ran her fingers across the stubble of his beard, "I liked it."

Walter smiled, "I hope so, because I do love you."

They kissed for a few moments, "I love you Walter." Paige smiled at him as she laid her head back against his chest.

Walter smiled, "I take it you aren't hungry enough to get up yet?"

Paige shook her head, "Only if I have to and as far as I can tell, I don't have too." Walter smiled and shook his head as he hugged her tighter to him.

They dozed lightly for about another hour when Lord Walter couldn't wait any longer and he kissed Paige's forehead, "Sorry Love, I've got to get up."

Paige frowned but nodded and rolled over before sitting up. Lord Walter quickly got up and made his way to the nearby bushes to relieve himself.

Paige walked up to the campfire and smiled as she kissed Ralph's head, "Good morning."

"Morning Mom," Ralph told her as he smiled.

"Finally decided to come up for air?" Toby joked.

Happy smacked his arm, "Leave them alone."

Paige smiled and looked at Allie, "Oh, you're making pies? They smell delicious."

Allie nodded as she took a bite of her tart, "We found some apple trees and black berry bushes, seemed a shame to let them go to waste."

Paige smiled at her when she saw Walter looking in one of the packs and she walked over to see if he wanted bacon for breakfast, since that was all that was cooked so far. "What are you looking for Walter?"

Walter looked up and smiled, "My book of reflections for the wise Lady. I need to do a bit of study before I do anything else."

Paige frowned, "Oh, okay, is this something I should do with you?"

Walter pulled the book out finally and he looked at her and then stepped up and kissed her. Looking at the locket as it hung around her neck he reached out and put his finger on it, "Only you can answer that for yourself. If you wish to observe or participate you are more than welcomed. If you don't I won't be upset with you."

Paige kissed him, "I might just watch from the campfire if that is okay."

Walter smiled, "That's fine my love."

Paige walked over to the campfire with him and she sat down before making herself a sandwich and watched as he walked on down to the lake shore and he sat down and opened his book and began reading.

After a few minutes Ralph and Sir Cabe both stood and walked down and sat with him, a few minutes later, Happy and Sylvester both got up, and walked down and joined them. Paige looked at Toby, "You don't participate with them?"

Toby shook his head, "Don't get me wrong, I've seen too many things, not to have some belief, but I'm still a man of science and I don't want my skepticism to cause any issues with their faith."

Paige looked at Allie, "What about you?"

Allie smiled, "As a white witch I serve my mistress Mielikki. She wouldn't appreciate me attending a service for another deity. What about you?"

Paige nodded, "My family always revered Dionysus. But when I had a falling out with my family it seemed Dionysus was on their side and I walked away. I'm a little on the apprehensive side of it now, but I've got to be honest, I've felt a gentle power leading my steps since Ralph's first birthday and after Walter and I met with the cleric in Aaron Springs I am almost positive it has been the wise Lady all this time. I really need to have a conversation with one of her clerics about it."

Toby looked at her a little funny, "What could a cleric tell you that our Lord can't? He's like the very embodiment of Her will."

Paige shrugged, "I'm not sure how to describe it. I just feel it is important to discuss it with someone without a vested interest in me personally, I suppose. If we had more time I would have discussed it with the cleric in Aaron Springs."

As Allie removed the two apple pies, Lord Walter closed his book, and everyone stood up, and walked back to the campfire. Walter stopped and smiled at Paige, and bent down and kissed her. He looked back at Ralph, "Grab the shovel lad, we'll go find some bait to use to catch fish with." Ralph grabbed it quickly as Walter walked over and put his book back in the pack and then opened another and removed a couple of fishing poles. With Ralph beside him they walked off to dig up some worms.