Without turning, "Why did you agree to become my betrothed?"

Paige stared up at the back of his head, "What do you mean?"

Lord Walter shook his head, "I don't believe the words were that archaic or complicated. Which ones do you need me to further define for you?"

"I don't need any of the words defined, I need to know why you would ask such a thing." Paige told him as she tried to tug against him to make him turn.

Lord Walter resisted all of her efforts to force him to turn around, "You seem convinced that I am only interested in you because I haven't brow beaten you into subservience. I can't understand what I did to make you think that or why you would be interested in being with someone like that."

Paige stared at him in shock, "Walter, I," she paused as she tried to remember just what she had said and when. She didn't think she had said anything to that effect.

"I know I am new to relationships and most of my knowledge comes third hand. I see how other couples respond and act. I have seen some truly silly fights and some truly ignorant ones. But that, I am not sure how to classify what you said. And out of pure petulance you would jeopardize your life, and Ralph's well being and just run off?" Walter shook his head as he continued to look out over the cliff.

A tear ran down her cheek, "Walter, please look at me."

Lord Walter stood for several minutes before he finally turned to look at her.

Paige reached out and took both his hands in hers, "I'm really sorry for my words. When we both recognized that we loved the other and made a commitment to get married, I should have forgotten and never mentioned taking Ralph and leaving you again. I know I was mad and while I don't recall exactly what I said, what you said I said sounds right. I was just mad, I know you are not that kind of person and that you love me for who I am. Can we please forget this and pick back up where we were right after Sir Cabe said he'd stand first watch with me?"

Lord Walter looked down into Paige's eyes and his posture and muscles softened instantly. "No more comparing my love to some kind of abhorrent behavior," Walter reached up and brushed a lock of hair out of her face. Paige smiled and shook her head. "No more threatening to run away from me because you disagree with a decision I make."

Paige nodded with a smile, "No more trying to rush off without me."

Walter smiled, "No more undermining me with my subjects."

Paige looked into his eyes, "I promise to try my best not too."

Walter smirked and pulled her off the ground and up into his arms and buried his head into her shoulder as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "I suppose that will have to suffice," He told her quietly.


"Well, either he's hugging her off the ground or he's got her in a choke hold," Happy said as she saw only his legs under the tree.

"If it was Toby it definitely would be a choke hold," Sylvester teased.

Toby shook his head, "That's not true, he'd have punched me out before I got that ultimatum out of my mouth."

They all laughed. "You're the one that better watch out Sly," Toby told him.

Sylvester looked at him with fright, "Why? What did I do?"

Toby laughed, "You cast that shield spell between them, basically accusing our Lord of going to assault Paige, given his tenants, you know that isn't going to happen."

Sylvester's foot began bouncing up and down nervously before he moved back over to work with Allie some more.

Toby leaned over to Happy, "So do we bet on if they are going together alone or we're all going to keep traveling together?"

Happy nodded, "Oh, I got ten gold that says we're traveling together. O'Brien isn't going to put himself in a position of being alone with her without us close at hand. Trust me."

Toby thought about that for a moment, "I'll go five gold sovereigns on them going alone."

Happy smiled, "Deal, sucker."

They watched for several minutes and Happy finally looked at Sir Cabe, "Are you going to break that up? If it goes much longer we could be in trouble."

Sir Cabe shook his head, "I've interrupted the two of them enough this trip. This is on him, unless you want too."

Happy sighed as she got ready to stand up and go over to stop them when Toby yelled, "Hey, unless you want me to cook bacon tonight, you best stop what you are doing and get back over here and cook." All three of them began laughing.

Walter and Paige broke their kiss almost instantly. As Walter smiled at Paige, she released her legs from around his waist. She stood on tip toes and kissed him again as she turned and holding his hand they walked out from behind the trees.

As Paige began to start cooking again Sir Cabe walked up to Lord Walter, "My apologies my Lord if I over stepped my bounds earlier."

Lord Walter reached into his breastplate and began loosening the buckles and shook his head, "No apology is required old friend. I should have considered doing that myself. Certainly would have stopped a lot of yelling."

Sir Cabe grinned.


As they all sat around the campfire after finishing supper Allie looked over to Paige, "Thank you for not using meat in dinner tonight Paige, that was very kind of you."

Paige smiled as she sat between Walter's legs reclining against his chest, "You are most welcome, you shouldn't have to cook your own meal every time."

"There was no meat in that?" Toby asked in surprise.

Paige laughed as she shook her head no, "Did you think Allie suddenly started eating flesh?"

Everyone laughed at Toby.

Lord Walter suddenly looked around, "Where is Ralph?" Flexing all of his muscles, he jumped up, taking Paige up with him.

"What in the name of the wise Lady, Walter, he's fine, he went for a ride with Selase," Paige said a bit irritated.

Walter bent over and put his hands on his knees as he let out a deep breath. "Are you okay?" Paige asked.

Walter slowly nodded, "After learning that Merrick's goal is Ralph, I was worried for a moment that while we argued he was somehow spirited away."

Paige stepped up and caressed his temple, "I'm sorry, I should have said something. I got busy with dinner and forgot. But come to think of it, it has been an awfully long time. In the short time I rode with her she took me all the way back to the lake."

Walter nodded as he once again put his fingers in his mouth as he gave a shrill whistle three times. "Nothing to do now but wait," Walter told her as he sat back down.

Paige slowly resumed sitting between his legs, "Warn me next time, BEFORE you jump up like that again."


It was nearly an hour later as the sun was setting that they saw Selase coming back to camp.

As the great bird landed and ran up to the camp, Paige slowly got up as did Walter. The smile on Ralph's face nearly glowed. He jumped off and ran over to his Mom and hugged her tightly. Paige smiled, "I take it you had a good time?"

Selase walked up to Lord Walter and gave a quiet squawk before nuzzling him.

"Trying to make up with me now?" Lord Walter looked at her slightly amused.

Ralph nodded as he handed her a large seashell.

Paige frowned, "Where did you get this?"

Lord Walter reached up and stroked her beak and Selase became extremely happy.

"Selase took me to the beach," Ralph told her excitedly.

Paige stared at him, "The beach, as in the ocean?"

Ralph nodded.

Paige looked at Selase, "We need to have a discussion about how far away you take my son."

Selase hung her head and stepped around the other side of Lord Walter.

Lord Walter laughed, "Oh no, you didn't support me, I'm not getting in the middle of this."

Paige walked over and caressed Selase's beak, "No more taking him so far away. I didn't realize just how far you can travel in such a short time. Okay?"

Selase quickly nuzzled Paige.

Lord Walter looked at Selase, "I guess I won't need to quick travel so you can go on back home."

Selase squawked disgruntledly.

Lord Walter smiled, "I understand, but you got to meet Paige and Ralph. And you got to give him a nice ride."

Selase looked at Paige and squawked again.

Lord Walter shook his head, "Paige has the first watch so she can't go with you now."

Selase gave a bit of a huff before she shook her feathers and just before she took off Ralph ran over and hugged her neck, "Thank you."

Selase took a moment to nuzzle him. Ralph looked over at Lord Walter, "Couldn't Selase spend the night with us and go home in the morning? Its awful dark now, I'd hate for her to run into a tree or something."

Selase looked over at Lord Walter.

Lord Walter had a smile on his face as he looked at the pair and nodded his head finally.

Ralph whooped and hugged her neck tighter, "You can sleep with me."

Paige stopped him, "Eat your dinner first and then wash the dishes."

Ralph nodded and fixed himself a bowl of stew before he sat down and ate.

Lord Walter watched as Ralph ran for the tent after putting up the last dish and dragged his blankets out of the tent, "Over here girl."

Selase looked at Lord Walter and he nodded and she squawked as she moved over and lay down. Ralph threw one of his blankets over her and then lay down with his back and head against her back hip and pulled his other blanket over him. Selase curled up and laid her head across Ralph's lap.

Lord Walter smiled as he walked over to his bedroll, "Wake Kaylee and I at midnight for our watch. Happy, I'll wake you and Toby around five for the last watch."

Everyone nodded and Lord Walter started to lay down when Paige walked up to him. "Do I not get a good night kiss my Lord?"

Lord Walter smiled as they embraced and kissed, "I'll see you in a few hours my love."

Paige nodded as she watched him lie down and pull his blanket up over him. She smiled as she looked at him, "This feels profoundly wrong."

Walter looked up, "Indeed, I will sorely miss you tonight."


It had been nearly three hours into first watch, the others had all been asleep for the last two but Paige still hadn't broached the subject with Sir Cabe. As he refilled his cup with coffee he looked over at Paige, "My Lady, have you changed your mind?"

Paige jerked as she had just been sitting there barely paying attention. "I'm sorry Sir Cabe, no I haven't changed my mind. And please call me Paige."

Sir Cabe nodded his head, "I suppose as long as it is privately or in a situation like this, first names as acceptable. So call me Cabe."

Paige smiled, "Has Walter told you anything about my background Cabe?"

Cabe shook his head as he took a sip of coffee.

Paige began, "My family, well my Mother, had promised me to an influential man. But before that could happen I had met Drew and fell in love with him. He proposed and I accepted. My Mother was furious and tried to force me to break it off. So I ran away and went to Drew and we left. We settled in San Francisco. At about the same time I found out I was pregnant with Ralph I started having problems with the clerics of Dionysus. Constantly harassing me and causing problems for me, especially after Drew left us."

"Cabe, I love Walter. And if I am being honest, I have since I first heard his name and saw his face in my visions. I want to marry him so much. So if I go through the dedication ceremony to follow her but something was to happen between Walter and I, is Athena's clerics going to do the same thing to me?" Paige asked nervously.

Cabe listened carefully and nodded as she finished. "Paige, she's not called the wise Lady for nothing. While everyone believes her Paladins always come first, it's been my experience that they do not. She knows they are fallible like everyone else. As long as you are honest and try your best she would never hold you to blame. And any of her order who ever tried to punish you in such a manner would receive swift and terrible retribution. As would the Lord if he was at fault for whatever happened between you and didn't make it right, if it could be made right."

"There is probably something you should know about though. I doubt the Lord has spoken about it, since all of this is fairly new. There is a female Paladin, Lady Bethany, she has had her eye on the Lord for several years now. He has discouraged her at every turn but she is persistent. It is quite possible that she could come after you when she finds out that the Lord is in love with you. If she does, I highly recommend you let the Lord deal with her." Cabe warned her.

"If she tries, she'll learn first hand what a Bard can really do," Paige said a bit irritated. "As for the other information, thank you Cabe, I believe I can complete the dedication ceremony with you, whenever you are ready to do so."

Cabe smiled, "It isn't a particularly distracting ceremony, if you want, we can do it now."

Paige smiled and nodded.

Cabe got up and walked over to the packs and opened a chest and got out a vial of holy water. Paige had stepped over with him and he turned to face her. "Wise Lady, as you have called Paige to you, she has answered and wishes to embrace you as her goddess. Through your gift of power and this blessed water I seal her to you." Cabe uncorked the vial and splashed some of the water upon Paige.

As the water touched her, Paige felt more at peace than she had in sometime. She looked at Cabe and smiled, "Thank you Cabe."


As the midnight hour came Paige knelt down next to Walter and smiled as she placed her hands on his chest as she bent over and kissed him. "It is time my love," she told him sweetly.

Walter's eyes opened slowly and he smiled as he saw her kneeling next to him. He reached up and pulled her down and they kissed for a few moments. As Paige sat back up, "We can get married whenever you are ready my love."

Walter's eyes opened wide, "Indeed?"

Paige nodded and then gasped and giggled as he grabbed her and pulled her over him, laying her on her back as he rolled over and began kissing her deeply. Walter asked, "When would you like to get married then?"

Paige smiled up at him, "After breakfast?"

Walter nodded, "I can hardly wait."


Greeting my friends, thank you all for your support for my wife, it is greatly appreciated! She is back home, they discharged her yesterday morning. Sadly they didn't really do anything other than alleviate some of the fluid retention. They sent her back home almost in as bad as shape as she was when she went in. Got to really love "health care" sometimes. I know there isn't a lot they can do, but they could have been more aggressive about the fluid. They didn't even call in the kidney Dr to see if there was something she could think of to help. Anyway, to the Adventure! -Tim