"A necromancer you say?" Lord Walter stood on the north side of the campfire with his arm around Paige. "That could answer a lot of questions. Perhaps we aren't dealing with a desecrated shrine after all, but a necromancer who wanted this place for himself or others."

Kaylee and Happy had dragged his body back with them. "That would be one way to wrest control of the mines from those who had the right to extract the resources from them, without paying for it," Sir Cabe told him as he squatted next to the man examining him.

"There is so much we don't know going on here. Like was he responsible for what happened to Bethany, being transformed into the Amatan or was that the normal process of her hatred she had for Paige as you said she claimed?" Walter stood there shaking his head.

"I checked the other bodies I had shot with my bow, none of them showed signs of having been buried. Their clothes were fresh and fairly clean," Kaylee told them.

Toby looked at Lord Walter, "I went with Kaylee and rummaged through their clothes and they all had valuables, coin, jewelry, decent weapons, nothing magical according to Sylvester. I don't believe they would have been buried with the non-weapon items either." He handed Lord Walter a large sack and a smaller one. "This smaller one is what was left on Bethany before we buried her the first time. I didn't know if she had any family that might want any of it."

Lord Walter nodded, "Allie, if you aren't too tired, I would have Sir Cabe and Kaylee escort you around so you can use your power with the roots and bury these bodies. I'm irritated enough at them, we're not going to give them a burial."

Allie smiled, "I will my Lord." Her eyes went white as she reached down into the Earth and roots came out and wrapped around the necromancer and pulled him down into the Earth.

Sir Cabe reached out his hand to her and she took it as they walked out with Kaylee leading the way to the bodies. Lord Walter opened the sack on his belt and placed the sacks Toby had given him into it.

Paige kissed Walter's cheek, "I need to speak privately with you a moment Walter."

Walter nodded, "We'll be back momentarily."

As they walked off Sylvester looked at Happy, "What's going on?"

Happy looked at him with irritation, "What do you mean?"

Sylvester pointed at Lord Walter, "You almost always call him O'Brien, since last night you have referred to him as Lord Walter more than I can remember you EVER calling him since I've known you. And you had been calling our Lady by her name until they married and now it's constantly my Lady, unless it's a stressful moment."

Happy shrugged, "I've just felt this greater feeling of respect for our Lady since she married the big lug. And last night, hearing Athena speak through Lord Walter has forced some changes to my thinking."

Sylvester smiled.


Paige stopped and turned to face Walter and he smiled, "What is on your mind my Love?"

Paige stepped in and wrapped her arms around him as he wrapped his arms about her, "Walter, I am a little worried about you. When something upsets you, you get pretty angry. I've seen you really lash out at people, Toby mostly, but still you get so mad. If what you said over there about Bethany's hatred of me caused her to transform into an Amatan I worry it could happen to you."

Walter kissed Paige's forehead, "Remember as mad as I do get my Love, I don't hate which is a serious difference. I would think that the wise Lady would chastise me if I was over stepping bounds. It is just speculation but your point is well made. For you, I will do my best to bring my temper under control."

Paige smiled as she tilted her head up and they kissed. Walter smiled and pressed in tighter, kissing Paige deeper and longer.

Toby watching from the campfire as Lord Walter's hands moved around caressing Paige's body. He rolled his eyes as he yelled at them, "Good grief, didn't you two get enough of each other earlier?"

Paige felt Walter stiffen a bit, "Are you sure I can't get mad and go up there and thrash him?"

Paige laughed, "Consider it your first test."

Walter grinned mischievously and scooped Paige up in his arms and they stared into each other's eyes. Walter kissed her again before he carried her up to the campfire, "I really need to eat soon. I'm really feeling weak, this is a little more difficult then it should be."

Walter set Paige down at the campfire and gave her a quick kiss. He looked at Toby, "When it comes to my Lady, I shall never get enough. Feel free to look another way when we are together if it bothers you so much." Lord Walter walked over and knelt by the wash tub and began washing his blankets.

Toby stood there with his mouth open, he'd expected to at least have been slapped upside his head for his comment. Happy and Sylvester's faces clearly showed they too were shocked by Lord Walter's response. Paige just grinned and her heart swelled at his words as she checked on the lunch Allie had been in the middle of cooking.


Ralph walked over, "Do you want me to wash those for you Dad?"

Walter looked up and smiled, "That's okay Ralph. Your Mom told me about the ring you and Happy made."

Ralph grew excited and reached into his pocket and brought it out to show him. Walter looked it over in Ralph's hand as he continued to work on the blankets, "I agree with your Mom and Happy. You did and exceptional job on it Ralph. You will make a very fine jeweler."

Ralph smiled as he put it back in his pocket, "Thanks Dad. But, after last night, I'm wondering if maybe I can't do both?"

Walter looked up at him and he smiled, "Oh you are huh?"

Ralph nodded.

Walter let go of the blanket and reached out grabbing Ralph with his soapy hands. Walter picked him up and dunked him back first into the rinse tub and began tickling Ralph. Ralph began squealing and laughing as he thrashed and splashed in the water. Paige turned to look and smiled as Walter lifted him out of the water and pushed him back down into the tub and tickled him some more. Walter pulled him back up and into his arms and hugged him, "I love you Ralph."

Ralph smiled as he returned the hug, "I love you Dad."

Sir Cabe came running out of the forest with his sword drawn. He stopped and looked around. He saw Walter and Ralph hugging as Allie came up beside him, "See, I told you everything was fine."

Kaylee walked past them with a smile on her lips.

Walter pointed at a couple of the smaller pots, "Take those into your tent and clean up and put on some fresh clothes."

Ralph smiled and picked up the pots and went to the tent he shared with the guys.

Walter smiled and went back to washing the blankets.

Allie stepped up to Paige and smiled. She reached out and put her hand against her stomach, "How are you feeling Paige?"

Paige smiled, "Fine." She looked around and lowered her voice, "A bit tired and sore, but fine."

Allie nodded as she lowered her voice, "I can sense our Lord and your discomfort down there. As much and as long as you both made love earlier, I was worried about that. Everything else seems normal." Allie walked over to the packs and opened her chest and removed an ointment. She brought it back over to Paige. She kept her voice lowered, "This will help both you and our Lord's discomfort. You and our Lord should just rest tonight, no watches either. You can resume normal relations with him tomorrow night if you're both of a mind. Are there any other complaints?"

Paige examined the ointment as she shook her head.

Allie smiled as she took over from Paige and continued to finish up lunch.


Paige walked over and watched as Walter finished washing the blankets. "Looked like you had some fun with Ralph," Paige smiled down at him.

Walter looked up and smiled, "He needed some fun. Things have been a bit too serious the last few days. After we returned from our night together I probably should have kept Selase with us another day to take us to the lake. We could have spent the day together as a family. But I was starting to worry about this place."

Paige reached down and caressed his face, "Well, Allie gave me an ointment for both of us to use for our discomfort. She also wants us to just rest easy tonight, no watch either and resume our," Paige grinned wickedly, "entertainment, tomorrow night. So if you want, we could leave the sides of the tent up tonight and the three of us sleep together."

Walter gave that some thought, "As much as I would regret the loss of privacy and the opportunity to enjoy our privacy," he returned her wicked grin. "It might do us both a little good physically to actually just rest tonight."

Paige bent over and kissed Walter. Paige took the first blanket after Walter finished rinsing it out. She hung it up while Walter rinsed out the second one.

"My Lord, you should come over and sit down. Lunch is almost ready." Allie told him as she stirred the stew without turning to look at him.

Lord Walter smiled as he finished wringing out the blanket and handing it to Paige, "That would be very welcomed Allie. Thank you." Walter wrapped his arms around Paige after she hung up the second blanket, "If you'd like. I could apply the ointment to you and you could apply it to me."

Allie looked over at the young couple standing beside the hanging blankets. While smiling at what she felt she shook her head and walked over towards them.

Paige closed her eyes as she grinned, "Don't tell me your passion is stirring already? Because I think that is going to violate Allie's orders."

Allie grinned, "It would completely violate my orders my Lord and Lady. Do I need to forcibly separate the two of you to keep you in check?"

Walter blushed as Paige laughed. "We'll be good Allie, I promise. Here Walter, you take the ointment and use it on you first and then when you come out I can go in the tent and use it." She held out the ointment.

Walter looked disappointed, "It won't be nearly as much fun." He took the ointment and entered their tent.

Allie and Paige laughed as they walked over to the campfire. After Allie began to complete lunch Paige walked over to the tent and she looked back at Allie as she stood by the entrance and she saw Allie looking at her with her eyebrow raised. Paige grinned but stood there and waited until Walter walked out. They shared a brief kiss before Paige walked into their tent. After using the ointment Paige used the draw cords to raise the sides of their tent up to allow it to air out. She got her bedroll and opened it up and spread the blankets out while Walter's would dry.


The rest of the day passed uneventfully, but each of them felt a little more at ease. Allie in particular was more relaxed than she had been since they first entered the blighted area. As they were finishing supper Allie suddenly looked over by where Lord Walter had been washing the blankets and she sat her bowl down and walked over and looked at the ground and a smile crept upon her face as her eyes teared. She slowly knelt down and looked at the small green leaves as they were breaking through the soil.

"Hello little ones, it is so good to see you," Allie spoke to them.

Sir Cabe looked over, "Allie?"

Allie looked back, "Sorry, life is returning to the land. These blades of grass have been coaxed out of dormancy by the water that was splashed from the wash tub here."

Toby crossed his eyes and looped his finger around his ear at her words.

Lord Walter saw his gesture and his anger rose up instantly and just as he began to backhand him he thought of Paige's concern and he took in a deep breath. "You just bought yourself a week's worth of mid watches Toby," Lord Walter told him, his voice still carrying his anger.

Everyone turned to look at Toby as he sat there with wide eyes. "What did I do to deserve that?"

Lord Walter reached out to refill his bowl, "While you might have thought your gesture was unobserved, I can assure you I saw it. Allie is a valued member of this company and has proven herself extensively since Sir Cabe first met her. I will not tolerate such blatant disrespect, public or privately. Is that understood?"

Everyone's eyes but Allie's turned harsh upon Toby. While not knowing what he had done, to know that Lord Walter condemned it spoke volumes of the trust that they all accepted Lord Walter's words without question.

Toby stared at him, "What about Happy? She was more disrespectful of Bethany than I have ever been."

Lord Walter's anger drastically increased and his hand squeezed the steel bowl in his hand until the metal fatigued and the stew shot all over as the bowl crushed in his hand. He turned quickly as he threw the wasted bowl and spoon. His hand lashed out and grabbed Toby by the throat. The joints of his body set as his shoulder and arm prepared to pick him up when his eyes closed and he took in a deep breath and he slowly released Toby. Lord Walter turned to Paige and he dropped to a knee as he took hold of her waist, burying his face into her lap as he fought against his anger.

Paige reached up and placed her hands to the sides of his head, and whispered soothingly as she gently massaged his temples.

Toby swallowed hard and nodded, "My apologies my Lord."

Paige looked up as her eyes flashed anger at him and he instantly stopped talking.

Everyone had become so quiet the air was beyond eerie. No animals, no insects, just the wind blowing through the trees as the fire crackled. Allie slowly stood up and walked over and got another bowl and spoon out for Lord Walter before she returned to sit beside Sir Cabe.

Sir Cabe smiled at her, "What kind of grass did you find?"

Allie smiled, "California fescue, I've always rather liked it myself."

Sir Cabe nodded, "I remember seeing some of it in your yard back in Aaron Springs. Does that mean this blight is broken?"

Allie shrugged, "I'm not sure yet, but it feels like it to me. I'm almost positive our Lord was correct about the necromancer being the source of the blight and now without him alive the energy maintaining it has dispersed."

"That would be welcomed. But we'll have to continue on to Wheeler's Ridge anyway. We got to be sure its over plus we got to free that elemental," Sir Cabe told her.

Sylvester looked at them, "Hey, I wonder if he would be willing to fix our Lord's hammer. I know that Arebrac repaired it with the stipulation we free this other one, but that doesn't mean this one couldn't be happy about being freed and will grant us a boon."

"I wonder if any of the miners are still alive or if the necromancer, his men or this blight has already killed them all?" Kaylee asked.

"Hard to say for sure, but I'm sure if they aren't dead they must of left a long time ago. They might have kept plenty of food on hand. But the water is tainted and they probably only had ale in their stores," Allie told her.

"That's a good point, but what about the horrors that are supposed to be in the mine? Are they still there or were we mislead about the nature of everything going on?" Sylvester pondered.

"I'm going to guess the miners had no clue what was going on. A lot of times some animals that are dying will follow certain instincts and they could make their way to the mine seeking a place to die." Allie told him.

"Why would they call, say a bear, a horror?" Sylvester asked.

Allie smiled, "Imagine if a large portion of the side of the bear was rotted away. That would look like a horror. This blight would have done that to the animals. Just look at the trees that remain."

"Wait, is that what could have happened to our Lady without that juice you make her every morning?" Happy asked with alarm.

Allie smiled, "Our Lady is going to be fine Happy. Even if the blight is over, I'm going to keep making her the juice every morning for the next few months at least to ensure it."

Happy looked skeptical, "Maybe we should escort her back to the Keep and then come back and confirm everything is okay here?"

Allie shook her head, "I want Paige right beside me so I can monitor her health at all times. And I can't do that with her all the way back at the Keep. I won't let this jeopardize her health Happy, trust me."

Ralph's eyes were wide and a little wet with fear as he leaned his head into her right arm.

Paige paused her whisperings to Lord Walter and looked up. Her right arm went about Ralph, "Happy, would you please not speak about me in front of my son as if he is about to lose me?"

Happy looked mortified, "Hey Squirt, I'm sorry buddy, we trust Allie to protect your Mother don't we?"

Ralph slowly nodded his head.

Walter's anger had finally dissipated and he kissed Paige's stomach before he reached up and kissed her lips. He stood and turned to look at Toby, "Toby, I can not respond to something I have no knowledge of. Can you not for once just accept you have done something wrong without crying out about how is something fair or pointing out that someone else has done something worse? And I fail to understand how you think trying to make someone you are interested in romantically a target for discipline is going to work out in your favor with that person."

Toby's eyes went wide as he guiltily looked at Happy.

As Lord Walter turned away Allie smiled at him and held out the new bowl and spoon, "Thank you Allie," He filled the bowl before sitting back beside Paige to eat.


After they'd all eaten Sir Cabe looked at Lord Walter and he gestured away from the camp and Lord Walter nodded as he stood up and walked out with him. As they got a few dozen yards out Sir Cabe looked at Lord Walter, "Is everything okay my Lord?"

Lord Walter nodded.

"I asked because you acted a little different when Toby had irritated you," Sir Cabe told him as he saw Paige walking out to them.

Paige stepped up, "Is this a private conversation or may I join you?"

Lord Walter smiled at her as he reached out for her hand, "My Lady has expressed concern about my anger and I told her that for her I would do my best to stop getting so angry."

Sir Cabe grinned, "Well I commend you on your first attempts at it. Toby will be a big test for you. If you can hold it in check around him, you should be able to hold it in check for anything."

The three of them laughed as they turned and walked back up to the camp.

Putting Toby on the mid watch, Lord Walter adjusted the other two watches. So as not to punish anyone else, Toby would stand the watch with one of the other three members of the company. Lord Walter and Paige would stand the fourth night mid watch and Cabe and Allie would take the eighth night.

Walter and Paige lay together under the tent with the sides still drawn up. Ralph was asleep, curled up against Lord Walter's side. Paige half lay atop his left side as they both were slowly falling asleep. "Lying here with clothes on instead of feeling your naked flesh against mine is very disturbing my Love," Walter whispered trying not to wake Ralph.

With the glow of the campfire illuminating them Paige smiled, "I agree my Lord."