Victor got his wife's cooking utensils out first and built the campfire before he began removing the horses from the wagon and their harnesses. Lady Paige began putting up the tents while Sir Walter cared for his horse and her charger. Ralph assisted Victor while Happy and Toby dealt with the horses from the merchant wagon. Sir Sylvester and Cabe tended to their own horses before moving over to assist Happy and Toby. Walter moved over to help Victor and Ralph.

Every chance they got Paige and Walter kept looking towards each other. Each time the other would feel the stare and they'd look up and they would smile at each other.

Happy caught them several times and grinned each time. She lend over towards Toby. "They've really got it bad." She whispered quietly.

Toby looked over where Happy was looking and saw the newlyweds constantly looking at each other and smiled. "I can't believe it developed as quickly as it did." Toby whispered back.

Happy smiled as she continued brushing the horse she was working on. "Paige said that Walter called it Recognition. Some kind of Elven belief, all things considered I can't disagree with it."

Toby grinned. "I don't know anything about that. But I can't help noticing that she has put their tent a good bit further away from the others."

Happy giggled. "Well they are newlyweds. It gives them a bit more of an illusion of being alone I'd imagine. Maybe Walter mentioned Victor, Sara and I teasing him a little before breakfast."

"I still don't see what she sees in him." Sir Sylvester said mostly under his breath, but still loud enough that Happy, Toby and Cabe heard him.

Happy turned on him quickly. "What did I tell you yesterday moron? Keep it up and that love tap I gave you yesterday is going to really ring your bell." Happy's eyes narrowed a bit further. "You know something, I'm beginning to think maybe you got the hots for our Lady and you are jealous." Happy still had a lot of heat in her voice as her glare gave him pause.

"Rubbish," was all Sylvester was able to say under that gaze as he continued to work on the one of the horses.

As Walter finished the horse he was working on he turned and walked down to where Sir Sylvester was finishing his horse. "Sir Sylvester, I need to stretch my legs, walk with me for a bit."

Happy grinned as she looked at Walter and reached over and smacked Toby's shoulder.

Toby looked over and watched Walter and Sylvester walk off following the stream they were camping by. "What's this?"

Happy continued to grin as she looked at Toby. "Walter heard us and he is about to address Sly's attitude."

Toby frowned. "No way, we were all talking too low. At that distance, against the wind, no, there just isn't anyway he could have heard anything distinctive."

Happy laughed. "He heard Paige and I the yesterday morning talking quietly from even further away, down wind from him and with the sound of the horses walking. Trust me, he heard every word."

As they walked Walter picked up a rock and tossed it further down the stream. "How are you feeling Sir Sylvester?"

Sylvester looked at him as they continued walking. "I feel fine Walter, how do you feel?"

Walter nodded as he slowed his step and finally stopped. "I feel good about most things, wonderful about one thing but distressed about something else. Since we first met you have had a problem with me and I want to know the root of it. How do we excise it and build a more harmonious relationship?"

Sylvester looked surprised. "What makes you say I have a problem with you?"

Walter looked at him.

Paige frowned as she looked up from the last tent and didn't see Walter. She stood and looked around the rest of the camp and then noticed that Sir Sylvester was missing as well. She tucked her hammer back into the belt on her waist and stepped over to where Happy and Toby were finishing their horses. "Where are Walter and Sir Sylvester?"

Happy grinned. "Oh, I imagine we'll know in a few minutes when we heard Sylvester screaming in pain."

Paige frowned. "What exactly are you talking about Happy?"

Happy laughed. "Walter over heard something Sylvester said and I imagine he decided to do something about it."

Paige put her hands on her hips. "Happy, tell me what is going on."

Happy giggled. "Toby and I were appreciating how cute the two of you were looking at each other every chance you got. Sylvester decided to chime in saying he didn't understand what you saw in him."

Paige gasped. "Why that arrogant ass, which way did they go?"

Happy grinned. "They followed the stream to the southeast."

Paige sighed and turned to follow the stream.

"When we first met you hesitated shaking my hand to welcome me to the Keep. Next you orchestrated the prank on me with the horse manure. Or how about how you couldn't be bothered to say anything after observing my recitation of Moby Dick? Then yesterday you said you didn't see what Paige saw in me and called me an idiot. And after our wedding as Paige and I walked off to talk in private you mentioned that she must have caught my idiocy. And now just a few minutes ago you repeated that you don't know what she sees in me. So I ask again, what is your problem with me?" Walter asked him while looking down at Sylvester.

Sylvester kind of waffled and sputtered.

Walter continued to look at him. "Well, I'm still waiting. What is your problem with me?" Walter looked carefully at him. "Was Happy right? Do you have feelings for my wife?"

Sylvester suddenly glared at him. "Don't call her that."

Walter stepped up closer to him. "She IS my wife."

Sylvester glared at him. "Only because you hoodwinked her, using your Bard charms to bewitch her."

Walter's eyes darkened. "You dare to not only accuse me of some how stripping her of her free will but raping Paige as well?"

Sylvester gasped and took a step back. "Who said anything about rape?"

Walter stepped up into his face. "I should end you where you stand." Walter fought hard to control his emotions. "Do you really think that I could do that? That my skills are so powerful I could over power a Paladin of Paige's ability and cause her to think she loved me? Or even more ludicrous, that my powers are strong enough to sway the goddess Athena that I was her choice for Paige?"

Sylvester sneered. "You don't know that Athena feels that way about you."

"I'm beginning to believe it would be easier to beat the stupid out of you than to get you to see reason." Walter looked back towards camp. He could hear Paige walking through the brush towards them.

Walter looked back at Sylvester. "Clearly there is a serious problem here if you think I could violate not only Paige but the womanly aspect of Athena and have my way sexually with Paige against her will, the very definition of rape."

Sylvester shook his head. "That isn't what I was saying."

Walter's fists tightened as he struggled with what he wanted to do. "Let's go back to camp. If you really feel this brave you can ask Paige and Happy both what the temple Mistress told them last Saturday morning. As for whatever this problem is you have with me we can ask Paige to referee a match between us. No weapons, fists against fist to minimize harm. But if I hear one more remark against me from you I will not give you a choice."

Walter and Sylvester stood there staring at each other for a few moments when Paige finally came through the last of the brush and saw them. "Gentlemen, what is going on?"

Walter looked back at Paige as she continued approaching. She saw his smile but she could see darkness in his eyes. "My Love," Walter reached an arm out and Paige stepped under his arm and up against his side.

Paige smiled up at him as his arm hugged her to him. "Sir Sylvester seems loathe in explaining just what his problem is with me. I suggested we go back to the camp where you can referee a fight between us to settle it. The other problem won't be settled quite so easily."

Paige frowned as she looked at Walter. "What sort of fight?" She slipped her right arm around Walter's waist.

Walter looked at her with a smile, the darkness in his eyes disappearing. "I suggested fists to keep down serious harm."

Paige nodded. "If that is what you both want. I will do that. What is the other problem?"

Walter looked at Sylvester. "Yes Sylvester, would you care to repeat your accusation to our Lady?"

Paige looked at Sylvester and saw him swallow. "Out with it Sylvester, what is the other problem?"

Sylvester tried to take a step back but Paige reached out and grabbed the neck opening of his breastplate with her left hand and yanked him back towards them. "I did not grant you permission to step away Sylvester. What is this other problem?"

Sylvester licked his lips as his eyes darted about trying to decide what to say.

Paige looked up at Walter. "He seems to be refusing or he is tongue tied. Will you consent to tell me what this other problem is?"

Walter nodded. "Basically he accused me of using my Bard training to trick you into thinking you loved me so I could have my way with you."

Paige's eyes went wide and her right arm fell from around Walter's waist and she threw a right jab into Sylvester's nose.

Walter grinned as he heard Sylvester's nose break.

Paige let go of his breastplate and Sylvester staggered backwards until his foot slipped in the muddy bank and he fell into the stream.

Walter tried to lunge for him but Paige grabbed the back of Walter's leather tunic and pulled him back. "Let him figure it out. I will not stand by and let anyone accuse you of such a heinous act."

Walter looked at Paige in shock at first but staring into those eyes he finally smiled and pulled her in and kissed her deeply.

Sylvester struggled with the weight of his armor and the current of the stream moving him further down stream. His breath was almost used up when he saw a large rock. He was able to grab it and pulled himself up enough to refill his lungs with air. As his muscles regained strength from the renewal of oxygen he began pulling himself up on the rock and over onto the bank of the stream.

He crawled through the soft mud and grass of the bank until he was able to stand up. He looked back and saw Paige and Walter kissing as if his life meant nothing to them. He slowly started walking back towards camp.

As he passed by Paige reached out and grabbed his arm as she quit kissing Walter. She yanked him back around to face her. "If you ever say something so heinous about my husband again you and I will have our last sword fight. I will not hold back and your concession will not be accepted. You owe Walter a profound apology before we leave the campsite tomorrow. And you better figure out a way to apologize to the wise Lady since she selected Walter for me. Our love is not the result of some magic Walter used on me."

Sylvester nodded and turned to leave after Paige let go of his arm.

Walter cleared his throat. "Remember this Sylvester. Just as I am Paige's husband, she IS my wife. And don't ever forget it."

Paige looked up at Walter and frowned. "What is that all about?" She reached under the side of her breastplate and released several buckles and dropped it to the ground.

Walter smiled as he took her into his arms. "He seemed to have a problem with me calling you my wife earlier."

Paige glared at Sylvester as he disappeared through the bush.

Walter touched her cheek softly. "What is this?"

She smiled at Walter. "I thought you might enjoy hugging me without the steel in the way." She winked as Walter grinned and nodded.

Happy had been watching the way they had walked off with a grin. She almost wished she would have walked after Paige to watch the fireworks. Her grin got bigger as Sylvester walked out of the brush and she saw a small blood trail down his face and he was holding his nose. She saw him dripping wet and mud and grass smeared all over his armor. She elbowed Toby. "I think your skills are needed."

Toby looked back and saw Sylvester and the blood and he sighed. He grabbed his medical bag and pointed to a chair and followed Sylvester and examined his nose.

Happy grinned. "Walter decked you and threw you in the water?"

Sylvester glared at her. "Of course not, like he could do that. Pa-I mean, our Lady hit me and I fell in the water."

"Hold still," Toby told him.

"I told you yesterday you better stop that nonsense. You're lucky I didn't deck you." Happy turned to look back and watched for Paige and Walter.

A short bit later Paige and Walter walked out of the brush hand in hand. Paige was carrying her breastplate. They kissed periodically as they walked up to the camp.

Ralph ran over and smiled. "Is everything okay?"

Paige nodded. "It will be once Sylvester gets his head out of his butt and apologizes to Walter. Speaking of which, Cabe you won't stand watch the next four nights. Sir Sylvester, you will stand the mid watch by yourself the next four nights."

Paige reached up and kissed Walter again. "I'll be a short bit if you want to go ahead and grade Ralph's work before we leave."

Walter smiled with a nod and winked at her before he moved over to sit down at the table. He picked up Ralph's papers and began going through them.

Everyone else had been staring at Sylvester. Lady Paige seldom ordered anyone to stand a solo watch and to have the mid watch four nights in a row spoke volumes about how mad she was at Sylvester.

Happy saw Paige enter her tent so she walked over and scratch at the leather. "May I come in?"

Paige sighed from inside. "Come in Happy."

Happy opened the flap and stepped inside. "What did Sylvester do?"

Paige sighed again as she sat unbuckling her armor. "I really don't feel like discussing it Happy."

"Who's asking you to discuss it? I would just like to know what happened out there. Sylvester said you broke his nose and he fell into the stream. But it isn't like you to do something like that and punish someone with a solo mid watch." Happy told her as she stepped over and helped her unbuckle her boots from her greaves and removed one.

Paige nodded. "Sylvester accused Walter of using Bard magic to trick me into thinking I loved him so he could have his way with me."

Happy stopped in the process of removing her other boot. "Are you kidding me? I'm surprised Walter didn't try to kill him."

Paige nodded. "He was doing his best not to, that much I could tell as I walked up on them. He even tried to save Sylvester before he fell into the stream but I stopped him."

Happy shook her head. "You know, after I slugged his ass yesterday you would think that would have taught him a lesson. Apparently not, or he really does have the hots for you, bad."

Paige froze and stared at her. "Say again?"

Happy snickered. "Earlier he mouthed off about Walter again and I accused him of having the hots for you as to why he had such a problem with Walter."

Paige made a face. "Don't ever repeat that again. I do not want Walter to hear that."

Happy laughed as helped her stand and removed her greaves. "With his hearing, why do you think he walked off with Sylvester in the first place?"

Paige nodded as she slipped on her leather boots. "He probably did, but regardless, do not repeat that. I would hate for Ralph to hear that too. Walter and I are going down stream to bathe. We'll be back later. You and Toby may stand first watch."

Paige grabbed their soaps after buckling her sword belt back on. She selected fresh leathers for them both before she turned and left the tent to grab towels and wash clothes before walking over to Walter and Ralph. She looked at Walter. "So how did Ralph do?"

Walter smiled as he put his hand on Ralph's shoulder. "He got another perfect score on all his homework."

Paige grinned at Ralph before kissing him. "I'm so proud of you Ralph. You mind Happy and Toby. Walter and I are going to go bathe. We'll be back in a little while."

Ralph nodded, grateful she didn't include him. Bathes weren't too bad but in a mountain stream. He shuddered at the prospect.

Greetings! Hope you all are well! While the heat here isn't as bad today the air is still heavy and nasty.

To the Adventure! -Tim