Walter and Paige curled back up together next to Ralph under their pavilion and were drifting in and out of sleep. Paige looked at him one time she woke up. "Okay, so what is the one thing about Paladins you found the lore got wrong?"

Walter half grinned.

She saw his smile and grew impatient. "Well?"

Walter chuckled and then laughed as she punched his shoulder. "The lore is pretty emphatic that Paladins only have sex for procreation and when they do, it is pretty basic."

Paige frowned at first as she looked at him and then blushed a little as she smiled. "Is there anything people won't talk or speculate about? Well we didn't have sex only for procreation but since you and I got married I would have to say Drew and I were pretty basic in comparison. And I have certainly enjoyed every minute of the love we have shared."

Walter grinned. "Good, because when we have our strength back we have to make up for what we missed today."

Paige grinned just before they finally drifted off to sleep.

Walter sat beside Paige as they both drank a cup of coffee as Sara was working on breakfast. The morning was cool and crisp and other than Victor, Sara and Sister Ann the rest of the camp still slumbered.

Ralph woke up and looked to his right as he lay on his stomach and frowned not seeing his parents. He rolled over and rubbed his eyes as he looked towards the table and saw his parents sitting. He smiled and jumped up and ran over soaking his socks in the dew drenched grass in the process. Walter barely had a chance to smile as he jerked his cup back when Ralph jumped up into his lap and threw his arms around him hugging him tightly.

Walter wrapped his left arm around Ralph as he put his cup down and then wrapped his right arm around him and hugged him back. He frowned hearing soft sobs coming from Ralph. "Hey buddy, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

Ralph shook his head. "I'm so sorry Dad."

Walter smiled as tears filled his eyes at Ralph calling him Dad. "What are you sorry for?"

Ralph sniffed. "You almost died because of me."

Walter continued to smile. "Nonsense, I was hurt because I wrestled a charging horse. Thankfully I didn't lose and you are okay. And your Mom was able to save my life."

Ralph shook his head. "If I hadn't have froze you wouldn't have had to have done that."

Walter's voice became serious. "Ralph, look at me."

Ralph leaned back and wiped at his eyes as he looked at Walter.

Walter looked him in the eyes. "I want you to listen carefully to me and understand what I am saying. You did nothing wrong. What happened wasn't your fault, anymore than it was the horse's fault. There are three natural reactions to stimuli, fight, flight or freeze. How things react is based on how they are trained. The horse was spooked by something and it fled from it."

Walter smiled and bopped Ralph's nose. "You froze and that isn't to say you did anything wrong. A lot of people would freeze in that situation. Do you understand?"

Ralph nodded. "But you were hurt so bad because of it."

Walter smiled. "I was hurt so bad because of what spooked the horse, not because of you. And I would gladly go through it again to save you if needed.

Ralph smiled a little. "I'm also sorry because I couldn't concentrate yesterday when Toby tried to teach me my lessons."

Walter grinned and tossed Ralph up into the air and caught him. "Ralph, I never would have expected you to be able to. You had other concerns but don't worry, tomorrow we will resume your schooling and you will catch up quickly."

Ralph grinned. "You mean I don't have to worry about school today?"

Walter nodded with a smiled. "School is officially out until tomorrow, if you are okay with that."

Ralph nodded before hugging Walter again. "Thank you Dad."

Walter smiled hugging him back. "You're welcome. Now, go get a clean pair of socks and change your socks and put your boots on."

Ralph leaned over and kissed his Mom and then jumped down and ran over to the tent he normally shared with Cabe and Sir Sylvester. A few moments later they saw him run out and over to the pavilion where he began changing his socks and putting on his boots.

Paige leaned over and wrapped her arms around Walter's arm and kissed his cheek. "Aren't you worried about spoiling him with two days off of school?"

Walter looked at her and kissed her tenderly. "I'm absolutely not worried about that. At the rate he is learning we'll be back on track in no time. Besides, a little spoiling never hurts."

Paige grinned. "So, by your comment about no school today, would you prefer to stay camped here another day?"

Walter grinned as he reached over and pulled Paige over so she was still sitting on her chair but her back was leaning across his lap. He bent over and kissed her deeply while his left hand held her upper back and his right hand rested on her thigh. "Whichever you would prefer my Love. As long as we are together I will be content."

Paige and Walter spent most of the day curled up under their pavilion sleeping off an on all day as their bodies continued to recover.

Toby had been happy that Walter gave Ralph the day off of school. When he had volunteered to try continuing Ralph's school work yesterday he knew it would be a little difficult working around Ralph's concerns for Walter and his Mom but he actually found he had a distaste for teaching. Originally he'd planed to teach their daughter rather than sending her to school with the other kids. But last night as he was on watch with Happy he explained that he was now okay with sending Alicia to school instead.

Happy had been amused by the concept. She knew Toby had problems trying to explain things with people when they couldn't keep up with him. But she had been willing to let him try.

As the company settled in for their third night Walter and Paige welcomed the company's suggestion they take the night off of watches and continue to recuperate. They sat under the pavilion looking to the south. Walter was half reclining against his pack and Paige sat between this legs reclining against his chest as Ralph slept a few feet away.

Paige tilted her head back a little as she half turned to look at Walter. "Since last Sunday when Athena confirmed what you said and explained what really happened. I've been debating telling Ralph the truth. Now that we are married and Ralph is taking to calling you Dad I'm wondering what you might think about it."

Walter's arms were wrapped around Paige's waist and he gently tightened his arms to squeeze her just a bit. "That is a good question my Love. It is a difficult concept for adults. Ralph is a good lad and quite bright. I believe he might be able to understand it, though we might need to discuss the concept of souls first."

Paige slowly nodded. "That could be a great way to do so. I'd like to do it as soon as possible though."

Walter considered that. "Well if we do leave camp tomorrow morning and continue on to Lancaster. I would suggest we wait until we get to the lake. The morning after the three of us could discuss it in the relaxed environment, getting him a little further away from what happened yesterday."

Paige nodded. "That sounds like a good idea. How do you think he will take it?"

Walter frowned. "Unsure, but as long as it is presented by us in a secure manner I think he be okay."

"I suppose he can't take it much worse than I did when you first explained what you knew." Paige grinned up at Walter.

Walter laughed lightly. "I hope he doesn't take it any worse than that."

The next morning as the company began moving down the road towards Lancaster Walter tried to resume Ralph's lessons but Ralph was a little out of sorts and was resisting.

Toby sat in the other wagon watching and began smirking as he whispered. "It looks like the great teacher is having a little difficulty getting Ralph to pay attention today."

Happy frowned as she looked over at Toby. "Now why are you so glad about that? We finally get Sylvester straightened out and now you are having a problem with Walter?"

Toby looked at her. "Not exactly, he's just so good at so many things and being better than me at teaching kind of stung is all."

Happy shook her head.

Walter looked at Ralph for a moment. And then he reached over and grabbed him by the back of his tunic and picked him up and pulled him over and sat him across his lap.

Ralph's eyes were opened wide in shocked surprise as he looked up at his Dad.

Walter looked down at him before he guided his mare off to the far side of the road so they could talk a little more privately as they rode. "Ralph, would you care to discuss what is wrong?"

Ralph looked up and sighed. "Fine, I'm not happy."

Walter smiled. "I gathered as much. Would you care to tell me why?"

Ralph seemed even more irritated at the smile on Walter's face. "I know what you and Mom were talking about last night. You're going to get rid of me to make room for your own children. Well I don't care how you explain it. I'm not going to be okay with it."

Walter looked at Ralph surprised, unable to believe what he heard. He'd pulled back on the reins and his mare stopped and they sat there for several minutes as Walter wrapped his brain around what Ralph had said. Finally he felt like he could speak again. "Ralph, nothing could be further from the truth. I honestly love you and I would never want you to be anywhere but beside us. As for your Mother she would sooner leave me than send you away. This I promise you."

Ralph's expression became neutral as he considered his words. "Then what were you talking about souls and stuff?"

Walter drew in a deep breath. "Well as long as we reach the lake tonight we'd planned to discuss it with you tomorrow morning. I am not willing to discuss it any further without your Mother present. Other than to promise you it isn't about us getting rid of you to have other children. We hadn't even actually discussed children of our own."

Cabe and Sir Sylvester rode past them as they continued sitting there beside the road.

Ralph looked at him for a moment. "Your my Dad now, why can't you tell me what is going on?"

Walter smiled at him. "Ralph it makes me very happy to hear you call me Dad but sometimes a topic is so important it can't be discussed without both parents."

Paige looked back and frowned seeing just Victor and Sara in the first wagon and she turned a bit more and didn't see Walter on his horse and she began to worry a little. She pulled against the reins and her charger slowed and half turned as she looked back and saw Walter and Ralph on his mare almost one hundred yards back. She pulled on the reins and her charger turned on around and began trotting back towards them.

Victor pulled against the reins and the team slowed and finally stopped as she passed by. Happy did the same and they watched as she rode on past them and finally she passed Cabe and Sir Sylvester on her way back.

Walter looked up hearing the approach of Paige's charger. He smiled at her and waited until she finally reached them.

Paige returned his smile and saw the disgruntled look on Ralph's face. She looked back to Walter questioningly.

"Ralph heard a bit of what we said last night and he was under the impression we were discussing getting rid of him to make room for our own children." Walter told her as he reached out and touched her hand.

Paige gripped his hand in response and looked at Ralph shocked. "Ralph, how could you ever think I would try to get rid of you? Do you not understand how much you mean to me?"

"That's what William's Dad did after he married his new wife. He just upped and moved him and his wife to another town and left William at the orphanage." Ralph told her.

Paige looked shocked. "Well I can't speak for William's Dad but Walter and I are not like that. We do have something very important to tell you about but getting rid of you, never going to happen. And if we were going to get rid of you, why would Walter keep teaching you? Why would he even suggest bringing you with us?"

"Because you can't just up and move like William's Dad did. But you could take me to Lancaster and put me into an orphanage there." Ralph told her belligerently.

"Ralph. That is enough of that attitude young man. You owe your Mother an apology for that. We've both already given you our word we are not getting rid of you." Walter grew angry at him. "But to do that to you, it would break your Mother's heart. Not to mention it would violate a tenant of being a Paladin and Athena would be extremely upset over that."

Ralph looked from Walter to his Mom. "I'm sorry Mom. I didn't mean it to sound like that. But why can't you guys just go ahead and tell me what is going on?"

Paige released Walter's hand and reached out for Ralph and he took her hand and as she pulled Walter helped him transfer to Paige's charger. She slowly turned her charger and together with Walter began riding back down the road. "Because Ralph, what we have to tell you is complicated. You are going to have a lot of questions and we want to make sure we have plenty of time to help you with what you will hear."

"Can you not trust us? To know how much we love you and I promise you that we are not getting rid of you. Had we known you weren't completely asleep last night we wouldn't have discussed it at all."

Ralph looked from his Mom to his Dad and slowly nodded. "I'll give you until tomorrow morning to explain it to me then." He reached up and hugged his Mom and then he reached out for Walter and hugged him as Walter pulled him back to his lap.

Walter smiled at Paige and pulled her hand up and kissed it.

Greetings! Hoping you are all well! Today is our 29th wedding anniversary! Never would have thought. lol

No, rest assured Walter isn't going to be evil. Tomorrow The wife has 2 therapy appointments so I am not sure I will have a story for you tomorrow.

Margaret - What Walter and Paige experienced is a side effect of the Paladin's ability Lay on Hands. Because of how powerful it is, it could cause problems in the natural order of things so there are side effects meant to make the Paladin consider using it long and hard. As the life force of both parties are intermingled their memories are shared. Sharing your most personal memories with someone else would certainly be a hesitation. Hope that explains it better for you.

To the Adventure! -Tim