"From that day forward Wally the Bard was on more of a straight and narrow path than before. But I still struggled with anger and pride. A year and a half later I met Allie in Lancaster. I was devastated at the time. My mother had sent a letter through the clerics of Athena that I received a few days before I met Allie telling me that my sister had died. They didn't bother telling me when last I saw them she was sick. I couldn't believe it. If it hadn't been for Allie, I probably would have gone further down that dark path. I was barely keeping it together."
"I nearly killed a man the day I found out. I was so mad, at the wise Lady, at my parents, my sister, and life in general. The man made the mistake of crossing me. Like somehow it was my fault he came to the Inn I was playing in and began whining that I wasn't some piece of fluff he could drool over. Had the inn been a more respectable sort I probably would have been in Lord Beyon's dungeon for a few years over it. Though come to think of it, he was so ugly I doubt he had enough money that would encourage a piece of fluff to let him drool over them."
"Every performance I had to spend the ten minutes leading up to it by singing a song of fortitude so I could go on and perform. Allie's friend was only too happy to engage my talents at her inn. After a few weeks there Allie had gotten an assignment down south and she asked if I wanted to go with her. So we traveled and worked side by side. She was impressed with my skills as a thief. There was a keep up in the mountains east of Los Angeles. Fort Collins, man I still remember that rancid place. Mark of Fort Collins was a disgusting pig of a human. His necromantic arts were unparalleled, at least to hear him tell it."
"He loved to hear himself talk. Allie's plan was simple enough to start, sneak in, back stab him and send him on his way into the afterlife." Walter stopped to laugh at that. "Boy how wrong her plan went. As we snuck through she'd set off a trap. And while it didn't break our shadow it let them know someone was there that shouldn't have been. His dark art allowed him to catch her and he was draining her life."
"At that moment I saw my sister's face instead of Allie's and I went berserk. I barely remember as I leapt through the air and landed behind him and I didn't even worry with my blade I simply reached up and my hands locked on the sides of his head and I flexed my arms as hard as I could. I vaguely recall a short scream from him and then his neck twisted and popped. He was dead but I didn't stop. All that anger and rage that had been in my life, buried under layers of Elizabeth and the temple Mistress's teachings burst forth and I heard myself scream so loud in that rage as his head was torn from his body."
"According to Allie his guards took one look and most of them began throwing up as they all ran away. I'm not sure how long I stood there holding his head. The next thing I knew Allie was there and helped bring me back from that precipice. The next morning I bid her well on her journey back to Lancaster. She wanted me to return with her so she could present me to Lord Beyon so he could reward me but I begged off. I traveled back to San Deggo and paid my respects to my sister's grave and then to my parents."
"My sister's death had struck my Father hard. When I showed up at their door and knocked I was shocked by his appearance. I paused my life for that year as I took it upon myself to make sure their farm was planted and animals were taken care of. But once the harvest was in and the land was ready for the next year I struck out again. It was the first time my Father ever said thank you to me."
"I met Ray shortly after that. I had regressed in my progress. I allowed myself to be influenced by Ray and I did a lot of stupid things for about six months. But then a chance meeting with the same temple Mistress who saved me from the jail brought me back around. Ray hadn't liked it and he tried his best to keep me where I was. It took me another two years to finally put all of it behind me. Quite often I ended up in trouble with the authorities because of my association with Ray."
"After one particularly bad encounter I finally turned him in to the authorities. I was sick and tired of the nonsense and I wasn't going to get caught up in it again. It was also starting to damage my reputation I was starting to garner. I figured I had seen him for the last time after that. But he caught up to me at the next town. He was pretty apologetic and asked for one more chance. So I granted it. And we'd been together more or less ever since. That isn't to say he was good after that. He just kept his actions more discrete. But every time I found out I would disappear. Pick up a job with bounty hunters or fortune seekers. When you met us in Oxinear we had just gotten back together a couple of weeks before."
Paige smiled up at Walter and let her hand reach up to stroke his cheek. "I'm so sorry about how things played out in your life. But part of me is glad, because those things shaped and made you into the man you are. All of it made you the man that the wise Lady in her infinity wisdom deemed me good enough for. You know when I first heard the story of Fort Collins I had a feeling something had been left out."
Walter chuckled. "It is far more likely I somehow squeaked by to meet with her approval to be considered for you. Yes, Lord Beyon wasn't happy I refused to come back with Allie to be recognized. So when the story was disseminated I was left out of it. Allie had tried to have another Bard spread the uncorrupted version but of course they wouldn't do that. For sure they wouldn't want to upset Lord Beyon and they wouldn't want to prop up another Bard. Sometimes Bards are very jealous of the spot light for other Bards."
Paige considered his story some more before she spoke again. "I was a typical teen myself or so I thought, a teen of means at any rate. I had no idea of what I wanted to be for the most part. I was spoiled and pampered by my Dad. Dad would always stand up for me and keep me out of trouble. No matter how much it impacted him or our family name. Most of my friends wanted to be the belle of their house. Willing to bury their own identities just to live a life of splendor. One of the worst events involved a boy, well man to use the term loosely, by age at least. He was the son of a powerful merchant baron."
"I was 14 and he was 20 and not that attractive, either physically or personality wise. Dad had taken us out for dinner at the best restaurant in Hesperia and his Father brought him around to our table because he'd taken such a shine with me. His Father was a loud mouth toad that couldn't speak quietly if his life depended on it. Everyone was staring and watching. No one crossed his Dad because of the power he wielded."
"I was embarrassed that this toad of a man would barge in on our meal time and propose my Father give me away to this disgusting shell of a man. He was making all kinds of offers trying to bribe my Father into the deal. I'm not sure what my Father was thinking as the man hadn't shut up long enough for him to reply but the way his son was leering at my breasts, even had more than a slight bit of drool slipping out of his disgusting mouth, I couldn't stand another moment and I jumped up out of my chair and I told him exactly where he could take his offer and son and shove them."
"My Mother blanched at my choice of words and pulled at my dress trying to get me to sit back down. I turned my head to glare at my Mother and as I looked back I saw the toad's hand coming to slap me. I froze when suddenly this other hand flashed out from the man who sat at the next table to us and caught his hand in mid air. He stood up and he looked quite dashing for an older man to be honest. His beard was cut close to his face, a bit of silver in his hair."
"The toad took two steps back and demanded if he knew who he was. The man smiled and shook his head as he told him he didn't care who he was. He told him I had already told him no and he wasn't about to stand by while he tried to assault me." Paige smiled.
"The maitre d' rushed over at that point and asked if there was a problem. The man looked at the maitre d' and shook his head as he asked him where he was when the loud mouth buffoon started making a scene to begin with. The maitre d' mumbled some kind of apology, clearly unwilling to alienate the toad but he genuinely feared this man. The maitre d' swallowed and looked at the toad before he spoke. Telling him he was sorry but he needed to return to his table and not disturb Lord Markus."
"I was floored, of course I knew of Lord Markus, who in the seven realms hadn't. But to actually stand before him, to have him step in to ensure my safety, I was dumbfounded. He turned after toad and his son slithered off to their table once toad realized who he was facing. Lord Markus finally regarded me before he smiled." Paige smiled as the memory played out in her mind again.
"You have fire young lady, I like that. How would you like to take up the standard of the wise Lady and become a Paladin?" Walter smiled as he watched the event play out in his mind as she told it as well.
"Obviously I'd never even remotely considered that as a possible life choice. I was still stunned that I was face to face with one of the most revered Paladins of the land. I can't even begin to describe what it felt like that he was offering me this opportunity. My Father stood and thanked him for his intervention in the situation but told him that we served Dionysus."
Lord Marcus nodded with regret on his face. "I understand." He said simply before he turned to sit down. I don't know what had me frozen before that point but whatever it was lost its grip upon me and I fell to my knees next to him and swore to be faithful to the wise Lady if that was what She wanted of me. I would study hard and train even harder if She and he would accept me."
Paige smiled sadly. "I think that was the one thing that hurt my Father the most of my rebellious self. Lord Markus pulled me up to my feet and nodded to me. He told me to consider it over the night and discuss it with my parents further. He said he'd be in town until the next morning and told us where he was staying."
"Of course my Mother was totally against it. With Father there was some wiggle room I knew. I hammered at them both all evening at home. Every time my Mother tried to put her foot down Father would overrule her, even hurt he wanted to allow me to make my case. We went round and round until well past midnight. He finally looked at me and nodded. He had always wanted me to be independent. He didn't want me to just follow the path others took. If I was to become a wife, he wanted it on my terms. I think the one argument of mine that had the most impact was that I'd been around Paladins of Dionysus most of my life and not one of them ever wanted me."
"When my maid woke me the next morning I found a backpack on the table in my room. I slowly opened it and found several pairs of leathers inside along with a number of different items that I might need. My Father had stayed up and left the house to obtain the things I would most likely need. I dressed in a set of the leathers and pulled on a pair of boots and smiled as I looked into the mirror at my reflection. I had breakfast one last time with my Father and Mother as just their daughter. The next time they'd see me I would be a knighted Paladin of the wise Lady."
"Mother cried of course. Because of my stubborn streak she'd always assumed I would stay at home until in my twenties when I would finally meet whoever I wanted to share my life with. She never thought she would be saying goodbye to me at fourteen and then to be going to train to be a Paladin of Athena. Father walked with me to the hotel where Lord Markus was staying. Most of Lord Markus's company was already mounted, only he stood there waiting. He smiled at me as I came into sight."
"As we drew near his smile turned into a grin before he looked back at his company as he reminded them that he had said I would be there. He pointed at a horse that sat there without a rider as he told me to wait beside it while he spoke with my Father. They stepped away for a bit. I saw my Father offer him the customary offering when ones child goes into apprenticeship. He shook hands with my Father and refused the offering. He walked back over to me along with my Father. My Father hugged me as he stuffed the purse into my backpack. Lord Markus performed a quick dedication service to the wise Lady for me and then commanded me to climb up on the horse."
Greetings! Hoping this finds you all well! Doing okay here in Indy, been enjoying these mild days. You know you've been cold when you consider 40+ mild. LOL I swear I'm losing my mind working on all of these dang stories. Even started writing the original way "The War Between Us" was going to end. It won't be pretty.
Railman - I love that you have begun to enjoy the fantasy genre from reading my stories, what a huge compliment, thank you! AO3 is an acronym for Archive Of Our Own. It was formed some years back by people who grew frustrated with FF as I recall the history. They don't impose any restrictions to the stories you write. You just need to properly tag it so if someone doesn't want to read something it won't come up in their searches. One of the biggest downsides of the site is the lack of reader feedback. They even put in a like button so users can just click it, and they seem to be too lazy to even do that from what I've seen and heard. lol
Margaret, Lucy - I'm so glad you guys are enjoying the back story. Here was another healthy dose. And it continues in the next chapter before things start moving again. Chapter 37 will see them back on the road.
To the Adventure! -Tim