"Lord Markus was tough but fair and kind. Taking me in as he did was kind of a grey area because he already had a squire he was training and typically we do not train more than one at a time. There are exceptions of course, especially during times of great strife. But he knew instantly the moment I had jumped up and defied the toad that the wise Lady wanted him to take me as a squire. His other squire should have already taken and achieved his tenant as a Paladin. I wasn't sure why he hadn't he was already a year over the normal time to take the tests to be knighted. Lord Markus never allowed a discussion on the subject."

"Though his squire tried making my life miserable, hoping to drive me off. He kept trying to assert some kind of seniority over me to make me do things. But I stood my ground every time. Lord Markus had never said I had to listen to him or obey him so I didn't. He and I came to a head about a year later, just before he would take his last chance at the trials. Lord Markus was working more and more with me and he was growing more jealous. He didn't understand that as he neared his time to be knighted he needed to start asserting his self rather than continue to lean on the Master. Perhaps that was his failing to graduate before I came into the picture."

"Anyway I had come out of Lord Marcus's keep one morning to perform my daily workout when suddenly I was slugged in the jaw as he jumped out from beside the entrance. Of course unprepared I fell but thanks to my training to that point I rolled and sprung up and jump kicked at him. My aim was true and my foot caught him under his jaw and sent him reeling away into the dirt. He jumped up and moved in and as he threw his next punch I twisted away and got a wrist lock on him. As he cried out in pain I jumped up in the air taking his arm up with me and I brought my left fist down hard upon his face. Striking his cheek above where my foot had kicked his jaw."

"The coward had even chosen to wear his gauntlets. Even as he was five years older, vastly more training, much larger and he should have already have completed his tenants two years earlier to obtain his knighthood but he was so cowardly that he couldn't face me, a fifteen year old girl, without trying to give himself another edge so that he might win." Paige's jaw had set as the incident renewed in her memory. "I'd let go of the wrist lock as I struck his face and he fell away. The inside of my cheek had been cut when he struck me and I spit my blood on him daring him to get back up."

"Unbeknownst to me, Lord Markus had been standing on his balcony when it happened and had observed all of it. Once I had his other squire on the ground he turned and ventured down to the courtyard. I confess to a bit of a sadistic streak at this point. Every time he tried to stand up I kicked his legs out from under him. I went for humiliating him as much as possible. And every guard, every servant in the courtyard was laughing and mocking him. Suddenly Lord Markus emerged from the keep, his face dark like I'd never seen before, truly it was the first time I experienced fear during my training."

"Lord Markus roared in anger as he grabbed my assailant by the scruff of his neck and picked him up off the ground and tossed him into the side of the keep like one might toss a sack of potatoes. He fell to the ground and laid there, too scared to move so Lord Markus grabbed him by his collar and forced him to stand and demanded an explanation. The coward couldn't speak up. Lord Markus invoked a special ritual that revoked his training and then he cast him out."

"Things went much smoother after that, just from not having to deal with the other. I'd worried that Lord Markus might regret taking me as a squire after that but he sat me down after and we talked about it. Lord Markus apologized for how the other had acted all the times around me. But he said the wise Lady had wanted to see the true heart of the other squire so he was forced to allow what happened to happen."

Paige smiled at Walter. "Of course I wouldn't say at the time I understood that but it had felt like it he was telling me the truth."

Walter hugged Paige tightly to him for a moment. "Whatever happened to the other?"

Paige shook her head. "I really don't know to be honest, I never saw him again. I know he had family in Los Vargus, perhaps he returned to them."

Walter smiled as he kissed her again. He looked at the table and saw the time. "I suppose we should wake our relief so we may retire for a little personal time."

Paige grinned and nodded before she kissed him deeply.

Walter hadn't fallen asleep when Paige did. His mind was brooding as he reviewed the memories of Paige's nemesis under Lord Markus's tutelage. He was younger, that much was for certain, but he was positive he knew him. If so, he was a mercenary for hire that liked to hang out at the Black Rose ale shop in Lancaster. There was one he knew that might know for sure and he'd plan to ask her just as quickly as he could. Cabe scratched at the tent and let him know it was 6 a.m. Walter shook his head as he yawned. He looked down at Paige as she lay there sleeping with a smile on her lips. He bent over and kissed her gently before sliding out of their blankets and began dressing. He hummed softly the entire time while feeling the melody piercing into his flesh and beginning to refresh and revitalize his body.

He walked out of their tent after dressing and stopped to be sure the entrance sealed properly before he stepped on out and poured a cup of coffee. "Good morning." He told Cabe and Allie.

"Good morning Walter." They both said.

Allie grinned. "So I heard you telling your wife about your early days after I retired."

Walter nodded. "It was kind of nice reminiscing but in truth embarrassing as well. There are many things I am not pleased or proud of in my past."

Allie nodded. "I hope she understands I had no way of stopping Lord Beyon from not including you in the tale of Fort Collins."

Walter smiled. "Of course she does. It would be like Cabe trying to tell her what she should do." He looked at the men's tent. "I suppose I better go check on what is keeping Ralph."

Cabe nodded. "You might want to take a bucket of cold water."

Walter laughed as he turned and walked up and entered the tent. Ralph was slowly getting dressed. "Good morning buddy. Just came to check on you."

Ralph looked up half asleep. "Good morning Dad, I'm almost ready."

Walter smiled. "Alright, see you outside soon."

Walter walked back out and over to the fire. "Did Toby not ask to be awakened?"

Cabe shook his head.

Walter looked at their tent. Walter sighed and walked over and scratched at the material. "Toby, are you going fishing this morning?" All he heard was snoring so he turned and walked over to the wagon and got out the two fishing poles, an empty bucket, a shovel, a small case and walked back to the fire.

"Is he not going?" Cabe asked as he sipped his coffee.

Walter shrugged. "All I got was snoring."

They both laughed and Walter looked at Allie. "Can I have a moment? I need to ask you something, fairly important."

Allie nodded and stood up after excusing herself from Cabe's company.

They walked a short distance away before Walter turned and smiled at her. "You and Cabe really seem to be hitting it off."

Allie grinned and punched his shoulder. "Stop it. Of course we are. He's exactly my type, well maybe not exactly, but I like the fact that he is a man of magic, men of his age don't last long in my line of work so, he has a greater life expectancy. Surely that isn't what you wanted to ask."

Walter shook his head. "The Black Rose, is it still the dive it use to be?"

Allie frowned and nodded. "Yep, every lowlife in Lancaster hangs out there. Please tell me you are not looking to reclaim some of your old habits."

Walter shook his head. "There use to be a mercenary that hung out there. Real sleaze ball, half the time he would sell whoever he was working for out for half the pay."

Allie nodded. "Oh yes, I remember Tim alright." Allie spit on the ground. "The son of that bastard in Los Vargus. Wait, didn't you use to have a beef with Tim? Are you thinking of settling an old score?"

Walter smiled. "Well, I'm not looking to settle anything for me. But if he is who I think he is, I do have a score to settle with him. Do you know anything about his earlier life? What he was trying to be before he became what he is?"

Allie nodded. "He had been a squire for a Paladin as best I recall. I think there had been some kind of problem and he got dismissed or something."

Walter slowly nodded. "Do you by chance know if it was Lord Markus he'd been training under?"

Allie clicked her tongue several times as she thought and finally shook her head. "I'm not 100% sure Walt. I'm not a Lore Master I don't remember ever fact I'm exposed to like you."

Walter laughed. "Okay, I think I'm going to have to figure out a way to slip away from my wife when we get there so I can find out for sure."

Allie put her hand on his arm. "Hey, you've got a great thing here, don't go messing it up because of some worthless hunk of human skin."

Walter grinned. "That would only happen if I got caught. When was the last time I got caught?"

Allie shook her head. "That just means you are due. No one would cry a tear if that skin walker took a dirt nap. But you know Lord Beyon. It isn't about the quality of the life taken it is taking it without permission. You could cause a real diplomatic problem for your wife."

Walter nodded. "As soon as we get to the city you think you could discretely check the bounty boards? Maybe he has one I can collect on."

Allie shook her head. "Tell me why you are suddenly all gung ho to off the guy."

Walter looked up. "If he is who I think he is, when he was 19 he dared to attack my wife out of spite and jealousy. Lord Markus and the Wise Lady may have already rendered their judgments on him, I haven't."

Allie looked at him for a moment. "Hey, if you do go before Lord Beyon with your wife you better be on your best behavior. You know him, when he finds out who you are he's libel to bring up the insult he felt by your refusal to come forth and be rewarded and recognized. Just because you slipped under his notice in the past playing for him, I wouldn't count on that happening every time."

"Sounds like I shouldn't go to Lancaster at all then. But, I can't just disappear on my bride for the whole time we're there. Besides Lord Beyon won't acknowledge his elite force without me there and my bride needs them." Walter scratched at his beard.

Allie looked at Walter. "What could she want with one of us?"

Walter looked about. "She wants a copy of Merrick's travel plans. I want whoever goes to execute him."

Allie frowned. "Hadn't you guys heard? He died some months ago. His son took his place."

Walter shook his head. "He's a necromancer, he's been using his foul magic to cast the soul of his kids out of their bodies and then transfer his soul to the body to continue his life. Andrew use to be my bride's husband."

Allie's eyes had gone wide. "Oh crap, I completely forgot that they were married. Finding out you married her didn't even raise a warning bell about that. What can we do?"

Walter looked into her eyes. "Whoever Beyon picks, make sure they know to kill him and to be careful of his magic."

Allie laughed as she slapped Walter's chest with the back of her hand. "She's got you, what does she need one of us for? You could do either of those just as easily."

Walter nodded. "I offered. She isn't willing to risk me going to prison or worse. That's why we're going to Lancaster."

Ralph walked out the tent rubbing his eyes.

Walter smiled and pointed. "It's time to stop scheming and go back to being a Dad."

Walter turned and walked over to Ralph and ruffled his hair. "Well, let's go get us some bait."

Ralph looked up. "Bait?"

Walter grinned. "Fish don't care much for bare hooks. They do however like worms, we put the worms on the hooks and the fish will bite and the hook will break through their skin around their mouth."

Ralph nodded as Walter handed him the bucket and shovel and they walked off together.

Cabe looked at Allie. "What was this about Lord Beyon, Walter and Fort Collins?"

Allie smiled. "Walter went with me to stop Mark of Fort Collins. If it hadn't been for Walter I would have died. Mark had caught me with his necromantic sorcery. He was draining my life using it to fill one of his energy crystals. Walter not only snapped his neck he tore his head off his body. It was the most gruesome thing I had ever seen. All of Mark's men were either too busy throwing up or running off while throwing up. As I slowly recovered all of my energy back, I moved over and finally got him to drop the head."

Allie looked at Cabe. "How well do you know Walter?"

Cabe shook his head. "Not real well to be honest. I just met him a week or so ago. Lady Paige had met him performing in an inn in Oxinear about two weeks before and hired him to come work for her. Why?"

Greetings! Another beautiful day outside here in Indy! Hope you all are well and having some good weather.

Railman - Glad you are enjoying the back story. This is probably the last of it for now.

Margaret - I'm always so tickled to see you still reading these stories and enjoying them!

Lucy - Thank you, I'm so glad you do!

Susan - It is always so good seeing you and everyone enjoying Knight's Tale and Lady Knight. They are by far the least popular of my stories. Readership really plummets when I'm focused on one of them. You followed me on IG? How cool and thank you! I'll have to look for you. Shouldn't be too hard, I don't have that many followers. lol Not many people interested in story snapshots. lol

2LawDog - I'm so glad to have you here enjoying the story too! Of course, you already know who Toad's son is. lol Of course everyone will know once the story gets to Hesperia. And for those following along that is Hesperia CA.

Franxine - Glad to see you commenting on A Knight of Labor! While it is an interesting story idea, it would be somewhat problematic since Happy and Toby are married, but it could be an alternate AU where they never did get married. But I'll give it some thought eventually. lol Right now I got way too many ideas floating around.

To the Adventure! -Tim