Allie looked down at the three men before looking at Ray. "I can't believe you brought them here. Even if they are men of power, this thieves den could see them seriously hurt. And for what, so you can inflict some cheap shots on Tim?"

Ray shrugged. "I hadn't planned to do anything other then give Tim a hard time. He made it personal when he insulted Walter. I couldn't let that pass without retaliating. You know the rules Allie."

Allie shook her head. "You're just lucky she didn't try to hurt Cabe or this conversation would be going a lot worst for you. Drink up gentlemen, your sojourn here is over."

The three men downed their ales and stood. Allie's sisters walked up and escorted the 4 of them out the door. Allie pointed at Bernie as she reached the door and wagged her finger at him and one of the sisters opened the door and another one grabbed the man lying in the stairwell and chased him up and out of it when she jabbed him with a dagger in his ass.

Once they had reached the alley above the stairwell Cabe looked at Allie. "How did you know we were here?"

Allie smiled as she stepped up and kissed him. "Lord Beyon is busy today and can't see me so I came to see if you wanted to spend some more time together. I saw Ray leading you away from the hotel. I had a sneaky suspicion where he was taking you from the direction you were going. So I sent for my sisters just in case I needed some back up. Thankfully one of our hangouts isn't actually far from here."

Cabe smiled. "Well thank you for coming, while I don't think Sylvester and I was in any real danger, who knows how it could have played out. As for your question, of course I want to spend time with you."

Allie smiled.

Sir Sylvester looked at the other women. "They aren't like, your biological sisters, right?"

Allie smiled and shook her head. "They're all in the elite guard with me. It makes us a very special kind of sisters." Allie looked at Sir Sylvester. "Since Cabe and I will be busy do you know your way back or would you like one of my sisters to accompany you back towards the hotel? She can even show you a better place to drink if that is what you really want to do."

Sir Sylvester smiled while nodding. "That might be best."

Allie nodded as she made a gesture to one of the women and she stepped up and smiled at Sir Sylvester. She placed a hand on Sylvester's arm and they moved off down the alley.

Allie looked at Ray and sighed. "Please don't do that again Ray. Or at least don't take Cabe back there."

Ray smiled as he nodded. "I wouldn't have let anything happen to them Allie. I doubt Lady Paige would be very forgiving if I had. Besides if I want to have a conversation with someone I know where to have it now."

Allie shook her head. "I don't want to know anymore about it, go on and get out of here."

Ray grinned and kind of inclined his head before he slipped into the shadow.

Allie smiled at Cabe. "Let's go Cabe."

Cabe grinned and nodded.

The next morning Cabe arrived at the hotel early. He'd spent a wonderful evening and night with Allie at her modest apartment. He hadn't actually been looking for that type of connection but clearly Allie was and he was only too happy to accommodate her desires. He stopped as he looked into the dining area and saw Lady Paige, Walter and Ralph already up and having breakfast. Cabe pulled out a bag and opened it. He reached within and withdrew a small vial of sand. He removed the stopper from it. He quietly intoned a spell and sprinkled a bit of sand and the magic infused the falling grains and Walter paused as he ate as he clearly heard Cabe's heart beat as the spell amplified all the sounds around Cabe to Walter's ears. "Walter, I need a moment of your time please."

Walter cleared his throat to hide his grimace as he wiped his lips with his napkin. He smiled at his bride and then kissed her. "I'll be back in a few moments love. I need some relief."

Paige smiled and nodded.

Walter walked up to the lobby and glared at Cabe. "What possessed you to use a spell to amplify sounds? You've set off a roar in my ears giving me a headache. You could have merely said my name softly and I would have heard it."

Cabe nodded and then cancelled the spell's effect. "I'm sorry, I wasn't sure if you would over the din."

Walter nodded. "How can I serve and why are we not speaking in front of my wife?"

Cabe swallowed. "Walter, I hope you understand I consider you a friend and I couldn't be happier with you being with our Lady, but I tried to caution her yesterday and she reacted much as I expected. I hoped that perhaps you would take heed of my council and act where our Lady won't."

Walter frowned. "You mean about my temper?"

Cabe nodded. "So she did speak with you?"

Walter shook his head. "I heard your words clearly Cabe. I have no intentions of causing any issue between our Lady and Lord Beyon. You can trust me on that."

Cabe inhaled and nodded. "Thank the wise Lady. Allie was really worried about that."

Walter smiled. "Allie hasn't seen much of me in about five years. My temper isn't what it was once. And no matter what, Paige's reputation means far more than any slight against me."

Cabe nodded as he smiled and then lifted his hand and clapped him on the shoulder. "Thank you Walter."

Walter nodded. "Join us for breakfast."

Cabe shook his head. "I'm not hungry Walter."

Walter smiled and pointed at his ear. "Cabe, I can hear your stomach, join us. That's an order, as the husband of the Lady."

Cabe smiled and nodded.

As Walter walked back up to the table he bent and kissed his bride with her mouth full of eggs and he grinned at the little noise she made as she tried to swallow too quickly. "Look who I ran into in the lobby."

Paige and Ralph looked back and saw Cabe and they smiled as Paige pointed to one of the empty chairs.

Walter sat down. "He tried to say he wasn't hungry but I told him I could hear his stomach growling."

Paige and Ralph both laughed as Cabe joined them with his cheeks turning pinkish.

As they were finishing breakfast a courier came into the dining room and stepped over to their table. "Lady Paige."

Paige smiled as she looked at the young man. "Yes?"

He held out a sealed envelope and then left as soon as she took it. Paige turned it over and saw Lord Beyon's seal upon it. She cracked the seal and opened it and pulled out the letter inside. Paige's eyes scanned across the letter and she nodded. "That figures, we'll have to leave immediately. Apparently Lord Beyon's day is swamped and he'll only have the time to see us this morning."

Walter stood and stepped over and pulled her chair back as she scooted out. Paige smiled up at him as she stood.

"You are not a servant Walter, you are my husband."

Walter kissed her hand. "And I shall wait upon your every whim. Did you want to take Ralph with us?"

Paige considered that and finally nodded. "There isn't any need to leave him behind, he knows the truth and he should know how statesmanship happens in the world as well."

Walter grinned as he held out his arm to her.

Paige gestured to Ralph as she took Walter's arm. "Are you coming with us Cabe?"

Cabe looked surprised but nodded as he stood up. "If that is okay my Lady, I'd be happy to accompany you."

Walter leaned in to Paige as they walked out of the dining room into the lobby and spoke softly. "I just thought you should know there are all kinds of wild speculation going on in the dining room about us my love."

Paige grinned and shrugged. "The only opinion I care about concerning us is the wise Lady."

Walter smiled and nodded as they walked out of the hotel. Suddenly he stopped and looked around. Paige looked at him. "Walter?"

Walter finally pointed towards a tree in a garden island in the street. "I believe one of Lord Beyon's elite is watching us."

Paige walked with Walter to the tree and looked at Walter. "Okay, whichever one of you is hiding here, I know you are here, show yourself before the Lady Paige." Walter announced.

A young woman stepped out of the shadow. "Well I guess Allie's reports about you are true then. That's the first time I've been found in over ten years and never from the distance you did."

"What is the purpose of spying upon us?" Lady Paige demanded.

She shook her head as she smiled. "Not spying my Lady. Allie requested we keep an eye on you in case someone tried to bother you. She was concerned about a certain person that Ray, lets say, talked to yesterday."

Lady Paige frowned. Walter leaned over. "She means that Ray must have upset someone with connections and Allie was concerned that person might try to seek some kind of retribution."

The young woman nodded. "Allie and Tim came to an agreement about the situation but she doesn't exactly trust the skin walker."

Walter almost snarled. "Ray went to the Black Rose and messed with Tim yesterday?"

Paige looked up at him as the woman nodded.

Cabe cleared his throat. "Yes, Ray had taken Sir Sylvester and me there to drink and Ray went to talk to him before bashing his face into the bar. According to Ray he had insulted you."

"That ignorant irresponsible little flea, how dare he take the two of you there. I'll beat him senseless when I get my hands on him." Walter fumed.

Paige looked at Walter cautiously then to Cabe and then back to Walter. "Who is this Tim?"

"He's the son of a miner baron in Los Vargus. And if I am right, he was Lord Markus's other." Walter explained. "By himself he is about as threatening as an orc. His father however has lots of connections and resources he could cause significant problems for people." Walter explained.

Paige looked at him sharply. "We'll discuss this later. Right now we need to get to the castle to see Lord Beyon before his appointments start."

The young woman nodded. "Do you need me to show you the way my Lady?"

Paige shook her head as she turned and began walking forcing Walter to take several quick steps to catch up with her and Ralph.

Walter held out his hand and Paige looked at it for a moment and then looked at him and slowly reached out and took it in her hand. Paige whispered. "Did you think you could just hide that you knew Tim?"

Walter shook his head before he whispered back. "I asked some people to look into it and find out if he was the one you had a run in with under Lord Markus. But to be honest, if it came back that he was the same I did plan to end his miserable life for what he did to you. But I would have told you first. Of course you only have my word to accept about that."

Paige stopped and turned to look at Walter. "All I need is your word Walter. But I would have appreciated you telling me this before."

Walter nodded. "I should have my love. Forgive me for not doing so." He raised her hand up and kissed the back of it.

Paige smile and nodded before she turned and they continued walking.

Walter shook his head as they came in view of Lord Beyon's castle. "I never understood why he felt the need to build such a large castle. Though I always suspect he had planned to declare himself a king at some point and felt he would need a castle then."

Paige smiled. "Possibly, sometimes even Paladins make poor decisions."

Walter grinned.

As they began climbing the stairs Allie stepped out of the castle and looked surprised to see them. "My Lady Paige, good morning."

Paige smiled and nodded. "Good morning Allie. Thanks for assigning someone to watch over us."

Allie fell in line with them walking up to the castle doors. She looked at Walter. "Big mouth, you just had to point her out didn't you?"

Walter grinned. "Well at first I didn't know if it was a friend or foe. After all, even someone of the elite could be an enemy, so of course I told her."

As they arrived at the door to the throne room a crier announced the Lady Paige.

Lord Beyon looked up and watched as Lady Paige walk in holding Walter's hand and he saw Allie with them. "My Lady Paige, you honor my court."

Lady Paige inclined her head. "I am honored to be received Lord Beyon."

Lord Beyon started to speak again and Walter cleared his throat quietly earning him a number of stares. He bowed with grace and extravagance. "My Lord, with your and my Lady's permission I would like to address the court."

Lord Beyon frowned but nodded as did the Lady Paige.

"You may remember me as Simon the Bard my Lord. I have played in your court a few times over the years. Most recently it was about nine months ago. I'd used the name because a number of years ago I was in a very dark place in my mind. I had suffered the loss of my sister who was very dear to me. And because of that I didn't come forward as I should have after first lieutenant Allie of your elite force and I had dispatched Mark of Fort Collins. But it was in part that action which led to darker thoughts for me. As Mark was draining Allie's life I saw my sister in her and it created a greater darkness within me."

"And I knew the person I was then was not the person the wise Lady would want presenting themselves to your court. It has taken me quite sometime to find my way back from that place my Lord and I would be honored if you could find it within your heart to forgive my seeming slight at not coming to receive honors and tributes from you those many years ago. I am Walter the Bard of clan O'Brien and I stand here as a servant of the wise Lady and my Lady Paige."

Lord Beyon slowly nodded his head. "Most of your words Walter ring truth with the exception of one."

Paige stepped up next to Walter and took his hand in hers. "Walter is over simplifying the reality of our relationship a bit my Lord. Walter is not my servant but my husband whom I wed just a few days ago on our way to see you."

Lord Beyon nodded before he pointed to his Master at Arms. "Let my word go forth, that Walter the Bard has appeared in good faith in my court and that his name has been ameliorated of any past judgment and that his true role in destroying Mark of Fort Collins be told."

Greetings! Hope this finds you all well! I'm back to normal from the shot. No pain or stiffness today.

Margaret - Allie (and her sisters) in this story are thieves, though technically she is an assassin but both both "professions" are close enough and normally assassins prefer to just go by thief as some people get a bit creeped out if they know they are with an assassin.

Railman - Glad you liked Ray's bit of story. I believe we haven't heard the last of Ray in the city. Hey, that could be a cool show, "Ray in the city". lol

Lucy - Definitely! lol

Susan - Glad you enjoyed it! Yea, Lady Paige wouldn't be too impressed with that place. And if she was hit by the stein as the door opened, well, lets just say that the bar would get a really good scrubbing! LOL

Franxine - LOL You are so silly. Thank you! Glad you enjoy it!

To the Adventure! -Tim