Walter stepped into the Master at Arms office and he gestured at the chairs in front of his desk.

After they all sat down the Master at Arms pushed a couple of papers out to Walter.

Walter picked them up and read them quite quickly and nodded as he picked up the quill and signed the papers and passed them back across the desk.

The Master at Arms picked them up and filed them away before he pulled out a ledger and sat it on the desk and then he turned and opened a safe in the wall. He pulled out a bag about as big as Ralph's head and sat it on the desk and Ralph could see the shapes as well as heard the metallic clinks of the coins inside.

Walter signed the ledger.

The Master at Arms smiled. "Don't want to count it first?"

Walter looked up and shook his head. "I trust you. I'm surprised Lord Beyon is willing to pay me after all this time."

The Master at Arms nodded. "I've kept this in my safe waiting for the day you finally came forward. I was never told not to pay you so. It is yours."

Walter scratched his head as he considered the bag. "Had I known this I would have brought my backpack to put this in."

The Master at Arms laughed.

"I'm not sure how long my wife will be discussing the matter with Lord Beyon. Would you make sure she knows Ralph and I went to the Marketplace? We'll meet her at the hotel's dining room for lunch. Provided she'd done by then. If not we'll come back here to wait for her." Walter asked as he held out his hand.

The Master at Arms nodded and shook his hand. "I'll make sure she knows Walter. Be careful."

Walter nodded as he stood. After removing his lute he pulled off the simple green peasant shirt he was wearing. He then stripped off green and black leather tunic he normally wore. Putting the shirt back on, he secured the bag to his sword belt. He tucked his tunic behind the belt and draped it over the bag. "Not perfect but close enough for now."

He put his hand on Ralph's shoulder and with a smile at the Master at Arms they turned and left the office and made their way out of the castle.

Ralph looked up at Walter as they walked down the street. "If it isn't wrong for me to ask, how much did they pay you Dad?"

Walter smiled as he looked at Ralph. "They were quite generous actually. There is more than enough for both of us to go buy something pretty for your Mom. But my share of the bounty was ten thousand gold sovereigns."

Ralph's eyes went large for a moment and then he frowned. "But, wouldn't that have taken more than that one bag?"

Walter smiled and nodded. "I would surmise most of the coins are platinum."

Ralph frowned. "What is Platinum? Is it more valuable than gold?"

Walter nodded with a grin. "Platinum is worth about ten times what gold is because it is much rarer. The exchange rate varies a little from time to time. Also depends on who has minted the coin. Those minted by San Francisco are the highest quality and generally worth an extra three gold than those from Los Angeles. Never accept any coins minted in Los Vargus. They are notorious for cheating people."

"So you aren't afraid the Master at Arms would have cheated you?" Ralph asked surprised.

"As you grow and learn Ralph, some people are as dependable as the sun and some as dependable as a shooting star." Walter grinned at Ralph's confused expression. "Its rare and it doesn't last long." He further explained.

As they approached the marketplace Ralph tugged on Walter's shirt as he stopped. Walter turned and looked down at the young man. "What is wrong Ralph?" Walter saw a worried look on his face.

"Mom usually carries me through crowds." Ralph told him quietly.

Walter smiled. "Well then, we shall do what your Mother does." He untied the bag and pulled the bag and tunic out from his belt and left the tunic wrapped loosely around the bag. Walter handed it to Ralph before he pulled Ralph up and sat him on his hip. "Better?"

Ralph smiled and nodded.

Walter grinned and strode out into the crowd. Walter slowed as they neared the center of the Marketplace and pointed at the food vendors. "Are you hungry or would you prefer to wait until we're back at the hotel?"

While the food smelled good Ralph had never eaten in such an environment and he kind of wrinkled his nose. Walter laughed at the expression. "Very well young man, we'll wait until we're at the hotel."

Ralph was quick to nod his head. "Where is the vendor you wanted us to see Dad?"

Walter pointed off to the right. "All the jewelry vendors are just over that way. That is unless they moved them again."

"Moved them? Why would they move them?" Ralph asked.

Walter laughed. "It usually happens when they get a new Market Master. Invariably the new Master considers their predecessor as ignorant and will reorder things. Sometimes it helps but most times it just hinders as people get use to where things are and would prefer for them to just stay that way."

Ralph saw one booth had a lot of shining baubles and he pointed. "What about that one?"

Walter looked over and saw the vendor and shook his head. "He's quite gifted in ability but he is a cheat, his workmanship looks impressive but he typically dilutes the purity of the metals he sales so he makes more selling them."

Ralph slowly nodded. "There sure are a lot of things to learn about being an adult. But if he cheats why do they allow him to sell here?"

Walter grinned. "Indeed there are a lot of things to learn. Basically because he doesn't actually label what percentage of valuable metal they are made from. The more gullible think he's just like the other merchants, honest to a degree. If a merchant selling stuff like this doesn't put down what its composition is, then you never buy it. Of course if you become a Paladin like your Mom you'll be able to detect if someone is lying to you."

Ralph looked sharply at his Dad. "Mom can tell if someone is lying because she's a Paladin?"

Walter nodded. "Never try to sneak something past your Mother. Ah, here we are." Walter pointed towards a booth and stepped on over.

Walter grinned at the vendor who was busy polishing something. "Frankie, how are you doing?"

The woman's hands stopped moving as she looked straight ahead without looking back at Walter. "There is only one person that would dare to call me that you two bit tavern rat."

Walter laughed. "Come on Frankie, not in front of my son."

Frankie's head whipped around. "Your son, are you pulling my leg?" She stared at Ralph on his hip. "Well I'll be a three legged frog. Or did you kidnap the poor kid?"

Ralph glared at the woman as he replied hotly. "Dad married my Mom a little over a week ago."

Walter laughed. "Indeed I did. Frankie, this is Ralph of Scorpion Keep. Ralph this is an old friend of mine. Before she settled into making fine jewelry she used to adventure. We worked for the same people a couple of times."

Frankie's eyebrow rose. "It is nice meeting you Ralph, wait, Scorpion Keep? You got Lady Paige to agree to marry you?"

Walter nodded. "That's part of the reason we're here. I need to get a very nice engagement ring and wedding bands and Ralph wants to spend his money on something nice for his Mom too."

Ralph looked at Walter before he whispered. "But I don't have any money Dad."

Walter grinned as he whispered back. "Well I owe you some allowance so you can spend that."

Ralph grinned before he looked down at the cases on her table.

Frankie looked at Walter. "Wait, if you didn't have a ring to propose or wedding bands, how did you convince her to marry you?"

Walter smiled. "You think that is bad, I didn't get to ask her until after we were married."

Frankie shook her head. "Never mind, you are just trying to confuse me to sell my goods cheaper."

Ralph smiled. "They got married by a pixie's wish."

Walter laughed as he nodded. "Well we were both already at that point anyway, the wish just made it happen sooner." Walter explained to Frankie how things happened.

"Anyway, I wanted to get rings and Ralph wanted to get something for her too." Walter finished.

Frankie nodded as she bent over and unlocked something and pulled out a tray and lifted it up and sat it on top of the case Ralph was looking in. "Of course my best work is in here."

Walter and Ralph looked into the case and Walter nodded. Walter pointed down at the engagement rings that had matching earrings. Ralph nodded and pointed at the ones that had amethyst stones. Walter smiled. "Those are pretty Ralph but your Mom's birthday is in March, and that month is represented by Aquamarine, like these over here."

Ralph nodded. "It's kind of like looking at the sky."

Walter nodded. "Have you got it in a size 8?"

Frankie nodded as she opened the case and lifted the small display board up and pulled out a ring and two matching earrings and reached them out for Walter to hold.

Walter showed them to Ralph. "What do you think? You think your Mom will like them?"

Ralph nodded as he touched them with his finger.

Walter smiled as he held them back out. "We'll take them."

Frankie had already put the case back away and she took the pieces and opened a blank case that had a cut out for the ring and earrings and a large slit between them.

Ralph frowned as he pointed. "Is something suppose to go there Dad?"

Walter smiled. "It's a cut out for a necklace. Do you think your Mom would like a necklace too?"

Ralph nodded his head and Walter just laughed. He looked to Frankie who was already pulling another case out and showed them the matching necklace. "I think your Mom will like that too."

Ralph nodded.

Frankie smiled and put the case away and then put the necklace into the case with the ring and earrings. She looked at Walter and gave him a price.

Walter looked at her and his eyes narrowed before he countered.

Ralph sat there while Walter and Frankie kept going back and forth. After nearly fifteen minutes Walter nodded. "I'll pay that if you throw in the wedding bands."

Frankie stared at him a moment and finally nodded as she got out two simple gold wedding bands.

Walter set Ralph down between him and the table and took the bag from him. He opened the bag and counted out just over a third of the coins. Walter tied the bag back off after putting the case inside of it. He put the bag inside the tunic and gave it to Ralph before he picked him back up.

Frankie put up the coins and suddenly Walter had a strange feeling. Frankie was looking at him and he mouthed "Catch" and tossed Ralph towards as he spun drawing his sword out and the sound of steel against steel rang out as he caught a sword stroke with his sword. As he forced the blade away from him he raised his right leg and kicked the man in front of him in the chest.

The man fell backwards and tumbled along the ground before slowly getting up. He threw the long greasy black and grey hair back over his shoulder and everyone heard Walter growled.

Frankie stood there holding Ralph, whose eyes were opened wide.

Tim moved in and swung and Walter swung his blade but this time instead of the back edge of his sword catching Tim's, it was met by the sharp edge. There was a large flair of magical energy as over half of Tim's sword was cut off as Walter's blade sliced clean through it. Tim stared at his sword for half a second before he dove into the crowd and ran off.

Walter was tempted to go after him but now was not the time, his son needed him more. Walter slid his sword into the sheath as he turned back and saw Ralph staring at him with a smile but his eyes were definitely unsettled. "Sorry about that buddy."

Walter reached across and grabbed Ralph and pulled him back over and smiled at Frankie. "Thank you Frankie."

Frankie nodded. "I can't believe he tried that out here in the open like that. I've never known Tim to be that brave."

Walter nodded. "He probably thought he'd strike before I could defend myself. He was never too intelligent."

"Walter! Are you okay?" The young woman who'd been watching them as they left the hotel that morning said as she came out of the shadow.

Walter looked over and nodded. "Thankfully Tim is inept, I'm fine."

"I was in the process of trying to take a thief into custody when I heard your sword strike or I would have been here sooner." She explained.

Walter nodded. "The thief was probably a diversion. Tim isn't much of a thief but he knows how to slip into the shadow. Probably had been following us for a while and somehow picked up on you."

"Allie's going to be pissed at me." She told him.

"Tell her to talk to me. I'll explain it." Walter told her. Walter looked at Ralph. "How about we go back to the castle instead of the hotel? Your Mom is probably still there."

Ralph leaned in and whispered. "I need to go to the bathing room."

"Actually now that I think about it, it's been a while, your Mom might be back at the hotel, and that is where I told the Master at Arms to tell her we went wasn't it?" Walter asked without bringing up his need.

Ralph nodded as Walter smiled at Frankie. "It was good seeing you Frankie. I'll have to bring the wife by to meet you later."

Frankie waved as Walter started walking off.

The young woman of the elite guard bent over and picked up the part of Tim's blade that was cut off and stared at it for a moment before she put it in a bag.

Walter hurried as he passed through the crowd and then down the street to the hotel. As he turned in the lobby to take Ralph upstairs he was stopped by a concierge. Walter held up his finger. "My son needs a bathing room."

The concierge smiled as she gestured towards a door on the other side of lobby and Walter sat Ralph down and he gave the tunic and bag to Walter before he ran over to the door and entered. The concierge nodded as she looked back to Walter. "I'm so sorry sir, but while our maid was cleaning in your suite she was attacked by someone and your things have been rifled through. I've got a security guard posted outside the door and the constable has examined the rooms but needs you and your wife to go through everything to make sure nothing is missing."

Greetings! I hope this finds you all well! Doing okay myself.

Railman - Thank you! And thank you! I certainly do love the pictures.

Marti - Thank you! Once Lancaster is wrapped up I plan on getting back to modern day Scorpion. I'm almost done writing a 12 or 13 chapter story. But it won't be posted here. I have a 2 chapter FF dot net safe version of the story, it will be a follow up to my Secret's AU. The other will be posted on Archive Of Our Own since they don't make restrictions, just require appropriate tags. The uncensored version isn't part of any of my AUs and it is not Quintis Stan friendly. Anyone who loves Quintis should avoid it. But I'm also writing an alternate ending that potentially makes it more Quintis friendly. It is extremely mature adult and no one under 18 should read it.

Lucy - Thank you! Just a little action in this chapter. hehe

Franxine - I don't know why you got that feeling...Maybe because some writers like to throw a surprise at you? (I'm some writers. lol)

To the Adventure! -Tim