At first seeing Mistress taking her last breathe had shocked Ralph, but seeing one of the guards putting handcuffs on Frankie brought him out of it. "No, leave her alone." Ralph demanded.
Paige looked at Ralph. "That is enough Ralph. Not only has she killed this woman that was trying to help us but this is Lord Beyon and Lady Juniper's city and authority."
"No, she's Dad's friend. She's a good person. She had a reason for doing what she did." Ralph told his Mom.
Happy cleared her throat. "I think we should listen to Ralph. I haven't felt right about this woman since she came in here."
Paige shook her head as she looked back to Ralph. "I know you believe she is Walter's friend. But you don't know anything about her."
"I know Dad trusted her enough to toss me more than 8 feet through the air for her to catch me when Tim came to attack him. She did and kept me safe." Ralph told her defiantly.
"That is enough Ralph. She broke the law and has to pay for it." Paige dismissed him. Paige turned to Lady Juniper. "I apologize for my son's outburst my Lady."
Lady Juniper nodded but shook her head. "No apology is required my Lady."
Ralph knew he had to do something. But without feeling from his knees to his feet now he wasn't sure what he could do. He watched as they began to lead Frankie towards the door and Ralph used his arms and thighs to come up off the couch he was on and grabbed hold of Frankie.
In her stunned condition Frankie's legs buckled under the impact of Ralph against her and she fell to the floor with Ralph lying on top of her as he struggled to keep his arms around her. The guards stepped back unsure of what to do.
Paige glared down at Ralph and grabbed him by the back of his tunic and pulled up but he wouldn't let go as he tried to tighten his hold on Frankie's waist.
The actions broke the stun that the Elite member had struck her with. Frankie's mind was trying to take in what was going on. Clearly she was on the floor. Her hands were behind her and in some kind of restraint, and an odd pressure was on her hip and occasionally it lessened and even felt like it was pulling against her. She blinked several times as she tried to come to grip with it. She heard voices arguing even as she looked down and saw Ralph clinging to her and a woman in armor trying to pull him off of her.
Finally her mind can to grasp exactly what was happening. "Ralph, I want you to do as your Mother is telling you this instant." Frankie finally voiced.
Ralph looked up and saw Frankie looking at him and he smiled. "You're okay."
Frankie nodded. "Let go of me Ralph, and do as your Mother says." She told him again.
"But you didn't do anything wrong. They just don't understand." Ralph pleaded.
Frankie shook her head. "That doesn't matter. There are procedures that must be followed. Now, your Mother told you what to do, so now you need to do that. That is what Walter would tell you."
Tears welled up in Ralph's eyes as he slowly released his grip and Paige pulled him up and put him back on the couch. Toby moved over to make sure Ralph wasn't hurt from what he did.
Paige looked down as the guards moved to pick Frankie up and she held up her hand. They stopped hesitantly and watched as Lady Paige squatted down to look Frankie in the eye. "My husband may have some questionable friends, like Ray, but my son is typically a good judge of character. So for him to so openly oppose me, he must truly believe something about you. So explain yourself." She helped Frankie to sit up.
Frankie nodded. "When the explosion happened like most of my neighbors I closed up my booth and went home. I found out from a neighbor that the explosion was here. After Tim had tried to kill Walter in the Marketplace I was concerned so I made some inquiries among people who I knew that might know more about it. By the time I confirmed that Tim had indeed been behind it I also learned what you and Walter did in response to it."
Frankie paused to swallow and lick her lips. "I went to an old acquaintance of mine who is a higher up in the thieves' guild and I learned that you had been marked for death my Lady." Frankie looked at the dead woman on the floor. "She isn't a white Witch. She is a black Witch. The guild killed the white Witch who didn't live far from here. They figured that would be the one that help would be sought from when you discovered your son was poisoned."
"The poison in your son's body is wyvern based my Lady. She was using a curse as she began to transfer the poison from your son to you. If she had been successful in transferring it to you, you'd be dying right now and everyone would just think it was a simple reaction to the poison. They wouldn't realize what was happening until it was too late." Frankie told her as Happy punched Toby's arm.
"See, I told you I didn't trust that witch." She told Paige.
Paige pushed up with her legs and pulled Frankie up as she came up. "Release her, she's speaking the truth." Paige told the guard.
The guard looked to Lady Juniper and she nodded. He stepped in and unlocked the cuffs.
Frankie smiled at Lady Paige. "Thank you my Lady." She pulled a necklace out of her pocket. "This necklace has been enchanted to purge all poisons. May I place it on Ralph?"
Lady Paige nodded even as a tear welled up in her eyes.
Frankie bent over and slipped it over Ralph's head and then tucked it under his tunic so it made complete contact with his skin. "Do not remove this for the next week. And keep it against your skin so the magic can work properly."
Ralph nodded and then threw his arms around her neck before she could stand up. "Thank you for saving my Mom's life."
Frankie's eyes teared up instantly at his honest feelings and she had to swallow several times as she reached around and hugged Ralph back. Finally after a moment she'd felt more in control of her emotions and nodded. "You're welcome."
Walter came rushing through the door of the hotel and looked about.
"Walter, they're over here." Sir Sylvester called out.
Allie was right behind him along with Ray.
Sir Sylvester opened the door and Walter moved in quickly.
"Dad!" Ralph exclaimed happily even as Paige moved into Walter's arms.
Walter smiled at Ralph as he hugged Paige tightly to him. His eyes looked about the room and saw a cover over a body pulled across the carpet from in front of couch and a blood stain in the carpet from where the body had been dragged. And then he saw Frankie. "Frankie?"
Ralph nodded. "She saved Mom."
Walter pulled back from Paige and looked in her eyes. Paige nodded before she filled him in on what happened.
Meanwhile Allie moved in and hugged Cabe.
Walter stepped over and picked Ralph up and hugged him. He turned to look at Frankie. "I really owe you Alyson."
Frankie rolled her eyes. "Oh now you use my name."
Walter smiled as he looked back to Ralph. "I had to come check on you and your Mother. I'm going to be gone for a little bit. What Tim and Ray started has brought Lancaster to the brink of war. I can't in good conscious walk away from this. Do you understand?"
Ralph frowned but nodded.
Walter smiled and kissed the top of his head before he sat him back on the couch. He turned after standing up and saw Paige staring at him. "Don't you think you should run that by me first?"
Walter smiled. "We do need to have a discussion before I leave."
"If you think you are just leaving this room then we're going to have more than a discussion." Paige told him seriously.
Walter nodded as he stepped up and took her in his arms again. "Paige, what is happening out there isn't going to end pretty. I have no doubt Lord Beyon's forces will be victorious. But as the thieves' guild gets more desperate they will begin to use more and more drastic measures. They'll set fire to whole districts. They can even use gases that can take out whole neighborhoods. This fight has to be taken to the source. It is the only way to end this."
"Then I am coming with you." Paige told him in a tone that said she wouldn't take no for an answer.
"That would not be recommended my Love. While I can take you into the shadow with me, it will make it more difficult to reach their leader because the shadow won't be as effective." Walter told her seriously.
Paige shook her head. "I don't care. Either I go with you or you aren't going."
Walter and Paige stared at each other for several moments before he finally sighed. "There are going to be things I will have to do that will violate your tenants."
Ray stepped up. "Don't worry about that. You help me get to the people we need to and I'll handle the nitty-gritty while you and our Lady go elsewhere and give me the time to do it."
Walter looked at Ray.
"I'm going with you Walt. I am not letting you go into the lion's den without help." Ray told him pointedly.
Walter shook his head as he looked at Paige. "Do you see what you've started?"
"Cabe and I are going with you as well. As liaisons it is our duty to aid our Lady." Allie spoke up as she stood with Cabe, an arm from each wrapped around the other's back.
Walter rolled his eyes as Lady Juniper laughed at him. "Fine but that's it, we're already four more people than I'd like."
Frankie cleared her throat and Walter's head slumped down. "You don't expect me to stand by while my home is threatened do you? Besides, I know people higher up in the guild. It will take you a lot longer trying to get up to the people I know. The sooner we bring this to an end the better. Plus I know who would take over the guild if the current leader is removed and they would end what is happening quickly."
"Anyone else?" Walter said sarcastically.
Happy held up her hand and Walter glared at her as she started laughing.
Walter reached over and grabbed Paige's breastplate and held it out to her. Paige smiled and allowed him to put it on her and buckled it up. "You know, if this is how things are going to go when we're just going for a visit, I think I'll pass on going to meet your parents."
Paige slugged his shoulder as they laughed.
Walter reached out and opened the door and Sir Sylvester looked and smiled seeing them stepping out. "Sir Sylvester, we'll be back. Keep the others safe." Lady Paige told him as she passed by following Walter.
Sir Sylvester saluted as he frowned seeing the other 3 and a strange woman walk out behind them.
As they stepped out the front door of the hotel they could hear the fighting and Walter nodded. "As I feared, it's getting worse." He held Paige's hand and pulled her into the shadow followed by Allie, Cabe, Ray and Frankie. They made their way over to the building across the street from the hotel. Walter bent over and pulled Paige over his shoulder and stood before she could say anything and began climbing up the side of the building.
"Walter!" Paige exclaimed.
Walter reached over with his right hand as his left hand found a solid place to hold and slapped her butt. "Shhh, it is noisy enough without you yelling."
Frankie was climbing up behind them and Ray looked to Allie. "You need some help getting Cabe up there?"
Cabe shook his head as he said softly. "Absolutely not." He pulled out a white dove's feather and held it with two fingers from the hand Allie held and he spoke softly as he gestured and the feather disappeared.
Allie grinned and had him hold onto her belt and she began climbing and he rose up easily with her.
Ray laughed softly and climbed up after them.
Once on top of the roof Walter sat Paige down and looked about the town and saw minor smoke and shook his head. "It's already starting. Fire is always the first thing they use. It forces the city forces to make choices, keep fighting or save people and buildings."
Paige nodded as she held his hand. "So where do we go?"
Walter looked at Frankie. "Well Alyson? This is as they say your party."
Frankie looked at Walter. "You know, I think I liked it better when you called me Frankie."
Walter just grinned.
Frankie looked at Allie. "Do I have your word not to reveal what you're about to find out?"
Allie looked at her for several long moments before she finally nodded. "Fine, you have my word."
Frankie nodded. "We go to the Green Pig."
Allie frowned. "Why would we go to that disgusting place?"
"Because that is where the best source of information is. Plus if he is still interested in taking over the guild he'll be able to help us even more." Frankie told her before she started moving across the roof. Ray took off with her.
Walter looked at Paige. "I'm sorry my Love. This won't be pleasant."
Paige frowned. And then her eyes went large as Walter scooped her back up over his shoulder and took off running after Frankie.
Cabe and Allie followed. "What is so bad about this Green Pig?"
Allie made a face. "It's a brothel, disguised as just a tavern."
Paige was jostled pretty well and was about to tell Walter to put her down when he stopped and put her down. She looked around and saw a fairly involved fight. At least sixty people in the square below them. There was another fifteen or so lying on the street. Lord Beyon's troops were out numbered by 3 to 1. "We need to go down there and help Lord Beyon's troops." Lady Paige told him quietly.
Frankie and Walter both shook their heads. "We need to continue on. We trust in Lord Beyon's people to do what needs to be done." Walter told her quietly.
Paige's eyes opened wide. "I may be your wife, but it is my authority here Walter. I said we go to aid them."
Walter sighed as he looked at Frankie and Ray. "We'll meet you at the Green Pig as quick as we can. Meet with your contact and get the information we need."
Frankie nodded as she turned and continued running down the rooftops. Ray frowned as he looked at Walter. "Are you sure about this Walt?"
Walter nodded. "Go on."
"Well, we're both staying here to help you guys." Cabe told them as Allie nodded.
Walter shook his head as he looked at Paige who had taken a bag off her belt and opened it and pulled the large two handed hammer out of it. She tied the bag off and put it back on her belt. She looked at Walter and then Cabe. "Cabe, stay up here where you are safer and use your magic if needed. Shall we go?"
Walter picked Paige up over his shoulder before he jumped off the roof and he landed on the awning that covered the sidewalk in front of the building they were on and then he jumped down to the street.
Paige looked at him after he sat her down. "How did you land on that without making much noise?"
Walter smiled. "The fighting is over there."
Paige glared at him for a moment and then nodded.
Greetings! Beautiful day outside today. Yesterday was dreary and gloomy, a fit day for sad memories of Cathy's birthday. Hope all of you are doing well!
Railman - Thank you! Looks like Ralph is safe again. hehe
Lucy - hehe Yea, cliffhangers, what can you do? Can't just post a 100k word chapter! lol
Franxine - hehe Just for you, I gave you an extra 200 words in this chapter! Did that help?
Susan - Late is better than never! lol Process away!
2LawDog - Thank you!
Heleen - What? hehe Glad you are enjoying the story even if you don't care for the genre! Thank you!
Margaret - I tell you, nothing worse than having to stop and let your phone charge! You're welcome. And it would be amazing if people had the ability to sing and actually heal injuries!
To the Adventure! -Tim