"He used to have a pretty hot temper. He had a lot of built up anger about his Father and then how things progressed after his mentor had to leave him to do something for the Wise Lady. When his sister died it really spiked. I was just thinking if you guys are actually going to speak with Lord Beyon it might be better to leave Walter someplace while you do. I'm sure Lord Beyon will bring up the past and Walter thinking he was too good to present himself in his court to receive honors for his efforts to rid the world of Mark's threat." Allie explained.

Cabe ticked his head. "I'll try to mention it our Lady, but I'm not sure if she would be willing to be separated from Walter, even for that. She's pretty stubborn."

Allie smiled. "Good, Walter needs someone stubborn to keep him in line."

Cabe grinned and then they both looked down at the lake as Ralph let out a squeal and they saw him dancing a bit as he tried to follow Walter's direction while reeling in a fish. "That is too cute." Allie said.

Cabe nodded. "Do you have children?"

Allie shook her head. "Life as an assassin didn't lend itself to motherhood. I seldom had more than a couple of weeks off before I was sent out on another mission."

Cabe looked shocked. "You're an actual assassin? I thought you were just a thief for Lord Beyon?"

Allie smiled and shook her head. "No, while 99% of what I have to do for Lord Beyon and the temple is thief related I'm still called upon from time to time to apply my skills to remove troublesome individuals. What about you, any children?"

Cabe nodded. "Well I had a daughter. She died with my wife when she was twelve. That was over 20 years ago now."

Allie's hand reached over and touched his hand. "I'm so sorry."

Cabe smiled. "Thank you but it has been tempered well by many years."

Sara emerged from the tent she shared with her husband and began moving about the camp getting everything set up to start cooking.

Allie looked at her. "And how is it a woman is stuck with the cooking? You should make Walter cook some of the time."

Sara smiled as Cabe swallowed wrong and began choking. "Because it is the job I'm paid to perform. Just like it is my husband's job to drive the wagon and care for the horses that pull it when we're on the road. And it is a job I dearly love. At least I don't have to wash the dishes too often. Or stand watches."

Allie grinned. She looked at Cabe. "Let me guess, when it is your turn you use a spell to minimize how much you actually wash."

Cabe grinned. "Well that is part of what I'm paid for."

Allie laughed. "You're terrible. I think I like that."

Cabe nodded. "I certainly like you."

Allie winked.

Paige frowned as she reached across the blankets but didn't find Walter. Her eyes opened as she looked about the tent. She heard a squeal and she smiled remembering Walter was taking Ralph fishing. She slowly pulled the blankets back. She stepped to the small table and tested the water in the bowl there. A bit cool but she didn't feel like getting dressed to get warm water and went ahead and washed up before she got dressed.

Happy sat at the table watching with Victor, Cabe and Allie as Ralph continued to reel in fish after fish and laughing at Walter as he didn't seem to be having any luck. Sara smiled as she looked up from her cooking pans and saw Paige emerge from her tent. "Good morning to you my Lady."

Everyone else turned and greeted her. Paige smiled. "Good morning everyone, someone is being rather noisy." She told them as she walked on out.

Happy grinned. "Ralph is catching fish left and right. Walter hasn't caught that first one."

Paige smiled. "I think I detect a bit of shenanigans on Walter's part then."

Happy nodded. "He isn't even baiting his hook. He makes it look like he is but he just casts out with a bare hook."

Paige looked about. "Where's Toby? I thought they were going to go fishing with them?"

Happy made a face. "Leave it to that slug to miss out."

Walter looked up and saw Paige and he grinned as he blew her a kiss. Ralph saw it and he looked back and saw his Mom and he waved.

Walter reeled in his line. "I'll be back Ralph. I'm going to speak with your Mother and get a tub to put all your fish in. We'll clean them after breakfast so we can cook them for lunch."

Ralph looked up at Walter. "You mean so Sara can cook them?"

Walter shook his head. "Nope, so you and I can cook them."

Ralph frowned. "But, we're guys. We don't cook do we?"

Walter frowned. "What? Whoever told you that? Of course I cook. You need to learn too, there isn't anything about cooking that a properly educated man can't handle. And more importantly you should never divide jobs by sex. Some of the best cooks in the world are men." Walter ruffled his hair and walked back up to the camp.

Paige smiled and met him as he drew closer. They shared a tender kiss and hug. "Ralph seemed to think cooking is a woman's job." Walter told her as they parted.

Paige nodded. "Drew was a bit sexist and some of his words stuck."

Walter nodded. "Well, that is one word that is going to get unstuck. Because he'll learn while I teach him how to cook fish for lunch."

Paige grinned. "Sara might appreciate a meal off. So how is your bare hook working on the fish?"

Walter laughed. "The fish were being very accommodating so I didn't see the need for both of us to catch them. He gets a bit of thrill thinking he is out fishing me."

Paige nodded.

Walter carried the large tub back up to the camp after they transferred all the fish and a goodly amount of lake water into it. He sat it down a little way from the fire.

Sara smiled as she looked at the fish. "Those are some very nice looking fish Master Ralph. I'll try to do them justice when I prepare them."

Walter nudged Ralph and he looked up at Walter. "Oh, that is okay Sara, Dad and I will prepare them."

Sara's eyes opened a bit wider as she looked at them both. "Oh, okay. Thank you then."

After breakfast Walter with Ralph in his wake moved to begin preparing the fish for lunch. He made sure to stress the importance of cleanliness of the work area. Ralph was a bit grossed out at the process involved in cleaning the fish. Happy and Toby chose to take Alicia for a walk so she wouldn't have to see what was to happen.

Everyone kind of stared at bit surprised. Cabe stepped over to Lady Paige. "Does he know how to cook?"

Paige laughed before she turned and walked to her tent.

Walter showed Ralph five times before he allowed him to touch the knife. The first three he cut up, like Walter showed him, Walter took care of actually killing the fish and cleaning it. The next three Walter just killed them and let Ralph fully clean them. By the time they had finished, while Ralph wasn't too sure he wanted to repeat the process, he was at least competent in the process.

As Lady Paige returned she looked at Ray. "Have you decided if you want to leave or not?"

Ray looked up. "I know last night I told you I'd like to just leave but, well, to be honest there seems to be something different here. Maybe something I could actually become part of. So if you don't mind. I'd like to go ahead and serve my sentence and maybe as Walt said I could make an actual life for myself in your lands."

Lady Paige slowly nodded. "Very well Ray."

Walter showed Ralph how to prepare the filets to rest as he called it, before they'd start getting ready to cook them. Walter walked him through all the stores they had to choose from to prepare lunch with and explained why some things were better than others because of complimentary flavors.

Ralph was beginning to think he'd rather be back in the school house at this point. But still he paid attention and then finally with everything selected Walter began working with him to prepare lunch.

Everyone but Paige, Ray was a bit hesitant to actually start eating. Sara also joined in, she had approved of everything Walter had done with the fish.

Paige looked at the others. "You shouldn't let your lunch grow cold."

Happy took in a deep breath as she cut into the fried filet on her tray and put it in her mouth. She smiled a little as she bit into it and then smiled bigger as she nodded. She looked at Walter and grinned. "Well damn, color me impressed. You can cook for me any day."

Walter laughed. "Well thank you Happy, I'm glad you like it."

Everyone else began digging in and found they too enjoyed their lunch.

Paige smiled and put her hand on his arm. "You certainly out did yourself. I hope you paid close attention to what Walter taught you today Ralph."

Happy laughed. "Ralph, if you get as good as Walter is at cooking and you'll have to beat the girls off with a stick."

Everyone laughed as Ralph's cheeks flushed.

Ray pointed at his tray. "You think this is good? You haven't tasted anything until you try his roasted boar. So tender it melts off your fork before you get it to your mouth."

Walter grinned as everyone chuckled.

As they all sat around following lunch Paige looked to Ralph. "So, now you know how to fish, clean them and prepare them. What do you think about it?"

Ralph swallowed and looked up to his Mom. "Well, I did enjoy catching them. And while I'm glad I know how, I think I'd rather leave the cleaning and preparing them to someone else."

Paige shook her head and sighed.

The next morning they began the process of packing everything up into the wagon to prepare to get back on the road.

Ray decided to ride close to Walter so he could listen to him as he began Ralph's school lessons.

About noon they came to Lancaster's outpost on the other side of the borderlands. Paige led them up along the front of the building and then dismounted to stretch her legs. A short stout man exited the building. "Welcome to the Lancaster outpost. I'm Reginald. Do you have anything to declare?"

Paige glanced over as she stretched. "I am the Lady Paige of Scorpion Keep. We have nothing to declare."

Reginald smiled. "Do you have papers to prove who you are?"

Paige's face darkened. "None would dare use my name."

"It has been my experience that those up to no good would use anything." Reginald told her.

They heard the clearing of a throat and Reginald looked back among the company and saw Allie sitting there. "How would you like it if I reported to Lord Beyon how discourteous you are being to Lady Paige? I trust you don't need to see any papers to prove who I am."

Reginald's eyes went wide and he shook his head. "Lady Paige, p-p-please continue on your way, with my sincerest apology."

Paige shook her head and climbed back up and the company struck out again as Walter moved up to ride beside his wife now that Ralph's lessons were over.

The six days they spent traveling passed with little incident, Lord Beyon's patrols saw to the order of his roads. Paige was almost beginning to grow accustomed to having Ray amongst them. At first she had been disappointed he hadn't gone ahead and left that morning but slowly she began to appreciate him just a little. She also noted he was really paying attention to Walter teaching Ralph. In the evenings while Walter graded Ralph's homework he asked questions that showed he had a mind that was agile as well as capable of grasping and learning far better than she had originally credited him with.

As Lady Paige and her company passed into the city she guided them around to one of the livery stables and left their horses and gear with the exception of their personal bags there. Allie kissed Cabe before excusing herself to journeying on to report to Lord Beyon. Walter had looked at her and she nodded before she left. Walter picked up the three bags for his little family and carried them while holding Paige's hand as she held Ralph's with the other.

Every guard they passed all saluted Lady Paige. Some of them threw rather suspicious stares at Walter. Paige looked to Walter. "It seems you have a reputation here my Love."

Walter grinned. "That is a bit of an understatement. This squeaky wheel will draw a lot of attention. At least like this I will."

Paige looked at him. "How else would you move through the city?"

Walter smiled as he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it and winked. Suddenly Walter faded from view even as he pulled her and Ralph into the shadows. The company instantly stopped and stared and looked about.

Paige grinned. "I've never experienced this before. How is it possible you can bring the two of us in here with you?"

Walter grinned. "It isn't too difficult, though it isn't widely known."

Ralph was grinning. "This is amazing." As he watched the others in his Mom's company looking about with nervousness growing in each of them. "Why is everything kind of purple?"

Walter smiled. "It is the nature of the shadow." He relaxed his will and they emerged from the shadow.

"I'd still like to know how you learned to do that." Ray told him.

Walter laughed as he shook his head. "You are exactly the last person I would ever show that too."

"My Lady, my cousin lives a good way down this street, if we have your permission to depart. When would you like us to return?" Sara asked.

Lady Paige slowly nodded as she thought. "We'll go see Lord Beyon tomorrow. It could take two days to enlist his aid in this. Unless you stay with your cousin, we'll be at the Sapphire Inn. Victor, if you would check with me the evening after tomorrow. I'll try to have a better idea."

They both nodded before they turned and walked off to the east.

Lady Paige took a moment to kiss Walter before they started walking on. "Oh, Ray, nothing that belongs to anyone else this very moment in this city finds its way into your possession. Is that clear?"

Ray grinned. "I wasn't even thinking about it. Well, maybe a little when you said where we were staying."

Paige looked at Walter as he laughed and he quickly stopped while kissing her again.

Greetings! Like always, I hopes this finds you all well!

Railman - That is certainly a possibility. lol

Margaret - I'll try to keep the gruesome limited as best I can! hehe

2LawDog - May it ever be so!

Lucy - hehe

Franxine - Yep, none of us like them, but sometimes they got to happen. At least this one wasn't potentially life threatening! hehe Thank you!

To the Adventure! -Tim