As Lady Paige turned back from the hotel's check in desk Cabe stopped her before she got too far away from the desk and back to the group. "Understand my Lady I bring this up cautiously."

Paige frowned but nodded. "Go ahead Cabe."

"Without knowing when I would have a good time to speak with you about this. Anyway Allie spoke privately with me that last day at the lake. She wanted me to let you know that she has some concerns concerning Walter and Lord Beyon." Cabe told her.

Paige maintained her frown. "Go on."

"She said Walter's temper is usually on a hair trigger. And she felt it might be best if you didn't take Walter to see Lord Beyon because when he finds out who Walter really is he will probably make some remarks insulting him because Walter refused to come back with Allie to receive honors and payment for removing Mark of Fort Collins from this life." Cabe told her cautiously.

Paige nodded. "Thank you for the warning, but Walter is my husband and I will not hide him away. I trust him and if Lord Beyon wishes to insult him then he can defend his words with his sword when I challenge him."

Cabe ticked his head as he thought. 'I was afraid of that.' "Of course my Lady, as always I am at your service in anyway I can be."

Paige smiled and nodded.

Walter kissed Paige as she stepped up to him and they smiled looking into each other's eyes before she turned and passed out room keys to everyone. Several bellboys moved out and took everyone's bags and carried them up the stairs behind the large group. Cabe, Sylvester and Ray got off the stairs on the third floor as Lady Paige and Walter continued up with Ralph, Happy, Toby and Alicia.

Ray looked at Cabe and Sir Sylvester. "Want to go grab some ale after we clean up?"

They both smiled and nodded before they entered their own rooms.

The stairwell opened up on the fourth floor and Walter whistled. "Good thing you didn't get Ray a room up here, he'd be trying to pocket everything up here."

Paige grinned before they split from Happy and Toby and walked over to their apartment. The bellboys with them unlocked the door and led them inside. Walter ticked his head looking at the splendor of the sitting room. The first door to the left opened into a bedroom that Paige announced as Ralph's. The first door on the right was a nice bathing room. The door on the opposite side from the entrance opened into an exquisite bedroom. Walter looked about as the bellboys sat the two bags Paige told them belonged in there on the floor. The other took the bag to Ralph's room.

Walter opened the other door in that room and saw an enormous bathing room. And he smiled appreciatively. "This certainly has the hallmark of a lot of fun."

Paige grinned as she stepped up and put her arms around him. Walter turned and hugged her to him tightly. They were in the middle of a kiss when they heard a female voice call out. "Would you like me to put away your things my Lady?"

Paige rolled her eyes. "That would be fine." She called out. A moment later a woman about fifty stepped into the room and smiled before she grabbed up their bags and took them to the wardrobes and began putting things up.

Walter looked down at his wife as they continued to hold each other. "What would you like to do first my Love?"

Paige placed her head against his chest. "Let's go check out the market. We can grab lunch out there as well. Then we'll have dinner here and spend a quiet family evening before you and I retire to some serious fun."

Walter grinned. "That sounds good to me."

Ray came out of his room after taking a bath and saw Cabe and Sir Sylvester discussing where they were going to go drinking. He smiled as he stepped up. "Well if you are of a saving mind and want to conserve your coin the most I know the best place to go."

Both Cabe and Sir Sylvester looked at him suspiciously. "No, I'm serious guys, this isn't the type of place non-citizens really know about."

Cabe smiled. "So how do you know about it then?"

Ray coughed. "Let's call it professional courtesy."

Cabe laughed even as Sir Sylvester nodded. "Sounds fine by me, while our Lady is generous in paying us, I don't mind saving as much as possible."

Ray smiled and walked off down stairs and led the way.

Cabe and Sir Sylvester followed even as they looked about the town. "Does it seem like this place has gotten bigger since the last time we were here?"

Sir Sylvester nodded. "Indeed I didn't even know the north end of town went this far."

Ray smiled as he pointed. "Oh no, all of this is part of the original town. Most of the expansion has been to the East and South. That is where most of the money lives."

"What a curious way to put that." Sir Sylvester insinuated.

Ray smiled. "I've always had a way with words. Oh here is the street we want." He turned and walked down what was better described as an alley.

Sir Sylvester looked at Cabe and they both took a deep breath and followed along. After a few twisty turns the alley opened up a good bit and they saw a set of stairs going down and a sign above them. "The Black Rose? I've never heard of it before." Cabe said.

Sir Sylvester shook his head. "Me either."

Ray smiled. "Of course you haven't, you're not citizens. Oh, just be a little careful. Sometimes the lower riff raff hangs out here, well most of the time actually. You might want to tuck your money pouches down deeper to be safe. Most of them will recognize me and should stay away. Only keep a gold sovereign or two worth of silver out to buy with. And whatever you do, do not let Betty talk you into going in the back with her. That's the best way to wake up with a headache and stripped naked."

"Experience talking there?" Cabe asked.

Ray grinned. "No comment."

Cabe looked at Sir Sylvester. "We've come this far."

Sir Sylvester nodded as they moved to follow after Ray.

There was one guy lying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs off to the side so he wasn't blocking the door. "Should we render aid?" Sir Sylvester asked.

Ray shook his head. "He's either faking it to rob someone or he pissed off the wrong person and they dumped him here where he can reconsider life choices.

They heard a growl and Ray laughed. "Yep, he's faking it." Ray pushed on the door and waited. A stein slammed into the door and beer splashed everywhere as the metal stein fell to the ground. Ray grinned at the guys with beer all over his face. "Man I missed this place." He picked up the stein and walked in and held the door for the guys.

They stepped in and watched as Ray walked over to the bar and slammed the stein on the top. "You'll have to try better next time Bernie."

The slightly smaller man behind the counter had a hump on his back and he glared at Ray. "What are you doing back here?"

Ray smiled. "Drinking of course, give me three pints for me and my friends."

Bernie grunted and poured three pints and sat them on the bar. Ray dropped a silver coin on the bar and Bernie scooped it up quickly. Ray took one of the pints and moved over to an unused table and sat down while Cabe and Sir Sylvester followed.

"Charming sort of place." Cabe said as he sat down.

Sir Sylvester nodded as he took a drink after sitting. "Well at least the ale isn't too bad. The décor is certainly a mix of messages."

"Of course not, do you think I would bring you to someplace that was bad for drinking?" Ray grinned as he took a drink.

Cabe took a sip. "Apples?"

Ray nodded. "Steph has people cut up apples and put them in the ale kegs to give it a better flavor."

A man walked up from the back of the room. "You're sitting at my table."

Ray looked at him. "I think you are mistaken friend. Find another."

The man pulled a dagger quickly. "Oh I don't think so friend."

Ray sat his stein down grinning even as Cabe was mentally readying a spell in case it was needed. Sir Sylvester's hand was already on the hilt of his sword. Suddenly Ray disappeared. The man looked around and Ray appeared from behind him even as Ray grabbed him around his neck and twisted and turned throwing the man back away from the table. "A-Ray-rivederci, my friend." Ray said before he stepped back around and sat down and took a drink of his ale.

"Well that was interesting." Cabe said watching as the man scrambled up and took off out the front door.

Ray smiled. "Thanks." Ray held out a small coin pouch. "He was even generous enough to leave us a parting gift to buy some more ale.

Cabe and Sir Sylvester both chuckled. "We didn't even see you snatch it."

Ray winked even as he looked briefly towards the end of the bar and saw the man he came to see, looking at him before turning back around and sat on a stool. "I'll be right back, I want to say hello to someone."

Cabe and Sylvester nodded as Ray got up and walked back towards the man sitting there.

Ray stepped around the man and turned and looked back at him and smiled.

The man looked up and saw Ray and shook his head. "What are you doing back in town?"

Ray shrugged. "I'm just visiting with friends. Thought I'd stop in, see some old friends, and have a drink or three."

The man laughed. "You have no friends. Unless you want to count that no talent Bard a friend."

Ray smiled and laughed a short laugh before he grabbed him by the back of his head and slammed his face into the bar hard. "Don't you ever insult Walter like that again. He's a better person than you will ever be. Understand?"

Several people close by got up and moved back out of the way and found other tables to sit at.

The man reached up and felt his nose. "You broke my nose you little troll." He stood up from his barstool and faced him.

Ray grinned. "You want to dance Tim?" Ray turned his hand over and wiggled his fingers back at himself.

Tim looked about the bar before speaking loudly. "What, you got your Bard hiding in the shadows ready to backstab me?"

Ray faked a punch and Tim jerked back. "I don't need Walter for you Tim. We got our own history. Want to step out back onto the cobblestone and settle it?"

Tim flung his greasy hair back around his shoulder as he looked about again. "You're not worth the trouble I'd get into from Bernie, let alone Steph. Go on and leave me alone." He sat back down on the stool.

Ray smiled and patted his cheek. "I'll be around for a few days Tim. I'll be happy to meet you someplace and settle this, just leave word with Bernie." Ray stepped into the shadow and disappeared. A moment later he appeared back in his spot.

"What was that all about?" Cabe asked.

Ray smiled as he took a drink. "Oh just someone I owe a beating to. He's always managed to stay someplace safe so I can't give him what he deserves."

Cabe frowned. "No offense Ray, but you're like a foot and a half smaller than him and you acted like a little girl when we met you."

Ray smiled. "Appearances Cabe, it is what I wanted you to see. While I'm not in that Allie chick or Walter's class of skill I can still beat a lot of people including Tim."

"So what is the problem with this Tim fellow?" Sir Sylvester asked.

Ray took another drink. "Where to start and how much time do you have? He cried to his daddy once when Walter and I collected the bounty on him. His ol'man sent private bounty hunters after us. Too bad for them they weren't as good as Walter and I. Sadly because he's staying here I can't do much to him. Breaking his nose is about it. But even that will come at a price."

They saw movement and looked at the bar and a woman with blonde hair, almost Cabe's age came out of a doorway lined with strings of multicolored beads hanging down from it. She glared towards Ray and Ray just gave her a wave and smile. "Yep, here she comes, the cost of doing business in this place."

As she drew closer they saw she had a fairly nasty scar across her left cheek. "Ray, you miserable thief, I should have one of the guards come down here and drag you to the dungeon. How many times do I have to tell you?" She glared at him past Cabe and Sir Sylvester.

"Hey now, I'm not a miserable thief. I might not be as good as some, but that is worlds different from miserable. Besides, Tim started it by insulting Walter." Ray smiled. "How are you Steph?"

Steph shook her head as she inhaled a large breath and then sat down at the end of the table. "Look, you know I think highly of Walter and there is no love lost over that sack of human waste over there, but the pockets of Armstrong run deep, far deeper than you know and his dad has got eyes and ears everywhere. Now I've got to do something I don't want to do to make up for what you did."

Ray nodded. "I know, just leave my friends here out of it. They are actually good guys and had nothing to do with what happened."

Steph smiled. "You guys got lousy tastes in friends then. Well the good news is they didn't do anything so I have no reason to have anything done to them. But I got to make an example out of you for my own good. Just next time, if you want to confront Tim, do it outside of my establishment. Perhaps you could talk to him next time at 12b Ironworks way."

Ray grinned as he saw Tim watching. "Thank you for that Steph, go on and get it over with already." Ray moved his head so his chin was over the center slat of the table.

Steph's hand flashed up and her fist came down and slammed into the end of the table on the center slat. The slat vibrated as the impact traveled down the board and just before the board would have spring up. A red leather gloved hand came down on the board and stopped it.

"I can't let you do that, these three men, and in particular the one in green right there." The hand pointed to Cabe. "Is under my protection Steph, you want to harm them, you go through me." Allie appeared out of the shadow.

"You go too far Allie. He has to be punished." Steph said as she stood up quickly.

Allie shook her head. "You want to match your network of people against mine?"

Steph smiled. "I've got ten men here Allie."

Allie smiled. "I know, all of them are taking a nap right now because fifteen of my sisters have put them to sleep."

Steph took a glance about the room and saw the five men she always had in the common room were all slumped over wherever they had been sitting and five other women in red leathers were sitting there smiling at her. Steph growled. "Then you better make it up to Tim because I sure won't."

Allie looked over at Tim. "Hey Tim, you scumbag, look over here."

Tim looked back and glared at her.

"This is settled. I hear that you or one of your dad's stooges have sent anything to your dad to the contrary and you will answer to me and my sisters. Agreed?" Allie demanded.

Tim looked about and then looked at her and nodded. "I agree."

Greetings! Sorry I didn't post yesterday. Had to be at the VA and it took a lot out of me. Even had to take a nap. LOL Hope all of you are doing well!

Lucy - hehe Yea, cleaning and preparing fish has never been a particular favorite of mine as well. But I do enjoy consuming them.

Railman - Thank you! Hopefully Walter won't get himself in trouble with the wife! lol

Margaret - Tame indeed! But we never know what lurks about the corner...lol

Marie - I'm with you!

Susan - What can I say? I guess it is just too different for some. Thank you!

2LawDog - Thank you! Yep, Walter's going to have his hands full there. But I'm pretty sure he is up to the task.

To the Adventure! -Tim