The court room was a buzz with a bit of clamor over the revelation of Walter and Lord Beyon's acceptance of his words and then ultimately as the Lady Paige announced that she was in fact married to the Bard. Never before had anyone ever heard of a Paladin marrying a Bard. Most knew what Bards were like and they were aghast that a Paladin could even consider such a person as worth dating much less to marry.

Lord Beyon smiled at the younger couple. "Until I am able to properly celebrate the occasion let me extend my words of congratulations and my heartfelt well wishes upon your union."

Lady Paige and Walter both smiled. "Thank you my Lord. There is a matter of importance that I need to speak with you about, it is of a sensitive nature and needs to be kept in strictest confidence."

Lord Beyon held up his hand. "Very well my Lady. Walk with me. We shall depart these halls for more private ones so that we may discuss this matter." He looked about the court. "I shall return."

As Lord Beyon stood and led the way out of the courtroom Lady Paige kept Walter's hand in one hand and Ralph's in another as she walked after him. Walter pointed two fingers back at Cabe and Allie and motioned for them to follow.

Cabe looked at Allie and she shrugged but they both stepped out and followed along behind them.

Lord Beyon led them through a several passages and then finally up several series of stairs before they came to a door and he reached down and moved the handle and pushed in. He turned and held the door and Lady Paige and Walter stepped into his private chambers with Ralph. Allie and Cabe stood just outside the door and uncertain whether to follow or wait. Lord Beyon looked at Allie. "Was there something you needed First Lieutenant?"

Walter smiled as he turned. "Lord Beyon, this is Cabe, he is a liaison of Queen Katherine of the kingdom of Coopers to my wife. My Lady asked him to accompany us and I asked Allie to come too."

Lord Beyon nodded and gestured and they both stepped into the room. He gestured towards the fireplace. "Please have a seat I shall return shortly."

As they moved over towards the seats before the fireplace Paige reached up and caressed Walter's face. "You were very diplomatic and elegant with your words downstairs. Almost as if you knew something might happened and you moved to ensure it wouldn't."

Walter smiled and kissed her tenderly. "I only stated the facts my Lady. I would never want to cause an issue that might resort in problems for you."

Paige looked to Cabe and Walter laughed. "I heard Cabe speak with you about my temper yesterday morning my love. He was only being a good friend and acting well in his function as liaison to you."

Paige nodded as she sat down.

"As for my part in dealing with Mark of Fort Collins I'm going to ask Lord Beyon for a boon, with your permission, I'm going to ask him to make Allie a liaison to you." Walter whispered to Paige before standing up straight.

Paige's eyes opened wide as she looked up at Walter. Slowly she nodded her approval.

Allie stepped up to Walter. "Why did you want me to come with you?"

Walter smiled and winked. "You shall see momentarily."

Walter stood just to Paige's left and allowed Ralph to sit in the chair next to her. Lord Beyon walked back in followed by a woman in Clerics robes. "Allow me to introduce my wife, the Lady Juniper. My Lady, this is the Lady Paige and her husband Walter the Bard. This is their liaison Cabe of the kingdom of Coopers. I believe you know the First Lieutenant."

Lady Juniper smiled as she nodded at each. "Welcome to our home. Lady Paige it is a pleasure to see you again. Is there anything I can get anyone?"

"It is indeed a pleasure to renew our friendship in person. You are most gracious my Lady, I believe we are fine but thank you. You might remember my son Ralph." Lady Paige answered.

Lady Juniper smiled and nodded. "I don't recall him being so big last time we saw him. My Lady, we both were so grieved for the two of you when we heard the news of Drew's death. You've been in my prayers to the wise Lady everyday."

Paige smiled. "Thank you my Lady."

Lady Juniper nodded. "I must say I was a little shocked when my Lord told me that Walter the Bard had appeared finally in the courtroom and explained why he hadn't returned with Allie all those years ago. But I wasn't nearly as shocked as when he told me that you both had married recently. A Bard and a Paladin joined in holy union of wise Athena."

Lady Paige shrugged. "Perhaps, but it could just be because we attribute too many of the bad habits of some Bards to all of them. Walter has been nothing but respectful and kind. I would have married him even if I hadn't known that the wise Lady had actually brought us together."

Lady Juniper nodded as she sat down. "So Sir Walter the Bard, was it just this mission with your wife that brought you to the court finally to address what happened in the past or had you actually wanted to clear the air?"

Lady Paige bristled a bit but Walter gave a slight chuckle. "Please my Lady, Walter is preferred. I'm not use to such titles like that. I would be a liar to say that my wife's mission didn't inspire me to clear the air. But in truth, the final part of my recovery from those dark thoughts was meeting my love. Without her I am quite certain I would have stayed in a betwixt state between who I should be and who I shouldn't be that would have seen me behave as most see Bards, maybe worse."

Walter looked at Lord Beyon. "You might be curious as to why I asked Allie to come with us my Lord. Simply put it struck me that my Lady has a liaison of Queen Katherine and despite the closeness of your two lands there isn't such a liaison between you. Naturally my thoughts turned to Allie whom I know well and who has come to know my Lady in during our journey to your fair city."

Lord Beyon stood there looking at Walter and then to Allie for several moments and then nodded. "There is wisdom in your words Walter. Allie is a good choice for that function. While she is still in the vigor of agency, it wouldn't be much longer before we would have to consider changing her duties. Would such a change be acceptable to you Allie?"

Allie's mouth opened, then closed as her emotions jumped back and forth from honored to insult. Finally she nodded. "While I believe I am far from that day my Lord, I believe I wouldn't mind a change, I've served in this capacity for close to thirty years. And as always it is my pleasure to serve in whatever capacity you need."

Lord Beyon nodded. "Then unless there is something else she and Cabe are required for, I believe you are free to go prepare arrangements for your things to be moved. Just stop by the office of Protocol for a manual in what we expect of you in this new position."

Allie nodded before she looked at Lady Paige. "If I have your permission to leave my Lady I shall journey with Cabe to make the arrangements."

Lady Paige smiled. "You have my permission."

As Allie and Cabe turned to leave Walter stepped around the back of Lady Page and scooped Ralph up and sat down and put him on his lap before hugging him tightly.

Paige smiled at her husband and son before she turned to look at Lord Beyon. "The matter at hand my Lord is going to be quite shocking I am sure. A few days after Walter and I returned to my Keep he had seen a painting of me with my husband Drew and my son. The painting confused him because he had been to Krammer a short time after he was here when the news of Drew's death was brought to you."

Lord Beyon nodded. "I do remember Walter was entertaining us admirably at the time when the messenger entered."

Lady Paige nodded. "While he was in Krammer he was introduced to King Andrew. And he swore to me that King Andrew looked identical to my husband in that painting. I was quite distressed as you can imagine. But he had the presence of mind to have a temple Mistress to perform a commune and the wise Lady came to us and told us the truth. She said while the body of Drew still lived his soul had been cast out by his father. King Merrick is an ancient Necromancer and he has been stealing the bodies of his children in order to live on for over a thousand years."

Lady Juniper gasped even as Lord Beyon looked stunned.

"My first instinct was to marshal my troops and come to you to get your support and together we'd ride to Krammer and bring an end to this despot." She smiled at Walter. "But Walter had a better idea. He spoke of your elite force and suggested we implore you to send one or two of them to Krammer to discover if he might be traveling in the near future that perhaps we could lie in wait and then take him when he had fewer troops which would cut down on the number of people who could be killed as a result of a war."

Lord Beyon rose quickly and stepped out of the sitting area and began pacing back and forth.

Lady Juniper looked at Ralph and smiled. "Have you ever had ice cream young man?"

Ralph frowned and shook his head. "I don't believe so my Lady."

Lady Juniper looked at Lady Paige and Lady Paige just smiled and nodded to her unspoken question. Lady Juniper reached out and took up a small brass bell and rang it.

A few moments later a door in another wall opened as a young woman stepped out. "Was there anything I can do for you my Lord and Lady?"

Lady Juniper looked over. "Please bring a bowl of chocolate ice cream for this young man."

The woman smiled and nodded even as she looked at Lord Beyon as he continued to pace.

Lady Juniper looked back to Lady Paige. "He's liable to be pacing for a while as he considers everything. How did the two of you meet?"

Lady Paige smiled as she looked at Walter. "It seemed to be a random encounter at first. But the wise Lady sent me out to catch Ares Jack. I caught him not far from Oxinear. I took his body there to collect the bounty on his head. Their Constable had me to go wait at an inn while he dealt with everything and collected the bounty to pay me. I had just started eating when Walter came out playing and singing."

"A most fortuitous meeting for me as it turned out." Walter chimed in.

Lady Juniper laughed as Lady Paige looked at him. "Perhaps it was more fortuitous for me than you. What with how much you have helped my son and I to heal after his father's death."

Walter grinned. "Then perhaps it was fortuitous for us both."

Lady Paige smiled as she reached over and took his hand in hers.

The door opened again and the woman came out and walked around Lord Beyon and stepped up to Walter and held the bowl out to Ralph. Ralph smiled and took the bowl. "Thank you."

The young woman smiled with a nod and then looked at Lady Juniper. "Will there be anything else my Lady?"

Lady Juniper shook her head and the young woman left.

Ralph tried a bite of the ice cream and he smiled. "It's good."

They all laughed.

Lord Beyon finally stopped. "I can't believe Merrick had deceived so many of us for so long. I didn't even make the connection between the new king and your deceased husband."

Walter nodded. "You can't fault yourself my Lord. Merrick or whatever his real name is has been at this for over an eon. He's learned how to hide everything and fool everyone."

Lord Beyon looked up at Walter. "Well not everyone since you figured it out."

Walter smiled but shook his head. "I can't take credit for that. I was just at the right place at the right time. If it hadn't been for the painting I wouldn't have known anything."

"Still, you were wise to take it to our Lady here. That couldn't have been an easy task to say the least." Lord Beyon told him. "Very well, I will dispatch a couple of my best people to get to the bottom of this. Being another Necromancer I don't want what happened to Allie to happen to someone else if they are alone."

Lady Paige smiled. "Name your price my Lord, I will gladly pay it."

Lord Beyon shook his head. "No, my elite forces are not for hire in that respect. Besides I can feel this is something the wise Lady wants us involved in. I just wish I could go with them. I'm so sick of Necromancers I'd love to squeeze his neck until his head exploded."

"Beyon!" Lady Juniper exclaimed. "Not in front of the young man. And don't forget, he is still his grandfather."

Lord Beyon's eyes opened wider as he looked over at Ralph. "Forgive me Ralph. I didn't consider you being here."

Ralph had stopped eating his ice cream as he sat and stared at Lord Beyon. Slowly he nodded his head.

Paige looked at Walter. "If you don't mind, perhaps it might be best if you take Ralph for a walk while Lord Beyon and I discuss this matter further?"

Walter nodded. "I wouldn't mind stretching my legs a bit. How about you buddy?"

Ralph nodded and handed Lady Juniper the bowl as she reached out for it as he stood up. "Thank you my Lady."

Walter stood and bent over and kissed Paige tenderly and then pushed his tongue into her mouth for a moment causing her to giggle. Walter winked as he stood up. He inclined his head to the Lord and Lady and then walked to the door and stepped out with Ralph.

As Walter and Ralph reached the court room the Master at Arms stopped them. "Walter, I can't believe you finally came clean."

Walter smiled as he whispered. "I can't believe you never told them who I really was."

"After what you did for Allie, there was never a chance I'd do that." The Master at Arms whispered as he shook his head.

"Ralph, this is the Master at Arms of Lord Beyon." Walter told him.

Ralph smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you Master at Arms."

The Master at Arms reached out and shook his hand. "If you got a moment Walter I got some papers I need you to sign."

Walter nodded and turned to follow after him with Ralph.

Greetings! Hoping all is well with each of you! Today is a pretty nice day here in Indy, a bit cloudy but still warm and nice. The stiffness and pain from the Covid shot is gone thankfully. Just have to wait until April to get the 2nd one. Still not going to relax on safety though. Too many variants of the bug. So make sure you are taking proper precautions! And if anyone communicates with Scorpling or Pamz 2+ months without a word from them isn't cool during these times!

Railman - Thank you! Not sure if it is next chapter or the one after but Ray does have more scenes coming up!

Lucy - Thank you! hehe Well he wouldn't be much of a Bard if he can't be smooth. Unlike me, I'm more like course sand paper! lol

Maragaret - Hopefully your fears of Walter the Bard just being a hustler will be assuaged soon!

Susan - Well Walter certainly didn't want anything to mar the talks Lady Paige was going to have to have with Lord Beyon so he cut to the chase quick. As for Tim...LOL Way back towards the beginning I was talking with Lucy and she had thought Lady Benji was going to be Tim and I was like...dang, that would have been a great place for Tim. But he already had his place in the story, I just had to get there first. lol

Franxine - I can see that being asked several times a day then! lol

Marie - Thank you!

2LawDog - Thank you! So glad all of you are enjoying the story.