Walter looked at Paige as he whispered. "Be prepared to use your hammer. This will take them by surprise if we time it right."

Paige frowned wondering what he meant when Walter grabbed her belt before he let go of her hand, keeping the connection to keep her in the shadow and then took hold of the bottom of her breastplate. He inhaled deeply and then lifting Paige a few inches off the ground, he took off with a speed that shocked Paige. It was only six steps he took but each one grew, ever increasing in length and speed. Those impossibly large strides covered more than half the distance to the combatants before he leapt up into the air carrying Paige up with him through the shadow.

Paige grinned as she realized what he had meant then she prepared to swing her hammer. "By the wise Lady!" She yelled with excitement. The hammer burst forth with that white light of Athena as they were coming down towards the ground. At the last second Lady Paige swung the hammer and just as Walter's feet touched the ground the face of the hammer struck the ground sending out a shockwave before them.

At first everyone was confused by the sound of Lady Paige's voice and then that bright white light pierced out of the shadow like some unearthly vision. And their eyes went wide as they saw something almost like two angels emerging out of no where while being bathed in that white light. And then the roar of her hammer as it came down and struck the ground and all those opposing Lord Beyon's people were tossed about the ground. Allie wasted not a second by shifting through the shadow to cover the same distance Walter had carried his wife and she struck again and again her daggers in both hands as she stabbed, twirled and stabbed over and over into the members of the thieves' guild as she moved through those who'd dare to threaten her home and family.

Cabe stood upon the roof counting the seconds that Allie told him it would take to reach the combatants. Once he reached zero he cast his first spell and it ignited the very air with a crimson light just after Paige's hammer slammed into the ground. That eerie red light immediately banished everyone's ability to stay within or slip back into the shadow in that square they all fought in.

Walter opened his hands and released his wife quickly before drawing his two handed sword. He moved swiftly among those on the ground as he began swinging on those members of the thieves' guild. Normally he might have pulled his strength but there were too many here and the risk of allowing any to survive was too great and so that great blade, with it's mighty enchantment, swung by the powerful muscles of Walter's body sheared clean through those he struck with it.

Lord Beyon's men recovered shortly after and they moved out with Allie, Walter and Lady Paige and they too began killing each guild member before them. Cabe cast another spell towards the far side of the square and six members of the guild were suddenly under a stone wall as it materialized over their heads and fell on them.

Lady Paige reigned in her anger and stopped her slaughter as she saw how quickly they were devastating the ranks of the enemy. She preferred to allow those few who would surrender to do just that but the situation was one that she knew to show them compassion could be a mistake. Still it was in her tenants to do just that. Her arm reached out and grabbed Walter's belt and pulled him back. "We have to ask them if they wish to surrender."

Walter frowned as he looked at his wife. "This is why I said it would be better if you stayed with Ralph my Love. These men know no such thing as honor and will seek out a way to use your compassion against you."

Paige nodded. "I know my Love, but we have too."

Walter nodded his head even as he raised his voice and it echoed about the square as he said something in a language Paige didn't understand but instantly Allie, Lord Beyon's forces and those few living members of the thieves' guild all paused and looked at him. Walter gestured to his wife.

"You are hopelessly outnumbered. Throw down your weapons and submit to the authority of Lord Beyon's men. And you will be spared." Lady Paige commanded.

Everyone seemed to stare back and forth for a moment and then slowly one man dropped his weapons and moved forward and knelt down. Then another did the same and then another. Finally all eight remaining members of the thieves' guild in the square gave up.

Those members of Lord Beyon's forces moved through and secured them. Lady Paige looked at them. "I charge you as a Paladin of the wise Lady to treat these prisoners properly. Get them to a secure facility quickly and then return to aid the rest of Lord Beyon's forces."

They looked skeptical but Allie cleared her throat. "You have heard the words of the Lady Paige of Scorpion Keep. You will not bring dishonor to our Lord by ignoring her commands."

Walter sheathed his sword before he turned and took Paige into his arms and kissed her. As the red light had faded a few moments earlier he pulled her into the shadow as they kissed. After they broke their kiss he walked with her over to the building where Cabe was waiting on the roof. Walter grinned and pulled her over his shoulder and began climbing the building.

Paige smiled. "I'm beginning to think you like this."

Walter smiled as he sat her back down and waited for Allie to join them and she quickly pulled Cabe into the shadow. Walter turned and began walking with Paige followed by Allie and Cabe. Paige kept her hammer out to have it ready in case it was needed quickly.

Frankie and Ray arrived on the roof of the building across the street from the Green Pig and they saw a number of men in the shadow guarding the building. "Well that is certainly going to cause issues." Ray grumbled.

Frankie frowned. "Well there is another way in, it might not be so guarded."

Ray shrugged. "That sounds like it is worth checking out."

Frankie nodded and led him a couple of streets to the east and then down to the ground. She moved quickly to a warehouse and slipped inside and Ray followed her. She stepped behind a pallet of dry goods and she pressed in on a certain board on the wall. As it went in a section of the wall dislodged and she peered in and nodded before stepping inside and Ray followed with her.

Frankie pushed the wall segment shut and then led Ray down a double set of stairs. She paused as she listened at the door. "It sounds clear." She quietly moved the lever and Ray stopped her.

Ray pointed above her head and she saw a small wire. Frankie swore. "Thank you, I wonder who put that there."

Ray shrugged as he reached up and quickly disarmed it.

Frankie moved the lever and gently pushed the door open and Ray saw a straight passage headed to the northwest. "I didn't realize the Green Pig had an emergency tunnel." He whispered.

Frankie nodded as she moved out. "It is only accessible by seventh level and above."

Ray frowned. "So then if you know about it, you must be seventh level or above in the thieves' guild?"

Frankie shook her head. "I just know people who were willing to trade me information. I just hope we can get in and see Jacob and get back out before Walter arrives with that first lieutenant. I don't really want to explain to him about why I am working with her." She stopped for a moment. "No, I better be honest with him. He'll meet her anyway."

Ray nodded slowly. "Well we better pick up the pace then. I don't know if you have ever seen a Paladin in action but I can promise you, they were done before we reached the roof across from here."

Frankie grunted and began moving faster. "Jacob won't appreciate it if they tear into the Green Pig. And I am not going to reimburse him for any damages. So be careful."

The passage they were following came to a stairway but Frankie stopped before she reached it and felt along the wall to the north. She smiled as she felt the trigger and she flipped it. The wall retracted and Ray saw an empty shaft. He stepped inside with Frankie and he looked up and nodded. "Smart, a shaft we can climb but normal troops can't."

Frankie nodded even as she pushed the wall shut. "When we get up there, let me do the talking."

Ray nodded as he began climbing behind her. "That is fine by me."

It took them just a few minutes to scale the five story shaft and Ray looked at her. "The Green Pig is only a two story structure, but by my count we've gone up five."

Frankie nodded as she lowered her voice even more. "The next time you are outside look again. The two floors are taller than they need to be. It is an optical thing they built to hide the third floor. So if the authorities raid it they don't find the good stuff."

Frankie listened at the door she came to. Trusting in her skill she counted two people somewhere beyond it. "Depending on what Jacob has ordered, we'll either be greeted suspiciously or with open animosity. In case it is the later I'll take whoever is on the left and you take whoever is on the right."

Ray nodded.

Frankie took a deep breath and activated the lever and the door slid open. Before it had open even halfway she was grabbed by a pair of hands and pulled in and then thrown down the hallway. Ray was met by the sole of a boot and he lost his grip and began falling.

Frankie rolled as she was about to land on the floor and came up and kicked the other man in the face knocking him backwards as he cussed. Frankie spun around and saw the first man trying to close the door and she ran towards him and leaped at his back and he flew out into the shaft and began falling. Frankie looked back behind her and saw the other guy getting up and she looked back into the shaft but didn't see Ray. She turned to face the other man as she pulled her two daggers out of her belt.

The other man drew his dagger and hand axe and moved forward. The steely ring of their blades rang out as Frankie parried his axe with her blade and then swiped at him with her other dagger. He caught it with his dagger. He tried to pull his axe back to swing again and saw her dagger had a small tong fashioned in it and his axe was trapped by it. He growled even as he yanked as hard as he could and rather than pulling his axe free Frankie was pulled with it and landed to his right.

They clash with their daggers again but this time Frankie kicked the man and he hit the wall behind him and Frankie pushed against his axe since he was already off balance and had him forced him back and in front of the open shaft in just a few steps.

Suddenly a dagger blade emerged from his chest. His eyes were wide and his mouth opened and they heard a slight groan even as Ray stepped past him. Ray spun him around and forced him forward and over the edge of the shaft while pulling his dagger out of his back.

Frankie had quickly released his axe from her dagger before Ray turned him around. "I'm glad you are okay."

Ray nodded as Frankie stepped up and closed the shaft wall. "Is the loss of his two guards going to upset this Jacob?"

Frankie shook her head. "If we were enemies it would, but since I'm not he'll consider it a favor. You don't work for Jacob if you are weak."

Ray nodded as he fell in step with her. Frankie stepped up to the large door at the end of the corridor and she reached up to her right and knocked three times. Then down to the opposing corner and knocked twice and moved to the center and knocked four times. "Interesting." Ray commented.

Frankie just smiled as they waited. A few moments later the door unlocked and was pulled open. "Alex." Frankie said warmly.

The older man smiled. "Alyson, I take it the guards have been dismissed?"

Frankie grinned as she nodded.

Alex gestured and Frankie walked in and Ray followed. Frankie pointed at Ray. "This is Ray. He's a friend of Walter the Bard."

Alex nodded. "Ah yes, part of the reason we're in this mess."

Frankie nodded. "I hope Jacob is in a good mood."

Alex tipped his hand back and forth. "He doesn't like chaos. And we certainly have enough of it right now."

Frankie nodded as she followed along as Alex moved off. "How's your arthritis?"

"Good days and bad. Worse when it rains so I am glad we haven't had any rain for a while." Alex told her.

As they stepped into another room Alex raised his voice. "Alyson and Ray my liege."

Jacob looked back from a window. "Alyson, come child and give me a hug."

Frankie walked over and embraced the older man. "How are you doing Jacob?"

Jacob looked at the other man. "Can he be trusted?"

Frankie tilted her hand. "He's a friend of Walter the Bard."

"Ah, so this is the miserable thief who has caused all of this ruckus." Jacob said as his eyes studied Ray cautiously.

Ray smiled. "I'm much better than a miserable thief Sir, but this was not on purpose I can assure you."

Jacob laughed. "Sir, I haven't been called that in some time. So what brings you to my doorstep?" He looked to Frankie.

"We want to bring this conflict to an end. I told Walter you would be the one who would be most interested in achieving that." Frankie told him.

Jacob nodded even as he pointed out the window. "It is getting worse out there. Karl in his arrogance thinks he can take the city. More like turn it into a graveyard. If the count goes much higher they'll abandon traditional tactics and bring in the red."

Frankie's eyes went wide. "You have to be kidding Jacob. The red will kill everyone."

Jacob nodded sadly. "If I could get close enough I'd kill Karl and take over and rescind the maniac's orders. But he's got the twelve best assassins in the guild guarding him."

Frankie looked into his eyes. "Walter is on his way right now. He has a sorcerer and a First Lieutenant with him. With their help and yours we can get to Karl and end this. And before you ask the First Lieutenant has give her word she will not disclose what she learns today."

Jacob's eyes grew distant as he thought. "Well Walter is certainly worthy of his professions and a First Lieutenant would be a great asset and if we can protect the sorcerer he could certainly do some serious damage against them. But I am not sure we'd have enough."

"Well don't forget Walter's wife. She can mow those men down like cardboard by herself." Ray finally spoke again.

Jacob frowned. "She's not incapacitated by the poison?"

Frankie shook her head. "The witch was found out before she could transfer the wyvern poison to her. She is quite upset that her son was targeted. So I would highly recommend when we end Karl you give up whoever was responsible for the idea of targeting their son to kill her."

Jacob slowly nodded. "And would it happen to be you who exposed the witch?"

Frankie shrugged. "I might have been. I certainly wouldn't let something happen to Walter's wife or son. Tim and those who chose to try and protect him from what he did deserved what they got."

Jacob nodded. "But you forget, it was this one's actions that caused Tim to act."

Ray cleared his throat. "Sir, what happened between Tim and I was between Tim and I. Had he come after me that way, so be it. But he chose to go after Walter and his family who hadn't done anything. And you can't blame Walter or the Lady Paige from retaliating for what Tim did. They didn't want anyone but Tim. Those men chose to try and defend him and attacked the Lady Paige and her people. By every rule of the guild, Walter and his wife had every right to go after Tim. I'd bet if we investigated those men, we'd fine they were actually on Tim or his Father's payroll to boot."

Greetings! Happy April Fools! Hope you are all doing well. Sorry for not posting yesterday but things keep spiraling away from me time wise and I just couldn't get the final read and edit done for this. Hopefully I'll have next chapter done for Saturday.

Railman - Yep, this story had been pretty lite in action in comparison but things certainly began moving in Lancaster. lol

Margaret - That is so great you and your sisters do that! I usually try to tell my Mom happy birthday day first on my birthday, after all I don't remember it. lol

Lucy - hehe Just doing my part to ensure your hearts are strong! lol

Franxine - hehe Sorry, figured that would be your position. But hey, no seeming cliffhanger here.

While Happy Secrets the 2 chapter "official" follow up to Secrets that will be posted here is finished, the uncensored version is nearing completion and will be posted to AO3 once Lady Knight gets on the road to head to Hesperia to visit her family there. Right now while I have several story ideas nothing is really speaking to me so I might take a break at least until the uncensored version has been completely posted. I'm really wanting to get back to my original story as I haven't really written much for it in some time. So while I might be a little dormant here on FF for a bit, I won't be gone. I'll be on twitter and IG if you want to say hi or see what might be going on. And no this isn't a April Fools joke, I haven't cared for those jokes for a very long time.

To the Adventure! -Tim