Lady Paige sat beside the sick bed Walter was lying on in the Healer's chamber holding Ralph as Toby and the Healer discussed Walter's condition while waiting on one of the Clerics of the temple Lady Paige had demanded for to arrive. Well arguing might be a better word for what they were doing. The Healer wanted to use leeches as well as cutting Walter's scalp open to drain the lump. A white Witch stood at the head of Walter's bed, his hand upon his shoulder as his eyes glowed white monitoring Walter's health.

Lady Paige refused his service and had sent for Toby as soon as the Healer told her his plan to help Walter. Paige had noticed as time seemed to slowly pass his breathing was growing shallower while not increasing in frequency. She was growing more anxious and was about ready to invoke her Lay on Hands to save him.

Happy had been chasing the two men further and further away because of how loud they were getting off an on. She maintained a threatening presence while trying to protect Ralph from how scared he was feeling. Two times now it seemed he might lose his new Dad and she was bound and determined to stop the nonsense of the two men from affecting him more.

Allie sat a few beds away with Cabe standing beside her as they monitored Ray's condition. Had it not been for her Ray most certainly would have died as the Healer that was overseeing him hadn't thought his condition warranted a white Witch. But with the authority of both a first Lieutenant and as Ambassador of Lord Beyon to Lady Paige she had demanded one be summoned quickly before any other course of action was pursued. It had also been fortunate for Walter as when the Witch had finished purging the poison from Ray he could sense the anxiety of the Lady and her son as they waited. He walked over and asked for Lady Paige's permission to examine Walter as the two men hadn't stopped arguing over how to treat Walter since he arrived.

Ray's eyes slowly began flickering as he was regaining consciousness. He tried to move but Allie and Cabe stopped him as they tried to comfort and reassure him everything was going to be okay.

The white Witch frowned at Lady Paige after examining Walter. He looked at Ralph upon her lap and he gestured to Happy who stepped up and picked Ralph up and stepped away from them for a few minutes. The white Witch reached out and lightly touched her shoulder as he explained what was happening and what was needed. Blood was pooling inside of Walter's skull where he'd been struck and a Cleric was needed to be able to deal with the trauma inflicting his mind. While Lady Paige's normal healing powers could heal the physical damage of his body, the healing of a person's mind was the domain of Clerics except for her Lay on Hands. So they sat and waited. The white Witch stood at Walter's head with his hand against his shoulder as he continued to monitor Walter's condition. He kept bypassing the pressure of the pooling blood to keep Walter breathing as best he could.

Finally the temple Mistress was ushered into the Healer's chambers. She paused one moment to gesture at the two arguing men and demanded they both shut up. The glare that came from the older woman and her attendants as well the voice of authority to which she commanded them had silenced both men instantly.

She slowly moved on into the chambers and found the Lady Paige standing to greet her. The two women embraced briefly before she caressed Paige's cheek. "All will be well my Lady."

Paige smiled gratefully as the Mistress turned with help and sat down on the side of Walter's bed. She reached up and took hold of the ornate owl emblem hanging from a golden chain about her neck. She smiled at Walter and reached out and placed her free hand against his cheek. Her eyes closed as she felt the power of Athena rise up within herself and softly she spoke. "With the wise Lady's grace."

Everyone in the chambers had to close their eyes and look away from the blinding white light that erupted from the old woman and poured down into Walter. Paige had scooped Ralph up and held him tightly in her arms.

As that blinding white light dissipated people slowly began blinking as they tried to clear their vision. Paige grinned excitedly as she saw Walter take a deep full breath as the pressure against his brain stem was gone now that the blood had been reabsorbed into his body and the damage caused by the blow to his head and his skull was repaired.

Ray finally seemed to understand where he was as he looked at Allie and Cabe. "What happened?"

They both kind of smirked. "You got poisoned by one of the blades that cut you. Thankfully we arrived when we did. Why didn't you call for help?"

Ray shook his head. "As I was coming out of the vent shaft I saw them dragging Walter down the stairs and took off after them. Didn't seem like I had the time to try and get help."

Allie nodded with a smile. "Well thanks to you they didn't get away."

Ray smiled and looked over and saw Lady Paige hold Ralph and Walter lying in bed. "Is Walt okay?"

Allie looked over. "I think so, the temple Mistress had to be called to heal something. From the looks over there I would say it was a success."

Ray let out his breath slowly. "That's good then."

Allie smiled and excused herself to go check on Walter.

Toby had moved up and put on his stethoscope and listened to Walter's heart and lungs and then checked his eyes and ears using the small device Cabe had made for him to project light in a tightly contained beam. He felt the back of Walter's head and nodded his head as he smiled at Lady Paige. "The wise Lady's power has healed him my Lady. He might still be out of it for a bit though."

The white Witch nodded his head in agreement. "His autonomic system has taken back control of his body. He will make a complete recovery my Lady."

Lady Paige emitted a sigh of relief as she continued to smile. She sat Ralph down on the side of his bed and helped the temple Mistress to stand and then hugged her again.

The Mistress looked at her as they pulled back. "Next time one of you are injured so, please have them brought straight to the temple. You wouldn't believe how often these, so called Healers, kill people who could be saved with proper care, let alone intervention from the divine."

Toby looked up and nodded. "After arguing with that one I can believe it Mistress. What they call medicine here is a joke. And I plan to try and speak with Lord Beyon about it."

Paige and the Mistress both smiled at him. "Well I certainly wish you well with your argument with him physician. I'm actually surprised they brought Walter here. As your husband my Lady he never should have been brought here. He should have been taken to the temple."

Paige slowly nodded. "The Master at Arms brought him here."

"Terean brought him here?" The temple Mistress looked shocked.

Lady Paige nodded. "If that is his name, I've never heard it before."

She nodded slowly. "Maybe this place was closer and he wanted to be sure to get him some attention a little faster. But still, he should have brought him to the temple's dispensary. I'll be sure to speak with him about it. But from now on, please tell whoever to bring your people to the temple's dispensary. That is your right as a Paladin of the wise Lady."

Paige smiled and nodded. "I'll make sure they do that from now on. Thank you Mistress."

She nodded and took the hands of her attendants and together they left the Healers chambers.

Paige looked at the white Witch. "Thank you for your intervention. I owe you a debt of gratitude."

The white Witch smiled and shook his head. "Your thanks is more than enough my Lady. After all you did helping to save the city from further ruin."

Paige nodded before she turned and sat down on the side of Walter's bed next to his hip facing him.

Allie stepped up to the opposite side of Walter's bed as the white Witch made his way out from the bed and walked towards the exit. Allie looked at Paige. "Is it okay if I sit here beside Walter my Lady?"

Paige looked over and smiled as she nodded. "Of course it is Allie. Thank you for insisting they bring in a white Witch. I would have had to invoke my Laying on Hands ability to have saved Walter again if not for him."

Allie frowned as she looked at Paige. "I hadn't heard Walter had been so badly injured before. What happened?"

Paige sat against Walter's hip facing his head with Ralph sitting at his shoulder facing his Mother. She held his left hand in hers. "Walter was nearly killed saving our son from a charging horse a few days before we got to the lake."

Allie smiled. "That sounds exactly like Walter." She reached up and took Walter's other hand in hers.

Cabe stepped over and stood next to Allie even as Happy joined Toby at the foot of Walter's bed. Sir Sylvester stepped into the chamber and seeing the group gathered about Walter's bed he strolled down to join up with them. "My Lady, I don't wish to distract you, I just wanted you to know that I sought out Victor and Sara and told them we would be staying one more day to ensure Walter's recovery."

Paige glanced back at Sylvester and smiled. "Thank you Sir Sylvester."

Ray forced himself to sit up and looked at the few cuts he had. He nodded that none of them had needed stitches. He pulled his boots back on and slowly stood up before he stepped over and stood next to Happy and Toby. Happy looked at him and smiled before she shoulder bumped him. "Thank you for what you did. This could have turned out much different."

Ray nodded with a slight smile. "While it wasn't a pleasure it was at least my privilege to render aid to my friend."

The sound of armored footfalls echoed outside of the Healer's chambers and most of the company turned their heads as it seemed to be getting louder and then Lord Beyon turned into the doorway and continued to stride back along with his bride. Toby stepped to the side of Walter's bed pulling against Happy to come with him even as she pulled on Ray's sleeve and they all moved around before Lord Beyon and Lady Juniper stepped up to the foot. Lord Beyon let out his breath almost explosively. "How is your husband my Lady?"

Paige turned and smiled. "Thanks to the Toby, the white Witch and the temple Mistress invoking the power granted to her by the wise Lady he is going to be fine my Lord."

Lord Beyond nodded even as he shook his head. "By the wise Lady we will discover how this attack happened my Lady and who is behind it."

Lady Paige nodded. "Thank you my Lord. One of the men was taken captive and awaits questioning. I'd do it myself but I'm not about to leave my beloved's side until he is well again."

Lord Beyon nodded. "I had him moved to an interrogation room and I will be questioning him shortly with my Lady. I wanted to see how Sir Walter was recovering first."

Lady Juniper smacked his hand. "How many times must we remind you Walter does not wish to be addressed that way?"

Lord Beyon looked down at his wife. "Then he shouldn't have married the Lady Paige. The act and title go hand in hand and it is just the natural extension of speaking of him with her."

Lady Juniper rolled her eyes as she shook her head. "You just have to be pig headed about certain things because you enjoy teasing people."

Lord Beyon grinned at her for a moment. "Perhaps that is true my Love."

Allie looked to Lady Paige. "My Lady, with your permission and Lord Beyon's I wish to be present when the man is interrogated."

Lady Paige smiled and nodded. "You have my permission."

Lord Beyon nodded. "I have no objections Ambassador." He looked to Paige. "Is there anything else I can have done for you my Lady?"

Paige shook her head. And then Toby cleared his throat. Paige glanced over at him. "If you are of a mind my Lord, my physician wanted to discuss the healers you have employed here."

Lord Beyon frowned as he looked over at Toby. "What say you Physician?"

Toby stepped over to the end of the bed. "My Lord, please understand I'm speaking as a man trained in a proper university for my medical degree. While I in no way mean any insult upon you, but the two men we have met here this day are not healers of any caliber. I implore you to dispense with them. Bring in white Witches or Clerics to man these chambers if you can't find anyone trained in medicine properly to heal. I don't know what the rates here are for who survives coming here but I can imagine by the knowledge demonstrated by those two that the survival rate is low. I can almost imagine people have been discharged claiming them healed only for them to die within a few days. If not for the white Witch that Allie had demanded be brought to these chambers both Ray and possibly Walter could be dead right now because of their ignorance."

Lord Beyon looked at Toby for a moment. "Those are serious allegations Physician."

Toby nodded. "My Lord my first oath is to first do no harm, but I can promise you, people brought here have been harmed. If you would step right back here I can show you why I say this."

Lord Beyon nodded and walked back a few paces and Toby pointed at a table with numerous implements sitting on the table. "These are tools that men of my training use to deal with injuries my Lord. These should never be left lying on a table like this. They are contaminated with any number of bacteria and possible viruses. Using one of these could introduce a serious infection into a person's body."

Toby pointed at a jar and pulled it over and opened it and Lord Beyon looked in and saw a nasty green scum liquid. "What is this foul mess?"

Toby nodded. "This is rancid water that has been left in this container. This should contain pure alcohol that is used to help sterilize implements and a patient's skin before cutting into it. I can take you around this room and show you problem after problem in here that will cut short the lives and livelihoods of your men my Lord. No matter how many you have employed here, they should all be fired for not speaking up against what is being done in here."

Lord Beyon frowned. "And in your opinion this is all because these healers know no better?"

Toby nodded.

Lord Beyon drew himself up. "Very well physician. If you would, make note of everything in here that is suspect and what needs to be done to fix it. I will get rid of these men and bring in temporary add from the temple as well as reach out to see if I can hire some physicians of quality."

Toby smiled. "Thank you my Lord."

Greetings! I hope this finds you well! Crazy Indy here, cold, snow, rain, dark and gloomy and then sunshine. Had some difficulty writing so that is why there was no chapter yesterday. Sorry.

Railman - Thank you! I think Walter must have a very thick skull! lol Indeed the circlet is very similar to the one used on Lady Paige in Knight's Tale! I'm so glad you both are doing well with the shot! I'm about as normal for me as can be! lol

Susan - Thank you! Looks like Walter is doing good now! lol Yep, they do have running water thankfully. Of course a town of the size of Lancaster has a whole other size of water system. The richer areas get water from glacial lakes were the poorer tend to get it from wells under the city. Which breeds a whole other problem with healthcare. *ick* Wouldn't it be nice to slip into the shadow once in a while? I might like that! lol

2LawDog - Thank you! I couldn't imagine having to heat rocks or something to put into a tub to warm the water. And worse emptying those tubs if they didn't have some kind of sewer system. Chamber pots wouldn't be fun either! lol Looks like we'll have to wait until the next chapter about the peach scent! hehe Got to draw it out a little! lol

Franxine - hehe Please always breathe! lol But thank you!

To the Adventure! -Tim