Lord Walter turned as Paige closed her door and he sighed, as he walked down the hall to the door of his own chambers just two doors down. Lord Walter stood there for several moments before he continued walking on down the corridor and down the long stairs to the main floor of the keep. As he drew close to the great hall he could smell the cigar that Sir Cabe routinely smoked and he looked in as he came to the doorway and saw Cabe sitting before the fire smoking.
Quietly he stepped within, and walked over putting his hands on the back of one of the chairs, "You're up late old friend."
Cabe exhaled a large cloud of smoke, "As are you son, heavy thoughts?"
Lord Walter stepped around and nodded as he sat in the chair. "Lord Weir succumbed to some malady. They weren't able to put a name to it." Lord Walter told him.
Sir Cabe nodded, "I remember meeting him once, quite the man. Having him as your Lord, it's no wonder you are as good as you are, odd that a Paladin would die from a disease."
Lord Walter nodded as he stared into the flames, "I'd hate to think it, but perhaps he fell out of grace with the wise Lady."
"I think that's one reason I like being trained as a Cavalier. I might not have all of the abilities you possess but I don't have all the restrictions either." Sir Cabe teased with him.
Lord Walter's head turned with a frown, "A visitor this late?" He heard the sound of horses and a wagon of some sort outside.
As he started to rise, "Sit back down my Lord, I'm sure it's just the guys coming back after they took Florence home." Sir Cabe told him.
Lord Walter looked at him, "At this hour? More like after drinking in the tavern in the village." Lord Walter walked out of the great hall as Sir Cabe sighed and stood up throwing the rest of his cigar into the fire.
"Ssshhh, you guys want to *hic* get me bussed?" Toby nearly yelled with a slight slurring at his silent companions.
Happy's eyes opened wide as she looked at the entrance to the Keep, "I think the ship has already sailed on that."
Toby closed his eyes and promptly fell down and started laughing.
Lord Walter sighed and looked at one of the guards, "Take him to his room."
The guard moved quickly as Lord Walter stepped on out of the Keep, turning as he started to walk around the yard. Both Happy and Sylvester looked at each other in surprise and then to Sir Cabe who was equally surprised. Happy quickly moved to follow after him before falling into step next to him.
"Want to talk about it O'Brien?" Happy asked.
Lord Walter smiled, "No dear friend, just long thoughts. You should get some rest or do you wish to remain at the Keep?"
Happy nodded, "I'll get some rest shortly, and when have I ever wanted to stay behind? Besides that, who's going to fix your armor if something breaks or gets seriously dented? Speaking of being behind, I think Florence was a bit heartbroken tonight."
Lord Walter stopped and looked at her, "Heartbroken? What happened?"
Happy laughed, "Seriously? Are you that clueless? She's more than just interested in you."
"Strange, Paige said much the same earlier this day." Lord Walter said thoughtfully.
"Well, it's clear to everyone else that Paige is at the top of your list." Happy told him with a smile.
Lord Walter grew puzzled, "I don't understand, what list do you mean?"
Happy stared at him, "Are you playing a game with me O'Brien or are you that oblivious?"
"Dear friend, I don't understand what you are driving at." Lord Walter told her seriously.
Happy shook her head, "First you have Raynold put her son in a room in the same hall as yours when any other squire would just have a bunk in the barracks, a room I might add that would be for a child you would have with your wife if you had one. You then have Raynold give her the visiting dignitary suite just on the other side of what would be your wife's dressing room which is right next to the master suite. She's got a better room than I do."
Lord Walter became more puzzled, "Are you jealous of her room assignment?"
Happy laughed, "No, I'm trying to explain what everyone but you sees apparently. Next you give her the place next to you at the table, where no one else, ever, has been allowed to sit. Not to mention that nice little tour you gave her, excuse me, them. You've never done that before for anyone. Always leaving it to Raynold to arrange things, or how about giving her that short sword? I mean you pay me to make them and you can give them to whomever, but that was a heck of a gift."
"So based on all of that I am guilty of something?" Lord Walter asked with a raised eyebrow.
Happy put her hand to her head and shook her head, "Let me try another way. When you went to your temple earlier, what if I had come up and walked into the temple, what would you have done?"
Lord Walter frowned, "Sent you away."
Happy smiled, "Did Paige show up to your temple earlier?"
Lord Walter nodded, "She did."
"And did you send her away in tears for yelling at her to go away?" Happy asked.
Lord Walter looked at her contemplating.
"The answer you are looking for is, No." Happy told him. "I didn't even have to see that happen to know that you didn't send her away. Now, why didn't you?"
Lord Walter opened his mouth to respond but just like the other night with Paige nothing came to his mind. Happy smiled, "See? That's exactly why Florence is heartbroken. We all see it O'Brien and as your friend I am all for it. You've been alone long enough, which for us normal folks that isn't a big deal we can make other choices, jump in and out of relationships. But for you Paladins, those choices would be devastating."
"I must admit my heart has been troubled these last few days, I knew I felt different even as we journeyed back to the Keep from Oxinaer. My meditation to the wise Lady has not been answered or perhaps through you it has been. What do I do now?" Lord Walter asked her.
Happy smacked him in the arm, "You're hopeless, haven't you already been talking to her?"
"Of normal things of course, a bit about certain restrictions on Paladins, but how do I address with her how I feel?" Lord Walter asked.
Happy shook her head, "Pretty sure she already has an idea but just don't go blurting it out in front of others. Take a walk with her, and tell her someplace private. Just don't try and do something or let her pressure you into doing something you know Athena is going to have a problem with until you're married."
Walter blushed, "Thank you Happy, have a good night's rest." Lord Walter told her as he kissed her cheek and walked off.
Sylvester stepped around the edge of the Keep and came up next to Happy as she watched Lord Walter walking on around the Keep, "That was easier than I thought it would be." He said quietly to Happy.
Happy nodded, "We'll see if it takes before we consider it done."
Paige's chambermaid woke her early the next morning with a steaming bath ready for her to use if she desired. Considering they were looking at being gone for two months Paige decided it wouldn't be a good idea to waste a good hot bath, who knew when the next opportunity would arise for one.
As she soaked in the hot water the chambermaid returned with a bundle of blue leathers. "Mistress, the Lord sends his apologies, he knows you prefer green but there wasn't time to get a new set of leathers that were green before you left today." The chambermaid told her.
Paige half rolled over in the tub and looked at the older woman as she sat the leathers on the dressing table. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" The chambermaid asked.
Paige smiled and shook her head as she turned back over and began washing.
Ralph walked into the great hall and saw Lord Walter sitting at his desk in his full armor as the servants went about setting up the great table for breakfast and he walked over to him. "Good morning my Lord," Ralph greeted Lord Walter.
Lord Walter looked up from his desk and smiled, "Good morning Ralph, thank you for the kindness of waiting outside my temple to see if I needed you, did you sleep well?"
Ralph smiled, "I did my Lord and I was only too happy to wait on you. Is there anything I need to do before we leave today?"
Lord Walter nodded approvingly, "Just to have a good breakfast before we leave." He turned and examined the fit of the leathers he'd had delivered up to him. "I had Happy get you this weapon," Walter pulled a long dagger in a scabbard from his desk. "Do you remember what I taught you about a sword lad?"
Ralph nodded his head.
Lord Walter smiled, "The same goes for all weapons, they are extensions of our bodies, respect them as you respect yourself. They are not for bluster but for defense and to render aid and protection to those who are unable to defend themselves. That said this is not a license for you to enter into a fight, it's only as a last resort, do you understand?"
Ralph slowly nodded.
Lord Walter put the scabbard belt around his waist, and fastened it before he adjusted the blade to his hip. The scabbard was just over fifteen inches long and he double checked how it sat before he continued, "If fighting breaks out you are to stay behind me but in front of Sylvester and Sir Cabe. If I say to you 'devastation' you run to my charger and climb into the saddle and hold onto the reins tightly and whisper that word into her ear. She will take you to safety and we will join up with you as soon as we are able." Lord Walter saw a tear in his eye, but Ralph smiled as he nodded his head. "Good lad, now take your place at the table," Lord Walter messed his hair.
Lord Walter swallowed hard as he looked at the doorway and saw Paige standing there in the blue leathers he had sent up to her room. She smiled at the expression on his face and she walked into the room and over to his desk. "Good morning Lord Walter," Paige said with a smile.
"G-Good morning my Lady, I trust you slept well," Lord Walter said in a pitchy voice.
Paige smiled as he cleared his throat noting his change in address for her, "Thank you for the new leathers."
"You're most welcome, I'd hoped that we had a set of chain mail armor that you could use but I'm sorry we didn't have any or any leather in green, but I must say; blue is definitely your color." Lord Walter struggled to keep the pitch of his voice normal.
Paige smiled as she looked down her body, "I think I like the change in color, I suppose if I was on my own green would still be preferred so I could blend into the vegetation if needed but since I am in your company a different color seems appropriate. I've never tried chain mail armor before. It might have been interesting but I wouldn't want to just put it on without practicing in it until I felt comfortable. So the leather was a better choice."
Paige bent over and kissed his cheek, "I heard what you said to Ralph, thank you."
"Of course my Lady, his safety is paramount." Walter said as he finally managed to focus his eyes upon her face. "Both these leathers and Ralph's are enchanted to give you both half again as much protection as normal leather gives."
Paige smiled, "Your very generous my Lord, come, let us have breakfast together."
Lord Walter returned her smile and he stood as she linked her arm into his and walked with him to their chairs where he held hers until she sat and scooted in.
As they finished breakfast Raynold walked into the great hall carrying a bag and gave it to Lord Walter, "Everything you requested is inside my Lord."
Lord Walter smiled as he tied it to his belt, "Thank you Raynold. We'll be gone for at least two months. Does Sylvester need to remind you how to contact us if there is something important you need to tell me?"
Raynold shook his head, "I may have problems with names my Lord but thankfully I still remember how to do that." As he turned away he stopped and turned back, "On second thought, if it's not too much trouble, perhaps it wouldn't hurt to go over it with me again."
Lord Walter laughed, "Sylvester, go with Raynold before we leave and make sure he still remembers." Lord Walter looked at Raynold, "You did get the messenger sent to Wheeler's Ridge advising them it would be an extra week before we can get there correct?"
Raynold nodded, "I did my Lord."
Lord Walter looked at Toby's empty seat, "Sir Cabe, you did assign a guard to watch over Toby in our absence correct?"
Sir Cabe nodded, "I did my Lord."
Lord Walter looked around the table at his friends, "Lord Weir's home is where we will be traveling to before we head off for Wheeler's Ridge. He was the Lord who took me in as his squire many years ago and raised me up as a knight in the ways of the wise Lady. Sadly he succumbed to some malady but no one seems to know what it was. Stranger still is no one else in his home village is sick. But do not fear, for you are my friends and you will be protected from whatever it was."
"If there is anything you need to do before we leave, you have about an hour before we will depart so you are dismissed until then," Lord told them.
Paige touched his arm, "I'm glad you were finally able to tell everyone who it was my Lord."
Lord Walter smiled as he took her hand, "I owe that to you and your loving kindness last night. I don't know if I would have been fit to leave this morning without you, thank you."
Paige squeezed his hand, "I meant what I said last night my Lord, I am here for you if you need me."
Lord Walter walked out of the Keep with Paige walking beside him, and he saw all his friends in the livery yard ensuring their mounts were ready, and securing that their various items were strapped on tight. "My Lord," Toby called after him.
Lord Walter sighed as he turned to face him as he ran over. "My Lord, first let me extend my condolences on the death of Lord Weir, we all owe him a debt for raising you up to be the man you are." Toby told him sincerely.
"Thank you Toby," Lord Walter replied.
Toby continued, "I just wanted to say, I deserve the punishment you have placed on me and I will serve it, but I just thought, with what happened to Lord Weir, that you might like to have me along to see if I can figure out what happened to him." Toby held up his hand, "I'll be more than happy to serve my sentence when we get back if you would."
Lord Walter stared hard into his eyes for several moments and then looked at Paige, "What are your thoughts on the matter my Lady?"
Paige smiled, "I think it would be unwise not to take advantage of Toby's knowledge my Lord."
Lord Walter nodded as he looked back at Toby, "My Lady speaks truth, very well Toby, your sentence is delayed until our return, and you have fifteen minutes to ready yourself."
Toby smiled, and he turned and ran just inside the door of the keep and grabbed his backpack and ran back out to the livery to get his mount.
Lord Walter smiled as he looked at Paige, "Perhaps I am becoming too soft."
Paige smiled as she placed her hand to his chest, "I think it's more likely they know how wise you are and he just anticipated you would see how valuable he would be on this journey."
Lord Walter smiled and escorted her on over to her mount.
Twenty minutes later with Lord Walter and Paige leading the way the company moved out from the livery yard, and traveled the road down through the village where they villagers greeted them as they passed, and on across the bridge before turning west to head out across the countryside.
