Suddenly a figure in chain mail and a green cloak leapt from behind a tree, and grabbed hold of Ralph and wrapping their body around the young man, and rolled on off the other side of the wildly running horse taking Ralph with them. Medium length dark hair swirling all about them as the figure quickly rose up, and pushed Ralph behind them, and pulled out their bow as they faced the horse as it turned. The horse seeming to scream in frustration as its plan was quickly foiled. Hate could easily be seen within its wild eyes as it pawed at the ground before screaming hatefully and began charging back.
The figure turned its head, and Ralph saw a young woman with beautiful dark eyes look at him, and she told him, "Get up that tree boy, now." Without waiting to see what Ralph did she looked back at the horse as it drew ever closer as she nock an arrow, "Don't do this, I don't want to have to hurt you, or worse." She said softly.
As the horse closed to thirty yards, suddenly the blistering white light of Athena burst throughout the area and the horse screamed and slid to a stop. Its eyes wide in fear as it tried to scramble back onto its feet to run away. Lord Walter sat upon his charger, his arm extended before him and his hand clasped in a tight fist. "By Athena you shall be purged," Lord Walter roared in anger.
The horse fell to the ground and writhed about as the light tormented the entity within, "Stop, let me go," a twisted voice escaped the horse's mouth. Paige rode past Lord Walter and swung down as she reached Ralph and drew her sword and stepped up beside the young woman.
"I don't make deals with nether fiends," Lord Walter answered. "Leave the horse's body."
Inky black smoke began leaking from the horse's ears, nose, mouth and eyes, coalescing into another form above it. As the last of the blackness had left its body, the horse quickly stood and staggered away. "I've done as you wanted, let me go," the entity screamed.
"I told you, I don't make deals with nether fiends. Who sent you here?" Lord Walter commanded.
The entity struggled but the light burned and inflicted agony that it was unaccustomed too. "King Merrick, he wants the boy," it finally answered.
"Were you just going to run him all the way back to King Merrick?" Paige asked as she stood there as a barrier between the shade and Ralph, her sword glowing brightly.
The entity hissed at Paige, "I don't answer to bard filth."
Lord Walter snarled and refocused his will as the entity screamed louder, "Disrespect my Lady again and I shall make you welcome the pits of torment you came from. Now answer the Lady's question."
"Yes, I would have run him all the way back to King Merrick," The entity screamed.
Lord Walter looked at Paige, "Would you like the honor my Lady?"
Paige smiled and threw her short sword and the entity screamed as the blade sank deep into its form and Walter opened his hand. "BEGONE," he commanded a final time. The entity screamed one last time as it exploded into an inky green mist. Paige's short sword fell and stuck into the ground. Like the other night Lord Walter maintained his concentration until the light had dissolved the remains of the entity.
Paige grabbed Ralph up in her arms and cried in relief.
Lord Walter slid off his charger and walked up to the other woman, "Greetings, I am Lord Walter of Scorpion Keep and I thank you for what you did for my squire."
Happy rode on up past Lord Walter and stopped by Paige's sword and drew it out of the ground and examined it closely, she smiled as she detected no damage to the blade.
The woman turned and smiled at Paige as she continued to hug Ralph. "My Lord, I am Kaylee, from the Abliss Sanctuary."
Lord Walter smiled, "Abliss Sanctuary? Then you must be a Ranger."
Kaylee nodded, "I am my Lord."
Lord Walter nodded as he half turned and gestured as he smiled at Paige, "My Lady Paige and her son Ralph. I'm indebted to you, name your boon and if it is within my power I shall grant it."
Kaylee smiled, "Thank you my Lord, it was my honor to help, but I have everything I could need. I'm just crossing these lands on my way to the east."
Paige released Ralph finally and smiled at him as she stood up straight. Turning she smiled at Kaylee, "I must add my thanks to my Lord's. Thank you for saving my son." Paige embraced the younger woman.
"You're welcome," Kaylee told Paige as she hugged her back.
Lord Walter looked at Kaylee, "If no material thing appeals to you, what about an adventure? After I pay my last respects to my Lord, we'll be moving on to deal with unwholesome beasts running amok."
Kaylee seemed to consider that for a moment.
Happy rode over and handed Paige her sword back with a smile, "That's how a sword should handle something like that." She teased with her.
Paige looked at the blade and found it unmarred, "Truly a testament to its creator's ability." She smiled at Happy.
Happy smiled as she rode over and grabbed the reins of Ralph's mount and led it back over to them.
"What kind of bounty would we be looking at?" Kaylee asked.
Lord Walter smiled, "Would you prefer a guaranteed flat payment or a one-seventh share? Potentially you could see as much as one hundred gold sovereigns a day or I will pay you fifty a day if you don't want to take the risk, payable upon completion."
Paige caressed Ralph's cheek before allowing him to climb back upon his horse. Finally she turned and climbed upon her horse and waited.
Kaylee seemed to consider that for a moment, "Both have their good points, my mother was fond of the expression a 'bird in the hand is worth more than two in the bush'. I'll take the fifty sovereigns a day."
Lord Walter smiled, "Do you have a mount?"
Kaylee nodded and gave a shrill whistle and several moments later a beautiful roan horse came out from back in the woods and walked over to her. Lord Walter nodded as he smiled and walked over to his charger and climbed up into the saddle as Kaylee climbed into hers.
Lord Walter and Paige led the small group back to where they left the others and once there Lord Walter made quick introductions before they struck out for the west with Kaylee now riding next to Ralph. Paige picked up her lute and began playing the same melody she played most of the day the day before, fortifying and comforting the horses and her companions. Just before noon Paige nudged her horse over until she was up against Lord Walter and spoke softly, "I want to ask you my Lord, why you are willing to pay Kaylee so much and you are only paying me two hundred a month."
Lord Walter smiled until he saw her raise her eyebrow and he coughed nervously, "Well you did only ask for two hundred gold a month."
"So you are using that as justification for taking advantage of me then? How does that align with your Paladin tenants?" Paige asked with a little heat.
Lord Walter shook his head as he laughed lightly, "My apologies my Lady, I was just teasing with you. I suppose we didn't actually speak about things like this did we. Your two hundred is basically a retaining fee, when we have jobs such as this you will be paid extra."
"Indeed? That's a little mean making me think you are taking advantage of me. Which should I take I wonder?" Paige asked him.
Lord Walter smiled, "You could always wait until the job is done to decide."
Paige considered that for several minutes, "That's a better offer than you offered Kaylee, why is that?"
Lord Walter looked straight ahead in all seriousness, "It was brought to my attention last night, when it comes to you I don't act normally."
Paige lowered her head with a smile on her lips as she asked "Does that bother you?"
As Lord Walter continued to look ahead he answered, "No. As long as it doesn't harm anyone under me, I'd give you anything. Do you think this is a good place to stop for lunch and to rest the horses?"
Paige smiled and looked about, "It looks good, a few more trees than where we stopped last night."
Lord Walter nodded as he steered his horse towards a slight clearing. They'd all secured their mounts to several trees. "Sylvester, Toby, you are in charge of lunch," Lord Walter announced rather than deal with trying to get someone to volunteer. Lord Walter walked over to Ralph, "Ralph, how are you feeling after this morning?"
"I'm feeling okay my Lord," Ralph replied.
Lord Walter smiled, "Good lad, make sure you eat a good lunch. I'll be back; my legs could use a stretch so I'm going to take a walk."
Ralph nodded as he watched Lord Walter walk off into the trees before walking over to see what they were readying for them to eat.
As everyone started getting some of the dried meats, fruits and cheese that Toby and Sylvester had sat out Paige looked around and frowned, "Where did our Lord go?"
"He said his legs could use a stretch so he went for a walk that way," Ralph told her as he pointed to the west.
Paige looked but the trees blocked her view so she gave Ralph the tray she had and walked off after him. The further she went the faster she began moving as she still couldn't see him anywhere. It took her almost twenty minutes to finally catch up with him. "My Lord, is everything okay?" Paige asked with concern as she came up along side him.
Lord Walter nodded as he looked at her, "Too much inactivity isn't good for the legs. Is everything okay with you and Ralph?"
Paige linked her arm into his, "Of course it is; I was just concerned about you."
Lord Walter enjoyed her closeness, "I'm sorry, Ralph should have told you I was just stretching my legs."
"He did, I would have thought that after everything, I just figured you would have invited me to join you my Lord." Paige told him stressing the formal address.
Lord Walter grimaced, "In truth, I almost did. And I should have given you that option to choose yourself between lunch and a walk."
Paige pulled against his arm causing him to turned towards her and stop, "Walter, I know I am still learning about the nature of Paladins, and their restrictions, I'm also trying to remember that what is going on between us is new to you, so I know you have to be dealing with a lot, learning as well about the nature of relationships. Both of us probably struggling with the different concepts, though I believe you probably have the rougher road, following your tenants while exploring these feelings." Paige stepped up to Lord Walter until there was no space left between them. "I'm okay with the restrictions Walter; I don't want to force you to go too far. If you see a future with me beyond simply adventuring with you and the others, and with what I see of the things you've done, it certainly tells me that you want more from me then just being another friend. We'll just have to work on our relationship within the restrictions of your tenants, at least until we are both ready to make a commitment to each other."
Walter smiled at Paige as he ran his hands up her arms. Drawing on his memory of one time he saw Linda's husband kiss her, and Walter's hands came up off Paige's shoulders, as his pinkies bent and came to rest under her jaw and his fingers slid along her cheeks to come along her neck as he bent down slightly with both of their eyes closing, their lips met, but he'd pressed in a little too fast, and their front teeth bumped a bit harder through their lips than he ever expected or intended, as they both stepped back grabbing their mouths, and Paige smiled as she struggled not to laugh.
Walter blushed deeply at his blunder. Paige reached up and put her hand on his shoulder, "Its okay Walter, no one kisses perfect the first time. Just come in a little slower after you close your eyes. Or leave them open if you feel unsure until we start to kiss, then you can close them."
Walter reached up again and took her face in his hands again, and they stepped back in towards each other as he brought his lips down towards hers. "Lord Walter, where are you son?" Sir Cabe called out.
They both groaned as Walter stepped back, "Over here Sir Cabe." Walter looked into Paige's eyes, "I'm sorry my Lady."
Paige nodded and winked.
Sir Cabe came around some trees and stopped as his eyes opened wider, 'Oh man, I should have known,' he thought to himself. "I'm sorry my Lord, if I had realized you were taking a walk together I wouldn't have disturbed you."
"What is the matter Sir Cabe?" Lord Walter asked while still looking into Paige's eyes.
"We hadn't heard anything from you in a while, and we didn't know how long you wanted to stay here, it's been an hour since we stopped," Sir Cabe told him.
Lord Walter rolled his eyes, "We'll be rejoining the group shortly."
"Very good," Sir Cabe told him as he left the area quickly.
Paige smiled and she turned to leave and Walter reached out and gently held her arm stopping her. She turned and looked at him with a question on her face. Walter swallowed as he stepped up and once again reached up and he felt the heat of her face against his hands and he bent down as they both closed their eyes and their lips met softly and then pressed tighter together slowly as Walter's hands lowered and came to rest on her waist as her arms came up and wrapped around his neck.
With his heart beating faster and faster Walter felt one hand slid around her waist and the other slid up her back to rest behind her shoulder blades and he pulled her tightly against his body. Walter's eyes suddenly opened and he brought his hands back around to her hips and pushed slightly against her and Paige reluctantly released his neck and they broke their kiss.
"Is everything okay?" Paige asked a bit out of breath and baffled.
Walter nodded as he breathed heavily, "I felt myself losing control, I'm sorry."
Paige smiled, as she stroked his cheek, "Nothing to be sorry for Walter, I was enjoying the kiss too. Like I said I don't want to push for more than you can give right now. This might be unfair of me to ask now, but where do you see our relationship going or where maybe better, where do you want it to go?"
Walter smiled "Well according to Happy, I have put you at a spot at my table where no one else has ever been allowed to sit, I put your son into a room that was primarily designed as a room for my own child and I had you assigned to the visiting dignitary suite. She seemed to think that it had significant meaning, especially being next to the room which would be my wife's dressing room which of course is right next to the master suite. So even if I misunderstood her meaning, I know I am seeing a future with you as my wife."
Paige blushed as he took her hand in his and they walked back to their horses together.
