Happy was watching as Lord Walter and Paige emerged from the trees holding hands, as she smiled she smacked Toby on the arm and held out her open palm. Toby turned and looked over where Happy was looking. He threw his hands up and hung his head as he pulled a small pouch out from inside his vest and removed several gold coins and handed them to Happy who kissed them and winked at him as she pulled out a pouch from under her smock and put the coins into it.
Lord Walter stood holding the tact of Paige's mount with one hand while holding her other as she climbed up into her saddle. He returned her smile before he turned and walked over to his charger and as he took the reins from Ralph, Toby stepped up behind him, "You got a little something on your face my Lord."
Lord Walter brought the back of his hand up quickly and brushed it against his lips. Not feeling anything or seeing anything on his hand he glared towards Toby as he walked back over to his horse and climbed up on it. "Thank you Ralph," Lord Walter told him as he watched the young man run over to his horse and climbed up in his saddle. Lord Walter climbed up in his saddle, and with Paige riding beside him, he led the company as they set out for the west.
Lord Walter and Sir Cabe kept focusing their abilities as they continued westward but neither of them was able to detect any other entity such as the one that had dogged their steps yesterday.
Lord Walter led the company to the south side of the pass they traveled to make camp for the evening after spotting a good clearing where there was little danger of the campfire getting out of hand and causing a potential fire. The company set about getting the camp set up, as Toby jumped down from his mount Lord Walter smiled, "Toby, since you retrieved firewood last night, you are excused from that activity tonight."
Toby smiled, "Thank you my Lord."
Lord Walter's smiled changed into a grin thinking back to his little prank after lunch, "Instead, take the water horse over to the southern edge of the north mountain and bring back water from the water fall there. We'll leave you to feed and water the horses when you get back."
Toby's mouth dropped open and he hung his head as he climbed back up into his saddle and rode over to the water horse and unlashed it from the rest and as he turned to leave he looked at Ralph, "May I at least take your squire to assist me my Lord?"
Lord Walter shook his head, "He has his own responsibilities to deal with. And don't take too long, the horses are thirsty." Lord Walter looked at Sylvester, "Sly, why don't you travel back a little ways and find us more firewood, we still got a nice bit left over from last night but a little more won't hurt."
Sylvester looked back gauging how far away the trees were, swallowing hard as Paige noticed, and she stepped over to Lord Walter and whispered, "Is there something wrong with Sylvester Walter?"
Lord Walter looked up and sighed, "I forgot, he has some issues being alone outside. I better send someone else with him." Walter whispered back.
Paige put her arm on his, raising her voice, "My Lord, my legs feel a little stiff, would it be okay if I went with Sylvester? I could do with a bit of walking around."
Lord Walter smiled at Paige, "Sylvester, do you have any objections to my Lady accompanying you to stretch her legs?"
Sylvester smiled, "I would be honored to have the Lady's company my Lord."
Walter leaned forward and kissed Paige's cheek as he whispered, "Thank you."
By the time Sylvester and Paige returned with the firewood the horses were cared for except for being watered and fed. Lord Walter was putting up the last tent, and Happy had the fire pit dug, and the fire was burning well. "Hey, since you had such a problem with dinner last night, are you cooking tonight Minstrel?" Happy asked while half glaring at Paige.
"If no one else wants to, sure," Paige told her with a smile. Paige looked into the store bags to see what was available to work with. Nodding she brought the large kettle over and set it on the stones around the fire pit allowing it to start heating so when Toby got back with the water the kettle would be good and hot to cut down on boiling time. She began humming as she got out some carrots, potatoes and peas. She also got out a small ham and set it aside as she began cutting the potatoes and carrots into bite size pieces.
As Lord Walter stood he looked at Kaylee, "Kaylee, the middle tent is for the ladies, my squire would be happy to put your bedroll in there with the others if you like."
"Thank you my Lord," Kaylee answered as Ralph ran over to the packs and grabbed the bedrolls before running back to the tents.
"Sir Cabe, after last night I am not willing to risk not having one of us standing the mid and last watch. Which do you prefer?" Lord Walter asked.
"You stood the mid watch last night my Lord, so I will stand it tonight." Sir Cabe answered him.
Lord Walter sat down not far from the fire, "Ralph, come and sit down, let us discuss your reading last night."
Ralph sat down and began telling Lord Walter about what he had read. Toby brought the water horse back over and set one of the large pots down next to the fire and took the other over to the horses and began making up bags for each one to eat after putting water down for them to drink.
Within an hour the aroma of the stew in the kettle was beginning to make everyone hungrier. As Paige tested the potatoes and carrots she announced it would be about another half hour before it was ready.
Kaylee had stood and set up a target on the closest tree and walked back over to the camp and drew her bow and nocking an arrow she drew back and let loose and nailed the target dead center. Ralph stared in amazement. Toby quickly pulled out his coin sack and laid a gold sovereign down, "I bet you can't do that again?"
Kaylee grinned and nocked another arrow and neatly split her previous arrow, Happy howled with laughter. Kaylee smiled and before picking up the gold, "Is that close enough?"
Toby grumbled as he watched her pocket the coin. He looked at the target and asked if he could try. Kaylee shrugged and handed him her bow with an arrow. Toby held up the bow and nocked the arrow but as hard as he tried he couldn't draw the string back. Kaylee sucked her lips into her mouth, suppressing the laugh that his frustration was eliciting. Happy continued to howl in laughter as Sir Cabe joined in.
"How do you draw this thing?" Toby demanded.
Kaylee just winked at him.
Toby turned toward Sir Cabe, "Oh, you think it's so funny? How about you try doing it then?"
Sir Cabe just waved him off as Lord Walter laughed.
Toby glared at Lord Walter, "Well how about you doing it then?"
Lord Walter laughed, "I never had much use for such a weapon."
"Oh, is the big mighty knight chicken?" Toby demanded before his eyes snapped shut as all the laughter ended abruptly and every eye turned upon him. "I-I, I didn't mean it like that my Lord, my apologies." Toby nearly begged.
With his face set, Lord Walter stood and stepped over and took the bow and arrow from Toby and Toby nearly tripped over his own feet trying to get away from the knight. Lord Walter nocked the arrow and drew the string back and let the arrow fly, the arrow narrowly missed the remaining arrow but was solidly in the center. Lord Walter looked at Toby who was dumbstruck, "I never said I couldn't use one, I just said I never had much use for one."
Everyone broke out laughing as Lord Walter handed Kaylee her bow back and walked over to where Paige was stirring the kettle.
Toby stared at him and the target, "How the hell did you draw that string?"
Happy walked over and smacked him in the stomach, "Because he doesn't have arms like a Mandrake Mymmerkin." She looked at the bow in Kaylee's hand, "Is that a strength bow?"
Kaylee smiled and nodded as she held it out.
Happy took it in hand and examined it, "I've never worked with bows before, this is pretty sweet." She admired the work examining it closely, even drawing the string backwards a bit figuring how it all worked together to work.
Toby looked at her in surprise, "Strength bow?"
Kaylee nodded, "There are several varieties, this one requires either great physical strength or augmented strength." She drew back the chain mail sleeves on her arms and showed him a pair of bracers.
Sylvester's widened, "Are those bracers of Eviresen?"
Kaylee nodded with a smile, "Maximum human strength on demand."
Toby looked at Sylvester and then Kaylee, "So you cheated me then?"
Kaylee grew angry, "No, the bracers only grant greater strength, the accuracy of the bow is mine."
Happy smacked him, "Why is it every time you lose someone had to cheat? What can't it ever be because they are better than you or better than what you give them credit for?"
Lord Walter looked at Paige as she stirred with a grin, "My Lady, before I make another mistake, typically whoever cooks the evening meal gets to stand first watch so they can sleep the rest of the night. But since I will be standing last watch, I thought I would allow you to choose whichever watch you would want before assigning anyone else."
Paige looked up with a smile, "I'm glad to see you not repeating past mistakes. Which watch would you prefer me to take?"
He was almost certain it was a challenge and he considered his response, "It would be unfair of me as Lord to make known my wish as to bias your decision."
Annoyance flickered across her face and she put the spoon down for a moment and stood. She looked Lord Walter dead in the eye and stepped up until she was nearly nose to nose to him. She whispered, "Walter, when I told you I would take Ralph and disappear on you quicker than you could draw your sword, did you believe me?"
"I did my Lady," Lord Walter swallowed hard.
"Then do you really believe I would just acquiesce to what you want if I didn't want it too?" Paige asked him softly, but pointedly.
Lord Walter took in a deep breath, as he took her hands in his, before speaking softly, "My Lady, you have to understand, my words have carried a good deal of weight for many years now. It's difficult to separate what I know as habit of all those around me to these wispy, delicate, enticing interactions with you, and I do not wish to break them."
Paige looked at their hands as she said just as softly, "Then just tell me what you want and trust that I won't let it break what's between us."
Lord Walter smiled as he looked into her eyes when she looked back at him, "Paige, I would love for you to stand last watch with me."
Paige smiled, "I'm sorry, I don't want to stand the last watch." Paige's smile turned into a grin as he looked at her shocked. Throwing her arms around his neck she kissed him briefly, "I'm teasing, I look forward to it."
Lord Walter grinned and shook his head as she turned back to the kettle.
"Happy, you'll be on mid watch with Sir Cabe, Sly, Toby, Kaylee, you'll be on first watch." Lord Walter finally told them.
Everyone was good and hungry when Paige declared the stew was ready and they all moved quickly to get a bowl. As Sir Cabe sat eating his bowl he looked over at Lord Walter, "My Lord, if you are asking my opinion, I think Lady Paige should be cook from now on."
Everyone seemed to be of the same mind as they all nodded in agreement. Lord Walter laughed, "While my tongue would agree with you, that would be unkind in the extreme to my Lady. Your stew is most definitely delicious, thank you."
Paige blushed a little as she smiled, "Thank you my Lord."
Sir Cabe woke Lord Walter and Happy woke Paige as their watch came to an end. Paige got them both a cup of coffee as they sat there trying to wake up. Paige sat holding her cup between both hands with her blanket around her shoulders just staring at the fire pit. Lord Walter frowned, "Troubling thoughts or still trying to wake?"
Paige looked up, "What?" Seeing his frown she blinked a couple of times, "Oh, not really troubling, but I was curious about something. When we met, you had been out, alone, and caught a wanted murderer. But here you have the others with you. Why weren't they with you when we met?"
Lord Walter nodded, "It doesn't happen often, but the wise Lady demanded I set out on that mission alone. He'd murdered one of her priests. I figured since the others aren't devote followers she didn't want them involved, or perhaps there was some lesson she needed me to learn, or maybe that as a company we wouldn't have been able to catch him. But whatever the reason it escapes me, but in the end, he was brought to justice."
Paige smiled, as she took his left hand in hers and twisting her arm she drew it up close against her chest, "Walter, you keep calling her the wise Lady, do you think," she paused a moment, "Is it possible," she swallowed hard hoping not to insult him or her, "Could she have wanted you to do it that way so that we would meet?"
Lord Walter sat staring at their intertwined fingers and arms as he considered what she asked him. Finally, "I-I'm not sure," he looked up into her eyes. "Of all my instructions, I can't just say no, it could certainly be possible."
Paige smiled, "I know that doesn't release you from your tenants, but it makes me happy to think that's true."
Lord Walter smiled and he pulled against her arm until she put her coffee down and stood and he put down his cup and stood with her, trapping their arms between them as put his other arm around her and he softly hummed as they began to move back and forth, following the cadence of his humming.
