Yesterday this story just wasn't talking, a distant story arc was, so I had planned to just rest and work on that story but once that chapter was done late last night this story finally spoke and I started writing it and since I finished it I figured I would go ahead and share it today after all. Tomorrow's chapter should end this part of the story and our heroes will begin traveling to Wheeler's Ridge. To the Adventure! -Tim
Lord Walter stopped outside the temple and stood still for several minutes while Paige and Toby stood silently with him. He reached down and removed the small money bag he kept by his sword and reach inside and withdrew ten gold sovereigns and handed them to Toby, "Get the others and go have a good time together, but, be ready to leave at first light and no ale for the lad. Let us put this town behind us as soon as possible."
Toby grinned and took off for the residence as fast as he could.
Lord Walter looked at Paige, and took her hand in his, "If you would care to join the others, you are free to do so."
Paige smiled as she looked at their hands, "I'm with who I wish to be and that's all that matters."
Lord Walter smiled as he lifted her hand and kissed it, "As I recall the leather armorer is located about three blocks from here."
Paige smiled as she walked side by side with Lord Walter. She playfully bumped him with her hip and frowned, "I got to remember not to do that while you are wearing your armor." She reached down and rubbed her hip.
Lord Walter smiled and taking her hand back in his he kissed her hand again as they arrived in the merchant square. Paige gasped and Lord Walter looked at the board Paige was looking at and saw the rough drawing that looked like her proclaiming that she was a wanted woman with the largest bounty he'd ever seen. Anger rose up in him and he stepped over and ripped the paper down and tore it up. "I think the first thing we need to do is visit the Constable," Lord Walter told her.
Toby ran into the residence to gather the gang, explaining what Lord Walter had told him, "Where should we go eat?"
"The Crafty Dog was a decent place last time I was here with the Lord," Sir Cabe told them.
"As long as they got strong drink that's fine by me," Toby said.
They followed Sir Cabe as he led them a few streets over. Happy looked around as they walked in, "Well it's certainly better than the dives Toby normally takes us to."
Sylvester laughed, "What do you expect, our Lord certainly wouldn't frequent any of those places."
They all laughed as they took seats at a table not far from the fireplace. "I tell you, it seems every year I grow less tolerant of the cold," Sir Cabe told them.
"That's because your blood is getting old, you should find yourself a nice young lass to rejuvenate your blood," Toby told him with a smirk.
"One of these days Doc," Sir Cabe warned him.
The serving wench stopped by and took their order, Toby had a good time teasing Ralph about having to drink milk. "Leave him alone Toby, milk is good for a growing body, you're a doctor for crying out loud, you know this," Sylvester admonished him.
"So you think the wyvern's venom is out of Lord Walter's system now?" Happy asked.
Toby nodded as he finished off his first ale, "Oh yea, leave it to our luck, and the one creature whose venom is able to affect a Paladin finds its way to us and attacks. I mean, what are the odds?"
They all kind of looked at each other at Toby's inadvertent realization, "You don't think someone actually directed that thing to find us do you?" Happy asked looking at Sir Cabe.
Sir Cabe rubbed his chin before removing his cigar and expelling a large cloud of smoke, "No, I mean, who knew we were even going to be coming here? Much less where we would be at that time to get the wyvern into the area, has to be coincidence."
Toby leaned in and gestured for the rest of them to do the same, "I think our Lord would rather I not say anything, but if we are going to seriously talk about this, according to the cleric a few months ago Lord Weir had gone mad. And he died from ingesting waste water from someone making lye soap. If someone knew that our Lord would come here to pay his respects, they'd have some idea of when we would be crossing the valley to get here."
"A simple crystal ball and even an apprentice could spy the valley and watch for us," Sylvester added.
As Lord Walter walked into the Constable's office with Paige, the Constable looked up and grinned, "Good job young man," he stood up, "You'll be collecting your bounty in just a few days. Take her into custody gents."
Lord Walter drew his sword as the two deputies stood up, "So much as touch one hair on my Lady's person and I will dispatch you personally."
The Constable scowled, "You don't walk into my town and try to throw your weight around."
"Your town, I didn't realize I was addressing Lord Walter of Scorpion Keep," Lord Walter told him.
"I'm his duly appointed Constable," the Constable told him.
"No, you are the Governor's duly appointed Constable, for I did not appoint you. But rest assured when I speak with the Governor you will no longer be constable." Lord Walter told him darkly.
Paige stepped up beside Lord Walter with a smile, "May I present, my Lord and yours, Lord Walter of Scorpion Keep."
The three men stared, trying to decide if they were telling the truth. The Constable swallowed hard, "I humbly apologize my Lord, I'd only moved here two years ago, I hadn't been introduced to you yet, I didn't realize."
"Indeed, I offer you a chance to redeem yourself. Scour the town this very hour and search out anymore wanted posters on my Lady here and destroy them. You should have already received word from Scorpion Keep to have done that anyway. King Merrick has no authority here and his claim on my Lady is baseless and anyone seeking to arrest her will be dealt with most severely." Lord Walter told him.
The Constable nodded, "We'll see to it immediately my Lord. I should warn you, we do have a number of bounty hunters in town. As per your decree they all have to register with these offices."
"Good, then you should know who they all are, find them and relay this information to them. Regardless to their license to hunt bounties they will swing on the gallows if they even try to approach her." Lord Walter told them.
The Constable nodded as he left with the two deputies but Lord Walter watched them leave not fully trusting them.
Walter looked at Paige and kissed her, "Let's go find the armorer now."
Paige looked at Walter, "Walter, could we find Ralph first and make sure he is okay?"
Walter nodded, "I'm sure he is fine with Sir Cabe, but if it eases your mind then we shall find him."
As they left the Constable's office and made their way for the residence, "My Lord," a young cleric called out behind them.
Lord Walter sighed and turned as he saw a young cleric running towards him. "How may I serve the temple?" Lord Walter asked as she came to a stop before them.
The cleric shook her head, "I can not speak for the temple my Lord, I have a message from the wise Lady herself."
Lord Walter's eyebrow rose, "An initiate has a word from the wise Lady?"
She nodded, "I hardly believe it myself my Lord. She said to remind you that, while She is well pleased with you, and you hold a special place in Her heart. She is concerned. Your relationship," she looked at Paige, "Has been rebuked by Her, She fears you are getting a little reckless with these new feelings and She urges caution."
Lord Walter became irritated, "An initiate comes to me, proclaiming words from the wise Lady and then cautions me in my relationship?"
The cleric bowed, "I understand my Lord and believe me, I am terrified at having to tell you this. I take no pleasure in it. She said you must cast her out, to her own fate, to prove your commitment to her."
Lord Walter became angry, "Be off with you before I speak with your Mistress."
The cleric bowed, "If that is your will my Lord, but the wise Lady told me if you didn't believe me to remind you of Her warning to you."
Lord Walter drew in a deep breath, "What warning?"
"The wyvern venom my Lord," the cleric told him before turning and leaving.
Paige gasped and her free hand came up to her mouth.
"Hold," Lord Walter commanded the cleric.
The cleric looked back, "Shit," she took off running. Lord Walter pulled a dagger off his belt, and threw it catching her in the thigh, and causing her to fall, and she jumped up, and tried hopping away as Lord Walter began stalking up to her with Paige beside him.
Lord Walter heard a shrill whistle from his sword and he spun around as a knife came plunging down for his neck. He caught the hand, and forced it on down beside him, and then back up, and he shoved the knife into the man's stomach. Staring the man in his eyes, watching the light fade from them he pushed the man away from them as he looked at Paige, she nodded, "I'm okay."
Walter looked back at the woman who seemed to have given up trying to run, and was crawling while dragging her leg with his dagger sticking out of it still. A crowd of people began gathering watching what was going on. The woman looked at the crowd, "The Lord has gone insane like Lord Weir, protect your cleric of the wise Lady."
The crowd hesitated as he drew his sword.
"He protects a known murderer, a woman with a bounty on her head by King Merrick, fifty thousand gold sovereigns." The woman cried out.
Several men drew their swords as they imagined collecting that reward. "I am your rightful Lord and I am in no way impaired, but this is my Lady and I will defend her to the death," Lord Walter told them. He saw the woman grin, and he thrust his sword into the air, and focused, and the white light erupted and ran down his body and spread out in spirals and spidery weave which encompassed over 30 yards of ground around him, including a number of the townspeople and the woman, and she began screaming as holy fire burned her. The men brandishing their swords always began screaming as they dropped their weapons and ran out of the circle. "This is the wise Lady's own fire, now contain yourselves and listen to your Lord," Lord Walter told them a final time.
Sir Cabe, Kaylee and Happy came running around the corner and slid to a stop seeing Lord Walter standing there with Paige behind him, their backs to a building, and his sword out challenging the people around him and the holy fire etched across the ground. Ralph came running around the corner with Toby and Sylvester, and saw his Mom. He ran to her, and Paige cried out in relief, and hugged him fiercely.
Sir Cabe sheathed his sword, and grabbed the woman as she thrashed in the holy fire, and bound her hands behind her never removing her from the torment of the fire. The crowd finally coming to understand the truth began to move back and walking away.
Lord Walter looked at his friends, "How did you know?"
Toby laughed, "Well we got to talking about things, when we came up with a wild thought that the wyvern, being the one venom that could affect you, might have been a trap, and when I told them what the cleric told us, we just knew that something was wrong."
Lord Walter laughed as he put his arm around Paige.
"I take it this one isn't a cleric of Athena?" Sir Cabe asked.
Lord Walter shook his head, "She had a convincing story at first. If she had chosen the garb of a higher ranking cleric I might have actually fell for it. But since she knew about the wyvern I'm going to guess she knows what is going on."
Sir Cabe forced her to stand, "Well what say you? Care to talk or should we march you to the temple to see the Mistress of the temple?"
"I'll never talk," she spit at Lord Walter.
Suddenly they heard a thud and her eyes went wide and she lurched forward, and gasped. Falling on forward with an arrow sticking out of her back, Kaylee spun and drew her arrow back and saw someone jump off the wall to the outside, she took a chance and shot her arrow anyway. The logs that made up the upper ten feet were too tight together and her arrow stuck in the wall.
They dragged both bodies back to the Constable's office, and finding the Constable had returned, left them with him after explaining what had happened. He confirmed that both people were licensed bounty hunters, and had come to town a few days ago with a third man.
"This was an elaborate plot," Lord Walter looked at Paige, "Perhaps we should forego the mission and return to Scorpion Keep? I can offer you far greater protection there."
Paige shook her head, "You have a responsibility to everyone who will suffer if we don't deal with Wheeler's Ridge."
Lord Walter pressed his forehead against hers, "I know you are right, but my heart doesn't care."
Paige smiled, "You said you would relish in spoiling me."
Lord Walter nodded, "I did and I will."
"Then spoil me, by saving those who would be affected by the horrors from Wheeler's Ridge." Paige told him.
Lord Walter frowned, "Let's go over to the Elk Inn for lunch, it isn't far from here," Lord Walter told them. He held Paige's right hand while she held Ralph's. Sir Cabe walked on his left, and Happy and Toby walked behind Ralph and Sylvester and Kaylee walked behind them.
As they sat waiting on their food Paige stood and stepped over to a window not far from the table. Lord Walter looked at her questioningly, and finally stood and stepped over to her. As he stepped up behind her he placed his hands on her shoulders, "What's wrong my Lady?"
"Nothing, maybe," Paige answered.
Walter applied a little pressure, and she turned to face him, "It's just, what the woman said. It has me worried, what if the wise Lady isn't happy about us? What if you have come close to a fatal step? What if my actions cause you to falter?"
Lord Walter bent down to kiss her, and she turned her head, "I'm serious my Lord."
"If it is that much of a worry for you then as soon as we eat, we'll go see the Mistress of the temple, and have her invoke the wise Lady's wisdom, and the answers to your questions will show you that there is nothing to fear. But on one condition," Lord Walter told her.
Paige looked up, "What?"
Lord Walter smiled, "Kiss me."
Paige couldn't help smiling and kissed him, as their kiss deepened Sir Cabe cleared his throat and they regretfully stopped but stood staring into each other's eyes for several moments before they moved back over and sat back down.
Lord Walter and Paige sat in the office of the Mistress of the temple of Athena awaiting her return. Paige's knee was bouncing up and down rapidly in worry. Lord Walter smiled, and took her hand as he leaned over, "Paige, it is okay."
She shook her head, "Not until I know for sure."
The door opened and the Mistress moved quickly into the room, "My Lord, my deepest apologies for keeping you waiting, I was not told you had returned until I got back."
Lord Walter looked at Paige, "Well other than some worried nerves, no harm done."
She smiled and looked at Paige, "How may I be of assistance my Lord?"
Lord Walter cleared his throat, "My Lady Paige and I are building a relationship. A short bit ago a woman pretending to be an initiate cleric of the wise Lady, her words have caused my Lady to fear that the wise Lady disapproves of our relationship. So we came for you to invoke the wisdom of the wise Lady to discern Her feelings on us."
The Mistress nodded, "As Lord of the lands and Paladin of the wise Lady you have that right, do you still have your abilities?"
Lord Walter nodded.
"My Lord, my Lady, I need to borrow something personal from you both." She told them.
Lord Walter removed the ring given him when he completed his tenants training, marking him a Paladin and handed it to her. Paige slowly reached up, and removed a locket from her neck, and kissed it before handing it to her.
The Mistress smiled, "Let us begin."
