Slowly Walter's blood pressure stabilized and began to rise and his eyes slowly opened. He looked up and saw Paige and he grinned and grabbed her and pulled her over and onto her back on the bed as Paige squealed. He knelt above her and began kissing her.

Allie smiled, "I'll let myself out my Lord and Lady."

Walter lay in bed with Paige curled up on his side sleeping. His right hand under his head as he stared at the ceiling. He was so happy now, all the pain and anguish of his life was a far distant memory. His left arm pulled Paige tighter against him and he saw a slight smile on her lips as she slept. But for some reason sleep was evading him. He gently moved out of the bed and stepped over to the desk and sat down on the chair before it.

He opened his letter pack and pulled out a sheet of parchment, inkwell and his quill. He began:

"To Mistress Veronica of the house of Dineen

From Lord Walter of Scorpion Keep, clan of O'Brien

I trust this letter finds you well and in good spirits. I'm writing in regards to your daughter Paige. She has agreed to be my wife and we will be having a state wedding in a few weeks. While I know there are two sides of every situation, my ability in the wise Lady tells me what my bride has told me to be the truth. Even if it hadn't, she is who I will always support in all things.

Still I know she loves you and would love for you to come and celebrate our marriage. Her fears hold her back, she is worried that you have not changed your opinion since that last day you spoke with her and she is reluctant to invite you.

If you have changed or can at least come and be civil and loving of your daughter and grandson, to celebrate our union, than I invite you to attend. I can not give you a hard date, but it will be at least three weeks but no more than four weeks from today.

We are currently traveling while preparations are being made. There will be room at the Keep so you won't have to worry with a place to stay or food before the wedding.

Sincerely,

Lord Walter, Scorpion Keep"

Walter read the letter several times trying to decide if it said everything he wanted it to say and as diplomatically as possible. While he wasn't happy with it, he conceded he probably wouldn't word it any better and it needed to be sent. Finally he folded it and put it in an envelope. He addressed it and sealed the envelope with his seal and slid it inside the bag he carries on his belt. He returned to bed and Paige woke briefly as he crawled back in. She curled back up on his chest and side. He smiled as finally, but slowly he drifted off to sleep.

Early in the morning King Merrick's coach pulled up in front of Lord Beyon's castle. One of his guards stepped up and opened the door for him. As he stepped out he saw ten of his rear guard before the castle and only four of Lord Beyon's and he smiled with evilness. As he walked the corridors his guards were lined up along both sides with only ten feet between them, his sorcerers walking a short distance behind him.

Just on the outskirt of the market place a caged wagon drawn by a team of six horses with three rough looking men pulled up and after setting the brake of the wagon the men got down and began walking through the market. Their eyes scanning the faces of the people they saw. Occasionally they'd pull out a number of parchments and compare drawings to people they saw.

As Lord Walter and Paige came down for breakfast the concierge stepped forward, "Good morning my Lord and Lady."

Lord Walter inclined his head, "Good morning."

"I'm sorry to disturb you my Lord and Lady but we've received a rather large number of gifts since last night for you. Would it be okay if I had some of the staff take them up to your room?" He gestured at one corner of the area behind the counter and they saw a small mountain of highly decorated boxes.

Paige frowned as she looked at Walter, "My Love?"

Walter shrugged, "I'm at a loss to explain it my Love." Suddenly he snapped his fingers, "Last night when Ralph ran in and greeted us. I think the word is out that we got married my Love."

Paige smiled, "You're saying that those are from the other guests who were in the dining room last night?"

Walter nodded, "Probably includes a number of others from various other merchants and nobles as word has spread. At this rate I would imagine Lord Beyon will know of our marriage by this afternoon."

He looked at the concierge, as he walked closer to the counter and raised his hand towards the packages. He closed his eyes as he concentrated. Nodding he turned and looked at the concierge, "You may have them taken to our room, thank you. Also I need this sent by the fastest messenger possible." He pulled the letter from the bag on his belt and handed it to him.

The concierge looked at it as he mentally calculated the distance. "A man on a fast horse could probably have it delivered in a week. But it will be fairly expensive my Lord."

Lord Walter nodded and reached in his bag and pulled out his large coin bag and placed about three hundred gold sovereigns on the counter. "Will that suffice?"

The concierge slowly nodded as he directed the attendant to put the coins up. "I'll see it done immediately my Lord."

Walter took Paige's hand as they walked on into the dining room and joined their friends at the table.

Now that Lord Walter and the Lady Paige had joined them they all ordered breakfast. Lord Walter was surprised to see that Toby wasn't drunk and he looked at Allie, "Friend Allie, you might need to examine our physician. We have been in town over night and he isn't suffering a hangover."

Everyone laughed as they looked at Toby. Happy spoke up, "I helped him behave."

Lord Walter smiled.

Allie pushed a glass of the vegetable juice she had been making for Paige every morning since their honeymoon in front of her. Paige smiled, "Still?"

Allie winked, "I told you because of the blight you would need to drink this for the foreseeable future my Lady."

Paige grinned as she nodded and drank the juice with her breakfast.

Toby noticed that the Lord and Lady kept looking at each other and grinning every chance they could and he shook his head. "Didn't you both get enough of each other yesterday?"

They both looked at Toby, "Didn't we have this discussion out on the road Toby? If you can't stand how our love expresses itself you are free to look the other way. Or perhaps you would prefer to catch the next coach back to the Keep and get started on your ninety days of garbage detail?"

Toby's eyes went wide, "Now that you mention it, I think your expression of love is really cute."

Lord Walter looked at his friends, "My Lady and son have expressed a desire to do some shopping without me in attendance, is anyone willing to escort them for me?"

Sylvester quickly held up his hand and Lord Walter smiled, "You don't have to hold up your hand Sylvester if you wish to do it."

Sylvester nodded, "Toby and I can take them my Lord."

Toby looked at him and then leaned over as he whispered, "What the hell Sly? Why are you dragging me into this?"

Sylvester whispered back, "You need some points towards goodwill with our Lord. Just do it and shut up."

Lord Walter nodded, "Understand this, both of you. I am entrusting you with what is most precious to me, so stay with them. While I trust in Lord Beyon's process I do not trust random bounty hunters obeying the law here. Extreme will be my displeasure if anything happens to them."

Walter slipped on his gauntlet and reached under the table. His gauntleted hand came up from below the table holding one of his throwing daggers and his fist closed over it. Every head in the dining room turned towards their table as the steel ground against his gauntlet and emitted a shrill scraping noise. Sylvester and Toby stared as his fist crushed the steel blade in it and watched as the magical energies contained within it sparked and crackled before sputtering out.

Sylvester and Toby's eyes went wide as they looked at the charred, twisted and ruined blade as it fell to the table.

Happy glared at Lord Walter. Biting her tongue for as long as she could before she almost exploded, "Do you know the amount of work I put into making those daggers for you? And that's how you respect my time and effort?" Everyone stared at her for a moment before she added, "My Lord."

Lord Walter nodded, "I do, on both counts. I want them to know I am willing to deal with your anger to demonstrate how serious I am."

Paige leaned over, "Walter, there is no need for threats."

Lord Walter looked at her, "That was not a threat my Love, that was a promise."

Paige rolled her eyes, "Happy, would you be kind enough to escort our Lord about the market to ensure he isn't taken advantage of by the merchants?"

Happy turned to look at the Lady Paige, "If it is your wish for me to do so I will my Lady."

They all stepped outside of the inn and Walter took Paige in his arms, "I want you to stay with Sylvester and Toby my Love."

Paige smiled, "Don't think I can protect myself?"

Walter nodded, "I believe you can, but I don't want you in a position that you have too. Don't let them go drinking while you keep looking at the wares of the merchants."

Paige rolled her eyes and kissed his cheek, "We'll be careful my Love."

"You better or I might just have to put you over my knee tonight," Walter smiled at her.

Paige smiled and leaned in to his ear, "Promises, promises." She quickly kissed his cheek and turned to leave when he swung his hand and slapped the cheek of her ass. Paige jumped and turned and grinned at him before moving off with Sylvester and Toby.

Lord Walter and Happy walked the marketplace together. Sir Cabe, Allie and Kaylee had walked with them for a short bit before moving off in another direction.

Lord Walter noticed that Happy seemed disgruntled. He smiled, "Friend Happy, if there is something else you would prefer to do right now feel free to do so. I know my Lady asked you to walk with me but you didn't have to agree to do this when my Lady asked you to."

Happy grunted, "Yes I did. It is the least I could do for how happy she makes you and you know if I leave you my Lord, these merchants will take advantage of you."

Lord Walter laughed, "Well I thank you for your care and concern Happy. You have always been a good friend." Lord Walter stopped suddenly as he looked at the stall of a fabric merchant, his eyes opened wide at a bolt of fabric.

Lord Walter walked over to the fabric merchant staring at the bolt of white silk with gold inlays. It was without a doubt the most beautiful cloth he had ever seen, "Happy, what do you think?"

Happy looked at it and nodded, "Looks good if you are into that kind of thing."

The three men were still walking the market place, while they weren't dressed badly there was an air about them so that most of the market goers gave them a wide berth and they walked slowly around not stopping at any booths their eyes still searching the crowd. Suddenly one of the men put his arm out stopping the other two and discretely pointed a few stalls over. Paige stood with Ralph looking at some perfume bottles on the merchant's table.

All three looked at a folded wanted poster they had and grinned and started to walk over when they saw Sylvester and Toby standing just behind them, obviously guarding them. They could tell by Sylvester's garb that he was clearly a sorcerer and they all stepped back. "Damn it, how lucky and unlucky we are at the same time," one of the men whispered.

"Well he's just one sorcerer. We could walk up and slipped one of those control collars on him. That will stop him from casting spells," one of the other men said.

"Oh sure, you want to take that chance? I've been hit by a sorcerer's missiles before. No thanks, besides he's talking to that other guy who's probably a thief judging by his clothes. I sure don't want to get backstabbed," the third man whispered.

"Let's follow them, discretely and watch for our opportunity. That kid with them, he seems to be hers. That will be our play if we can catch them alone. Grab him and force her to wear a collar. Then we can get to Merrick and collect that bounty," the first man said.

Lord Walter's hand ran gently across the material and felt its silky smooth texture. He looked at the merchant, "How much?"

The merchant smiled, "You have an eye for quality just one hundred gold sovereigns per yard of material."

Lord Walter nodded, "Is that enough for a dress Happy?" Lord Walter asked.

"How would I know? I deal in metal not fabric, I just know that's fifteen hundred gold sovereigns for the bolt." Happy told him.

The merchant looked about the market at the women walking around, "This bolt is enough to make any dress for any of the women here." The merchant told him.

Lord Walter looked about the market at the women trying to decide if any were the same size as Paige. He nodded, "Wrap it up securely to protect it, I'll take it," Lord Walter told him.

"Wait, you are not paying that price for that bolt. This is exactly what we've been talking to you about." Happy told him and she stepped up to begin haggling with the merchant. After several minutes of back and forth Happy looked the merchant square in the eye, "Look, we both know you or your factor bought this bolt for twenty gold sovereigns a yard, add in the cost of the trip from the manufacturer to here and that would raise the total cost to twenty two, add in taxes that takes it to thirty three, double that and its sixty six a yard. So at most that's all we're spending. Take it or we walk to one of your competitors."

The merchant reluctantly considered her final offer as he looked at Lord Walter's armor and sword a bit closer trying to decide if he had the coin and finally he nodded.

"Lord Walter," they heard a loud voice.

Lord Walter looked over and saw the market manager waving and moving quickly toward them. Lord Walter smiled, "Henry, it is good to see you again old friend."

Henry clasped his hand and stepped on in and hugged him, "I heard you were in town. What's this I hear you got married? Couldn't send me an invite?"

Lord Walter laughed, "Well we have not had the state wedding yet. I am actually buying this bolt of fabric for my Lady to have a dress made from. Sir Cabe married us a few weeks ago as we made our way to Wheeler's Ridge to take care of a problem out there."

Henry looked over and looked at the bolt, "That's fine material right there my friend. Please tell me you at least haggled about the price."

Lord Walter laughed, "My dear friend Happy did for me. You remember her?"

Henry turned and smiled, "Of course I do. My jaw still aches from time to time when the weather is cold."

Happy smiled, "Don't touch without permission next time. The merchant agreed to sixty six gold sovereigns a yard."

Henry nodded then looked at the merchant, "Put the fabric on my tab."

Lady Paige suddenly looked at her hand, "Oh."

Ralph looked up at his Mom as Sylvester looked at her concerned, "My Lady?"

The Lady Paige shook her head, "The most pleasing wisp passed over my hand. I can't explain it."

Sylvester nodded in relief as the Lady Paige, Ralph and the boys moved on when Toby saw an open air brewery and Toby started pestering them to take a break and get a drink.

Paige looked over at the brewery and shook her head, "If you both want to go have a drink be my guest. Ralph and I are still going to visit more stalls. I want to find something special for Walter as does Ralph."

Sylvester shook his head, "Lord Walter forbade us from leaving you alone. We stay together."

Toby smacked his shoulder, "Come on Sly, we'll go get one ale and come back. They'll be fine."

Sylvester shook his head refusing.

Paige smiled, "Sylvester, look around. We'll be safe, if we need you we can call for you."

Sylvester stubbornly shook his head and Toby finally grabbed his arm and pulled him until he turned and walked away with him. "This is a mistake Toby," Sylvester warned him.

The three men watched and grinned evilly as they waited for them to get far enough away from the two men.

Lord Walter shook his head, "You do not have to do that Henry."

Henry smiled, "Hey, it will save me from trying to find a wedding present for you later. Just make sure I get an invite."

The merchant smiled as he handed the wrapped bolt of cloth to Lord Walter. Lord Walter dropped the bolt into the larger sack before securing it back to his belt.

The merchant smiled, "Would you be interested in selling that sack?"

Lord Walter shook his head.

Paige and Ralph continued on as Sylvester and Toby arrived at the brewery and ordered some ale. Paige and Ralph moved further through the market. The market was vastly bigger than most markets and it had hundreds of merchants all calling out to every passing person trying to sell their goods. It only took a few steps before Sylvester and Toby lost sight of them.

Sylvester looked at Toby after they had ordered their ales, "You know we weren't supposed to let them out of our sight, right? Lord Walter is going to be furious when he finds out and I don't even want to think about what he is going to do if anything happens."

Toby looked at him, "What could go wrong? It's a market."

Paige stopped to look at some crystal goblets and smiled, "I think our Lord might like these, what do you think Ralph?"

Ralph didn't respond and Paige turned and her eyes went wide as she saw two men holding him, her hand went for her short sword when she saw they had two knives to his throat, and her hand froze. "Well, well, all the bounty hunters looking for you and it looks like we are the fortunate ones to find you," a third man grinned evilly at her. "What with King Merrick here in Lancaster, that's going to cut down on our time to collect your bounty." He pulled a collar out of his pocket, "Don't open your mouth, just slip this around your throat and close it." He tossed it up in the air to her.

Paige caught the band and raised it up and locked it in place. She could feel its power as it locked her vocal cords. 'Walter' she thought as a tear slid down her face. One of the men stepped up and took her sword and lute from her before another secured her wrists and they led them off.

Lord Walter smiled at Happy after Henry left, "I think my Lady will be quite pleased." Lord Walter suddenly stopped as he took three steps back as if he had been slugged. He could feel pressure against his throat. He grabbed his throat as he looked around almost frantically.

Happy reached out and grabbed his arm as she looked at him with alarm, "My Lord?"

He looked down at his wedding band. Hoarsely he replied, "Something is wrong." Rage built up quickly within Lord Walter as he closed his eyes. His voice became stronger, "My Lady?" He could feel something pulling on him. He opened his eyes, "This way," and took off running. Lord Walter used his commanding voice, while still weaker than normal it nonetheless silenced the hawkers and dispersed the people from his path.

The sudden lull in the noise level of the immediate area of the market made Henry turn around in concern and then he heard Lord Walter's voice commanding people to move. He began running after the sound of Lord Walter's voice.

Toby was about to take another sip of the ale that he and Sylvester had ordered when they heard Lord Walter's voice. "Oh shit, something is wrong," Toby told Sylvester and they both took off running from the open air brewery. They found it easy to see Lord Walter but following after him was difficult as while they could see the crowd parting around him quickly, those in between them were almost frozen in place and they had to move around them.

"I knew it, I knew it," Sylvester told him as he ran behind Toby.

"Give it a rest Sly," Toby yelled while mentally berating himself.

Sir Cabe and Allie stood with Kaylee as she looked at some new arrows. He frowned as heard Lord Walter off in the distance. As he turned he saw three men escorting the Lady Paige and Ralph down the street. He didn't see Sylvester or Toby anywhere. "My Lady Paige," Sir Cabe roared in anger as he ran out of the blacksmith followed closely by Allie.

Kaylee dropped the arrows and turned running after them. Kaylee stopped outside as she saw the men take off running with Paige and Ralph after hearing Sir Cabe yell. She half-drew back her bow and nocked an arrow and took aim as she took in a deep breath before she released the arrow. Every citizen that was along the line of her arrow all dove to the ground as it whizzed right by them. The arrow struck one of the men in the shoulder so hard it knocked him to the ground as the others pushed Paige and Ralph into running faster through the crowd when their partner fell to the ground. Kaylee's arrow had the secondary effect of creating an open path for them to follow.

As they reached the outskirt of the market the two men pushed Paige and Ralph into the caged wagon and locked the door before jumping on the bunk board and lashing the horses with a whip. As they started to move Allie stopped with a growl of anger. Thrusting her arms out from her sides, her eyes flashed bright white as her hair rose up in the air with her arms. Roots from a nearby tree erupted through the cobblestone street and seized the wagon.

Both Paige and Ralph had a surge of hope upon seeing the roots, knowing that Allie was nearby.

The driver lashed at the horses with the whip as they slowed because of the roots and the horses finally snapped the roots and the wagon took off quickly down the cobbled street.

Paige and Ralph could hear Lord Walter in the distance commanding people to move.

Kaylee nocked another arrow and drew it back fully as she got a bead on the driver and released the arrow. A moment later he slumped over and the other man frantically grabbed the reins as he continued to lash the horses leaving them far behind.

Sorry, yep, cliffhanger...

Chapter 11 is done even though it will be a cliffhanger as well. Just so much going on...so hold on to your hats. Hopefully it will be worth it.

I dropped a little smidge of a foreshadow in chapter 9. Did you catch it?

To the Adventure! -Tim