Lord Walter had stood walking around slowly as he continued to scan the crowds and sky constantly for over the last hour. People would stare at him wondering if he wasn't a simpleton who had gotten lost from his Mother and was desperately searching for her in the sea of faces. Toby had sat quietly the entire time just watching, realizing just how much worry his careless selfishness had cost the great knight. He began to mentally chastise himself over it and trying to figure out how he could effect changes to make himself a better person.

An elderly woman struggling through the crowd saw Lord Walter and frowned and made her way slowly over, "Are you lost young man? Is there something I can do to help you?"

Lord Walter almost jumped as if he had actually been shocked and he turned and smiled at the woman. "That is most kind of you to ask Mother. But I am not lost. I am just waiting for my wife and friends to return from shopping."

"Well isn't that sweet. My Jethro use to wait for me in this area when he was still alive. You have a good day young man," she told him with a smile as she turned to leave.

Lord Walter looked at Toby and gestured, "Mother, if you would allow me. While I need to wait here, my servant will be happy to escort you about the market and see you safely home again."

The old woman looked at Lord Walter and then to Toby as he stepped up, "Oh, well that is very kind of you. Are you sure?"

Toby nodded as he reached out to carry her bags for her.

She smiled and handed them over, "I need to stop by the bread merchant next. I do hope he has some day old bread left."

Lord Walter reached into the pouch of his belt and pulled out the small bag of gold coins and handed it to Toby, "Whatever she needs."

Toby nodded as he took the small bag before he offered his arm to the old woman and they slowly walked off into the crowd.

Lord Walter clasped his hands behind his back as he continued to pace about questioning the wisdom of once again allowing Paige and Ralph out of his sight.

It only took about thirty minutes before Toby had escorted the old woman through the market and helped her to pick up the last of the items she needed. After walking her back home, he put most of her things up for her and he placed the small bag of gold coins Lord Walter gave him on the counter hiding it behind the basket she'd carried some of her items in.

As he started to leave, "Just a moment young man." She walked over from a cabinet and handed him a small bag as she smiled. "Let me give you a small token of thanks for your kindness in helping me. I think you will enjoy it," she winked at him.

Toby took the bag and opened it and the aroma hit his nose as he looked inside and he grinned, "Thank you."

Another hour passed as Lord Walter continued his silent vigil about the center of the market place. He began to consider calling for Selease to track them down. Suddenly he saw Paige being escorted through the crowd by six large men. Anger exploded in his mind as he began running towards her. He yelled, "Never fear my Love, I'm here."

Paige and the men escorting her turned in shock as they saw Lord Walter running towards them. Two of the men stepped up beside Paige as the other four formed a wall in front of her.

Lord Walter leaped across the last ten feet and crashed into two of the men. The three men tumbled to the ground and Lord Walter sprung up and struck the man to Paige's left first knocking him away from her before he spun around her and kicked the other man in the chest knocking him to the ground. Lord Walter grabbed Paige, "You are safe now my Love."

The two men still on their feet closed in and Lord Walter concentrated and the white fire of Athena pulsed down and out of him as it burned a spidery weave of spirals on the ground around them. The six men had to retreat out of that area as they began burning from the holy fire. With the men being kept at bay by the fire Walter turned and took Paige in his arms.

Paige pushed against him and Walter pulled back in confusion, "My Love?"

Paige looked up at him, "Elyes? What are you doing here? Wait, you aren't Elyes. You are much too tall, who are you?"

Walter blinked, "Paige, it's me, Walter, your husband, Lord of Scorpion Keep. Who is Elyes?"

Paige shook her head, "Why do I always attract the lunatic fans and why do you keep calling me Paige? My name is Katharine, and I've never seen you before in my life. Though you do look remarkably like my boyfriend Elyes."

Walter was so confused he lost focus on the fire of Athena and the six men began moving in when Katharine held up her hand and they stopped.

"Someone has cast a spell on you my Love, I must get you to a temple of Athena quickly. Hopefully the temple Mistress can reverse whatever they have done." Walter scooped her up in his arms.

Paige burst out through the crowd into the market's center. She'd felt his anger and had charged through the crowd to find him and see what was wrong. She stared in disbelief as she saw him cradling some woman in his arms. Jealousy swelled in her heart. "What in the Underworld, Walter, what is going on here?" Paige demanded.

Walter spun around at the sound of her voice and saw his beloved standing there staring at him. His head looked at the face of the woman he held and back to his wife and his cheeks blushed a deep red. "Paige, I-I" his voice stammered as he tried to make sense of what was going on.

Paige stared at the face of the woman in Walter's arms as Katharine stared back at her. "Who in the Underworld are you?" They both shouted at the same time.

"I'm Katharine," Katharine said.

"I'm Paige, his wife," Paige told her. Walter still hadn't put it together yet and Paige looked at him, "Put her down, now."

Ralph came running out of the crowd and saw his Dad holding a woman that looked identical to his Mom, "Dad?"

Walter saw his son and blushed even deeper and quickly set Katharine down.

Paige stepped up closer to Katharine and both women stared at the other, "This is so weird. I don't have a sister, how can we look so much like the other?" Paige said.

Katharine nodded, "I've got a sister but we don't look this much alike."

Lord Walter slowly backed away from Katharine to stand next to Paige, "I'm sorry my Love. I'd been so worried with how long it was taking for you to finish your shopping that after this morning, I panicked when I saw these men escorting someone who looks so much like you."

Paige nodded as she continued to stare at the other woman.

Sir Cabe and the rest of the company emerged out of the crowd and stopped and stared at the two women. Happy's eyebrow rose, "Not good."

Lord Walter swallowed hard as he looked at the men, "I must apologize for attacking you. I had mistaken Katharine for my wife and thought you meant some mischief."

Katharine's bodyguards seemed to be just as confused when they saw Paige and slowly they nodded in understanding.

Ralph reached out and tugged on Walter's hand. Walter looked down and saw Ralph. Walter's lips curled up in love. He swooped Ralph up in his arms and hugged him tightly, "I was beginning to really worry about you and your Mother."

Paige finally looked away from Katharine and looked at Walter. "With Sir Cabe and the others with us? I don't think so my Love."

Walter looked up, "I was about to summon Selease to track you down."

Paige smiled, "Were we gone that long?"

Walter stared at her, "Over two hours Love."

Paige stepped in as Walter put Ralph back down and kissed Walter deeply. "I'm sorry, time got away from me."

Katharine looked at Walter, "So is it okay that we leave you now?"

Walter blushed again, "It is and once again I apologize for my blunder."

Katharine waved him off, "I'm putting on a concert tonight at Clowes Hall over by the Bronze Dragon Inn. To show there are no hard feelings, why don't you both come as my guests?"

Paige stared again, "You sing too?"

Katharine stared back, "You sing?"

Paige nodded as she pulled her lute around, "I'm a Bard by training." She looked speculatively at Katharine, "Do you know this song?"

Paige began playing her lute and Katharine smiled and nodded as she lifted up her voice,

"Baby you'll find
There's only one love
Yours and mine
I've got so much love"

Paige smiled as she looked at Walter and sang,

"And needing you so
My love for you
I'll never let go
I've got so much love"

The crowd quieted down and formed a large circle as the two women continued to sing.

Katharine, "All I want is to hold you
Let me show how much I love you baby"

Paige, "show you"

Katharine, "I don't mind and I don't mind"

Paige, "loving you"

Katharine, "Girl I love you

There's no one above you"

Both women together while Paige continued to look at Walter,

"You are the sun
You are the rain
That makes my life this foolish game
You need to know
I love you so
And I'd do it all again and again"

They sang the rest of the song and as they finished the crowd applauded enthusiastically.

Both women smiled and hugged before Katharine and her bodyguards moved on out of the market place.

Paige sighed as she slid her lute back across her back, "That was fun, it has been awhile since I put on a public show. Not that I don't enjoy entertaining you and our friends." She looked up at Walter and saw the love in his eyes.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize she wasn't you," Walter said blushing again.

Paige smiled, "I think she could have fooled anyone."

Walter looked at his friends and shook his head at the number of packages that Sir Cabe, Sylvester and Happy were carrying. "Please tell me that all of those are not yours," Walter looked deep into Paige's eyes.

Paige laughed, "Well not all of them." She stressed 'all' which led Walter into believing that the vast majority of them were hers.

Sir Cabe and Sylvester both rolled their eyes.

"Yea, this one is mine," Happy held up a small bag.

Paige laughed as she took Walter's arm and they all made their way back to the Bronze Dragon Inn. "Well after we all freshen up we can meet down in the dining room and have lunch, my treat." His offer was widely accepted with enthusiasm.

He saw the hotel concierge and walked over, "We met a singer in the market earlier who said she was performing a concert this evening at the Clowes Hall. Her name was Katharine."

The concierge nodded, "I know of Katharine."

Lord Walter nodded, "She invited us as her guests to attend."

"Of course Lord Walter, how many of you will be attending?" The concierge looked at the large group behind him.

Lord Walter smiled, "Well I do not wish to take advantage of her hospitality so I'll pay for all of the tickets. We'll need nine of them."

The concierge nodded, "I can't promise I can get them all together. She is quite popular."

Lord Walter nodded, "As long as my bride and son are with me, Sir Cabe and Allie would probably like to be together. I'd imagine the rest wouldn't be upset if they had to sit apart."

The concierge smiled as he nodded, "Very good. I'll do my best my Lord."

Lord Walter stepped back and wrapped his arm around Paige and they walked over and began climbing the stairs. As they exited the stairs on the third floor Paige stopped and she looked about as she began sniffing the air. She smiled, "Oh my."

She let go of Walter's arm and began walking the other way down the hallway from their room and Walter's eyebrow rose, "Love?"

She stopped at Toby's door and sniffed again and smiled as she reached up and knocked. Walter handed Sir Cabe the key to their room before stepping down next to Paige, his brow furrowed at the smell.

As Sir Cabe moved to Lord Walter's room with Sylvester who took the packages that Happy had. Allie could also smell the aroma and made her way down the hallway after them.

The door opened and Toby saw Lord Walter and the Lady Paige and his mouth dropped open as he began stammering.

Paige smiled bigger, "Surely you planned to share some of that, right?"

Allie stepped up, "My Lady, for reasons I explained yesterday about the wine, smoking that would be especially bad."

Paige pouted, "But it has been so long."

Allie shook her head.

Lord Walter looked about the three of them, "What am I missing here? And what is that smell?"

Toby shook his head, "Nothing at all, my Lord."

Walter looked at Paige, "My Love?"

Paige turned and kissed him, "Its okay Walter, lets go back to our room and get ready for lunch." Paige had to tug on his arm to get him to turn and follow her. She paused long enough at their door to look at Sylvester as he came out of their room, "You weren't planning on joining Toby were you?"

Sylvester shook his head, "I need to maintain my mental discipline. An ale now and again won't affect it but marijuana is deceiving."

Walter froze as his eyebrow shot up again, "Marijuana? That's what we smell and what you were interested in?" He looked at Paige.

Paige gave Sylvester a reproving stare before she smiled at Walter, "We can discuss it in our room if you want my Love. Sylvester, please keep Ralph away from it."

As Walter and Paige entered their room Happy walked down to Toby's door and looked at Allie and they both looked back down the hallway and as the door to Lord Walter's room closed they both smiled and walked into Toby's room.

Ralph looked up at Sylvester, "What's marijuana?"

Sylvester looked towards Lord Walter and Lady Paige's door, "Its dried leaves of the cannabis plant. Kind of like tobacco leaves that are used to make the cigars that Sir Cabe likes to smoke. Let's go get cleaned up."

Sylvester ushered him into the room they shared, "Dad doesn't get upset at Sir Cabe for smoking cigars, why did it seem like he was upset about this marijuana?" Ralph asked as Sylvester shut their door.

Paige looked back at Walter as the door closed behind them, "Really Walter. Not everyone has as big of a hang up with some things as you do. Why I bet even Sir Cabe probably enjoys a toke once in a while."

Walter and Paige stopped dead as they faced the interior of their room. They stood staring at the even bigger pile of presents that the hotel staff had brought up to their room. Sir Cabe turned and looked at them, "Umm, where do you want me to put these?"

Paige began laughing as she moved over and picked up one of the gifts. Walter shook his head as he gestured at the wall of the bathing room, "Thank you my friend. I think I need to take that gold ore to an exchange and get it converted to something lighter weight so that we can carry these gifts home with us."

Paige walked over and sat down on the bed as she opened the gift.

"I think you better consider buying a wagon instead. Judging from what I am seeing here, there is more weight in gifts than that gold ore." Sir Cabe smiled.

Walter grunted, "You're probably right about that."

"Oh Walter, it's beautiful," Paige said as she opened the gift on the bed.

Walter looked over and saw the ornate cuckoo clock. He stepped over as she held it up and admired the detail of the craftsmanship. "That is exquisite detail indeed. Oh that reminds me," Walter removed his sack from his belt and opened it. He reached in and pulled out the wrapped bolt of fabric. "I found this earlier, before you and Ralph were taken by the bounty hunters and thought a beautiful wedding dress could be made from it."

"I'll see you both downstairs for lunch shortly my Lord," Sir Cabe said as he walked towards the door.

"I'm sure you will find Allie in Toby's room enjoying some mighty fine herb Sir Cabe." Paige laughed as she saw him look a little guiltily at Lord Water before he left quickly.

Paige smiled as she took the bolt and untied the covering and stared at the white silk with gold inlay. "Walter, Love, its gorgeous and so soft," Paige gently moved the material across her cheek. She looked at him, "Please tell me you haggled with the merchant over the price."

Walter grinned as he shook his head, "Happy did. And then an old friend who manages the market caught up with us and paid for it as a wedding present."

Paige smiled, "How sweet of him."

Walter took Paige in his arms, "I'm glad we are leaving tomorrow, I'd hate to think of how many more presents are bound to arrive."

Paige laughed, "Let's get cleaned up and go have lunch."

She held out her hand and Walter took it. "And just so you know, its not that I have a big hang up about certain things. I just prefer that people remain in control of their actions."

Paige laughed.

Greetings, sorry I've been a bit behind. Hope you liked the scene of Walter and Paige meeting Katharine. lol When it first came to me I really wasn't going to include it but the story just refused to let me drop it so I went ahead and included it. The song they sang if you don't recognize it is a Lionel Richie song called 'You Are'.

Franxine - There have been a few fights where Walter wasn't hurt...the Frost Giant, the Orcs, the Nymph and the Necromancer. hehe

The thumbnail for the Knight's Tale story line has been updated but if you still haven't seen the full picture and want to but having problems navigating type the url twitter dot com/trindale change dot to . with no space between twitter dot com/trindale