Greetings, well this is the story that came out of the ear worm I spoke of yesterday. Hoping it will just remain a one shot "what if" twist on the Knight's Tale story. But I have to admit several ideas have been creeping around as well. lol Let me know what you think.

To the Adventure! -Tim

Lightning flashed and a crack of thunder resounded off the buildings along a cobblestone street. The citizens that were hurrying about in the rain all dodged around the knight dragging a body behind her. Her armored legs and arms glistened in the rain as the hooded mantle let a trail of rain water run down the front and back of her breastplate.

She came to the door of the town constable and twisted the knob as she pushed in the door, dragging the body inside. Rain water ran all over the wooden floor as she let go of the tunic of the former murderer and his head bounced on the wood. The constable was taken aback at the sound and watched as her other hand came up as she pulled the hood of her mantle back off her head.

She looked at the constable as she reached within her breastplate and pulled out a bounty notice and placed it on his desk. "Your Lord has placed the bounty of two thousand, five hundred and fifty gold sovereigns on the head of Ares Jack, dead or alive. She gestured to the body, "I, Lady Paige hereby claim the reward."

The constable swallowed hard, "I'll have to verify that this is Ares Jack before I can pay you."

Lady Paige leaned forward placing her hands on his desk. "Do you have any idea what I have gone through to bring this body to you? I've tracked this scum for three days. I found him just three hours from your town and then because of your town's rules concerning horses I had to drag his body through the rain to turn him in." With disgust Paige reached down and ripped the tunic off the man's body revealing unique, glowing blue tattoos. "Is that enough proof of who he is?"

The constable nodded nervously as he looked over his desk at the body. "If you'd like to go to the Rafter Dog Inn and wait, my men and I will bring you the bounty." He was scribbling as he began filling out a form and then turned it around, "I'll need your signature as turning in the body. Then I'll need another signature to accept the gold when I bring it to you."

Lady Paige stared at him as he talked and detected nothing but truth from him and nodded as she reached out and took his quill and signed. She looked up, "The Rafter Dog Inn? Doesn't sound like a very reputable place."

The constable nodded, "It is a midlevel establishment. A few undesirables from time to time I'll grant you, but it is just around the corner to the north, about three doors."

Lady Paige nodded, "As long as they got a good fire and food, I feel like I'll be squeaking for a week."

The constable laughed, "It shouldn't take too long my Lady, an hour at the most."

Lady Paige smiled and pulled her hood back up and opened the door as the deputies grabbed the body before she stepped out and walked several yards and turned north.

She quickly saw the sign for the Rafter Dog Inn and shook her head as she walked over and opened the door to step inside. The wave of heat from the fireplace was welcomed and she quickly pulled her hood down.

Many heads turned and a number of eyes lingered as she walked over to a table not far from the fireplace. Lady Paige continued to ignore the stares as she pulled her mantle off and placed it on the back of a chair closest to the fireplace. She unbuckled her shield and sat it in the chair before she gathered her long, sandy blonde hair and squeezed it until water ran out of it. She unbuckled her sword belt and laid the sword across the table as a serving wench walked up.

She eyed the young woman and the immodest dress and sighed. Almost every Innand Tavern is the same. Debase people to try and entice clients to spend more. She thought.

The young woman smiled, "Good afternoon Lady, what can I get for you?"

The Lady Paige looked around but didn't see anyone eating and then frowned noticing the abnormal amount of women in the Inn. She looked at the wench, "What do you have to eat?"

She smiled, "We've got roasted mutton, cooked only two days ago. It has carrots and potatoes with it."

Lady Paige slowly nodded, "That will be fine, water to drink."

The wench sighed inwardly figuring she wouldn't get much of a tip for this one. She smiled anyway, "I think you might have picked a good table to sit at today."

The Lady Paige sat in a chair on the other side of the table as she looked up puzzled, "I just wanted to be sure my mantle dried out. What's so special about this table?"

The wench giggled, "Oh, you'll find out shortly dear." She quickly turned and moved off.

Lady Paige rolled her eyes as the wench walked on back towards the bar counter.

It wasn't long before the serving wench returned with a plate of food and a glass of water and set them down in front of Lady Paige.

Lady Paige smiled and pulled four silver coins from a small bag from her belt and handed them the girl, two for her meal and two as a tip.

The girl looked surprised but smiled with a thank you before she turned and walked away.

Lady Paige took a moment and prayed over her meal. As she opened her eyes she saw a short man with a short, scrappy beard. The brunette hair of his head was trimmed quite short. He seemed to be setting up a chair in the corner on the other side of the fireplace from Lady Paige. She heard a collective groan from most of the women inside the Inn. She looked around with a quizzical look at the women but didn't pick up on anything. She picked up her fork and knife and began cutting the meat.

As the flesh slid into her mouth the hot, savory juices ran across her tongue and she smiled. At least the cook appears to have some skill, she thought as she began chewing.

As she took a second bite there seemed to be a bit of a disturbance towards the back as the women all shouted out a whoop. Too many of them were standing and clapping to see what was going on but Lady Paige began to hear the strumming of a lute and then a remarkable male voice rose up with it.

The quality of that voice spoke of the training he had. Lady Paige recognized the song, it had been sung many times by traveling musicians in her own hall. She slowed in her chewing as she looked back and forth trying to see around some of the women. She swallowed hard as a handsome man about her age came out from behind the standing women and moved across the floor towards the fireplace. Her eyes were almost wide open.

The man wore a green shirt with black pants and the front of his shirt was wide open at his throat and didn't close until it disappeared behind his belt buckle. Well past his navel as her eyes looked down. She quickly averted her eyes as he moved about along the floor his shirt opening up back and forth exposing more of his chest and his abdominal muscles. Lady Paige surprised herself as she realized her foot was keeping time with his playing.

As the song came to an end he was standing just a few feet from her table facing away from the Lady Paige and he slowly bent over at the applause and keeping his right foot set he spun along that line bent over to all the applauding women. As he came to face Lady Paige he saw she wasn't applauding and he smiled with a slight lopsided grin. His stubble beard, his dark curly hair, about four inches in length brought her eyes to his. Staring into his dark brown eyes she could have sworn his eyes twinkled, "I guess I will just have to work a bit harder for your approval then my Lady."

The Lady Paige blushed and he smiled as he stood up and stepped over to the chair the other man had set up and turned and sat down. He pulled his left leg up, placing his foot on the edge of the seat. The material of his pants drawing tightly around the bulge of his manhood and Paige blushed again and quickly looked up to his face. His eyes closed as he lightly strummed the lute as he began telling a tale of daring, of lost love and adventure.

She found it difficult to look away but she finally managed and saw that every woman she could see was staring at him with rapt attention. Paige looked back just as the man's head turned and his eyes opened and locked with hers. The Lady Paige couldn't help but smile at him and he quickly smiled back. She mentally kicked herself, feeling like some silly school girl.

As the story ended he began singing again while still staring at the Lady Paige and slowly he stood and moved outward from his chair towards the other tables but just before he would have step back behind the other tables he changed direction and moved around coming back around towards her table. Paige frowned momentarily at some noise she heard but didn't recognize. The noise was disgruntled women complaining because he didn't come on back further into the Inn.

As he drew closer he looked right at her with a big smile and Lady Paige could only smile back at him. As his song came to an end he paused half bent over staring at her as the other women burst out applauding, the Lady Paige blushed slightly but applauded as well.

He smiled and stepped forward and reached out and took her hand gently and raised it up and kissed the back of it. Paige grinned a bit more as he turned slowly after winking at her and moved back to his chair. Paige heard some woman mutter "Lucky bitch."

Paige had started to turn to look for the offender when the constable stepped up with his deputies and blocked her view of the Bard. She almost glared and then saw the bags they each held and she removed a bag from her belt and quickly deposited all six bags of gold coins into the bag and then secured it back to her belt. The constable sat a small inkwell on the table along with a quill and a ledger.

She could hear some angry mutterings from the other women and then realized that the Bard had stopped and just stood there watching and waiting. Paige blushed slightly and quickly signed the ledger and the constable grabbed everything and then left.

The Bard winked at her once the constable was gone and began telling a new story. Paige grinned as she recognized the story was about when she had rescued the son of the governor of the city-state of Los Angeles.

For three hours the Bard played, he sung, told stories and jokes. The Lady Paige found herself thoroughly entertained the entire time. The Bard did what a Bard does best and flirted with her the whole time. What surprised her was that as far as she could tell he hadn't flirted with any of the other patrons. Which she knew wasn't a good way of getting tips.

As he ended his performance the Lady Paige looked down at her meal, almost uneaten and quite cold and she smiled in spite of it. A shadow fell across her table and she looked up and the Bard was standing there smiling, "May I sit?"

The Lady Paige returned his smile and gestured at the chair next to hers.

He took a sip from the tankard he brought with him, "I'm Walter, Walter of the clan O'Brien." He turned the chair around the other way and sat down straddling the chair.

The Lady Paige smiled and reached out her hand, "I'm the Lady Paige of the house of Dineen."

Walter grinned and shook her hand this time. "It is nice to meet you my Lady Paige."

Paige noticed the short man was back and picked up the lute Walter had left on the chair. She cleared her throat and pointed, "Is he supposed to be taking your lute?"

Walter turned his head and smiled as he turned back, "That's Ray. He's kind of like my manservant. He sets up for me, collects tips and takes care of things behind the scene."

Paige nodded slowly.

Walter took another drink, "Were you in trouble with the constable?"

Paige laughed, "Hardly, I'd brought the body of a murderer in for the bounty."

Walter's eyes opened wide, "A bounty hunter, I wouldn't have guessed that."

Paige grinned, "Sometimes but not often. I usually spend my time away from my hall on quests, such as rescuing the son of the governor of Los Angeles."

Walter nodded with a smile, "I had thought that was you when I passed by the first time. I couldn't resist telling the story."

Paige laughed, "Or the other six?"

Walter laughed before taking another drink, "You got me there. I doubt most of the women here would know it was you I was telling stories of but I am sure if you question them they'd tell you all the stories I've told about you this week."

Paige blushed.

Walter winked as he finished his ale.

Ray stepped over with a small cup held out before him and Walter smacked his hand, "Not from her."

Ray looked at him with surprise. "The Lady Paige, this is Ray. Ray, the Lady Paige." Walter introduced them.

Ray smiled, "My Lady Penelope."

Walter's face darkened, "It is the Lady Paige, how can you constantly get names wrong in the three seconds you are told them?"

Ray blushed, "Sorry my Lady Paige."

Paige smiled but waved her hand dismissing the matter as she looked at Walter, "My coin not good enough?"

Walter grinned, "Hardly, it was my pleasure to perform for you."

Ray lend down on the other side of Walter, "Umm, spending this much time with her is going to reduce your tips from the others."

Walter glared at him, "There are more important things than coin Ray."

Walter looked back at Paige, "So something about me is more important than coin?" She arched her eyebrows at Walter as Ray walked off into the crowd.

Walter nodded, "Have you ever heard of recognition?"

Paige frowned, "Beyond what the word means? No."

Walter grinned, "In the Elven world there is a concept called recognition. It is a feeling when two people meet that it was fated, loosely translated of course."

Paige smiled, "So you believe we were fated to meet?"

Walter nodded, "For what purpose I have no clue, but from the moment my eyes first met yours I could feel a resonance. Not that I wish to make you sad but, while I was performing for Lord Beyon in Lancaster a while back. A messenger came in and made the announcement. I was truly saddened to hear of the death of your husband. Drew was his name wasn't it?"

Paige's smile disappeared instantly. It had only been nine months and she slowly nodded.

Walter took her hand, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to extinguish your smile. It truly is a beautiful smile."

One corner of Paige's mouth rose in a bit of a smile, "Thank you for both. Perhaps I should get going. I'm sure my mantle is dry now and it sounds like the rain is over anyway."

Walter reached up with his right hand and caressed the top of her hand he held with his left. "I understand. If you are in the neighborhood in a couple of weeks I hope to be performing at the Grey Goose Inn in Aaron Springs. I'd love a chance to see you again."

Paige smiled and stood and picked up her sword.

Walter frowned, "You barely touched your food. Did you lose your appetite?"

Paige laughed, "In a manner of speaking Walter."

They heard a noise and looked back and saw a couple of guys accosting Ray and Walter jumped up and ran back followed by Paige. Walter pushed one of the men, "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?"

The two men turned and glared at Walter.

The Lady Paige she stood up beside Walter, "Leave Ray alone."

"Buzz off Blondie, afore I hurt ya," the man swiped his hand towards Paige and she reacted with grace and grabbed his wrist and twisted around and pulled, throwing him several yards away.

The other man threw a punch at Walter as Paige spun around and caught his punch in her hand stopping it dead in midair a few inches from Walter's face.

The man frowned as he exerted his full strength but couldn't break the hold Paige had on his hand.

Walter grinned and threw a punch and knocked the guy down as Walter grimaced and shook his hand.

Paige shook her head, "Have you never boxed before? Hold your hand like this." She closed her fist with her thumb over her index and middle fingers so you don't hurt your hand or wrist. You need to learn a proper stance too for maximum strength."

Walter continued to grimace, "Normally I let my sword or anything I can use as a club do my talking."

Paige pulled his hand up and examined it, "I don't think you broke anything this time."

"Look out," Ray shouted.

Paige spun and punched the guy she threw in the face and he collapsed to the floor. She turned back around as the other guy started to stand. He swallowed hard seeing his friend out cold and he sat back down and held out his hands.

Paige looked at Ray, "Are you okay?"

Ray nodded, "They tried to take the tips."

Walter grabbed Ray by the back of his tunic and pulled him away and towards the fireplace.

Paige shook her finger at the other man and turned and walked back to her table.

Paige picked up her mantle and found it dry and she threw it on before picking up her shield and buckled it on her left arm. She looked up at Walter, "Tell me, are you leaving here soon to go to Aaron Springs?"

Walter looked back and smiled, "Yes. I don't have a confirmed engagement as yet. But places tend to hire me on the spot when they hear me."

Paige nodded, "I could always use a Bard with my company if you'd be interested."

Walter looked at her, his eyes probing, "Are you serious?"

Paige nodded as she buckled her sword belt on.

Walter looked at Ray and back to her, "How much are you willing to pay?"

Paige looked up, "How much do you require?"

Walter licked his lips, "Well, I typically make about one hundred and twenty gold sovereigns a month.

Paige nodded, "I'll match that, plus room and board."

Walter grinned, "Deal."

Paige smiled and shook his hand, "Do you have horses?"

Walter nodded, "Give me an hour to get ready?"

Paige nodded, "I'll be across the street at the provisioners."