Heartbreak and Pain, of Sorrow and Anguish, of Recovery and Friendship, Healing and Love.

This is a story of Heartbreak and Pain, of Sorrow and Anguish, of Recovery and Friendship, of Healing and Love. This is my story.

One Month ago, me and my LadyFriend Strode out among the wild, searching for Evil, helping the destitute, and fighting Tyranny and Evil wherever it is found. On the third day, we stumbled upon a death scene. By the opening of a small cave, we see a small group of people who were slain and desecrated. Hope prayed to Pelor, the God of the Sun, to light the way of her Humble Cleric and to help us stay safely on the path of the Light. I also prayed to my God, Heironeous, and God of Valor, to keep me safe and to fight with Honor. We go in slowly, looking for signs of trouble. Hope prays for their souls as I look for the victors.

“Over here.” I told her. I found a man in a Robe, laying flat on the ground, barely breathing.

“I can’t find anything wrong with him,” Hope says and she prayers to Pelor. She is startled by the feedback in her spell. The Mage Opens his eyes and looks around. He looks at us with death in his eyes and as he dies, he thrusts his staff in her hands and says, “Destroy . . . Leeches . . . “ Hope looks at me inquisitively, and solemnly takes the staff and straps it to her back. We bury the dead and vow to find their killers. We search the bodies for money and weapon to donate to the Church, and then slowly we move forward again.

We go forward into the cave. I take out my Lantern of Eternal Light. For a day, we move forward, seeing nothing but side passages and running water. We follow the water down to a small pool. We see a miniature boat on the water. I search the walls beside the lake. There are matching holes above the water. I peer into the holes with my Lantern and see that they go forward for about five feet and then straight up. As I am looking at the matching apertures, Hope is looking at the boat. She sees that there are writings on the side of the boat. She puts on her glasses of reading and looks at the words. “Le Petit-Grand Bateau?” she says. The Boat grows to a normal size, big enough for six people.

When she says the name, however, The Black Knight hears something coming down the holes. He takes a couple of steps back and unsheathes his sword. Hope sees this and draws her Mace. They are both taken aback by the Large Grubs that come forth spewing acid. Hope ignores the acid and swings her might Mace. She strikes the Grub full on and the exoskeleton creaks under the strain. The Black Knight takes his Blessed Vorpal Sword and slices the head off of the Grub. It explodes in a frenzy of Acid, spraying the Good Knight’s Armor. He looks over just in time to see the other Grub meeting its demise at the Hands of the Mighty Cleric. A second acid bath. Hope asks Pelor to cleanse them from the acid. The Black Knight feels a slight tingle as Pelor’s will is done. He asks Hope what she did. She says, “I just read the name of the boat. It’s call Le Petit-Grand Bateau.” As she says that, it grows back to its original miniature size.

“Le Petit-Grand Bateau?” Black Knight says, and the boat grows back to its large size. So they have discovered the secret of the Boat of the Lake. They jump in. There are no paddles. The Black Knight looks at Hope and asks, “How do we make this boat move?” She shrugs her head and starts looking through her glasses for more script. “Have you looked at the front of the boat? Maybe if you Go . . . “ At the world Go, the boats speeds across the lake.

“That’s great, but how do we make this boat Stop . . .” The Boat comes to a screeching halt in the middle of the lake. The Holy Adventurers are spilled into the middle of the boat. Hope adjusts her hair and glares at Black Knight. She says in a small voice “Go” and the boat starts at a much slower speed. They make it to the other side. Hope stops the boat and makes it small and places it into her backpack.

As they move forward, they hear chanting. Evil chanting. They move forward slowing. Black Knight peers around the next bend. “They are five of them. Four wearing black scale armor, and one in a dark robe in the middle. What do you think?”
Hope thinks for a second and says, “Can you discern whether they are evil?”
The Black Knight concentrates for a second, and says, “Yes, they are definitely evil. Do you have any spells that will hold them?”

Hope smiles. “I thought you would never ask. I found a scroll that just might do the trick.” First she cast a Freedom Spell on us, and then she takes out the Scroll of Entanglement off the Fallen Druid we found earlier by the mage. It is successful and holds the entire party. The Black Knight walks forward. “Do you understand Common? What is going on?” As we get closer, we see that they are Minotaurs. And now they are mad.

“You have interrupted my spell. I have spent a week on this spell. It would have gone much faster if I had my staff. I feel that it is close. If you have the staff and leave it, I will let you leave with your lives,” said the Minotaur Mage.

Hope shakes her head. “You do not deserve such a beautiful staff. I can feel its magic, but I don’t know what it does. But I DO know that the person I got it from gave his life to take this from you. We have vowed to destroy the Leeches and to vanquish those responsible for their deaths.” Suddenly, two of the Minotaurs break free from the spell and charge the Black Knight. He takes his sword and cleaves the head of the first Minotaur clean off. The second one blocks the blow and returns with a thrust of his own with his giant club. It catches the Black Knight on the shoulder. Hope comes forward and with a mighty swing, crushes the head of the second Minotaur. The Black Knight looks up just in time to see the Entangle Spell wear off. Instantly, the Mage cast Iron Skins on himself and then starts chanting. Each of the two remaining Minotaurs charge. The Black Knight quaffs a healing potion quickly and readies himself for the charge. The one on the left heads for Hope. She feigns an overhand blow and hits him with a vicious blow across the jaw. He swings his Morning Star and misses her by an inch. The other Minotaur reaches the Black Knight and pulls out his poison dagger. The Mighty Knight shakes his head and cleanly cuts off the hand holding the offending dagger. The Minotaur charges Black Knight and he calmly slices his head off with the Magical Blade he wields. He looks over, sees Hope holding her own, then looks up at the Mage. He sees the chanting come to a climax as a fiery gate appears. A small Demon is gated in and makes a beeline for the Knight. The Knight says a quick prayer to Heironeous asking for strength in battle. The Black Knight feels renewed strength flowing through his veins and approaches the Demon. Hope, with one more crosscut with her Mace, crushes the skull of her foe. Grimacing with disgust, she steps over its headless corpse and walks toward the mage. The Black Knight and the Demon trade blows. Hope sees the problems and asks Pelor to protect her Knight from Evil. She looks up to find the Mage still locked into battle to control the Demon. She strikes with her mace. It snaps with a glorious blast of sparks and the head of the mace falls to the side. The stoneskin has been defused, leaving the mage open to attack. She looks for a weapon and pulls out the Staff. As she swings, the Black Knight, with Pelor looking on, is getting the best of the Demon. He takes a mighty swing and dispels the Demon back to his proper plane. The Dispelling is powerful enough to nock the Knight facedown. When the Black Knight picks himself up, he sees a Giant Leech walking towards him. Tired, acting on instinct, the Black Knight has to go for a deathblow. With his last effort, he takes his blade and cuts right for the heart. As the sword goes through the body, the spell is dissipated. The Black Knight cringes in horror as he finds the body that has been run through with his sword morph back into Hope. He takes her into his arms.

“When I . . . hit the mage with . . . the staff I . . . was polymorphed into . . . a Leech. That’s . . . what the . . . mage meant.” She coughs up blood. “Destroy the Staff. He killed them . . .. “ Hope dies in the Black Knight’s arms. The Black Knight is struck with grief. Crying, he picks her up and stumbles back to the lake. Gets the boat out, floats across the lake, and runs for town. He goes to the Temple of Pelor and pleads for Restoration.

The Cleric of Pelor sadly shakes his head. “She is too far gone, my friend. She is with Pelor now.” The Mighty Knight passes out from the strain of the fight and flight to town, as well as the strain of a broken heart.

He comes to lying in a large bed. “Where am I?” The Cleric of Pelor tends to the Black Knight’s Wounds. “You are in the chambers of the Church. What happened?” I tell him of the battle and the heartrending finish. “A Leech, you say. That reminds me of a story that two sisters recently told me.” He told me of their tale. I vowed then and there to find these ladies and become their protectorate. The Cleric introduced me to Lady StormCloud. I was spell bound. It was as if a part of me that was lost had been found. I applied for a job that would put me in position to help protect StormCloud. I never told her that I knew, and I never told her my private grief. I am sorry it came out like this, but in a way, I’m glad. It needed to come out eventually. She grew to like me, and I her. Slowly, it became more than friendship until I had to Marry her to save her from myself.

So yes, I did have a LadyFriend a month ago. If you are charging me with falling for a beautiful Lady and trying to protect her from the world, then I am guilty. If you are charging me with withholding a painful experience that I choice to save the pain from my future bride, then I am guilty.

But if you are charging me with Deceitful Lust, Lying, dishonorment, and conduct unbecoming of a Knight, then I am not guilty and may Heironeous strike me feeble and blind if I am guilty.

To the other would be Suitors, do I need to remind everyone of Gabriel’s Multiple Personality Disorder? One minute he could be a Knight, then the next an Evil Mage bent on destruction. Would you believe him over a Knight of the Noblest Order? Or the other suitor, Sir Stealth Bomber who freely admits that HE HAS A WIFE!!!!!!

Please remember, my Purple Rose Petal of the Sky, that no matter what you decide, I will still be your protectorate until I no longer draw breathe into this body. I am yours, Heart, Mind, and Soul.

BK

[Gabriel]

Your tale, be well my friend, and i believe it to be truth. I acted only in the interest of your ladies honnor, as you charged me to do.
I have always been a mage my friend, but never was I evil.

[Cloudbringer]

Whoa! uh, that's all I can manage to say - I'm dumbfounded I'd say speechless, but nobody here would believe that (I heard that Memnoch!)

[Ladyzekke]

Ladyzekke accepts your heartwrenching story, Black Knight, might leech killer, and gives her blessings, but wonders why she was never invited to the wedding. Ladyzekke now looks to others to find another adventure, lest the stories will come to an end. Ladyzekke has read many a romance book and now looks to open a page to an action adventure!

[Cloudbringer]

Not one bystander in the keep's main hall could say exactly how she got there, but one minute StormCloud was in the Tower and the next she was in her Knight's arms, smothering him with kisses and whispering things only he could hear.

- Oh I knew it! I knew it could not be so! (beaming smile) Twas just that you disappeared as the charges were brought...I ..I..oh I am so very sorry I ever doubted...oh how can I ever make it up to you my love, my Champion, my Protector? That I should think you played me false....oh how can I ever be worthy of such maginificence? (hazel eyes lock with his, her heart races, the world around them disappears until she remembers one little detail)-


But wait! My sister! She hunts you even as we speak. She will need to hear your tale of woe and methinks she will need much more convincing. My lady sister is much wiser in the ways of the world than I and sometimes I fear she is more apt to ...question things...she...she... does not believe we are well and truly wed and has decreed that I should be courted by other suitors. -

[Cloudbringer]

LOL! LadyWendy, we must have both hit the send button at the same time!

All is well and will be well as this chapter in our lives has come to a close. I have you with me, now, and we shall never let anything come between us. Tonight's Black Storm of the Night shall be held near water, with the gail force winds accompanying our romance as the page turns and we begin our lives anew with a second wedding where all are invited, and, if she deems it thus, Lord of Alcohol and his band of Merry Men shall come and amuse my love with his little . . . tricks.

Gabriel, I understand thee, and I am sorry for my comments. You have done your duty well, and I shall ask for you to have full Knighthood for your acts.

My Purple Rose Petal of the Night, I am yours, Heart, Mind, and Soul.

BK

[Cloudbringer]

ROTFL!!!! Lord of Alcohol and his band of Merry Men? (gales of laughter)

Break out that turnip beer, Taliesin!

[Cloudbringer]

Ok, my housemate thinks I'm totally nuts now. I don't think I can safely explain what's caused all this laughing, without falling out of my chair.

And loves arrow,
does fly true,
and the lovers,
reunted, dark knight,
and his setting sun,
but a shadow lingers,
not of clouds,
this one be,
over the hearts,
of those who lost,
we that see,
our chances never to be,
and so in happpeness,
we mourn, the loss,
of this star lit sky,
to us who love from afar.