A certain lady and her beloved paladin frequently find their romance the subject of intense interest and speculation. It seems that many expect a grand tale, worthy of legend, rather than a quiet and heartfelt courtship. While some accept the truth, others feel it most unworthy of the two people. Sometimes, a brave bard takes it upon themselves to spice the tale up a bit...

Long ago upon a time in the city of the Spire,
There lived a lovely lady whose locks were dark red fire.
Headstrong was the lady and fearsome was her wrath,
Though her face and ample riches kept suitors in her path.
But the lady had a brother, a paladin quite true
Who felt it was his duty to guard her sweet virtue.

This suited the lady well, or so it always seemed.
At her beloved brother she ever-sweetly beamed.
For secretly she loathed the lackeys and the fops
And laughed at every one of them, "Oh, those simpid sops!
What I wouldn't give for a man both brave and sure.
Someone with a spine would be a potent lure."

The lady's idle words were rumored far and wide
As many staunch adventurers wanted this fair bride.
Suddenly there was a rash of young men gone to war
And the lady merely smirked, for none did she adore.
"They're simply playing for my hand, I'm sure this is the case.
Perhaps they should stay home, and save themselves the chase."

And the lady's brother chuckled, amused at her dismissal
For secretly he thought none worth a measely thistle.
Still less did they deserve the bonny hand of Cait;
None but the most admirable would suit her as a mate.
And so he wondered if ever a man would win her firey heart
Or if the ways of chilvalry were truly a long dead art.

For many weeks the lady roamed in boredom's lethal clutch
'Til there came a story that piqued her interest much.
It seemed that valour thrived in a heart within the Spire!
Somewhere in the city lived a man all could admire.
Not only did this paragon possess bountiful assets clear
But the stories of his face proclaimed him quite a dear.

Many women still bewailed their lack of luck with the gem;
And for all their brave attempts he would have none of them.
It seemed the love and the heart he gave to all and none
For the paladin of Kala served only the Lady of the Sun.
And yet he ever found himself the subject of their yearning;
He found himself despairing of feminine hearts churning.

As the lady formed a plan to meet this brave knight rare,
She found herself in the company of another rather fair.
Still, he held no interest for the ever-picky girl.
She found him disagreeable and thought him quite a churl.
Away he went from her estate with a fearsome face displayed
And within his dark heart, plans of his own he made.

A few days passed and into the woods the headstrong lass fast rode
All on her own, on fleet grey steed, 'til suddenly she slowed.
For as she entered a forest glade in autumn's cloak of brown,
Her amber eyes espied an injured man, lying prone upon the ground.
So still he lay upon a bed of leaves all dank and damp and dark
She flung herself from her horse and approached without remark.

And as the lady knelt with hand outstretched to rouse the wounded man
Unaware that his weakened ruse was part of the suitor's plan,
The whole and healthy knave quickly grabbed her wrist.
Stilling the startled maiden by means of a sharp twist.
"Now quiet you be, my pretty maid, and none shall harm a strand
Of your dark red hair, or lovely body, and all shall be quite grand."

Frightened and in pain, the lady merely nodded
And quickly moved across the glade as her back he prodded.
And in the trees around the edge they joined a party hiding.
"And now my tiny precious, let's do a little riding."
They bound her hands and set her up atop her valiant steed;
Then off into the west they traveled at top speed.

It seemed they rode for hours, though 'twas not quite so distant.
Though she strove to free herself, the ropes proved quite resistant.
In early dusk the group finally stopped at the gates to an estate
Adorned with a familiar coat of arms that the lady grew to hate.
Quickly they were admitted, and up the hill they rode
To a large and sumptuous castle, her suitor's own abode.

Silently they marched the girl through the dark and echoing way
Through opulent, carpetted corridors with portraits on display.
At last they stopped their hurried march in front of doors of oak.
Slowly one door opened, and as they entered no one spoke.
The group escorted the still-bound girl into a massive hall.
Their footsteps rang on marble floor as she heard a scorning call.

"Oh lovely lady, who art too proud to bend thy will to any
I do believe thine safe return will bring a pretty penny.
But I'm not so sure I'll ransom thee, for I'd rather keep thee here
A lovely prize, and only mine, and always to me near.
Though still I think it best to alert thy family to thy fate;
I'm sure they will be quite concerned for their adored and bonny Cait."

And as he sneered at the maiden's plight, most pleased with fortune's turn,
She stared back with blazing eyes, her expression grave and stern.
Yet not a word the lady spoke, as contempt adorned her face.
Her chin held high, she still remained a study of calm grace.
Inwardly, her anger mixed with fear for her future lot
For her brother was called away to quite another spot.

So even if word did reach her family in the heart of Dragonspire,
There would be no rescue from circumstances dire.
Long might she pine and wither, yet it seemed her fate was made.
Until her brother returned from a distant, foreign glade.
And still her head remained held high, as her thoughts raced fast
And silently she stared, almost sure she'd roamed her last.

Her captor concealed his dismay at the lady's calm expression
For her fiery nature was well reknowned and accepted without question.
He stood and raised a hand to her and still she did not flinch.
He turned upon his heel, saying "Take away the wench!
Lock her in a tower from which she cannot escape."
And then he left the room with a flourish of his cape.

Very quickly the message reached the family in the city.
Soon the story spread; 'twas thought to be a pity
That the lovely lady stolen was held without remorse.
But it seemed those moved by her prior words now had changed their course.
For none set out to rescue her, and all displayed their fright.
Those enthusiastic adventurers left her to her plight.

As her family almost lapsed into bitterness and despair,
One indeed stepped forward with a brave, determined air.
"It is not right to abandon the maiden to this destiny.
I'll go and fetch your daughter from this paragon of villiany."
'Twas Kala's faithful servant, the paladin of repute.
He readied sword and armor, then left to find the brute.

The paladin lept upon his steed and tore into the night
His anger plain upon his face; 'twas quite an awesome sight!
His only goal and mission to save the lady fair,
The innocent young lady with the lovely auburn hair.
Far and fast he rode on his faithful mare called Starr
Until at last he approached the keep and stopped a bit afar.

"It's on my own I go from here, the better to sneak in.
Though I know not what I'll find of the group within."
He paused to offer prayer to his chosen goddess bright
Then approached forbidding gates by the silver clear moonlight.
Without a pause he slew the sentry who tried to keep him back,
Then with his keys unlocked the way and started up the track.

The moonlight gleamed quite brightly on his polished armor's steel.
For he did not skulk in shadows; it was not his ideal.
Then high up in the tower, a bell began to toll.
It slowly called the hours as to the doors he stole.
No one stood to challenge him this far inside the gate,
So into the keep he entered in a calm, determined state.

No further than ten feet within he met his first dark foe,
And sent him into death's dismal realm with a stabbing blow.
Another came with the first and proved no greater contest;
He easily followed the other, and onward the paladin pressed.
Through the nighttime keep he strode, no fear within his heart
He trusted in his goddess, and this set him apart.

As he moved through the darkened keep, he met only scarce defense,
And quickly dispatched each fighter with cold and practiced sense.
He approached the portals of the hall where once the suitor stood;
Then paused a moment at the doors, with his hand upon the wood.
Another prayer he uttered there, to steady his righteous sword,
Then bravely flung open the entry to confront the youngling lord.

And through the night-darkened hall the paladin moved like a storm,
Victory coursing through his veins as he prepared to reform
An evil man who'd kidnap a lady and steal her away from her place.
Approaching the dias with steely purpose, he moved with deadly grace.
But as he reached the cushioned chair he found his purpose thwarted
For his presence to the coward lord had not gone unreported.

One of the keep's intrepid guards brought the alarming news to his lord
Of the paladin's progression through the halls and his skill with sword.
Eager to keep his fair-countenanced prize, the suitor fled to her tower.
He bound her hands once again and sneered, "You're quite a pretty flower.
I'm not inclined to lose you just now, when I have you all for my own."
He gagged her as well and pulled her downstairs, stumbling on the stone.

Her amber eyes flashed with unbridled fury as she struggled to stay on her feet
The winding steep stairs, unlit by torchlight, made it quite a feat.
Back down to the hall, into the lord's den, the two swiftly made their descent.
And whom should be waiting but Kala's true servant, to end the lady's torment.
Immediately he raised his sword as the knave and the maiden appeared
But quickly the lordling drew forth a dagger, stopping the man as he neared.

To the lady's sweet throat, as smooth as new cream, he quickly angled the blade.
"If you mean to take her away from me, then by her the price will be paid.
I intend to keep her all for myself, or no one shall have her in life."
The paladin stood as still as a pillar, watching the blade of the knife.
He could not abandon the captured young maiden, nor could he cause her death.
The great hall fell silent as he pondered his choices, almost holding his breath.

The lady swallowed carefully, as not to meet the sharpened blade;
Across to the room to the paladin's eyes her startled gaze now strayed.
Her gaze held his for barest moment, knowing well there was no means
Of communicating her planned intent to escape the lovestruck fiend.
Then suddenly the lady acted, for she dare not wait for chance!
She slammed her foot into her captor's instep, causing a painful dance.

The lady quickly followed through by spinning from his hold,
While her rescuer rushed to call his challenge to the man so bold.
"I believe the price you mentioned a'fore will be paid by you alone
For one who'd kidnap a lady must for his sins atone."
The lordling threw away the dagger and pulled forth his own sword;
Sparks flew as the two blades met without another word.

Around the hall the determined men battled in deadly counterpart
And each recognized in his fiersome opponent a kindred of the art.
The paladin's polished armor afforded him the stronger defense
But without that weight the other man could much more quickly fence.
And so the two continued their dance of steel, so very closely matched,
As slowly minutes slipped away with neither of them scratched.

Parrying, slashing, slicing fast, their blades became a blur.
But while the paladin remained grimly steady, anger filled the cur.
He began to take more foolish risks to stop his valiant foe,
Yet the paladin fought quite calmly, considering his every blow.
Soon the boor's style faltered as he tired from effort wasted
And he became more desperate as bitter defeat he tasted.

So as the duo fought their battle to determine her final fate,
The lady debated her own few options, and decided not to wait.
Toward her captor's thrown-away knife she quietly, slowly crept
For she was a lady of resource and spirit, not one who cringed and wept.
The knife lay near, within her reach, but well out of their path.
It suited well; she could keep her distance from their violent wrath.

The maiden knelt beside the blade, and it seemed that hours passed
As she attemped to recover it with hands bound tight and fast.
At last she held it, and once again she glanced to the fighting pair.
A dark blue gaze held hers for an instant, and she knew he was aware
Of her own plot to free herself; and she watched with slight relief
As he turned the duel away from her, realizing her chance was brief.

Quickly she worked, propping the blade between her legs to brace
As she scraped her ties against the edge in a desparately hurried race.
At last they gave, and she was free! She flexed her hands and stood
While across the room one of the swords took a chunk from a table's wood.
The lady pulled away her gag, now angrier than before.
Her strange wild eyes watched the men as they fought around the floor.

Narrowing as she surveyed the scene, her eyes grew ever brighter.
Another plan formed within her mind of how to fix the blighter
Who'd brought her here against her will and kept her in the tower.
Again she worked her hands together, savoring anger's power.
Recovering once more the knife she'd dropped, she moved with catlike grace
Trying to work her way around to see her captor's face.

Her amber eyes met with his -- her rescuer, not the lordling.
Faint relief shone in their depths to see the lady moving.
Lost in a moment of admiration for the skillful way she crept,
He dropped his defense without intention, during which the other lept.
His seeking sword found an opening in the paladin's steely plate;
He gasped and staggered back while the other barked with hate.

"Perhaps the victory shall be mine, and she shall be my bride.
I'll let you live until that date, though I'll mark it in your hide.
And you can be our guest of honor when the lovely Cait I wed.
I'll even let you watch that night when I take her to my bed."
An evil laugh filled the room as the brutal scoundrel savored
His future with the maiden that he so madly favored.

Gritting his teeth again the pain, the paladin regrouped his strength
And launched toward the man who relished his well-planned fate.
But before his blade could meet the rascal and send him to his doom
A flicker of metal caught his eye as a streak across the room.
The man's eyes widened; his sword clattered loudly upon the marble floor
Vainly he clasped at the knife in his throat, though death stood at his door.

Soft but clear, her voice rang true and heavy with disdain
"I don't believe your plans and mine are very much the same."
She moved across the room as he tumbled to his knees and fell
Her expression filled with scorn as he recognized his knell.
"This is your just and rightful fate, delivered by my hand;
Not once again shall you threaten a maiden in this or other land."

Then he was gone, his life bled out onto the floor around
And for the next few minutes, there was no other sound.
Finally she looked away to her rescuer, fair and brave
Dismay tugged at her face to see him injured by the knave.
She ripped free a strip of cloth from the bottom of her shirt
And helped him bind fast his wound, regretting the needless hurt.

"Tis but a scratch," he whispered, reassuring the lovely lass.
"I've had worse before, and this one too shall pass."
She shook her head in soft reply, "I'm sure that is the case.
I simply wish that you'd had no harm from one not fit to grace
This fair empire with his presence, for evil truly flowed
Through his veins and poisoned his mind like a constant ghastly goad."

He smiled at her then, and after a moment she returned it rather shyly;
After the night's dark events, she thought of him quite highly.
Their hands lingered together where they had sealed the sword's cruel biting tear,
Then one of his reached to her face, caressing her cheek with gentle care.
In that quiet instant, they saw in one another what they long sought
And with no other word, they knew they were both caught.

The silence stretched to several minutes, as quietly they unwound.
"You are Caithris, and I am Korran. And now that you are found,
Why don't we leave this dreadful keep and return to a better dell?"
She nodded, but was loath to stand and break the newfound spell.
He felt her fear and understood, but no longer wished to tarry
In such darkness as he felt in the abode of the one she would not marry.

And so they made their way back through the halls, more quickly as they went
Until outside the walls they paused to breathe the clean air's scent.
He whistled for his valiant mare, and the white horse trotted forth
After both settled in her saddle, he turned their path to north.
The sun's early light graced eastern sky, and they knew naught was amiss.
Peaceful dawn broke over the silent keep, lighting their first kiss.