Dulcinea had dropped Hristo and four of the other Paladins off at the mage’s estate. Though Michael was gone, there would be other mages there to help bounce them around the world looking for allies. In her weakened state, she was not strong enough to come back, so Lucette formed the portal and watched Dulcinea return to her people. When she got back to the Honor Estate, she was giving a room down the hall from the surgeon. The Cleric had healed all of her wounds with his healing chant, but she had lost much blood and needed days of bed rest.

The first to visit her the next morning was Keshet. He came in smiling but couldn’t hide the concern on his face. When she sat up with a smile, he visibly relaxed.

“You look better. How are you feeling?”

“Much better. I’m supposed to eat and drink more; care to go down for breakfast?” He smiled and escorted her down to the first floor where the small dining room was just off the kitchen.

“How long have you been in the human world? I could never have imagined living among them till Iovita went off to become a Paladin. I went with her and bought into their philosophy. Long term, I’m not sure I could live away from our people.”

“I was worried too at first, but I adapted quickly. I had Indrani with me, and that made adapting a lot easier?”

“Really? He never speaks. How was he able to make you more comfortable in a strange land? Are two… a couple?” he asked tentatively.

“Couple? Oh, no. I do love him, but we have never had any romantic interest in each other.” She looked at him quizzically, “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious.” He smiled awkwardly, “As a Paladin, we are often called to travel together to foreign lands. We recruit sometimes, but mostly we carry out our mission to eradicate evil from Xoran.”

“That’s a tremendous task to take upon yourselves. You’re giving up on your own life, your own… desires?” He was watching her intently as they spoke and he saw something peculiar in her expressions, her body language. She was leaning in, her light eyes wide in anticipation.

“I think the true mark of a man of the gods is the willingness to sacrifice. For the world at large, and the elven nation in particular, I would give my all, even my life.”

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There was a pregnant pause in the conversation, both of them dropping their gaze and getting temporarily lost in their own thoughts. When he looked up, she looked crushingly saddened, and perhaps… proud?

“Will Indrani be joining us?”

“Probably not. I sometimes don’t see him for days, or weeks at a time. Then when I need him, he seems to come from nowhere to have my back. He protected me in the Underworld and now we protect each other here.”

“I would protect you, regardless of the consequences.” His earnest look said a lot.

“I heard that you were the first to my side. I never thanked you, but it may be your immediate healing of me, while still faced with overwhelming odds that saved my life,” she took his hand and by force of will, got him to stare directly into her eyes, “I thank you, Sir Keshet Honor.”

The Paladins that had not accompanied Hristo to meet with representatives of the King’s Table sat around the formal dining table, partaking of their hosts’ hospitality. The hour was late, but no one was ready to retire anytime soon. Usually, they made small talk, discussing the day’s events or telling the others about their homelands, but today they found idle conversations difficult. Out of the blue, Keshet had a question for the others.

“I know that ours is a life of sacrifice, but are we allowed to… have families, to get… married?” They looked at him with amusement, but less surprise than he’d anticipated.

“Thinkin of takin a certain elf mage for your mate?” Dolphus asked, stifling a chuckle.

Keshet tried to laugh it off and look casual, but failed miserably, “I’m just asking, still not sure if we are supposed to be taking vows of poverty…”

“I think you’re more concerned about the vow of chastity,” Dolphus said in a hearty roar, the others laughed at Keshet’s expense.

“They jest, but let me educate you, brother,” Nocolo said. “We do not aspire to chastity, but we do value monogamy and prudence. Domina does not require you to live in poverty, but she demands charity. As part of our sect, we must always strive to adhere to the virtues of temperance, diligence, obedience, patience, kindness, and humility.”

“Long term, a man needs the love and companionship of woman,” Otgar said. “My wife is the rock on which I am built. I rely on her nearly as much as I rely on my faith.”

“I didn’t know that you had a wife,” Rocco said.

“I don’t see her often. She survives on the rents we collect and takes care of our children.”

Keshet’s head swam, all of the new information he was receiving gave him a deeper understanding of their belief system, and it gave him hope. With Iovita on a mission, he was the oldest at the table, and yet they had so much more experience than he did. Possibilities opened up for him and he saw his future in a whole new light.