Carson ignored the wizard and continued to stare at the ape's face. "You've been beaten, old friend," he said. "You spared my life many years ago and I'll do the same for you, but you must leave people alone."
Alto pulled himself out from beneath Bucky and rose to his feet slowly. He stared up at the confrontation and started when Mordrim burst through the weeds next to him. The dwarf's armor was covered in mud and weeds, as was his beard. Mordrim stopped and stared up at the ape, surprised to see a man standing atop him.
"Friend of yours?" Mordrim asked.
"Seems that way," Alto said.
The dwarf grunted and stood ready, hammer in hand.
"I don't know what you understand," Carson said slowly. "But I'll make this plain for you. You're never to attack another human, nor make a pet of them, unless they attack you. Agree to that by stomping a foot or a hand."
A long and very tense moment passed until Bucky raised his good foot and slammed it back into the ground.
Carson grinned and straightened. "You have my word that I'll fight at your side if someone should come for you, old friend."
"Friend?" Mordrim repeated.
Alto nodded. "He doesn't get out much."
"One of your females is still in the castle," Carson told the ape. "I don't know about the others."
"We killed one here," Alto said.
"We killed one earlier in a clearing," Mordrim said.
"That what you called it?" Garrick said as he walked towards them.
"Aye, what would you call it?"
"I had to dig you out of the ground, seemed you were wallowing like a pig," the barbarian said.
Mordrim scowled at him and turned to Alto. "The ape had pounded me into soft ground. My armor took the blow but I was stuck fast."
Alto smiled but looked around. He raised his voice and called out, "Namitus? Patrina? Are you here?"
Patrina walked around Bucky's feet, limping a little but offering him a smile. She hurried to him and threw her arms around him, delivering a wince to his face that she eased away with a kiss.
"My lady." Mordrim knelt before her and then looked up and saw how much of her leg was exposed to his eyes. "My lady! Where's the rest of your armor?"
Patrina glanced down and shrugged. "I lost it in the jungle earlier," she said. "Otherwise I'd have drowned in the ocean. This fits me better; it's a gift."
"Some gift," Mordrim muttered. "It can't protect you near as well as dwarven plate."
Patrina looked at Alto and winked. "It serves two purposes—it blocks a hand and it distracts the eye."
Garrick whistled and said, "That it does!"
"Hey!" Alto growled.
Garrick chuckled and held up his hands. "Don't blame a man for looking at what he's been given to see."
Alto frowned but Patrina kissed him again. "There's still enough that no man but you will ever see," she said to him.
Garrick burst out laughing at the redness in Alto's cheeks. Kar and Karthor walked up to them while Carson slid off Bucky's chest to stand at their side. Bucky picked himself up slowly and stared down at them, and then with flared nostrils and a scowl, he turned to the dead female.
The great ape went to her and sniffed her before reaching out to run a hand across her face. He turned away and limped through the jungle. Bucky disappeared into the jungle, leaving them behind.
Namitus walked out of the woods and waved. "About time somebody showed up to help me talk sense into these two. They had to go explore this haunted island they'd heard about. Dragged me along, I tell you!"
Alto and Patrina looked at him and then each other. They burst out laughing but the laugh was short-lived. Patrina and Alto both grimaced from the pain. Karthor shook his head and walked up. "Seems I've arrived at the right time."
"I'll take your healing over Thork's any time!" Patrina said.
"Thork was here?" Karthor asked.
"Yes, he was. Patrina saw him. The rest of us were indisposed."
"That explains the axe and the armor," Karthor said.
Kar chuckled as he took in the dirty but still beautiful kelgryn princess. Of course the troll was here. Alto had a way about him that attracted all manner of trouble.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean you had a visitor while you were playing the savage hero," Kar said. "A certain former barmaid who once was rather fond of you."
Alto's eyes widened and he heard Patrina's sharp intake of breath. "What did Aleena want? She's with the church now."
"She's much more than that," Karthor said.
"What? How can she be more?"
"She's earned her spurs. She's a Knight of Leander. And what's more, Leander's given her his blessing."
"What's that mean?" Alto asked.
"She and Celos both can wield his power."
Patrina's eyes rounded. "They're priests?"
"Not priests, paladins. They are knights with a touch of the powers his priests are allowed."
"That's—" Alto hesitated. He nodded at length and said, "I'm happy for her. Proud of her, even."
Patrina stared at him, moisture reflecting in her eyes from Kar's solitary light that circled overhead.
Alto glanced at her and offered her a smile before saying, "She deserves it. She always wanted nothing more than to bring happiness to others."
"I have a hunch she'd like to bring that knight friend of hers some happiness," Kar gossiped.
"Father!" the priest snapped. Kar cackled and waved his son off.
Alto chuckled. "Well, they deserve each other then, too."
"And you?" Patrina whispered.
"I deserve nothing," Alto said. He squeezed her, drawing a gasp as her bruises and aches were stressed. "But I'll take you until you realize the mistake you've made."
"Hardly," Patrina snapped at him. "When the kelgryn choose a mate, they do it for life."
"But we haven't—"
Patrina pushed her lips against his and silenced him amid a round of laughter.