[url=http://i.imgur.com/mJrywJJ.jpg?1]Winston[/url] was a bit surprised by Lady Olivia's reaction to him ... to her [i]ease[/i] with him.  At 6'8", with his 225 pounds of muscle mass housed within his full armor, he was a dominating figure.  Others -- whether Nobles, Peasants, or even Warriors typically liked to walk in front of the man: it gave one the sense of being tracked by a metal-encased monster that, at any moment, might lean forward and bite one's head off for a snack.  Of course, the only Noble who had [i]ever[/i] walked [i]with[/i] Winston had been Lord Paul, and the heir to Westrock had never in his life had any fear of the walking tree who had been with him since his youth.

To have Olivia sidle up beside and walk with him as if a long time friend was ... [i]odd.[/i]  And he found himself looking down at the fair haired beauty often, smiling at the pleasant expressions, tones, and words she used during their walk to the second Inn.

[color=tan]"You must have traveled beside Lord Paul for a long time. Will you tell me about him?"[/color]

"Of course," Winston responded.  He had no qualms about [i]talking up[/i] his Lord to this young beauty for whom Winston already knew Paul had intimate thoughts.  

[color=tan]"Of course, it would also please me to hear about you, Sir Winston,"[/color] she added.

To that, Winston was more hesitant.  He looked down to her with a nervous smile, then looked back to the wide road upon which they were walking, illuminated by the nearly full moon and the occasional pole mounted torch.  "There is little to be told of myself, m'lady.  I was a boy ... who became a man ... who pledged his undying service to another boy--"  He looked to Olivia with a smile, clarifying unnecessarily, "Lord Paul..."  

When Olivia gestured that they should turn toward the harbor, Winston turned them and casually used the opportunity to check all about them for [i]tails.[/i]  He had seen figures in the shadows, but he was unconcerned about them: unknown to Olivia, he wasn't the only man of Paul's who had left the tavern, and those other men were very quietly falling in between those men loyal to Count Barker -- to Olivia's father -- to [I]invite[/i] them to withdraw from the evening stroll.  

He continued, ending the talk of himself and switching to Paul, "My Lord is a good man ... the best of men.  He is honest and trustworthy ... loyal to those above and beneath him.  I would give my life to protect him because I know that [i]he[/i] would give his life to protect me."  

He looked down to Olivia again, adding with a smile, "And you, m'lady, can trust that m'lord will give his life to protect you, as well."  

He winked, which was rather ominous looking considering the horrific burn scars that covered much of one side of his face.  Looking back to the path ahead, he said with confidence, "Soon ... m'lord will regain his place as Duke of Westrock.  He will replace that [i]usurper[/i], the [i]Count[/i] from Ryrstone ... and make him pay for the pain he has caused the true nobles of Westrock."

Winston spoke the last words with an obvious venom ... and an obvious ignorance to exactly who Olivia was ... Lady of Ryrstone, daughter of Count Lars Barker, Regent of Westrock!

(OOC: I don't have time to write the part for Paul and Sophia.  Lunch.)