Page 139 of Promises to Keep

My ears pricked up. I listened intently.

She said, “The promise to Hayley, I heard it and I was shocked, and I am verra worried, Magnus. Ye need tae ken, ye canna promise tae keep Fraoch alive, ye make too many promises and ye will kill yerself meeting them.”

Magnus’s voice, quiet and tired sounding. “How dost ye ken I am makin’ so many promises?”

“I listen, I hear things, ye ken how it is. Ye are grateful I do, so I can advise ye, Young Magnus, as I advise Sean when he needs it.”

Sean said, “Brother, ye ought tae listen, I suppose, she winna stop until ye do.”

“So what are ye advisin’ me on? What are all these promises?”

“The one that is a mistake is that ye hae told Hayley that ye will save Fraoch’s life. Tis a promise ye canna keep if ye are tae keep yer other promises: tae yer wife, that ye will provide for yer family; and tae yer children, that ye will guide them tae adulthood; tae me and yer brother that ye will keep us safe and…” Her voice became less stern and more jesting. “Keep our mother busy and away from meddling with us.”

Magnus said, “I dinna live up tae that promise — I rescued her, she was absconded away but has been returned, much older than she was, a bit of a hit tae her self-esteem—”

Lizbeth said, “Aye, Kaitlyn was tellin’ me, ye hae seen her brought low... I daena ken whether tae marvel at it or feel despair, she has always been the strength I aspire tae.”

“Daena worry, she was brought low, but she is recoverin’ her strength. She is helpin’ command an army. Ye will see, she will be here tae harangue ye soon enough, so aye, I dinna keep the promise of keepin’ her away. She will return.”

“I never asked tae never see her, just tae see her less often.” She huffed, I imagined her pacing with her hands on her hips.

She said, “Ye need tae take yer promise back, tis worrisome, tis upsetting, ye are tae stay alive for yer family, but also tae fight for yer throne, ye are fighting against an enemy who wants ye dead, but ye are supposed tae keep him alive. Hayley does nae understand what she is asking. She is asking too much.”

Magnus was quiet, then he said, “Tis verra complicated.”

“Tis nae complicated, is it Sean?”

Sean said, “Nae really, all ye hae tae do is win the fight tae restore yer crown. Tis straightforward, ye canna consider anyone who stands in yer way.”

“Even a friend?”

Lizbeth said, “Especiallya friend. Ye hae tae honor him by granting him the respect of being loyal.”

“How so?”

“He is captured, but he is acting, ye say? He is nae imprisoned, he is strategizing. He has a threat against him, and he has a plan of how tae behave. He might be building trust. He might hae a plan tae escape, he might hae a plan tae overthrow his guards. These plans might involve his livin’ or dyin’ so ye canna interfere, or ye might ruin his plans.”

Sean said, “This is a good point, dost ye see how tae rescue him?”

“Nae.”

“Is he between ye and yer throne?”

“Aye.”

Lizbeth said, “He is in an untenable position — ye need tae pray, Magnus. Tis difficult tae hae someone ye love and admire before yer throne but ye must harden yer heart tae him. Ye must win yer throne for yer sons.”

Sean said, “Aye, I agree with Lizbeth on it. Ye should tell Hayley that ye canna promise tae spare Fraoch. If he is trying tae keep yer sons safe, he might be willing tae die tae do it.”

Magnus said, “Ye ken what Fraoch used tae say? ‘Ye canna control the wind, Og Maggy, ye can only control yer sail,’ I believe ye are right, the winds of war are blowin’, and he canna stop them, but he can adjust himself tae ride it. I must do what needs tae be done and nae worry on him. At the end of the day, with prayer, we will hae both weathered the storm.” He added, “Though Madame Hayley might kill me.”

Sean said, “Make sure she inna armed when ye talk tae her about it.”

I gulped and kissed the baby’s hair, he was a couple of hours old and already there were hushed conversations, threats and battles, his life was in danger.

This was a big problem with time: our days were a slow progression, one after another; but when your enemy was in the future they could look back on your life, the whole progression of it, and see it as a block of time. They could choose a moment of that time, a day in your life, and attack. It was horrible. I would never grow used to it. And though I hated when Magnus went to the future to fight, I understood — keeping the kingdom was critical.

CHAPTER 66 - KAITLYN