Page 140 of Promises to Keep

Lizbeth entered the room and saw me awake, “I am sorry ye overheard us.”

“No, it’s okay, I appreciate what you said. He should keep himself safe. He thinks of everyone else too much.”

She fluffed my pillow. “He ought tae think of ye more. I was wrong, ye arna needy, ye are a queen. I am verra proud of the way ye hae given birth tae my new nephew.” She beamed down on the baby. “Sean and I are going to go. Magnus is tired and ready tae sleep. Emma will check in on ye.” She kissed me on my cheek.

She turned to go but then she stopped. “Lady Mairead has really aged?”

“Aye, she looked a great deal older.”

Lizbeth sighed. “Her youthfulness had given me hope, but the years come for us all.”

She left the room and Magnus and Sean spoke for a few more minutes, their voices low and rumbling, then Sean left as well.

Magnus came and lay down beside me. “I was bein’ lectured by my siblings, and yet, all I wanted was tae come lie beside ye and Jack.”

He picked up Jack’s foot and kissed it. “He was inside ye, nae a few hours ago.”

“It’s a miracle.”

“Aye.”

I was propped up with all the pillows, he was lying flat. He looked up at me. “Ye heard the conversation?”

“Yes, you’re in a very difficult situation.”

“I ken. I hae a man behind enemy lines, and every part of me wants tae liberate him, but I hae tae win the throne tae do it, and the path tae the throne lies across his body.”

He rose up and put his head on my shoulder. I kissed his forehead. “Just be safe, highlander, you are the love of my life and you’re too important.”

He said, “I am goin’ tae sleep beside ye, but I will leave on the morrow.”

“You have to go so soon?”

“I snuck away, taking a break while m’men are still at war, and we hae had a great many losses — we must finish the fight, mo reul-iuil, so I can come home for good.”

“How many days…?”

“Three.” He stroked his fingers down Jack’s face, “Daena ye grow up too fast, wee Jack, I will be home verra soon…”

* * *

We fell asleep, a light sleep, then woke up to adjust. Magnus turned on a flashlight he had brought, for a dim light. I was nursing Jack while Magnus lay with his arm on my thigh, his cheek against my shoulder. I said, “You and I are even more entwined now.”

“Aye, a son will do it tae ye.”

I chuckled. “How so — how a son more than a daughter?”

He said, “Tis m’chromosomes.” He raised his head, “Tis the right word?”

“Yes, you mean the Y-Chromosome? The one that makes you a man?”

“Aye, ye daena have Y-Chromosomes, they come from me, and then when I make a boy in ye, and ye grow him, ye arna growin’ a woman, same as yerself, ye are growing a man, ye are growin’ my son, tis a gift of yer body, and I am verra grateful for it.”

I said, “I think I am deeply offended, but also, not, that was sweet in a misogynist sort of way.”

After a moment I asked, “So you think that you put a boy in me and I’m just like the host body that grows him and then gives him back?”

He chuckled, “When ye put it that way it daena sound how I meant, I dinna mean it quite so crudely.”

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