Page 142 of Promises to Keep

“I will agree that Lizbeth is right in many things, and she is right in this… please don’t make promises you can’t keep. Stay alive.”

“I will keep m’promise tae ye, Kaitlyn, I will do m’best tae come home.”

He kissed my shoulder and we fell asleep.

* * *

At dawn the baby nursed and I lay on my side watching my husband remove his long shirt and replace it with his camouflage uniform. He said, “Daena tell Sunny I was here, I haena spoken tae him, he might feel slighted. I will make sure I see him when I return in three days.”

“I won’t say a thing.” I added, “Do you need me to talk to Hayley before you go?”

“Nae, ye just do all the mom things, I decided I am goin’ tae ask Madame Hayley tae go with me tae Riaghalbane, tae the war. I think she ought tae see what transpires, so she inna surprised, whatever happens. I think when she sees what we are up against, she will understand.”

CHAPTER 67 - MAGNUS

Iwalked down the hall tae Hayley’s room, and knocked. When she stuck her head through the door, I asked, “Ye want tae go?”

“Where, to the future? To where Fraoch is? Hell yeah.”

She left the door open and rushed around the room. “What do I need?”

“Clothes for a warfront if ye hae them.”

I waited for her in the hall. She had a bag and was wearing a pair of pants. Twas scandalous in these times, but the men of Balloch were used tae the strange costumes, the odd comings and goings of our family.

She and I strolled out to the clearing, and set our vessel tae jump.

We woke in a clearing, with Lochinvar standing over us saying, “Ye hae decided tae return, King Magnus? Hae ye brought a grown son tae fight with us?”

“Nae, but I saw him born!”

“Och aye, twas a fine lad?”

“Aye, he is verra fine, large in all the ways ye want in a son.”

Lochinvar put out a hand and hefted me up. “Why did ye bring Madame Hayley?”

“So she can help make decisions about her husband.”

We climbed into an armored car tae ride tae the front lines. Lady Mairead gave Hayley a glance as she climbed into the back seat, then said, “First, Magnus, we thought ye were dead, I am relieved ye hae returned unharmed. Ye ought not tae frighten me.”

“Ye kent where I was, because ye slyly mentioned the date m’bairn would be born. He is good by the way, a fine lad, born hours ago — both mother and bairn are doin’ well, thank ye for asking.” Our armored car was in the middle of a fully guarded motorcade, four in front, four behind. I added, “And I ken nae tae frighten ye, at yer advanced age it might mean yer death, but ye are exaggeratin’.Again,ye kent where I was.”

She smacked my shoulder.

Then said, about Madame Hayley. “Also, sometimes, Magnus, ye ought tae ken, too many wives are a trouble.”

I chuckled, then turned around tae speak tae her. “Ye mean women, too many women? Ye are verra often so insulting toward everyone ye include yerself in it.”

“Ye mark my words, Madame Hayley will insert herself in yer business tae yer detriment.”

Hayley said, “I will not, I’m just here to see Fraoch, once he sees me he will lay down his arms, he—”

She said, “Madame Hayley, I will only say this once, Fraoch is a good man, and he is being held. He is behaving in a way that is counter tae his nature, so ye hae tae assume there is a threat upon those he loves. Laying eyes upon ye might not turn his mind, and it might make him too confused tae carry on with his plan. Ye canna just strut past him and hope tae end a war!”

Madame Hayley said, “I am just trying to help. I just need to be here so I know what is going on.”

I turned around once more, “Ye canna blame Madame Hayley for comin’, ye canna blame her for wantin’ tae see her husband, ye canna blame her for tryin’. We are in an unprecedented time and we face an enemy who is holdin’ a man who has lived with me, with us, for many long years, who has shared Madame Hayley’s bed. Ye canna blame her for wanting tae try tae liberate him from his captors.”

---