Page 146 of Promises to Keep

“Aye.”

He said, “Ian has a ridiculously high opinion of himself.”

Lady Mairead said, “I agree, he is an insolent upstart, I ken it because he challenged ye, Magnus, many times before, he daena ken his own place.”

Wallace nodded. “He does not want to seem weak and he will not accept failure. If you challenged him publicly, with fanfare, he would not refuse. He probably thinks he will win.”

Lady Mairead said, “He is overly sure of himself, and inadequately informed of his own shortcomings, tis a public service tae run him through with a sword.”

I said, “So I publicly challenge him tae an arena battle for the kingdom and we can stop this bloodshed and street-by-street warfare, this horrible morass of death and destruction? Ye think we can finally end this?”

Colonel Quentin nodded. “He ought to be a man and surrender, but instead he’s going to surround himself with human shields? It’s time to end it, call him out.”

Wallace said, “I agree. To fight forward is abhorrent, and the alternative, to lose ground, is unacceptable. This is the way.”

“So how will I go about it?”

Colonel Quentin said, “You’ve never been on this side of the challenge before, huh?”

“Nae.”

“General Wallace and I will prepare the challenge documents, we will take over the news channel, and announce it. If he refuses he will look like a weak-ass loser.”

I ran my hand down my face. I was so tired, we had been fighting for so long. Even with the break tae go tae Balloch, I hadna really slept. I stretched out m’injured shoulder, feeling the tightness and the ache I had grown tae live with. I was nae sure I was ready tae fight. “All right, prepare the documents.”

Lady Mairead said, “Ye daena need tae stretch yer injured shoulder, ye will be putting forward Lochinvar tae fight in yer stead.”

Lochie rubbed his hands together. “Good, at long last some fun. I will fight for ye, Magnus, tell me when and where.”

I groaned. “Nae nae, this is not — we had this argument already. I winna ask another man tae fight for me. Lochinvar? Och nae, this is a terrible idea.” I paced down the room, then considered, “And what is stoppin’ Ian from doing the same thing? As soon as we challenge him he will come forward with his most skilled fighter—”

“I will still beat him.”

“Aye, ye are verra lethal, we ken this, why would I put a man forward, a son of Donnan,himselfin line tae be king?”

Lochie shrugged, “Not sure I would want the hassle frankly, Magnus.”

Lady Mairead said, “Magnus, ye are the king of Riaghalbane. Magnus I. Ye canna barrel around arenas swinging yer sword for all the world tae cheer, ye must be more...royal. Ye will hae a second tae fight for ye, it is perfectly regular. Donnan did it all the time.”

Magnus said, “Exactly, I wear the scars of being Donnan’s second. Ye are asking me tae tell a young man tae lay down his life for me, as if I am Donnan, demanding allegiance. He is my brother, he has already fought for me in the arena once. I daena think I can ask for it again, and, tis concernin’ tae hae someone who is in line for the throne fight for it. What is tae stop him from takin’ the throne for himself? What if he promises now, and waits until I am auld, and then challenges me. He is young, he will hae sons one day.”

Lady Mairead said, “I believe he is trustworthy because of the reasons I laid out for ye earlier.”

Lochinvar looked from her face tae mine. “Iamtrustworthy, ye dinna need tae discuss it.”

Magnus said, “Lochinvar, I ken ye are trustworthy, but a kingdom is a verra powerful prize. Tis the biggest prize in the world and would turn the most honorable of men tae the darkness if twas within their grasp. I ought tae fight for m’own kingdom, then ye winna be corrupted by—”

Lady Mairead said, “I ken of what I speak. Ye can trust Lochinvar tae fight for ye, it involves bloodlines and ancestors. I hae seen the future and yer future is um…tiedtae one another.”

I raised my brow. “Ye ken of what ye speak, fine, ye hae been seein’ the future. Who dost ye think Ian will put forward tae fight? I will give ye one guess.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Are ye suggestin’ he would put forward Fraoch?”

“Aye, tis a certainty.”

Lady Mairead said, “Nae, he wouldna — would he? Nae, he wouldna trust him. He would put forward someone else.”

I said, simply, “We disagree.”

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