Page 157 of Promises to Keep

Icarried Isla, while Kaitlyn carried Jack, and with Archie between us, we strolled out tae the fields.

Isla said, “Where we going, Da?”

“I hae presents for ye, but we must be in a special place tae get them.”

She said, “Oooh. I like presents.”

Then after a few steps she said, “I forgot to get you a present, Da.”

I chuckled. “I daena mind, wee—”

“Let me down.” She dropped tae the path, reached down, and picked up a green leaf. “For you!”

I said, “Och, tis just what I wanted. This is an oak leaf — ye will see, I hae a present that will match it.”

Her eyes went wide. “I knew it was special!”

We came tae the edge of the woods and followed a well worn path and continued on for a while until we came tae a stone outcropping. I climbed up tae the top of it. Archie scaled up tae stand beside me. I helped Kaitlyn up, and then lifted Isla by her hand. We looked out upon the landscape.

I pointed tae the southeast. “Ye see that spot, children? Tis where Caisteal Morag will be built someday, centuries from this point in time. Yer da has been fighting a war for our kingdom — I hae finally won. I am the King once more.” I dropped my satchel tae the stone and rifled through it. “I was standing on the walls of Caisteal Morag and looked out on this spot and thought that what we needed was a forest, right here.” I pulled out a box and a hand shovel and passed them tae Archie.

“Three oak seedlings is yer present, Archibald. I found the acorns and started them, I think we can plant them right over there — the beginnings of our forest.”

Archie pulled up the lid on the box and found the bags with seedlings in them. “Cool! Those were acorns?”

“Aye, ye only need tae dig down this far.” I gestured the depth and hopped off the boulder tae mark the three places. “One for Jack, one for Isla, one for ye.”

Archie began digging in the spot I had picked out.

I said, “And for ye, Isla, I brought this.” I handed her a small rock with a hole through it. “It is a verra good rock, when ye hold it, ye will be reminded I am thinking on ye. And if ye hold it up and look through it, everything ye will see on the other side will be magical.”

Her eyes went very wide. “Really?”

“Aye, try it.”

She put the rock up tae her eyes. “Da! It works, it all very magic.”

I said, “I told ye.”

Then I pulled out a present for Jack, a wooden three-ring chain I had carved and sanded for him during those long nights of war when I was too worried tae sleep.

I peeked into the plaid wrapping Jack, wound around Kaitlyn’s shoulders, “Och, Jack, ye are asleep, ye are missin’ the presents.”

Kaitlyn said, “I’ll hold it for him.” I passed her the chain.

I said, “Did I forget anybody?”

Kaitlyn put her hands on her hips. “Me?” She laughed. “But don’t worry, no problem, it’s fine, I just...”

I chuckled and passed her a thin box. “I am teasin’, I wouldna forget ye.”

She lifted the lid.

“Tis just a small thing, a pen—”

She clutched it to her heart. “It’s not small at all, it’s so important, so necessary.”

“I thought tae put a jewel on it, tae hae it made of gold, I wanted tae... Ye would deserve it, but I kent ye would understand — the pen itself is precious, and more importantly, tis made tae be used. I was thinking we could use it tae add Jack tae the register in the chapel, tae put him in the official historical record.”

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