Page 80 of Promises to Keep

Sean said, “This is yer problem, Young Magnus, tis always been yer problem, ye trust too easily.”

Magnus said, “Tis true?”

“Aye, ye were always runnin’ around here a young man, thinkin’ ye had friends and allies, but who was fightin’ for ye?”

“Ye were.”

“Aye, because though ye were a bastard, ye were m’brother, and if ye sank in the estimation of everyone in the castle, ye took Lizbeth and me with ye, but twasonlybecause we were brothers that I allied with ye. Twould hae been easier tae hae set m’self apart — but brotherhood kept our alliance. This is a tough lesson for ye, Young Magnus. Ye are a king, ye must make the men around ye prove their allegiance. Ye canna blindly trust them. Ye must be suspicious of all men and doubly skeptical of those with a claim tae yer throne.”

I took a bite of a suspicious looking blood sausage and choked it down with a piece of dry bread.

Magnus had his forearms beside his plate.“I canna trust anyone?”

Sean banged on the table. “Of course not, ye hae tae keep yer son safe, yer kingdom. Ye canna trust anyone! but this is doubly true if they are hungry for power, ye must be skeptical of any man who claims tae be an ally!”

Magnus nodded. “I misplaced m’trust, he had proven himself, but I—”

“He was yer cousin! He had a claim tae the throne! Ye should hae been suspicious! More careful!”

It was chilling to watch Magnus staring down at his plate, like a young man, yelled at by his older brother.

“I thought I was careful, I believed he... I protected him.”

“Aye, ye protected him, and then he turned on ye, ye brought him here, what if he had harmed yer family? Who else kens yer family is here?”

Magnus looked at the far wall, his jaw clenching and unclenching. “I daena ken. We hae an enemy in a woman, Agnie Macleod—”

“Och she is a woman, she is nae a concern.”

“Our mother is a woman,shehas been a concern.”

Sean scoffed and waved his hand.

Magnus continued, “Agnie MacLeod is allied with a man named Ian the Troublesome.”

“Och, he sounds like a detestable, pock-ridden, mewl-mouthed villain.”

Magnus chuckled and ripped off a piece of bread, dragged it through his thick fish stew, and stuffed it in his mouth, chewing as Sean continued, “But ye canna trust anyone — how many men do ye hae in yer inner circle?”

Magnus shrugged. “About six. I trust them, I trust them all with my life.”

“Ye ought tae make them swear their allegiance tae ye, tis a terrible thing tae find a traitor in yer midst. Ye ought tae cut them out before they cause trouble tae ye.”

Magnus chewed and nodded. “How would ye say I do that?”

“Ye could threaten their—”

Lochinvar interrupted, “I disagree.”

Sean turned, “Och nae, Lochie the Mewling, Maddening Midge has something tae say? He wants tae weigh in on his elders speakin’?”

Magnus raised his brow. “I see ye two were gettin’ along well in m’absence.”

Lochinvar scowled.

Craigh walked up just then and chimed in. “Lochie, ye ought tae keep quiet, ye are tae be working and listening tae yer elders, or ye want another beatin’ like I gave ye the other night?”

“Ye dinna beat me the other night, I had m’sword taken from me, twas nae fair.”

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