Page 81 of Promises to Keep

Craigh laughed. “Ye are a wee midge, always buzzin’ round, ’Twas nae fair’! I will shew ye fair, I will beat yer arse in the meadow for all the—”

Sean said, “We daena want tae see ye try tae beat Lochie the Midge again, the way he was carryin’ on, we need some peace and quiet.”

Lochinvar looked sullen.

Craigh nodded and walked away.

Magnus said, “I want tae hear what Lochie has tae say.”

“I disagree with yer brother, Magnus, ye daena need tae threaten or require yer men tae take an oath tae ye, ye daena need tae.”

Sean said, “Why nae? He has just been betrayed.”

“Because Magnus is fair, his men will follow him because of it.”

Magnus said, “Ye are supposed tae call me King Magnus, boy.”

“Aye, my apologies, Your Majesty.”

Sean huffed. “So a fairness from a ruler and suddenly all the men are goin’ tae be trustworthy?”

Magnus said, “Yes, they would die for me and they ken I would lay down m’life for them. We hae battled taegether, but… I ken, if they turn, if they become untrustworthy, then they are dead.”

Sean said, “This is the first sensible thing ye hae said on it.”

“Sean, ye arna telling me anything I daena ken already. Ye forget I fought in an arena against m’uncles, my cousins, and m’half-brothers, and I hae killed them all tae gain the throne of Riaghalbane. I ken how tae take the measure of a man. The men I trust are proven. We are allies, much like ye and Liam, we are bound by family ties. I ken how tae keep a good man’s allegiance.” He looked down into his mug. “That being said, I daena ken where I went wrong with Hammond.”

Lochinvar said, “Sounds like he became Lady Mairead’s ally instead of yers.”

“Aye, this is likely true, and now he is dead. I lost a long time friend on this day.”

Magnus drank the last of his drink and shook his head sadly. “I ken ye are advisin’ me from a place of brotherly care, and as m’elder ye believe yerself tae be in a position tae lecture me, but I am a king and a warrior and I daena need tae be told how tae form alliances nor how tae kill a traitor. I ken it. I hae lived it.”

Sean said, “I ken Young Magnus, I wanted tae advise ye, and I... tis a hard thing tae see yer brother brought low by a traitor. I apologize for steppin’ out of bounds.”

“I ken and I thank ye, Sean.” To soften his words, Magnus put his hand on Sean’s shoulder. “I appreciate ye want what is best for me, ye hae been a good protector, ye kept me alive all those years—”

“Barely.”

Magnus chuckled. “Thank ye for it anyway, but I hae had a long few days, with a great deal of turmoil. I think I will head tae m’room.” He stood, saying, “Kaitlyn, will ye accompany me?”

I began to follow but instead rushed back to Sean and threw my arms around him. “Thank you for wanting to protect Magnus, you’ve always been a good brother to him.”

He said, “Ye’re welcome, Madame Kaitlyn.”

I straightened, said, “Goodnight,” and followed Magnus from the Great Hall.

In our rooms he collapsed on the bed and I crawled up beside him and put my head on his shoulder, wrapped around his chest, as he stared up at the ceiling in the pitch black night of our room.

He said simply, “Och nae.”

Then he said, “I feel as if I hae let him down, ye ken? He has betrayed me, but twas at the end of a long life of servin’ me, tis hard tae square it, and nae matter how I think about him in the sum of the deeds, he died by my dirk and tis... verra hard tae square.”

I said simply. “I know,” and then we clung to each other through the night.

* * *

The next morning Magnus oversaw the small funeral and burial of Hammond in the churchyard. The soldier had an unmarked grave, because we had no idea who he was, but Magnus paid for Hammond to have a gravestone with his name and the words, “Sleep on now, and take your rest.” Which seemed fitting for his general and the man who had helped guard his kingdom for so many long years.

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