Page 133 of Long Live the King

He woke twice that night. Both times in fear. The second time he cried, “Mammy, they won’t be quiet, they say he’s dead.” I held onto him, soothing him, digging Isla’s flashlight from under her pillow, and helping him check the page once more. Before slowly getting him to fall asleep again.

The next day he wouldn’t put down the book. He wouldn’t leave my side.

Lady Mairead found me in the corridor, just as I was mid-yawn because it had been such a rough night. She whispered, “What are ye going tae do with him?”

I said, “Archie, go stand over there, let me talk to your Grandmother.” I asked, “What do you mean?”

“He is fitful and anxious!”

“He’s having bad dreams, so is your son, by the way. It’s like an echo and it’s freaking him out, frankly, both of them, freaking out. Magnus keeps hearing chants of Long Live the King and?—”

Her eyes settled across the room on Archie, “What is happening in yer dream now?”

He said, very quietly, “They are chanting, ‘the king is dead.’”

“I canna hear ye.”

He raised his chin, and said it again, “‘The King is Dead.’ And I am there, they are yelling it at me.”

Lady Mairead said, “Whois saying it?”

“The people, I don’t know.”

“Archibald, those are just words, spoken by villagers, by thepeasants. Ye canna believe a word they say. Tis a turn of phrase,they are welcoming a new king, and braying about the auld king, it could beanyone.” She looked at him. “Come closer. Hae ye checked the book?”

He walked over, shaking his head as he pulled the flashlight from his pocket. A momentary look of displeasure crossed Lady Mairead’s face, when he opened the book where his finger had been holding the page and shined the light down on it. “No, nothing.”

“This is good news, Archibald. And if something appears there, ye come and find me, first thing. I will solve it. I canna abide by such a dour face. Did ye ken, once, I was locked in my room and forced tae endure incredible privations. Did I look dour and sad? Nae, dost ye ken what I did?”

“I don’t know.”

“I picked myself up and I fought and I won and now I am the mother of a king, the grandmother of a future king. Dost ye think I will allow for anyone in my family tae fail or tae lose? Nae, I winna. And I absolutely will not stand for the peasants tae chant at me. Ye raise yer chin and ye ignore them, they are nothing tae ye. Ye are goin’ tae be a king, ye daena hae time for pouting.”

She nodded at me. “Dost ye need anything else, Kaitlyn?”

“No, thank you.”

She turned on her heel and walked away.

I looked at Archie and gave him a smile. “Feel better?”

He twisted his mouth, “She makes me feel better because she’s kind of scary.”

I said, “I absolutely agree and I’m always relieved she’s on our side.”

We walked to the nursery to look for the cousins.

CHAPTER 55 - MAGNUS

FORTINGALL - MAY 23, 1296

We arrived at midmorning, waking up in a puddle of rain as a cart rolled by, driven by a farmer. He was movin’ slowly and peering closely. I met his eyes and then remembered, we had time-jumped with a great deal of weapons and wealth.

I lumbered up as he continued on down the path, and then I splashed around diggin’ through the horse packs making sure it was all still there. Lochinvar and Fraoch began tae stir.

I said, “Tis time tae be up, ye are rollin’ in the mud.”

“Ye sound like Sean.”

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