Page 137 of Long Live the King

“What about the drone, we could send it over tae see.”

I mulled that over.

He said, “It would signal that we are comin’, but tis verra quiet and if we distracted their attention in another direction we could send a drone in through the window tae tell Ash that we are comin’. She was a soldier, if she kens help is on the way she winna be as frightened, and she might be able tae help from the inside.”

I said, “Alright, let’s do that.” I drew on the ground with a stick. “Fraoch will go around here and explode a smoke bomb, divertin’ their attention here.” I marked an x.

“I will fly the drone over the wall on this side and in through the window, here. If all goes well Lochinvar will be able tae speak tae her through the radio.”

Fraoch wiped his hands of his sandwich and said, “Good plan, give me thirty minutes.” He pulled on his bullet-proof vest, put on his helmet, grabbed a satchel with the flash-bangs and grenades in it, and mounted Thor tae go.

CHAPTER 56 - MAGNUS

FORTINGALL - MAY 23, 1296

Lochinvar and I checked our watches, I unpacked the drone and used my knife tae carve intae the paint on the bottom.

Lochinvar said, “What are ye writing?”

I showed him. It said:

Tae Ass-gall, from Magnus I

He said, “Och, tis verra grand, that might be the best thing ye hae ever done.”

I laughed. Then said, “Let’s suit up, in case, as Colonel Quentin would say, this goes South.”

Lochinvar said, “What does it mean?”

“Not entirely certain, but I daena argue, if he says tae suit up, I do it.” We put on our bullet-proof vests and our helmets.

Then when twas time I flew the drone from the woods, hovering a distance away.

Lochinvar watched through the binoculars. “Hold, hold... hold...”

Then tae our right, a verra loud explosion. Lochinvar yelled, “Go!”

Using the screen I flew the drone forward, I was not verra good. I had practiced before, but not in a long time. It swept tae the left and right, staggering as it approached the wall. I asked, “How does it look, Lochinvar?”

“They are still looking at the smoke cloud.”

He called Fraoch on the radio, “Count tae three then do another.”

I flew the drone up the wall and over. “All good?”

“All good, nae one noticed.”

I flew the drone down the other side and along the ground. Lochinvar said, “Halt.”

I pulled it up short. “Someone is looking. Hold, hold.”

Then there was another explosion.

He said, “Hold!” Then, “Go!” I flew straight toward the building, around the corner, skirting it, and I was behind the building where I hoped there would be a window. There was... I flew the drone in, there was Ash, lookin’ directly at m’screen.

I said, “Lochinvar, come speak!”

He scrambled over tae where I held the screen. “How do I?”

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