Page 140 of Long Live the King

Lochie said, “Where are ye goin’?”

Magnus said, “As we discussed, I need tae go take m’throne.”

“Tis what we discussed?”

“Aye, tis my throne, he canna hae it.”

“But ye will need yer horse?—”

“I might need tae use the Trailblazer, I doubt Asgall used it past 1296. I canna put Dràgon through it — Fraoch ye comin’ with me?’

Fraoch dismounted his horse. “Och nae, we hae tae use the Trailblazer?” He grabbed a bag off his horse. “Fine I will come, stop beggin’ me.”

Magnus placed the horses’ reins in Lochie’s hand. “Men are coming, go go go!” He and Fraoch slung bags over their shoulders and scrambled up the hill, deeper into the woods.

Lochie said, “Let go m’leg, Ash, I’m slidin’ ye down.” He directed my feet to the ground, gently, but I still stumbled when I hit land and fell back on my ass, holding my arm. “What is happening, Lochie! What is going on!”

My arm hurt. I was so scared — “Are they coming?”

“Aye, they are right behind us.”

He dropped to the ground and wrapped all the reins around his forearm. Crouched right in front of me, he pulled a small device, about the size and shape of a Red Bull can, he held it, and looked at me. “I ken ye are frightened, Ash, but we are goin’ tae jump, hold ontae my arm.”

I shook my head. “Don’t want to.”

“Hold on!” He twisted the machine.

I shook my head again, he dropped his knees on both sides of my hips, sitting on me, pinning me down, put an arm around the back of my head, holding me to his chest and said, “Hold on, daena be frightened...”

And then there was the worst pain I had ever felt rolling up my arm and spreading down my back — I began to scream.

CHAPTER 58 - MAGNUS

We made it tae the woods and scrambled up the rise tae the spot where we had been hidin’ earlier.

Fraoch watched down the path, as the storm carryin’ Lochie and Ash slowly dissipated, while I looked around tae make sure we had all our gear.

He said, “Och, my heart is pounding in m’chest, that was a drastic chase.”

“Aye, but we got the maiden.”

He said, “But we dinna kill the king.”

I growled. “He inna a king, the more I think on it,Iam the king. This inna over.” The chant in my head had reached a fever-pitch,Long live the king! Long live the king!

I shook my head, trying tae calm it.

“So now ye are a king in this God-forsaken place?”

“Aye, I hae decided that I hae tae be, I must be, tis my throne. I took it in 1290. Asgall canna hae it in 1296, I winna stand for it.”

“I am pleased, as this means ye are listening tae me for once.”

“I always listen tae ye — daena I listen tae ye?”

“I would say rarely, but tis just as well as I rarely ken what is happening, except now, there are some things that are evident —ye were the king first, Asgall canna hae yer throne. I hae tae piss, can ye take the guard?”

“Aye.” I traded places with him and watched down the path, while Fraoch pissed in the bushes.

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