Page 27 of Long Live the King

“It does the same tae me.” I exhaled. “Is the crowd from the future, Archibald? Dost ye ken how tae tell?”

“It doesn’t look like Riaghalbane, it looks like the cousin’s castle.”

“Balloch?”

“But even older. Because... I don’t know why. It feels old.”

“I see. I am havin’ a similar dream, it is discomforting. But I find a wee bit of solace that ye are having them as well. I am not alone, does this comfort ye as well?”

“Aye.” His wrenching grasp on my shirt let go, his hand relaxed.

“If we are both havin’ the same dream then we are both there, that, in and of itself, is a good thing. I was once a king in the long ago past, we wrote over that timeline, but now I think the timeline has reemerged. I believe I am a king in the past. I amremembering it. Perhaps ye were standing beside me when I was crowned. Can ye tell how auld ye are in the dream?”

He shook his head. “I can’t tell, Da, but it feels like it’s big and I’m afraid.”

“Well,” I put my hand on his. “Ye might be verra young as ye are now, ye might be witnessin’ the moment that I am becoming king, and ye are intelligent, ye ken the duty required, and ye ken that someday twill be yer duty...”

“Maybe.”

“The thing is, Archie, tae rule a kingdomisbig and it is grave, we carry a heavy burden, and someday, long in the future, ye will be crowned a king, but it winna happen for a verra long time. I am not goin’ anywhere.”

“Thank you, Da.”

“Ye are welcome, son, dost ye want tae stay here for a bit? I can return ye tae yer spot once ye fall asleep?”

He nodded. I could feel his young body growing heavy with sleep.

I remained awake, thinking about the growing chant:Long live the king! Long Live the King!My dream dinna include:The King is Dead!Which made me conclude that our dreams werna the same. This was worrisome — was Archibald seeing the future, was he witnessin’ my death?

Or was this nothin’ but a dream? Did it mean nothing but the wisps and whispers of our minds when they ought tae be asleep?

I lightly tapped his shoulder — he was sound asleep. I lifted him and carried him tae his spot on the floor and tucked him intae his bedding.

Ben opened his eyes, “Is he okay?”

“Aye, he is well, goodnight Master Ben.”

“Goodnight, Uncle Magnus.”

CHAPTER 9 - KAITLYN

HOME - MAY 16

The following day Lochie was ready in the afternoon. He emerged from his room with his hair slicked back and a cloud of cologne wafting around him. He was wearing a clean shirt, laundered pleated pants, and a pair of shiny dark boots. He looked very handsome and a little vulnerable in that way of young men who are headed to prom with a girl they barely know, and get shined up for it.

Fraoch asked, “Why ye dressed so early?”

Lochie looked at his watch. “Is it early? I was thinking I would start out now.”

Fraoch was incredulous. “Ye are goin’ tae gonowtae see her at ten? Are ye plannin’ tae walk?”

“I thought tae.”

“The walk would take ye three hours at the most, och, Og Lochie, ye canna be there hours early, she will think ye strange. We will give ye a ride at anordinarytime.”

Lochie nodded. Then asked, “And I will sit out in the front tae wait for her?”

“Aye, just like last night, unless ye want tae go in and have a beer and tell her ye are waiting for her outside — ye could be a man who does regular things.”

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