Page 46 of Long Live the King

“Because of the pie?”

“That and because she said her favorite thing tae do was readin’ and I just learned tae read, it means somethin’, ye ken?”

I nodded. “Yeah, it does seem to.”

“Hae ye heard of Twilight, dost ye think I could read it?”

“Probably, and yes, we have a copy around here, somewhere. She likes Twilight? Then she’s good with a little moral ambiguity about murder.”

His brow drew down. “I believe we are meant tae be.” He sighed. “I canna tell her about the kingdom, about time travel, about livin’ in a castle, and growin’ up in the sixteenth century. What can I tell her? I am made tae lie, and if I lie what good is it? If I tell her the truth she might think I hae lost m’mind and how can I involve her in this life? Tis tae ask her tae take on a great deal of danger.”

“Don’t I know it. But here’s the thing, Lochie, I wouldn’t change anything, I would marry Magnus, always.”

“Did ye ken of the time travel afore ye married him?”

I shook my head.

“I dinna think so. Women are too weak tae want tae face this danger.”

I sighed. “Lochie, you are such an ass, sometimes. This is not the takeaway from the situation, that women are weak, yikes, she’s a soldier! She’s not weak and she’s ready to face danger.”

“She daena want tae face unknowable danger, the kind of danger that twists time. Tis too disorderly for women. Women follow the moods of the moon, ye ken. There is an order, and she has never heard of the real fact of time travel?—”

The front door of the house opened and Magnus came out, wearing his pajama bottoms and a t-shirt, his hair sticking up on the side. “I realized ye hadna come tae bed, and wanted tae check — all is well?”

I said, “Yeah, but Lochie has some heartache we are talking over, want to join us?”

Magnus drew up another chair. “What happened with the lass, Lochinvar?”

“I spoke of duelin’ and frightened her.”

Magnus said, “But she is a soldier? She must hae tae fight sometimes.”

I said, “It’s one thing to sign up to face danger and another thing to invite it into your home in the middle of the night. I’ve grown used to hearing about your battles but I married you first.”

Magnus teased, “And ye arna like most women.”

Fraoch opened the door and said, “Ye helpin’ Og Lochie?”

Magnus said, “Join us, Fraoch. Lochinvar was tellin’ us he frightened the lass when he spoke of his battles.”

Fraoch leaned n the rail, “Och nae, ye canna speak on it, Og Lochie, women daena want tae think about war. They daena want tae face danger.”

I sighed. “I was trying to tell Lochie that this isn’t true about women?—”

Fraoch shrugged. “Depends on what ye are meanin’ by women. Are ye speaking on Campbell women? If we are speaking on our Campbell women, they will readily face danger, but most women winna.”

I said, “I’m sure Ash, who signed up for themilitary, has plenty of courage, just like the Campbell women. Thank you for the compliment by the way, Fraoch.”

“So why did she grow frightened?”

“Because Lochie was in her kitchen. It’s one thing to be in the military, another to have a stranger bragging about his prowess in battle while standing in your kitchen.”

Magnus nodded. “Aye, ye were within her walls.”

Lochie said, “Aye, I frightened her by speaking of fighting, she thought I was dangerous.”

Magnus asked, “Tis how ye left it?”

---