Page 59 of Long Live the King

“I am rarely alone, on m’horse perhaps, sometimes, but the house is often filled with children and a loud ruckus. Did ye ken there is a dog and a pig that live with us?”

She said, “That sounds fun. Even though I don’t mind being alone, it is getting a little old, and I have to be so quiet when I come and go at my house. As you saw the other day, my landlady is a nightmare.”

“Aye, yer house with the verra short rooms. I daena fit under yer roof — twas disconcertin’. My head was ringin’.” He sipped some wine.

I sighed. “That tugged at my heart when you said you didn’t fit.”

“I was bein’ a great big bellyachin’ bairn. Ye must forgive me for m’behavior, Mistress Ash. I was worried ye had turned against me and so I acted like an arse.”

“I do forgive you, no worries, m’laird.”

“Och, it has a nice ring tae it, nae one calls me their ‘laird’. Ye are m’first.”

We both finished our pizza, talking about our favorite movies and music, and then had an assortment of desserts, while talking about his favorite, the first Star Wars, and how he loved classic Rock. His tastes seemed stuck in the past. We determined that he had never seen Lord of the Rings and I promised to show him, because it was one of my favorites.

And then Lochie asked for the check while we finished our wine.

I said, “Lochie, um... m’laird, I left my car parked around the corner that way,” I pointed over my shoulder, “but my house is just two blocks away from here... We could walk in the rain, do you want to come over?”

“I would like that, Mistress Ash.”

CHAPTER 22 - ASH

ASH’S HOUSE

As we were getting our coats on near the door, he held mine for me while I put my hands in the sleeves. I asked, “Why don’t you have an Instagram or anything like that?”

“Tis a security risk, we canna.”

“Oh.” I opened the umbrella as we stood at the door and looked out. I gestured, “We go that way.”

Then he put his arm around me and we rushed out into the rainy-puddle mud-splattering night, laughing all the way down the street, bumping and jostling and splashing to the front of my house.

I closed the umbrella on my porch and pressed my finger to my lips. “Shhhhh.”

He whispered, “I ken.”

I unlocked the front door and we crept in and moved stealthily up the stairs. I pointed at the ceiling and he ducked low and we barely squeaked the floor at all. I opened the apartment door and led him in.

We placed the umbrella by the door and took our coats off. I asked, “Would you like a beer?”

“Aye.” He ran his hands through his hair.

I popped the cap off a beer. I decided not to have one, because I had a bit of a buzz and this had grown serious — I had just invited Lochie home and not for dessert... it felt like he was about to stay the night.

He said, “Pardon me, Mistress Ash, I must call m’brother tae let him ken I winna need a ride home yet, or if tis late I might walk.”

I said, “It’s pouring outside.”

“I am a Scot, we daena care about rain.” He dialed his phone and held it to his ear as he swigged from the bottle. Then he said, “Aye, we ate at a verra fine restaurant... nae, ye can go on tae bed, ye are auld, ye need yer rest. I winna need a ride, if tis late I will walk... I ken tis five miles and I ken tis raining...” He smiled at me and drank a bit more beer. “...aye I winna see ye tonight, but will be there in the morn. Alright. Good. See ye then... Goodnight.”

He put his phone in his bag on the front of his kilt. “Dost ye mind if I remove m’things?”

“No, go right ahead. Of course.”

I went into the bathroom and ran a quick toothbrush over my teeth and applied a bit of lipstick and finger-scrunched my hair. I wanted to look pretty, but not unnatural.

I returned and he had placed his belt and sword against the wall, with his waist bag on the table. His dress coat was over the back of the chair. He took another swig of beer.

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