Page 136 of Long Live the King

“Tis a verra good question.” I watched a hawk swirling in the bright blue medieval sky. “I was a king — what happened tae my throne?”

“Another man is wearin’ yer crown, pretending tae be the king, ye hae been usurped.”

I said, “Maybe the chant is telling me I still live, I am still king — och, I daena want tae be, seems an awful responsibility tae be a king in the thirteenth century, but...”

Fraoch said, “Ye bowed yer head and the crown was placed upon it. Ye accepted the responsibility, tis yers. What did ye do, Og Maggy, walk away from it? Lived yer charmed life, full of ease? Ye hae been livin’ in exile and now another man is sitting upon yer throne? It daena seem like something our brother, Og Maggy, would allow tae happen. Does it, Lochinvar?”

“Nae, ye let a man take yer throne and now he has taken m’maiden? He is growin’ in strength! Perhaps the fact that ye haena put Arsewipe in his place is frightening yer son. Perhaps Archie senses yer weakness?—”

I raised my head. “Careful, Lochinvar.”

He shrugged. “I mean, he is fearful that he is alone and needs tae take the throne, ye canna deny he feels weak and ineffectual?—”

“As he ought, he is only eight.”

“Aye, he should believe ye tae be stronger, tae be able tae protect him.”

I growled. “Beverracareful.”

Fraoch said, “Og Lochie has a point, if Asgall is a king, then ye are dead, that is what yer son is feeling. But ye are not dead, so are ye weak? Did ye allow yer throne tae be usurped? Ugh, I daena like the sound of it.”

I watched the clouds and the birds ridin’ the high winds, the chant in m’mind,Long Live the?—

Lochinvar said, “I see her!”

I flipped tae my stomach and pulled up the binoculars, directing them toward where he was looking. There was Ash, ye could tell because she was wearin’ modern clothes, walking from one of the buildings. We watched her as she took a circuitous route through the courtyard.

He said, “Tis her, och, we found her. Lady Mairead was right about the date, but how long has she been here, should we come at another time?”

Fraoch said, “I daena ken, she looks unharmed.”

Lochinvar said, “She’s wearing modern clothes, she canna hae been here for long.”

She paused at a few places, for a time, then she returned tae the building.

Lochinvar said, “Did ye see! When she went in, through the door, I saw a bed. That is the room where she is staying.”

I said, “There is smoke from the chimney there, we can guess that is where she spends her time and sleeps.”

Fraoch said, “Tis odd, she is not captive. She just walks freely.”

“What can she do? She has nae where tae go.” Lochinvar added, “We will go get her soon, right?”

I nodded and sat up.

Fraoch opened one of our packs and passed out some of our food. while I opened a weapons bag and divided the guns.

Fraoch said, “What is our plan?”

I said, “We are goin’ tae toss the flash-bangs, create smoke, carry guns, shoot the arseholes, rush in, and rescue the maiden.”

“Ye sound like Colonel Quentin.”

“Aye, he’s the one who designed the plan, he told me tae flash-bang-smoke-shoot. He calls me the boss but he’s the one callin’ the shots.”

Lochinvar said, “We counted at least sixteen guards.”

“We ought tae assume there are more.”

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