Page 141 of Long Live the King

He called over, “So we are goin’ tae go back and take yer kingdom again, but dinna we go back once tae get Haggis? Will we be loopin’?”

“Did we?”

“Aye, I remember... I think. Tis hazy.”

I shook my head, staring off intae the distance. “I hae memories that are hazy and some that are clear. I think the hazed ones are from shiftin’ and turnin’. Nae, we are returnin’ tae a different time. Tis clear, I believe we will overwrite it.”

He reemerged from behind the tree and said, “Nae one is coming?”

“Nae, we lost them.”

He was movin’ weapons from one pack intae another. “Do ye want me tae bring the sandwiches?”

“That goes without sayin’.”

He shoved our food intae his pack.

I continued, “I remember a day verra clearly, I am king, I had been king for almost a year. Tis the year of our Lord, 1291. There are nae time shifts, tis verra calm. I will return tae the verra next day. I believe we will be safe from looping.”

“How certain are ye?”

“About fifty-fifty.”

He chuckled. “I suppose I hae tae be okay with those odds, as I decided tae remain behind and help ye, though twas while being chased, under duress.”

“Ye want tae change yer mind?”

“Nae, I suppose not, it has been a while since we had a Fraognus adventure, I am in the mood. Though I daena like the idea of bein’ without our horses.”

“We ken Asgall opened time back tae 1296 but we daena ken if he has gone farther back. I doubt it, so this part of our adventure involves the Trailblazer. I daena want tae put the horses through it.”

“They would hate that God-forsaken machine.”

“Exactly.”

“Though I see ye daena hae the same consideration for yer brother, Fraoch.”

“M’brother, Fraoch, could hae gone home with the horses, instead here he stands.”

“Aye, tis my way, selfless and mad.”

We stood beside each other and I pulled the Trailblazer from my bag.

He said, “What made ye decide tae go back and claim yer kingdom?”

“The things ye were sayin’— ye are right, it does seem as if there has been a rift, a resurgence of that timeline. My history is callin’ me.” I tugged at my ear. “Relentlessly.”

I looked over the Trailblazer, checking the controls — difficult tae concentrate with the repeating chant:Long live the king, long live the king.

He said, “Och, I hate this machine.”

“We hae another vessel, ye could return tae Balloch.”

“Nae, daena be ridiculous. I can hate it and still do it, I am a complicated man, this is a thing I can do.” He rolled his neck and pounded a fist against his biceps and then his thighs. “Remind me again why we are doin’ it?”

“I am goin’ tae rewrite the history of Scotland, and I am bettin’ that twill be more stable once I do. I will secure m’throne for m’son and make certain that Asgall canna gain it. I will stop him afore he can become a king.”

“Och nae, I hope we daena hae tae war and battle for your throne again.”

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