Page 164 of Long Live the King

“Ye napped? Och nae, ye are auld too.”

“Or young like a bairn, bairns nap all the time! What did ye do while I was sleepin’?”

“I worried, and contemplated.”

“Like an auld man.”

I chuckled.

Then we both drank from our mugs. I asked, “What dost ye think, Fraoch, about all this?”

“I think ye hae won yer kingdom, handily. Ye sit upon the throne of Scotland, and ye are in a good position tae protect the realm from the ascendance of Arsebunkle the Aggravatin’.”

“Och, that is a good name, did ye just come up with it?”

“Aye, verra proud of it. I am, as m’wife would say, on fire tonight. I am not certain what it means but I think it means m’glory warms me from the inside.”

“So I am a king at two ends of time?”

“Aye, and ye must hold both these thrones. I hate tae be the one tae say it, Og Maggy, but ye will need tae be here for a time, tae make sure this one is held strong.”

“I agree.” I nodded. “I absolutely agree. Dost ye think I hae changed anything else, dost ye think Archie still feels it is dire?”

“Ye are worried on him?”

“Verra worried.”

He took a sip of wine. “Life is short, ye ken, Og Maggy, yer son is worried about yer impending death from auld age, he can see ye witherin’ afore him?—”

“I am at most thirty-one.”

He chuckled. “I forget sometimes I am older than ye.”

“If he is seein’ the future, I daena ken how tae help him, tae set his mind at ease.”

“Maybe ye hae tae just be the king — ye rule, ye take charge, and if he is frightened, perhaps seein’ ye be in charge will give him strength.”

I nodded. “Aye.”

He yawned. “I am exhausted. What a few days we hae had! We rescued the maiden, worked the Trailblazer, and took yer throne. Och, Og Maggy, we are heroes.”

I said, “I am verra weary as well and I hae a speech tae deliver in the morn.”

“Dost ye ken what ye are goin’ tae say?”

I patted the book. “I hae the speech that Lady Mairead wrote for me, folded in the pages, here, tis a good speech, and I can speak extemporaneously if I need tae.”

“If there is one thing Og Maggy can do, he can talk on and on about his greatness.”

I laughed as we stood. People all around the Great Hall bowed as I left the room with Fraoch following.

CHAPTER 72 - MAGNUS

DAWN AT STIRLING

Iwent tae my room, warm from a built up fire. I undressed and climbed intae bed. Fraoch was right, I had a mattress that wasna good enough. I would bring new. I would bring bedding. I would bring comfort for Cailean — I was asleep almost as soon as my head hit the pillow.

There was a knock a few hours later.

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