Page 180 of Long Live the King

“Aye.”

He rose, took his leave, and left me alone with m’thoughts and worries.

My family was goin’ tae travel more than four hundred years, and with the time twists and turns, the rift that had opened up, changing the timeline from settled in one way tae another, and another traveler usin’ the machines, I couldna be comfortable believing it would go as planned, but there was nothin’ I could do but wait.

CHAPTER 79 - MAGNUS

KING’S PARK - STIRLING

Irode away from the castle in darkness. M’ guard ought tae hae accompanied me, but I ordered them tae stay behind. Twas purely selfish on my part: I wanted tae use m’lantern as I rode through the woods, the King’s Park. Twas a huge tract of land set aside for huntin’ and m’pleasure in general.

There was a dim light from the moon and stars castin’ a soft glow on the surroundin’ landscape. The night air was cool on m’cheeks. I raised the plaid higher around m’shoulders tae cut the breeze.

Ahead of me were silhouettes of ancient trees signaling m’park — how auld must those trees be that they were ancient in the thirteenth century? Their branches reachin’ up toward the sky were like long fingers lifted in prayer.

In the quiet darkness I heard the rhythmic sound of m’horse’s hooves, and the gentle rustling of leaves as the wind blew through the upper canopy.

At the edge of the woods I switched on a lamp, a curse and a blessin’ how it lit the way, yet blinded me tae all else.

I watched ahead of us at the pool of light, the forest dark around us, and allowed the horse, a long inhabitant of the castle, tae guide me tae the clearing.

We emerged out of the forest in an open field and I switched off my lamp and dismounted the horse.

I gathered some fallen sticks, and a fire log I had brought from the castle, and crouched tae build a fire beside a low boulder. I raised the flames and sat and warmed my hands in the heat.

I looked out over the dark land. From ground level this was a view I dinna take verra often at night. I was usually up on the walls. I breathed in the scent of smoke and burning wood, and beyond it, the earthy scent of the woods and field. I listened tae the creaking and clacking of the branches as the wind blew low in the field and rose at the woods, and behind me was an owl, hooting, soundin’ irritated that I had built a fire where he was tryin’ tae hunt.

I felt warm, inside and out, at home. Twas a good land, it would provide well for as long as we needed tae be here.

The flame burned down as the sky began tae lighten, and then the wind rose. Above us were banking clouds. I grabbed the reins of m’horse and pulled him intae the woods, safe from the winds, and tied him tae a tree. I drew as near as I could before the whipping winds kept me from goin’ any closer.

And when the wind rose even higher, I ducked behind a tree and clamped my eyes shut and huddled against its rage.

And then twas done.

I rushed out of the woods tae see m’family in heaps on a drenched ground. Three horses. Haggis raised his head, his tail shifted back and forth in the mud, as he slowly woke up. I located Kaitlyn and the bairns and crouched beside her with my hand on her shoulder and as dawn broke I made out Chef Zach and his family, Hayley and Fraoch, and... Sean.

Och, how did that happen?

Isla blinked her eyes first. “Hi Da.”

“Hi wee one, ye good?”

She nodded. Archie opened his eyes, looked up at me confused, he said, “Da?” And then he scrambled up and threw his arms around my neck and held on tightly, burying his face in my shoulder, almost pushing me off my feet.

I finally pulled his head up and with a hand on each side of his face and looked in his eyes, “Archibald, did yer dream go away?”

He nodded. “It changed, Da, to Long Live the King.”

“Aye, twill be a long life, a good life. Ye got m’note in the book?”

He nodded. “It was amazing, you fixed it — Grandmother was furious you wrote all over the pages.”

I said, “Here’s the thing about me, Archibald, I always do what I say I will do, and I rarely follow Lady Mairead’s instructions, especially if twill ruin m’fun. Let it be a lesson tae ye.”

He laughed.

Jack raised his head.

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