Page 124 of The Empire and the Wolf King

Niall said, “Ben? Are ye talking about Ben, ye ken, the lad from… Dinna I hae a messenger named Ben, Dom? What happened tae that lad?”

I said, “…and Da would always tell me that his great friend Cailean Mòr assured him that time was a wheel.”

Cailean said, “I rejoice that he finally admits I was right in it.”

He leaned back in his chair. Then asked, “…Isthiswhat Mag Mòr meant by ‘he canna be with us… the wheel of time has rolled on’?”

“I think so, aye, memories shift as we roll along.”

I was given a thin straw-stuffed sack tae sleep on in the Great Hall near the hearth. I had nae curtain around m’bed for privacy, nor a place for m’books, nor m’own pisspot. This was an unforgivin’ floor. I had tae share the room with five strangers, and two had already begun tae snore.

Twas an indignity.

I undressed down tae m’bottom layer, a linen tunic, and folded m’outer clothes and cloak, stackin’ them beside the pallet. I put m’shoes within arm’s reach, and climbed under the coarse wool blanket. I lay awake watchin’ the flames in the darkness. The air of the room smelled of the night’s meal of roasted mutton, minglin’ with the cloying breath and sweat of men turnt by too much warm ale, and the smoky tang of mossy peat smoldering in the fireplace.

I wished I could tell Ben of this, that I was livin’ at Innis Chonnel without him. And that Dom and Niall dinna really remember us. He and I used tae run up and down these halls, pretendin’ our sticks were lightsabers, our footsteps echoin’ from the corners as we ran. We acted out our favorite scenes from movies we loved, what we could remember, convincin’ our cousins tae join in. These halls rang with our voices, “Hulk smash!” as we chased each other around, our excitement echoing off the walls. And here I was. Still.

I listened tae the soft pop and crackle of the fire and the breathin’ of the many people around me, thinking about how I had a great battle before me but I was in a land of strangers.

Twas difficult tae sleep even though I was exhausted. I kept thinking about all that I had given up, the comfortable beds and abundant foods, the close friends, the comfort of m’family. And my best friend Ben.

I had given up Mario.

A third man added his snores tae the rest. I pulled my cloak over m’head and promised m’self, I wouldna live here long. I would ask tae join Wallace as soon as I could and I would live from then on at the edge of a battlefield.

CHAPTER 55 - MAGNUS

THE CLEARING NEAR BALLOCH CASTLE - 1710

Och nae, I was wet, rain was pourin’ down, m’head ached from drink and time travel and I had that sluggish feelin’ of being in a puddle of mud.

I thought tae myself through the pain —welcome back tae Scotland.

A voice was talking, inaudible at first, barely able tae reach m’ears, then it spoke louder, then louder once more — twas the familiar voice of m’brother, Sean.

Och aye.

I flopped over ontae my back with a splash of mud and blinked in the twilight. “Sean?”

“Aye, look at ye, deep in the mud like a wallowin’ mucag. Ye are made low, supposed tae be a king and yet are lollin’ in the mire at the feet of yer brother?—”

From my right I heard Lady Mairead. “Sean! Och, Sean, ye are alive!”

“Of course I am alive, I am standin’ here full of life.”

Lady Mairead began tae sob as she pulled herself up from the mud and threw herself intae his arms.

She sobbed even harder.

He said, “Mother, what is happenin’ with ye?”

She continued on.

He pushed her head back tae wipe her tears lookin’ down in her eyes, his face holdin’ deep concern. “Are ye well, Lady Mairead?”

“I thought ye were dead! I hae been believing it for days! I could barely survive it!”

“Nae, nae, mother.” He put his arms around her. “I am alive, I promise, what did ye think happened tae me?”

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