Page 4 of The Empire and the Wolf King

Emma said, “They were young when the great separation happened.”

“I ken, but still, a man hopes he will be remembered, even by the bairns. Do ye lassies remember Quentin and James?”

Isla shrugged, “A wee bit, I canna tell if tis because of yer stories or because I remember them.”

Chef Zach sighed loudly. “This sucks, it was almost a decade ago, a lot has happened.”

I glanced at Jack, sittin’ forlorn at the window. “Tis a lifetime for some of us.”

We all nodded.

Isla was looking at the chapstick and pulling the lid on and off with a little click, click. “I would like tae go home again, tis somethin’ I really want, but I will be sad if tis without Ma and Da.”

Jack said, “Ye daena hae tae think on it, Isla, Ma and Da are goin’ tae be there.”

She said, “I hope so.... But what will happen tae us?”

Jack came from the window and sat beside her. She put her arm around him and he put his head on her shoulder.

Hayley said, “Nothing will ‘happen’ to us. Archie will come back and we will be... it will be back a while ago,easy.”

I said, “And we will celebrate that we hae been rescued and we winna worry about anythin’ — nae drafty passageways, nae garderobes clogged with gong, nae English kings. When I am rescued I will never come tae the dark ages again.”

Zoe asked, “Would we remember any of this?”

Emma said, “I don’t know, honestly. I think we might, as a lingering memory, sort of shadowy, or misty, but probably not. The path would be overwritten.”

Zach said, “Except it’s a wheel, rolling away, and as it rolls we might be reminded of things... maybe.”

Emma said, “I know I want to remember, Zoe, when you gave me the beautiful embroidery for my birthday.”

I said, “I would like tae keep the memory of the battle of Stirling Bridge. I hope ye all remember the story of it — Wallace and I kicked the English king’s arse. He scurried away in defeat like a rat from the storerooms when ye turn on yer headlamp. Och I miss our headlamps.”

Jack said, “Of course we remember, Uncle Fraoch, ye told us the story many times!”

I laughed, “Jack, are ye sayin’ I told the story too many times?”

He looked serious. “Never, Uncle Fraoch, ye can never tell a story of a battle too many times.”

I said, “Ye are a good lad, that’s the main part of the glory of battle, the stories ye tell after.”

Jack said, “Someday I will fight alongside Ben and Archie and we will cause the English king tae beg for mercy, but I will laugh and I winna give him mercy, instead I will run him through with m’sword because of what he did tae Ma and Da.”

I nodded. “And Sean.”

Emma said, “So what we’re saying, Zoe, is honestly we don’t know what we will remember, but we hope we remember some of it. We really hope we do.”

Chef Zach said, “Though I would like to forget all the food. Cailean has tried to make us feel at home, but, man, I can’twaitto get back into a modern kitchen.

Emma said, “Amen to that.”

Jack asked, “What would ye make me first, Uncle Zach?”

“I would make you a big big big pan of the homemade mac and cheese that we were talking about with a tall layer cake, a layer each for all the birthdays you missed?—”

Jack’s eyes went wide. “Ten layers! Would it be taller than me?”

“Yes it would, and in honor of your da, I would give you a full ice cream station so you can fill up a bowl with as many flavors as you want.”

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