Page 47 of The Empire and the Wolf King

Lady Mairead’s eyes shifted back and forth as she read. She exclaimed, “Look at the date! They escaped from Asgall! Then they traveled east and hae met Thomas Jefferson, och, well done! Dost ye see, Archibald, we ken when tae rescue them?—”

“I see, Grandmother, I see they are out of the way. I winna hae tae worry about them when I kill Asgall.”

“Ye haena changed your mind?”

“Nae, tis a good decision, we ought tae keep it.”

I rubbed m’hands on my thighs. Then smacked them down. “Ready tae go.”

She huffed. “Nae shower first — a nice sleep in a comfortable bed?”

“Ye ken, Grandmother, I daena think I ought tae do too much. I daena ken if I can bear tae leave the comfort and luxury behind.”

One of her assistants walked in, bowed, and passed her a thick folder. Grandmother asked, “Hae ye included this recent information, Thomas Jefferson’s journal?”

Her assistant bowed again. “Of course.”

Lady Mairead flipped through the pages. “Very good… We hae an empire tae defeat. Ye will go tae get Asgall at a brothel outside of Staunton. Asgall will deserve the assassination ye deliver tae him for spending time in such a place.”

She placed the folder down in front of me. “There is a map. And we ken he is here on this date. Ye will lay in wait, try tae get him as soon as he arrives, or the following day before he leaves. Ye will not cross paths with yer mother and father, ye are not tae rescue them. Twill be better not tae see them at all.”

“I ken, I winna.”

She watched me, her eyes piercing. “I wish I could help. I wish I could do it in yer stead.”

“Ye canna, I am the one. I am already out of time, I might as well continue on.”

Then I howled, “Arhooo,” but it was low and sounded weak and a little melancholy.

She nodded and placed the papers in the folder and put it on the table. “I will hae this packed in yer bags and yer supplies brought tae ye in a moment. While we wait we will go tae the range.” She stood. “Ye dinna hae a horse with ye?—”

Och nae.I felt a pang in my heart. Mario had been left behind at Balloch with Uncle Lochie. How could I hae left him behind? But I did, and I wouldna get tae see him again. He was going tae be rescued years earlier. “Mario, I… he has been my favorite horse for a verra long time.”

She nodded. “I am sorry, my grandson, this is a great deal tae bear.”

There was a long pause where she watched me, my face fallen, struck by the loss of Mario.

Then she swept from the room. “Follow me, we will go tae the stables. Ye will need a horse. I will give ye one of yer father’s favorites, sired by Sunny. I believe Magnus would want ye tae hae him.”

I followed her from the palace.

A few hours later, I was standin’ on a rooftop, surrounded by bags, a gun box, a horse I had just met, and a device called the monitor that I had received verra quick instructions on using. I had looked in the boxes, and felt incompetent about most of the equipment. I had been told a great deal, learned verra little, therefore everything required a manual tae use.

I was good at aimin’ the crossbow, but not as practiced at arming it. The rifle had been easier tae use, but my aim was not as good. I had both, and a large bag of ammunition. A couple of swords, some knives. A few bombs. Grandmother offered a drone but I dinna ken how tae use it. Lastly she gave me a vial of poison in a wee metal box, even though I told her twas a cowardly way tae kill someone.

She shrugged. “Sometimes tis theonlyway tae accomplish the task, and tis non-violent. I am, at heart, a pacifist. I will always want tae keep the peace, and sometimes it requires killing yer enemy tae calm the situation.”

“A dagger through the heart might do the same.”

“Unless ye are in a crowd. Och nae, there hae been many times in which a man with a blade causes more trouble than he solves. Yer father is a prime example. A well-placed drop of poison might hae solved many of his battles with much less fuss.”

She zipped up the last bag and continued, “...and tis not cowardly. Some men are so vile and horrible, they cause so much death and destruction, that tae fight them with honor means tae risk yer life. It also risks their escape. Instead, a drop of poison saveseveryone’slife.”

“What’s brave about it?”

She chuckled. “I suppose the bravery is that in doing it ye realize how easy it can be done, from then on ye canna trust the world.”

She then grinned. “I packed ye some food.”

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