The Empire and the Wolf King (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #21)

19. Chapter 19 - Archibald

CHAPTER 19 - ARCHIBALD

THE KINGDOM OF RIAGHALBANE - 2391

A dessert was served of orange sherbet with a chocolate liqueur sauce.

I took a spoonful and moaned happily. “After I kill him, where and when will I live? I assume I wouldna get tae live out the rest of my days in this fine modern castle…”

She shook her head. “After ye kill him, ye would need tae go tae a time where we daena cross paths. It could be anywhere ye decide.”

I nodded, mulling that over.

Then she said, “But…”

I chuckled. “Ye arna goin’ tae let me think?”

“I just want tae point out that ye daena hae tae choose the medieval age. Ye could pick a more modern moment in history. I greatly prefer Manhattan tae gloomy castles.”

I laughed. “I vaguely remember the word Manhattan, I daena ken what?—”

She said loudly tae the computer in the room, “Project on the wall, Manhattan.”

There appeared an overhead view, a city unfoldin’ in front of me as if I were flying. My stomach lurched, it felt as if I had raced m’horse down a mountainside tae the Glen of Awe. I stood and strode across the room tae stand in front of it, taking it in. There were buildings that soared tae the heavens, dark valleys of straight streets, crowds of people in fine clothes, clean and seemingly unencumbered by hunger or privation. The city was larger than I had ever seen — I had only gone tae Edinburgh a few times, because I was in exile.

I said, “It looks vaguely familiar, I remember bein’ there before.”

“It is likely ye hae been there, I’m certain of it, but ye would hae been verra young.”

“I will never see it again.”

“Unless ye choose tae live there.”

I returned tae my seat. “I would be all alone… nae, I will return tae my home in Innis Chonnel on Loch Awe — I would like tae see Ben and Isla and Zoe and Jack one last time, would they be there… perhaps in the beginnin’?”

She shook her head. “I doubt it, Archibald. If ye are going tae choose this path ye must be clear-eyed on what is going tae happen.”

“Aye, it makes sense, I understand… but if I am living there maybe I can still fight alongside Uncle Wallace. I could live in Uncle Cailean’s castle, maybe I winna be the Wolf King, but I can be Archibald Campbell and live a good life in a place where I am familiar.”

She remained quiet.

“Tis what I will do, I will kill Asgall, bring ye yer devices, and then I will return tae 1301.”

“Ye are certain this is the course ye want tae take? We will be leaving yer family stuck where they are, while ye try tae kill Asgall, ye are taking on a great risk.”

“Aye, but once I do it I will be the hero, sacrificin’ myself for my family’s glory. Sing a song tae me.”

She nodded. “I will sing a song tae the medieval Wolf King, a prince of men, and then I will overwrite history.”

I raised my glass, “Tae songs of glory!”

She said, “Slàinte!”

We drank and then put down our glasses.

I said, “Tae that end, how will I kill Asgall? Ye said ye hae a monitor that shews which vessels are being used, within a certain distance. If I were near enough would I be able tae precisely locate him?”

“As long as he has a vessel on him, aye.”

“Good, I will need the monitor.”

She took a bite of a cake and chewed, then dabbed at her mouth. “I don’t loan out the devices on principle, not since I was blackmailed intae giving one tae… och, many times: Sir Padraig, Reyes, they hae all used my devices for their nefarious ends.”

I said, “But I am yer grandson and I daena hae a nefarious bone in m’body.”

“As my descendant, ye ought tae hae at least a few nefarious bones, especially since ye’ll be needing them against Asgall. Perhaps ye will hae tae ask nicely; I am still irritated by yer rudeness earlier.”

I stood, pushed out my chair, and dropped tae one knee in front of her. I had heard Uncle Fraoch say it once, that the way tae Lady Mairead’s heart was by taking a knee.

I bowed my head. “Grandmother, I apologize for being rude. Might I hae the monitor and the last workin’ vessel in the world so that I might rule time as the one and only Wolf King, hell bent on destroying Asgall and rescuing the mighty Magnus the First?”

She lifted my chin and looked down on me. “Och, tis well done, Prince Archibald, I hae not one complaint, ye may hae my treasures — but my monitor is verra dear and I want it back. I am not sure how ye will accomplish it, but ye must return it.”

I grinned and took my seat once more.

She said, “I will also arm ye well. Dost ye ken how tae shoot a rifle?”

“Nae, but I am well-armed with a sword and I hae a sharp eye with the longbow.”

“After dinner I will give ye an instruction on the devices and then we will give ye a shooting lesson in the armory.” She sighed. “I suppose twill hae tae do.”

She raised her voice tae ask the voice in the room, “Dost we hae any weapons for a young man who is good with a longbow?”

The voice said, “He could be armed with a crossbow.”

“Oh, I had forgotten, aye, we have a crossbow, verra modern. The arrows are lethal and if ye aim well, ye will become proficient at it, I think.”

She looked like she was considering it all.

Then she pushed away her dessert plate and leaned back in her chair, checking her watch. “Dost ye see, Archibald, that the help haena removed our plates? Yer father would never stand for it, yet for my needs, there is nae consideration.”

She leveled her eyes on one of the servants along the wall who rushed forward and began taking our plates away.