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

39. Chapter 39 - Lady Mairead

CHAPTER 39 - LADY MAIREAD

THE KINGDOM OF RIAGHALBANE - 2391

I kept myself busy in meetings all day, but then, midafternoon, in my office with a general and an admiral, I received an alert.

Someone had arrived on the jumping spot.

Archibald!

I rushed tae the hall as I heard behind me: “The traveler is deceased.”

I slammed tae a halt. Nae!

I turned slowly and couldna hear over my heart, racing.

The room spun, “What… what happened, who is… who is it…?”

“I do not know.”

I stumbled against the door and staggered down the hallway, my heart crying, nae! The word stuck in my throat, and then there was Wilfrey standing in the hallway, wearing a suit, as I had asked.

His face went pale as he saw me. “Mairead! What happened!”

“I think he is dead!”

“Who, Mairead, who is dead?” He grabbed me into his arms and hugged me with all his strength.

I sobbed, “Archie!”

“How do you know, Mairead? Where are you going?”

I stepped back. “I hae tae go tae the landing spot tae see… tae see the body, I canna… will ye come with me?”

In answer he took my arm, supporting me, helping me down the passage, keeping me from falling weakly to my knees.

I came tae the door at the end of the hall. I let go of his arm and brushed down my dress and smoothed back my hair. I lifted my chin as the guards opened the door so I could pass through to the landing pad on the roof of the castle.

There were many soldiers and in the middle of the pad, a body on the ground.

I took a deep breath and approached.

Wilfrey followed.

As I grew close, I saw the head was mostly gone from the body, there was blood everywhere. I faltered, twas difficult tae continue on, but also, it dinna look like Archibald’s form. I couldna put it tae words, but as I got tae the body, twas even more horrific, gory and disgusting, the body stiff, and then written on the white shirt in black pen.

Archibald

Killed

Asgall

June 18, 1775

I clasped my hands and raised them tae the sky. “Och aye, Heavens be praised!”

Wilfrey asked, “It is not Archibald?”

“Nae! Tis Asgall! Archibald has avenged us!”

I looked around at the soldiers and announced, “This is the body of our enemy! Asgall! Killed by the hand of Prince Archibald and defeated by King Magnus!” Then I led them in a chant of “Long Live the King! Long Live the King!” looking down happily on the mutilated corpse, feeling verra satisfied by the outcome.

I said tae Wilfrey, whose face had gone pale, “We hae vanquished our enemies, tis a glorious day.”

I asked the commander tae go through his pockets and soon there was a small pile of my devices.

I needed a trophy, tae mark this stupendous occasion. I pulled the dirk that I had strapped tae my thigh and cut around the words and held the scrap of cloth up for all tae see.

“Archibald killed Asgall!” They chanted some more.

I breathed in deeply, enjoying the thrill of the moment, until I said, “We ought tae leave, there is the smell of death. I need tae go tae my office.”

The commander gave me a towel and I wrapped all of my devices in it and held it against my chest, placing my other hand on Wilfrey’s sleeve with my head held high in victory.

We returned tae the castle.