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

54. Chapter 54 - Archibald

CHAPTER 54 - ARCHIBALD

LIFE AFTER THE DO-OVER - INNIS CHONNEL CASTLE - 1301

T he castle was familiar because I had lived here for ten years, and I kent everyone but they dinna ken me. The chambers that once held Emma and Zach and Hayley and Fraoch now held Cailean’s cousins. I walked up and down the well-known passages, listenin’ tae the voices I recognized and the activities that I used tae join in on, and when I turned corners I half-expected tae come across my family, there in the shadows — but they dinna cast shadows here anymore, and I was nae more than an echo.

I was invited tae share a meal with Cailean and his sons and their families in Cailean’s dinin’ room. We had a long table in front of a roaring fire, about twenty-five people, including their wives and the children, and a man playin’ a lute in the corner tae entertain. Twas friendly and the food was verra good.

Twas the best that Cailean could offer, but still twas a stark contrast tae Lady Mairead’s opulent residence in Da’s castle in Riaghalbane.

I wished I had a steak as large as she had served. Or ale as good. During dinner I grew sorrowful — I knew them all well and by name, but they thought of me as a stranger. I was relyin’ on their charitable kindness, reintroducin’ myself, explaining my history, tryin’ tae understand what they remembered and what had shifted with the times.

I tried tae keep my countenance blank, but Cailean noticed I had gone quiet and asked, “Why the long face, Young Archibald, ye look pensive and we are embarkin’ on a campaign tae win yer rightful throne.”

I said, “Och, my apologies, Cailean Mòr, I was simply thinkin’ on m’family.”

Cailean nodded and said, “Then I invite ye tae bring them intae the room, let us hear a story!”

I thought for a moment, looking around the table, then asked, “Did Da ever tell ye about the logs with teeth?”

They said ‘nae’ so I told them all about the monsters who slid along the water’s edge in a land called Florida. I told them that I had seen them with my own eyes on the river banks, large and fearsome.

I had the full attention of Cailean’s grandchildren, and they had many questions. Dom’s son, a wee lad by the name of Dawy, asked, “How long are they?”

I slid my hand down the surface of the table. “They can be as long as this oak table right here, with more teeth than all of us put taegether.”

Niall’s two sons, Euen and Ulchel, had their wide eyes traveling down the surface of the table. “Och nae!”

Dawy asked, “Do they live in the sea or lochs?”

“Lochs!”

The wee lads and lasses all shivered.

Euen asked, “Did ye ever see them eat a man?”

I said, “Nae, because my Uncle told me that tae stay safe ye canna carry cookies in yer pocket?—”

“What is a cookie!” They all yelled at once.

“A honey-baked biscuit about this size.”

A wee lass by the name of Beigis said, “Oooooh. The beasts like honey.”

“Aye, almost as much as they like meat!”

The lads gulped.

Ulchel said, “Ye canna go in the water!”

I said, “They also come out on land!”

Dawy said, “Och nae, how fast are they?”

“Verra fast.”

The lads looked terrified so I finished it with this, “But they can only run in a straight line.”

Their eyes went even wider.

I said, stridin’ intae the middle of the floor, “So ye must run like this tae get away.” I ran in a zigzag from one end of the chamber tae the other, and around the table with all the lads jumpin’ from their chairs and joining in tae zigzag around the room. Cailean and his sons and their wives all laughed and clapped.

Then I collapsed in the chair, breathin’ heavy. “I ken not tae carry cookies in my pockets and I learned how tae run in a zigzag, tis why I hae never been caught.”

I watched them excitedly taking their chairs. They were laughing and shouting, and their mothers were tryin’ tae get them tae settle — my heart grew heavy.

This was verra difficult, because Ben had told this story about the beasts tae these same lads and lasses just a few weeks before. And it had transpired the same way, they had asked the same questions, and ever since they had been zigzaggin’ around the castle, laughing about the log beasts.

Och nae.

None of them remembered me or Ben. I almost wept, liftin’ my goblet tae drink my ale, blinkin’ back signs of m’sadness.

Cailean was watching me.

Dom said, “Now that we hae heard a tale for the bairns, let us hear one about your darkest battle.”

Cailean said, “He is verra young tae hae a darkest battle. Archibald, tell us a story about one of Mag Mòr’s battles.”

I thought I might use it as an opportunity tae see what they remembered and tae try tae understand the shifts that had occurred. So I launched intae a long yarn about the English king attacking Stirling Castle. I began with, “This tale may or may not be true…” I told it enthusiastically, actin’ out the explosions, wavin’ my arms, holdin’ Cailean’s family’s rapt attention, especially the wee ones. “Then the warriors ran inside the walls tae defend the castle from the advance! The archers were upon the rampart, but Edward’s war machines?—”

Cailean asked, “The large catapults ye mentioned?”

“Aye, they were stationed on two sides and then Edward’s army began tae attack the walls. I heard the men rushed up the stairs tae the main tower and they were firin’ arrows at the?—”

Dom interrupted, “I hae never heard this before, at Stirling ? Ye are certain? Yet, the castle still stands!”

I laughed and waved it away. “Nae, I am nae certain, I was a young lad, and might hae misremembered. Perhaps twas a drunken brawl in the courtyard.” I sat down as everyone laughed.

But I glanced at Cailean and his brow was drawn down.

Dawy said, “Tell us more of the battle!”

I said, “Dawy, dost ye ken the story of the wolf that awakened tae save Scotland?”

He whispered, “Aye,” and rested his chin on his hands. “But tell me!”

I told the story of the wolf, just as Da had told me and as I had told Jack for many long years. Then I said, as if it were a fictional tale about a fictional laird, “And then after the Siege of Stirling, the castle was all a pile of rubble, and the laird was lost, and as the laird was lifted from the courtyard on the back of one of Evil Edward’s dragons, his young son, verra close tae yer age howled?—”

Cailean said, “Ahrooooooo!”

I said, “Exactly, Ahroooooo!”

Dom’s young son said, “Ahrooooo!”

Cailean said, “This story seems so familiar, Archibald, tis… unsettling that it feels so real, I can see it… dost ye see it, Dom, in yer mind?”

“He speaks well, he has given us the image of it.” Dom drained his ale.

Cailean said, “I feel as if I were there. I smell it, the fire and brimstone.” He breathed deeply in and out. “Dost ye smell it?”

Dawy said, “I smell it, Grandfather!”

Dom said, “Twas yer Uncle Niall’s flatulence.”

We all laughed.

I said, “After that young lad howled as his father was taken away everyone called him?—”

Cailean said, “The Wolf King.”

Dawy said, “Good name, arhoooooo!”

Cailean looked at me intently. “Ye are the Wolf King.”

I said, “Aye.”

Cailean leaned taewards me. “It seems tis a memory, but faint, ye ken? Tis as if tis true, but the wheel of time has rolled on. Did ye ken, Archibald, that yer father and I used tae stay up tae all hours, discussin’ whether time was a line or a wheel?”

I nodded and sipped from my ale and placed it down, leveling my eyes. “Tis as if I remember listenin’ tae ye discuss it. I can almost see it in my memory, though tis a different castle, I think… am I correct in it?”

Cailean said, “We sat discussin’ it in many places. I met him here the first time, his friend, Fraoch…” His brow drew down even farther. “Och, I haena thought of Fraoch in a long time, but now he seems verra clear in m’mind. Where was the last time I saw him…? Twas Scone, I think.”

I asked, “Were ye ever with Da at Stirling?”

“Aye, for long months. Och he missed ye greatly when he was away. All he wanted was tae hae yer mother and his bairns with him, and now ye are separated again. Tis a tragedy.”

Dom said, “Och, Archibald is grown, he daena need his Da. Now that he can heft his long sword, he needs a woman.”

The men all laughed.

Cailean said, “Ye forget though, Dom, Mag Mòr was King of Scots. Archibald needed his da tae pass down the throne, now he will hae tae fight for it himself. Ye ready Archibald, tae fight for yer throne?”

“Aye.”

“Good.” He leaned back in his chair, staring at me intently. “Ye truly remember me and yer father speakin’ on time? I hae a vague recollection of ye arrivin’ with yer sister at Scone. Twas just after yer father took the throne, but it seems as if ye were older then than ye are now, and ye sounded different. It all seems tae disappear intae a mist, perhaps twas someone else? If it were ten years ago ye would be verra young.”

I nodded, chewing my lip, worryin’ how tae explain it, but he continued on, “Just a lad. Mag Mòr was verra proud of ye, tis like I can see ye clearly.”

“In my memory Da would choose the chair beside ye and ye would lean on the table much like ye are now and ye would discuss…”

He said, “Tis just how I remember it… but where?”

“And m’uncle Fraoch would sit beside ye… he likes tae make the conversation all about fishin’.”

Cailean quietly nodded, but his brow was drawn down.

“…and Uncle Zach would sit?—”

Dom said, “Zach?” He tugged at his ear. “Och it sounds familiar — a tall man from Stirling, he has an odd way of talkin’?”

I said, “In m’memory he would sit there, and my sister Isla and my brother Jack.” I pointed at the chairs. “Ben would sit at the table there. But tis a dream, I suppose.”

Cailean said, “Yet I can see it in m’mind.”

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, “…Is this what 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.