Chapter 23 - Alexandria
ALEXANDRIA
The doctor entered the waiting room and Ryan blurted out, “How’s the prince?”
He said, “His Highness, Prince Maximillian, is still in surgery, as is Colonel Larson. They are both still listed as critical, I don’t have any new information. Torin has come through surgery, he is resting—”
“Can I see him?”
He nodded. “Yes, Your Highness.”
I jumped from my chair and all but bolted past him, only slowing because I wasn’t sure where to go. I was let into a room that was darkened, full of machines. There was a bed in the middle, with… Torin.
I rushed over and grasped his hand. “Hey, love.”
He opened an eye and said, sleepily, “Och aye… Alexandria, ye are here.”
“I am.” I burst into tears while smiling.
A nurse pushed a chair to the bed and I sank into it. I kissed his hand. And laid my head on it. “Are you okay?”
“…aye, ye ken, tis nothin’ but a scratch…” His shoulder was wrapped in bandages.
“It looks much more than a scratch. What happened?”
He raised his head and looked at his shoulder as if seeing it for the first time. “…think twas an arrow — t’went deep…” He lowered his head to the pillows. “Tis always m’shoulder…”
I said, “You probably haven’t fully healed from the last injury, you need to rest and heal.”
His head raised, “Where is Max?”
“He’s still in surgery.” My chin trembled. “They don’t know if he’s going to…”
“Och,” his head fell back on the pillow, “What good is this modern world if death is just as assured…?”
I pressed my cheek to his hand and held on.
Finally he asked, “What dost ye think, will he make it?”
“I don’t know, the doctor seems more concerned about Uncle Charlie.”
He asked, “What happened tae Charlie?”
“I don’t know. But he lost a lot of blood.”
He winced. “I remember now, the blood dripping from his arm, down his fingers, he tried tae hide it from us… he is in surgery as well?”
I nodded. “We’re waiting for news.”
He said, “Rannald got away. We are beaten and we dinna do what we set out tae do. We will hae tae come up with somethin’ else…”
“I don’t want to come up with something else if it’s this dangerous.”
I looked across his chest at him. He let go of my hand to push some of my loose hair from my face.
“It was really hard last night, not knowing if you lived or died.”
“Twas difficult on the battlefield as well…”
“God, yes, that was an asinine thing for me to say. I know your battle was worse than my waiting, but still, it was hard.”
“Tis not what I meant, Alexandria. I meant, the battle was worse than I thought, I daena begrudge ye not joinin’ on the field.
I fight for ye, because ye canna. I daena hold it against ye, but.
.. ye need tae ken, ye canna rest, the battle is ragin’.
Yer men hae been gravely wounded, we hae tae carry on. ”
I pouted. “But I changed my mind, I want to do something different, something where you don’t have to die.”
“Ye canna, Alexandria, yer blood is royal, ye canna leave the battlefield, tis yer throne. If Max daena pull through, ye will be the heir.”
“You and I could just go live back at my house, with Dude, and like… how many children do you want?”
He chuckled, “I think ten will do it, three fair lasses, and seven strappin’ boys.”
“That’s a lot of babies.”
“Yer family has had a great deal of loss, twill be a promise tae hae bairns, the future will be full of hope and grace.”
“I like that, how about we agree on five — three boys, two girls. And then we shall see.”
He grinned, “I will take all ye will give, mo leannan.”
“But you won’t let me quit?”
“I canna let ye, tis not up tae me. And if I took ye from the kingdom and hid ye away for m’own desires, even tae keep ye safe, the case could be made that I would be a scoundrel.”
“I have to be selfless?”
“Aye, ye and Max are the crown, the throne, the kingdom. Ye canna quit, ye must live up tae yer calling.”
I nodded. “You know I didn’t really mean it. I know all of this, but I just need you to tell me again, I need to hear you say it.”
“I ken. Ye want me tae be stern with ye, tis how ye find strength. I daena mind, especially now that ye hae promised me five bairns, with more bairns a possibility. Ye can say anythin’ ye want, ye can argue with me day and night, and I will think m’self blessed, och, the bairns are coming.”
I chuckled. “You are very easy.”
His face turned serious. “I daena feel easy, tis likely verra dangerous right now, more than ever.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, for one, Rannald is likely angry, we surprised him and he dinna die, if we go meet him on another field he will be like facin’ off against a badger tied tae a bee hive.”
“What could he be planning?”
He shook his head. “I believe the uncles hae spies, they will ken soon. We must pray that we ken afore anything more damagin’ happens.”
I watched him for a moment more. “I wish I could climb in bed with you.”
He raised his good arm. “If ye can fit.”
I kicked off my shoes and climbed up onto the bed. I’m sure it was quite the image, with my long dress hanging down from the side of the bed, my head on his chest, he with bandages on his shoulder.
I carefully let my head get heavy. “Is this okay?”
“Aye, tis a comfort tae hae ye close.”
We were quiet for a moment. I asked, “What happened at the battle?”
“We attacked, and spread out, the soldiers were verra good. Max and I had control of the courtyard. The uncles are formidable fighters. Ye hae a good army, Princess.”
“I’m glad.”
“Rannald appeared, Max charged him. I gave him cover, but then… he was fired on. We dinna even injure Rannald, much less kill him, he kept tae a tunnel, and we couldna get a shot. Then I turned back tae see Max gravely wounded. I lost m’abilities tae reason, ye ken, Alexandria?
I let Rannald get away. Tis all my fault.
” He shook his head. “If Max dies and I dinna kill Rannald, if I dinna get revenge, nor win yer throne, och nae, I will never forgive myself.”
I ran my hand up and down on his chest, soothingly. “This is a lot of pressure for you to carry.”
“Aye, the weight of m’brother and m’wife’s throne. It daena come tae me by blood, but by decision, honor, and oath. I canna drop the load, Princess, it inna my way.”
I leaned up and kissed his jaw.
We lay in thoughtful silence for a few moments, my fingers smoothing back and forth along the edge of his hospital blanket.
“What else did you mean?”
He asked, “…what?”
“Earlier you said, ‘well for one’ that things were more dangerous than ever. You said ‘Rannald is angry.’ It means there’s something else. What’s the other thing?”
He said, “Yer uncles.”
“What… what about my uncles…?”
“I think they will try tae do this battle again—”
I chewed my lip. “Like go to yesterday, start over?”
“I suspect they believe that if they fight the battle once more twould give them foreknowledge tae save Max and Charlie and that twould give them the upper hand in the battle.”
I nodded. “I guess they would want to try that, is that a bad thing?”
“Aye, a great deal could go wrong — Rannald might know we’re coming. He could be learnin’ our weaknesses as well. And we daena ken if we can truly fix what has happened, what if the next battle we lose a man outright? Tis a dangerous game tae fight a battle over. Tis playin’ with destiny.”
“Oh, yeah, that doesn’t sound good.” My mind was spinning.
“It canna be good. But I am worried they are becoming desperate, and they might try tae do more of our lives over, ye ken? What if we are never married? What if I lose ye altogether?”
I stood. “We talked Max out of going all the way back and killing the grandfather, you think the uncles might do something like that?”
“If they grow desperate enough. I daena ken what would stop them, mo leannan, they hae done it afore.”
A flash of a memory in my mind, the man saying ‘Och, lass, daena let go…’
I took a step away from Torin’s bed.
“It was Aenghus, Uncle Aenghus moved me when I was three. I don’t know why I didn’t see it before, he was younger, but it was him.” I looked at the door then back at Torin. “How many times do you think they’ve redone my life?”
He said quietly, “Who can say? Ye wouldna ken.”
I frowned. “I don’t like it.”
“They might hae done it tae save yer life.”
“Yeah, but…” I took a deep breath.
“They wanted tae save the king and queen, they wanted tae keep ye and Max alive, they hae a vessel that allows them tae time travel. We already suspect they were usin’ the vessel tae do things over afore the power was taken away—”
I said, “That was probably a good thing, they settled down, grew their family and stopped playing around with all our lives.”
“Aye, but now they hae a vessel once more. The battle has gone wrong. The pull tae fight it over again will be formidable. I can see the danger and still I want tae fight it again, or how will I live with the shame of havin’ been beaten?
I watched Rannald get away and lost Max his kingdom, again.
Och, tis a great deal of shame. But I hae the power tae overcome the defeat. What is stopping us?”
“Nothing, nothing at all. Except it sounds really dangerous, what if the outcome is worse? What if someone dies?”
“Aye, tae turn the wheel again is a risk.”
I said, “They shouldn’t make the decision on their own, you and I promised each other we wouldn’t do things over. I’m not okay with them doing this.”
“They hae a way tae do it, twould be difficult tae talk them from it. But every battle waged wears on a man, how many times can we be expected tae fight, how many losses can we bear?”
“Damn, I need to… I should talk to them, find out what they’re planning.” I looked at the door. “If they decided to do it right now, they could just leave, and do it, and would we know?”
“Nae. I daena think so. But this is speculation, Princess. Be cautious, ask questions, ye ken, find out if they are thinkin’ it, and if they are, try tae be the voice of reason.”
“I just hate the idea that they’ve been shifting my life, changing things without my knowledge, and that your life is at stake … look, I’m going out there, just… get some rest, okay?”
“I am sorry I gave ye somethin’ tae be concerned about.”
“No, it’s fine.” I cocked my head. “…what if the Uncles have already done it? What if this is the second time they’ve tried? How would we know?”
He shook his head.
My eyes went wide. “Aunt Claray just happened to have a dress for me to wear. She had a uniform for you. Max had medals! How did that happen? We were only here for a few hours!”
He said, “Aye, there are a great many signs. Includin’ a feelin’ I hae that I hae been through all this before.”
“Damn. Okay… this is fine, I’m going to the waiting room, I’ll just make sure that’s not what they’re planning.
If it is, I will intervene, give you a heads up, we will make a good strong plan.
None of this desperation: desperation is when mistakes are made.
I will stop them from being rash. They’re my uncles, they want what’s best for us, this is not a big deal. No worries.”
I patted his arm. “Don’t worry, I got this. Get some rest.”
He joked, “…I think I am already asleep…”
“You’re going to be fine though, right, you’re just sleepy?”
“Aye, I feel good, Princess, I will awake, ever yer faithful husband, Torin, on the other side of this sleep.”
I kissed him. “Good, sweet dreams, I’m grateful you’re back.”
I left his room.
I shoved through the doors to the waiting room, to find myself in a scene that was difficult to describe, the room was darkened, as if the color had been drained from it, the look of a vintage video, burnt on the edges, but maybe it was just my vision going tunnel, common in a panic attack, and this must indeed be that, because the room was empty, except for the chairs, dust in the air, the humming of a machine somewhere, a ticking of a clock from the wall behind me.
I stared at it, the second hand the only thing that was moving in the room.
I turned slowly, walking to the counter. I peered in the back, “Hello?”
It echoed.
I turned to the door I had come through, and pushed through it, entering an empty room. I went through a long desolate hall, to another room, also empty, back down the hallway at a race.
I shoved through the large doors to the waiting room, totally empty, furniture gone… I crumpled to the ground unable to breathe.