Chapter 30 Alexandria
ALEXANDRIA
We found Max in a recovery room, heavily bandaged, and still groggy from the anesthesia. I sat down and held his hand. “Hey, brother.”
“Hello, sister. We survived.”
I said, “Barely.”
Torin stood beside me, looking stoic. “Are ye well, m’laird?”
“Aye, did we kill him?”
Torin said, “Nae, he lived, yet…”
Max said, “Och nae, what are we goin’ tae do?”
“I decided we are goin’ tae go around again, but I wanted tae talk tae ye on it, first.”
“What dost ye mean, go around again, ye mean… ?”
“We are goin’ tae fight the battle once more.”
“Och nae, Torin, just hours ago, ye were saying twas the worst idea ye had ever heard, now ye are suggestin’ it?”
Torin said, “Aye, I had a clear vision while tryin’ tae keep ye alive on the battlefield.”
Max said, “Och nae, I am on m’deathbed because ye dinna talk me out of going, tis yer fault, clearly.”
Torin chuckled. “‘Och nae’ is right, ye are in an ornery mood.”
“I am near dead, I get tae be.”
“The doctor says ye are well enough tae speak and not be an arse, but tis true I must go if tis the plan, afore ye decide tae die. If ye die I canna save ye.”
“How is everyone else?”
“Charlie is still in surgery. His wound is grave, m’laird, I ought tae leave and begin tae circle around afore he… ye ken.”
“Aye, I see. What dost ye need from me? Want me tae come?”
Torin scoffed. “Ye want me tae ride intae battle with a broken, wounded man dragged from his hospital bed, near dead from the battle, or dost ye want me tae go get ye a day ago, healthy and fit and ready tae fight?”
“Ye are wounded as well!”
“Tis nae too bad.” He rolled his arm around in the socket.
Max said, “Alexandria, dost ye see what I hae tae deal with with this man? He is always a trial, never a help tae me—”
“Och! I am about tae save yer life for the tenth time in a month.”
Max continued, “…and ye married him, Alexandria, what are ye about? Are ye certain ye hae thought this through? He will be always arguing with ye.”
I said, “He has a big heart—”
“The biggest.”
“And he’s selfless.”
“Aye, he is a good man, while also bein’ a burr in m’saddle, a proper plague upon the hind parts o’ man and king.”
I smiled, “I rather like him though, I think he’s great, and we are really lucky to have him on our side.”
“Och, tis true. So what dost ye need, Torin of the Arse-Burr?”
“I am going tae meet ye a day ago, and I will tell ye that ye need tae listen tae me, and do what I say. And since reason slides off ye like water off hot iron, I was thinkin’ ye could write yerself a message that I could deliver.”
I said, “Or I could record you!”
They both looked at me blankly.
“I could record your voice, Max, and when I play it back you would hear it and know it was you!”
Max grimaced, “Nae, I can think of three ways that could be false, it ought tae be a written message or I will never trust it.”
I bit my lips, “Okay, sure, a written message.”
“What dost ye need me tae say?”
Torin instructed, I wrote, and Max signed.
After, as Torin tucked the letter into an inside chest pocket, he said, “I will see ye on the other side, m’laird.”
Max said, “Aye, Torin, God Speed. Alexandria, I will see ye when ye return, Torin, take care of her.”
I kissed him on the cheek. “See you soon, brother.”
We left down the hall to the waiting room and found Ryan and Aenghus with Claray, right where I had left them.
I sat down beside Claray and held her hand. “Any news of Charlie?”
“Nae, not yet, niece, we are verra worried.”
Ryan leveled his eyes on Torin. “We’re going around again, you know what you’re doing?”
“Aye, I will leave now.”
Ryan said, “I’ve written down the dates, locations, and markings, if you abide by them, that should do it.” He passed Torin a piece of paper with writing jotted on it.
Aenghus said, “If we daena meet ye in the clearing, ye will hae tae get tae the encampment without us, ye remember the way?”
Torin said, “Aye, and I will hae m’horses this time. I need my horse, Cathbarr, for the battle.”
Ryan said, “You’re going to bring your horse to that battle? You saw what it was like, it’s chaos and bedlam, it’s…” His voice trailed off.
Torin said, “I will take it intae account. I need m’horse, it dinna sit right tae not hae him. His name means war helmet, he is my protector.”
Ryan said, “We definitely need our war helmets in that battle.”
Torin said, “Aye.”
Claray said, “Will ye be stayin’ here with us, niece?”
“No, I’ve insisted and I’m going around with Torin, I will see you soon, Aunt Claray.”
She dabbed at her eyes. “I suppose ye will remember me this time?”
“I don’t know — is that how it works?”
Aenghus said, his head back on the wall, “Aye, tis exhaustin’ tae ken everything that is goin’ tae happen.”
Ryan said, “While I’m relieved, on this side of the battle, that someone else is going to take control for once. I will warn you, Torin, my past self is not going to relinquish the reins easily.”
“I hae a letter tae ye from yer prince, orderin’ ye tae listen tae me.”
“Well, that will probably work.” He stood and walked over to a gun cabinet.
“I will give you some guns, so you can cover yourself while you get your horses, but don’t use them on me, even if I’m an ass.
I can be an ass, if you threaten me in the past with the guns I give you in the future…
I don’t know what I’ll do but I will do something… ”
“I winna, I can be verra persuasive without threats. I am verra charming, ask Max, he will tell ye.”
Aenghus chuckled, joining us in front of the cabinet, pulling out a Glock and some ammo. “It sounds like all you boys do is bicker. I don’t think Max finds you charming at all.”
“Och, he holds me in his heart in all things, but he wants tae kill me most of the time. Tis as brothers are.”
“Aye, I miss mine, even when they argued with me against m’superior sense.”
I said, “Speaking of brothers, when I get back I can leave Uncle Dylan a message for you. Aunt Claray says he’s been out of contact, what should I say?”
Ryan scrubbed his hands up and down on his face. “God, I haven’t seen Dylan in years, yeah, we need to get him a message, but be vague, just in case. Tell him that you know, meaning you. Tell him to go check the spot. And that we’re trying to get him one.”
I repeated, “I ‘know,’ go check the ‘spot’ — he’ll know where it is?”
Everyone nodded.
I continued, “‘We’re trying to get him one’... you mean a vessel?”
Ryan nodded, “Just don’t actually say it, please,” he added, “But you need to go fast, we can’t risk losing Charlie, it’s too much loss already.”
Torin said, “Aye, I agree.”
I said, “Let me grab Dude and then we’ll be ready to go.”