Chapter 37 Alexandria
ALEXANDRIA
The sounds of the encampment were loud, the soldiers were busy, the morning was bright.
It hummed with the energy of a full day.
The two extra horses clopped behind Torin, Max, and me in a train.
Dude was in a bag on Lambo’s withers, his head poking out like a smug little lion king.
Torin was now facing forward, sitting tall in Cathbarr’s saddle, one hand on the reins, the other resting on the hilt of his sword.
His eyes scanned every shadow as if Rannald himself might step out of one of the tents.
Max passed him to ride in the front.
A young sentry in black tactical gear snapped his rifle up the second we emerged from the trees. “Halt! Identify yourself—”
Max said, “Prince Maximillian. With Torin Elphinstone of Clan Campbell and Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandria. Lower yer weapon, lad.”
The sentry deeply bowed. “Your Highness.” Then he spoke into the radio on his shoulder. “Uh… Control, we’ve got the Prince here on a horse—”
The gate rolled open before he finished speaking.
We rode straight through the camp, past rows of steel-sided buildings and humming generators. Soldiers stopped mid-step, staring at us, their prince, and two other people on five horses like it was 1558.
Max didn’t slow until we reached the Barn.
Then he and Torin swung down from their horses, and Torin put out his hands and helped me down from Ferrari.
I pulled Dude from the pack and placed him on the ground, while Max gave the reins for all the horses to a private.
“Deliver them all tae the stables, they need tae be fed and watered.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Torin unfastened a few bags, slung them over his shoulders, and the horses were led away.
To our right, guards stood in front of the door
Max led us intae the Barn where the uncles were waiting, and then Torin and I begged off to get cleaned up before we would explain what had happened.
That’s how I found myself in the bathroom with Torin.
“Well, we’re here, my love, you ready to make your case?”
“I think so, aye.” He scrubbed his hands in the sink. Then began splashing water on his face and scrubbing up and down on his skin.
From my peripheral vision I saw him tug at his earlobes again. “Bothering you?”
“Aye, tis muffled.”
I frowned. “That’s not good, want to see a doctor first?”
He was quiet, then said, “Nae, I need tae focus on the task at hand.”
A stack of clothes appeared for us. His was a clean uniform that fit, again, how many times could we loop before they would run out?
Mine was a similar dress over a pair of slacks, but in a pale pink with ornate embroidery. “Look at this, it won’t work, it’s too… princess.”
Torin said, “Ye are a princess.”
“It’s pink. I’m not that kind of princess. I don’t think. At least I don’t want to be.” I stuck my head out the door and called to the person who had delivered it. “Can you tell Aunt Claray, my um… Aunt Claray that I need something more… war-like?”
The woman bowed and rushed away.
I waited, pulling my hair over my shoulder and braiding it, while Torin finished washing and dressed in his uniform. “You look great.”
He rubbed his hands down the front of his shirt. “I would demand a kilt, but these are verra comfortable pants.” He did a couple of funny lunges. “Ye wouldna think they would hae enough movement for m’large cock.” He jiggled himself.
I laughed.
“But in an earlier loop they must hae measured me tae get it just right—”
There was a knock on the door and Aunt Claray stepped in, catching Torin doing another jiggle and lunge.
I snorted trying to stifle a laugh.
Torin’s face went crimson. “My apologies, Lady Claray.”
She had a stack of clothes in her arms. “Daena worry on it. I am so pleased tae see m’niece and tae hear her laugh, I winna hold any antics against ye.”
She dropped the clothes on a table. “I hae brought another, more practical dress—”
“It must be a dress?”
“Aye, ye will be in the past, ye daena want tae be in pants, I promise ye, twill solve a great deal of trouble. This is another coat dress, but tis thicker and darker, with a soft shirt and pants. Twill do?”
“Yes, perfect.” The pants were a dark olive green, thick.
The shirt a pale green silk. The coat dress was built like a jacket on top with a skirt attached, and was in the same olive hue.
The jacket on top was in velvet, which gave it a rich, deeper effect.
The attached skirt went down to the floor in a lighter, more flowing fabric.
The ensemble belted around the waist. The jacket had embroidery down both sides of the buttons, and there was a thick light-brown fur collar.
I might be unprepared and untrained going to battle, but I would look gorgeous.
It wasn’t wasted on me that this was a ridiculous thing to do.
Aunt Claray said, her hand rubbing back and forth on the velvet. “Ye are truly goin’ tae battle, niece? I will be worried on ye.”
I saw Torin cut his eyes at me as if he were waiting to see how I would answer.
“I am, I need to be there.”
She said, “Ye ken we hae lost all of yer family and we hae only just found ye again.”
“I know, but it doesn’t change my decision. I’m going. It’s important… I won’t be talked out of it.”
She squeezed my shoulder. “Dost ye need help changing?”
“No, thank you, I will see you in the war room.”
She left.
Torin was buttoning the top of his shirt, looking in the mirror. He said, over his shoulder, “Ye are goin’ tae be havin’ that conversation quite a few times today.”
I pulled on the slacks and buttoned the waist. “Yeah, it’s going to suck.” I pulled the silky shirt over my head and tucked it in.
His face screwed up.
“What?”
“I dinna make out what ye said.”
“Oh, I said it’s going to suck to have to explain myself.”
He nodded, then said, “What they daena ken is once ye hae set yer mind, ye are verra difficult tae turn.”
I chuckled. “Yep. Better hope I’m right, because there’s no talking me from it.”
I pushed my arms into the dress sleeves. “Luckily I’m right about this.”
He lifted my belt, wrapped it around me, and buckled it. He passed me a blade to sheath at my waist. I would need to ask for a holster for a gun. I wanted a gun.
“How do I look?”
“Like a princess about tae go on an unwarranted exploit. How dost I look?”
“Like my warrior about to go fight for my kingdom.”
We admired each other and helped straighten seams and smooth and brush off each other’s backs.
He said, “I am takin’ ye, I winna be deterred, but if we are on the battlefield ye will hae tae listen tae my every word. If I tell ye tae run, ye run. If I say hide, ye—”
“I hide.”
“Daena get caught, daena let them use ye against me. I winna be able tae fight.”
I nodded solemnly.
“Ye look verra fine, mo leannan. Yer dress matches yer eyes.”
I smiled. “You look handsome and hot, my love. We kind of look like we’re fresh for this battle even though you fought it already, that seems good, fresh is good.”
He tugged at his earlobe again. “Aye, we are fresh, tis good, we hae tae take the moment seriously. We canna try this again, we hae one shot.”
“You’re okay?”
“Aye, and I daena want tae talk on it. I daena want tae worry Max.”
“Okay, of course.”
He put out an arm for me to take and I tried to smile confidently but I was concerned about his hearing. I could see he was really bothered by it and it seemed to be a poor way to start a war.