Chapter 17
MAGNUS
ON THE CASTLE WALLS IN THE RAIN
Ihad been on the walls for about an hour, talkin’ tae Sean now and then about how the night had begun fine and clear, clouds were patchy, I could see some stars overhead — twas good.
I needed tae fix this in m’mind. The stars were everywhere, much the same, but there was somethin’ about a Scottish night.
The stars were special here, unlike anywhere else in the world.
Florida had stars that twinkled as if reflectin’ the lights of the land, Scotland’s stars glimmered in the darkness, lit of their own accord.
I was answerin’ Sean’s endless questions about the kingdom.
He had seen some of the weapons of war once long ago, when they rained fire and death from above in what we now called the Battle for the Walls, but he was verra excited at the chance tae operate the machines himself, tae be nae longer the victim of them, but the aggressor holdin’ their controls.
He kept pressin’ me for details. First, he asked what mechanism steered the things.
I told him there was a stick tae drive it, or sometimes a wheel.
Then he wanted tae ken the firin’ mechanism — how I loosed the fire.
I explained about the triggers, simple as a musket’s but quicker.
He pressed me. “Like a flintlock, then?”
I shook m’head. “Nae, electrical.”
That stopped him. “Electrical?”
“Aye.” I regretted usin’ the word, twas complicated beyond my knowledge, so I attempted an explanation. “Like lightning, directed intae yer walls, invisible sparks that run through wires. Ye ken, we had some of it when we lived at Kilchurn.”
He nodded. “I saw it but never believed it.”
“It lit yer way in the night.”
“Aye, tis all I needed tae ken. But now I am goin’ tae yer kingdom, I want tae understand it. How does it go intae the wire?”
I tried tae explain further. “Tis somethin’ about currents—”
“Like water currents, it floats?”
I considered it. “Perhaps, and there are batteries, tis for storin’ the currents. Master Cook explained it tae me once on the walls of Kilchurn, a night much like this, but I believe I hae forgotten most of the meaning.”
The truth was it lit m’way in the night, and gave m’kingdom energy. I dinna need tae ken how. The engineers in Riaghalbane had shown me the panels and switches, but the why of it remained a mystery.
But with m’brother I muddled through the explanation as best I could, feelin’ more and more like a fool the longer I talked.
Then Sean cut me off. “I canna get tae how the machines fly… the ones ye ride in?”
“Aye, I hae been in helicopters many times.”
“If they daena use powder or flint—”
“Tis another sort of fuel.”
“…and it courses through the machine. How dost ye keep it from catchin’ fire when ye are flyin’ through the sky?”
I opened my mouth, closed it. Truth was, I had no idea. “Och, I daena ken, Sean, I hae crashed in one before, but I haena had one catch ablaze, though I hae seen that it can happen. I hae the best pilots, they must ken how tae keep it from catchin’ fire.”
He narrowed his eyes, looking up at the sky, thinking. “So they… sometimes they catch on fire?”
“Aye, but most of the time they daena burn.”
Sean chuckled. “Mostly? Och nae, Young Magnus, ye are takin’ me tae a kingdom where men ride in iron birds powered by lightning, and the best ye can say is ‘mostly they daena burn’? What happens when it does? Dost one just leap out tae his death?”
“Ye daena want tae leap out, Sean, och, tis a far way down. I was once holding on, danglin’ from the side, near fallin’ tae the earth—”
“I winna get in one, ye canna convince me tis safe.”
“Tis safe! I lived through it, och nae, ye are a coward. They hae belts tae hold ye in yer seat, and the men wear something called a parachute. If ye do fall it opens above ye and ye float down gentle as a thistle seed.”
He stared at me, eyes wide. “‘If ye do fall!’ Nae, Young Magnus, ye are tryin’ tae get me killed. I canna believe ye trust it.”
“Tae be truthful, I hae never much wanted tae ride one, I am always forced intae it.”
Sean shook his head, chuckling. “Ye make yer kingdom sound magnificent, the king, Magnus the First, is forced tae strap his arse intae metal bird, with lightnin’ coursin’ through it, mostly not on fire, defyin’ all sense, until it daena fly anymore, then the king will float tae the ground like a thistle seed.
I hae decided, I will remain on the ground. ”
I laughed despite myself. “Tis not m’kingdom forcin’ me tae—”
“Save yer words, Young Magnus, next ye will tell me they hae machines tae wipe yer arse.”
I paused just long enough that Sean’s grin widened. “Nae, do they?”
“…they hae something called a bidet, tis a fountain that washes all the arses, not just the king’s.”
He shook his head. “Ye are goin’ tae drag us all tae a place where men fight wars from iron birds and then go home tae hae their arses pampered by fountains? I am in turns worried and lookin’ forward tae it.”
“When ye are sittin’ in the cockpit with the stick in yer hand, rainin’ fire on our enemies and then danglin’ yer arse over a delightfully warm fountain, ye will thank me.”
He nodded, his eyes sweeping the view. “I am lookin’ forward tae seein’ what trouble m’sons get up tae with a castle full of arse fountains.”
We laughed, then we both quieted, and I said, “Tis goin’ tae be verra good for yer sons, ye ken?”
“Aye, I ken, I am grateful ye are doin’ it for us, but I still worry. I want them tae be capable. I daena want them tae not understand how the world works, ye ken? I worry they will be sorely hindered.”
“They are capable, they will figure it out, or they can do as I do and pretend tae understand while they figure it out.”
“Tis fine for ye, ye are auld and a king, they are young men, young men canna be ignorant of the world. I worry they might fail.”
“At what?”
“At everything.”
I nodded then said, “They will hae titles, they will be the sons of a Duke.”
“Aye, but tae hae a title is a far cry from bein’ capable. The men in the future sound soft, but they ken how tae turn on the arse-wipin’ machine, what will happen tae my sons if they daena ken how tae turn it on?”
“I think much like m’self, they will learn tae adapt.”
“Aye, I suppose they will hae tae — the future will demand it of them.”
“Dost they know they are goin’?”
“Not yet, I was goin’ tae tell them on the morrow.”
I chewed m’lip thinkin’ our conversation through, then the rain that I hadna noticed comin’ began tae drip, a slight sprinkle at first, a few large drops.
Sean and I did as we always did — in all the years that I had stood guard beside m’older brother on the walls in the rain, we ignored it, pretendin’ it wasna happening a tradition begun in our youth when we were forced tae stand on the walls and dinna want tae.
Because back then we had tae follow orders and tae begin tae complain meant we would become miserable.
So instead we played a game: how long could we go before the first of us would mention it?
Tonight Sean and I stood, looking out over the landscape, stoically. With big splashing drops landing on our faces, wetting our shoulders, chilling the air. We lasted near ten minutes, me bitin’ my lip tae keep from laughin’, he looking at me from the corner of his eyes, willin’ me tae break first.
Then finally he said, with rivulets of rain streaming down his face. “The rain is comin’.”
We both burst intae laughter.
I was near drenched and fought back the laughs tae say, “Aye, twill be here by morn.”