Chapter 44 #2
Lizbeth kneeled beside Magnus and put her hand on his arm. “Ye hae been a verra good brother, I am sorry I was so cruel tae ye… years ago.”
“Twas just yesterday, or was that this morn?”
She waved her hand. “I hoped ye had forgotten. Ye forgive me for it, for all that I hae done, I ken it has been a lot of trouble?”
“Aye, but ye ken, tis further proof that Lizbeth will get her way.”
“Tis only because I hae such good brothers, they let me get my way.”
She squeezed his arm. “I need tae go tae bed, the dawn is coming as it does.”
“Aye, the wheel of the day will be breaking upon our good fortune in a few hours.”
I leaned against Magnus’s shoulder. Candles had burned down, and we could now barely see. Over the Great Hall the silence grew as one by one we all began to fall asleep.
Isla said, “This is fun.”
Archie said, “Yeah, I’ve never done this before.”
I said, “I did… once, long ago. Though I don’t remember… what was that?”
Magnus was quiet, then said, “I daena remember it. Ye werna with me.”
I said, “Oh, right, I’m sorry I brought it up.”
Archie said, “What does that mean?”
Magnus said, “Yer mother has a memory and in the shifts of time, I hae lost that memory.”
I explained, “…and whenever I’m here, the memory comes back to me.”
Sean said, “This auld castle holds all the memories. I think tis good that it will be in our family for years and years. Ye can call me Lord Exalted of the Lands of Alba, Defender of the Realm, and High Keeper of the memories.” He stood, “I will go say goodnight tae Maggie, over with the bairns, then I will go up tae the walls.”
Magnus rocked back and forth getting comfortable on the floor. “Och nae, Sean, ye daena hae tae go tae go up, the Earl’s son threw ye in the dungeon earlier, ye can take a night instead of protecting his walls.”
He smiled, his white teeth showing against sooty skin. “But Young Magnus, these are now my walls. My brother, the king, has procured them for me. It daena cost me a bit of respect tae stand upon my own walls.”
Magnus said, “Tis true.”
“Thank ye, brother, I mean it, tis verra grand, I daena ken how I will ever repay ye.”
Fraoch said, “First ye will hae tae rebuild that roof, so the king will hae shelter, then ye need tae fix the wall so he can pace there, then ye will hae tae clean up. This is practically a ruin.”
Hayley said, “And there’s a dead guy upstairs.”
Magnus said, “Only the finest for m’family.”
Everyone laughed.
Fraoch was lying on his side, he said, “Tis verra uncomfortable, did Isla say she thought this was fun? Did ye?”
Isla giggled.
He said, “Wait until the snorin’ starts.”
Hayley on her back beside him said, “There will be no snoring, I will send you out to sleep in the rain.”
“Och nae, I hae tae snore, I hae been fightin’ a fire, a dragon battler, everyone kens ye snort and cough after…” The kids laughed.
He raised his head. “The louder ye snore, Archibald, the more valiant ye are.”
He added, “Dost ye agree, Jack?”
I whispered, “Jack fell asleep already.”
Fraoch said, “Tis fine, I will tell him my joke in the morn, Jack will laugh and laugh.”
Hayley said, “You should be asleep too. Wheesht, my love, or I’m going to go sleep in the rain.”
He rolled onto his back, groaning and making a big fuss. “Och, I am verra glad ye brought me on this terribly romantic journey, Og Maggy. I am more damp and dirty and uncomfortable than I hae ever been in my life.”
Magnus said, with his arm thrown over his eyes. “Och, this is nae true.”
We all quieted.
Then Fraoch’s stomach growled. “And now I am hungry,” he whispered, “m’bean ghlan, where did we put the cooler?”
She pulled a bag over. “Aunt Hayley has a box of cookies, who wants some?”
Magnus, Archie, Fraoch, and I said, “Me!” Everyone else was asleep already.
Hayley passed a stack of Oreos to each of us. “Should I put one beside Isla?”
Magnus said, “Nae, rats.”
We all groaned.
Magnus and I washed ours down with the last of his beer. Hayley passed Archie and Fraoch her water bottle.
Hayley said, “Everyone is in a pretty good mood considering how much you went through today.”
Magnus said, “Ye mean me?”
She said, “Yup. You.”
He took a deep breath. “I am surprising ye by how well I am taking my sister’s crime spree, m’uncle being murdered, the rain foiling my plans, Birk stealin’ our vessels, John putting my brother in the dungeon, and a fire near burning down my castle?”
She said, “I’m surprised you are not murderous.”
Magnus said, “Fraoch, dost ye hear how yer wife is speakin’ on me?”
Fraoch said, gruffly, turned away as if going to sleep, “Aye, she forgets that even though ye are fully murderous, if ye hae cookies tae eat, tis hard tae stay in a bad mood. But ye will get yer revenge, ye canna let that stand.”
“Aye. It winna stand. Birk is a dead man—”
We all completed his often repeated threat, “He just doesn’t know it yet.”
Magnus said, “But that is just something I will hae tae do, in the meantime, life is tae be lived — tis not just the cookies, Fraoch. Tis also that my family is rid of the Earl and his cruelty and I own Balloch, there is much tae be in a good mood about.”
Then he rolled over onto his back. “Och, this is uncomfortable.”
I put my head on his arm. Jack had his head on my arm. “It won’t be for long, you’ll be up on the walls soon enough, last night was because you wanted to say goodbye, properly.”
“Tonight will be the first night on the walls of m’new castle.”
I kissed him, but then, “Ouch, my nose hurts.”
“Twill be much better in the morn.”
I put my head back down and whispered, “I thought it was Sean and Lizbeth’s castle?”
He chuckled in the darkness. “I haena decided yet. They were goin’ tae help me run m’kingdom, I think now that they arna helpin’ me, I might keep it for myself, but daena fear, I will let them live here.
I am a verra good brother, ye heard my sister say so.
She called me cruel yesterday, today she thinks I am verra fine.
I will allow her tae keep her chambers.”
I laughed, “You sound a little like your mother.”
“Right now, I might be meaner than she is. She wants tae give her children fine titles; I am thinking of giving Sean a title like, Lord Slocmuice.”
“What does that mean?”
“Pig hollow.”
I laughed again.
“Ye liked that? Good, I am tryin’ tae be romantic.” He turned onto his side with his arms around me, nestling in my hair.
“You’re doing very well, Master Magnus, whispering in the dark is always my favorite.”
“Aye, because ye are easy tae bed, ye daena require much, and here we are in a Great Hall and ye are callin’ me Master Magnus. Ye ken I hae nae control, Madame Campbell.”
“But alas, you must, Master Magnus, you have a dog sleeping on your leg, two of our children lie by our feet. I have a baby on my arm.”
Just then Fraoch snored, loudly.
Haggis looked over at him and then put down his head with a dog sigh.
Archie and Hayley giggled.