“Aye, I must be more just than that. I hae been hungry, but I daena begrudge m’men a meal. The person I blame is right now within those castle walls.”
I said, “A dead man, he just dinna ken it yet.”
Ryan’s voice crackled in the wee ear-speaker they had forced me tae wear that I was told was carryin’ their voice by radio. “Torin, Max, put on your helmets, we go in three minutes. Remember: loud, fast, terrifying. The fourteenth century has never heard AC/DC. Let’s introduce them.”
Max’s face had gone pale but his expression remained fierce. His voice low, he asked, “Dost ye see it Torin? We are about tae take that castle.” He put on his helmet and strapped it under his chin.
“Aye, by the end of the day we will be inside the walls.” I put on mine.
“First I take his castle, then I win m’kingdom…”
He knocked his helmet. “Feels too light tae be protective.”
“Aye, tis a different armor than we are used tae.”
We were both wearin’ our uniforms with what was called a bullet-proof tactical vest over it. They were nae as heavy as mail, but were heavy enough tae ken we were ridin’ intae war. We both had what I had been told were AR-15 rifles slung across our chests, but because we had only ever shot muskets before, Ryan said it went against all sense tae give them tae us.
Max assured him that we were both verra good at firin’ muskets and were impeccable shots.
And Aenghus had argued that we had tae hae rifles, if we needed them and dinna have them, he would never forgive himself.
I told them it dinna matter much, I would carry the rifle, but I trusted m’steel more.
Max and I had our broadswords drawn.
I said, as I always did when we were on the cusp of a battle, “I can smell the blood a’ready.”
Max said, in his usual answer, “Tis time tae draw it.”
We clashed our swords taegether and nodded at each other.
Twas time tae begin.
Aenghus walked up,stepping beside Max, his rifle drawn. “See the men on the battlements, those wee little men? Ye want tae shoot them, not yer own feet, nephews. I made them give ye the guns, I will be responsible if ye do anythin’ stupid.”
Charlie’s voice chuckled in m’ear: “Thirty seconds.”
He was behind us, operatin’ the drone controller. The drones were ready tae fly.
Our black-clad men, the strike force, were spread out low tae both sides across the heather, rifles ready.
Ryan whispered intae his radio, “Alpha One in position. Drones, eyes up.”
A soft whirr as four drones lifted into the pale air, their rotors swiftly turning.
Ryan’s voice: “What do you see, Charlie?”
Charlie’s voice: “Our intel checks out. Only a small handful of guards. Most clustered around the gatehouse. Rannald thinks he’s safe.”
Ryan’s voice in m’ear: “Max, stay behind the soldiers. You’re the Prince. Torin and I go first.”
I said, “I stay by Max.”
Ryan’s voice said: “Then you’re both behind the soldiers.”
Max frowned.
I said, “Ye canna argue, ye hae tae survive. Ye are the king.”
