KAITLYN
I AM TRYIN’ TAE BE ROMANTIC
We were all gathered in the Great Hall having a breakfast of bread and cheese. Sean stuffed a bite in and said, “Now that we own the place, I expect the food tae get better. The gifts will be grander, aye?”
“Ye ken if ye went with me tae the kingdom, ye could hae all ye wanted.”
Sean chuckled. “Och nae, Young Magnus, we are decided, ye canna keep talking on all of this. Ye wanted us tae help ye run yer kingdom? Ye just added Balloch tae yer kingdom, yer brother and sister will take care of yer castle as we planned!”
Magnus laughed, “I guess that is one way tae think of it.”
“And so m’point is, as ye are getting all ye wanted, ye will be bringing grander gifts?”
“Aye, I suppose I will.”
Lizbeth came up. “I hae been at the lykewake for hours.”
She slathered butter on a slice of bread.
Hayley winced. “Do you need help there, I mean... I really don’t want to go, but if you need my help...?”
She said, “Daena worry, there are plenty of women tae keep watch. I winna press ye intae service.”
Magnus said, “Good, because tis a beautiful day and we are goin’ for a ride in the woods, as I promised, but afore we go, has someone checked the chapel?”
Sean said, “Aye, the window was destroyed, ye ken? Och, twas difficult tae see.”
“Did the family Bible and the register make it through?”
He nodded. “We hae put them away safe.”
“I am relieved.” Magnus exhaled slowly. “We lost a great deal yesterday — the head of our household, the roof of our keep, the glass, the pride of our family chapel. Tis a verra small win that our family’s historical record made it through, but a win all the same.”
We were all on horseback. Fraoch and Hayley were on their horses, Thor and Gatorbelle. Archie was on Mario. Jack would ride with Magnus on Dràgon, and I was on Osna. And I was going to have Isla with me, but then Isla said, “I want tae ride with Uncle Frookie.”
“With me, lass? Och it warms my heart, did ye hear it, Hayley, our niece wants tae ride with me!”
“I heard it, you will be crowing about it for weeks.”
Isla grasped his hand and was heaved up onto the horse. She said, “I hae tae ride with Uncle Frookie, he gets sad when he thinks nobody likes him.”
“Tis true, I also hae the cookies in my pack.”
She said, “I saw you put them there.”
He laughed.
We rode from the gates of Balloch, headed across the fields toward the woods with Haggis running alongside our path. The morning sun sparkled on the still-wet leaves and grass and in the short distance I could see the flashing shine of the river Tay.
The fields around us were a deep emerald green and the sky above the blue of a day cleaned by rain, reminding me of Magnus’s banner, the green on the bottom, the blue of the sky.
In the castle the smell of smoke had clung to everything, but out here the field smelled fresh, underscored with the earthy scent of rain-soaked soil. It almost smelled how Magnus’s banner looked.
I watched Magnus’s back, shifting as he rode. He leaned down to say something to Jack, who was pointing with his chubby baby hand up at the sky. I almost wanted to ride up and interrupt and ask what they were talking about, but I also wanted to enjoy the view. It made my heart warm.
God I loved that man.
Isla was chattering away with Fraoch, Archie was riding ahead with Haggis and then returning. And even from a distance and from the side I could see the proud gleam in Magnus’s eyes.
