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He brought the knuckles of my hand up and kissed them. Then he looked at the ring and spun it on my finger.

“I am glad ye hae a ring now, tis not grand enough for a princess⁠—”

“It’s perfect.”

We put our left hands together and admired our rings.

Then we both sipped from our beers.

He said, “And that is why I struggled so hard against goin’ through death’s door though twas beckoning⁠—”

I narrowed my eyes. “You struggled so hard…?”

“Aye, I dinna want tae die⁠—”

“Torin, that makes me furious, you told me you were fine.”

“Och nae… aye, I said I was fine, I dinna want tae worry ye.”

“Oh my God, we already fought about this⁠—”

“When ye were yelling at me in the castle.”

“I was yelling at you because you were lying to me, and you didn’t really even admit it. Now you’re saying that you almost died. I was right about it?’

“Aye, ye were right about it.”

“I am going to kill you once you’re completely well.”

He chuckled. “I ken ye winna, because ye love me too much.”

“True. And I am very glad to be right about it and that you admit it. I won this.”

“Aye, if we are keepin’ score ye can put that on yer side. Ye were right, yer Torin almost died, but he stayed alive because he wouldna leave ye. He will never leave ye, Princess, tis an oath.”

I sighed. “That’s lovely, thank you, I love you.”

“I love ye as well.”

41

ALEXANDRIA

1308 - WE MEET A PRINCE SENT BY A KING

And then suddenly the door of the inn opened and the blustering wind of sunset came in, along with the heavy footsteps of a stranger. He was big, ginger hair, and a long full beard. He was well dressed, and had that air of being very wealthy. His clothes were fine, and most notably, he was clean, and shockingly, had that glow that Niall Campbell had accused me of. The glow of time travel.

He blinked in the dim light of the room and said, with a big, good natured smile, “All Hail! I see the evening’s festivities hae begun!” His eyes swept the room and landed on us as Torin stood with his hand on the hilt of his sword.

“Good fortune!” The stranger boomed, “Just the two I was lookin’ for!”

Torin asked me, “Dost ye ken who he is?”

I shook my head. “I have never seen him before.”

The man flicked a finger at the server, gesturing for a round of ales for our table. And said, “Please, sit down, Torin, och, daena get up on my account.”

Torin didn’t listen, he remained standing, tense, while the stranger beamed at us. “I am glad tae see ye. I hae been looking for ye.”