8. Chapter 8 - Magnus

In the dark before dawn there was a voice outside our door, "Da!"

"Archibald, all is well?"

"Nae, can I come in?"

"Yer ma is sleeping, I'll come, hold on." I climbed from the bed and pulled on a robe and opened the door tae the hall tae see m'son, his head bowed, his face grim. I whispered. "What happened?"

"I had a dream."

"Och nae, tis a hard thing, come with me." I led him downstairs.

We crept intae the room, picking a route past Ben who was fast asleep on the floor. I turned on the lamp at its dimmest setting, picked a comfortable place on the couch, and put out my arm. He sat beside me and cuddled against me, seeming frightened and needin' comfort.

I said, "Tell me about the dream."

"I call it a dream but it seems like, real. Like a video game, you know?" He grasped a bit of the front of my shirt in his fist and twisted it back and forth.

"Aye, I hae been havin' the same, they are verra detailed, the colors are crisp and I think I can smell it."

He nodded, quietly.

"What is happening in yer dream?"

"I'm up on a stage and there is large crowd yelling, ‘The king is dead, long live the king!'"

I looked down on his face through the darkness.

He added, "You know what that means, Da?"

"Aye, I ken what it means."

"They're talking to me."

"Ye hae become the king?"

He nodded.

"Yer heart must be verra heavy from it."

He nodded again.

I tightened my hold around his wee shoulders, holdin' him close. "Dost ye hae a crown on yer head?"

"It pinches me, here." He pointed to a place right above his brow.

"It does the same tae me." I exhaled. "Is the crowd from the future, Archibald? Dost ye ken how tae tell?"

"It doesn't look like Riaghalbane, it looks like the cousin's castle."

"Balloch?"

"But even older. Because... I don't know why. It feels old."

"I see. I am havin' a similar dream, it is discomforting. But I find a wee bit of solace that ye are having them as well. I am not alone, does this comfort ye as well?"

"Aye." His wrenching grasp on my shirt let go, his hand relaxed.

"If we are both havin' the same dream then we are both there, that, in and of itself, is a good thing. I was once a king in the long ago past, we wrote over that timeline, but now I think the timeline has reemerged. I believe I am a king in the past. I am remembering it. Perhaps ye were standing beside me when I was crowned. Can ye tell how auld ye are in the dream?"

He shook his head. "I can't tell, Da, but it feels like it's big and I'm afraid."

"Well," I put my hand on his. "Ye might be verra young as ye are now, ye might be witnessin' the moment that I am becoming king, and ye are intelligent, ye ken the duty required, and ye ken that someday twill be yer duty..."

"Maybe."

"The thing is, Archie, tae rule a kingdom is big and it is grave, we carry a heavy burden, and someday, long in the future, ye will be crowned a king, but it winna happen for a verra long time. I am not goin' anywhere."

"Thank you, Da."

"Ye are welcome, son, dost ye want tae stay here for a bit? I can return ye tae yer spot once ye fall asleep?"

He nodded. I could feel his young body growing heavy with sleep.

I remained awake, thinking about the growing chant: Long live the king! Long Live the King! My dream dinna include: The King is Dead! Which made me conclude that our dreams werna the same. This was worrisome — was Archibald seeing the future, was he witnessin' my death?

Or was this nothin' but a dream? Did it mean nothing but the wisps and whispers of our minds when they ought tae be asleep?

I lightly tapped his shoulder — he was sound asleep. I lifted him and carried him tae his spot on the floor and tucked him intae his bedding.

Ben opened his eyes, "Is he okay?"

"Aye, he is well, goodnight Master Ben."

"Goodnight, Uncle Magnus."