1. Chapter 1 - Magnus

Irolled the inner tube in front of us, carrying Isla in m'arms. She was thrilled by the prospect of riding down the spring, yellin', "Da! We go in the water!"

"Aye, Isla, we will go down the river."

"This going to be fun, Da!"

Ahead of us, Fraoch swung a big raft intae the river and strode in after it, plowin' through the water. He puffed because of the cold and yelled over his shoulder tae the boys, "Och aye, tis brisk as a Scottish loch on a spring day!"

The boys were standin' at the water's edge lookin' brave, but tentatively dippin' toes and shiverin', until Lochinvar ran up behind them, picked them both up, gigglin' and squealin', and jogged, splashin' into the water. Chef Zach was carryin' Zoe, and ran in after them. She blew air, as if she were going under though she dinna hae any of her body in the water. James ran by carrying two tubes. Slinging them out across the surface of the water, the current quickly took them. "Oh, shit! Wait, they're going...!" Fraoch laughed as James jogged into the water, his knees high, chasing the tubes and laughing.

I got tae the edge of the water as everyone was climbing ontae their tubes and pushed our tube from shore. Isla put her hands on m'face. "Da, this is going be verra fun."

I plowed into the water. "Aye, Isla, twill be verra fun." But then she gasped as her toe touched the water, fed by a spring, a verra cold spring.

"Da! It freezing! Too freezing!" She climbed up m'waist scrambling up tae m'shoulder and perched there with her arms wrapped around m'head, knocking m'sunglasses askew.

She shrieked near my ear as I went deeper, and submerged m'self intae the water. She climbed so that she was standin' on m'shoulder.

I pulled the tube close. "Ye will hae tae get wet Isla, ye canna go down the Ichetucknee River and stay dry."

Archie said, "Isla, you can't stand on Da's head, you have to get in!"

"No! No!" She shrieked. Then looked at me earnestly. "Da, I will go in, I will have fun, I just not ready."

I hefted us onto the inner tube and sat in the center, while Isla squirmed around and sat on my chest, shiverin'. "This good, Da? See, we have fun!"

I said, "Yer bottom is on m'neck, Isla, tis uncomfortable." She scooted down a wee bit, makin' sure that not one bit of her was touchin' the water.

Zoe was perched similarly on Zach's chest, but her feet were danglin' in the cold spring.

Lochinvar was on a tube and was splashin' the big raft that Archie and Ben were in, rowin' along with the current.

James was farther down the river holding ontae a branch, waitin' for us tae catch up.

We floated down the river, playin' and splashin' in the water, kids swimmin' and jumpin' from the tubes intae the river — except Isla. She remained perched as far from the surface as she could be so when I wanted tae move I had tae pass her tae Fraoch's chest tae ride while I jumped on the raft and rowed with the boys and jumped in the water and swam alongside.

Then Isla sat on Zach's chest with Zoe while Fraoch and I rowed on the biggest raft, playing a game of keep-the-boys-from-the-boat. Fraoch said, "Ye remember the last time we were on a ship, Og Maggy?"

"Och do I, ye had a fever and we were terribly hungry, twas a long and desperate voyage. The ship was much larger than this one, though, remember — tae meet that ship we had tae steal a smaller boat, much like this one."

Archie's eyes went wide, he whispered, as he swam alongside our raft. "You stole, Da?"

"Aye, son, I had tae, twas not tae enrich m'self, twas tae get home."

Fraoch said, "Then he saved m'life. So we ken God thought on it favorably." His eyes went wide and he asked the boys, "Dost ye think there are gators in this water?"

The boys yelled, trying tae scramble ontae the raft.

Fraoch pretended tae battle them off, saying, "If there are gators, we must feed them with boy-appetizers, so they winna be hungry for the men."

The boys swam tae the back near me and tenaciously held on, pulling their legs up.

Archie said, "Da is safe zone!"

Ben yelled, "No appetizers for the gators!"

Fraoch said, "Og Maggy, ye just goin' tae let the appetizers use ye like that?"

Then Lochinvar snuck up from under the water, yanked the boys off, swam tae the side, flopped ontae the raft, climbed tae his feet, and rocked us back and forth, dislodgin' Fraoch who slid off the raft tae the water. "Och, ye are too wily, ye stole m'raft!"

I held on, as Lochinvar kept rockin' until he capsized the whole raft, knockin' me intae the water as well. Lochinvar flipped the raft right-side up, climbed on, and yelled, "I am king of the river!"

He pretended not tae see us as Fraoch and I each hoisted a boy and flung them ontae the raft where they wrestled Lochinvar down until he slid off intae the water.

He said, "Och nae, the pirates hae taken m'ship."

Archie said, "It's okay, Uncle Lochie, I had tae take the ship, I needed tae save m'life." Sounding verra much like a young Scotsman.

Everyone laughed.

I swam away from the raft leaving it for the boys and climbed back on m'tube and pulled Isla over tae m'chest again, pretending for a moment that I might drop her in the water. She shrieked so loud m'ears rang.

"Isla! If ye scream ye will get tossed in!"

She clung tae m'arms, "Da, I am very sorry, I just not ready."

There was a cooler of fruit and snacks tied tae Zach's tube, floatin' along behind us. At lunch time Zach passed out sandwiches. While I was eatin' m'roast beef with pepper jack cheese, Isla remained perched on m'chest, havin' her peanut butter and jelly, and assurin' me that this was all verra fun.

We all grew quiet while we ate. Archie was sittin' on the big raft, with his sandwich on his lap, and his feet trailin' in the water. "How long have you been a king, Da?"

I said, "Och it feels like centuries — how auld are ye?"

Ben and Archie laughed.

Isla said, "You don't know how old he is, Da?"

"I forget, sometimes, Isla, as time is rollin' by and has blurred the details."

Archie said, "I'm eight years old."

Fraoch said, "Eight! Och, ye are nearly ready for yer first broadsword. How much ye weigh?"

Archie said, "I don't know."

Lochinvar said, "He is wee, he is the weight of a broadsword."

Fraoch said, "Ye ken it daena matter, the question is how much does he benchpress?"

Archie and Ben laughed.

Archie joked, "I can lift almost thirty."

Fraoch said, "Thirty! Och aye, in that case ye will be able tae swing a broadsword, easily, but it will need tae be made of flower petals."

Once the laughter died down. I said, "So, I've been a king for eight years, as the crow flies."

Isla said, "What does that mean?"

I said, "The crow flies in a straight line, if I follow its path it has been eight years, but if I truly recount how long I hae been a king, the path has been a big loop-the-loop — it feels as if I hae been a king for much longer. But I use Archibald's age tae mark it — eight years."

Archie took a bite of his sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. He and Ben were alone on the big raft and it was lackadaisically spinning. Then he asked, "How long do kings usually rule?"

I narrowed my eyes, "I daena ken, tis dependent on war and rules of succession and the length of time the king lives."

Archie said, "If I am going to be king does that mean you will be..." He whispered, "Dead?"

Fraoch was perched on a small tube, eating his sandwich. "Och nae, this conversation took a dire turn."

I watched Archie for a moment, tryin' tae decide what the turn of question meant, but answered truthfully, "Aye, Archibald, if ye are crowned king, I will be gone."

"That doesn't seem fair."

"I ken. Fortunately we hae decades tae go afore that happens, I intend tae hae a verra long life."

"Good." He looked quietly down at his sandwich. Then said, "Not sure I want to be king if you are gone."

I nodded. "Well, Archie, life is full of responsibilities, and this is one of them, someday ye will be king, and God willin', ye will be ready for the challenge."

Fraoch said, "Of course he will be ready, he already presses thirty! He canna weigh much over four stone, he lifts close tae half his weight. He is goin' tae be a king of power and glory who all will revere?—!"

Lochinvar jumped from his tube ontae Fraoch's tube — the tube tipped, Fraoch spun his arms, pretendin' tae try tae save himself, but slid intae the water, holdin' his sandwich up above his head. "Saved it!"

Fraoch and Lochinvar both climbed back ontae their tubes and Lochinvar and the boys sang songs as we floated down the current.

A while later, Fraoch scrambled up, pulling his legs from the water and crouched on his tube. "Och!"

Isla said, "Too cold, Uncle Fraoch?"

He looked suspiciously down at the water and around in it in all directions. "Nae, like all good Scotsmen, this brisk temperature is perfect, if yer heart races and yer breath puffs, ye are certain ye are alive and that the summer is upon ye. I was just thinkin' on what is under the— " He startled, "Did ye see that?"

Ben said, "Uncle Fraoch, there aren't gators in the water, we told you that!"

"Aye, but I wonder, Ben, are ye just tellin' yer uncle a story? Ye ken how I feel about gators, ye might be lyin' tae me."

Archie earnestly said, "I would never lie to you."

"Ye hae stolen m'glorious raft right from under me!"

Archie and Ben laughed.

Fraoch was crouched and his tube was spinning. "Och nae!" He was frantically looking down in the water.

Ben said, "Uncle Fraoch there aren't any gators, tell him Dad!"

Chef Zach said, "Fraoch, I promise, there are no gators, you know why?"

"Because ye are telling me a story?"

"No, because it is too cold for them. They hate the cold. That's why they never build snowmen, right Zoe?" She giggled.

Fraoch grinned. "This is why the gators daena live in Scotland!"

Zach said, "Exactly, they don't want to live in Scotland and the gators damn sure don't want to eat a Scot. Too cold. They like a warmer, sweatier dinner."

"I always knew a proper Scotsman wasna meant tae live with those monstrous beasts." He relaxed and sank down on the tube, allowing his arse tae submerge intae the water in the middle of the tube. "All ye gators daena bite m'arse, tis a cold arse, ye canna hae any!"

The boys thought Fraoch was hilarious.

He said, "Isla, did ye hear? If ye want tae put yer arse in the water, ye can. Tis good tae taunt the gators with our primacy. We are the Scots, and this is cold water. If ye dangle yer butt and fart in the water the gators will feel sorry for themselves."

Isla said, "That's okay, Uncle Fraoch, I don't want to make the gators feel bad."

He feigned upset. "Isla! Ye take it back! Ye ken the gators want tae feel bad — they are monsters, they thrive on grumpiness."

She giggled and adjusted her weight, her heel digging into my rib. I pushed her a bit and she grabbed hold even harder. "You almost knocked me off, Da!"

I laughed. "Ye ought tae go in the water, Isla. Tae hae fun, ye need tae get wet."

She shook her head. "I am not ready, Da, these things take time."

At the end of the float downstream we bumped against the landing dock. We dragged our raft and tubes tae shore, climbed out, and began wrapping ourselves in towels.

Isla stood on the side of the riverbank with her hands on her hips lookin' verra disappointed with herself. I asked, "What are ye doin', Isla?"

"Nothing, Da," she huffed. "Just thinking about how much fun we had."

We wandered up tae the van tae get juice boxes from the cooler, and I watched her, as she jabbed her straw in her box, as her chin trembled.

I texted Kaitlyn on m'phone:

How is Jack?

His fever broke, he's all good, did you boys have fun?

I chuckled, thinking about how Isla was talking about fun.

Quentin and James tossed our towels intae the back of the van. Chef Zach passed out snacks tae everyone. Isla looked down on her juice box with deep melancholy.

I called Kaitlyn and said, "Isla wants tae tell ye about her day." I put the phone on speaker and held the phone for Isla.

Isla said, "Hi Mammy."

"Did you have fun?"

Isla burst intae tears.

I heard Kaitlyn's voice say, "Uh oh."

Isla wailed.

Kaitlyn said, "Let me guess, my love, you didn't go in the water."

Isla sniffled and said, "It wasn't the right time, Mammy."

"I have so been there, Isla, I also want to make sure the time is exactly right. I once waited a whole summer before jumping in the lake. I kept waiting for the right time. Are you sad about it?"

Isla nodded.

I told Kaitlyn, "Aye, she is disappointed."

Kaitlyn said, "Disappointed? You can't be disappointed, Isla, you were just waiting for the right time! This is important, ask your Da, is it important?"

Isla looked up at me.

I nodded.

Kaitlyn said, "Ask Fraoch, is it important to do something at the right time?"

Fraoch said, "Och aye."

Kaitlyn said, "I think your disappointment isn't that you were waiting, it's that the time is right, right now, it's there — are you ready?"

She set her jaw and raised her chin, a little like her grandmother. She said, "Aye, I'm ready."

"Perfect, there's no reason to be disappointed, this is the exact right time..."

But Isla was marching down the grassy bank and striding right into the water up to her waist.

I said, "Thank ye, mo reul-iuil, she has gone in."

Lochinvar, Fraoch, and James stripped off their shirts and jogged down the grassy bank, behind her. They all waded into the water.

Kaitlyn said, "Love you, see you in a few hours. We girls will have dinner ready."

I dropped m'phone on the floor of the van, took off m'shirt, and ran down the bank after them. The sun was behind a cloud, it was chilly in the air and freezing in the water, but we all waded in and stood there for a minute until Isla turned around, shivering, and marched out and up the bank.

She said, "That was the right time."

I followed her out and Archie and Ben met us, carrying down our towels, now already damp. I wrapped one towel around her, her teeth chattered.

Archie said, "Isla, it's okay."

She huffed.

Ben said, "You didn't miss anything, Isla, it was cold the whole time."

She glowered.

And in her eyes she continued looking disappointed.

Fraoch came up and stood beside her, a towel lookin' small wrapped around his shoulders. She had the same sized towel but hers dragged on the ground. The two of them looked out over the water. While the rest of us finished packing up our things and returned our rafts, they both stood quietly.

Then I heard Fraoch say, "Ye ken, Isla, tis a hard thing tae regret what ye dinna do."

She nodded.

He said, "But ye canna regret it if ye learned from it, did ye learn something?"

"Aye, Uncle Fraoch, I learned ye ought tae start at the beginning."

"That's a good lesson, and well put in a Scottish brogue." He put out a fist and she brought her fist down on it and they both turned and followed us tae the van for Quentin tae drive us all home.