31. Chapter 31 - Magnus

In the corridor outside Lady Mairead's office I said, "Should we go tae the billiards room?"

Lochinvar said, "I thought ye were tired."

"Tired of hearin' m'mother tell me about all the ways the history of the world is cocked up."

They laughed as I led them down the hall tae the elevator and up tae the top floor, servants rushing ahead of us tae ready the room afore we walked in.

The room was large with classical details, columns and gold frames, and long draping curtains on the windowed wall. The opposite walls were covered with paintings of our ancestors, and antiques and sculptures were arranged all around the floor. Twas verra much like a museum, Lady Mairead had a good eye, and her collection was priceless.

When I had first arrived in Riaghalbane, this was where I had first met with Donnan — the memory caused me tae wince. At the time, every square inch of floor space had been covered with m'mother's hoard, art and antiquities stolen from time, presented tae Donnan as a way tae purchase m'succession tae his throne.

The memories of how I felt, surrounded by m'mother's weakness and m'father's cruelties, turned m'stomach. It had been a dire time.

Quentin, at the change in m'expression, asked, "Something going on, Boss?"

"This room reminds me of when I first came tae Riaghalbane and the memories are not good."

"Want to go somewhere else?"

"Nae, I will force m'self tae endure it. This is a room that exists in my castle, I ought tae be comfortable here. Tis mine. And the memories come from long ago. Lady Mairead's collection has been pared down, the rest of her hoard moved tae her museum, Donnan is long gone, and there, at the other end of the gallery, is the billiard table. I will grow more relaxed with a drink and a game. We ought tae play."

I tossed the leather-bound documents tae the coffee table and took a billiard stick from the wall tae run the chalk over the end.

I played Quentin first, and then Lochinvar. Then Lochinvar played Quentin while I sat on the settee with m'feet up on the antique, near-priceless table. I had the leather-bound case open on m'lap and a whisky in m'hand. Haggis had jumped ontae the settee tae put his head on m'knee.

While they played I petted Haggis between the ears and held the photo up, gazing at the face of m'auld friend, rememberin' our long discussions about time and its path. Twas a line or a wheel? We had gone around and around, discussin' the merits of both. I chuckled.

Quentin said, "What are you laughing about?"

"Auld arguments between friends. I had forgotten him, almost, but it's all so clear now, as if twere yesterday that I was debating him. I was so certain I was right, but yet, everything that has happened since seems tae prove he was correct. I wonder if I ought tae admit it tae him."

Quentin took his turn, smacking the cue ball deftly against his solid color, dropping it intae the corner pocket. "Normally I would say you should admit it to set your mind at ease, but since getting back there would likely take a pound of flesh, I'm going to say no, just tuck it away."

I grunted in agreement. "What do ye think this Asgall is doing?"

Quentin said, "Could simply be a time traveler who wanted to be king. He picked a moment of turmoil, seized a throne, didn't affect much, we're all still here, same memories, as far as we know, and he's got his name in the history books. Maybe that's all it is."

He chalked up the end of his cue stick.

I said, "History is long though, there is a great deal of turmoil, yet here he is standin' beside my friend — dost ye truly think tis all it is?"

"Nah, Boss, I think he's fucking with you."

I chuckled.

I watched Lochinvar take his turn and asked, "What do you think, Lochinvar? What does Asgall want? Is he content tae be in the history books, or dost he hae a larger plan?"

Lochinvar leaned on the cue stick. "It's difficult tae say without more information. Ye ought tae see if the name Asgall comes up at any other points in history."

I flipped through the files and pulled out a few pages. "Lady Mairead has done it already."

"She is a wise lady."

I joked, "She inna here, ye can speak freely."

He laughed.

I said, "There are a few profiles for an Asgall flagged as possibilities, but this is a man who has been crowned a king, who goes by one name. Why would he want tae own a ranch in Arizona in the twentieth century? Tis not big enough." I flipped through pages. "Here is another Asgall who owns a farm in Spain, in the nineteenth century," I turned the page over and back. "It's not the same person, inconclusive, but it's not..."

Quentin said, "How long ago are those notes from?"

I found a date on the back corner of one. "Looks as if the search was from two weeks ago."

I called out for the room's computer tae change a projected image from the shifting forest images I had asked for when we entered, tae a search for the name Asgall through history.

A list of notorious Asgalls appeared, not many, a few with Asgall as the given name, a few with it as the surname, some with Asgall as the only name. Twas difficult tae see a connection. I scowled.

Colonel Quentin said, "This is why Lady Mairead uses AI to make the list, ask her for a new list tomorrow."

"And admit I am not capable?"

I scrolled through a couple and stopped on the next. "Here is an Asgall in the seventeenth century, listed as a landowner in Portugal."

Quentin took his turn, droppin' three balls in pockets. He did a wee dance. "Lots of landowners in the history of the world."

I said, "True." And scrolled down a bit more. There was a landowner named Asgall who owned a big chunk of land in Australia.

I asked the room tae narrow the list tae Asgalls with only one name. The list narrowed down and as I scrolled through most of them looked tae be landowners or farmers or ranchers.

Quentin beat Lochinvar at the game.

Lochinvar scowled. "We ought tae play again — ye need tae give me a chance tae win."

Quentin laughed. "Nope, you gotta let me have this. Next time you can ask for two out of three, but I won this fair and square."

Then they both turned tae me. Lochinvar said, "Och nae, what's goin' on, ye look staggered."

"Dost ye see it?"

Men named Asgall owned land in every century on most continents.

Quentin said, "Not conclusive." He asked the room tae project all images of all the Asgalls so we could compare them.

It came up with zero images.

"Maybe I didn't say it right." He tried wordin' the request in different ways.

Finally he found an article from 2035, headlined: The Secretive World's Largest Landowner. The subtitle said, Hint: He's named after Scotland's most famous King, Asgall I.

I said, "Och nae. Not only is he the world's largest landowner, they are callin' him Scotland's most famous king? This is heinous."

That article had nae photographs except for the paintings and sculptures of Asgall the king, many more than Lady Mairead had put in m'file. There were nae photographs of Asgall the modern landowner.

Quentin said, "Dude, after the fourteenth century he's a ghost."

Lochinvar said, "Seems as if this is the verra thing that Lady Mairead's fancy ChronoGuard ought tae be lookin' for."

I took a sip of m'whisky and said, "Aye."

I told the computer tae send the results of the search tae m'mother's room.

A moment later there appeared a projection of Lady Mairead in her robe, readied for bed. She looked frantic. "Magnus, did ye see? His power has grown since I last looked!"

"Aye, this is why I sent it tae ye."

She patted the side of her head with a trembling hand. "I just remembered something... and it has me disconcerted."

"What is it?"

"Did ye ever hear about what happened tae yer Great Aunt Ariana? She was Donnan's father's sister?"

"Nae, I daena think I..."

"I had nearly forgotten the story and I daena ken how, it came tae me tonight verra clearly... when she was young, a man she was familiar with, stole her away."

I said, "Och nae, what was his name?"

"Asgall."

I exhaled.

"And she was never tae be seen again! It affected the whole family, they never forgave themselves for not protectin' her, but also... when she was taken, she had a vessel in her possession."

I looked down at the papers, shakin' my head. "Och, this is how he gained it, tis a tragedy. It must be the same Asgall."

"I tell ye, Magnus, I daena want tae exaggerate, but Asgall is going tae be a great deal of trouble."

"I daena think ye are exaggeratin' at all."

Then her look sharpened. "Why are ye still up? Ye were headed tae bed!"

"I am playin' billiards, but am headed there now."

"Is that dog on my settee?"

"I think tis my settee, and he is my invited guest."

"Fine, I will speak tae ye on this discovery in the morn." Her video ended.

Lochinvar said, "Magnus, afore we go, the more we think of it, can we look at Mistress Ash's future?"

I said, "Tae what end?"

"I daena ken, I am worried."

I said, "I daena ken how tae make ye understand, Lochinvar. I once looked up Kaitlyn's future and discovered that she had a different husband and had borne him a bairn. It confused and devastated me, almost destroyed me."

Lochinvar shook his head. "Ye ought tae hae known twas not true — Kaitlyn would never marry another."

"Aye, I later found out that twas an altered detail tae keep us safe, and it wouldna matter anyway — everything ye learn can be changed, Lochinvar, we prove it all the time."

"But couldna the case be made that ye were able tae change time because ye knew of it, even as disruptive as it was, ye were able tae act. If ye hadna known ye might hae allowed it tae happen."

I scoffed. "I suppose, but listen tae me, understand I am tryin' tae protect ye — daena look. And ye canna look anyway, the moment ye told Lady Mairead of yer relationship with Ash and showed her on the projection, she put up guardrails tae keep ye from looking."

"Really, she would do that?"

"Aye, because it is so dangerous."

"Fine, I winna look."

Quentin looked from one tae another. "Man, the mood got dire. Look on the bright side, Lochie, I'm grateful for the guardrail because I don't want my surprises spoiled."

I asked, "What kind of animal will Beaty be surprisin' with ye this time?"

He said, "I'm suspicious it will be another chicken, I overheard her whispering to Noah about it the other day. I will need tae practice my surprised expression." He smiled widely and pretended, "‘A chicken! Awesome, we needed another chicken!' or I will disappoint her terribly."

We all laughed.

Quentin said, "Need anything else, Magnus, need help with your speech?"

"Are ye offerin' tae deliver it for me?"

"Heck no."

"Then nae, I winna need ye... In the morn when I deliver it just be certain tae sit in the front row and give me enough applause tae wake up the audience who I will hae lulled tae sleep."

Quentin said, "Good, because speaking of being lulled to sleep, I am headed to bed. I'm exhausted."

I said, "Good night, Quentin, but Lochinvar, can ye remain for a moment? I need tae speak tae ye."