43. Chapter 43 - Kaitlyn

We were in our apartment. I stood in the middle looking around, it had been months since I had visited but it hadn't changed at all.

I said, "Wow, that is a lot to think about, huh?"

"Aye," Magnus looked down at a pen in his hand, then tossed it on the table near the door. "Tis remindin' me of when I lost ye in the past and had tae find ye."

"Which time?"

He chuckled sadly. "I tried tae warn Lochinvar, that the way forward with a wife is tae always be frantically trying to keep her safe."

"But he wouldn't listen?"

"Aye, he wouldna listen."

"Would you have listened?"

"Never. I wouldna hae changed a thing."

"Yeah, that's what I thought you'd say." I tilted my head, "Why did Fraoch take him to the chapel?"

"Because we are about tae ride intae battle and though tis m'nature tae raise m'sword, it might not be what is called for in this instance. We must find her, Fraoch is likely urgin' Lochinvar tae think it through and pray first." He exhaled. "Fraoch is wise in this. And while Lochinvar is in the chapel I wanted tae take a breath, tae ask if ye are well, mo reul-iuil, were ye frightened?"

I nodded. "Can we sit on the couch?"

He sat down and pushed the coffee table away. I climbed onto his lap, sitting astride, my arms tucked in, he wrapped his arms around me. I pressed my cheek to his shoulder. "This is what I needed, thank you..."

"Ye're welcome."

"I feel like I used to handle ten times this drama, but I think since we've had an easy time it got... I don't know, shocking."

"Aye, we are soft."

"Yeah. I was staring at her empty car, it looked like a struggle, and she is just gone, och nae."

He chuckled. "I like it when ye say it."

"It fits, this calls for a proper ‘och nae'."

I sat up and looked down in his eyes. "She's been kidnapped. I think it's time travel. Imagine it, Magnus, she has no idea what is happening to her!"

"I keep thinking of ye, when ye were held tae be a wet-nurse, och nae."

I nodded and kissed the bridge of his nose. Then pressed my forehead to his. "So with time to think, what's our plan?"

He put his hands on my hips and pulled me closer, down. "We are thinkin'? I am becomin' unable tae think."

I kissed him. "I like that after all these years you're still incorrigible."

"I like that after all these years ye will still climb on m'lap and whisper Scottish sounding words in m'ears."

I whispered, "Och aye," in his ear and he moaned and his hands were rubbing up my shirt, and fondling around my breasts.

I said, "Aren't we supposed to be coming up with a plan?"

"I hae a plan right here with yer name on it."

"Och, I feel yer plan, Master Magnus, tis a verra big plan!"

He laughed as he heaved us both up from the couch, my legs around, his hands under my thighs, and walked me into our bedroom and tossed me on our bed.

In a few moments of frenetic activity we took off our shoes and socks, removed our clothes, and then he climbed onto the bed, crawling up my body, kissing my thighs and stomach, playing between my legs, as he trailed a tongue up my chest to my throat. There a nibble and a warm breath in my ears, that familiar scent and heat of my husband, the taste of him on my tongue as we kissed and licked, and the friction of my palms running along his planes and angles, the hardness of his form as I pulled him in and joined him and we rode to the climax of a midafternoon quickie.

It might have been an inopportune time, but oh so necessary sometimes to take a moment to love each other like this. To release our angst and worry. I ran my hand down his arm and kissed the spot on his shoulder above his scar.

His mouth against my neck, he said, "Now I can think."

"Me too." I ran my fingers through his hair, and twirled them in his curls. I said, "What do you think we're going to do?"

"We are goin' tae mount a rescue of the maiden."

I nodded. "Do you have any ideas where she might be?"

"Nae, but we hae a couple of places tae begin— there is Asgall's company in the twentieth century and his kingdom in the thirteenth century. We will need tae gather weapons and then we will go."

He exhaled. "Lady Mairead told me a terrible tale that has me verra concerned..."

I raised my head. "What was it?"

"M'great aunt, I had never heard her mentioned before. When she was young, a man named Asgall took her. She disappeared and was never seen again."

My eyes went wide. "Oh no!"

"Aye. This is how he got his hands on a vessel, we assume he has other machines as well."

"Like a Trailblazer?"

"Aye, it seems likely."

"This is horrible. Does Lochie know she was never seen again? He's probably freaking."

"Aye, he heard."

"Damn." I lay my head back, then raised it again. "If he's a king in the thirteenth century then he used a Trailblazer to open a path past 1557, right? That's probably why you are remembering your throne so well now."

"Aye, I daena ken for certain, but that seems likely." He rolled off me and lay on the side, looking down on me. "He is also mentioned as one of the most important Scottish kings, tis outrageous."

"Most important? Who voted? I don't remember being asked my opinion. He's a kidnapper, a thief, a possible murderer? The more I hear about him the more he sounds like an arse. Is he a cousin, or some other horrible relation?"

"Nae, it daena sound like it. This is a good thing, cousins are complicated. He has nae claim tae this throne, so at least he winna challenge me. But I also daena ken what his plan is... What game is he playin'?"

He exhaled. "But whatever is comin', we must begin looking for Ash."

"At least you won't have to do much Trailblazing."

"Aye, tis the one good thing. He has likely blazed a trail tae at least 1296. We will carry one just in case, but I doubt we will need it if we must go tae his kingdom. But we might not need tae go so far back, he might hae Ash any number of places. We might be searching for a long time."

He ran his hand down my chest, trailing his fingers along my skin, watching me tremble under his fingers. I wriggled closer.

"I remember the feelin' of havin' lost ye, and the desperation tae get tae ye as soon as ye were taken, afore anything terrible had happened tae ye. Och nae, Lochinvar will be frantic. I am surprised he haena left already."

"He has grown up a lot, and he loves her."

Magnus nodded. "Aye, he will need that maturity and strength tae find her, and then he will need anger and violence tae make Asgall pay."

"...And you're sure it's Asgall? It isn't coincidence? Of course, as I say that, I remember your great aunt, it must be him."

"I am certain, he's got his sticky fingers all over it."

I stared at our ceiling, the filigree and crown molding, the intricate carving and details to make our room beautiful, a safe haven for us. "But what is his motive? Why did he steal Ash?"

Magnus raised his brow. "Ye daena see it yet?"

"No, what...?"

"Tis Lochinvar's son."

"Oh. How do you think...?"

"This is the only explanation for why they would take the woman who Lochinvar has a relationship with — they arna holdin' her hostage or they would hae sent me demands already. I think he chose m'great aunt for the same reason, he wants bairn who are descendants of the throne of Riaghalbane, ye ken, tis clear.""

I said, "Oh. The baby would be Donnan's grandson. And on and on. He's stolen a possible prince of Riaghalbane? So Ash isn't even necessary, she's just a vessel?" I thought for a moment more. Then I said, "Ohhhh, is that why she died so young? Because she wasn't necessary once the child is born?"

Magnus pressed his finger to my lips. "Wheesht, mo reul-iuil, some things are better left unsaid. First we must rescue the maiden, afore any of that happens."

"I take it we shouldn't tell Lochie about this?"

"Nae, I need his senses homed on the task at hand, tae tell him of our speculations will only add tae his anger and grief, we will keep him focused — he wants tae rescue the maiden. This is enough."

"I agree."

Then I said, "So you're going with him?"

"I must. I am certain Fraoch is already packin'. Lochie will need his brothers."

I nodded again. "This all sounds like a plan, but I don't... I really don't want you to go again."

He rolled onto his back. "I ken."

His eyes looking back and forth on the ceiling he said, "I am uncertain how tae find her, and I am doin' this for Lochinvar, but tae risk my own life for the girl he just recently met seems tae be a fool's errand, but I owe him, and tis our kingdom that is ultimately responsible, and so... I must go. This is my duty. I am worried on Archibald though, will ye make certain he understands and daena worry? He is thinking on my death."

I nodded, "He's been clingy while you were gone."

"He is having the same dreams as I... I talked it through with him, tryin' tae set his mind at ease, but I can see it is still affecting him. The dreams feel verra real, tis difficult tae tell him that it is not real when it seems so... I am asking for ye tae take special care with him while I am gone, so as he is nae worried."

I nodded. "I will." Then I narrowed my eyes. "Do you think that the dreams you're having of being a king have become true? Have you checked the historical record? Are you listed?"

"Aye, Kaitlyn, I checked, and I am not listed, thankfully. Twould be a terrible thing tae hae an empire through time. It has been overwritten, this is a good thing."

I bit my lip. "So why are you remembering it so clearly? Why are the memories so insistent?"

Magnus said, "I daena ken. Tis almost as if tis becoming real. I hae tae keep myself from continuin' tae check the historical record, at any moment it might hae me listed."

"Ugh, then what, you'd be responsible for a kingdom in the thirteenth century and the twenty-fourth? You're right, that's an empire that wouldn't be easy to hold."

"Tis why I canna think on it, we hae things tae do, we must move ahead with the rescue mission."

"If you get stuck in the past will you um... let me know? Somehow? We could come. Don't be stoic and decide to just live there, alone. I know it's hard to be in the past, but if you need me, if you need the kids, we will come. Being together is the most important thing."

"Aye, I will bring ye if I get stuck in the past."

"Please don't get stuck. Take lots of pens."

"Of course, now we ought tae get dressed, we hae tae discuss with everyone else."