66. Chapter 66 - Kaitlyn

There was a knock on the door and Lochie entered. "Hello, I came tae see ye — tae speak tae Archie."

Archie was crying, his hands over his ears, having just told me again that the chanting wouldn't stop — he was breaking my heart.

I offered Lochie a chair, but he said, "Nae, I daena want an uncomfortable seat, I want tae perch on the side of a bed." He shoved Archie over with his hip and sat on the edge of the mattress. "Hey, wee man, what are ye doin'?"

Archie kept his hands clamped on his ears and shook his head.

Lochie said, "I was just with yer Da, he is well. I am sorry I scared ye when I returned without him, but he told me tae tell ye that he will be home soon. He had one thing tae do first."

"He is dead, they are telling me, the king is dead."

"He was verra concerned about it, Archie. He went tae go see if he can solve it. I told him I thought that ye were hearing it because he haena held ontae his throne, so he's gone to secure it, tae take back Scotland for his own, then ye will see..." Lochie's voice trailed off. Archie was just watching him, his body tense, his hands clamped tight.

"I am verra sorry, wee man."

Archie said, "Nothing you can do though, this is what happens — a throne gets passed to a son, even if he doesn't want it. I don't want it. Not if Da dies." He rolled over on his side, picked up the book and pressed it over his ear and closed his eyes tightly.

Lochie shook his head.

Then said to me, "I am sorry Kaitlyn, I wish I could set his mind quiet."

"So what happened?"

"Fraoch and I spoke with Magnus at length about how we believe that all of this," he gestured toward Archie, "is unsettled, because he gained a throne in the year 1290, but dinna hold it. He allowed it tae be usurped by Asgall. We were advisin' Magnus, but at the time I dinna ken if he agreed, he was grumblin' that I was disparagin' him and his actions."

I said, "Been there."

"Aye, it dinna seem like he was takin' our advice, but then we rescued Ash, and as we were fleeing, and I can't stress this enough, we were being chased, Magnus said he was going to go take his throne. Tis a part of his plan tae fight Asgall." He shook his head. "If he had known the state of his son, I think he would hae come home first, but he will come home."

"Thank you, Lochie, I'm really glad you got Ash back, I'll come visit her once we figure this out. I can't leave his side."

"Daena worry on it, she will understand. Hayley is speaking with her now."

"That's good, she'll be able to commiserate, she's been trapped in the past before."