45. Chapter 45 - Magnus

CHAPTER 45 - MAGNUS

THE FOREST BETWEEN KIPPEN AND STIRLING - JUNE 20, 1291

I raced Dràgon through the dense underbrush. I caught up tae Archie and Ben, and rode right behind Chef Zach. I yelled over m’shoulder, “Fraoch, are they chasin’ us?”

He dinna answer.

I yelled, “Archie, pull tae the side! I want ye on m’horse! Ben get on yer Da’s!”

They pulled their horse to the side.

All around us men on foot or on horseback were barreling through the trees, running and stumbling and careening and passing us by.

I grasped hold of the boys’ horse’s reins. “Archie hold on, Zach, pull Ben tae yer horse.”

Zach dragged Ben from one horse tae the other.

“Now, Archie, cross tae me.” His face was streaked with rain, dirt, and tears as he dove intae my arms. After a quick hug I helped him turn and sit in front of me as Fraoch pulled his horse up beside us. “They arna followin’! But it looks like a storm behind us!”

“How many men did we lose…?”

“I canna tell.”

“Are they followin’?”

“It daena seem like it, but they are time travelin’, we hae tae go.”

Suddenly a man came crashing through the trees toward us, on foot.

Fraoch brought his horse between us, and said, “Och nae, tis William Wallace.”

When he saw who we were, Wallace dropped tae his knees. “Mag Mòr, I beg yer forgiveness…” He was out of breath, struggling tae speak. “I dinna ken… och nae!”

Fraoch said, “Lose yer sword.”

Wallace pulled his sword from its sheath and tossed it in front of him. “From this moment forward I will only draw m’sword for Mag Mòr, the rightful King of Scots.”

Fraoch asked, “What should we do with him, Og Maggy?”

I said, “Wallace, ye dinna cross the tent when given the chance — how dost I ken ye are bein’ truthful now?”

He said, “I will go back and fight, I will kill the man who ordered yer brother tae be killed or I will die fighting?—”

“Dost ye ken the name of this man?”

“Aye, twas Asgall, he is villainous and contemptible.”

Fraoch said, “And he has the ear of the English King...”

“Asgall is armin’ him.”

Chef Zach said, “Damn, that’s dire.”

I said, “I must get tae the castle.”

He said, “They are already headed that way. If ye let me come with ye, I will lay down m’life tae protect ye.”

I said, “Fraoch, what dost ye think?”

Fraoch climbed down from his horse, stalked over, and punched Wallace hard in the face.

Wallace fell over.

Fraoch said, “Get up, bawbags, take it like a man.”

Wallace pulled himself up and Fraoch punched him again. He slumped tae the side, but then righted himself.

Fraoch grabbed him by the hair.

“Og Maggy, I think he is a traitorous creep and I think ye ought tae kill him out of revenge for yer brother.”

I said, “What dost ye think, Chef Zach?”

“It’s fucking William Wallace, he’s kinda important.”

I exhaled.

My son was shakin’ in fear. I had tae get from the woods. I dinna hae time tae decide William Wallace’s fate.

Fraoch punched him in the face again — Wallace cried out in pain. Haggis circled them, barking.

Archie hid his face in my shirt and clamped his hand over his ear.

Fraoch hit him again and again, yet Wallace never raised a hand against him.

Finally, I said, “Tis enough, Fraoch, daena kill him.”

“He would deserve it.”

“I ken he would.”

I said tae Wallace, “I would kill ye, but I will spare ye yer life. I demand yer allegiance tae myself, tae Prince Archibald, tae my men, but most importantly tae Scotland. Ye must always take the side of Scotland. Ye canna allow yerself tae be swayed by the promises of an English King.”

He bowed over, his face swollen and bloody.

“Aye Mag Mòr, I give ye my oath. I will lay down m’life for ye and yer son, and Scotland.”

“I canna give ye back yer sword, but ye can ride with us, take the horse.”

He scrambled tae his feet and climbed on the boys’ horse.

Fraoch picked up Wallace’s sword. “Tis against my better judgment. Ye will ride in the front so I can keep m’eye on ye.”

He climbed on his own horse and drew it behind ours.

Wallace led us tae a path and kept a fast pace, Zach just behind him, I was next, and Fraoch brought up the rear. I occasionally checked behind us.

There was nae one following us.

A while later Cailean rode up, he asked, “Are ye all well? What is William Wallace doin’ with ye?”

I said, “Aye, we are well, Wallace has deserted the English and sworn his allegiance tae Mag Mòr.”

“Wallace, tis good ye had yer arse kicked, because I want tae do it as well, but I daena hae time, we must ride.”

Wallace said, “Aye, sire.”

Cailean fell in behind me tae guard our rear flank, Fraoch rode behind Wallace and we moved through the forest, with Haggis racin’ along beside us, toward King’s Park and Stirling Castle beyond.

Archie said, “Da, did Uncle Sean...?”

“Aye, Archibald, he is nae more.”

We rode at a fast clip, and we were quiet, Archie occasionally wipin’ at his face with his sleeve.

I put my arm around him and tightened my hold tae comfort him. My eyes on Chef Zach’s back, willin’ him tae be a good enough rider while protectin’ his young son from the danger chasing us.

Fraoch drew his horse to a stop. “Och nae, dost ye see it? There is a storm ahead in the field of the park!”

Wallace said, “That is how Asgall travels!”

I said, “Aye, I ken, ye hae seen it?”

“Aye, and he carries terrifyin’ machines with him.”

Zach asked me, “Does that storm carry friends or foes?”

I said, “I assume a foe, but we canna look, we hae tae get the boys tae safety.”

Fraoch said, “I will go check, ye go on tae the castle. Wallace, come with me, twill be yer chance tae prove yer loyalty.”

I said, “Before ye go, we ought tae check if our vessels will work.”

I fished through the saddle bag until I found one of the vessels. It felt dead. I passed it tae Fraoch, he boldly twisted and turned it, mutterin’, “Och nae.”

I brought out the other. He tossed me the first, I tossed him the second. He twisted it as well. “Ours daena work, but how come there are storms, is Asgall able tae travel? Tis much like he is the one who has stranded us.”

I shoved both the vessels intae the bag.

“If ye find him, kill him. Get his vessel.”

Fraoch said, “On it,” as he and Wallace rode away toward the park and the storm.

Cailean took the head of the line, leading us around the park toward the castle. Along the way we caught up with many of m’men who were fleeing Kippen. By the time we came tae Stirling hill, we had about thirty men around us. Twas a relief. There was safety in numbers.

I looked over m’left shoulder tae see in the distance that there was a storm billowing above King’s Park, but then it began tae collapse on itself.

The castle gates were opened and we rode through.