“Tis another new thing we hae tae worry about.”
“Well, if it brought us together, and took only a minute and didn’t hurt, maybe we don’t have to worry at all.”
He was facing away but the edge of his mouth turned up in a smile. I said, “I am going to kiss you so hard when this is over — you’re going to survive it, right?”
“How long must ye press?”
“About five more minutes.”
“I will probably survive it, mo reul-iuil, as long as nae one comes, as this inna my bedroom.”
I looked around. The room was nice, there were tapestries along the walls, there was a fire burnin’ in the hearth.
“Are you sure? Because this is much better than my room and I broke the door to get free and I lay down right here, on this bed and…”
“Tis nae m’room. There was nae fire when I went tae sleep, there was naething left, everythin’ had been removed from the room and here we…” He raised his head a bit and looked around. “Nae, see the table, that is nae my pitcher. This is a different man’s room, hae we been moved?”
He patted around his waist. “Do ye see m’bag… Och, m’sword is down in the courtyard.” He was looking up out of the corner of this eye.
I gestured with my head. “I think that’s your bag. It’s beside you.” He patted around, found it, then opened it and felt inside.
“Is it there?”
“Aye, we hae a vessel. We just need tae escape this room.”
“Okay,” I looked at the clock again. “We ought to wait at least four more minutes. Note, we have good news, the blood isn’t pouring out anymore. I didn’t need another cloth. Don’t get me wrong, my love, that is a lot of blood. It looks like a fucking massacre in here. But it’s slowing down. I am not letting you move though, not yet.”
He said, “I wish I had some vitamin juice.”
“Why?”
“Because we might hae tae fight our way out of here.”
“Crap, and your sword is downstairs?”
He said, “Aye, but there are two hangin’ there on the wall, do ye see? As soon as ye let me up, we are goin’ tae grab them both. Then we will walk straight down, ye ken the castle?”
“Yes, we’ll go by the south stair?”
“Aye, we will go directly tae the south stair, down, and intae the kitchen.”
“With a bloody arm?” I retched, half jokingly.
He said, “Twill nae be the worst thing tae happen in a thirteenth century kitchen.”
“Is it the thirteenth century? Maybe we’re in a different time? How do you know this isn’t your room in your castle — sometime in the future…?”
“I ken it is the thirteenth century, because of the furniture. But see there over the door? That is the crest of John Balliol. I fought him once, when I was seeking the crown. He was easy tae beat, but here he is with his crest upon the door. Tis plain that I am the usurper and dost ye ken what I would do tae a man I found bleedin’ in m’bed?”
“Probably kill him?”
“Aye, especially if I had fought him afore.”
“Great, do you have a blade on your belt?”
“The other side.”
I felt around and unsheathed a small dagger. I dropped it beside his hand. “I need you to cut off my skirt here, see?” He got both his hands twisted around and sawed at the cloth.
