How did it grow so large without notice?
“Still fifty men, ye counted?”
“Aye, seems that way. Though there may be more in the tents.”
“Let me ken if ye hear anything more.”
They rode on ahead.
I pulled my horse alongside Archie. “Archibald, I want ye tae ken, ye are tae be quiet and tae stand in the back, daena draw attention tae yerself. Dost ye understand?”
He nodded. “Yes, Da.”
I said, “Ben, ye understand?”
“Yes, Uncle Magnus.”
“Good, ye are about tae meet the English King. He is full of self-importance, but I will do m’best tae prove him unimportant. Ye are tae watch and listen.”
Chef Zach said, “You got this Mags!”
“Thank ye, Chef Zach, did I tell ye I hae met him before?”
Archie asked, “When?”
“At a tournament. Yer Uncle Fraoch competed in the sword fighting, I partook of the joust.”
Archie said, breathlessly, “Youjousted?”
“Aye, I won the day, and then Edward called me tae dinner and wanted me tae bow in front of him and I refused. I told him that I was goin’ tae be the Scottish King and I wouldna bow in front of any Englishman.”
Chef Zach said, “Hoowee, I would have liked to have seen that.”
Fraoch rode up, and brushed rain off his face. “Ye tellin’ stories again, Og Maggy?”
“Aye, I am tellin’ about m’meetin’ with Edward after the joust.”
“Och, I thought ye were goin’ tae get us killed, Og Maggy. Boys, tis rarely good tae bad mouth yer betters, but in this case twas Og Maggy, standin’ before the King of England, who inna his better at all, and deserved every bit of grief that Og Maggy piled upon him. Twas a sight tae behold!Exceptwe had tae high-tail it out of there without havin’ one bite of dinner. I was terribly disappointed.”
The boys laughed.
We came tae the meeting place, a wide field along the River Forth. A large impressive tent had been erected, but in the terrible weather it stood soggy in the middle of the field. The Edward’s standard had been raised tae the tallest center pole, but it hung dripping. The bottom of the tent was mud-splattered. I wondered if the canvas was keepin’ the interior dry, or if there would be rivulets runnin’ from the canvas roof down the walls. The whole scene was rain-soaked, and too dreary for a king — fortwokings.
I ordered my soldiers tae line up along the edge of the field. His men lined up along the opposite side.
Up and down the line m’men were tense, eyeing the soldiers across the field, prepared tae fight if it came tae it.
The rain became a dampening downpour.
Fraoch grumbled, “Och, I canna lay m’eyes upon a medieval tent without rain pourin’ from the sky. It inna fair.”
My line parted as my royal guard rode forward carryin’ m’standard tae the tent.
I rode behind the flag bearer. Archie and Ben were riding behind me. Chef Zach rode beside them, watching over them. On my right hand I had Fraoch, on my left was Sean. Cailean rode beside Fraoch, keepin’ his eyes on all of us and especially helpin’ tae guard my son.
CHAPTER 42 - ASH
CRIEFF, SCOTLAND - OCTOBER 1683
