We were eating a meal of warm grains with some pears and cream, there was honey and some eggs, thick bread with a soft cheese to spread on it, and white fish. Fraoch stacked it all on his bread, making a very tall sandwich.
Zach said, “You can’t do that Fraoch, you have cheese on honey on oats, on bread, with fish!” He pretended to gag.
Fraoch tapped the side of his head. “But if I pile it up it looks like more food.”
Zach said, “But it doesn’ttastegood.”
Fraoch pressed the top of the sandwich and prepared his hand to grasp the sides to lift it. “I daena care about taste. I only want tae fool m’self intae believin’ m’self well fed.”
Zach said, “If I had known that you didn’t care about taste it would have saved me alotof trouble.”
Magnus groaned. “Daena listen tae a word he says, Chef Zach, the taste is the point of it all.”
Fraoch opened his mouth very widely, had to go even wider, and struggled to take a bite. He chewed, grimaced, and swallowed. “Och nae, I am talkin’ from m’arse, I hae made a great deal of mistakes in puttin’ this all together — ye might likefish, ye might like honey, and oatmeal is delicious, but ye canna put them all taegether without regret.”
CHAPTER 5 - MAGNUS
RIDING WITH ARCHIBALD IN KING’S PARK - JUNE 16, 1291
After breakfast, I asked Archibald tae go for a ride.
He followed me out tae the stables, where I asked for Dràgon and Mario tae be brought tae us. While we waited, people bowed and curtseyed as they passed. One man startled when he saw me, then bowed and groveled.
I nodded and sent him on his way. Then chuckled and raised my brow. “What dost ye think, Archibald?”
“This is wild.”
I said, “I think so as well, and we are becomin’ wilder tae match our surroundings.”
Our horses were brought. We climbed in the saddles and I turned Dràgon and led us from the castle courtyard toward the King’s Park, with Haggis bounding along beside our horses’ legs.
We had four guardsmen followin’ us.
While riding, Archie looked thoughtful, then asked, “Do you like it when they bow to you, Da? I don’t know if I would.”
I smiled. “Ye are thinking of what it will be like tae be king?”
He nodded.
“Are ye worried about it still?”
“No, not much...” His voice trailed off. “Yeah. The worry went away, a little bit.”
“I think yer concerns will probably sit here on yer back.” I leaned over and patted him high on his back between his shoulder blades, just under his neck. “Twill be much like a yoke, always present, perhaps yer whole life, Archibald. Tis yer fate.”
He nodded.
“Yer job will be tae straighten yer spine and strengthen yer back, so the yoke winna wear ye down so much. And ye ken the best way tae do that?”
“Bench pressing?”
I said, “Aye, but also, ye do it by lookin’ out on the horizon. See me in my saddle? If I am lookin’ down...” I slouched forward. “...the yoke, here...” I attempted tae pat that place on my own back.
He giggled. “You can’t reach it, Da.”
I laughed and tried again. “Nae, m’muscles are too big, I am stuck with the yoke, even if I wanted tae throw it off. But if I sit up straight in m’saddle and look out, see how m’back straightens?”
He straightened his back in the saddle.
