Behind me I heard Kaitlyn shriek. She had emerged from the cellars. She was a witness tae this…Och nae, this would frighten the bairns.
One of the soldiers put his hands on me and Haggis lunged, barking and snapping.
I yelled, “Fraoch, grab Haggis!”
He pulled Haggis away as the dog snarled and twisted in his grip.
The soldier grabbed m’arms. He took my gun and my knives, and tossed them tae one of his other men.
I asked, “Are ye Asgall? Who here is Asgall?”
The man wrenched m’arm as he zip-tied m’wrists in front of me. “He’s in the copter.”
Fraoch said, “Where are ye takin’ him?”
My captor dragged me tae m’feet. “Tae a meeting.”
Kaitlyn yelled, “Magnus, Magnus!”
“Aye...?” I turned tae look over m’shoulder.
She was holdin’ Jack, surrounded by Isla and Archie. “Magnus, don’t let them take you!”
I tried tae smile, tae make it seem less frightening. I said, “Tis alright, Kaitlyn, I haena met Arsegall yet. I canna fight someone I haena met, daena worry — I will be back afore ye miss me.”
The soldier put his hand tae his ear as if he were listening to the radio. Then he said, “Is that your wife?”
“What...? Nae!”
He jerked his head toward Kaitlyn.
A soldier stalked toward her.
“Nae!!” I tried tae climb tae my feet, but I was shoved back down. “Nae!”
They were struggling, Kaitlyn and Jack were being dragged taeward me. Archie and Isla holdin’ ontae her waist.
“Let them go! Ye daena need them, let them go!”
The soldier beside me laughed and spoke tae the other soldier — twas impossible tae hear over my frantic breaths.
The soldier who had been conferring on the radio commanded, “He daena want the children, leave them. Bring the Queen.”
I saw Emma drag Jack from Kaitlyn’s arms. Zach was pullin’ Isla and Archie from around her waist. My kids were held back and Kaitlyn was shoved toward me. “Nae, nae, ye daena need her! I surrendered!”
The soldier yanked me up and shoved me tae the helicopter. “I get extra for a kinganda queen.”
Kaitlyn was being shoved behind me. She was yelling, “No! No no no no!”
Isla shrieked. Jack was wailin’. Haggis was barking. Kaitlyn was sobbing behind me. My heartbeat was loud in my chest.
But then Archie yelled, “Da!”
I looked over m’shoulder, he said, “Da! Take care of Mammy!”
“I will, son! Take care of Isla and Jack!”
Then Archie howled, “Arh-ooooooh!” He howled long and loud, “Arh-oooohoooooooh!” And then another person joined him and another, but I couldna tell who because I was shoved intae the helicopter, and although I tried tae stop the fall, my bound wrists were nae match tae gravity. I landed flat on m’face on the floor.
