He struggled tae reach his pocket, pulled out a letter, and passed it tae me.
I unfolded it and read. Twas from Lady Mairead, tellin’ me tae take the working vessel and set this whole problem tae rights. “How did ye get this?”
“A woman named Lady Mairead?—”
“My grandmother. How was she?”
The woman said, “We talked to her by video, she seemed fine, I guess, worried. She dictated it to us, we — I’m Blakely, by the way, this is Liam — aren’t sure what happened, but?—”
“Where did ye get the vessel?”
Liam said, “She told us tae dig it up. I promise we werna stealin’, she told us we would be delivering it, we had nae idea what that meant.”
I looked at Ben, “We have a vessel.”
“Finally, should I tell everyone tae get ready tae go?”
I chewed m’lip and passed him the letter. “Nae, we canna — read it, Lady Mairead says nae, she says everyone needs tae stay while I try tae solve it.”
Ben looked it over and said, “Damn it… But ye ken,Mom.Maybe ye could get her tae the hospital.”
I nodded. “I ken.”
“Dad will be pissed, she needs medicine, she’s goin’ tae lose the other foot.”
“Aye, but if I can solve this, then I can rescue us earlier…before the accident. Before Jack grows up without parents. Haggis is at death’s door.”
Ben nodded, “Yeah, years ago would be good… aye, I agree. But maybe ye need a second person, I could come, if I could get some medicine and bring it back, just in case, so she’s nae in pain, ye ken, in case ye canna get us earlier?—”
I said, “Emma would never forgive me, I canna risk yer?—”
Uncle Fraoch and Uncle Zach rode up on horses.
Uncle Zach said, “I wondered if I ought to cover my tattoos for company, but these guys are modern — Wait! These guys are modern! There’s a vessel?”
Uncle Fraoch said, “Och aye! Time travelers, their vessel works!” He swung down off his horse, drew his sword and pointed it at Liam and Blakely. “Friend or foe?”
Liam put his hands up, “Friend, I think.”
Uncle Fraoch sneered. “Prove it— “ Then he peered at him, “What year are ye from? Och — I dinna recognize ye! Tis Liam, Liam Campbell! Ye ken...?” He looked around at us all as hesheathed his sword. “Och, none of ye were there. We gave him Balloch castle, he’s a direct descendant of Sean!”
I looked him up and down. “Ye do look a bit like how I remember Uncle Sean.”
Liam said, “That’s right — ye’re Fraoch! Last time I saw ye, twas a few months ago, ye were in my pub. Ye hae changed, yer hair is gray, this might be the first proof we hae of time travel — inna it, Woodshee?”
Uncle Fraoch said, “Seems a verra verra long time ago. Twas almost ten years as the wheel rolls... and ye daena believe in time travel yet ye are in the fourteenth century? Och nae, this has been an exciting day for ye, Liam Campbell, how was Balloch treatin’ ye?
Liam said, “We were there for one night.”
While they talked, I plucked the vessel from the dirt and held it, it did feel like twas alive. I passed it tae Uncle Zach.
He said, “It’s working! Hot damn!” He kissed it.
Uncle Fraoch said, “But ye ken, Archibald, they happened tae be friends, but they might hae been foes. Ye canna ride out alone, especially chasin’ storms tae meet time travelers?—”
Ben said, “He wasna alone, I was with him.”
“Aye, but he is an exiled king! Ye ken we are at war with Longshanks, tis a brutal lawless time. Ye are supposed tae be livin’ in secrecy, Archibald — what if the visitors had meant ye harm?”
