“She is a bonnie lass and she does ken how tae feed me verra well.”
He drew a dirk, longer than mine, sliced the end of the salami, and passed it tae me. “Tis like when I saved your life in Florida.”
“Aye, just like, speakin’ on savin’ a life, are ye takin’ your vitamins?”
I am, they hae me full of energy.”
“Good we will need ye at fightin’ strength.”
He gave me a drink of his coffee. I smacked m’lips. When I was away I missed coffee a great deal.
“I want tae thank ye Fraoch, for livin’ nearby, for watchin’ over m’family. Ye hae been a verra good friend tae me.”
“Ye as well, Og Maggy, your family has become as m’own. I daena think on nae belongin’ anymore.”
“Good, I am glad ye are comfortable.”
“We daena need tae speak on it. We are like brothers. I hae kicked yer arse. I hae married yer wife’s... what dost they call it?”
I chuckled. “Her be-ef-ef. I daena ken what it means, but I believe Kaitlyn thinks on ye as family because of it.” I delivered a slice of salami tae m’teeth from the blade of my dirk.
He watched the forest. “Och, ye are in a mess, Og Maggy.”
“I am, I told ye.” I nodded. “I find m’self in a situation where I hae too many enemies. I canna be sure who I am fightin’.”
“Ye will ken, soon enough.”
“Aye.” I checked my walk-n-talk tae make sure twas on. “Soon enough I will ken which member of m’family I must kill next. Tis always an uncle or a cousin, even a brother.”
“Ye told me of the arena battles.”
“At least now I ken m’enemies. Then I was commanded: here is a man, your brother, kill him for the sport of it and twas m’father, the man’s father, commanding it.”
“Tis the plight of kings that ye are competin’ amongst family for the throne.”
“A throne I never wanted.”
We were quiet for a time, then he said, “Dost ye hae more brothers? Are there cousins ye haena met yet?”
“There aren’t any in the records, but so far I hae met Tanrick, Samuel, Roderick. I ken Donnan had an older brother and a sister. I believe he is somewhere in Scotland. I daena ken where she is; if she has born children they might appear someday. Kaitlyn has tried tae account for all the vessels, but there are some we daena ken the location of. There may be people waitin’ for me tae let down m’guard. I canna ken.”
“All ye can do, Og Maggy, is think on what is afore ye. This is a moment tae deal with an enemy. I will fight alongside ye, yer men Quentin and James, even yer man Chef Zach will fight with ye...” He chuckled.
I said, “I am glad he is on m’side. He makes an excellent ice cream sundae, Fraoch, I would lay down m’life for him.”
Fraoch laughed, “Let us nae speak on layin’ down our lives. We should be thinking on surviving this day, and vanquishin’ your enemy.”
“You sound like Kaitlyn.”
“She is wise. She taught me that I should eat m’vitamins, and because of it I haena lost another tooth.”
“I am grateful for that, any more teeth and ye might come unbalanced in a fight.”
We both laughed.
“But you are right, I canna think on the men that might come, just this one man, the army afore me. I hae tae survive this battle and prepare for the next. And as I prepare I must get stronger and wiser and account for all the vessels so I winna be surprised anymore.”
Fraoch chewed his lip, but nodded.
I sized him up tryin’ tae understand his reaction, but then I dismissed it as simply being his manner. “And now we hae discussed thoroughly, all the troubles I hae, and given me the ‘shoulds’ I must accomplish. I hae somethin’ tae speak tae ye on.”
“Och, tis m’turn tae hae the talkin’ tae? Ye are goin’ tae speak tae me as a wee young brother?”
“Aye. I am. And ye are goin’ tae listen tae me because ye ken I am wiser than ye.”
He grinned. “I will listen tae ye because ye hae a dirk in yer hand.”
“Fair enough.” I slid the dirk intae its sheath. “Fraoch, I hae been tae the world that yer wife hails from. Tis a wondrous place, full of marvels—”
“I ken—”
“Nae, hear me out. Ye daena ken. Ye hae nae idea what tis like. There arna rats in the