The Wellspring (Kaitlyn and the Highlander #12) - Diana Knightley Page 0,24
war… Are we pullin’ back the troops?”
“Aye, Your Highness, once Roderick was killed in battle, his forces surrendered. We have had a few skirmishes on the east side, but we will have those under control within the week. There is a faction who wants to overthrow your rule and bring about a constitutional monarchy.”
Lady Mairead shook her head dolefully. “Tis a travesty, they want Magnus I, the rightful king, tae give up his unlimited power.”
I joked, “I am a king who had tae regularly fight in an arena tae win m’throne. My power seems verra limited; I am limited by how well I canna die.”
“That was tae prove yer strength! You should fight in the arena again, yer people need tae be reminded—”
“Nae, I winna, twas tae prove I could be brutal, that I was dangerous, so my people would nae rise against me. Twas a barbaric and antiquated ritual.”
“Ye sound like a weak king who canna defend his—”
“Says the woman with her wrists bound in the center of the room!”
Lady Mairead puffed out air, furiously.
“My kingdom was passed tae me through a line of barbarians. They were the kind of men who would draw their brother’s blood for power while layin’ waste tae the lands they ruled. Their deaths hae seen me become a king. Dost ye want me tae draw blood and lay waste? Or dost ye want me tae be a king whose lands improve under his rule?”
Lady Mairead opened and closed her mouth.
The food tray arrived and was placed on the table. There were small plates with meats and cheese and breads with dips. Two pitchers of drinks were brought in. A tea with lemon, my favorite, was poured over ice.
The woman who brought it glanced at me standing beside the table. “I will have more chairs brought to the room, Your Highness.”
“Tis nae necessary, I prefer tae stand, and Lady Mairead daena need one.”
I rolled a piece of roast beef around a slice of Swiss cheese and took a big bite, then continued, “I tell ye, I hae seen the future of this land, one where Roderick was king, and I dinna care for it. The lands were desolate, their lives bleak.”
I brushed off my hands. “I hae been made tae be brutal, tae be a killer of men, tae fight without an argument, tae draw swords simply tae prove m’strength, my right tae rule. I was made tae be immoral. Kaitlyn and I, on those long nights in Scotland, we talked about it, the kind of man I would mean tae be and—”
“Ye would talk with yer enemies, instead of fighting them? Is this the kind of king ye will be?” She scoffed. “Ye winna be a king for long.”
I shrugged. “Lady Mairead, if I am tae always fight, then I am tae always risk losing. Surely ye see this? This is nae only my kingdom, but Archibald’s. I winna risk his throne. I want tae make the kingdom safe for his rule.”
Lady Mairead said, “Och, ye sound weak. Without arena battles ye will turn the monarchy intae a mockery. Next ye will be talking about parliaments and…”
She looked at my face, then rolled her eyes. “Magnus, ye canna be serious, ye would hae a parliament? Tis outdated! Nae one wants tae self-govern!” She lowered her voice, struggling to regain her temper. “How will ye hold a kingdom, if you are nae prepared tae fight?”
Kaitlyn’s voice came tae me: I don’t want you to kill anymore, not like that.
I said, “There hae been kings who ruled over peaceful kingdoms.”
“This is nae a time of peace, we hae been in war and there are things coming, terrible things that ye must be prepared—”
I stood from where I was leaning. “Now we are getting somewhere, what are ye speaking of, what must we be prepared for?”
She clamped her mouth shut, then said, “I only meant ye should be prepared for anything.”
We glared at each other until General Hammond said, “I think, Mairead, that King Magnus wants to be prepared to fight, but also to try to avoid battles. As his general, having led his armies into war for many long years, I agree that avoiding battles would be the best way to win them.”
Lady Mairead huffed. “I am surrounded by three of the weakest men in the world.”
Quentin said, “Don’t bring me into it.”
“And why nae, what is yer opinion on it, Colonel Quentin?”