A few weeks later I was in bed when the guards barged intae my room and wrestled me tae standin’. I was told, “Dress, you’ll be fighting this morning.”

I yanked my arms from their grasp, got dressed, and fell intae line within their ranks down the long passage to the ground floor.

I was left in the stagin’ room again staring at the door. My mind was full of fury. I dinna ken who was on the other side of the door, but I wanted tae kill him. Fast.

I had also done some thinkin’ on the matter. My life was worth next tae nothin, but if the crowds liked me, I might gain a bit of power. Enough tae bargain with.

I asked, “Who am I fightin’?”

The voice in my ear said, “A brother, three, two, one, and go.” The doors flung open on the projected crowds, their deafening cheers, a cloud-covered grey sky, and my opponent.

The man at the other end of the floor was big. Dark. He looked verra much like he wanted tae kill me. Twas nae a bit of charm in him, like facin’ a bull, he pawed at the ground. I backed tae the wall for the large axe leanin’ there. Not my favorite weapon — too top heavy, not weighted well, and for fightin’ there wasna much forgiveness in it.

I grasped it while keeping my eyes on the man at the opposite end of the floor. “Hullo!” I called, “Are you my brother then?”

The man tossed his axe from hand tae hand and glared.

I tossed my axe and almost dropped it. I was watchin’ my adversary and had forgotten tae consider the heft of it. The audience laughed.

“My apologies, Brother, I almost dropped m’axe. Would have made for a short fight I suspect.” I had tae project my voice because he was such a great distance away.

“What’s your name, Brother?” I spun the axe handle getting a feel for it in my palm, findin’ the perfect balance.

The man across the arena grunted.

“I am Magnus Archibald—” The crowd chanted my name in unison and finished without my needin’ tae. “…Archibald Caehlin Campbell!”

I chuckled, “I am the son of Donnan and next in line for the throne.”

The man yelled and charged toward me with frightening speed. A few steps away he raised the axe over his shoulder and brought it down in a wide swing. I ducked and shuffled a few steps away. He narrowly missed, but I had risked it tae see his swing.

I tossed the axe tae my left hand and while he recovered from his swing, I swung. My axe arced up and caught his chest. Then I tossed the axe to my right hand and swung around hitting his left arm. My axe clipped his forearm causing a burst of blood.

My brother stepped back holding his cut and breathin’ heavy. Hatred burned in his eyes.

“I want tae make ye an offer, Brother. The same offer I gave my uncle, Tanrick, just before I killed him a few weeks ago. If ye will lay down your weapon, we can come tae a place of peace.” I was walkin’ around him in a circle, lookin’ for his weakness — his swing was comin’ from the right after a short step for balance. I had injured him, but his swing would remain strong. It was at the downward turn where I would have him.

He shook his body getting the strength back tae his limbs.

“I have nae quarrel with you, Brother. I have been imprisoned the same as ye. Donnan is the one we should quarrel with.”

He charged me and brought the axe down hard. At the bottom he took the extra step, momentarily off balance. He wasna as surefooted as before. I swung, hooked the end of my axe against his, yanked it from his grip, and flung it away across the floor. He recovered his feet and lunged at my chest too fast for me tae swing before the full weight of him was on me.

I was forced tae the ground. My axe flew from my hands. The audience gasped and grew silent.

He was on top of me raining down blows. I blocked, left, right, twistin’ tae keep them from hittin’ their mark. Then I used a move I had been taught in my trainin’ in Florida. I wrapped my leg around his, grabbed him in a back hold, pulled him close tae my chest, and exploded up and over so I was on top of him.

Before he knew what was happening I was beatin’ his face. Verra soon he was weak, bleedin’, and barely fightin’ back. I shoved off him and stood over him. “You had enough, Brother? Are ye ready tae submit tae me?”

He growled low and fierce and lumbered tae his feet. He charged me but instead veered and dove for his axe. I picked mine up. He was winded and slow. We eyed each other. I was regrettin’ that I dinna finish him.

I wouldna make the mistake again.

He charged me, his axe raised, ready tae swing it down. I stepped back allowing it tae swing past me. Then when he was at the bottom of the arc, I leapt forward and swung across his middle, cutting a clean slice near through.

His axe fell and he slumped to the ground at my feet.

I stared down at him while the chantin’ started. “Magnus, Magnus, Magnus!”

The voice in my ear said, “Your name is Magnus Archibald Caehlin Campbell…”

“My name is Magnus Archibald Caehlin Campbell.”

“And you are heir to the throne of Donnan.”

“I am heir tae the throne of Donnan.”

“Louder.”

“I am heir tae the throne of Donnan!”

The chantin’ of my name was so loud I had tae clamp the heel of my hands over my ears.

But then the images of the crowd faded. The sound faded away until there was nothing but the grey sky above and yet another dead man at my feet.

The doors swung open at the end of the arena so I left.

I wasna invited tae see Donnan this time, and I dinna need the infirmary, so I was led by guards tae my room and left inside the door.

Kaitlyn was driving the Mustang. The roof was down. She was speeding. The music was loud and she was singin’ and I was right there beside her — close enough tae hold her hand. But I was unable tae move, stuck, watchin’ her sing and drive. I tried tae move tae touch her, tae see if she was real but I couldna move tae get close tae her…