A man’s voice said, “One, two, three, you fight, now,” and the blindin’ light of the overhead sun and deafenin’ noise of the crowd hit me like from a cannon.

At the far end of the floor was another man if I could call him that — he was younger than me by a couple of years. He looked strong and ready tae fight but nae battle ready. I couldna believe he would be ready tae die.

The audience was cheerin’ me, “Magnus, Magnus, Magnus!”

The man I was to fight shifted from one foot tae the other — light on his feet, excited, rarin’ tae go.

“I am Magnus Archibald Caehlin Campbell.” The crowd yelled my name in unison with me. I reminded myself tae smile, tae look as if I was comfortable here starin’ at a stranger I needed tae kill.

A large hammer awaited me against the wall. I yelled, “Brother, I have nae quarrel with ye, drop your weapon. We can stand together.”

“No, I think I prefer my odds in killing you.”

“Great! We should get along terribly then.” The crowd laughed.

I lifted the hammer. The weight of it was unwieldy. I swung and it changed direction — instead of arcin’ gracefully the head dipped lower than I expected. “Did ye pick these weapons because they suit ye, or because ye dinna ken they are useless for battle. A hammer such as this is only good for forming metal.”

I swung it again, whizzing it from left tae right. Its weight was already causin’ a sharp pain in my shoulder. I massaged the tender spot near the front. There had been too much fightin’ not enough living.

My brother called back. “I have been watching your fights. I sensed the hammer might be trouble for you so I’ve been training with it.” He spun the handle of the hammer in his hands eyein’ me the whole time.

“Ye ken a great deal more of me than I of you.” I spun the hammer trying to get used tae the feel. “What is your name?”

“You’ll know it when they’re chanting it as you die at my feet like a dog.”

I chuckled, more for the theater of it than for the humor. “You must come from a terrible place that dogs die at your feet. I prefer a place where dogs sit beside their masters and receive treats from the table. Want tae join me, Brother? I could offer ye a place in my court. Put aside our differences and—”

“I would rather die.”

“If ye prefer it.”

He charged toward me with his hammer raised. I swung mine in one hand and stepped forward tae meet him as he arced his towards my middle. Two steps and I hit him on the hip, stumblin’ him tae the side. I missed. I was aimin’ for his waist. He recovered easily.

We circled each other for a few steps. I thought I saw a ripple of movement from my left eye, so I swung but from the wrong direction. I was off balance when his hammer caught my side, knocking my breath from my chest. I stumbled three steps and was bent over when the hammer swung from my left and slammed into my sore shoulder knockin’ me the other way. I was bent over and badly injured.

I tightened my hold on the handle, straightened with a groan, and stepped back.

I tried tae catch my breath. His eyes were focused, sharp, and hungry for blood. I hadna time yet tae see his swing and was too winded already tae take more blows.

I got into a defensive position, holdin’ my hammer, nae smiling anymore. Twas nae time, he raised and swung.

I tried tae jump but miscalculated the speed of his swing. It hit me full in the ribs. The pain was blindin’ — and you have been whipped. Aye, I have been whipped — my vision blurred. The glow of the lights and the pain in my ribs and the loss of air, made me — get tae your feet, Magnus, he will kill ye.

I forced my eyes tae focus. I was on my hands and knees. Air rasped into my chest with a wheeze. I wouldna win this fight, twas nae possible.

But I dinna want tae die — nae yet.

Nae without a chance tae—

I climbed tae my feet.

He hadna finished me which was goin’ tae be a mistake. His biggest. He bragged, “I didn’t want to kill you yet, Brother, our audience wants a good long fight.”

I tried tae stay above my fury. My air was coming in bursts. I had tae calm myself. Unnnggghhhhhh, unnnggghhhhhh. I dinna take my eyes off his face, but kept my vision wide tae take in his movements.

He was good at distractin’ me with false moves. I had tae anticipate the true one.

I watched his arm raise and swing. The arc was fast, but I caught his hammer with my own. His weight shifted. His arm swung wide. It took a yell that forced all the air from my chest tae change my movement tae the other direction. I swung back and caught his abdomen, a glancin’ blow but enough tae wind him. I stepped right, and though the pain was about tae drop me, swung a third time. I hit him in the shoulder and knocked him tae the ground.

The crowd chanted, “Magnus, Magnus, Magnus!”

He yelled, “Argh!” and dropped tae a knee but was up fast. He swung back at me, missing at first but forcin’ me tae stumble back. The next swing hit my ribs on the other side and dropped me flat on my arse.

I dinna ken if I could get up. The roof looked a great distance away and was all light and noise and nae — Kaitlyn’s voice, thick and sexy, can you see me? — Aye, I see you — What do you see? — my Kaitlyn —

My brother swung down on me.

I blocked my face with my forearms, leaving my hammer tae the side, and tried tae roll out from under him.

His hammer hit my left arm and the pain was brutal but it knocked me back tae focus.

He had gone off balance.

In one movement I reached for my hammer, scrambled tae my feet and charged him. I was barely able tae breathe, and in so much pain — I lifted the hammer and brought it down square on his lower back, knockin’ him stumblin’ tae the ground.

I bellowed tae stay on top of my feet. I swung the hammer back and swung it down on him again, a crunch of bone, again and again and again, til he was on the ground, again and again, til he was barely movin’ and again and again til he was nae movin’ anymore.

I dropped my hammer and collapsed tae the ground beside him flat on my back starin’ at the ceiling. A clamor of noise around me and my vision was gone.

The chant, “Magnus, Magnus Magnus!” filled my head. The voice beside my ear said, “Your name is Magnus Archibald Caehlin Campbell. You are the heir to the throne of Donnan,”

I whispered the words, “My name is Magnus Archibald Caehlin—” Just before I blacked out from the pain.

A face swam intae focus above me.

I croaked out, “I live with Bella.”

“Good,” said the face and then I drowned under the pain again.

Kaitlyn holding her tartan under her throat, yellin’ up at me, “My husband would know what to do. He would rescue me and hold me and apologize for all the asinine men of the world and he would never ever ever ever leave me.”

Her eyes were focused on my chest, speaking tae my heart, nae lookin’ up though I tried to lift her chin. “Please Kaitlyn, look up. Please.”

“My husband would know what to do.”

“Please, I beg of you.”

“He would know.”

“Please.”