A Sacred House

Chapter XXIX: The Battle of Edinburgh

Twenty-one years and One month into Morgan's reign

This is a mess. Me, Arthur, Wilhelm, and Charles voted Malcolm out of the alliance last week. What he did, to Joann, cannot be forgiven.

The Royal Army and the Royal Navy landed last week. I am leading them to defeat Malcolm. He will be hiding in Edinburgh Castle.

We slowly trot towards Edinburgh. " Your Royal Majesty, we have word that Malcolm has prepared his army, he is ready to stand", Dylan informs me. " And so are we", I say firmly.

" Send a messenger, tell him I want to face him, by myself", I add. Dylan bows and falls back in line. " Sir John", I scream. " Yes sire", John answers after bowing.

" Me and you are leading this battle, let us show the might of Wales and God", I inform John. " Yes sire, we must camp outside of Edinburgh, these men are tired and starving", John recommends.

" Yes of course, we are approaching fast", I say. We captured Dumfries, Ayr and Glasgow three days ago. The towns surrendered with no struggle.

I look up, Edinburgh Castle sits on a huge mountain. " It lurks over us", I say. " Lay camp men, for tomorrow there is a fight", John screams.

" I'll set up there", I say loudly pointing at a low hill. I climb off my Harry. " Don't let your emotions get the better of you", John says. " I will not", I say staring at Edinburgh Castle.

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" My liege, wake", someone says as they shake me, I open my eyes, Dylan stands over me. " What is it?", I ask as I lean up. " Malcolm has requested an audience with you", Dylan informs me.

I stand up and start putting on my outfit. Dylan sits my crown on top of my head as I slip on my black shoes. I grab my cane, " Let us go", I say as we walk out of the tent and towards Malcolm's camp.

" This will be an impossible battle to win sire, they outnumber us by a thousand men", Dylan says. " Malcolm can have his extra thousand peasants. I have an elite guard", I say firmly.

" And so does he. Think about this sir", Dylan says hesitatingly. " Are you questioning the decisions of your King?", I ask firmly.

" No sir, just criticising", Dylan says. " I respect you Dylan, you have guts", I say as we walk into Malcolm's camp with four guards behind us.

A guard stands waiting, " I'll take you to see the King", the guard says. I put out my hand, the guard scoffs, he bows and kisses it.

We walk into Malcolm's tent, he sits on a chair, a fire illuminates his face. " Morgan, how nice it is to see you", Malcolm says after a laugh.

I sit down, " Malcolm, what do you want", I ask. " Just to ask you for your surrender, Christian blood will be spilled tomorrow, are you prepared to die?", Malcolm asks.

" I will have your head put on a pike, I will present it to your children, and Marie", I say firmly. " How is Joann?", Malcolm asks with a smirk.

" I heard she was tight", Malcolm says. I grasp my sword, " Tomorrow, you will die, and your kingdom will be mine", I say angrily. " Touched a nerve did I?", Malcolm says after a laugh.

" Why? Why all this?", I ask. " You've undermined me at every turn, you allowed a fake king to keep his land, you took mine and gifted me a dump, you pushed me away from Pope Louis with your antics, you didn't invite me to your anniversary. I could go on and on", Malcolm screams as he gets up in my face.

" Touched a nerve did I?", I say with a poker face. " I will behead you, and deliver the head myself. I will go into your home, rape your wife, and sell your sons into slavery. I'll keep Joann, she's a beautiful young lady", Malcolm says.

" Let us leave Dylan. This hermaphrodite is not worth our time", I say after standing up. " Burn in hell Morgan", Malcolm screams as me, Dylan and our guards walk out of Malcolm's camp.

" You handled that well my liege", Dylan says. " It will snow tomorrow. We'll start the attack with a small force of knights, our archers will then rain arrows into the force. I'll handle the rest", I say as we walk into camp.

" Get some rest, long day ahead", Dylan says. I walk into my tent and lay down. Malcolm will lose his head, and kingdom.

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John fastens my armour to my chest. " Thank you John", I say after strapping my sword to my waist. Snow falls onto the river. " I have an idea", I say.

" Come here Ronald", John says l, Ronald runs over, he bows. " You'll be leading the attack, may God bless you", I inform Ronald, he nods.

" Gather 'round", I scream. The soldiers line up in their units. " I won't lie, many of you will die today. If this is your last, may God bless you. May God give you a fire, burning in your soul, to defeat these men. Stick to the plan, we'll win. And if we don't, you'll win. All of you will win the eyes of our Lord. For Wales", I scream at the top of my lungs.

" God save Morgan the Great", the soldiers chant. The horn blows, the knights and Ronald walk forward with little armour or horses. " Are the men in the trees?", I ask. " Yes sire", John answers.

Malcolm's force races toward us. " Ready you bows", I scream. Our force stops just before the river. Malcolm's army slams into our knights. " Let fly", I scream. Hundreds of arrows fly over our army and crash into the Scottish force.

" Man the cannons", I scream. Men scream as they get knocked off their horses. Malcolm's entire force races down the hill. " Fire on the ice", I scream. The cannons fire on the ice, the river begins to flow.

I blow the horn, the men race out from the trees. " For King and Country", I scream as I run into battle. A Scottish soldier tackles me, I draw my dagger and stab it into his neck. I stand up and draw my sword from my waist.

I tackle a soldier as fighting continues around me. I stab my sword into his neck. I look up, a Scottish soldier sits atop his horse swinging rapidly.

I crawl under his horse and drag him down. I grip my handle and stab the soldier, again, and again. I stand up and swipe down the enemy. A man jumps onto me, " Die", Malcolm screams as he begins to choke me.

I clutch my throat and claw at his hands, he tightens his grip. My vision begins to fade, I grab my dagger off the ground and stab it into Malcolm's eye.

Malcolm screams in pain and rolls off of me. I grab his hand and pull him out of the battle. I look up, the Scottish soldiers begin to retreat. " Fire", I scream. Cannons rain down the retreating Scottish, hundreds fall.

I regain my balance and stand tall, covered in mud and snow. " All hail King Morgan the Great of Wales and Ireland", Soldiers cheer. I rip my dagger out of Malcolm's eye.

Malcolm screams in pain, I grab his wrist and drag him to my tent. " Stand", I scream. Malcolm barely gets onto his feet. I sit him down in a chair. " Sign this now", I say as Dylan sits a paper and quill down.

" I, Malcolm Dunkeld-Johnson, abdicate the throne of the Kingdom of Scotland, and my son, Jonathan Dunkeld-Johnson's claim to the Crown of Scotland will be spoiled, but not forgotten. My heir is Morgan Dinefwr, King of Wales and Ireland, Prince of Rome, Prince of God, and Defender of the Faith", Malcolm reads as everyone gathers around us.

" And if I refuse", Malcolm says shivering. " I march into that castle and kill Jon and Marie", I say firmly. Malcolm smiles and coughs.

He picks up the quill and signs in big, bold letters. Malcolm Dunkeld-Johnson. Malcolm coughs up blood and slumps over in his chair wheezing.

I grab my dagger from my waist and slice Malcolm's throat, he falls to the ground. I slam my dagger into Malcolm's skull, I pull it out and wipe it off.

" All hail Morgan the Great, King of Wales, Ireland and Scotland", Dylan yells. Everyone bows and prays. It's over, it's finally over.