Magnus looked at him. “Ye think Clegg is going tae let ye? What are ye going tae tell him?”
“That I must go because ye need looking after.”
Magnus grinned. “And ye would, too,” he said. But he sobered quickly. “I still intend tae take her back tae her homeland, but not now. Not until the bairn is old enough tae travel. She’s sent a couple of missives tae Santacara since she’s been at the Cal, but she’s not received a reply. I know she’s hurting because of it. Something tells me that her father is long dead and I think she knows it, but now that she’s safe from Conan, there’s no great sense of urgency. Simply…curiosity.”
Their conversation was cut off when a chain, with a shackle on each end, landed a few feet away. They looked over to see Lor standing a few yards away with Tay and Aurelius. They were both holding the same chains and shackles, and Lor pointed to the restraint in the dirt.
“Pick it up,” he commanded. “We’re going tae run through some team exercises. Choose yer partner.”
Magnus, Bane, and Galan groaned. “I’m not fighting with the Beastly Bastard again,” Magnus said, pointing to Tay. “That big ox trips over his own feet.”
Tay bared his teeth at him. “It’s the Beast from the East,” he said. “But I wouldna expect the Chicken tae remember that.”
Magnus guffawed. “Ha!” he said. “Go trip up someone else, ye big ox. Aurelius is a good choice. The Irish Fart can lug ye around when ye fall.”
Everyone started to laugh. “It’s the Celtic Storm tae ye, Chicken,” Aurelius said indignantly, shaking his fist at him. “I’m going tae pluck yer feathers when I catch ye.”
Bane darted over toward Lor. “I’ll partner with Lor, thank ye,” he said. “At least I’ll have a fighting chance.”
Magnus shook his head at the man. “He’s perfect for ye, coward,” he said wryly. “The Highland Dimwit and the Kitty from the Hills have teamed up.”
That brought more laughter since Lor’s nickname, during his fighting days, had been Lion of the Highlands. They all had slanderous versions of their fighting monikers and no one was spared. Not even Galan, the Sapphire Dragon.
Lor pointed at Magnus and Galan, standing a couple of feet apart.
“Ye’ve insulted everyone, so that leaves ye with Blue Lizard Guts over there,” he said. “Good luck, Chicken. Ye’re going tae need it.”
Everyone was laughing, putting on their shackles, getting ready to fight to the last man standing as a group of novicius watched from the sidelines. This happened often and it was meant to show the newcomers how teamwork and tactics blended together, but with the six of them—Magnus, Lor, Bane, Galan, Tay, and Aurelius—it was usually a battle of insults and humor, and a great treat for the spectators.
But the truth was that it was a bonding of brothers.
Magnus looked forward to these moments more than the games themselves. He loved harassing Lor and Bane and Galan, and they loved harassing him in return. As he’d said once, that was how they showed their love for one another. He remembered something Lor had said to him once:
We’re all part of the same clan. Ye’re my brothers and I’d fight tae the death for ye, so that makes us family.
It was so very true.
On the day that Magnus had first come to the Ludus Caledonia, he could never have imagined how his life was about to change. The massive fight guild buried in the hills south of Edinburgh was to become all things to him—a place where he found his family, a place where he married his wife, and on a warm evening in late July, the place where his son, Cortez, was born. The Ludus Caledonia, to Magnus, wasn’t just any place.
It was the place.
It was his home.
In the years to come, when his duties as the Duke of Kintyre and Lorne would take him away from the Ludus Caledonia, Magnus would always remember the lessons he learned there and the men who had left such a lasting impact. They would always remain fresh in his mind, as if he had only just left them, and wherever he went, they were never far from his heart.
Many years later, when Clegg de Lave finally passed away, Magnus kept his promise and, along with his Ludus Caledonia brothers, made the trek with Clegg’s body back to Italy where he was buried next to Benedetta in a tiny church in the hills overlooking Rome. The ring Clegg had given to her and loaned to Diantha had been tucked into his closed palm.
Our time will come.
For Clegg and Benedetta, it finally had.
For Magnus and his brothers at the Ludus Caledonia, it would continue to be their time, until the end of all things. A family to treasure for always, and a love for his wife that would endure throughout eternity. Though Magnus had returned Clegg’s ring, he’d replaced it with one decorated with bees.
His Sweet Bee.
The Eagle, and his legacy, would live into legend.
Author’s Note
I sincerely hope you enjoyed Magnus and Diantha’s tale. It’s quite a story!
As an author, I do a lot of research whenever I write a historical romance and this story was no exception. But there are a couple of things I’d like to mention about information incorporated into this book.
The first thing of note is the Spanish language. At this time, there was no Spain as a country, but several kingdoms in what is now modern-day Spain. As you know, our heroine is from the Kingdom of Navarre. Spanish, as a language, was spoken, however, and what Diantha speaks is Castilian Spanish, although she would have also possibly spoken Basque, depending on where she was living in Navarre. Most of the Spanish languages are similar, having all derived from Vulgar Latin, and having developed particular nuances of their own over the centuries.
The second thing of note is the marriage between Magnus and Diantha. Clegg told them to speak the words that would make them married, and they did. Believe it or not, this was perfectly legal. The Catholic Church encouraged marriage, of course, but a couple didn’t have to be married by a priest. In fact, they weren’t even married inside churches. Usually, it was done outside the church, but a priest wasn’t even required. There is documentation of people marrying in homes or even taverns by simply speaking the words “I do.” What sealed the deal, of course, was the consummation. Once that took place, the marriage was binding. You can find more information about medieval marriages online or at your local library.
For those you who enjoy family trees, here is a list of Magnus and Diantha’s future children. Notice how Diantha made sure they had strong Spanish names. Spanish Highlanders are definitely something to be explored in a future book!
• Cortez
• Paloma
• Stephen
• Matias
• Catalina
Thank you for reading Magnus and Diantha’s story!
Hugs,
Kathryn
Acknowledgments
This is one of the more humorous books I’ve written (and I hope you, as the reader got a kick out of the jokes and taunts from the gladiators), but I’d like to acknowledge where some of that humor comes from—my very own children, two of the funniest people I’ve ever known. To my son, James Le Veque, who inspired some of this hilarious male banter, and to my daughter, Dr. Mollie Le Veque, who takes witty remarks and humor to a whole new level. To say I’m proud of them is an understatement. They inspire me every single day.
Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my husband, Rob, and his constant support. Without him, I couldn’t do what I do, and my gratitude is endless.
I would also like to acknowledge my readers, without whom none of this would be possible.
And lastly, a shout-out to the team at Sourcebooks Casablanca for their expertise, diligence, and guidance, and to my agent, Sarah Elizabeth Younger. You are all amazing!
About the Author
With over one hundred published novels, Kathryn Le Veque is a critically acclaimed USA
Today bestselling author, a charter Amazon All-Star author, and a #1 bestselling, award-winning, multipublished author in medieval historical romance.
Kathryn is a multiple award nominee and winner, including the winner of Uncaged Book Reviews magazine’s “Raven Award” for Favorite Medieval Romance and Favorite Cover. Kathryn is also a multiple RONE nominee for InD’Tale Magazine, holding the record for the number of nominations. In 2018, her novel Warwolfe was the winner in the Romance category of the Book Excellence Award and was also a finalist for several other awards. Kathryn’s books have hit the USA Today bestseller list more than fifteen times.
In addition to her own published works, Kathryn is the president/CEO of Dragonblade Publishing, a boutique publishing house specializing in historical romance, and the president/CEO of DragonMedia Publishing, a publishing house that publishes the Pirates of Britannia Connected World series. In July 2018, Kathryn launched yet another publishing house, WolfeBane Publishing, which publishes the World of de Wolfe Pack Connected series (formerly Kindle Worlds).
Kathryn is considered one of the top indie authors in the world with over two million copies in circulation, and her novels have been translated into several languages.
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Highland Legend Page 27