Market Forces in Gretna Green

OK, I admit it. I didn’t think it through when I kidnapped the king. But it seemed like a good idea at the time—even Rollo agreed. Cut me some slack? The idiotic Galician emperor’s latest act of cowardice coming at the same time as the life changes my best mate was juggling—so badly—had thrown me off balance. Aysha’s always been my rock. But now I can’t be hers because she doesn’t need a rock—other than to the head. She needs encouragement to make her own changes. Admittedly, Ad’Rian’s “teensy little spell” encouraged her more forcefully than I would ever have had the nerve to. Because I've been busy myself. The Recorders' Office has had a problem for 400 years and I'm determined to fix it. Before next weekend would be good. That isn't as easy as it sounds because for the first time, I realised most of my confidence in my new role came from Dola. Now she’s not available for a few days, so I have to stand on my own feet and, much more worryingly, make my own coffee.