Scottish Manors

Heading to Scotland definetly wasn't on her bucket list, not for this introverted bookworm who had spent most of her life reading about travelling and adventures from behind the safety of her books familiar paper pages. She had no desire to go out into the world, she made her money writing articles and short novels all from the confines of her cosy hundred year old townhouse in downtown Sydney. With strong wifi, being within walking distance of multiple shops and with all the coffee she could possibly consume Andrea wasn't too happy to hear about this latest predicamant.

Despite her initial reaction to throw the letter out, her adoptive mother had insisted that she at least think about what it was offering...it was the last traces left of her actual family, of her birth parents. Skim reading the letter once again she pushed her vivid ginger tresses behind her shoulders as she inhaled deeply. Apparently someone by the name of Elaria Pushine had done a intensive DNA test and researched her family tree. 

Using this research and the data available through various adoptive agencies, this woman had tracked Andrea down and had invited her to her house in Scotland under the insistence that she was her great Aunt and that there was a family member that had recently passed in the family and left part of their estate to Andrea's father, a man she had never met and knew almost nothing about. It was apparently Andrea's role to claim this wealth on behalf of her father yet she needed to travel to Scotland to claim the inheritance...whatever it may be. Apparently what she was inherting couldn't just be'passed up' or ' given away' which was why at that very moment Andrea's adopotive mother was furiously packing a bag for her whilst Andrea hid in her room, trying to push her obvious anxities aside and actually deal with the fact that she was heading to Scotland in a few days time, her first ever international trip.

The glossy travel guide she had read on the plane over boasted Scotland as a country with stunning landscapes, limitless ale and a small town vibe despite it's population of over 5 million. In fact the centrefold photograph of the magazine looked suspiciously similar to the Windows Xp background, the rolling landscapes currently rushing past the lightly tinted windows of the airport cab looked nothing like the lush green meadow of the famous image. Instead, slate and charcoal coloured clouds raced above the disappointingly ordinary looking CBD, if it wasn't for the near incomprehensible English and the laid back yet at the same time aggressive attitude Andrea would have thought she was back in Sydney.

Thanking the grumpy driver, she hauled her comically large suitcase out of the beaten up taxi and rolled the vibrant red case into the bar named ' St Adams'. Quickly settling herself and her luggage into one of the many cozy booths lining the dimly lit pubs walls, she double checked the address Elaria, her distant relative had texted her. This was it, this was where she was to meet this said relative. Despite it being only just past midday, the premises were packed. Almost a hundred people were packed into the cramped yet homey inn. Looking around at her surroundings, the sheltered Sydney sider jumped up in shock as a middle aged woman with hair the same brilliant shade as Andrea's slid into the booth next to her and gave her a warm hug.

" You must be Andrea, oh you look just like him too. I am so sorry to hear about their passing but I am glad that we found you eventually. It is just a shame that a family member had to pass to bring us together."

A little overwhelmed at the open trust of the vivacious woman next to her Andrea simply smiled and gave an awkward hug back, she wasn't used to physical contact. Happily content to just sit and take in her surroundings, Andrea watched as Elaria happily spoke to many customers...calling most of them by name and hugging most of them. It soon became apparent that this was a family business...and Andrea's family, well her distant relatives owned it.

Roughly an hour later, Andrea had gotten settled into the family's apartment above their bar and was now heading towards a historic country estate, an old manor that had been passed down to Andrea. The dark clouds from before had developed a mauve tinge, contrasting vividly against the emerald green rolling fields of the Scottosh countryside...white shimmering tendrils of salty mist snaking across the landscape like some mythological Gaelic creature of the ancient times.

Allowing herself to relax into the comfortable leather seats of Elaria's voltswagon, she continued to stare out the window at the passing scenery...the lazy wavering of the scottish haze hypnotising her into a trancelike state. It was only when strangely shaped creatures and humanoid figures started emerging from these mistry tendrils that Andrea snapped back to reality...unfortunately despite her alertness the abnormal sights she had hoped were simply the visions of a semi conscious mind didn't disperse. At her sharp intake of breath, the talkative woman next to her finally silenced.

At the sudden silence, Andrea tore her eyes away from the strange happenings out on the meadows and moors of the scottish terrain and met the brilliant Azure eyed gaze of the lady next to her.

" Yer have the sight lass, now I truly know ye are one of us...you are scottish through blood...a pushine through blood. Since ye have the sight, you are worthy of the estate you are about to inherit...the manor you are about to see is a place where the veil between worlds is thin you see...it is a place where time is not linear...it is a place where dreams dissolve into reality and nothing is as it seems."

Looking out at the drizzly rain currently falling heavily across the rolling fields Andrea followed Elaria's pointed finger towards a gathering of humanoid figures...their large almost dragon like wings and their hovering like walk sent chills down the Sydney woman's spine as goosebumps erupted across her skin, this wasn't a joke or a trick of the eye...it was true...but how?

Being an avid reader and a writer herself, Andrea knew that the only limits to reality was ones imagination...and clearly the ancient gaelic myths of the misty moors of the country shrouded in mythology were true. 

" Fae...I wouldn't be too concerned, although they are a sensititive bunch it's practically impossible to piss them off without actually interacting with them in person, which I would advise against until you are confident in your abilities and researched regarding your attitudes towards the Fae. Although to be honest...with your introverted demeanour and the fact that you have the sight in the first place, they will efinetly be interested in you...especially the mischevious ones. All I can recommend is standing your ground, be firm but fair...and if you ever need any advice or duidance you know where to come. 

Welcome to Fae Andrea, welcome home."