You sat down by a red haired man wearing glasses, though a little sadly because you wanted the window seat. Suddenly he turned to you and said, "Hey, do you mind if we trade seats, lassie? Window seats make me nauseous."
You smiled, "Really? Thanks!" You happily traded with him. He turned to you with a charming grin, "Looks like everyone does win sometimes."
"Yeah, thanks a bunch sir, I love window seats."
"So are you heading to Scotland for a special reason?"
"Yup."
"What is it, you going to meet your boyfriend or a fiancé?"
You blushed, "Oh no, I'm not going out with anyone. Actually I'm going to see my mom. If you want you can come, I'd love to introduce her to you; you seem like a really nice guy."
He blushed, "You don't even know me, why would you want to do that?"
You laughed, "Did you know that my mom was the one to ask my dad to marry her?"
"Really now?" He asked.
You nodded, "On Februrary 29th, my mom asked my father to marry him. He was American, and was in Scotland for a business trip, and she followed that Irish tradition, and even though she's Scottish, she asked him to marry her. She brought me up telling me that sometimes trying to be close to someone as soon as you meet them means that you care enough to want to get to know him or her."
"What an interesting philosophy I must say." He chuckled.
"Well that's my mom for yah, she's a very interesting person."
"So if your mom lives in Scotland, what were you doing in America?"
"Visiting my dad, they loved each other very much, but their marriage only lasted until I was fifteen and in high school, because then they knew I'd be ready to be told they had been unhappy with their marriage for five years, but they stuck it out until I was old enough. But anyways, I would really like you to come with me when I visit my mom. I mean if you're not busy or anything."
"Oh no, I'll come, I was only visiting America because I have some friends here. Actually, if you want, I can give you a tour if you want."
"Really? Thanks! I've only been to my mother's homeland once before."
"Then I will be your personal tour guide." He chuckled.
You both talked the entire time you were on the plane. When you had landed, he helped bringing your stuff down from the compartments.
"Thanks." You said.
You both got your luggage and he insisted on you letting him pay for the taxi for you both, which you finally relented and agreed with it.
"So where does your mother live?"
"Actually I stay at a hotel; there isn't much room where my mother lives."
"Can't she make room?"
"Not really."
"So why didn't she meet you at the airport?"
"She's immobile."
"Oh…I'm so sorry, how did she get paralyzed? Polio or something?"
"Yeah, it's something like that."
"So what hotel do you usually go to?"
"Sunny Side Hill."
"WHAT! That old dump!"
You unknowingly made yourself seem small and innocent, "That's where I was conceived, it's sentimental."
"Oh…I'm sorry, I stepped over the line didn't i?"
"It's okay everyone has their own opinions on things."
"True as that may be, but if I say something hurtful, you have to tell me. Promise?"
You nodded, "Yes sir."
"That's right! I haven't told you my name yet! I'm Scotland."
"The Scotland!" You exclaimed.
"You've heard of me?"
"Yeah! You're the country's representative, wow now I seem kind of unimportant compared to you."
He waved it off, "So do you have a pretty name to go with that pretty face?" Scotland asked.
"Yeah, I'm _." You said with a light blush.
"How about I take you to my place? There's less creepy crawlies there."
You smiled, "Well I wouldn't want to impose, but if you insist-,"
"Which I do." He chuckled.
"Then that would be very kind of you Scotland."
"Then away to my place it is!"
Scotland drove for a couple of hours and you gawked at his home, "Y-You live in a castle!"
"Not just any castle lass, this has a special story to it, in this very castle a very beautiful love story took place."
"I'd love to hear it." You smiled brightly.
Scotland grinned as he grabbed your luggage and began his elaborate tale of his castle and led you to your room next to his. Scotland continued as he gave you a tour of the castle.
"Wow! That was quite a story, battles, betrayal, love triangles and unconditional love! It sounds like it came from a fairytale!"
"But it's all too real." He smiled and winked at you.
You laughed.
He smiled warmly when you did, and you adverted your eyes, so he couldn't see that your eyes were blushing as well.
"So _, when would you like to visit your mom?"
"Oh, I won't be doing that until tomorrow, and the day after I will be going home."
"What! You come all the way out here to spend 3 days and 2 nights here? Then you go back to America?" He asked, his heart dropping unexpectedly. He hadn't known you long, but he was enjoying your company to much, and he felt as if he had known you forever. Of course that might be because you are good people, and two, you are half Scottish to begin with.
You nodded.
"Why the heck for?"
"I have my reasons." You giggled.
He sighed, "You are one strange lass…say how old are you anyway?"
"Twenty-one, the same age my mom was, when she asked dad to marry her."
"You really admire her, don't you?"
You nodded, "In many ways, she's a better parent than my father."
"Really? How come, oh…sorry that's personal."
"Its fine, he's just never really paid attention to me the way mom did. Don't get me wrong, I love him, and he loves me a ton, but he's a business man so he's never there for me. Not like she was before she moved here. She wanted to take me with her, but they figured it would be better for me to live in America."
Scotland nodded, "It's still sad."
"Yeah, but you know, it's whatever. I'm glad I can talk to you, you're a good friend." You said, and took his hand.
Scotland's face lit up like a red Christmas tree.
"You okay?" You asked, looking concerned, you felt his forehead with the back of your hand which only made his blush worse. "You're redder than normal, but you don't have a fever."
"Y-Yeah…I'm fine."
You smiled and let go of his hand, "So, is there anywhere we should go?"
He grinned again, "Well if you're leaving the day after tomorrow, then I should take you anywhere and everywhere."
You laughed, "You don't have to do that."
"Trust me, I want to." Scotland promised as he took your hand and hurried you outside, "We don't have a spare second to lose!" He laughed with thoughts of places to take you flashed through his mind.
So for the entire day he took you so many places, you didn't get back to the castle until the wee hours of the morning.
He finally allowed you to sleep, but he was too far gone with ideas that he sat at his table and figured some numbers of prices and places he wanted to take you.
Several hours later, which was about afternoon, you awoke to the wondrous music of Scottish bagpipes.
You followed the sounds until you walked outside and saw Scotland standing on a hilltop wearing the outfit bagpipers wore while they played. He looked so authentic and so vibrant with life, and so peaceful and determined…Your heart melted as you listened to the music, the wind playing with your hair and his kilt…The song he played was 'Flower of Scotland' it almost sounded sad, but it was very powerful.
When the song ended you clapped and he turned to you, you ran up the hill and hugged him, "That was wonderful Scotland! How did you learn to play like that?"
"My papa taught me when I was a wee little lad."
"That's so sweet."
"It is, so are you ready to visit your mom?"
You nodded, "Do you mind if we stop at a flower shop first?"
"Sure, that's a real nice thought, after all you haven't seen her for a while right?"
"Yeah, a couple of years or so actually, oh but do you think you can bring your bagpipes? I want you to play that song for her."
"Of course, I'd anything to help a friend." Scotland nodded.
You both got some flowers; he wanted to make a nice impression on your mom. Then you directed him to where your mom lived. But as he got closer, he began to see something that he hadn't before. You took his hand and led him along until you found it. You kneeled beside a tombstone, "These are for you, Mom. Aren't they beautiful? Scotland bought some for you too." Scotland laid them down, "Thank you ma'am for the wonderful company your daughter has provided for me, she is a remarkable lass and a true Scotswoman. I imagine that she looks like you, when you were her age. Your daughter wanted me to play this for you."
He then began playing the bagpipes, to the song from before.
You smiled as he did so, and listened quietly, and when he was finished you said to her, "He's a really nice guy, he even let me sit by the window seat! Isn't that sweet of him? It's also kind of funny, because he gets nauseous by them. So we fit together nicely like that huh? And he told me this amazing story about this castle he lives in! And can you believe this nice man is the country's representative! I am really happy that I came here to visit you on your one year anniversary. Or else I would've never met him, so thank you mom, and thank you for introducing the two of us. He is a spectacular man, and an amazing friend. So please rest well. I love you mom."
You turned to Scotland and frowned, "Scotland…why are you crying?"
It was true, Scotland had one arm wrapped around his stomach, his fingers holding onto a pair of glasses, and the other hand hid his face. His body shook lightly, "A-All this time…you spoke as if she was still alive and she's…she's dead. I-I'm so sorry, I had…no idea…I should've realized it sooner."
You smiled sympathetically and took his hand away from his face and put it on your heart, "She's not dead, she's alive and she lives here, right in my heart and now, in yours." Scotland nodded and pulled you close and whispered, "I read her name…I started crying not only because of what I said but…when I was in school, she was my favorite teacher."
You nodded and then pulled his arm a little harder and he fell into your embrace and he hugged you tightly, crying on your forehead and then you began to cry too, into his shoulder. You both stood there for hours, crying and holding each other tightly, finally you let each other go, and dried your tears.
"Let's go out for a drink _, in honor of your mother."
You nodded and you and Scotland headed out.
You both got a buzz with a couple of drinks, talking about your mom. Suddenly you got a phone call from your aunt in America and you talked to her for a few minutes and then sat back down and called for two more beers. "What happened?" Scotland asked.
You looked at him and then away, chugged both of your beers and then looked at him, now drunk, "Dad died today, he was shot in a drive by accident on his way to work."
"Oh gawd, _, you poor lass." He held you tight, letting your tears envelope you.
"This is hor-horrible! My mom died by getting hit by a car and now dad in a-..." You couldn't finish.
"Let's get you home, _."
You nodded and he took you back to his castle, and played the bagpipes for you, trying to calm you down.
Afterwards, you pulled away his bagpipes and you crawled into his lap, drunk with tears and beer, and kissed him deeply with a tender passion that asked for compassion, which he returned tasting the sorrow on your tongue.
You pulled back and looked into those deep green eyes of his, searching for a hint of something, but you were too drunk to find it, so you just kissed him again and then your lips trailed away from his and it went up his neck and you nibbled on his ear, "_." He breathed, panting from your dominant approach.
"Do you have anything under that kilt of yours?"
He chuckled sympathetically, and let his love for you overwhelm him and he took you to his bed and made love to you. Your screams of rapture filling his ears, he licked up every tear that had poured from your eyes.
The next day, he awoke to find you not in his arms. There was a note on the table:
I'm sorry to leave so rudely like this, but I didn't mean to jump on you like I did last night, you were wonderful, but I feel so bad for doing that to you. I'm sorry, but you are a really good person, so I don't want to hurt you. I will never forget you, or the things we've said and done. Please take care and forgive me for saying this but…I love you. I know it must seem weird because we barely know each other, well…we haven't known each other for that long, but…anyways…I guess this is goodbye.
Scotland didn't stop to think he raced to the airport faster than ever, and he saw you getting on the airplane, "_! STOP! WAIT!"
You turned and he ran into you, and hugged you closer than ever, squeezing the life out of you, "Don't go! I love you, _! Don't leave me!"
Slowly you hugged him back, "You love me?"
He nodded, and then kneeled before you, "This was my mother's wedding ring, I want you to wear it. I want you to be the one who wears it, my mother and papa wore theirs all their lives' so it's lucky and special. If you marry me, we'll be together forever, I promise. Please, will you marry me? We can have as many kids as the castle can hold and I'll play bagpipes for you every morning. I will do anything to keep you here by my side, so please, please tell me you love me in your own words and promise to never leave me?"
You laughed and started crying and fell to your knees and embraced him, "I love you, and I promise I will never leave, please take me home with you." Scotland nodded as he stroked your hair, and the airport erupted into a thunderous applause and Scotland scooped you up and kissed you passionately.
"Well, I guess this is the end of the story." You chuckled.
He laughed, "What are you talking about? It's only the beginning!"
So you were both married, and you did have many kids, and you all shared many glorious adventures together, and you become the flower of Scotland, or at least the flower that had bloomed in Scotland's heart.