Disclaimers – I own no one
Rating – family
Keeper of Antaris
Scotland was a beautiful place, even in winter, when the snow covered the highlands and the lochs glistened in the winter sun. But summer was glorious, heather covered the hills and valleys, animals roamed the forests and the hub of country life, away from the towns was quite idyllic.
Mary had lived there, in the wilds of the highlands all her life. The farm had been handed down to her by her father many years ago although it had been in her family for generations.
She lived there by herself since her husband had died 10 years before, she only went into the nearest town every 6 months or when she needed to, which was about 5 miles away. She didn't drive so had to walk but she was happy enough. Many people had tried to get her to move to the town but she was having none of it. All her provisions she got when she went into town and one of the farmers would bring it up to her farmhouse on his tractor.
There was only electric when the generator was working but she had old fashioned fires in the downstairs rooms which kept her warm in the winter and gave her enough light at night.
It was the end of July and Mary was cleaning out the barn, one of her animals grazing in the forest was at the end of its life and there was nothing she could do. She would bring it into the barn over the next few days and let it die in peace. There was nothing a vet could do but she could make its last days comfortable.
Last night there had been a heavy downpour of rain, typical in Scotland, some good days then some rainy ones, you got used to it. She would go and get the animal the next day as it was getting to late to find him now.
Mary had her supper and settled down with her old record player and her pet cat in front of the range in the kitchen. She didn't have TV or a radio and only got newspapers when she went to town and that was rarely as the news wasn't new any more. It was about 9pm and there was a knock on her door.
She jumped, she never had visitors and wondered who on earth could be out there. Putting the cat down, she went to the door and opened it. A man in jeans and t shirt stood there, holding a rucksack.
"Can I help you?" she asked
"I hope so, I was hiking and camping up in the woods and got flooded out last night. I've been trying all day to sort it out but its no good. I wondered where the nearest town was" he replied in an American accent.
"The nearest town is 5 miles away and no way of getting there other than walking" she said
He looked cold and tired so she asked him in. She had no fear of people, they never got trouble up there.
"Come in. Would you like a cup of tea? My names Mary" she asked
"John - That would be nice, thank you" he said.
He sat down at the table and she noted things about him – about middle 40's, quite attractive, long black hair, tied back – he seemed friendly enough.
"So what are you doing way out here?" she asked "You're American aren't you?"
"Yes, I needed a holiday and had always wanted to come to Scotland with its legends and history but never had the chance before, but I wasn't counting on getting rained out within a few days of getting here"
"Oh we have plenty of legends up here laddie" she said handing him his tea. "As for the weather, you take it as it comes. I will say you wont make it to town before the storms come in that are forecast and you certainly cant stay in a tent. You are quite welcome to stay here the night if you wish, I haven't got much but I am happy to share"
"Thank you I would like that, if its not too much trouble"
"Not at all, I don't have company very often, it will make a change" she replied
Mary showed him where he could wash and into the little bedroom off the kitchen. It was small but cozy and the bed was always fresh and aired. He said he would freshen up and then join her.
He was pleased he found somewhere to stay the night, he really hadn't fancied a long walk. He also knew she was bound to ask what he did etc but he would have to think of something, he couldn't tell her what he really did. Work for the Michael Jackson Phenomenon. The last thing he needed was to be bombarded with questions about the man, he had left to get away from all that for a while.
When he came back out, Mary had put some food on the table and told him to help himself.
"So what do you do in the States?" she asked
John smiled to himself, he was right.
"I worked for a music organization, but the head of it died mysteriously about a month ago. No-one really knows how or why yet but I was fed up with the way things were turning out since he died, I needed to get away from it for a while. So I packed up and here I am. Have you lived here long?" he asked changing the subject.
Mary told him about the farm and her family, how she loved it there and despite everyone telling to leave she was determined to spend the rest of her life there.
"Sounds wonderful, no pressures. Look would you mind if I went to bed, I am rather tired" he said
"Of course not, hope the room is comfortable and if you need anything, help yourself. I am up early but you can stay as long as you wish" she said
John thanked her and went to his room. Mary sat and finished her tea stroking her cat.
"What a lovely man, so polite. Glad I live here Toby, don't want to live in that crazy world people seem so determined to live in. come on lets go to bed"
The next day Mary was finishing off the barn when she heard a noise behind her. Turning she saw it was John with two mugs of tea in his hand.
"Sorry I slept so late, I hope you don't mind I made some tea" he said
"no problem and thanks for the tea" she said taking a mug.
He sat on a bale of straw and watched the cat stalking a mouse up in the hay loft.
"When have you got to go back to the states" she asked "If you are not in a hurry you are quite welcome to stay here"
"I think I would like that. There is no urgency to go back, I cant and don't want to face that yet"
"You must have really liked the person you worked for, was he nice?"
"Yes I did and yes he was, but very much misunderstood by people. They liked to rip him apart for anything they could, never report the good things only the bad, which was only in their eyes. He will be missed by many people, he was loved a lot. Mary I have a bit of a confession to make. It wasn't coincidence that I came here, I heard a few stories about……don't laugh………unicorns, about some living up here in the woods. I know…a Scottish legend, no truth in it but then they say that about Nessie"
"As you say, all legends and there are many of them, I am not laughing. Look as you are here you can give me a hand with this straw, I need to bring one of my animals down here tomorrow and as we didn't get the storm last night, we will get it today" she said
John went over and helped her lift the bales and spread the straw out. He asked how she knew they would get the storm today. She told him that farmers knew, maybe more than the experts about how the weather worked. She took him outside.
"See those clouds over there, they are the storm clouds coming in from the west, they have been circling all night and built up, we will have rain by this afternoon and thunder by tonight, mark my words" she said
They spent the rest of the morning sorting out the barn and after it was finished, went into the farmhouse where Mary cooked them dinner, traditional Scottish fare, she hoped he liked it. He did and had seconds. Just as they finished they heard the rain outside, john looked at her and smiled.
"See laddie, I was right" she laughed.
They spent the evening talking about his life in the States trying not to talk about Michael directly or by name but telling her some of the things that happened, especially after he found out that she didn't have a tv or radio and probably didn't know about Michael dying.
"How could anyone treat someone like that, just for money it seems to me. He sounds like he was a wonderful man. Now you know why I live here, I don't want to have to deal with people much. I was married for 20 years until my Jock died ten years ago, and I miss him but I am very happy to hide from the world if you like and live here alone. I don't want material things, Jock hated TV and would never have one in the house so I have never bothered since he died. Anyway I doubt it would work up here, doubt there are any ariels"
"Don't you get lonely?" asked John
"Sometimes, but I have my animals, my cat, my cows and …well other animals I look after, I see people when I go to town, learn all the gossip, whos died, who's sleeping with who, you know the sort of thing. But I don't want to be part of it, Jock was my life and I was happy with him, don't need another husband"
The storm was getting worse outside but it was cozy in the kitchen of the farmhouse. They had the range, food and drink and as Mary said "we will let god take care of the rest" John felt relaxed for the first time in ages and bid her goodnight and lay on his bed watching the lightening before falling asleep.
"well Toby, he seems genuine enough, I think we will tell him about Antaris and his family tomorrow. There is something about him I like and as you like him he must be okay" she said to the cat who purred loudly on her lap.
"John I would like to show you something today" she said after breakfast "but you will need a coat, it gets chilly on the hills"
Mary put on her old quilted jacket and John found a leather jacket that would be plenty warm enough. He had brought his rucksack with him the night he arrived but the tent was finished. They walked through the gate behind the barn, then up a small hill to the woods, the other fields in which the cows grazed were in front of the farm. John followed her as she led him for about 500 yds into the woods to a clearing, about the size of a football field, trees all around it.
"Okay now sit down here and watch" she said taking a small whistle out of her pocket and blowing it once.
"What are we looking for?" asked john
"You'll see, over there by that large oak, just watch"
As they sat there, a large white horse came into the clearing followed by some others. John looked and then turned to Mary.
"Yes John, they are the mysterious unicorns you heard about. They are real and they have lived here for many centuries" she said
"I cant believe it, why has no one else ever seen them or reported stories about them?" he asked
""Because just like Nessie, no one has ever been sure they have seen them. A glimpse here and there, a rustle in the trees. They only allow certain people to see them, if they don't want to be found, you could spend years looking for them and find nothing" she replied
"But how do you know so much about them?"
She explained that they had been a legacy in her family for about 300 years and another farmer in the next glen who also took care of them. He would be doing it all when she died as she had no children, but the care would be passed on to his family and it would go on.
"So does Nessie exist too?" he asked watching as the unicorns came further into the clearing.
"Och yes, there has been a family of them for hundreds of years, but again they don't want to be found, they live in the caves that line the loch, give people a glimpse now and then to keep the story alive. I swear they do it on purpose. Look the large one in front is Antaris, the patriarch of the herd. He is the one I have to bring down to the barn. He is old, maybe 40 years and it is his time to go. The younger male behind will take his place, it is the nature of things. We cannot interfere or change it, as much as we would wish"
Mary knew she had done the right thing bringing John to the clearing because Antaris started to walk over to where they were, even with john sitting there. Unicorns had a sixth sense about people, somehow and knew when one could be trusted.
"He's coming over here. My god he is beautiful, look at that horn. I cant believe it" John exclaimed.
"Keep still, let him come to you. He knows he can trust you, as I knew" replied Mary.
John looked at her and smiled. He wished at that moment he could have stayed there forever but he knew it would soon be time for him to leave.
He was a magnificent animal, stood about 18 hands at the shoulder, pure white with a 3ft horn on his forehead. He nuzzled Mary and then moved over to John where he nuzzled him. Mary smiled, she had done the right thing.
"He likes you, as I said they don't show themselves to many people and certainly don't let anyone touch them who they don't know unless they sense a special bond. You must have that bond. The others will not come over though, they know its time for Antaris to leave, watch"
Antaris turned and walked over to the herd, who came to him, they neighed and then he went over to the younger male unicorn and seemed to bow to him before walking back to Mary and John.
"He is ready to go, he will follow us, come" she said
They walked down the hill and through the gate to the barn, Antaris right behind them. Mary opened the door and stood back as the unicorn walked into the barn and started to eat the hay she had put there for him.
"How long has he got?" asked John
"Only a few days, maybe only a few hours. He is content, he knows it his time that is why he bowed to the younger male. The younger one is called Soltan, he knows he is in charge of the herd and he will guard it well. Lets leave him for a while, we will come back later"
Over the next two days, John spent a lot of time in the barn with Antaris, talking to him, stroking him and the old unicorn was happy to let him. Mary didn't mind, they had formed a special attachment and she knew the unicorn was in safe hands. Somehow she knew John wouldn't be there much longer, just a feeling and she knew there was nothing she could do about making him stay.
On the Friday, she went into the barn and John was sitting there with Antaris's head on his lap, he looked over to her.
"He's gone Mary, just a few minutes ago" he said with tears on his face.
"As will you, am I right?" she said walking over and kneeling beside the unicorn.
John looked at her and nodded.
"How did you know?"
"I guessed. Don't worry, its fine, its been a pleasure having you here but all good things must come to an end" she replied "When will you go?"
"Tomorrow, I have really enjoyed being here and thank you so much for having me but I have to go, have things I must do" he said "I will help you bury him before I go, I have to do that much"
She nodded and went inside to find them supper. The next day John helped with the burial and then went to get his stuff.
"I am sorry to leave this quickly but being with Antaris has made me realize I cant run away from destiny, I have to go back. Thank you for everything Mary, I will never forget you" he said
They hugged and she felt a glow that she had not felt for many years but could not quite place it. He walked up the path and waved as he turned onto the lane that ran past her farm. Mary went inside and put her coat on, she would be going to town a little earlier than normal this time.
It took her about 2 hours to walk the 5 miles and she picked up her money from the post office then ordered her meat from the butchers, the petrol for her generator and then her food from the little store. Spoke to people about the gossip going on and then headed for the general store to see what he had in stock. He always added new things and she would always treat herself.
"Can you make sure all my things are brought up to the farm tomorrow" she asked Glen
"Of course Mary, I'll make old Mac brings them up on the tractor for you. Anything else you want?"
"I will look around and see what rubbish you have in this time" she said winking at him
"Och Mary, I don't keep rubbish, its all good stuff" he replied rather hurt.
She picked up a few things and then spotted the magazines on the shelf. One of them stood out from the rest. 'A Memorial To Michael Jackson, 1958-2009' with a picture of the man himself on the cover. She took it off the shelf and thumbed through the pages, his childhood, his life, his death. Taking it and the rest of her things to the counter she paid for them.
"You a Michael Jackson fan, would not have believed that" said Glenn
"Oh just keeping up with the times, I am not a total recluse you know" she said.
Then she left and headed back to the farmhouse. Putting the things away, she made herself a drink and sat at the table with the book in front of her. What a beautiful man she thought and started to read what it said. By the time she had finished about a hour later, she had tears rolling down her face.
His life had been so sad on the personal side and yet he was loved by millions. She could not understand how any of this could have happened.
Standing up she walked over to the mantelpiece and took down a picture on the wall. Sitting at the table she took the old picture out and then washed the frame and glass, drying it carefully. Then putting it on the table, carefully cut out a picture of Michael, one of him recently and put it in the frame, sealed it at the back and then held it out to look at it. It was perfect and she took it over to place it back on the nail over the fire.
It was getting dark and the moon was out, she walked over to the window and pulled back the curtains, so that the room caught the moonlight. As she looked towards the hill, something caught her eye.
In the moonlight, she saw a man and a unicorn walking up the hill, she smiled and didn't worry at all it. She turned and looked at the picture on the wall, bathed in rays of the moon, a picture of Michael Jackson, his hair flowing, a picture of the man who had spent the last few days with her.
Why had he chosen her? Why had he come at all? These questions she could not and would never be able to answer. But she knew she had been privileged to be part of whatever it was. Turning back to the window, she watched as the man turned and waved as the two of them, Michael and Antaris walked over the hill.
Tears filled her eyes as she went to bed that night and for the first time in many years, thanked God for Michael and Antaris, a beautiful angel and his steed, united for ever, safe from the world of man.