Day 3

The breakfast next day was a buffet style and the bus departed 10.00am sharpish as they took the road up to Dunvegan Castle as Hamish began to tell tales of fairies and the little people.

As they made their way along the winding roads admiring the scenery, they rounded a corner to see the Castle.

"And there you are," as Hamish stopped the bus alongside the other tourist buses. "Now we have tickets for the 11 o'clock tour so the rest rooms are that way," pointing to the left, "And Dunvegan Castle and Gardens, has three gift shops. The Castle Shop inside the castle itself, the Gift Shop in the car park and St Kilda Shop & Gallery by the Dunvegan Pier. All three shops offer an excellent range of high quality Scottish gifts and souvenirs to suit every taste from clothing, artworks, jewellery, books to their very own MacLeod of MacLeod Single Malt Scotch Whisky," Hamish continued which made Ellie wonder if he was on commission for sales.

"After the castle tour there is an opportunity to take a ferry trip to see the seals or if you wish, to walk the estate. Whatever you do decide to do, we will be leaving here at two sharpish to go to the distillery…and I do suggest you get something to eat as well."

They joined the group tour and were told that all mobile phones must be switched off inside the castle in consideration of other visitors. It was the drawing room that housed the Castle's most precious treasure the Fairy Flag. To most people it just looked like a rather tattered piece of cloth carefully darned in places but to the MacLeods' it was their Fairy Flag. The guide proceeded to tell the tale of how the fourth chief fell in love with a Fairy Princess. She asked her father if she could marry the Chief but was refused, "Mortal men grow old and die," but he did eventually relented allowing her a year and a day, before returning to her own. During this time the princess gave birth to a child but as time approached for her to leave she made her husband promise that he never leave their child alone or allow him to cry, as that would break her heart.

In the weeks after his wife's departure, the chief did keep his promise although he was sad, but his friends decided to throw him a party in an attempt to cheer him up. As the celebrations were going on, the chief's spirits began to revive. The merry music and noise from the banquet hall were so loud, that the baby's nurse decided to leave the nursery to have a peek at the revelry. The baby woke up, and began to cry, though the nurse did not hear him.

The fairy princess heard her child's cries, and appeared beside him. She took him up, wrapped him in a fairy shawl, and sang to him, thus putting him back to sleep. It was at this point that the nurse entered the nursery; she heard the lullaby but saw no-one. Years later, the child told his father what had happened. The shawl became the Fairy Flag, and is believed to be a talisman that protected the clan.

But as always all good things have a price; and tradition says that should the MacLeods be in peril in battle they can unfurl the Fairy Flag and they will then be invincible. But the magic will only work three times, and it has been used twice in the past.

The children were amazed.

After the tour and the group had gone their separate ways, some for lunch others for the boat trip, Ellie and Clayton decided that a walk round the gardens would be better.

"See you got your boots then," Clayton said and they reached the pier, "Breaking them in."

"I wore then after I got them and yep they are fine."

"You followed me last night," he said to her, looking out over the water.

"How did you know?" she questioned, frowning slightly.

"I'm MI6 remember…but now you know."

"Why?"

"Why? Why did I drink? Why do I go?" as he turned to face her, "Abusive family, foster homes…I still have the scars where cigarettes where stubbed out on my body. Do you think that was why?" he saw the surprise in her eyes, "Oh yeah, the night beatings when he came home drunk. Maybe, just maybe, I drank to stand up to him."

"Then what?"

"Well let's just say MI6 isn't all like James Bond, I ended up drinking to ease what I saw…did," turning back to look out over the sea, before walking away.

"Clayton, I'm sorry."

"So, you still want me as a friend? You still goin' to come walking with me?"

She caught up with him and slipped her arm through his, "Of course we have to meet the Fairies."

"And the midges…they haven't bitten yet," Clayton laughed.

As Hamish had promised he dropped Clayton and Ellie at the road end, "Tell you what I'll pick you up in three hours but if you finish first you could start walking back to Portree, I'll pick you up en-route. If we do miss each other I'm sure if you thumb it you'll get a lift," as the pair thanked him and made their way to the start of their walk.

The walk was just as Clayton had predicted, the Skye weather was kind and they got a hot day, Ellie began to wish she hadn't put on that extra sweater but when they stopped for a breather she decided to take it off and stuff in the rucksack that she had borrowed from the hostel, she now had bare arms.

The view of the Cullin Mountains was incredible, as Clayton joked, "They say if you can see the mountains it's going to rain and if you don't…"

"It is raining", she had interrupted laughing.

The Fairy pools in the late summer sun, were dramatic, the colours. The rock crystal in the clear clean spring water made the pools turquoise or green or blue it was magical.

"I am so glad I came," she had said to Clayton and they continued their walk over the terrain, "And I will sleep well tonight, but what are we eating tonight?"

"I could do with some good British stodge so it's the local café…and no booze," as he saw Ellie begin to scratch her arms.