Chapter 26

Daniel moaned as he slowly opened his eyes. Bright sunlight caught him unprepared and he quickly closed his eyes again. Trying to raise his right arm to cover his face, he found he couldn't move it. Slowly once again he opened his eyes to see why he couldn't move his right arm and then regretted doing so.

"Shit!" he said as he carefully, quickly removed his arm and stumbled backwards out of the bed that he was in.

Bolting for the plush yellow colored lounge chair in the corner of the room, Daniel sat on the back of it with his feet on the cushion, shaking before he realized that he had no clothes on. Reaching over he grabbed the bed cover and ripped it off of the bed, but that didn't help matters any.

As Daniel wrapped the bed cover around himself he saw that it left the girl in the bed uncovered now. Closing his eyes to get the room to stop spinning he hoped that he was dreaming and wished the girl away in his mind.

A low moaning sound coming from the direction of the bed told him that he wasn't dreaming. Daniel slowly opened his eyes and looked closer at his bed partner. He knew that he had been drinking last night, but he didn't think that he had gotten drunk. The naked girl looked familiar lying on her right side with her hair covering her face and breasts, but Daniel's cloudy mind couldn't place her.

Daniel slowly got up and reached down to pick up the bed sheet that had been tossed to the floor. Hanging onto his own bed cover he gently and carefully covered the girl up with the bed sheet. As he did so he noticed a green tattoo on her left breast. He had seen this before, but where? Daniel shook his head to clear it. His mind wasn't thinking straight and he wanted to know why. Letting go of the bed sheet he reached out and gently lifted the girl's hair away from her breast. Letting go of her hair he quickly backed away from her, tripping over the chair as he did so.

The sound of the chair crashing to the floor woke the girl up and she moaned before she turned to her other side. Now Daniel was staring at her bare back, but he had realized who she was when he had seen the tattoo. A tattoo that he would never forget. The green bird tattoo with the long tail belonged to only one girl that he knew. He didn't know the name of the bird, but he knew the design by heart. He had seen it when she had nearly drown. The bird sat on the left side of the girl's breast with the birds head looking slightly behind it. The tail curled up and under the bottom of the girl's left breast before ending sprayed out in the center of her chest.

"Oh Echo," Daniel cried out loud, "what have I done to you?"

Once again Echo moaned in the bed and curled up into a ball. Daniel tried to remember what had happened between them last night but he couldn't.

"Too much brandy," Daniel moaned as he slowly got to his feet and looked around the hotel room.

Clothes were scattered all over the floor with Echo's pink lace bra hanging from the lamp on the end table next to the bed. Daniel's head was throbbing and he couldn't remember getting from the bar to the hotel room at all. Picking up his underwear he carefully put them on before he dropped his bed cover to the floor. Suddenly a loud ringing blared through his mind and it took him a minute to realize it was Echo's cell phone. Slowly moving into action he started looking under the mess of clothes, but found her phone too late as he saw the screen read "voice message from Dad". Egon had tried to call Echo and Daniel turned his attention back to where she lie.

Echo was not looking well as she moaned in her sleep. Daniel vaguely remembered that she had been drinking too but Echo never drank. Somehow though she had gotten an alcoholic beverage at the bar. He just couldn't remember how. Daniel was pulled out of his thoughts as another loud ringing was heard. Turning to his right he looked under Echo's dress on the floor and found his cell phone.

"Awrite," Daniel said into the receiver.

"Daniel?" a man's voice questioned back, "ciamar a tha sibh?"

Daniel recognized his father, Allen's, voice speaking Gaelic to him and he answered him back in kind.

"Tha gu math, tapadh leibh."

Daniel listened as Allen asked about how the proposal to Echo went last night. Daniel wanted to tell his father how he had held Echo gently and had silently slipped the ring on her finger, but all he saw was Echo in front of him with a thin bed sheet over her naked body. Backing up into the wall to get away from what he had done Daniel slowly slid down. He broke down crying when he hit the floor.

Allen could hear that something was wrong with his youngest son and switched to Scottish.

"Noo jist haud on!" he said to Daniel as he heard his son slowly gather his composure.

"Ah dinnae ken," Daniel said back.

"What don't you know Daniel?"

Allen listened as his son started saying something about drinking at a bar last night with Echo and not remembering what happened from there.

"Daniel," he interrupted, "yer bum's oot the windae."

"Ah umnae," Daniel answered back.

"Daniel," Allen said softly, "please tell me what happened."

Allen waited while his son broke down into tears again before he choked out a reply.

"Ah sleept wi' a lassie."

Allen sucked in a breath, but held his tongue. He thought he had taught his children the responsibility that came with the proper use of procreative powers. He had taught Daniel that intimacy between a husband and wife was to be shared in a relationship characterized by genuine love.

Allen knew that Echo was not a religious person, but he also knew his son. Daniel would never lust after a woman, but as an individual living in the fallen nature of mortality mistakes could happen. He knew that Daniel, just like himself, was subject to the temptations of evil.

As a father he was always teaching. His family learned his ways, his beliefs, his heart, his ideas, and his concerns. Allen knew that his children may or may not follow him when they grew up, but his example was the greatest light that he could hold before them, and that he alone was accountable for that light.

Somehow though Daniel, his youngest, had fallen and he was trying to get back onto the road that would bring him true joy. Allen thought carefully about what to say to his son before he finally spoke.

"Whit's fur ye'll no go by ye," he finally said.

Daniel nodded his head in agreement. His father had told him "What's meant to happen will happen." Daniel wiped his eyes with his arm and spoke to his father again.

"Whit dae Ah dae noo?"

"First thing that you are going to do is get dressed," Allen told his son, "second is to find a 'goonie' for Echo."

"Aye," Daniel replied as he got to his feet and searched the floor for Echo's suitcase to find a nightgown for her.

"Third when you are both sober you are going to apologize and beg her forgiveness."

"Aye," Daniel replied as he opened Echo's suitcase up, "Ma heid's mince."

Allen smiled on the other end of the cell phone.

"Your head may be a bit mixed up, but your heart isn't," Allen told his son. "How is Echo?"

Daniel retrieved the nightgown and turned towards the bed. Echo was pale and sweating in her sleep.

"Death can a pun stick," Daniel replied back.

"Not too good then?" Allen asked.

"Aye," Daniel said as the room started to spin, "me neither."

Allen laughed at his son. He had gotten drunk once and knew how Daniel felt right now.

"Pop?" Daniel asked holding onto the work desk for support, "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?"

"For disobeying you."

"Daniel…," Allen started to say before he heard an awful noise in the background.

"Daniel what's happening?" Allen asked concern in his voice for what he couldn't see.

"Oh shit!" Daniel's scared voice came back into his ear, "Echo's boaking!"

Allen knew that if Echo was still passed out she could very well vomit and then put her face back into it because she didn't know where she was. Allen also knew that Daniel didn't know what to do in an emergency. As a child he would freeze or run away. Daniel needed him in more ways than one today.

"Daniel," Allen calmly said to keep his son from panicking, "you are going to have to make sure she doesn't lie back down in it."

"She's already done so!" Daniel yelled back in fear.

"Daniel it's okay. Gently lift her head up and move it," Allen said to his son.

Daniel did as he was told. Dropping the nightgown back into the suitcase he came away from the work desk and crossed to the bed. As he gently moved Echo's head out of the mess that she had made he noticed it was all down her front.

"Pop?"

"Ah am reit haur," Allen replied gently.

"Echo has boak aw doon 'er front," Daniel replied.

Allen closed his eyes and sighed. He wished that he could be there with his son right now. He wished that he could take him into his arms and tell him that everything would be fine. He wanted to be there to help his son with his future wife. To be the one to clean her up so that Daniel didn't have too. But he could not. Allen slowly opened his eyes when he heard Daniel moving again.

"Ah hae tae gie it ay haur!" Daniel shouted at his father as he looked around on the floor for his clothes.

"Gonnae-no!" Allen shouted at his son for the first time in their conversation, "You are not to leave! You are going to say there with Echo!"

Daniel had backed himself away from the bed and into the hallway so that he couldn't see Echo. He was ashamed of what he had done. His father had taught him that the more intimate you are with someone out of marriage, the more clearly you will see their flaws. That was just the way it was. That was one of the reasons that marriages fell apart, children are abandoned, and friendships don't last.

Allen could hear that Daniel had stopped moving. He knew that his son was scared and that he didn't know what to do.

"Pop?"

"Daniel?"

"Oh Pop," Daniel said as he fell to the floor again, "Ah hae gart a mess ay things."

Allen listened as his son broke down into tears again. Daniel told him that he had make a mess of things. Allen knew what he meant. Daniel had slept with Echo which he knew was wrong, but Daniel had been drinking at the time. Allen didn't know if the brandy that Daniel loved had played a role or if Echo had instigated the whole thing. Allen wasn't going to point fingers and blame something or someone when he didn't even know himself. Allen thought back to what he had taught his sons.

"You might think you love someone until you see the way they act when they're out of money, under pressure, or hungry. Anything like that. That's why you 'court' a girl that you want to marry. By doing so their flaws will emerge and you will see the real person."

Even though Daniel knew this and believed in it he still needed to hear something more from his father.

"Daniel," Allen said, "Do you remember what I taught you about love?"

"Aye," Daniel replied, "You taught me that love is pure."

"That I did son," Allen said, "I also taught you that love was something different."

"Something different?"

"Aye," Allen replied, "Love is choosing to serve someone and be with someone in spite of their bad habits. Love is also patient, kind, and deliberate. Love is hard. Love is pain and sacrifice, it's seeing the darkness in another person and defying the impulse to jump ship."

"But Pop I'm not perfect anymore," Daniel sobbed into his cell phone, "no one will want me now. Not even Echo."

"Daniel it was never about being perfect for your future wife. It was about finding that person who completes you."

"But…," Daniel started to say before his father cut him off.

"Daniel, Echo completes you and you don't even see it. I do because I'm on the outside looking in. You have changed for the better. You are a true gentleman."

"Gentleman?"

"Aye Daniel," Allen said, "A gentleman. Being a male is a matter of birth. Being a man is a matter of age, but, being a gentleman is a matter of choice. Echo has done that for you."

"Look, Daniel, the bottom line here is that even if you were to see this coming you would not have been ready for it. No one asks for their lives to change, not really. But they do. So what then? Are we helpless? Puppets? No!"

"Big moments are going to come. Tragedies are going to happen. You can't help that. Daniel it's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are as a person."

"Pop," Daniel said as he finally stopped crying, "you know I don't like change. It's scary to me."

"Aye it can be scary Daniel, but you know what's scarier?"

"No."

"Allowing 'Fear' to stop you," Allen said softly, "so what are you going to do about Echo?"

Daniel leaned forward to look at Echo in the bed. She looked worse and his heart went out to her. He knew that he needed to make things right with her and that the first step was to get her cleaned up. Daniel was going to have to touch her naked body and he shivered at the thought.

"Pop?"

"Ah am reit haur," Allen said quietly.

"I'm going to stay with Echo if she will have me," Daniel replied, "but I don't want to touch her again."

Allen nodded his head in understanding.

"Daniel you have already been intimate with her. The deed is done," Allen said gently. "Washing Echo's body is in no way a sexual act. Keep your underwear on and help her take a shower. The hot water will wake her up soon enough. If you have to help wash her then you must do so. Leaving her lying in a pile of boak isn't healthy. Do you understand?"

"Aye."

"Alright my son then see that it's done," Allen replied, "and remember this one thing."

"What's that?" Daniel asked as he slowly got to his feet.

"Don't ever think that you are nothing Daniel Hector McQuarrie! Echo thinks that you are everything to her so don't disappoint her. Cheerio th' noo."

"Goodbye Pop," Daniel replied.

Daniel walked around the corner and over to the bed. Sitting his cell phone down on the end table he carefully sat down by Echo's side.

He knew that he needed to make things right with her, but he was deeply ashamed of what he had just done. Hell he couldn't even remember what he had done. Would Echo? Daniel thought back through his relationship with her. There had been times that he had hurt her feelings and had sincerely apologized to her. Each time had been sincere and heartfelt. Now he had to do it all again.

Looking at Echo's beautiful body he knew that he would have enjoyed his time with her and silently blamed Echo for allowing him. Just as soon as the thought had entered his mind he pushed it away. It wasn't her fault that he had fallen. Yet he felt like David from the Bible when he had spied Bathsheba bathing.

Daniel closed his eyes as the room started to spin again and remembered his father relating the story from the Bible when he was small.

"Now remember my children," Allen said standing before the fireplace with his children gathered in front of him, "David didn't set out to commit sin. People seldom do."

"When David inquired who Bathsheba was in verse three of 2 Samuel Chapter 11 he didn't know her marital status. By the time David learned she was married lust had gotten its nasty little hooks into his heart. That lustful desire out weighed his good sense and integrity. And as it usually does, sin has consequences that follow."

"David tried to hide his sin up by ordering the killing of Bathsheba's husband and then taking her as a widow to be his wife. Only he forgot one small detail. You can't hide your heart from God."

"Nathan, a servant of God, set David up in Chapter 12 by relating a story of a crime that had not happened. David took the bait, not realizing that he was pronouncing his own judgment. Now it's important to understand my children that Nathan literally risked his life by bringing this accusation before King David. David could have easily told one of his guards to kill Nathan where he stood. The choice was David's to make."

"David could have denied his sin and argued with Nathan yet the element that made him David rose up within and he came face-to-face with himself."

"There was no blame-shifting, no excuses, no double-talk; nothing. David saw his situation clearly and dealt with it boldly by saying, "I have sinned against the Lord."."

"Now that David had confessed his sin he was prepared to accept his punishment of death. But children, this is the best part, God showed David his mercy and grace by forgiving him. This turning point changed David's life and he illustrated it in Psalm 51. This was not just an "I'm sorry, I'll try to do better" sort of thing, but a deep, heartfelt plea."

"David didn't shift the blame for his sin. He didn't try to blame Bathsheba for his downfall. He faced it head-on even when the child that Bathsheba had born to him died. This was David's consequence like it or not."

"Pop?" young Daniel had asked, "Why did the baby have to die? That seems like an unfair punishment to me."

"Aye Daniel it does," Allen answered. "Frankly, I don't have an answer."

"Maybe it was to save the child from living a painful and disgraceful life as an illegitimate son or keeping his mother Bathsheba from living a life of humiliation and disgrace."

"The child's death does, however, underscore an important truth Daniel. Our sins affect not only ourselves, but those around us as well."

"The best news of all is that the story of David and Bathsheba doesn't end with the sin. Where there is sin, there are consequences yes. But where there is grace, there is restoration and healing for both parties. Remember that this was a union that would bring forth Solomon, a child regarded as one of the wisest men ever born."

"A marriage built on the healing grace of God always produces very special, intimate, bonded relationships."

"We all stand on level ground at the foot of the cross. It doesn't matter what you've done. The healing, restoring power is available for you, just like it was for David. All you have to do is be willing to face yourself with the same painful honesty that was David's first step towards rebuilding his life. It will not be an easy journey, but it will be the most worthwhile venture of your entire lifetime."

"Daniel?"

Daniel opened his eyes to see Echo looking over her right shoulder at him.

"Echo?"

"What happened?" she questioned as she put her head back down and pulled her legs up closer to her chest.

"You don't remember?" Daniel asked as he reached out to pull her hair away from her face.

"Only small bits and pieces," Echo replied weakly. "I don't feel well…," Echo broke off as she tried not to vomit.

Echo slowly raised herself up onto her hands but not before she lost what little was left of the contents of her stomach onto the bed.

"Sorry," Echo said as she tried to wipe her mouth with the back of her right hand.

Daniel caught her just as her left hand was about to give out.

"Come on lassie," he said as he carefully picked Echo up out of bed, "time for a shower."

Carrying her the few feet to the bathroom Daniel placed Echo on her feet and held her against him as he pulled the shower curtain shut and turned on the water. When the water was warm he placed her inside but found that she couldn't stand on her own very well.

Heading his father's advice he stepped into the shower with his underwear still on and let Echo lean against his chest while he washed her body off.

"Daniel," Echo said as he was finishing shampooing her hair, "I want to thank you."

"Thank me?" he asked as he rinsed her hair out.

"Yes," she replied, "I remember you being gentle with me until the end."

Echo reached a hand up and touched Daniel's face turning it towards her. Closing her eyes Echo passionately kissed him as he returned the kiss, holding her tightly against him. Finally releasing him Echo stood up tall as the water sprayed across Daniel's back and onto the floor of the shower.

"I love you," Echo said smiling.

"You love me?"

"Of course," Echo said as she watched Daniel reach back and turn off the water, drawing the curtain aside, "why wouldn't I?"

"Because of what I did to you?"

"What you did to me?" Echo questioned as Daniel helped her out of the shower.

"Aye lassie," Daniel replied as he handed her a towel, "I took from you something precious."

"Daniel," Echo questioned as she took the towel he offered her, "are you talking about my virginity?"

"Aye," Daniel said as he dropped his head to the floor, "this was supposed to be a special time in your life. It wasn't supposed to be a drunken free for all."

"I don't remember it being a free for all," Echo replied as she hung onto Daniel's arm for support drying herself off.

"You don't?" Daniel questioned her back, "then you better not look outside the bathroom door."

Echo released Daniel's arm, dropped the towel on the floor, and slowly walked towards the bathroom door. Turning the corner she stopped. She could sense Daniel coming up behind her.

"So," she said as she raised her shoulders up before letting them drop down again, "I guess we got a little crazy, but I don't remember that. All I remember is you loving me, gently, carefully, until the end. That's when you became a bit rough."

Daniel placed a hand on Echo's shoulder before he spoke, "I'm sorry I did this to you Echo and I will understand if you never want to see me again."

"What!?" Echo cried out turning around to see Daniel standing there dripping wet with a towel wrapped around his waist.

Looking at Daniel's down trodden face told Echo everything that she needed to know. He felt responsible for what had happened. This was Daniel's first time sleeping with a girl and Echo knew that he had wanted to wait until he was married before he did so. That was his choice and Echo had respected that choice until now. Even though he wasn't saying it outright Echo wondered if she had caused this and her heart went out to the young man that she loved.

"Daniel we loved," Echo said placing her right hand onto his left arm, "that's all. I have no regrets and I want you by my side."

Daniel nodded his head as Echo took his hands into hers.

"Look Daniel," she said lovingly, "I know the difference between a man who flatters me and a man who complements me. A man who spends money on me and a man who invests in me. A man who views me as property and a man who views me properly. A man who lusts after me and a man who loves me. A man who believes he's a gift to women and a man who believes that I'm a gift to him."

"And," Echo continued as she squeezed Daniel's hands tighter, "a father who raised his son the proper way. To be that kind of man."

Watching Echo standing before him Daniel knew that she held no ill feelings for what he had done to her. He knew that he couldn't go back and fix what had happened between them, he could only move forward. Daniel had figured that his life with Echo was over when she came to the realization of what they had done. Echo was telling him to look forward with hope not backwards with regret and he loved her even more for that.

Suddenly Echo started to shake and she closed her eyes.

"Cold," she said as Daniel gathered her into his chest.

Helping her across the room he leaned her up against the wall and bent down to pick up the overturned chair. When he was done he carefully placed her into it and picked up the bed cover from where he had dropped it earlier. Carefully Daniel tucked it around her before he turned back to where her suitcase lie.

"Echo," Daniel asked, "do you want your 'goonie' or clothes?"

"The blue nightgown with the peacock feathers is fine Daniel," she replied as she pulled the bed cover closer around her shivering body.

Echo wasn't feeling well but at least her stomach had stopped acting up. She was tired and her head hurt her. She tried to help dress herself when Daniel came back with her nightgown, but was only able to get her underwear on before she collapsed into the chair. She remembered Daniel helping her get her arms through the spaghetti straps of her nightgown before sleep over took her.

When Echo awoke a few hours later she realized she was back in the bed, but this time it wasn't pulled apart. The bed was new and the room looked cleaned. Maybe she had been dreaming, but when Echo went to move she realized that she was sore and felt that something was inside her. Seeing Daniel in the chair with a blanket around him made her realize that it wasn't a dream. She didn't blame him for what he had done, but she wished that she could have remembered more.

"Daniel," she called out hoping that he wasn't sleeping.

Opening his eyes he tossed the blanket aside to cross the room to sit on the side of the bed.

"You okay lassie?" he asked, "You've been asleep for hours."

"My head still hurts," Echo confessed as she placed an arm across her forehead.

"Aye," Daniel replied agreeing with her, "mine does too."

"Is there anything I can get for you?" he asked.

"Aspirin?"

"Aye," Daniel said reaching for the hotel phone, "maybe a strong pot of coffee for me as well."

Ten minutes later room service had delivered a pot of coffee and an evening meal for the two. Echo found that she could only eat the rice and bread as she started feeling sick to her stomach again. Excusing herself she went to lie back down as Daniel finished his meal.

Echo's head was reeling as she tried to find comfort in sleep. In her mind she kept revisiting the bar that she and Daniel had gone too. She remembered dancing with Daniel until late into the night and then she had gotten sick to her stomach. Must have been the fish that had been undercooked, her mind told her as she drew her legs up to her chest for comfort. Echo heard music being played as Daniel helped her to lie down on a bench while they waited for a taxi.

Her head tried to recognize the tune that the band was playing, but then she realized it wasn't a band. It was a single instrument being plucked. Guitar? Echo looked around for her father. When she couldn't find him she got up off the bench and started walking down the street. She felt scared. She felt something watching her, following her. Closing her eyes she listened to the music, trying to follow it. She found it soothing, calming her troubled mind. The music started to fade away and she found that she couldn't move. Fear gripped her as a hand came down on her shoulder.

Daniel sat in the chair watching as Echo moaned in the bed next to him. She was restless and when she pulled herself up into a fetal position he got his violin out. Music always helped him to sleep and he placed the violin up against his chest and started plucking the strings. It was late on Sunday night past nine o' clock and he didn't want to wake anyone who was in the next room.

After two hours of tossing and turning Echo sat straight up in bed fully awake now. She was scared and looked around the room expecting to see whoever it was that had placed their cold hand on her shoulder.

Daniel had his violin out and was holding it like a guitar as he plucked the strings. Echo listened but she didn't recognize the tune.

"What are you trying to play?" she asked him tossing the covers aside relieved it was only him in the room.

"Ar Hyd y Nos," Daniel replied taking the violin down.

"That's not Gaelic," Echo stated.

"No it's Welsh," Daniel replied.

"I didn't know you spoke Welsh," Echo said getting up out of the bed and walking over to him.

"I don't. My stoatin grandmother did. That's your Great-Grandmum. She use to sing this song when she would visit us on holidays."

"Do you know the words in English?" Echo asked as she sat down on the edge of the dresser facing him.

"No lassie," Daniel said as he went to put the violin away, "I was four when stoatin grandmother died. I only remember the tune."

"Please Daniel," Echo cried, "don't put your violin away. Play for me?"

"It's late."

"Put your orchestra mute on," she said reaching down and retrieving his bow.

Handing Daniel the bow Echo kneeled down at his feet, placing her head into his lap.

"Please?" Echo softly asked.

She was sure that it had been Daniel playing in her dream. She wanted to be sure that's why she asked him to play for her.

"Lassie I can't," Daniel said.

Daniel knew that Echo didn't understand. He had never told her that "Ar Hyd y Nos" was special to him like "Danny Boy" was to her.

"Please Daniel," Echo pleaded raising her head up to look into his face.

Daniel looked down into his fiancée's face. She looked so beautiful right now. Her long, dark blue brocaded nightgown with peacock feathers hung on her nicely, showing her beautiful back. The spaghetti straps came up off of her shoulders, crossed in the middle of her back, and ended below her waist.

Echo's long, light brown hair was pulled over her left shoulder sitting in a pile on his lap. Her green eyes bore into his soul.

Daniel knew that Echo loved him. She loved him even after all that he had done to her. He had taken her virginity from her and had hurt her in the process. Daniel had been sure that the consequences of his actions would be her not wanting to see him ever again in her life. But that had not been the case. In fact she wanted him more and somehow he knew that she would never leave his side. How could he disregard a simple request from her?

Tightening up his bow and placing the violin under his chin, Daniel played. As he played he closed his eyes thinking back to when his great-grandmother had come to visit him and had sung the song one last time to him.

It had been a clear day as he ran through the heather chasing after his older brother Angus. Finally catching him Daniel tackled Angus to the ground.

"Oy Daniel," Angus said, "Watch it!"

"Sorry Angus," Daniel replied getting up off the top of his brother.

Angus laughed and rolled away from Daniel. Getting to his feet Angus ran away from his younger brother. Daniel followed him down the road, past Glengorm Castle, before the road tuned to their left. Angus stopped, hands on his knees, bent over and out of breath.

"Brither," Angus said as Daniel finally caught up to him, "Ye need tae rin faster."

"Ah cannae," Daniel replied as he threw himself down into the tall grass on the side of the road, "Mah legs ur tay cuttie."

"Your legs aren't too short," Angus pointed out, "I've seen you riding Pop's horses."

"I didn't mean that!" Daniel huffed out, "I meant they are too short for running."

Closing his eyes Daniel tried to catch his breath before he spoke to his brother again.

"I'm never going to make it on a football team am I?" he asked Angus opening his eyes back up.

"Not if you keep haverin' around like that," Angus replied as he straightened up.

Walking over to where Daniel lie Angus extended his hand to his brother. Daniel grasped it and let Angus help him up from the ground.

"We should go back," Daniel said pointing to the sky behind Angus, "rain is coming."

Angus turned to survey the gathering clouds in the sky.

"Aye," Angus replied, "but it's a ways off. We still have time to explore Dun Ara."

Following his brother, as Angus led the way, Daniel walked down the road until they reached a gate. Turning right into the grassy pasture they soon past a group of three standing stones. Turning right again and crossing a stile the boys headed down the grassy field where sheep grazed. As soon as the slope leveled off they crossed another stile.

Here the trail became wet and Daniel held onto Angus' arm to keep from falling. He had never been this far before and saw cows grazing in this pasture. After three more stiles Daniel was completely lost in which direction they were at.

"Look yonder Daniel," Angus said pointing ahead of him.

Daniel looked up to see the remains of a Iron Age fort at the summit of a prominent rock outcrop. As the boys walked around it Daniel could see the foundations of the castle along with a number of ruined buildings below.

Angus ran ahead of Daniel, back the way they had come, and up to the base of the rocks of the ancient castle. Looking for a crevice Angus placed one foot into the rock and started climbing up. Daniel held back as he watched his brother climb higher.

"Come on Daniel," Angus shouted down to him, "you are going to be the last one again."

Daniel walked over to where Angus had started climbing up, but held back as he felt water start to drop on his head. Looking up he saw Angus about halfway up the side of the rock. Looking beyond his brother Daniel saw black clouds overhead and knew that they had run out of time.

"Angus!" Daniel shouted up at him stepping back from the rock face, "Come down!"

What happened next Daniel had blocked from his mind until today. Trying not to let the tears fall Daniel wished that he could have forgotten about his brother and that day forever.

What Daniel had seen was Angus losing his grip and falling. Daniel watched as the body of his brother fell to land in a heap at his small feet. He saw the blood start to pour from Angus' head as the clouds opened up overhead. Paralyzed with fear, young four year old Daniel hid in the crevice of the rock wall crying.

An hour later, unable to cry anymore, Daniel had heard someone calling his name. He looked up to see his great-grandmother walking towards him with a black wool cape on. Fear gripped him when he saw her. It was his fault that Angus had fallen and now was lying still before him. If he hadn't shouted up at his brother, Angus would be safe at the top. Now he was going to be punished for what he had done.

Daniel vaguely remembered his great-grandmother coming over to Angus' body. She bent down and touched him before she straightened up again and shouted for his father. Daniel remembered her seeing him and coming over to him just as the rain started to let up.

Daniel tried to back away from her but was stopped by the rock. She sat down on the wet ground and reached out for him. Gathering him into her arms she kissed the top of his head before pulling the black cape around his wet, cold, trembling body. She tired to tell him that everything would be okay, but Daniel didn't believe her.

"It's my fault," Daniel cried to her.

His great-grandmother nodded her head in understanding, pulling him closer, and started to rock him gently. When she saw that the rocking wasn't helping to calm Daniel down she started to sing to him in her alto voice.

Holl amrantau'r ser ddywedant

Ar hyd y nos

Daniel tucked his head into her bosom as he listened.

"Dyma'r ffordd I fro gogoniant,"

Ar hyd y nos

Daniel heard his father weeping close by and felt his great-grandmother place the cape tighter around him.

Golau arall yw tywyllwch

I arddangos gwir brydferthwch

Teulu'r nefoedd mewn tawelwch

Daniel's eyes closed as sleep enveloped him as his great-grandmother sang the last line of the song.

Ar hyd y nos

Daniel stopped playing the violin, but he couldn't stop his tears. Opening his eyes he saw Echo asleep in his lap. Putting his violin and bow down on the floor to his right he gently lifted Echo's head up and slid out of the chair and onto the floor. Pulling Echo's body into his lap and placing her head onto his shoulder he wrapped his arms around her.

Daniel's great-grandmother had died a week after Angus did and he gripped Echo tighter. He knew how it felt to lose someone you loved and to be responsible for that loss too. Eventually his tears subsided and he feel asleep with his arms wrapped around the only person who had made him feel whole again after the incident. And Echo would never know.