Anise

Three days later, and with a lot of begging on her part to Diana, she arrived in Scotland with her best friend at her side. Having lost her job, she hadn't had the money to pay for a plane ticket so she had convinced Diana to drain her savings – with the promise of repayment with interest – and take the two of them across the world to find answers.

The trip had been long, with two layovers and a delay so they had arrived at nine at night instead of the intended noon. "Stop complaining," Diana told her. "Its not like you can't take the next tour."

"Its in a week!" Cameron snapped at her.

"And I was smart enough to open end our tickets," her best friend beamed. "Come on, Cam. Lets just enjoy it while we're here. We can go shopping, and hike, maybe attend festivals or something if they're going on. We didn't come for you to mope around, we came so you'd STOP moping around."

Sighing Cameron nodded, "You're right. But do you think instead of taking the tour we'd just rent a car? I just don't want to have all this fun and go and get depressed when I see the keep is uninhabited and ruined and no ones around."

Diana thought for a second, "That sounds good, but we're spending two days enjoying everything first though. To kinda buffer any bitchiness that I've dealt with for the last day and a half."

She laughed, "Fine, lets go find our hotel then. We'll shower, get some sleep and tomorrow I'll let you drag me around and explore the city."

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Three Days Later

Cameron sat looking out the window of the hotel room she and Diana had been sharing, overlooking the large city below her third story window. For being only nine in the morning the city was busy with people trying to get where they were going.

She sighed, it hadn't taken Cameron long to fall back into the depression again, and being in Scotland almost seemed to make it worse. The first full day had been thrilling, Diana and her had shopped until they wanted to drop. Browsed little stores and took a tour around the city with a small group of people that had explained the history of every building. The second day they had used the rented car to drive out to a scenic overlook and hike a few miles down a trail and then back to their car.

Though, today it seemed the Diana had run out of things to distract her with. "Stop moping around," Diana called from the bathroom as she applied her make-up. "We'll go see the keep today, get it over with, and then we'll do more shopping to cheer you up."

When her friend came out of the bathroom Cameron looked to her, seeing she was still applying mascara, "You never know, maybe we'll find you another sexy Scottish man to bring home to your mom and dad."

Cameron scoffed and looked back out the window, "Yeah, like I'd let that happen again."

"Hey, you never know. Kindred spirits remember?" Diana told her, securing the lid on her mascara. "Hurry and get ready so we can actually be there before noon."

"You'll want to see the sunset from the keep. Its beautiful." Cameron told her, standing from the chair. "I only need to change, I showered before you woke up."

It took Cameron less than a minute to change into shorts and a tank top, and pull her hair into a messy bun. She slipped into sneakers since she wasn't sure if she was going to wander around the keep, and figured sandals would be harder to walk in.

"Put some make-up on," Diana suggested, peaking her head into the bathroom.

"No point. It'll all smear and sweat off by the time we get there."

Diana frowned, "Come on, Cam. I know you're sad but you've got to try. If you don't try you won't make any progress. I'm not gonna let you curl into a ball in a dark room somewhere and grieve for the rest of your life." Diana handed her the mascara that was still in her hand and the make-up bag that had been lying on the counter. "The old you wouldn't have been seen dead outside without at least some foundation on."

Cameron sighed, taking the make-up from her friends hands. She was right, she had to at least try. "Fine, give me a few minutes." She spent awhile on her face, mostly reminiscing on how many times she had looked at herself in the mirror without make these last few months. When she finished she almost didn't recognized herself, but it felt familiar and comforting in a way to do something she'd done thousands of times before she'd met Drustan.

"You ready?" Diana asked.

"Yeah, I am."

-x-x-x-x-x-

The ferry ride was pleasant, Cameron and Diana stood at the railing and watched the waves but didn't speak. Even the whole ride to the ferry port had been quiet and when they docked the didn't speak as they got into the car and drove off carefully and onto the road towards Duart.

It only took a few minutes before Diana spoke, "I'm sorry I forced you to wear make-up. I'm just tired of watching you give up on everything, even yourself sometimes."

Cameron quietly nodded her agreement, "I'm trying, Dee. I really am. Its just hard, ya know. I had reserved myself to thinking that I would live the rest of my life there, with Drustan and I was happy about it. I... I was already thinking we'd get married and have kids, and I'd live forever without indoor plumbing or electricity and I was fine. I loved being there."

Diana stopped the car and pulled off to the side of the road, just in case someone drove up behind them. She put the car into park and turned to her, "Cam, I know you're trying and I know its hard. But if hard things were easy we'd have a lot of shit going on in the world. You just have to keep your chin up, and keep looking forward and not back on what you and Drustan could have had together. I know you'll get over this."

Cameron nodded, "I know I will. I just... I needed to come here one more time. Ya know? With Drustan's history missing I just wanted to see if anyone at the castle would know where he was buried, or if he died in war with the MacDonalds." She took a deep breath when Diana pulled the car back onto the small, two-laned road. "I just want to see the ocean from the cliffs again, and walk along the beach and just lay in the grass. If he's buried on the MacLean land somewhere and say goodbye to him."

"We'll do that, bring him some flowers and you can say what you need to say. It'll be the closure you need." As the castle kept growing closer and closer Cam sighed and Diana added. "After we leave here though, you can't be as morose as you have been. When we get back, you're also moving in with me."

"Dee..."

"No arguing, you can pay rent once you find a job and we can work out your payment plan on this trip. I'm thinking your first born will do nicely." When Cameron laughed Diana joined in with her. "Come on, you have to admit, any baby you have will be freakin' adorable and I want a piece of that baby action."

"Alright, but I wont pay less than half of what you pay on rent. It wouldn't be fair."

Dee just smiled cheerfully as they turned onto the private drive that lead up towards the keep and Cameron's heart began thudding in her chest. They parked at the end of the lane and Diana shut off the car except Cameron just kept looking at it, her eyes memorizing every stone. The wall had been rebuilt, from the looks of it, the base stones were older than the ones that went higher and the gates of the courtyard were completely gone.

"Come on. Lets see if they'll give us a tour or something."

Cameron nodded and left the car, as Diana and her walked into the courtyard they saw a woman loading a suitcase into the trunk. When she head Cameron's and Diana's feet crunching on the loose gravel she turned, "There are no visitors today. There's another tour comin' through in a few days."

"Oh, we were scheduled on the last tour." Diana said, "Paid for it and everything but our plane came late."

"I'm sorry but the guides come with the ferry. They are not in residence." The woman sated, as she fully turned to look at them. She was thin and pretty young, probably about their own age with brown hair and eyes, she wore black slacks and a white button up and little makeup.

"Couldn't you give us the tour? We'll pay you!" Cameron said without thinking. "I um... I'm doing a paper on keeps for my... er... architecture class. Its on how... they secured battlements and walls and... stuff." She was floundering with her excuse, pulling random ideas out of thin air. "Duart was... is essential to this paper."

"Yeah, this paper is really important. If she doesn't pass she'll never get her architecture degree!" Diana put in quickly. "We came all this way just to see the castles and they all turned us away too. If we don't at least get this castle she's never know the inter workings of this type of stuff."

The woman frowned deeper, "The owner is in residence today and doesn't like being here when the tours are given."

"Please just ask him," Diana pleaded, "It'll be quick inside the keep, we promise. Then all we're doing is walking around the outside of the walls, nothing that would disturb him. And like I said, we'll pay you."

"I'll have to ask him," she told them. "I won't be the one doing the tour since I have someplace to be but if he says yes, he'll no doubt find someone to do it."

"Oh thank you!" Cameron said happily. "It'll be a few moments, Ill be down in a bit."

The woman slammed her trunk shut and walked back to the keep, opening the door that had definitely been replaced in the last 600 years.

"Its huge," Diana said in awe as she looked around.

"Wait until you get inside. The great hall had huge ceilings with candelabra all over the place and if you don't know where you're going you will definitely get lost in the halls. Its three stories not counting the ground floor and the dungeons. Massive."

"How many rooms does it have?" She asked in awe, looking up at it.

"I never counted them all. Probably close to fifty or so, and I'm sure there are a lot more bathrooms now with running water."

They both quieted when the door opened and the woman came out and walked over, "He's allowing it at no charge and he's sending someone down now for a very brief tour. The man he's sending knows everything about fortifying this particular keep which should be helpful so ask your questions quickly. I have go now though, before I miss my flight."

"Thank you so much," Cameron told the woman. "I appreciate it."

The woman just nodded and gave them a little smile before getting into the car and starting it, she made a sharp U-turn and heading out the courtyard, leaving dust behind her.

Diana and Cameron didn't speak and just took in the sound of birds chirping and turned towards the door again when it opened to see a tall, lean man emerge. A sense of familiarity hit Cameron as she looked at him. He wore jeans and a tee shirt, his dark hair cropped short and his face clean shaved. He was muscled like a man who lifted weights, and had the stride of a man confident in himself. As he came closer she could see his blue eyes were sharp and alert, also taking in their appearance.

"Ya came fer a tour?" He drawled, the brogue thick and the tone of voice also familiar.

She started at him, curiously, trying to figure out why he seemed to familiar. When Cameron just stared Diana laughed and put her arm around Cam, "Haha, she's just a bit jet lagged still I guess. Yeah, we're here for a tour. Thanks for agreeing to this on such short notice."

"Aye, tis no problem. Its nay very busy today and the weather is nice. My name is Murray and I will be yer guide."

Cameron inhaled sharply and took a step back at his name. Her eyes focusing more and not placing the face. She was so use to his shoulder length hair and beard, along with the kilt she hadn't recognized him. This was Murray, which meant Drustan had to be here somewhere.