Her childhood language was unfamiliar to her foster mum, a linguist. Kaily could only imagine how hard for them to have this lost child who couldn't tell them anything about who she was or where she came from because of the language barrier. Especially frustrating for a linguist. Kaily often talked to herself in those days which was how they realized she spoke an unusual form of Gaelic. They learned to communicate with her by teaching her old Gaelic which was close enough to her language she picked it up fast. Later they taught her modern day English which she also picked up fast. They said she had a gift for languages. It helped that her foster father, an archaeologist, often took her on his outings to these very ruins while he excavated and chattered at her while he worked. Having that combination of foster parents made her life interesting, and they loved her deeply and she them. It didn't take long before she thought of them as her real parents. The past before them seemed nothing more than a dream until no past existed other than her parents and her.
When they found her, she knew her name and age, seven years old, nothing more. Her parents didn't officially adopt her for reasons she didn't know, nor ever asked. They raised her as their own and all felt happy and blessed with each other. They couldn't conceive a child of their own much to Kaily's disappointment. She wanted a sibling. When she turned eighteen years old, they made her their sole heir to their estate, which included a large main house, cottage, laboratory and the castle ruins her parents discovered on their lands after they bought their estate. They kept it quiet. 'No need having anyone noising around,' her father said. They came from the Americas and were fortunate enough to be able to set up shop in Scotland.
Right after her nineteenth birthday they died in a freak accident in their lab. Kaily to this day didn't understand how a linguist and archaeologist could die in a lab explosion. Their work in the lab didn't involve anything that could cause the kind of explosion to kill them. The authorities ruled their deaths an accident. She knew it couldn't be an accident, but she couldn't prove it. Their careers were not dangerous, and they were well liked. It didn't make sense.
The first year after her parents' deaths, she hired a crew to pack up the artifacts and research that survived and donated it all to the University of Edinburgh. After, she demolished the entire laboratory against the advice of many including the Fergusons. She couldn't face the daily reminder of that dreadful day and what it cost her. She found it hard enough to live on their estate. She couldn't leave. She stayed in the cottage instead of the main house. She gave the main house to Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson to live in on the guise of it being too large for just her. She told them it would be easier for them to keep it up if they lived there. Even now, five years later, it felt too difficult for her to think about that fateful day. She didn't bother talking about it. It wouldn't change anything. She lost her parents, end of story.
Kaily wiped away the tears from her eyes. "Stupid memories," she said as she turned to hurry back to the spot, she last saw her dark warrior. She didn't know when she started thinking of him that way. Maybe the first night she dreamt about him or the first time she saw him. Either way, that's how she thought of him, her dark warrior, illusion or real. In truth, she didn't know if she wanted him to be real. If he were illusion, she gained peace of mind. If he were real, then what? Why did he watch her? Why did he come to her, only to leave before she could talk to him? She shook her head. She didn't know if she wanted to talk to him. It might be better if she accepted him as her illusion to enjoy.
The dreams started within a few days after the first moment she'd seen him and continued every night since. The dream always took place in the same location and started out the same. He sat by a beautiful lake with a waterfall in a meadow which smelled sweet and spicy at the same time. Strange how she could remember every detail of the meadow down to its the scent. Even now, if she closed her eyes and concentrated, she could smell it and feel the warm breeze on her face. When she dreamt of him and the meadow sometimes, he would stand and turn towards her. He seemed to see her, but not at the same time. As she walked closer to him, the dream faded until finally she woke in a cold sweat.
She peeked around the edge of the partial stone wall where last saw her dark warrior. It didn't surprise her to find the space empty. She always found it empty. Even if she left Mr. Ferguson to talk to himself and rushed to the spot, she knew even then, she would find it empty. She leaned with her back against the cool stone and buried her hands in the edge of her bulky sweater. Jeans, sweaters, t-shirts, sweatpants, these were the clothes she preferred. They were warm and comfortable. She didn't have anyone to impress, nor did she want to, well maybe if her dark warrior turned out to be real, then she might decide to dress to impress. She smiled at the thought. A big if.
She stared at the arched doorway which stood a short distance from where she leaned against the partial wall. For a castle to be as old as this one, crumbling walls and doorways, all part
