The rain beat down on the window of the B&B where I was staying. It wasn't the most grand of hotels, but after a 10 hour drive from London to the Scottish Highlands I was glad just to get out of the rain.

It was hardly a hive of activity. Certainly a far cry from my usual Friday night haunt. The owner, a portly, welcoming woman busied herself behind the bar. A cute, petite redhead cleared tables; I was introduced to her as Keira, the owners daughter, and me. We were the only ones in the small bar area. At least the fire was cosy, or so the dog who had taken up position right in front of it thought.

From the window table I had in the bar, I could see the castle and the grounds where I'd be poking around. Only a madman would go looking around a forest like that at night. Not because of the supposed beings that live there, but....this rain wasn't going anywhere.

"A man'll catch his cold oot there, laddie, ye ken wit ye daein'?" The owner said as she placed another pint on my table.

"I'll be fine, skins waterproof isn't it?" I asked in a jokey manner, handing her my empty glass.

"Och, it's no yer skin ahm talkin' aboot" Her eyes drifted to the window, as if transfixed on the castle. "Ye ken whits oot there, don't ye son?"

"Well, that's what I'm hoping to find out" I said with a smile.

"Well, if ye see my Peter, tell him he's tea's on the table, won't ye, son?" She half laughed. No wedding band on her finger, but it sat on a necklace around her neck. Her eyes never left the castle as she spoke. Was he out there?

Of course, I'd only been here a few hours, enough time to drop my bags off, shower and eat, but in that time, the welcoming Scottish lady had bent my ear about why I was here at this time of year. And rightly so, the Highlands weren't exactly a tourist hotspot at the end of October. Okay, so you could see the Aurora Polaris from here, but the best time for that was the winter months. People usually didn't go for that until after the new year.

I was here for an entirely different reason. I was a journalist trying to get my breakthrough. And after writing for blog after blog, I landed a contract with a magazine. Okay, so the style of magazine wasn't my thing, but a lot of people go crazy for Unsolved Mysteries and the Supernatural.

The castle that held the woman's interest was alleged to be the grounds of an Unseelie Court. A court made up of those who had given themselves to the devil, unmarried mothers during childbirth and unbaptized babies. Fairies always ready to inflict harm and loss. Or so the myths go.

But on the other side of the coin. For every Unseelie Court, there was a Seelie Court. Good fairies, borne of children who died through abuse, brave men and women who died in battle, or those who were just lost in limbo, unable to make it through the pearly gates.

And the spot here, at midnight, people had reported all sorts of strange goings on. Cattle going missing or found dead, people too. Those who had made it out alive, had looks of fear etched onto their faces for days. Of course, how much of this was true, I was about to find out. At least, that's what the magazine want me to report on, and if it's nothing? Make something up. 10% truth, that's all you need for a story, right?

Looking down at my fresh beer. After this of course.

*****

So, a Hallowe'en prompt that falls on 31st Oct! It's as though the DPP gods knew this would happen!

Honestly, I've got no real set story for this, it's very open ended. Are you a member of either Court? Are you the owners daughter who decides she's had enough of clearing tables and sneaks out to join me? Someone else entirely?

Please, if you like my rambling above, message me and we can try to come up with a story!