and so the life we 'd built in donnelaith , a life of great stone towers or brochs , from which we hoped someday to successfully defend ourselves against invasions , of the old rituals carefully preserved and carried out , of the memories treasured , and of our values , our belief in love and birth above all things held sacred-that life was in mortal danger from those who would hunt for monsters for any reason , from those who only wanted to `` see with their own eyes . ''