Loving Loki

A Little Rain Never Hurt Anyone

I awoke several hours later feeling much better. I glanced out the window. Dark storm clouds darkened the horizon and blotted out the sun. It was breezy, but the wind threatened stronger gales. I sighed. It was probably too late to go for ride. Maybe if I didn't go far, I could still take a short one.

I relaced the boot I had begun taking off before I fell asleep. I didn't even bother to change into more appropriate riding attire. I grabbed an apple for Shelia and ran to the small shed where we kept her.

She whinnied when I opened the door. The wind was picking up and it was getting darker, but I saddled her up anyway. I breathed in the sweet scent of hay. I gently patted her head and then hauled myself onto her back. We took off down the small sloping hill and then, we were flying.

Shelia had swift hooves and before I knew it, we were far from my home. I didn't pay any attention, however. The wind was in my loose hair, blowing my skirts around. The wind was now a gale. I could hear its sad cry echoing across the valley. The sky was dark. After about a half hour of riding, I realized we were quite far from home.

I turned Shelia around and headed back. I had forgotten my cloak in my haste to leave. I shivered. The wind had quite a bite to it. Then, as if to mock my poor planning, it began to rain. Sheets of rain, blown by the wind, hit me in the face. A crack sounded behind me. Lighting had hit a tree behind us.

Shelia bolted. She tore through the woods. Branches and twigs slapped my face and scratched my bare legs mercilessly. Shelia slipped in the mud and threw me. I flew about five feet before landing on the soft ground with a groan.

I pulled myself up and gasped at my dress. It was probably ruined. Mud caked the front and I already had several tears in the hem. I grabbed Shelia's reins and began to walk. We needed to find shelter. The wind was whipping the trees back and forth. The rain fell in torrents and the thunder and lightning nearly deafened me.

I knew we weren't far from the Tower and I began to walk in that direction. I didn't think Shelia would bolt or throw me again but she could have hurt herself and I didn't want to risk hurting her more. The Tower was a large area of boulders and rocks. It was a dry sandy area, so different from the lush greens of the rest of the valley. It was called the Tower because the valet sipped down sharply and the walls of rock towered above you.

Technically it was a small canyon but no one called it that. It had several caves and small outcrops. When I was younger, we would play down here, just Ashanti and I. It was our special spot.

I hadn't been down here in years. Not after Lawrence told us it was haunted. But I didn't believe that anymore. The tall rocks provided a little shelter from the brutal wind and rain, but I knew a cave would be better. I chose the closest one and stumbled in.

I tied Shelia to a tree next to the cave and went in. It was a large cave. Larger then it looked from the outside. I could stand up without brushing my head against the bumpy ceiling. I wondered how far back it went. Curious, I took several steps forward, but it was dark and soon I couldn't see the ground.

I looked behind me and saw the entrance of the cave. As long as I could see that, I would be fine. I took another cautious step forward. However, I hadn't tested the ground with my foot and instead of stepping down on solid ground, I was falling through the air.

I badly had time to think, let alone scream. I flailed my arms, desperately trying to latch on to something. My left hand grasped something cool and small. I wrapped my hand around it and as my body stopped falling, gave my shoulder an awful wrench. I gasped in pain and let go. I fell about five feet before I hit the cool ground.

I lay there for a moment, trying to catch my breath. The first thing I noticed was that it wasn't dark anymore. I looked up and saw that I was in some sort of a room. The ceiling was opened up, letting in the natural light, but a piece of glass had been placed, to keep rain and such out. It was an odd room. It was circular but very large. The glass ceiling itself stretched for several feet. I felt like I was in a temple.

The ground was cool and made of dirt. The walls were solid rock, but as I looked up, I saw what I had grabbed onto. About a foot off the ground, a small, circular piece of metal was attached to the rock wall. Every six inches or so, another one had been place higher up. It was a ladder. It climbed up the wall for several feet. I could just barely make out the hole I had fallen through.

I slowly sat up, checking for broken bones. My shoulder burned. It hung limply at my side. Every movement sent jolts of pain throughout the rest of me. I tried to flex my fingers but they barely moved. I realized that I had probably dislocated it. I sighed. I was going to have a hard time climbing out of here with only one arm. I stood up slowly, testing each foot. They both held.

I felt something warm and sticky run Down my temple. I reached up with my good hand and touched a large cut on my head. I winced. I pulled a handkerchief out of my sleeve, grateful I had heeded Nana's advice of always carrying one. I looked around me.

In the middle of the room, a large square cell sat. It had two golden walls that shimmered with electricity. The other two walls were made out of rock. It was a jail cell for sure. Made for only the most dangerous of all criminals. It didn't appear to be furnished like a cell however. Rich furnishings and books, decorated it. It seemed to be made for someone of importance. A door in one of the rock walls lead, to what I supposed, was a bathroom.

I paid little attention to all this however. I was focused on the small child, crouching in the corner of the cell.