Mist on the Moon

"Trent! Oh, no!!!

The targets were set out in a row on the hill and they began getting their bows and arrows to advance to the line where they would begin. Cara gave Kirah and Brendan to Emma so she could attend to them while she was at their self made archery range. It was decided that for a change the men would go first and then the women. Daniel was the first to take a position and notching his arrow he was ready. But suddenly, a brisk breeze came from out of nowhere. Daniel shook his head, lowered his bow and looked at the others  behind him. "Don't need this sudden wind to make me any worse a shot then I am."

"Came from out of nowhere," said Trent. "Was a day with hardly any breeze at all."

Daniel waited patiently behind the rope they had laid down for a starting point, but the breeze instead of slowing down seemed to be picking up. Everyone knew that with the unsteady wind their aim would be thrown off. Daniel waited several more minutes, but instead of slowing down the breeze was definitely increasing.

"I can't do this," he complained. "Who can judge how to allow for the wind when it's shifting so much?"

"Not me," answered Trent. "Let's wait, maybe we can have some more to eat and drink until it settles down."

But it didn't settle down and Cara was beginning to get concerned for her children. Not only did the wind seem to be picking up, but it was also getting colder. She went to them, and together she and Emma wrapped a blanket around them to keep them warm. She was herself beginning to feel a chill. Now that the children were protected, she joined the others at the big picnic table cloth spread on the ground. Still, she was apprehensive that things could get worse and she mentioned her feelings to Trent.

"Catch it, Gianna!" Justin spoke sharply, for a basket was caught in the wind and was just now blowing off the cloth toward her. "Got it!" she said, after reaching out to grab it. All six of them were commenting on the sudden change of weather and now they found they had to grab hold of things before the wind tore them away.

Trent was surprised as anyone by the sudden change. He told them, "This is not working out. We better pack up before it gets worse." He looked at Cara. "Cara and I are going to leave with the children and Emma. Do the rest of you want to stay?"

They all agreed to leave, and hastily packed up their things. But while they were packing, things got worse. The sky began to darken as ominous dark clouds coming from the north spread over the sky. They looked up to see them and knew that with those dark clouds they could be in for a thunderstorm.

Cara's concern was for their children. She went to the carriage, and looking up again at the threatening sky asked Emma. "Did you bring anything in the carriage we can wrap them in? It sure looks like we are in for a storm." Emma, with one hand rummaged around back of where she and the children were sitting and found what she was looking for. Holding it up, she said to Cara. This deerskin should help. Cara helped her to get it around Kirah and Brendan. Kirah stretched out her arms toward her mother. She wanted to be held.  

It was all Cara could do not to pick her up and carry her back with her on horseback. But she knew it would not be a safe way for her to travel. "When we get home," she said to the girl. "Then I can hold you." Cara was glad that they weren't crying and also happy that the deerskin covering would give them extra warmth for she could feel the temperature continue to drop.

Then, came a bright flash of lightning illuminating the dark cloud they were under. It was followed almost immediately by a crash of thunder. Feeling her children to be safe, Cara left them with Emma to join Trent, and now was riding side by side with him on the trail. "I'm afraid we're in for it!" she told him.

"I think you're right," he answered, reaching out to put his arm around her waist as they rode closely together. She turned to smile at him. He asked, "You've checked, the children are going to be all right if rain pours down?

"As best I could. Fortunately, there was a large deerskin in the carriage which Emma and I put around them. Hopefully it will help to keep them dry as well as warm."

The storm grew worse as they traveled. Sharp lightning lit up the sky even when the the trail led sometimes through a canopy of trees. Everything had darkened except for when lighting ripped down from above. Then came the rain. Not just a rain but one that pelted them, that went through their clothes and fell stinging on their arms and face. Their pace quickened led this time by Richard with Evie riding at his side. Cara put a hand on Trent, telling him, "let's stay behind the carriage to make sure it's safe."

Then, the wind picked up, and the women hung onto their shawls to keep them from being ripped away. But thankfully they were making their way back to the shelter of the castle. By this time Cara was drenched from head to foot and she could only hope that her babies were protected by the deerskin. 

As they came to another clearing in the woods they could see clearly that the water was coming down in sheets, but now what they felt even more was the wind. Unprotected by any trees they felt its full force.  Cara tried to have her horse stay close to Trent's for she felt herself safe near him. "Trent, I am so worried for Emma and our babies."

"There is nothing we can do now, Cara. Emma is doing a good job of keeping the horses straight on the road and they are safer with her in the carriage then they would be with us."

Cara looked up at the carriage ahead of them, and she took heart at what Trent said. Still, she would feel better if Kirah and Brendan were in her arms at a time like this. "We don't have very far to go now," added Trent above the roar of the wind.

Cara looked up, hoping to see the spires of the castle, but with the pelting rain it was impossible. Then, another bolt of lighting struck, seemingly right in front of them, accompanied by ear splitting thunder. "Thank God it missed us!" she exclaimed to Trent. But Trent was looking at something else, directly ahead of them. A tree had come crashing down. With horror, Cara realized it had fallen on the carriage. "Trent!" she cried. "Our children!"