She lay on her side, trying to recall the most recent turn of events and found that her last memory laid in the distant past� an evil man, a horrid crown and testimony of greed and ambition. Her fall through the cave seemed almost as far into the past as that memory and she knew that she was quite lucky to be alive. How she wished Arvis was here with her right now.
Footsteps drew closer. She stifled a scream as she felt a touch on her arm.
�You�re awake," she heard from just above her. "I thought you would never regain consciousness. Please, my name is Locke Cole and you are safe with me.�
The voice was that of a young man with a pure heart. The sense of honesty that carried in his words was as evident to her as the hint of sweet herbs on his breath. She knew that he was safe, just as she knew that Arvis was safe, but this man held his youth solidly within his grasp. She opened her eyes, at first seeing nothing but darkness. Two glints of muted radiance floated in the dark before her, disappearing and reappearing at regular intervals. When she heard his voice again, close to her and comforting in nature, the realization came that she was looking at his eyes.
�Are you ok? Do you understand me?�
�I�� she began, clearing her sore throat, �I� remember very little. Where am I? Who are you?�
She tried to get up from her spot, but Locke pushed her back into her sleeping bag. His strength was focused and sure, expecting resistance, but she let herself be tucked into the covers.
�Not just yet, my friend. You have not regained your full strength as yet. It seems you have amnesia, Terra. But do not let that worry you just yet. For now, rest and rejuvenate.�
�Arvis sent you, didn�t he?� she asked suddenly.
Locke smiled in the dim light that filtered through a small crack in the southern wall, a warm and witty gesture.
�Yes he did. How could you tell?�
�Well, he told me he would send someone, though that is not how I know.� Terra smiled now as well and looked up at Locke from her warm cocoon. �You called me �my friend� in much the same manner as Arvis. It reminds me of his smile.�
Locke chuckled lightly and turned away from Terra, getting to his feet now and moving over to the southern wall. He muttered something to himself about an �old milker�, his sides moving in silent laughter and then proceeded to run his hands lightly over the surface of the inner cavern wall. Terra heard the click of an activated switch and suddenly the sound of turning gears filled the cavern space as the small crack of light along the southern wall began to widen. The flood of light into the cavern revealed a large boulder rolling away from the exit and, once her eyes adjusted to the brilliance, she saw a tall, slim, muscular man garbed in green from head to toe, with a large feather in his hat standing triumphantly in the opening that had just appeared. Behind him, a narrow mountain path lead down towards the outer edge of the town of Narshe on its southern borders, flowers blooming along the path�s edge, their sweet perfumes wafting into the musty cavern air with the evening breeze. Never before had she smelt something so wonderful.
Locke now walked over to her and took hold of her hands, pulling her to her feet and held her around the waist to give her support. She looked into his eyes now and noticed, for the first time, a glint of intense sorrow hidden behind them. Instinctively, though unconsciously, she reached out with her mind towards those eyes and felt the sharp bitterness of his sorrow overwhelm her like a tidal wave, forceful and uncontrollable. She let out a small gasp, recoiling from the effect of his overpowering emotions.
�What is it?� Locke said, releasing her from his hold in a very self-conscious manner. �I�m sorry if I was being rude.�
�No,� Terra said, �that is not it at all. You are quite a gentleman. Please forgive me if I seem very abrupt, but I don�t know you very well. In fact, I don�t even know me very well right now.� She frowned, and looked to the exit longingly. �Please, can we leave this place?�
�Yes! Of course. Let�s go. We�ll head south to the castle of Figaro. There we can talk and we can rest.�
�Thank you very much for your help, Locke,� she said, and curtsied ever so slightly. Looking up again, she saw him blushing quite intensely. She felt her own cheeks becoming warm and, before the awkward moment could prolong itself any further, she started for the opening of the cave and walked out into the light of early evening. Locke followed her out of the cave and then took the lead heading south along the foot of the mountain.
