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Summer was drawing to a close, the air now possessing a bit of a chilled nip to it early in the morning, and cooling drastically as the sun went down. It wasn't an unpleasant chill though as long as you were wearing a cloak or something with sleeves, it was really more refreshing than anything else after the long, hot months. There was also a slight lull this time of year. The fields were sown, but nothing was yet ready to harvest, so there was time for things that were actually enjoyable. Her father and brothers were often off fishing or hunting for small game, her mother was tending her own small garden and to the animals, and Ciara was off on her own. This had always been what she preferred, much to her parents' disapproval.
She simply did not have an interest in the things her mother felt that a girl her age should be learning, needle point and sewing, cooking and cleaning, domestic skills that she was told she would need when she married. Ciara knew that day would come, but she dreaded it none the less. She was of age to start getting serious offers at eighteen, and she knew there were a few men in the area that had an interest in her. Her father was a successful farmer, well off by the standards of those who worked the soil for a living, so her dowry would be a good size, and of course, Ciara was beautiful. Alabaster skin, tumbling black hair, pale blue-gray eyes, and a curving, feminine figure.
She was sure that she would likely be married within the next two years, so Ciara was trying to enjoy herself as much as possible. Which right now meant berry picking. She hoped that she could gather enough to bake a pie, as one thing she did enjoy was baking and she always received praises for it so she assumed she was also good at it. It would be easier to gather enough berries if she wasn't eating so many of them, but there was little she loved more than fresh berries right off the branch or vine. She had wandered off the main trail through the forest long ago, though this didn't worry her, she knew the forest well enough to be able to find her way back with no trouble. She merely tried to stay aware of the direction of the sun as she walked through the brush that grew in patches between the trees, a basket hanging from the crook of her arm.
The young woman gave an occasional muttered curse as the skirt of her dress would occasionally catch on something before she tugged it loose. She would likely have to hear about the holes she had put in the hem when she got home and her mother would make her repair herself while she stood and looked over her daughter's shoulder, criticizing her. Ciara sighed, she did love her family, despite how often they frustrated her, but she wished they wouldn't make her feel so... disappointing. She couldn't help that she hated what most young women seemed so keen on, no more than they could help that they were exactly what they were expected to be. She couldn't think of a more ideal farm wife than her mother, and the woman loved her role, and her father loved being a farmer, and her brothers loved being the sons of farmers. But Ciara hated being the daughter of a farmer.
Not all of the country was so strict on their roles for women, in fact noblewomen often inherited titles from their fathers, as well as land and money and businesses, but among the lower class, to help keep competition from getting out of hand, women were expected to fulfill certain roles while men filled others. So Ciara was expected to be a wife and a mother and a cook and a maid all rolled into one. She scoffed softly at the thought, not paying much attention as she stepped through two high bushes, having to turn a little to squeeze through. She was no more than half way through though when the world suddenly tilted. To be more accurate, she fell, but it was so sudden, it felt more like the world fell than she did.
The young woman let out a startled yelp as the ground seemed to disappear right under her feet and she fell into darkness, landing hard on cold, pack earth with a pained grunt. And there she lay for a few moments, dazed, trying to get her head to just stop spinning for a few moments so she could think. When it finally did she lifted her head, looking up from where she'd fallen, seeing a hole pouring sunlight into the darkness. Then she looked around herself, not able to see much laying in the sunlight, everything outside the sphere of light was shrouded in darkness, but she thought she was inside some cave or tunnel.
Ciara got to her feet carefully, trying to tell if she was injured, but besides feeling a little banged up, she didn't think she was. And that was lucky.
Once on her feet she saw her basket nearby, grabbing it and seeing that most of the berries had fallen out, with a sigh she gathered them quickly. She didn't know if she was stuck down here or not, they might be her only food for a while. That done she sat the basket carefully in the light so she'd know where both were, the basket and the opening, and started looking around. Ciara found herself in a cave, a very large cave, that looked to have once had a tunnel leading from or to it, but the entrance had large boulder blocking it, likely from a cave in. Most of it was empty, though oddly enough she occasionally found old coins scattered about, and even once she found a ring.
She explored the cave thoroughly, hoping for some way out, but found none, and eventually sat down on a small boulder with a sigh. “Just great...” she muttered, and even that soft noise echoed off the cave walls. Ciara ran a hand over her face, knowing that at the least she would be here until morning. Her family would think nothing of her staying out in the forest rather late, they wouldn't start to worry until she wasn't back home in time for dinner, and then be in a panic by the time everyone was ready to go to bed. Her father and brothers would likely start looking for her, but they wouldn't leave the main trail in the night, they wouldn't do that until morning. She tried not to think about all the 'what if's', she told herself that her father and brothers were skilled trackers, and their hounds had the best noses in the county. They would find her.
Until then, she just had to keep herself entertained. She took out the coins and rings she had found. They were very very old, and not in the best condition after sitting down in this cave for gods knew how long. She got up and kept looking around, poking around in the rocks, looking for anything of interest. She found a few more coins, and even something that looked like it might be a gem of some sort. She pocketed them all, thinking that maybe she could sell them in town for some money of her own. What she would do with it she had no idea, but not to have to beg and plead with her father for something would be liberating.
Ciara put her hand on one particularly smooth rock to lean her weight against it as she leaned down, but quickly jerked her hand away again as she found it was warm to the touch. She stared at it a little then put her hand back on it. It was warm, very warm, but not so much as to burn. She put both hands on it, realizing that she was a little cold now from sitting down in this cave. She hadn't dressed very warmly, thinking she would be back before it got too cool and underground it was even cooler than usual outside. Ciara tugged a bit and got it loose from a couple of rocks that had been covering, sending most of the pile sliding. She backed up quickly, the warm rock in her arms. It was nearly the size of her torso, and heavy, so she set it down in the light, turning it and looking it over.
Oddly enough, it looked rather like an egg, it's surface was round and smooth, though the texture of the rock itself was rather rough, and it was oval in shape. That was just silly though, there was nothing around here that could lay an egg this large. Still, it was very odd. Ciara sighed, soon growing bored so she got up and kept looking around. She returned to where the strange rock and her basket were sitting as the light began to fade though, afraid that she would lose the spot where they were in the dark. And that was where she sat, eventually pulling the rock into her lap as it began to grow cold, shivering as she rested her cheek against the rough surface. Eventually she ate a handful of berries and then laid down, curled up around the rock for warmth, and fell asleep.
She simply did not have an interest in the things her mother felt that a girl her age should be learning, needle point and sewing, cooking and cleaning, domestic skills that she was told she would need when she married. Ciara knew that day would come, but she dreaded it none the less. She was of age to start getting serious offers at eighteen, and she knew there were a few men in the area that had an interest in her. Her father was a successful farmer, well off by the standards of those who worked the soil for a living, so her dowry would be a good size, and of course, Ciara was beautiful. Alabaster skin, tumbling black hair, pale blue-gray eyes, and a curving, feminine figure.
She was sure that she would likely be married within the next two years, so Ciara was trying to enjoy herself as much as possible. Which right now meant berry picking. She hoped that she could gather enough to bake a pie, as one thing she did enjoy was baking and she always received praises for it so she assumed she was also good at it. It would be easier to gather enough berries if she wasn't eating so many of them, but there was little she loved more than fresh berries right off the branch or vine. She had wandered off the main trail through the forest long ago, though this didn't worry her, she knew the forest well enough to be able to find her way back with no trouble. She merely tried to stay aware of the direction of the sun as she walked through the brush that grew in patches between the trees, a basket hanging from the crook of her arm.
The young woman gave an occasional muttered curse as the skirt of her dress would occasionally catch on something before she tugged it loose. She would likely have to hear about the holes she had put in the hem when she got home and her mother would make her repair herself while she stood and looked over her daughter's shoulder, criticizing her. Ciara sighed, she did love her family, despite how often they frustrated her, but she wished they wouldn't make her feel so... disappointing. She couldn't help that she hated what most young women seemed so keen on, no more than they could help that they were exactly what they were expected to be. She couldn't think of a more ideal farm wife than her mother, and the woman loved her role, and her father loved being a farmer, and her brothers loved being the sons of farmers. But Ciara hated being the daughter of a farmer.
Not all of the country was so strict on their roles for women, in fact noblewomen often inherited titles from their fathers, as well as land and money and businesses, but among the lower class, to help keep competition from getting out of hand, women were expected to fulfill certain roles while men filled others. So Ciara was expected to be a wife and a mother and a cook and a maid all rolled into one. She scoffed softly at the thought, not paying much attention as she stepped through two high bushes, having to turn a little to squeeze through. She was no more than half way through though when the world suddenly tilted. To be more accurate, she fell, but it was so sudden, it felt more like the world fell than she did.
The young woman let out a startled yelp as the ground seemed to disappear right under her feet and she fell into darkness, landing hard on cold, pack earth with a pained grunt. And there she lay for a few moments, dazed, trying to get her head to just stop spinning for a few moments so she could think. When it finally did she lifted her head, looking up from where she'd fallen, seeing a hole pouring sunlight into the darkness. Then she looked around herself, not able to see much laying in the sunlight, everything outside the sphere of light was shrouded in darkness, but she thought she was inside some cave or tunnel.
Ciara got to her feet carefully, trying to tell if she was injured, but besides feeling a little banged up, she didn't think she was. And that was lucky.
Once on her feet she saw her basket nearby, grabbing it and seeing that most of the berries had fallen out, with a sigh she gathered them quickly. She didn't know if she was stuck down here or not, they might be her only food for a while. That done she sat the basket carefully in the light so she'd know where both were, the basket and the opening, and started looking around. Ciara found herself in a cave, a very large cave, that looked to have once had a tunnel leading from or to it, but the entrance had large boulder blocking it, likely from a cave in. Most of it was empty, though oddly enough she occasionally found old coins scattered about, and even once she found a ring.
She explored the cave thoroughly, hoping for some way out, but found none, and eventually sat down on a small boulder with a sigh. “Just great...” she muttered, and even that soft noise echoed off the cave walls. Ciara ran a hand over her face, knowing that at the least she would be here until morning. Her family would think nothing of her staying out in the forest rather late, they wouldn't start to worry until she wasn't back home in time for dinner, and then be in a panic by the time everyone was ready to go to bed. Her father and brothers would likely start looking for her, but they wouldn't leave the main trail in the night, they wouldn't do that until morning. She tried not to think about all the 'what if's', she told herself that her father and brothers were skilled trackers, and their hounds had the best noses in the county. They would find her.
Until then, she just had to keep herself entertained. She took out the coins and rings she had found. They were very very old, and not in the best condition after sitting down in this cave for gods knew how long. She got up and kept looking around, poking around in the rocks, looking for anything of interest. She found a few more coins, and even something that looked like it might be a gem of some sort. She pocketed them all, thinking that maybe she could sell them in town for some money of her own. What she would do with it she had no idea, but not to have to beg and plead with her father for something would be liberating.
Ciara put her hand on one particularly smooth rock to lean her weight against it as she leaned down, but quickly jerked her hand away again as she found it was warm to the touch. She stared at it a little then put her hand back on it. It was warm, very warm, but not so much as to burn. She put both hands on it, realizing that she was a little cold now from sitting down in this cave. She hadn't dressed very warmly, thinking she would be back before it got too cool and underground it was even cooler than usual outside. Ciara tugged a bit and got it loose from a couple of rocks that had been covering, sending most of the pile sliding. She backed up quickly, the warm rock in her arms. It was nearly the size of her torso, and heavy, so she set it down in the light, turning it and looking it over.
Oddly enough, it looked rather like an egg, it's surface was round and smooth, though the texture of the rock itself was rather rough, and it was oval in shape. That was just silly though, there was nothing around here that could lay an egg this large. Still, it was very odd. Ciara sighed, soon growing bored so she got up and kept looking around. She returned to where the strange rock and her basket were sitting as the light began to fade though, afraid that she would lose the spot where they were in the dark. And that was where she sat, eventually pulling the rock into her lap as it began to grow cold, shivering as she rested her cheek against the rough surface. Eventually she ate a handful of berries and then laid down, curled up around the rock for warmth, and fell asleep.
