Redeeming a Dark Heart

Chapter 18: Getting Home

Our kiss was cut short as it started pouring. It had been bright, warm, and sunny just a moment ago, but now, grey clouds had invaded the sky and we were consumed in their unalleviating downpour. Both of us were drenched as soon as the rain began and I sucked in a gasp through clenched teeth, not expecting the sudden wet chill. Not only was the rain coming down in thick, fast sheets, but it was a bitter cold as well.

Robin grabbed the reins of my horse and we took off through the blinding rain. He seemed to know where he was headed, so I left the job to him and wrapped my arms tightly around his body to keep from falling off. The rain pelted my back as we rode, stinging any part of me that wasn't completely covered. I buried my face in Robin's chest and held on, trying not to think about the cold or how wet I was.

Finally, Robin slowed down and I looked up to see a small cave. I released my tight grip on him and he dismounted the horse before helping me down as well. My feet touched the muddy ground and sharp pains ran up my numb legs as I landed on the cold, wet floor. Robin wrapped his arm around me and helped me into the cave. He helped me sit down in a dry spot on the floor, finally sheltered from the rain, and went back out to tie the horses up. My teeth chattered uncontrollably and I pulled my knees up against my body for warmth. I was soaked to the bone and freezing. I tried to start a fire using magic, but my efforts failed. Why wouldn't it work? I pulled my arm back into my huddle and waited for Robin to come back. My shivering continued as I waited. What was taking Robin so long? He should be back by now, was something wrong? I started to go through the list of things that could possibly be holding him up. Had he fallen, was he hurt? Or worse, had someone found him, someone I didn't even want to think of? Finally I heard his footsteps enter the cave and looked up to see him, smiling and shivering.

"R-Robin." I gasped, my teeth chattering.

He ran over to me and wrapped his arms around me, providing me with a bit more warmth. "I'm sorry I took so long." He apologized, rubbing his hands up and down my arms to warm me up. "I was trying to find some dry wood for a fire. That effort turned out to be worthless." He paused for a second to prove that he'd come back with nothing.
I leaned closer to him for warmth, pressing into his vest and hoping to find any bit of heat coming from him. However, he was soaked with cold rain just as I was and I didn't get much warmer.

"Regina, you can make fire can't you?" He asked. "You know, with magic?" I looked up at him pained by the answer.

"I al-already t-tried th-th-that." I responded, trying to control my chattering teeth.
Robin tightened his grip on me and rubbed my arms quicker. I could tell he wanted to know more, like why my magic hadn't worked, but he let it slide and focused his attention on getting me warm. I realized the only way I was going to get warmer was to dry off. But without magic, that meant getting out of my wet clothes. Was I ready to do that in front of Robin? I wasn't sure. But soon, the cold got the best of me and I took a deep breath before looking up at Robin.

"I n-n-need t-to dry off-f-f." I said, doing my best to keep my words steady. Robin looked at me for a second as water dripped from strands of wavy, black hair that hung in front of my face. He seemed to understand what drying off required and he nodded slowly. I looked back at him, a bit concerned, but I needed to get warm somehow, and sitting here in the cold with soaked clothes on would not help my situation.

He helped me to a stand, letting me lean against the stone wall.

"Can you get it from here?" He asked sincerely, not trying to make a joke out of the situation, which I appreciated.

I nodded in response and began unfastening the buttons on my shirt. I peeled off the soaked layers until I was at the bare minimum. I found a place to hang up my clothes so they could dry off a little bit before calling Robin back.