"LaShebah, can you watch Coca for me?" I hollered while rushing down my much loved spiral staircase.
"Would that happen to be the thing that is? ugh! Trying to get on my head?" Her irritated screech floated down into my ears.
I took a second to give a hurried laugh. "Yeah, that would be Coca. He'll eat just about any fruit you put in front of him." Quickly I scurried down the rest of the way. I did not want to keep anybody waiting, and I was eager to get to Snowy Falls.
My stretched olive green dress rested flippantly at my ankles, and the sleeves were scrunched up to my elbows. My hair was knotted into seven different buns, each with its own unique design, but a few wisps were left forsaken, plastered against my damp forehead.
"Brye, do you have Clupint, Rebel and Dido ready?" I queried, checking off things from a list in my head.
"I've got it all, princess. Stop worrying," he grinned. Brye seemed a little more excited today about our trip than yesterday. He had wiped off his look of detestation.
"I cannot help it! And," I made a face at him. "Don't call me princess."
"Whatever you say," Brye looked down with a smile, and quietly added, "princess."
Adda gave a peal of laughter. Naturally, though. Everything made her laugh. I ignored his taunt and headed to the kitchen.
"Here, miss." Aola held out two baskets. She smiled painfully, as if her lips were pinned in a beam. Warily, I smiled back and took the four lunches. They were heavy. A good sign! Aola was quite a good cook, although her skills were getting weaker as she grew older. And her memory was leaving her. Last year for my birthday she made a mutton pie in place of a birthday cake.
"Oooo," Brye lifted up the white cloth and peeked inside.
"Leave it alone!" I scolded, pulling the basket away. "You can see it later, at lunch time."
The four of us left the castle and found the horses. They were readied and waiting, with our cloaks, scarves and shawls in bags on the back. We all got on, Adda and I on one because she didn't know how to ride well enough to go all the way up the mountain by herself, Brye and Wade each with their own. There was no way I would force those two to ride together.
After we were out of the safety of the castle walls, I could tell everyone was getting bored, and so could Brye. Afraid of what he might do, I started up a conversation.
"You like Dido, Wade?" I nodded at the speckled horse he was riding.
"Sure," he smiled. He ran his fingers through the classical white mane.
"You may have him. I have so many horses. And I really only want one. Plus, you said you would like to have your own." He opened his mouth in protest, so I cut him off. I knew what he was going to say. "Don't think of it as charity! It is a gift. Like Adda's gown."
Wade gave a warm look of thanks. I nodded.
And Brye seemed to be getting agitated. He reached his hand over, and slapped Clupint's flanks. Life stalled to slow-motion once more. The horse took off with a jolt that could have caused a whiplash, sending the reins flying to the ground. I closed my eyes and held on tight, screaming at Brye.
"Why did you do that?" My words were stretched long and loud.
Adda's eyes were shut, her forehead was wrinkled up, and her mouth was wide opened with an excited shrill. I closed my eyes but my mouth opened, sending out a laughing-scream. Then everything sped up again. I turned back and looked at the boys who were laughing. But Brye's laugh looked more amused, rolling up from his stomach and out his mouth. Wade looked as if he were half amused, half worried about us. I shook my head at his uneasiness and turned back around.
We rounded a bend, splashing through puddles. Clupint took a wrong trail, darting through stagnant water. Tree branches started whacking our faces. I pushed Adda's head down so she would not get hurt.
We could not stop the horse ourselves. I looked up to see where we were heading, and I got smacked across the side of my chin. Blood began to trickle down my neck. Keeping my head down, I looked behind us. I saw Brye, with Wade close behind him. They weren't laughing anymore.
"Stop us," I mouthed. He nodded solemnly, full of confidence. For once I was counting on that confidence.
I could feel the hoof beats of the two horses gaining ground behind us. I breathed deep and hard. But my breath was stopped short when I looked up to see why the branches had stopped clouting us. We were in a clearing, and at the edge of the clearing there was literally an edge. A cliff. A drop. I could see the valley below, and it looked two hundred feet down. If they couldn't stop Clupint, we were going to die!
My heart began thumping up and down. The border of land was approaching rapidly. My muscles tightened in fear. Every step, we got closer. And closer. I could now see down straight, the view from the edge. Then I saw two hands fly from behind. They each grabbed a rein, and jerked the horse. Clupint's front legs flew up, and he reared, bucking up both Adda me into a puddle of muddy water.
I wrenched my body, searching for breath. My hands dug through the mud, frantically searching for something to grip. Then Brye tugged me up off the ground, saying, "I'm- I'm sorry. It wasn't supposed to happen like that."
Barely acknowledging his apology, I released myself from his grasp and turned to Adda.
"Are you all right?" I panted.
She nodded, seeming perfectly fine. Not even frightened, just dazed.
"You aren't," Wade said gesturing to the cut on my neck.
I shook my head. "Just a scratch. Believe me, I've endured much worse." I touched the blood with my fingers. "Let's keep going!" I trudged past them, leading the horse away from the cliff.
Brye, Wade and Adda followed. Adda was now scared of Clupint, and insisted in riding with her brother. I was way ahead of them, tromping through dirty puddles and moving waving branches from the midst of my trail. I felt important for some reason. I pushed my sleeves back up and wiped the beads of sweat from my brow. I could hear their voices, although I could tell they were purposely being kept low. I could make out the topic of their conversation. And it was about me.
"So determined, so fresh. I do not think anyone would be able to control her," Wade alleged.
"Well, she is determined. I will give her that. And there is only one person that can control her," Brye said. That was probably true. But who was he thinking of that could control me? I smiled stiffly at their comments.
I got back to the path, stopped walking and started twisting the bridle around my fingers. Who would have thought my mellow and peaceful experience would have turned out so? wild? At least no one got hurt. And I didn't cry, did I? I had a feeling that it would be awhile before I had a reason to cry again. I watched the three tramping in the woods. Wade and Adda looked like they had just had the most exciting adventure of their lives. But they probably hadn't ever done anything like that; Adda had probably never stepped on death's doorstep, lucky to fall back off again.
I pulled my hands out of the reins. I looked back at Brye, Wade and Adda, still walking. Rather slowly. "Hurry up! At this rate Snowy Falls will be melted by the time we get there!"
They quickened to a jog. When we were finally all back on the horses, I urged everyone to speed up.
Our horses trekked up the mountain. It usually got colder by the second. But for some reason, not one of us reached back for a cloak or shawl.
"Right over this hill," I exclaimed. "It should be!"
We raced over the hill eager to see the falling snow. But immediately our mouths dropped open with shock. The only sound heard was the trickling of? water. Snowy Falls had melted!
"Um, where's the snow?" Adda was the first one to speak. To no surprise, as soon as she saw all of us speechless, she started giggling.
I closed my mouth and made an effort to speak. "See? I told you to hurry up! Now all the snow is gone!" I joined Adda in a storm of laughter.
We jumped off our horses and went to investigate. The water was so clear you could see right to the bottom of the lake, which had once been a snow pit. The snowfall was now a crystal-clear water fall,
with a rainbow streaking through it. The place looked like a piece of heaven. You could see behind the water fall, a platform that jutted out of the mountainside. It looked like a cave, barred in by walls of water.
"Hey, look up there!" Adda had spotted it too. She had already started climbing the rock wall that ran up beside the waterfall, and surprisingly she was making progress. But she was about to tear her dress.
I ran over to her and grabbed her off the wall. She wasn't heavy. "Hold on!" I laughed. "You are about to rip your gown. Why don't we shed these heavy carpets?" I suggested, all ready stripping down to my camisole. There was no one there to see us! But still, Adda's mouth was broad with horror.
"It's okay, silly! I am sure they would understand."
"Everyone but LaShebah," Brye said, walking up behind us.
"Well, you don't have to tell her," I reprimanded him, as they started climbing ahead. "Wait for us up there. We might need your help!" I grinned mischievously. I didn't really need help; there were not many things I need assistance with. All the same, I was the princess, and I felt like making them work.
Free of our heavy skirts Adda and I found foot and hand holes and started our way up. After a few steps up, I reached my hand skyward, grasping for a handle. But I did not find one. "If someone does not help me, I shall fall and perish!" The water looked mystical. "Help me," I whispered, trying very hard not to grin. I held my hand up to Brye, who took it of course. I could see that he had a good hold, so I made myself dead weight. I saw his eyes bulge and his muscles tighten. He was only holding on to me with one hand. He lifted me a bit, then panted, "Find a foot hole or I'm going to drop you."
I found a foot hole just in case he was going to let go, and grabbed on with my other hand. "You would never do such a thing!"
"You really don't think so?" He let my fingers go one by one, until he had let go of my hand. After I was on my own, he chuckled and kept climbing up.
I started climbing up again, and I continued to climb. The wall was much taller than it seemed, and it seemed as if it were built for climbing: full of handles and gaps, not very steep. There were even some resting places. Huffing and puffing, I realized that I needed one of those places.
"Hey, guys? I need to rest. I am getting tired? and dizzy." The heat and humidity were making me woozy.
"Well, hold on! Lean up against the wall, but don't let go." The two boys started down towards me, almost racing.
"I am not going to fall, if that's what you're thinking!" I laughed. But as I swayed, I began to have second thoughts.
"Nope, you just hold on." Brye jumped onto a ledge and stretched his arm down. "Come on," He urged.
It was then I realized how much I needed a rest. I looked up, but things were starting to get blurry. "Uh-huh." I reached my hand up, meaning to meet his, but I grabbed at a double.
Through the haziness I could tell Brye's jaw was set. I watched him catch my arm and pull me up onto the outcrop. When I was sitting down, I fanned myself with my hand. It was not like me to have such a weakness! For a second I was quite ashamed, but then understood that it was merely the heat that had caused me to lose myself.
"It's not far. See?" Brye pointed up at the cliff protruding from the side of the waterfall. Wade was already up there now, and Adda was being elevated up by the two strong arms of her brother.
I nodded. "I can make it now." I stood up and grabbed for a visible handle, but I missed and began to rock. I lost my footing and almost fell off.
Brye caught me, "No you can't."
I pushed his hands off of me, determined to get up there myself.
"I'm almost sixteen now," I pushed my foot into a gap in the rock.
"I think I can do this myself."
Brye pushed me up anyway. Wade grabbed my hands and pulled me into the cave. I sat down, and scooted myself closer to the waterfall. I took some water and splashed it in my face. Somewhat revived, I looked around. It took my breath away.
The sky was nearly violet through the transparent falling curtain of water: a rainbow tied a ribbon of color to the dense cavern. Drops of water fell from the ceiling creating tiny splashes on the stone floor. It smelled like it does after it rains, and the air comfortable. I hugged myself in awe. The air glittered with vigor. I spun around, looking everything over again and again.
"This is? is glorious!" I smiled in amazement.
Brye climbed in and took a look also. "Wow," he breathed. Then he started tapping his foot. I looked at him with uncertainty. But then I knew. He took my hand and started twirling me around and around. Adda grabbed Wade, forcing him to do the same. The world passed me in a whirl. We started getting close to the edge of the cave, near the waterfall, and I started getting nervous. I was spinning, swirling and twisting towards the edge! Then all of the sudden I stopped, leaning half way over the edge. Brye held me with my face in the water, tauntingly. Then he pulled me back out of it, and away from the edge, still spinning.
When we finally stopped, I was so dizzy I couldn't stand. "What a wonderful friend I have! Spinning me sick without even a hint! How thoughtful," I battered sarcastically and grinned.
He gave me a weird smile, crooked and half-lost in another world. I massaged my temples trying to make the world stop whirling. "Oh, my. Can you imagine what LaShebah would say or do, if she saw us now?" I laughed.
Brye sat with his knees up, tapping the damp stone floor with his fingers. "She'd call us a disgrace," he looked up.
I glanced at Wade, who was obviously lost. "Who is LaShebah?" He asked.
"My nanny. She has- or was supposed to -ensure my transformation into a lady after my mother's death." I looked away half wistfully. "She did not succeed."
"Oh, your mother? I do not know what I would do if my mama died!" Adda exclaimed, and then wandered off without anyone noticing.
Layla Page 20