Ashley looked around the darkened hallway. She couldn't see any monsters but you could never tell. A bright flash of light illuminated everything around her. Before she could investigate properly it was gone. A loud crash followed it, making Ashley jump. That sealed her decision. She quickly scurried to her parents' bedroom and pushed the door open. "Mummy, I'm scared," she called.
A figure shifted on the bed and for just a moment Ashley had the frightened feeling that a monster had taken the place of her parents. Then a comfortingly familiar voice floated to her. "Again, Ashley?" her father wondered.
"Please," she nearly whined. Her mother made a muffled sound and Ashley felt hopeful.
Her father turned towards her. He peered into the darkness but couldn't see anything so he turned up the lamps. Ashley could see that he was at the very least shirtless and his hair was in disarray. She clutched Sally and gave him her best wide eyed look. "Go to the hallway," he ordered, "I'll be out in a minute."
"But it's dark out there," she whimpered.
"It's only for a minute," her father insisted. "I'll be out soon."
Ashley pouted but went out to the hall. She tried not to tremble too much as she waited for her father. She could hear him moving around in the other room and wondered what was taking so long. After what seemed like ages, he finally joined her. Lightening flashed again giving Ashley just enough time and light to see that he was in nothing but pants and an old shirt. She didn't think she'd ever seen him in so little. The thunder distracted her from her thoughts and she quaked in fear.
The fear only lasted a few minutes because her father scooped her into his arms. "Just hush," he whispered to her. "Nothing can hurt you."
She looked up to her father's face as he grabbed the blanket from the sofa. "What are we doing, Daddy?" she asked.
"You'll see little angel," he murmured. "Now hold on as tight as you can."
Ashley did as he asked. She even closed her eyes. At his gentle prodding she opened them again. But she didn't leave them open long. Lightening flashed closer and she buried her head in her father's shoulder. "Daddy," she whined.
"It's alright," he told her softly. "Just open your eyes for me."
Ashley finally pulled her eyes open again. She saw that they were high on what she thought was a mountain, near a cave. A wide valley was spread before them. The storm from London still continued here but much freer with out buildings and other objects to block it. "You should never be afraid of storms, my little angel," her father told her. Ashley made a frightened sound. "What is it that scares you?"
"The lightening is bright," she stated.
"As long as you watch from a distance it can't hurt you," John murmured. "Now look, just over there."
Ashley turned to where her father was pointing. She watched in amazement as an arch of light joined the sky and the earth together for a single moment. She was briefly reminded of the tricks her Uncle Nikola could do when mummy pressed him. "Wow," she breathed.
"Wow, indeed," John agreed. "What else is it that bothers you, little angel?"
The thunder shook the air around them. "It's too loud," Ashley told him, covering her ears.
John gently took her hands from her ears. "It's just a noise," he said. "Like any other noise. It can not hurt you." He smiled at his little girl. "You could be just as loud," he told her. Before Ashley could question him, he was tickling her sides. Soon the valley echoed with her laughter. "See?" he smiled. "Louder than the thunder."
This time Ashley laughed of her own will. "Storms aren't that scary at all, daddy," she said. "Can we stay here longer?"
In response, John pulled her onto his lap and wrapped the blanket around them. Ashley watched the lightening spark through the sky and listened to the thunder roll as her father rocked her. Soon her eyes grew heavy as sleep came back to her. Her daddy began to sing her favorite lullaby.
"Only the chosen left alive,
Immortals all, the Holy Five
Seekers of forgotten lore,
Protectors all, Resilient Four
Striving for our unity,
Scholars all, the Learned Three
Lover's flame burn bright and true
United now, The Perfect Two
Standing on the field alone
Warrior Blessed, the Chosen One
Now we've gone to meet our fate,
Reunited at Heaven's Gate."
From that night on, Ashley Joy Druitt no longer feared storms. When she thought of storms she felt safe. She thought of a low male voice bringing her comfort. She thought of the strong arms of her father, and later her husband, holding her safely as they watched the lightening crackle through the sky.