After her mother's bad accident and ensuing state of coma, Aurelia's not-very-sympathetic aunt comes to take care of her. They live in a village in view of a range of rocky hills. Often Aurelia looks up at these hills and wishes she could live there. One pile of them especially makes her think of a castle - her rock castle One day she gets up there, but it is not as she had imagined. Leander, who rescues her when she gets lost in the forest, brings her home to his mother, who gives her the help and encouragement she so badly needs.