The sun had almost sunk in the horizon. The woods were washed with the warm yellow color of the sunset. The surroundings looked like an old sepia tinted photo.
Nadia had been standing near the stream of Shrine Mimosa admiring the view for good fifteen minutes now. The surface was not very slanting compared to rest of the hills. So the water flowed gently, calmly. Nadia had read in history books that the previous governors had the hills cut and level surfaces constructed wherever there was a natural spring. So multiple lakes and small rivers were scattered throughout the hills. Why they bothered to do that, Nadia didn't know. They certainly didn't set foot here and the South Kua people weren't allowed to drink it so what was the point?
While not the largest in size it certainly was deep and the water freezing cold.
Falcon had asked her to wait. Muttering something about surveillance.
As a child she was warned not to drink water from any spring or pick a single fruit from any of the trees. She had abided by that. But now that she was leaving, she wanted to try breaking the law. If by any miracle they could get away from invading the East Ido, there was no law she was afraid of anymore.
Where was this surge of confidence coming from she wondered? Ever since she had met Falcon , there had been a lot of firsts for her.
She heard rustling of leaves behind her and a bush moved. A moment later Falcon came into view.
His hair looked more brown than red in the setting sun.
"What were you checking?" Nadia asked.
"Didn't really want a witness to our transgressions." he winked.
She didn't ask what would he have done if someone was present.
"So where do we start?" Nadia tried craning her neck and looked around every rock and every surface of the ground, there was no mouth or sort of entrance that spelled cave anywhere. "where is this magical opening? Do we say open sesame?" She joked.
Falcon looked at her blankly, clearly not getting the reference. He didn't know a reference to 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves'? Was the outside world really all that it was cracked up to be?
Falcon shrugged one shoulder and got into the stream.
Nadia started. She wasn't aware getting wet was a necessity. She stood at the edge for a little longer hoping whatever Falcon was doing, it must not require her to go down as well.
Falcon stood at the middle, water brushing his calves and looked back. Nadia groaned. Ofcourse she had to go. Thankfully she was wearing loose trousers. She rolled up the pants up above her knees and went into the water.
She winced. The water was freezing cold. She looked towards Falcon , he had not bothered with such formality. Well his loss. When he did come out of the water, the freezing cloth clinging to his calf was going to be a pain in the ass.
She carefully stepped further. Slippery stones dotted the surface. More than once she slipped and steadied herself. It took her considerably more time to reach the middle than it had Falcon .
He waited patiently and extended his arm towards her when she came closer.
She put his hand in his and he started moving forward without glancing back. His grip strong around her hand. Her heart was hammering. Was this casual for him? Was this casual in general? This thoughtless intimacy? She had not held hands with anyone and suddenly getting to do so with Falcon was not the smartest idea. She could barely feel the water around her as her ears glowed red and her face heated.
YOU ARE READING
The Caged Princess(Book 1)
Fantasy"If her head wasn't stuck under water she would have wailed and cried. Her body trembling. She had no sense of self. Hardly noticed that the water's temperature had dropped further to a freezing degree. "There was just one thing. One solid thing. T...
