The Portal

III 3.9 Childhood memories

That day, Noa had only a few meetings and his correspondence had not been extensive, which was almost a gift from the gods. He would have the rest of the afternoon and early evening free, and he wanted to take a walk to clear his mind. He remembered that since returning to Shailaja he hadn't visited his favorite spot nearby: a hot spring that wasn't even 40 minutes away. With that fate in mind, he went down to the stables to saddle his horse.

He rode unhurriedly along the beach. The strong waves lapped the sand and raised a salty mist. He loved this overcast and cool weather. At this pace, it took well over an hour to reach the forest that led to the hot spring. Amandeep's faint rays that passed through the fog barely illuminated the region surrounded by low-lying trees. The Shadow Moon would soon rise in the sky, and he thought a hot bath in the fountain would be excellent at easing the burning in his scar.

Noa jumped when he heard the splash of water. A movement caught his attention, and he narrowed his eyes until he saw, in the distance, another horse. Someone else was there. Realizing that the animal had no saddle, he wondered if it might be a wild horse. But it was so well taken care of... On second thought, he knew that horse. It was black and strong, perhaps the largest among Shailaja's animals. No doubt it was Blake's horse.

But Joshua wouldn't be there. He had just spotted him in the game room before leaving the fortress. Noa tied his horse to one of the trees and, heading for the fountain, he saw her. Right in the center of the lake, Hannah Maël floated with her little feet up and slowly swung her arms. She looked peaceful and he could have sworn she was singing under her breath. She wasn't aware of his presence, so he cleared his throat and took a step forward.

That movement was enough for her to turn around, visibly surprised. Her face and hair were wet, and her mouth formed a small "o". She was speechless.

- This is not a proper or safe place for a lady to be alone - Noa observed, trying to sound calm.

What was she thinking? What was she doing alone there at this hour?!

She looked down and blinked a few times, before answering: - It's not safe for an heir either.

The voice was low but confident.

That's a good point.

Noa knew Shailaja's security would not approve of his taste for night riding.

- Apparently, you are lucky I found you.

She gave him a confused look.

- Your horse seems to have lost its saddle. How did you intend to return?

- I... - she hesitated, but continued: - I didn't realize...

It was no surprise to Noa that Hannah liked to ride. At night, without protection, yes, it was a surprise. But she was a palatial and, in fact, he already knew her. And he knew this scene. It wasn't new.

As children, they had spent a lot of time together. They rode together on the beaches of Palatials countless times. On warmer days, they frequented waterfalls and beaches near the Palace and, Noa remembered, Hannah loved hot water.

Her presence in Shailaja reminded him more and more of that childhood time. A few months ago, if someone had asked him to talk about that time, he would have described the walks on the beach, visits to Maria José's kitchen and other nonsense. But now, forgotten memories suddenly surfaced and confused him. He had dreamed a few days ago of a performance... It was a ball, he was sure about it, and Hannah had danced. Could it be possible? She was just seven years old when her parents died.

But now, she was looking directly at him and waiting for his next move.

- I insist on accompanying you back to the fortress.