The runaway bride | Cregan Stark

Chapter 16

It had taken a little while, and Dealla wouldn't lie and say she hadn't felt very lost for a while, but she had found the shimmering pond again. Warm steam rose from the surface of the water, while the calm surface gave off a silvery glow. There was something magical about the place. Dealla looked around uncertainly. She wanted to dive into this pond, but without anyone seeing her. It was silent around her, not even the branches of the huge trees around her made a sound. Dealla was completely alone and that made her slowly pull her shirt off her body with unsteady fingers.

Everything but her undergarment and chemise was removed and Dealla looked around nervously again before dipping a foot into the water and taking in the temperature. It was perfect. It was exactly what she needed right now and slowly Dealla took one step after the other into the pond until the water was up to her waist. Then she dived under and held her breath as she swam along under the surface.
When she resurfaced, she closed her eyes contentedly and let her body float in the warm water. She couldn't believe that she had only now dared to explore this pond more closely. She wanted to stay here forever. She swam around a little more for a while, until at some point she devoted herself to the task of undoing her braids and combing her fingers through her wet hair. The warmth and the steam made her think of her dragon Nagendra.

Dragons didn't like to fly to the north or stay there longer than necessary, but something told her that her dragon would like this place. Dealla missed her dragon. It had been more than a year now and it broke her heart to be away from her dragons for so long. "Nyke miss ao. Nyke jaelagon ao istan kesīr rūsīr issa." (I miss you. I wish you were here with me.) Dealla whispered as she let her hands glide over the shimmering surface of the water. She had actually hoped that Nagendra would sense that something was wrong and find her. But perhaps their connection wasn't as strong as she had always thought. Or something had happened to Nagendra----no, she didn't even want to say that thought out loud.

"What did you say?"

Dealla startled and turned at the sound of the voice. Her wide violet eyes met a pair of gray ones and Dealla's heart gave a small jump. "How long have you been standing there?" she asked sheepishly, dipping her upper body a little lower into the water. Cregan Stark was leaning against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest and his full attention on her. She hadn't even noticed anyone approaching her. "A minute or so," Cregan tilted his head and Dealla glided her fingers nervously in front of her. "The last few times I heard you speak High Valyrian, I was sure you were insulting me in all ways possible," the lord mused to himself and Dealla smiled slightly.

"Nyke kostagon va moriot jikagon arlī naejot doing bona, Cregan," (I can always go back to doing that, Cregan) the princess then replied and one corner of Cregan's mouth twitched upwards. "Are you going to share with me what that means?" the lord asked and Dealla just smiled back teasingly. "Skoriot iksos se kirimves isse bona?" (Where is he fun in that?) Dealla replied with a grin and moved her eyebrows up and down teasingly. "At least tell me if it's nice stuff you're saying," Cregan tried to negotiate, but Dealla just shook her head with a grin. "Your method of getting answers out of me is not exactly successful, Lord Stark."

Now it was Cregan who raised an eyebrow before pushing himself away from the tree trunk and walking over to the pond. He crouched down in front of the water and slid his hand through it before his eyes met hers. "Would you like me to join you, Princess?" he asked then and Dealla bit her lower lip. She knew that with Cregan in the water, things could get dangerous very quickly. Dangerous in the very best sense. "The water is very warm, Lord Stark. I don't know if you're up to such temperatures," she said teasingly, and Cregan grinned slightly at her before pulling his shirt off in one swift motion.
Dealla's jaw dropped until she looked away with slightly flushed cheeks. She had shared a bed with him. She had almost begged him to take her that morning and yet seeing him without a shirt was something that made her slightly nervous. She heard him laugh lightly before the splash of water followed. "Don't get nervous with me now, princess," he teased as she heard him approach her. It made her heart beat faster, especially when she thought of their last interaction before they were interrupted by Ser Adric. By the seven hells, Dealla had been ready to rip the clothes off Cregan herself. "I am not," she murmured back, hearing his light laugh beside her before she felt his hand on her and he gently turned her chin in his direction.