Moving on, moving forward.

As Reflective as the Lake.

His annoyance grew. Where the hell was she? She said she would be here. She's late again. Rowan began to move towards the lake, where they had agreed to meet. If she was not there when he got there he would blow his top.

He walked through the woods, the green trees swaying and dancing to the singing of the birds and the skittering of the small creatures. He broke out of the trees into the little clearing that Aelin had told him about. She had found it when she was a child.He strode towards the lake, the soft grass tickling his legs. The water reflected the night sky back at him, glittering with millions of stars. He stared into it, the water reflecting back his image, and thought of her. Of her soft golden hair. Of how it felt when he ran his fingers through it and how it looked as it fell around her shoulders, framing her face. How her skin felt when he caressed it, warm and smooth yet tough and scarred, the power that writhed beneath it. And her scent, by the wyrd, her scent. Jasmine, lemon verbena, and the warm comforting smell of crackling embers. That laugh, smooth and deep, with just a hint of wild. Soft pink lips curving into that beautiful smile.He sat down, staring into his reflection. He hadn't felt like this in a long while, not since.... No, he would not think about her, she was gone.

Aelin pushed her way back into his head, like she ever wasn't in his head. He imagined her smirk, her teasing, how her body moved in sync with his, dancing around his while they sparred. The sweat gleaming on her body, sliding down her skin. Images flashed in his head and he groaned. His hands tangled in his hair, he shook his head. Taking a deep breath he tried to calm the pounding in his veins, the blood raging hot through his body heating every inch of his skin till it felt like he was on fire. Finally he got his breathing under control, oh what that woman did to him.

The wind blew, cooling his heated skin, carrying a scent that haunted his every moment. He could hear her near silent footstep growing nigh, he didn't move an inch, afraid she would know what he was just thinking about. She grabbed his shoulders and shook.

"You daydreaming about me?"She said teasingly a smirk brushed her lips. The picture so accurate to the one he just imagined, yet entirely more.

"Haha," he laughed sarcastically, shaking her off even though her touch sent burning fire down his body, caressing his very being. "Though, technically, would it be considered daydreaming if it is night?"

"Huh, I never thought of that?" she squinted at him, "Wait, are you admitting you were."

"I may have been, I don't know." he said evasively.

"You were!" she said as if she had won some epic contest, "Anyway, I need to talk to you about something I have noticed, and please refrain from ignoring me."

"I never ignore you." he replied lifting his chin.

She just looked at him blankly.

"Well, I think there may be something going on between Aedion and Lysandra."

"You only just noticed?" he said with mock surprise, "And here I thought you were the observant type. Well, I hate to admit it, I was wrong about you."

"Oh, shut it," she rolled her eyes, trying to hold back a smile, "I think they would be cute together, don't you?"

He looked at her out the corner of his eye and mumbled, "I don't know."

"What do you mean you 'don't know.'"

"I don't really care. It's not any of my business."

"Yeah, you're probably right." she sighed, sitting down beside him, her knees and shoulders brushing his, "But aren't you just a little curious?"
He blinked at her, "I guess not, well, I am not surprised, you are such a man."

"What does that mean?" he scoffed.

"All you do is man stuff."

"Man stuff?" he squinted, "What is classified as 'man stuff?'"

"Ach, I don't even know. " she said, giving up. He smirked to himself.

"What's that look for, huh?"

"Nothing."

"Fine." she said laying on her back, scooting down so her toes dipped into the water.

"Hm, the water is really nice." she muttered with her eyes closed, wriggling her toes.

"Do you want to go for a swim?" he asked her.

Opening one eye, she looked at him skeptically, "Are you planning something?"

"No." he said, confused, "What?"

She sat up slowly and moved her face towards his, searching his face for any sign of a lie. Eyes staring deep into his, as reflective as the lake.

"This just seems like a scene out of a really cheesy romance novel."

Rowan outright laughed, "Is this what you read?"

"WHAT?" she exclaimed, "Stop laughing at me, some of them are really good."

Rowan continued to laugh, falling onto his back, he laughed and laughed, until Aelin stood up and began to take off her pants. Confused and suddenly alert , he sat up.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going for a swim, I can't swim in my clothes, they'll be all wet." she smirked as she began to unbutton her shirt, "Why are you all quiet all of a sudden?"

Rowan rolled his eyes and scoffed, "It's just not funny anymore."

She laughed, sarcasm dripping off of every word she said, "Yeah. Okay. Sure. I believe you." as she waded into the water, "You coming?"

"I thought you said this was like a really cheesy romance novel."

"Yeah, well. We're here so why stop now?" she grinned floating on her back.

Laying down, he groaned, rubbing his face. What was he going to do with her.

"Come on bitch baby, what's taking you so long?"

"Bitch baby?" he laughed.

"Yep," she said popping the p, "that's your new nickname."

"How long did it take you to come up with that one?'

"Honestly, all day."

Rowan laughed again pulling himself up from the ground and beginning to undress. He waded in, the cool of the water flowing over his skin, enveloping him. Aelin was still floating on her back, the reflection made it look as if she were floating in the sky, humming to herself with her eyes closed. He chuckled to himself. This was going to be an interesting night.