Unveiled

~ Chapter 11 ~

The hard days ride was tiring, but well needed and comforting. Naya and Xander didnt talk much, not that it bothered her. She just wanted to arrive at wherever he was taking her.

Xander slows his mare down; whom Naya found out her name was Libia, and she trots forward pulling up next to him, his Fae ears concentrating on noises. He brings her to a stop and dismounts leading her on foot through the trees. Poncho follows Libia and she has to duck and dive to miss the branches in her way.

Soon they arrive in a clearing and Naya's breath is taken away. In front of her is a cliff and in the middle of the cliff is a waterfall, frozen by ice. At the bottom of the waterfall is a small lake, also frozen.

Naya dismounts and she can see the smirk on Xander's face, out the corner of her eye, as she walks closer, as if in a trance. At the edge of the lake, she goes down on one knee and stretches her hand out to the lake and touching the ice cold surface.

Naya smiles and looks back at Xander. "This is what you wanted to show me?" She asks, brow raised. He nods. She looks back at the waterfall and can hear him unpacking the supplies and setting them up.

Naya only stands up when she hears Poncho's restlessness and walks towards him. She digs in the saddle bag and takes out an apple. She stands in front of him, stokes his nose and then she gives him the apple. While Poncho is eating she removes the saddle, putting it on the snow beside him. She removes her sword and fighting knives, putting them in the tent Xander set up.

Next to the lake, Xander set up a few logs around a batch of branches for the fire. Naya walks towards him, where he is sitting on the one of the logs, looking out towards the sunset, the frozen lake behind him.

Naya sits next to him on the log and asks, "So, whose idea was this exactly." She moves her hands around to indicate the landscape.

"My father said that I should take you out someplace, for the evening."

"And you chose this?"

"I noticed how much you love nature when we are ride together and when we are done training."

Naya nods and they enjoy the sunset together. No wonder Xander warned her not to get the wrong idea. This landscape was magical and can easily slip a girl of her feet.