We had rode in the woods, me and Nikolai and I shared a horse whilst Genya and Zoya took the other one. "Hey did you pack any clothes for me?" Nikolai asked behind my back, I turned slightly. "Oh yeah, I packed you some of the Darkling's. Hope you like black." I said mockingly. He smiled lightly.

I almost lost control of the reigns when his arms slipped around my waist. "What are you doing?" I whispered turning my face on the side. "Sorry, I fear we may fall off." I let it go and glanced over at Genya and Zoya who were at it again. "Girl, how was I supposed to know that was yours?" Genya exclaimed. She sat on the back of the horse whilst Zoya took control of the reigns.

"I don't know but your the one who's in charge of the Princess's wardrobe." Zoya rolled her eyes. They were talking about me.

I smiled nervously at them and felt Nikolai's eyes burn behind my head. "How long do you think they are going to be fighting for?"

"I am going to go with twenty years. Women tend to hold onto grudges longer."

I glanced at him, his eyes went from either side of my head. "So I hear." I scoffed and continued riding.

We rode till a waterfall came up towards us. It was a truly memorising sight. The waterfall had pristine waters that layered underneath to a big lake and a small stream on the side. I have never seen this place before. The top of the water fall had small lilac flowers and lotuses with blue irises decorating the sides. The growth of the flowers in this secluded area, were definitely unnatural. They shined brightly when sunlight hit it.

I tugged on my reigns and stopped the horse. Zoya did too. "What is it?" she asked asked. My eyes travelled back to the waterfall.

"We should bathe and change here, you three should feel more refreshed as we continue. Our horses would also need rest from all the riding."

Zoya glanced at me, then to Genya and Nikolai. I knew she agreed as Genya and Nikolai began to dismount. "Good idea." Nikolai helped me dismount from my black stallion. He offered me his hand as I got out of the saddle.

We held the reigns of the horses and walked them over to the stream at the edge of the waterfall, where they began to drink from thirstily. I gently stroked the mane of my horse as I watched it drank the water. We've been riding from sun up and it was a hot day, as I looked back and to from the sun. Nikolai took off some of the bags I had at the back of the saddle.

I saw over to Genya and she began to start putting a red cloak up. She hung it from two tree branches and blocked a certain amount of water from the waterfall. "Genya, what's the red wall for?"

"Privacy duh. You can't have Nikolai look as we bathe." Genya whispered to me. She was right, we couldn't have a man see us bathe. Although the thought of it, burned my insides. I cleared my throat and gave Nikolai the small bag, full of the Darkling's clothes. It wasn't much but a long black, designer top and kefta–like leather to match. "I hope its not a bad fit."

"It'll do, and I would love to see the expression on the Darkling's face when he sees me look better than him In his colour." He remarked winking at me. I laughed lightly. "Okay, see you after we bathe."

"I've seen naked women before, but okay." Nikolai said as I walked away to where Genya and Zoya were bathing. I ignored the jibe and saw my friends, clearly naked and enjoying the waters. Genya dipped her head backwards in the water and tipped it back up, letting her hair soak in the waters. Zoya caught my eyes, "Girl, undress and come in."

"Yeah it's so relaxing here." Genya exclaimed. I thought about my scars for a second, the one on my side, the glamour ones on my arms, the tiny ones on my back. Then I recalled it was Genya and Zoya. They would understand.

"Hmm, okay." I took of my boots and put them aside a rock, then I removed the ankle length dress I was wearing. Removing the corset I wore underneath, I folded them on the side. Being naked in the forest, definitely wasn't something I had in mind or ever thought would happen. Maybe when I was with the Darkling and the Vilia appeared to him? I ignored my thoughts of him and dipped my toes into the lake. It wasn't as cold as I thought it to be. I then submerged myself under the waters and found it relaxing on my body. I swam towards the conversation with Genya and Zoya.

Zoya's eyes went over my arms for a second. "What happened to your arms?"

I realised the glamour wore off in the waters. Riya's tailoring skills were limited. Genya placed a hand on my back, I winced a little from the contact. "Caused by Fjerdan torture and the Darkling."

Zoya nodded understanding, though I could see a glimmer of empathy in her eyes.

"Doesn't this feel better than a bath at the palace?" Genya asked changing the subject, letting her hand retract from my back.

"Oh yeah."

"Hey catch us up, what happened when we were in the dungeons?" Zoya asked. I swept my wet hair to the side and gulped slightly. "uh, not much. I got a Royal guard, Bash. Um-uh Sebastian, He's kind of cute I guess and is meant to protect me. Darkling's words not mine." I laughed. "I had to move into his chambers and–"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, back up." Genya interrupted. "What do you mean you had to move into the Darkling's chambers?" Zoya asked. A little furious of the action. I get the envy she had of me. But she shouldn't have any, the Darkling means nothing to me other than someone I knew I had to defeat. "He wanted to keep a close eye on me so he had me In his room and in his bed." I said the last part quietly.

The girls eyes widened slightly. A moment of silence passed through the air. The only noise was the gushing of the waterfall and the occasional splashes from Nikolai, on the other side of the lake.

"YOU SLEPT IN HIS BED!" I closed my eyes as they both yelled at me. "Nothing bad happened."

"I wanted to sleep on his couch but he picked me up and put me on his bed then he put a boarder between us so I would be safe and promised not to force himself on me whilst I was asleep." I explained, truthfully.

I saw Genya sign heavily, as she dunked her head into the water again and came back up to the surface.

"Still, you were sleeping right next to him." Zoya said angrily, splashing water on me.

"Everyday with him was equally a thousand years In hell." I closed my eyes, remembering all he did to me.

"The amount of times, he threatened to hurt you guys, the many times he's gripped me harshly or made me cry." I felt a sob rising up my chest. "It was terrifying."

"Especially when he took me into the fold again and tried to turn it on the Fjerdan boarder. I stopped him luckily but passed out in the process." I continued to recap the story.

"You guys went into the fold again?" Genya wanted to make sure, swimming up to me. She leaned against the edge of a bolder as she rested her arms on either side of her. Her chest was slightly covered by the wet strands of her flaming red hair. I swam back up to her, leaning on the rocks beside her. I had a small glimpse out from the curtains and saw Nikolai bathing. I knew I should have looked away but I was entranced when I saw water dripping from his bare chest as he flipped his wet hair back. My mouth gaped open and I felt a red hot blush creeping up to my cheeks.

The complexion of his well built body, his abs making me blush. His hair dripping on his shoulders, hugging around his neck. He turned and I saw his back, alongside the scars from the Nichevo'ya wings. He wore his signature smile as he enjoyed the relaxing waters. "You know its not polite to stare." Genya whispered in my ear, getting my attention. I blushed madly, returning back to the girls. "I wasn't staring."

"Then why were you blushing?" Zoya asked, the same smirk playing on her lips as Genya. "I wasn't!" I denied, they kept on smiling cheekily at me. I splashed them with water. "Shut up!"

"What about the Nichevo'ya wounds?" Zoya changed the conversation, looking at the side of my abdomen. I looked down to the side and saw the purple scars, fading slightly. "That's strange, the Darkling said these wounds would never heal."

"My scars from before have gone faint." Genya pointed out, making us look at her arms and around her neck. I knew she referred to her own Nichevo'ya wounds, the night Mal was killed. Zoya looked down her chest as well and I saw the faint wounds, carved out by Grisha steel were gone too.

"Maybe it's the water. Could have healing properties?" Zoya pointed out, making sense. "Wait, this could be Westerosi magic. The waters could have been trapped here and created this waterfall in Ravka, when the Mad King took over Westeros." I referred back to my history. Zoya had a puzzled look on her face, Genya seemed to have it too.

"Right, when we were in the palace the Darkling told me that when I was unconscious from the Fjerdan attacks, a lake healed me. Spirits from Westeros healed me but they didn't heal the Nichevo'ya wound, they focused their attention onto my legs. Maybe this water does something similar." I explained, Zoya yawned slightly and I saw the sun setting on the horizon.

"Wow time goes fast." Zoya pointed out, looking into the sunset.

"Yeah we should probably get out before we have wrinkles." Genya exclaimed getting out of the lake.  All three of us quickly got dressed into the clothes I brought with me. I walked near to Nikolai's side, as I stepped onto the rock that had the drenched ends of the red curtain, fall over it.

I took a moment to think before i called out to Nikolai. "Nikolai, have y-you finished bathing?"

I briefly heard a "Yes," coming from the other side. "I'm dressed." I took a breath of relief and removed the red curtain from between us. Folding it In my arms, I saw Nikolai stood before me, dressed in one of the Darkling's black garments.

My mouth gaped in awe as I felt another hot blush fume in my cheeks. His golden locks were damp, the black top he wore–reached down to his knees and split between the sides. The collar and trim of the sleeves were darted in gold. A portion of his chest was revealed as well.

I heard someone clearing their throat behind me, snapping me out of my trance. It was Genya. "U-uh you look good." I plainly complemented the Prince before me. He smiled gently, it was genuine as he smiled a lot with his enticing blue eyes. "Thanks, so do all of you."

Genya soon made sure our hair was dry and we picked berries from some of the bushes to make a small lunch before we rested for the day.

***
Published: 20:43pm 28/03/2022