We walked. As the suns started to set, the weather did, indeed, grow colder. And fast. I, however, didn’t seem to notice. I was lost in thought. My arms tight around myself, the hood of my coat up over my hat and teeth chattering, but my mind was elsewhere.
"You okay? I can see that you wish to talk but seem to be holding back." He guided me around a large chunk of ice on the path.
I shrugged a shoulder. "I'm fine. It's just all new. Not sure you've traveled much, but I have. At least on my planet. And my travels make me curious about the things I see." I didn’t notice that my steps had taken me closer to his side.
"Well what do you think of this part of my world?" Kane fanned his arm out, not winded or tiring.
I worked to steady my breathing. Between keeping up with his brisk pace and the sharp cold in the air, my mortality was showing more and more. “It’s intimidating, scary and different. I’ve not had any real time to see much, but it’s interesting what I have seen.” I coughed. “Your home... do your servants not have an issue with the cold? Or are they vampire as well? You said it’s not set up for warmth. Should I worry about freezing there?”
Kane chuckled. "No. Not all those in my employ are vampires. And yes. We have fireplaces and such. I live in an old mountain, long forgotten by time. Snowed over for all its life. Another race used to have a kingdom inside. That is, until they had to fight the dragons a few hundred years ago. It sat empty for some time. Now I own it. It's still cold for you humans, but I will make sure you are accommodated," he said, slowing his pace for me.
Relieved to be able to slow down a bit, I nodded as he spoke. “Fireplaces are good. Thankfully you got me the warmer clothes!” I wanted to chuckle at the mountain’s backstory and tell him how it sounded oddly like a story from my home. But then, I was curious if there was a connection. If some of the stories we know of as fairytales on earth were actually tales from other worlds like his.
Lost in that thought, I stumbled over something hard in the path and grabbed his arm for balance, steadying myself fairly ungracefully. “How far?”
He looked down feeling my hand on his arm. "Awhile longer." He leaned over and scooped me up into his arms.
I flailed, not expecting him to lift me at all. “Woah!” I latched a hold of him, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"I should have got one of the riding mounts. I normally walk this alone with ease. I may have overestimated your resilience." He glanced down at me in his arms and smiled. It’s a fleeting smile. One he doesn’t indulge in before looking forward again and regaining his typical, serious expression.
“I can walk. I’m sorry if I’m being too slow.” A part of me wanted to be stubborn and walk every step myself, but another part of me hoped he wouldn’t put me down.
"I know you can walk. I just don't need you hurt." He carried me, effortlessly.
I tried to keep myself situated in his arms for a while until I gave in and let myself rest against him with a huff. “Thank you.”
He chuckled at my pout. “You’re welcome.”
We walked for what seemed like a couple of hours. I dozed off after a while, my head resting on his shoulder. Finally, the mountains came into view, and Kane stirred me awake. “Auriena. We are close.”
I looked up. My eyes focusing as the two sets of peaks grew on the horizon before us. “You weren’t kidding about mountains. But where is your castle?”
He motioned with a nod. “The divide in the range? The part down to the level ground in the cluster of mountains? That is the passage it is in. My kingdom flanks that passage. We are heading to the tall peek in the back, nestled between the others. That is my castle."
I looked in the direction he motioned. “Shame it doesn’t look like a castle and is hidden as a mountain. But that’s beautiful enough.” My arms tightened around him as I readjusted herself. I took in the scenery as we walked. “I’ve visited castles but can’t say I’ve stayed in one. I’m curious if your world’s idea of a castle is the same as mine. Your cities are quite different. Your clothes…” I tugged on my shirt. “are different.”
He grinned. "Oh, my sweet guest. I do live in a castle. It's carved inside the mountain. The mountain itself has been hollowed out. You shall see."
“It sounds interesting.” I rested my head back on his shoulder but kept watching as we got closer.
He took us on a narrow road that had been a natural pinching point for years due to the other mountains around. When armies raged wars in the region, this would have been the turning point for the kingdom to win battles. Now, it served as the road into the city that simply lead up to a long, snow covered road with woods to either side. A scenic entrance into what had become a far more docile city.
Chapter
Three
Everwinter
A keep, carved out of stone, marked the entrance with guards on either side where the road met the mountain range. Kane casually strolled past the guards. They stood at attention as he walked past with me still in his arms. He took me down a
