Chapter 16

There was a biting chill in the dawn's crisp air but Kresta didn't mind. With all the commotion the previous day she was just grateful for the opportunity to get out of the city into the vast if somewhat foreign countryside. While she was happy for Anna and Kristoff being stuck on a ship for over a week before attending some extravagant parties proved to be exhausting so she'd decided to take a morning for herself, rising early and borrowing a bay mare from the castle's stables for a brief excursion. After all, the Blooming Festival wasn't to start until tomorrow so this would likely be the only opportunity she would get to do so.

Giving her reins a flick, she offered mutters of encouragement as the mare slowly trod her way up a hill, tail swishing back and forth. Upon reaching a bald buff Kresta pulled back on the reins, bringing the horse to a halt as she paused to look around. Behind her lay the quiet city, sheltered by its little fjord from the boundless sea. The streets were empty and the air still but smoke was beginning to curl from the chimneys as the people awoke. Beyond it all the sun could just be seen peeking over the distant horizon, a welcoming sight if there ever was one. On the other hand, before her stretched the rugged and mysterious interior of Arendelle. Who knew what secrets were hidden within its towering peaks or sweeping vales and, while there was no way Kresta could discover them all, she was keen to seek out at least a few.

After taking a moment to admire the vast vistas encircling the fjord she leaned forward to whisper to her steed, muttering, "So the man I borrowed you from insisted that you were one of the finest mares he'd ever seen. So let's see what you can do." With that she gave the horse's rump a light smack.

Instantly the horse leapt forward, thundering down the slope in a heavy gallop with Kresta clinging on while grinning from ear to ear. An exhilarated laugh slipped from her as the wind pulled at her and tore at her cloak, nearly snatching away the satchel slung around her shoulder but she was able to hold onto it. Trees whipped past on either side and it wasn't long before they reached the bottom of the hill, the path forking up ahead.

To the left it curled around the base of the fjord before snaking up onto a plateau that overlooked the sea while never leaving sight of Arendelle. Clearly the safer of the two as the other vanished into the forest on its way towards the surrounding mountains. But if she wanted safe she would stayed in Arendelle, and what was life without a little adventure? So, coming to a snap decision, she tilted her mount to the right, vanishing beneath the evergreen boughs and leaving the open fjord behind. Before long any signs of the city were lost behind them between the pines and only then did she lay off on reins, bringing her horse down to a level trot. Despite the brisk sprint, though, the mare seemed hardly winded as though it was nothing more than a stroll. "Good girl," Kresta offered, giving her a pat on the neck while swaying in time with the canter.

While the fjord was very open, allowing one to see for miles around, the world seemed much smaller within the forest. No matter which way she looked all she could see were verdant woods in any direction as the path wound back and forth. The rimey peaks of the mountains could still be seen through the branches but other than that there wasn't much to see. However, the sierras were slowly passing by, indicating that they were indeed heading inland as she intended. Still, Kresta had hoped to see more than just trees on this venture.

After a few leagues, though, her wish was granted when the path suddenly broke from the trees onto the shore of a long narrow lake tucked into the base of the valley. The forest hemmed it in on all sides except for a set of rocky cliffs bordering the far side and the pebbly beach upon her horse now stood, though a smaller beach could be seen on the northern side. Somehow it was just warm enough for the waters to remain thawed with a small crick gurgling nearby and even a thin mist coiling over the tranquil loch. Truly a beauty of nature stolen away within Arendelle. None of that was why Kresta brought her horse to a halt, though. Rather, it was what lay beyond. While the opposing cliffs were impressive in their own right they were nothing compared to the vast mountains looming over them. With wreaths of fog decorating their peaks and glistening frost adorning their slopes each was more majestic than the last. Laid out from north to south, the rising sun's rays could be seen playing off of them, giving the imposing vistas a rosy tinge.

Several minutes ticked by before Kresta finally stirred from her stupor, still staring at the sight before her. This was exactly the sort of thing she was hoping to see and the last thing she expected was to find it so close to Arendelle. After all, she'd only gone a handful of miles. How the city's inhabitants weren't out here every day to marvel at the sight she didn't know. I suppose mountains could get old after a while if you see them every day, she thought as she swung her leg around to dismount, though she doubted the thought very much. If this was her backyard she would never tire of staring at it.

The ground gave a muffled crunch beneath her boot as she stepped onto the snowcovered beach. While the snow was beginning to retreat from the lower fjords here it remained in full force, keeping a wintery grip over the landscape other than the lake itself. Not that she cared. Though her exhales came in the form of vapory puffs and she had to draw her cloak in tight to fend off the cold Kresta had to admit the mounds of powdery snow only served to enhance the surrounding landscape. She just had to make sure that she didn't slip on the pebbles of the beach as she walked along.

Stopping to tie her horse to a tree, she was surprised to find that the mare was still hardly winded after the prolonged trot. If anything she looked like she could go for another prolonged gallop. "Looks like that guy was telling the truth. I just may have to take you home with me when I return to Maneva," Kresta muttered as she scratched her jaw. The horse wasn't paying her much heed, swishing her tail slowly, but looked up when she reached into her bag. "And I know he said that I'm not supposed to feed you anything but after that i think you deserve a little treat," she added as she held out her hand to reveal the red apple she was holding. Giving an appreciative whinny, the mare didn't hesitate to snatch it up, chewing happily as Kresta stroked her mane. "Don't worry, it'll be our little secret."

After waiting for the horse to finish her snack she turned back to the lake, giving a small shiver at the chill trying to worm through her clothes. "It is beautiful here," she said aloud with an appreciative look, still talking to the mare as she walked towards the water's edge. "Just wish it could be a little warmer." Coming to a halt at the water's edge, she looked out over the still waters and smiled when she saw how perfectly it mirrored the landscape beyond, from the cliffs to the sky. All that wonder perfectly duplicated to a fault.

Pausing by the water, she stooped down to scoop up a solitary pebble before looking at it intently. There was nothing particularly special about it but her grin still grew as she studied it before lofting it into the lake and laughing at how the resulting ripples wrapped the mirrored landscape. After watching the splash expand for a moment she turned back to the beach around her. It was composed of thousands of stones much like the one she'd just thrown and was otherwise barren except for wooden debris that washed up from the lake, most notably an uprooted log a little ways away.

Upon deciding that she wanted to sit and take in the view some more, she made to walk towards it but paused to check on her horse real quick. The mare had ignored her words and apparently found a suitable distraction in the form of some reeds sticking out of bank, munching contentedly. Still, that didn't phase Kresta as she continued to talk. She was just in a good mood and felt like talking to someone.

"Of course, I' sure the cold never bothered you anyway," she said aloud, now meandering towards the log. "What with your fur coat and all. Still, I think you'd like Maneva. It's much warmer and there's an abundance of fields throughout the countryside where a horse can be a horse." She was going to add something else but paused when she realized she didn't actually have a name to call her steed. "You know, I don't actually know your name which is absurd. A good horse like you deserves a name. Let's see, what can I come up wi-"

The rest of the sentence caught in her throat, her feet coming to a halt and her eyes hardening. She'd reached the log but it wasn't the shape or condition of the gnarled trunk that made her stop mid-sentence but what was upon it. There, sitting on the far end, was a neatly folded shirt and pants. She wasn't alone.

Instantly alert, her hand moved towards the dagger bound to her side as her eyes scanned the darkened forest. Nothing stood out but she retreated nonetheless, slowly backing towards her horse. Whoever it was hadn't announced their presence when she arrived which meant that they probably weren't too friendly and the last thing she needed was trouble. While Kresta was confident she could take care of herself should they prove hostile it was probably better to play it safe and return to town. No telling who one could meet in the wilds of the world. Having reached the mare, she moved to untie her but once more stopped when she finally spotted her quarry. Only not where she expected.

There, atop the cliffs on the opposite side of the lake, her eyes picked out a solitary person slowly moving along. A man, by the looks of it. Despite the cool weather he didn't look to be wearing anything other than some trunks as he made his way to a precipice that stood out from the cliff. Her instincts still said to leave before he noticed her, which he hadn't yet apparently, but still she lingered, puzzled by the oddity. What's he doing up there?

The answer to that quickly became clear when he suddenly rushed forward, leaping from the cliff and diving into the water below with a splash. Despite herself Kresta found herself straying back towards the beach, her jaw dropped in shock at the sight and her eyes fixed on the spot where he'd vanished. Is he nuts?! That water must be freezing! Surely he'll be dead in minutes! To her surprise, though, the man's head promptly broke the surface with spurt, him sucking in a breath of fresh air. The frigid depths didn't seem to bother him in the slightest as he tread water and stared back up at the cliffs from which he'd just lept. He did so for a few moments before giving an audible chuckle and striking out for the shore. The same shore that Kresta just so happened to be standing on.

Once again the question of whether or not to flee came up and again she chose to stay. It was probably more prudent just to leave but by this point her curiosity had gotten the better of her and she had no choice but to stay. She just had to know who this strange man was and, more importantly, how he hadn't froze to death yet. So she waited, silently watching him as he swam towards her, though her hand remained over her dagger. Upon reaching the shallows he heaved himself upright, water streaming down his bare torso, and she received a second, greater shock when she realized that this strange man was none other than the charming Lord Aaron.

If she'd been surprised that someone else was out here it was nothing to the shock when she realized who it was. Uh… wait… he's… what… what's he doing out here? No matter how hard she tried she couldn't get over the sheer coincidence of it all. That they both just so happened to be at the same isolated lake in the wee hours of the dawn was just boggling to her. It didn't help that he was very nearly naked.

While he was in fact wearing trunks that covered his lower region the rest of him his torso was left bare, leaving a lone thought to cross her mind as she found herself admiring his toned muscles. Wow. He's… built. It was in that brief stare that she realized his skin was beginning to glow a dull red, causing the water that still clung to him to evaporate with a quiet hiss, quickly becoming steam that wafted and coiled around him as it rose.

As handsome as he looked in that moment, though, she still felt her gaze drifting to a gruesome scar just below his left shoulder. A puckered and discolored mark over an inch long and half as wide, it marred him like a hideous brand and looked to go much deeper than it showed. Aaron's attention also happened to be on that scar, so much so that he apparently hadn't noticed her. He was too busy working his shoulder and frowning pensively to look up to the point that it looked like he might walk right past her. As he approached, though, Kresta elected to announce her presence with a quiet cough.

Coming to a halt at the sound, he looked up with a surprised expression and despite her lingering confusion she found herself laughing at the emotions that rippled over him. First came a realization as he recognized her quickly followed by utter bafflement, his eyes flicking around them as though looking for other people. That in turn settled for a happy if somewhat withdrawn smile and he gave her a polite nod. "Princess," he said slowly, his voice showing none of the confusion he was surely feeling. "What a… pleasant surprise."

"Isn't it?" she replied cheerfully, still giggling quietly to herself. She was still surprised to see him but that was quickly giving way to the simple joy she felt when around him. After all, he was very easy to talk to. But there was one thing he said that pricked her and caused her to give him an admonishing smirk. "And what have I told you about calling me princess?"

Aaron returned the smirk with a small chuckle of his own as he nodded again. "Or, right. Apologies, your… apologies, Kresta. It's just that you caught me off guard." At the mention of that his smile faded as he gave her a thoughtful look. "Speaking of, if you don't mind me asking… what are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same question." Unlike him she kept her smile while turning to gesture at her horse. "But if you must know I thought I'd go for an early morning ride to escape the clutter of the city and just so happened to find this place."

His focus was still on her when looked back at him but his smile had returned. "It does get a little claustrophobic now and then, doesn't it?" Aaron seemed like he was going to add something else when he apparently realized that he was standing there nearly naked and looked around for his clothes which were still sitting on the log. "Well, um, if you don't mind I'm going to make myself decent."

"Oh. Sure. Whatever you like, I don't mind." Outwardly she remained unperturbed but inwardly she found herself grumbling. Like any woman she enjoyed looking at his hardened form, though she didn't ogle like a man would. Rather she snuck glances when he wasn't looking, quickly raising her eyes again when he looked back at her. Still, to have his cover himself up again was surprisingly disappointing but she quickly squashed such thoughts, diverting them elsewhere. "While you do that, perhaps you can to me what you are doing out here."

"That's kind of a long story," Aaron replied as he made his way over to the log, running a hand through his still damp hair. He was no longer steaming but his skin had yet to return to its normal color as he sat down before pulling a pair of boots from beneath the log that she'd missed.

Disappointed by his answer, she elected to tease. "Is that how you answer all questions? By saying it's a long story?"

Smirking, he gave yet another nod as he slipped on a pair of woolen socks. "I'm afraid that's all I have to offer," he said, giving her an amused glance. "If you don't like them you could always stop talking to me."

"No, that's alright. You're just interesting enough for me not to mind."

"Am I now? That's a relief."

With that they both fell silent, her diverting her eyes away as he quickly slipped on his trousers one leg at a time, though Kresta found that her eyes kept wandering back to the puckered scar on his shoulder until she just had to ask. Clearing her throat so that he looked up, she nodded at the old wound. "If you don't mind me asking, how… how did you get that?"

"What, this?" After glancing at the mark he shrugged and said, "Someone shot me with a crossbow."

"... Oh." The last thing she expected was for him to be so nonchalant about it. His voice was so passive they could have been talking about the weather rather than what must surely have been an agonizing injury. When he offered nothing more about it she added, "That... must have been unbearably painful."

Pulling on a boot, he shrugged. "That's one way to put it. But you should have seen the other guy."

"What happened to him?"

"He's resting at the bottom of Arendelle's harbor."

"Ah."

"However, he did teach me an invaluable lesson," Aaron continued, putting on the other boot before reaching for his shirt.

"Which was?" Moving quietly, she slowly walked around him and also sat on the log, catching a final glimpse of his midriff before he actually put on the shirt.

Pausing in his efforts, he gave her a severe look. "Never turn your back on an enemy. No matter how beaten you think they are." Now fully clothed, his expression quickly softened as something occurred to him. "But that does lead us back to your question earlier about what I doing out here. See, after the wound healed I needed a way to rehabilitate my arm and swimming seemed to be the best way. Since I hate saltwater I had to find an alternative when I happened across this place and… well, here I am." With his conclusion he gestured at the surrounding landscape.

She was about to nod, accepting him for his word, but then she remembered where she'd first spotted him. "That's all well and good but then what were you doing up on those cliffs? That part of your rehab too?"

That got a dubious look as he smirked. "It's called having fun, princess. You should try it sometime, you might like it."

Giving an indigent yet playful scoff, Kresta flashed him a glare. "Excuse me, I happen to be very fun."

"Sure you are," he replied with a disbelieving look.

"I am! Funner than you, anyway. Take yesterday for example. Didn't you have fun?"

"You know, I did. And I guess that's mostly your doing."

"Told you." With that she turned her attention back to the sights around them. By that point the sun had risen high enough that, while its rays still hadn't yet reached them, it illuminated the far side of the lake, driving back the mists that still swirled above the now sparkling waters. The sight drew another smile from her and she said, "But, despite your apparent lack of appreciation for real fun, I do understand why you decided to come here of all places."

… "What do you mean?" Aaron asked, sounding confused.

"Well, look at this place," she answered, gesturing at the lake. "It's beautiful. The way the light hits the water and how the trees sway with the wind, lifting and swirling the snow in sparkling twister. And the mountains…" Pausing, her eyes lifted to the snow laden peaks as excitement crept into her voice. "We do have mountains in Maneva, you see, but nothing like these ones. Ours are so much older and worn while these are so wild and free. Like they carved only yesterday." She was going to continue but realized that she was on the verge of rambling and caught herself with an embarrassed smile. "I'm sorry, that doesn't make any sense."

She was expecting Aaron to mock or admonish her for such outlandish thoughts but when she looked over at him he was giving her a patient and even knowing smile. When their eyes met, though, he quickly blinked and looked away, also turning his attention to the distant sierra. "Actually it kind of does. Here beyond the reach of civilization the wilds can be exactly that, wild. Even the mountains themselves. With no people or buildings its just nature and nothing more. And that's what makes it beautiful."

As he talked Kresta made to look at the mountains but kept her eyes on him, admiring the sincerity with which he spoke as though he absolutely believed in what he said. It was actually kind of… appealing. When he looked back over at her, though, she quickly wiped the fondness that was crossing her face with a nod. "Exactly," she offered with a smile. "Glad someone else understands."

"Trust me I do," replied Aaron, returning the smile before a thoughtful look entered his eye. "I actually spent several years living in a place very much like this one on the shores of a different lake. I haven't been there in some time but I never tired of the view."

"It must have been quite the sight."

That got a wistful smile and a nod. "It was."

With that they both became silent, simply gazing out over the water. However, while her eyes on the opposing cliffs Kresta's mind was focused elsewhere. On the man beside her, in fact. When she'd first heard of him she'd been somewhat interested but she found that she was quickly becoming positively fascinated. They were so alike in a number of ways, which was nice, but what was even more interesting was how alien he could be. The mind that dwelt behind those amber eyes could be very familiar yet also completely inscrutable, luring her deeper as she tried to solve the enigma they hid.

Despite all that, though, there was still one thing that particularly bothered her. One of the reasons why she'd made this journey in the first place. Turning to face him, she waited until he looked at her before simply saying, "So."

That got an eyebrow arch but he didn't ask any questions, instead giving a candid smile and repeating, "So?"

"I've heard so many stories about what you can do and yet I've never actually seen them."

"...perhaps we should do something about that."

"Perhaps we should."

Aaron once again fell, silent giving yet another thoughtful look before suddenly rising to his feet and walking away. His departure was so abrupt that Kresta wondered if she had somehow insulted him. Standing as well, she made to follow him while calling, "Hey, wait. Where are you going? Aren't you going to-"

"No no, stay there," he said, cutting her off as he turned to face her. They were now standing several feet apart as he flexed his hands and she waited for him to act. Eventually, though, his face became stern as he gave her a serious look. "Just know that you have never seen anything like what you're about to see. So don't… freak out on me or anything."

Unsure of how to respond, Kresta gave a timid nod. "O-okay."

"And be sure to keep your distance." With that Aaron closed his eyes, his face tightening in concentration. For a while he did nothing, just standing there as the breeze swirled his hair. It took so long that she even started to glance around in impatience. When she looked back, though, she was not disappointed. His mouth had pulled up into an impish grin when his eyes suddenly snapped open, only they were no longer their normal selves. Instead they'd morphed into twin pools of molten fire that mirrored the raging heart of an inferno.

Seeing the amber eyes she'd begun to grow accustomed to warp into something so hellish sent an uneasy shudder along her spine but it wasn't until flames burst from his hands that Kresta gave a startled yelp, her gaze locked on his burning hands. It was one thing to hear stories of a pyromancer but it was completely different to watch the flames sprout from Aaron's very flesh yet leave him unharmed with her own eyes and if Kresta hadn't had the chance to know him beforehand she might have questioned if he was even human. As it stood she didn't know what to think and all she could do was stare into the flickering flames.

When nothing else changed, though, eventually her eyes made their way back to his infernal ones and she saw that he was still wearing that wicked smirk, only that quickly softened when their eyes met. As she watched he slowly rose his arm towards her, his palm towards the sky as the fire licked along the length of his forearm while somehow not burning his clothes. However, when his arm became level her the flames stopped shifting, instead crawling back down his arm to pool around his hand before lifting into the air. There they condensed on a single point, forming into a perfect sphere of pure fire that hovered just above his outstretched palm. It still flickered and glowed like wildfire yet was always shifting, with the outer flames constantly swirling around its blazing core, giving it the appearance of burning water rather than fire.

All throughout Kresta's eyes were fixed on the floating orb. It should have been terrifying to her that someone possessed this kind of power and could kill her on a whim but none of that occurred to her. Instead she was so caught up in how… strangely beautiful this was. The sphere was probably incredibly dangerous yer all she could do was marvel at how alluring it was. How the outer edges flickered and shone their crimson light while the core never faltered in its golden glow. The way it shimmered and shone, almost like Aaron was holding a miniature star in his hand. It was one wondrous sights she'd ever beheld, so when the orb started to drift towards her she did not retreat.

Rather than cowering or running she held her ground, watching it approach with a mixture of anxiety and awe as it slowly floated away from from his hand to cross the distance between them. She hardly blinked as it came to a halt a few feet in front of her, still burning brightly as it wafted along. Still she did nothing, though her attention was so set on it that when it began to drift around her she turned with it, keeping her eye fixed on the anomaly. It was only after she had turned around completely, now facing away from Aaron, that the orb once more stopped. There it stayed, continuing to flicker and burn as she inspected it.

It almost like the little ball was alive, the way it had moved and now stopped like it was looking back at her, although a small part of her knew it was being controlled by Aaron. That same part also knew that it was in fact quite dangerous. Even with a couple feet between them she could still feel the heat rolling off the orb. In spite of herself, though, she felt a strong urge to touch it. Just to confirm what her eyes were insisting was true. That it was real, that it existed, that it really was floating there in front of her. So, in spite of herself, her hand came up, her fingers stretching out towards the orb.

However, before she actually could make physical contact the sphere once more leapt into motion, only much faster than before as it zipped over her shoulder with blistering speed and out of sight. Spinning to follow it, Kresta turned just in time to rush back into Aaron's still-outstretched hand. The moment it made contact with him it instantly melted back into normal fire, flowing over his hand and flickering away, only this time he didn't sustain it. Closing his eyes, he allowed his hand to fall and as it did so the flames extinguished back into nothingness. When he opened his eyes she was relieved to see that they had returned to their normal amber selves.

For a while neither of them spoke, with Aaron patiently waiting while she tried to come to terms with what she'd just seen. With how real the fire had seemed and how it had behaved just like a normal fire, apart from the whole floating thing. But, more importantly, how he'd made it appear simply through apparent force of will. As though he could summon with the mere snap of a finger and release it once more if it suited him. To be honest, she realized that she should have found Aaron horrifying in that moment. That he wielded such unnatural power and could probably smite an entire city with the wave of his hand. Only… she didn't.

If anything this just made him all the more fascinating. Here was this strange and even supernatural force that dwelt within him that could probably give him the power to take anything he wanted and yet he didn't. He kept it under wraps and hidden from the world, trying to pass as just another person. In fact, he almost acted like his gift was nothing special, that it was just part of his being and that he was no more unique than anyone else. It was this benign nature, this… humbleness that she found so strangely appealing.

Not that that was what Kresta was focusing on at the moment. She was still completely caught up in what she had just witnessed, to the point that when Aaron finally did speak up she nearly missed it and only just caught it. "Kresta," he said softly, snapping her from her reprieve. When she looked at him he added in a concerned tone, "Are you okay?"

The question seemed odd to her as she felt like the answer was obvious yet she wasn't able to answer right away. After all, it was one thing to hear a question and another to answer it. Eventually, though, she was able to push her jumbled thoughts into something resembled order long enough to speak. "Am I okay? I'm… wonderful!" It was all she could do to suppress her surging excitement as she continued. "That was incredible, that was extraordinary, that was the most amazing thing I've ever seen! How did you do that?!"

Despite the embarrassment she felt immediately after her eager outburst it instantly was replaced with relief when he chuckled with a smile. "Just part of being me, I guess. But I'm glad you liked it so much. Did it live up to at least some of the stories you've heard?"

"They don't even begin to do you justice! I mean, the mere fact that you can wield fire is just… wow! I don't even have words for it!" Then, just like that, Kresta realized how giddy she was being and quickly wrestled to regain control of herself. Good lord, woman, calm down! He just showed you a little show is all. It's not like he burst into flames and created a second sun. Get ahold of yourself. Just as quickly as her excitement had come she was able to regain control, quickly composing herself before speaking again. "That is, it was rather impressive. Forgive me for my outburst, it's just that I've never seen something like that before."

This time Aaron laughed out loud while shaking his head. "That's quite alright, Kresta. I'm used to people reacting in strange ways when they see my fire for the first time. I'm just glad you're taking it so well."

Having mollified any fears that she had of having made a fool of herself, she also found herself laughing when she decided just to go for it. So, batting her lashes and mimicking a bashful smile, she asked, "Then would you mind showing me some more?"

That only caused him to laugh again but he too was able to quickly able to compose himself with a nod, answering, "I suppose I could show you a thing or two. Let's just hope you like it as much as the first."

With that fire once more spurted from his hands and he began to wield it in fantastical ways, from sending out massive blasts that shook the sky to summoning winged butterflies formed from the most delicate of flames. All the while Kresta watched with utter amazement. Having retaken her seat on the log, she followed every motion with an absolute fascination. Every cast and every blaze was more impressive to the last and she found she just couldn't look away. She even held out a finger for one of the butterflies to land on. To her surprise, though, its touch didn't even burn her. It was just a warm presence resting on her finger before vanishing in a flurry of fire.

Eventually, however, after seeing how high the sun had already climbed Kresta realized it was probably time for her to return to Arendelle lest anyone wonder what had become of her. As much as she would have liked to have stayed there by that mountain lake watching Aaron make his fiery displays there still the rest of the world waiting for them and it wouldn't do to ignore it for too much longer.

So, after a particularly impressive plume of fire over the waters that even sent up a hiss of steam, she rose to her feet once more. "Well, this was probably the most incredible hour of my life but it's probably time for us to be heading back,"she said, slowly walking towards Aaron.

Despite all the displays and flurries that surely took a great deal of energy to create he didn't seem even remotely tired, though he did nod at her suggestion. "Agreed. After all, I can't neglect my duties as Lord Protector all day."

Smiling, it was her turn to nod as she gradually made her way along the beach. Though she still hadn't heard the tale of how he became the Lord Protector of an entire kingdom after seeing firsthand what his powers could do he seemed uniquely qualified for it. After all, who better to defend the people of Arendelle from opposing treats than him. In fact, if he and Elsa combined their powers she suspected they could defeat any foe. Just as well that we're allies.

Still, despite her words Kresta found she wasn't too eager to leave Aaron's presence just yet. He was just so… fun to be around. So she tried to at least offer to keep him around. "We can give you a ride if you like, so you don't have to walk back," she said, gesturing towards her horse which was still tied to a tree. Despite all the pyrotechnics the mare somehow seemed unfazed by it all, hardly paying either of them any heed.

She was going to say more but didn't when she realized Aaron, who had fallen into stride beside her, had come to an abrupt halt and was now eyeing the horse warily. "Really?" He glanced back at her. "On that thing?"

"Yeah, why?"It took a moment of confusion but then it dawned on her and it was all she could do not to laugh. "Don't tell me you're afraid of horses."

"I'm not afraid, I just prefer not to ride them," he replied with an indignant frown, glaring at the snickering in her voice. "Besides, I'm not the one with the problem. They're the ones who have a problem with me. Probably because I smell like fire to them. Or, you know, smoke."

Nodding, Kresta was still doing her best not to outright laugh at him. There was just something so funny about how he, one of the most powerful beings she'd ever met and a brave man on top of that, was scared of a little horse. Though he wanted to deny it profusely she could still see the trepidation and even fear in his eye when he looked at the mare. Rather than teasing him, though, she decided just to let it go. They had just spent a delightful morning together and she would hate to spoil that by upsetting him.

"Alright, suit yourself. I did offer, though," she said with a smirk as she started walking again. That only lasted for a moment, though, before something occurred to her. Turning back to him, she asked, "Wait, how are you getting back? Surely you didn't walk here, that would take over an hour."

Glancing away from the horse, he shook his head. "No, I didn't walk. You see, I have my own way of getting around."

"Show me."

That got his attention as he gave her a bemused look, which in turn quickly faded into another smile. Taking a step away from her, he simply said, "Alright. Watch this," before twin gouts of flame suddenly erupted from his back.

Giving a startled cry, she jumped back a step but her shock quickly receded as, before her very eyes, those torrents of fire condensed into a pair of burning, massive outstretched wings. Both were as long as Aaron was tall and gave a flap before tucking behind him much a bird's wings would. What was most baffling about them, though, was how real they looked. Like Aaron actually had a pair of orange wings sprouting from his back, despite the fact that they were still translucent enough that she could see through them somewhat. It certainly didn't hurt that having a pair of flaming wings almost made him look like an angel of the Lord.

It took some time but she eventually came to terms with this new aspect of Aaron's powers, her eyes tracing the edges of his wings, and she was about to make a joke about how they made him look like a bird when an obvious question leapt to the forefront of her mind. "Wait. You… you can fly?"

"Impressive, right?" replied Aaron with a confident grin, giving his wings another flap. "It took some time and I nearly killed myself a few times but I eventually did find a way that my powers allowed me to fly. I would tell you how I learned this but-"

"Don't tell me. It's a long story."

Laughing, he nodded. "Hey, you're catching on."

"I tend to do that now and then." Glancing back at her horse, she found that despite this new talent she just had to offer one more time. "Still, you can always catch a ride with me. Just thought I'd give you another chance."

"Tell you what. Why don't we have a little race," he said, still grinning. "See who can get back to the castle first."

Instantly she smiled at the suggestion, seeing how she was naturally a very competitive person, though she didn't agree right away. "The stakes?"

"How about the loser has to spend some more time with the winner?"

Though this was exactly what she wanted, for some reason, Kresta kept her eagerness to accept hidden by pretending to mull it over for a bit before agreeing. "Sounds good. I just hope you like to lose."

Smirking again, Aaron offered her a confident wink before turning towards the lake. "And I'll be waiting for you at the castle. As always, it's been fun, princess."

With that, he started running, sprinting towards the lake at full speed. Before he entered the water he leapt into the air only to never come back down. As soon as he was airborn his wings swooped open with a snap, sending him soaring higher into the air. It was all Kresta could do not to let her jaw drop as she watched him float through the air with apparent ease, leisurely circling around so that he flew overhead, offering a wave before disappearing over the trees. It took a moment of her just gaping at what she'd seen but then she leapt into motion, hurrying towards her horse. After all, she wasn't about to give up without a fight.