#lake alta

[nocturnalpicnic]

Lake Alta, obligatory yearly water color of other side seen from campsite year 17 2023 michael pontieri

#water color #lake alta #trees #paddle board #lake

[jajanvm-imbi]

With the revelation of this meme being a two parter and no one really knew, I have taken it upon myself to remake this post I made a while ago with the second part

Ily red characters ❤️ (I couldn't put all my red faves I ran out if room 😭)

#blue characters #red characters #great now i gotta retag everything #lance mcclain #alta sokka #atla katara #lok korra #dewey duck #dipper pines #gus porter #jim lake junior #douxie casperan #aja tarron #krel tarron #darling charming #yuri katsuki #sonic the hedgehog #silvermist #su sapphire #rottmnt leo #tdp callum #keith kogane #lok asami #rottmnt raph #huey duck #su ruby #atla zuko

[dioptria]

Ibonet de Lliterola - www.fotopsia.org - Instagram

#landscape #lake #mountains #photographers on tumblr #original photographers #catalonia #alta ribagorça #Pirineus

[thechembow]

Utah ski resort reports whopping 75 feet of snow that breaks season records

Apr. 25, 2023 - Fox Weather

A popular ski area outside of Salt Lake City continues to add to a record-breaking snowfall season, with the latest spring storm system helping the accumulation tally reach at least 901 inches of snow for 2022-23.

Alta Ski Area usually averages about 403 inches in a season...

"We’ve never had a season like it," said Andria Huskinson, Communications Manager for Alta Ski Area. "It was a historic season that we’ll be talking about for years."

Winter weather enthusiasts were not able to take advantage of the slopes at the independently-owned ski area during the most recent storm because the site officially closed on Sunday and will not reopen until November.

The historic season tops the second-snowiest year by more than 150 inches and is more than double the yearly average...

#orgone #orgone energy #orgonite #orgonite gifting #utah #salt lake city #skiing #snow #record snowfall #alta ski area #weather #climate #planetary healing #geo-restoration #free energy

[dirigibleplumbing]

when I write Dean and Sam driving out on cases, I map their route, and look up roadside attractions and restaurant reviews to figure out where would be fun for them to stop.

and there is nothing quite like searching “dive” and “hole in the wall” for finding clean, well-lit, apple-store-decorated, hipster-ass places in strip malls where Dean Winchester would never be caught dead

#altas obscura is better for finding weird stuff with lots of character #but I'm looking for a place for them to stop in Utah #and the only good contender would have them going out of their way #as in 1 hr from the interstate and then 1 hr back to the interstate #they'd have to backtrack because the other option would be to go all the way around Salt Lake #which is a BIG LAKE #my writing #supernatural #posts I created #sometimes I find places where Sam can drag Dean so Sam can get a decent salad #but Sam has his own biases and limits too

[viktorcsaszar]

lake alta, blueberry docks

#ownshit #xe4 #fujifilm #alta lake #blueberry docks #whistler

[chaddavisphotography]

Snowpine Lodge in Alta Utah near Salt Lake City in September 2023.

#Alta #Lodge #Resort #Salt Lake City #Ski #Ski Resort #Skiing #Snowpine #Utah

[ideastraveller]

Alta Lake Complete Guide

Alta Lake Nestled in the heart of Whistler, British Columbia, Alta Lake is a breathtaking natural wonder that draws visitors from all over the world. As one of several pristine mountain lakes in the area, it stretches between Creekside and the Village with several parks perfect for picnicking or taking a leisurely stroll. At an elevation of 642 meters, Alta Lake is the biggest lake in Whistler…

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#Alta Lake #British Columbia

[touromania]

Everything You Need To Know About Bergamo | Italy

Everything You Need To Know About Bergamo | Italy

UNDERSTANDING BERGAMO CLICK HERE FOR HOTELS DEALS IN BERGAMO Located in Italy’s Lombardy region, the city of Bergamo is known for its green and white landscape in the winter and summer, and its prominent architecture. Its proximity to the Orio al Serio airport makes it an attractive destination for tourists. However, it’s a town with a population of approximately 122,000 people. Known for its…

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#bergamo città alta italy vlog #bergamo italy vlog #day trip to bergamo città alta vlog #day trip to bergamo città bassa vlog #day trip to bergamo italy vlog #europe #italy #lake #life in milan italy vlog #life in milano italy vlog #places to visit #things to do #top tourist places #tourism #tourist destinations #travel

[aaknopf]

A poem of girlhood and after by Indigenous New Zealander Tayi Tibble, whose second collection, Rangikura, comes out in America today. In the dictionary of Māori language, hōmiromiro is defined as “a white-breasted North Island tomtit…a little black-and-white bird with a large head and short tail.” It is often used to refer to someone with a tomtit’s keen vision—that is, a sharp eye for detail.

Hōmiromiro

I used to dream about a two-headed goldfish. I took it for an omen. I smashed a milk bottle open

on a boiling road and watched a three-legged dog lick it up and in the process I became not myself but a single shard of glass and thought finally

I had starved myself skinny enough to slip into the splits of the universe but once I did I realised that the universe was no place for a young thing to be and there is always a lot more starving to be had.

When I was a girl I thought

I was Daisy Buchanan. I read on the train. I made voluminous eyes.

Once I walked in front of a bus and it exploded into a million monarch butterflies then I was ecstatic!

As a girl, I could only fathom

time as rose petals falling down my oesophagus. It tickled and it frightened me. I ran around choking for attention.

I had projections of myself at 100 my neck weathered and adorned like the boards of a home being eaten by the earth.

When I was a girl I would lie

on the side of that road in the last lick of sun and wait for the rabbits to come saluting the sky of orange dust

and then I would shoot them into outer space.

For many years I watched them bouncing on the moon. But then I stopped caring and so I stopped looking.

More on this book and author:

Learn more about Rangikura by Tayi Tibble.

Browse other books by Tayi Tibble and follow her on Instagram @paniaofthekeef.

Hear Tayi Tibble and Harryette Mullen read from their new poetry collections at Beyond Baroque in Los Angeles, CA on April 10 at 8:00 PM. Tayi Tibble will be joined by Sasha LaPointe in Washington for a series of readings and conversations at Elliot Bay Book Company in Seattle on April 13 at 7:00 PM, at King's Books in Tacoma on April 14 at 1:00 PM, at Bainbridge Island Museum of Art in Bainbridge on April 15 at 7:00 PM, and at Third Place Books in Seattle, Lake Forest Park, on April 16 at 7:00 PM. Tayi and Sasha will also be at Broadway Books in Portland, OR, on April 17 at 6:00 PM. Tayi will be at the LA Times Book Festival signing books at the ALTA booth (Booth 111) on April 20 at 11:00 AM.

Visit our Tumblr to peruse poems, audio recordings, and broadsides in the Knopf poem-a-day series.

To share the poem-a-day experience with friends, pass along this link.

#TibbleAudio #poetry #knopf #poem-a-day #knopf poetry #national poetry month #poetry month #knopfpoetry #poem #tayi tibble #rangikura #homirmiro

[nocturnalpicnic]

the columbia river seen from above lake alta 2023 water color michael pontieri

#water color #lake alta #north central washington #summer #a short steep hike #the youths from kennewick wondered if I got up there some other way #I didn’t

[dioptria]

Ibon de Barrancs - www.fotopsia.org - Instagram

#landscape #mountains #lake #photographers on tumblr #original photographers #catalonia #alta ribagorça #Pirineus

[unactive-shroom]

hello! i hope you're doing well. for your Valentine's event, may I request nikolai lantsov with prompt #4? have a great day!

Prompt #4: Proposal ♡

“It seems like someone has a very important question to ask… and what better time to do it but on Valentine’s night?”

Character: Nikolai Lantsov. See Valentine's Event: HERE

You stood at the edge of the lake, watching the purple glow of dusk slowly swallowing the last of the early February sunshine. It had been thirteen months since Alina Starkov had left the Little Palace, and despite her offering for you to join her and Mal, you had remained by Nikolai’s side in Os Alta. Recently you’ve found yourself taking the long winding path through the trees to the Little Palace, reminiscing about the days you would spend together at the lake, chatting and feasting on blini or pelmeni stolen from the kitchen. A hand snuck around your waist. “I thought I’d find you here.” You smiled and sunk into Nikolai’s warm embrace, not realising the cold that had crept up on you. “I get that the Grand Palace is ugly on the outside and all that, but really, y/n, you’ll catch a chill if you keep coming down here without warm clothes” he said as he fussed over you, pulling a heavy velvet cloak around you. Once satisfied that you were warm, he turned his attention to the lake. The silence stretched between you two until Nikolai softly said ”You know we can visit them, right? Keramzin isn’t too far away. We could stay a few nights, bring some gifts, maybe. Or maybe they could come visit us, either.” You chuckled at that part. “I think Alina’s had enough of the palaces by now. Besides, isn’t it too risky for them to come here? They are supposedly dead, you know. And I think that people might start to get suspicious if the King of Ravka and his entourage start to regularly visit an orphange.” he hummed in agreement, tilting his head. “It’s okay, Nikolai. We did just see them, what, two months ago? I’m just being nostalgic, that’s all. Let’s head back to the Palace, It’s cold.” He took your arm in his, a look of feigned pain on his face. “Funny how you always seem to want to go back whenever I join you. Unrequited love is a terrible, terrible thing. Am’st I doomed to be alone forever-?” You let go of his arm and strode ahead of him, in no mood to put up with his antics. “Y/n, wait! I’m sorry, I’m sorry, let’s go warm up, please?”

A few hours later, whilst Nikolai was in some meeting, you found yourself in the concert hall. Empty, as always, but with a beautiful, sleek, black grand piano in the centre of the stage. Your footsteps echo, magnifying your pathway to the stage, announcing your presence as you pull out the piano stool, and as you played, you thought about how you had gotten here. Going from a high ranking army officer, experienced in intense and gruesome warfare, fighting alongside friends and seeing horrors unlike any other, to sitting here now, in a sleek and comfortable kefta, playing piano, and living in a palace. Of course, you were still a very active member of the army, and while politics held a greater position in your life than it had previously, you still had many army duties, one including tuition at the little palace. But recently, no doubt accredited to Nikolai, you had a lot of free time. “Mandatory resting periods for those involved in the war”, as he called it. And, not to mention, the whole country’s eye on you and Nikolai after a stablehand had leaked information about yours and Nikolai’s relationship. At this point, you were simply waiting for the day where acquiring a Ravkan Queen, a wife for Nikolai, was simply unavoidable, and the relationship was cut off. It made you sick to the depths of your very being, but you were determined to enjoy it while it lasted. It’s something that had always hung over the two of you, and at the beginning of your courtship you had discussed it in great detail, and you were adamant on the fact that when the time came for Nikolai to choose a wife, they would simply forget their relationship and move on with their lives. But it was getting increasingly difficult for both of you. You’d noticed that Nikolai had been closer to you recently, constantly there whenever you both had free time, or, pestering you at work, egging you on to leave work to go read with him in the library or take a walk around the palace grounds. And you had felt closer to him too, saving snippets of poetry for him in books you read, playing melodies for him on piano. These small, intimate moments meant everything to you, especially knowing that Nikolai had very little time left to spend with you before he was married off to some stranger.

Leaving the concert hall and heading back to your chambers, you heard voices in the hallway ahead of you - Nikolai and Zoya. “I just- I don’t know how to tell her, Zoya. How can I ask her-?” he sighed audibly, running a hand through his hair. He turned, and locked eyes on you. “Oh- Y/n!” The marble floor seemed to grow colder through your shoes as Zoya looked at him meaningfully. “I think you and Nikolai ought to take a quick walk around the Palace, Y/n. I’ll see you in the morning, your Majesty. Good night.”. As Zoya’s footsteps echoed down the hallway, you felt your heart fall to your stomach. This was it. Nikolai was going to tell you he had found a suitable bride and that it was no longer possible for this relationship to continue. You swallowed, and smiled at Nikolai, not wanting to draw this out any longer. “Shall we?”

You and Nikolai walked side by side through the moonlit gardens in utter silence, until finally, stopping at the glaringly white marble statue of some old king, you stopped. “Nikolai, I know what’s happening.” You whispered, turning your head away from him. “You do? Y/n, I-” You shook your head. “Don’t. I undertsand, Nikolai. You need to do what’s best for your country, I’ve always loved that about you. Just…before we part ways, I need to ask you for one last thing - and then I’ll be gone by morning, your majesty.” You turned to face him, a single tear betraying your determination to not cry, only to find Nikolai on one knee, a look of utter bewilderness on his face. You mirrored the look, not knowing what he was doing. “…why are you on the ground? Nikolai, you’ll ruin your clothes, and it’s far too cold to be-” You sniffled. “Y/n. Please let me talk. I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about, but you can’t leave now - and what’s this about us parting ways? I think you really misunderstood what I’m asking you.” Nikolai cleared his throat, suddenly looking nervous. “I… I know that our relationship hasn’t been under the best circumstances - first as Sturmhond, when I quite litterally held you captive on a boat for the state enemy and yet you fell for me, Saints knows how, and then when I proposed marriage to Alina… and now, having to keep our relationship secret…” He took a deep breath. “I know it’s been impossibly unfair on you. But please, y/n. Allow me this selfish idea - at least consider it - because I mean it when I say that you are my everything. You thrive in politics, the people love you, you have given incredible service to Ravka, you’ve fought wars - been through hell and back for this country, your beauty is unmatched even by the primal, eldest saints of the land - the sun and moon themselves are outshone by your radiance. When I imagine the ideal Queen for this country, the only person I can see fitting the role is you. Y/n L/n, would you allow me the honour of being your husband? Will you marry me?” In a complete and utter state of shock, you took a step back, incrediously shaking your head. “Me? But- but Grisha can’t- I have no title, no links to nobility - I’m an orphan from Keramzin! What will you get from marrying me?” Nikolai remained on one knee, looking directly at you. “What would I get from marrying the love of my life? Saints, y/n, I would get happiness. I would be able to go to sleep in the arms of the person I love, be able to count on her unwavering support that she’s shown me since day one, be able to wake up every morning and know that whatever happens today, I have the most incredible person by my side. I would be able to feel safety in my role as King, with an incredibly capable Queen by my side, beloved of the people and the crown itself, and know that I will not have to spend my life yearning for the woman I sent away so that I could marry for political values, as she would be in her rightful place by my side. I would do anything for you, y/n. But I just can’t bear the thought of you leaving me.”

At this point, your vision was blurry with tears, but you felt Nikolai take your hand. “Well, my love? What do you say?” You felt the tension in his gentle hold of your hand. “If you’re sure about this… then yes. I do. I will gladly marry you, Nikolai.” He beamed at you, standing up and wrapping you in his familiar, warm embrace. As he wiped the tears from your eyes, you giggled. “So does this mean that I get to call you Nikolai even when referring to you?” “You could always do that, my love.” “Yeah, but, if I did, I’d get funny looks. Oooh, can I give you nicknames now, too? How about Niko? LaiLai? Kolai? E-Kolai?” You gasped suddenly, startling Nikolai. “Oh, I have to tell Alina and Mal!” He smiled, then hummed thoughtfully. “Yeah, We’ll have to make a public address too. Then decide on the length of the engagement, do a tour, loads of boring court stuff - but it shouldn’t be too bad with you by my side. Now come along, it really is quite cold. How about we have a glass of brandy’s to celebrate? The one the Kerch ambassador sent awhile ago has been calling my name, but I simply hadn’t a good enough reason to break it out…”

A.n: Y’all the amount of Nikolai Requests I have in my inbox is INSANE. ALSO WHEN I WAS WRITING THIS I MIXED UP MAL AND MATHIAS?? so glad that I realised cause wtf. also I had to break up the last paragraph bc apparently tumblr has a limit of words u can have in one text block?? anyways. thanks for requesting, I hope you enjoyed <3

#~eden's valnetine's event #nikolai lantsov x reader #nikolai lantsov #grishaverse x reader

[myhairpintrigger]

Hello! Any chance of a one shot loosely based on that one chapter of KoS? Where reader is a noble/princess invited to the palace with other nobles/princesses so Nikolai can pick a bride and they meet and the day of the lake she is the one who fell so Nikolai dives right in and saves her and maybe they have a heartfelt convo and confess their feelings when they’re drying off by a fireplace?

im literally the worst because i haven’t read KoS yet… im a very slow reader, i will get there eventually one day i swear it. until then, i really hope this lives up to your expectations … regardless, i love u and thank u for your beautiful req. i appreciate all my reqs so dearly 🫶

warnings: none. just fluffy

word count: 2.8k

Falling (Nikolai Lantsov x fem!reader)

-

You had fallen for the King.

King Nikolai of Ravka.

How could you not, really? He was charming, boyishly handsome, kind, charismatic… the list could go on forever. And much to your surprise, he seemed to have taken quite the liking to you as well.

You were from one of the noble families in Ravka, and you’d been invited to come to the capital along with a group of other noblemen’s daughters. The idea was that King Nikolai would choose one of you to be his bride… or something like that. So far, though, it didn’t seem as if he wasn’t very pleased with this group of girls. Of course, he’d taken an obvious liking to you, but you never felt as if it was romantic. Sure, you’d fallen hard for the young king, but that didn’t mean he felt the same way. And it wasn’t like you were going to ask him about it, either.

It had been almost three months that you had been staying at Os Alta in the Grand Palace, and you stood with a few servants in your room while they put the finishing touches on your hair and face. You kept your eyes down on your pale green silk evening gown while you sat upon a stool and you hummed absentmindedly to yourself while the servants readied you for dinner. Tonight you and two other girls were to accompany Nikolai to have dinner at the vast, shimmering lake that was not too far from the palace. You knew he’s probably talk with you the most out of all of the other girls- they often gossiped about that behind your back. But it wasn’t like they needed to worry about you stealing him away from them. You and Nikolai’s conversations were fun; effortless. Friendly. Familiar.

“All done, Lady Y/n.” One of the servants said softly and you lifted your head up and looked in the mirror. You admired the way your hair had been intricately braided and you gave them all a little smile and nod through the mirror.

“Lovely, lovely work. Thank you very much, all of you.” You replied and they all smiled back at you and shuffled out of the room after ensuring that you didn’t need anything else.

You waited for them all to leave before you rose from your stool and slipped on your boots and laced them up. You stood in front of the floor length mirror near your bed and you smoothed down your dress carefully, smiling a bit at your reflection. A knock on the door startled you a bit and you tore your attention away from the mirror and made your way to the door.

You opened it with a polite smile only to find the King standing on the other side of the door, a crooked, boyish smile on his perfect lips.

Your heart did a little flip.

“Your Grace,” you greeted and bent your knee slightly, folding at the waist to curtsy for him, “What can I do for you?” You asked earnestly and straightened back up.

“No need for formalities. I’ve told you that Nikolai is much more preferable than anything else,” he began and you gave him a sheepish nod, “I don’t really need anything from you, but I’d like to escort you to dinner. Ride with me. I’ll be on my own horse but I just thought your company would be a great way to pass the time.” He explained and reached out to take your hand. He brought it up to his lips and placed a little kiss on your knuckles before he lowered your hand back to your side and let his fingers slide away from yours.

You stared at him for a moment, your cheeks warming up, “I mean, o-of course. I’d be delighted too.” You stammered.

His laugh made you bite the inside of your cheek nervously and he shook his head once, “You don’t seem very… delighted.” He pointed out, sensing your nerves.

Of course you were delighted. Anyone would’ve been delighted to ride on his horse with him.

“I am! You’ve just caught me off guard, that’s all.” You assured him and watched as he dragged a hand through his golden hair.

“Ah, good. Good. I was hoping you’d say you would. The ride isn’t very long, but I like your company. You keep a smile on my face.” He said sweetly, his cheek lifting with that very smile.

You offered him your arm and then nodded towards the hallway, “Alright then, Nikolai. Let’s just see if I can keep that smile on your face.”

He grinned.

“Brilliant.”

-

The ride to the lake was filled with playful banter and mirthful conversation, leaving not only him, but you as well, with a beaming grin.

“Alright. Then what’s your favorite flower?” Nikolai asked, going down a list of your favorite things.

You laid your hands over his wrists as he held the reins of the horse and you shuffled back against his chest just slightly.

“Hmm, I haven’t really thought of it before.” You answered after a moment.

“Every girl has a favorite flower.” He remarked.

“Well, maybe I don’t.”

“Well, it wouldn’t surprise me. You’re not every girl.”

You fell silent and tapped the backs of his hands, a coy smile forming on your lips, “Tulips.” You finally replied, turning your head back just a bit to catch his eye.

His eyes reflected the sunset that you were riding under and he flickered his gaze towards you briefly before he looked back ahead of the two of you.

“Alright. What color of tulip?” He asked after a moment, and you could hear the smile in his voice.

“All of them. Seriously, all of them. They’re all so pretty. We had a tulip garden when I was a little girl, before my father had it replaced with roses. It was my favorite thing to see, every spring.” You recalled and then let out a little sigh, “Never much cared for roses after that.”

“Well, I didn’t take you for a rose girl, anyway.” He stated as the two of you rode up towards the lake.

He stopped his horse as you approached a couple servants and he climbed off of the animal and held his hands out for you. You slid down off of the side of the horse into his hands and he gently lifted you to the ground. Once you were on the ground, Nikolai wrapped an arm around your waist and drew you into his side.

“Rose girls are boring, anyway.” He remarked wittily.

“I’m sure not all of them are boring, Your Grace.” You teased and he only shrugged in return.

There was a large dock that extended far out into the lake where a long table was set up with flickering candles adorning its surface. The other two girls were already seated at the table, as far as you could tell, and the closer you got, the easier it was to discern their glares. The King led you towards your seat and you sat down on the chair, allowing him to push you in a bit closer to the table. He gave you an almost apologetic smile as he walked around the table and grabbed the hands of the other two girls, one at a time, and kissed their knuckles, greeting them kindly.

You folded your hands in your lap as he went to take his own seat and he looked up at one of the few servants that stood near his chair.

“Would you do me a favor, please, and grab the wine?” He asked the servant and you cleared your throat.

“Your Grace? I can do it. I’m closest to the shore.” You said and pointed over your shoulder.

It was true. You were the closest. And you didn’t want to make the servants do more work than they absolutely had to do. Truthfully, their labor made you guilty.

Nikolai shook his head, “Lady Y/n, I wouldn’t dream of you lifting a finger.” He stated, but you had already taken this opportunity to rise from your chair.

“No, please! I insist. I really don’t mind.” You said, slowly backing away from the table.

“I insist you sit back down.” Nikolai countered, a broad grin forming on his face as he watched you in the bright orange sunset.

You rolled your eyes playfully and turned on your heel to walk up to shore to grab the wine from the other servants who were to be serving the food. You reached down and grabbed your silk skirt and gave it a sharp tug upwards to keep it from dragging on the ground, only to find it lodged underneath your foot.

You moved to take a step back to get the dress out from underneath your boot, but instead found yourself slipping on the silk of your gown. You gasped loudly and went tumbling backwards, over the edge of the dock and into the freezing water below. Your dress became heavy with water weight and you scrambled to paddle back up to the surface, but had no luck getting anywhere other than deeper down. Your lungs ached horribly for a breath and you felt your head begin to get fuzzy, as if it were packed full of cotton. You blinked a few times and looked up at the surface above you as it broke. The silhouette of a person dove towards you and grabbed onto your waist tightly when they reached you. Soon enough you were being yanked above water and you took a huge, loud gasp of air.

You looked down to see Nikolai’s golden hair slicked to his head with water, his eyes unreadable. He held you by your waist above water while he kicked his legs to keep himself afloat and he shook his head a few times.

“Are you okay?” He asked breathlessly and you blinked.

“I-I think so.” You replied, your skin breaking out in goosebumps. The goosebumps quickly became shivers and your teeth chattered together as you stared down at Nikolai.

“Saints, you scared me.” He breathed and then looked up at the guards that were swarming onto the dock above you two, “Here! Pull her up first!” He commanded, and lifted you a little bit higher.

You reached your hands over your head to grab onto the hands of a guard that was leaving far over the edge of the dock, and he pulled you up onto the wooden surface. You sat down on the dock and wrapped your arms around yourself, shivering violently. The guard that had pulled you up pulled Nikolai right up after you and the King was dropping to his knees in front of you not a second later.

“I need a cloak, a coat, something!” He ordered and reached out to grab your arms gently.

You looked up at him and felt your face flush ashamedly, “Your Grace, I-“

“Don’t. If you’re going to apologize, don’t.” He replied and you looked down at your lap.

A servant brought a thick cloak over and he draped it over your shoulders before he leaned towards you and gathered you in his arms. He lifted you off of the ground and he turned towards the other two girls and then nodded at his guards.

“Please see to it that these girls get back to the palace safely. I’m going to bring Lady Y/n back myself.” He instructed and wasted no time in walking the two of you back to his horse.

He carefully lifted you on first before he climbed on behind you and he kicked the animal in the side gently to get it moving.

You stayed quiet for a moment and kept your eyes down before you finally shook your head, “I am sorry, you know. I didn’t mean to ruin dinner. And Saints, I certainly didn’t mean to make you feel like you had to jump in after me.” You explained quietly.

Nikolai’s arm snaked around your waist carefully and he pulled you backwards a bit, and you settled yourself against him as comfortably as you could while shivering for your life.

“I don’t want you to be sorry. And I didn’t feel like I had to jump in. I wanted to. I wanted to help you.” He replied.

You watched as he moved one hand away from the reins and grabbed onto one of your hands, sliding his fingers gently in between yours, interlocking your fingers together.

-

Once you arrived back at the palace, Nikolai whisked you off of the horse and quickly hurried you inside, bringing you straight up to his room while he asked a few maids to light a fire in his room and draw a hot bath for you.

When the two of you had made it up to his room, he ushered you towards the blazing fireplace and you sunk down next to it, letting out an audible sound of relief. You closed your eyes and moved even closer to the fireplace before you felt a hand pull you back just slightly.

“As nice as I’m sure that feels, maybe don’t get that close to the fire. I’m afraid you might fall in.” Nikolai half-teased and you let out a dry chuckle in return.

“You are insufferable.” You remarked, but listened to him anyway.

The heat from the fire warmed your icy skin and made you feel much better. A hot bath would probably have brought you much more relief, especially with your soaked clothes, but you didn’t mind. Especially because Nikolai had taken a seat only inches away from you.

He reached out and wrapped an arm around your shoulders and pulled you against his side. Even though he was just as wet and as cold as you were, you couldn’t help but feel warm and fuzzy at the gesture. You closed your eyes and rested your cheek against his the wet fabric of his coat and you sighed contently.

“You know, this isn’t exactly how I thought I’d initially hold you by the fire.” He admitted, letting out a quiet laugh with his words.

You opened your eyes and you lifted your head up to look into his eyes. Your shock must have been rather evident, because the blonde haired king grinned so widely that you wondered if his cheeks must hurt.

“You seem surprised. Have I not been forward enough with you?” He asked and you blinked a few times.

“What on earth are you talking about, Nikolai?” You asked breathlessly and he reached up with one hand to brush a damp strand of hair away from your eyes. You leaned into his hand just slightly, and he didn’t move it away from your face. Instead he spread his fingers out and held the side of your face in his entire hand, smiling down at you affectionately.

“I’m talking about how hard I’ve fallen for you, you silly, silly girl.”

Your mouth fell open slightly and you had to will yourself to shut it. You shook your head a couple of times and let out a breathy chuckle.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I’d never kid about something as monumental as this.”

“And if you did?”

He thought for a moment after you asked your question and then he brushed his thumb soothingly across your cheekbone.

“I simply wouldn’t.” He replied finally.

The dim red and orange light of the fire lit up the King’s face beautifully, highlighting the sharp curve of his jawline and the prominent cheekbones that kept his face from looking too boyish.

“Why me?” You asked quietly and Nikolai laughed softly.

“Why not you?”

Your mouth shifted upwards a bit into a smile and you shook your head a couple of times, “I am head over heels for you.” You admitted with a shy laugh, “I just feel like… I mean… you’re the king, Nikolai.”

“So I’ve been told a few times.” He replied with a little wink, “but what does that have to do with it?”

“Nothing, I mean I just-“

“Don’t give me a spiel about how you’re just you and I’m the King. I’ve heard it far too many times. I’ve fallen for you and it cannot be reversed. Everything is so easy with you. You aren’t… like the other ones that came. They’re all so quiet and polite, too reserved to crack a joke. But you,” he chuckled and then reached out to rest his hand against the side of your face delicately, “You are amazing. Full of personality, full of life. Full of wonder. I would be very honored if you’d do me the honors of staying here. Let me get to know you even better.” He said softly.

You leaned into his hand and brought your own hand up to rest against the back of his, “I’d love to.” You breathed and then smiled widely up at him.

“Wonderful.” He breathed and mirrored your smile, and he sat in silence and admired your face the same way you admired his.

Until he finally leaned in and kissed you.

#nikolai lantsov #nikolai lantsov imagine #nikolai lantsov x you #nikolai lantsov x reader #king nikolai #grishaverse #shadow and bone imagine #shadow and bone

[viktorcsaszar]

#ownshit #xe4 #fujifilm #alta lake #lake

[chaddavisphotography]

Alta Lodge near Salt Lake City, Utah at night.

#Alta #Lodge #Salt Lake City #Skiing #Utah