Chapter 17

**Odette’s point of view: The beautiful reunion in the snow.**

Without a word, I followed the young vampire girl that was assigned to help me. We walked through one of many candles lit hallways until Xavier suddenly appeared in front of us.

The young vampire girl quickly bowed her head respectfully in front of him, she then turned around and did the same with me, before silently disappearing into another direction.

Afterwards, Xavier turned to face me.

Xavier: “My lady, it is time.”

With a small grin forming on his face, he deeply bowed his head at me, before he turned around in the hallway and started walking back in the same direction he came from.

All I could do, was to quickly follow him down the hall; with a heart that wanted to jump out of my chest…

We walked through a few narrow and dark hallways that was scarcely lit and climbed a few steep staircases, until we reached the ground floor. I was relieved when we finally came to a halt, in front of a small wooden door that lead to outside.

The moment I stepped outside, the cold weather hit me like a stone wall!

Immediately I started shivering, but before I could get my thoughts in order, someone wrapped a warm and fluffy overcoat around my shoulders.

After the shivering and teeth clattering stopped, I immediately turned my head around to see who was standing behind me.

All of a sudden, a feeling of blissfulness engulfed my whole being, when I stared into his familiar soft and calming hazelnut eyes...

We stood there, frozen in that position for what seemed like an eternity, lost in each other’s eyes.

After a while my neck started to hurt and with an embarrassed blush, I broke eye contact and quickly turned my whole body around in his direction.

Before lifting my head up and facing him again.

With a smile on his lips, he gently helped me get my arms into the sleeves of the overcoat. Afterwards he slowly rubbed my arms up and down with both of his large warm hands.

Alexander: “Does it feel a bit warmer now?”

He asked with a concerned look on his face.

I just nodded my head and gave him a shy and grateful smile. With the physical contact between us, my emotions are too bewildering for me to utter a single sensible word.

Alex seemed pleased with my answer when he let go of my arms and took a step back.

Alexander: “Now that we’re finally alone again, I would like for you to meet someone special to me and afterwards we can explore the landscape in the moonlight. That is, if you feel up to it?”

After he finished speaking, I already calmed down enough to answer him with a clear sounding voice.

Odette: “I would love to go with you, thank you Alex.”

Excitement filled the air, when he reached out and took my right hand in his left one, before we carefully started walking forward in the thick layers of snow covering the ground.

After walking a few feet away from the castle, we came to a stop in front of a beautiful, large, black Friesian horse with long, black silky hair hanging down his side.

In awe, I stared at the beautiful creature who’s just a few feet away from me.

Alexander: “Odette, I would like for you to meet midnight my most trusted and noble steed. I named him midnight, because when the moon is at its fullest, his black coat transforms into a beautiful, dark blue shaded colour, that shines and reflects the moon’s light on the snow around him.”

He then pulled something out of his pocket before placing it into the palm of my hand. I quickly looked up at him with a confused expression on my face.

Alexander: “It is called a sugar cube. Horses love eating it as snacks when we are on the road. They also receive sugar cubes as a treat or reward, while doing day to day training.”

Alexander: “As an introduction between the two of you, I want you to slowly walk up to him and hold your palm out with the sugar cube, close to his nose and mouth, so that midnight can get used to your scent.”

Alexander: “When he accepts and trust you enough, he will lower his head and eat the sugar cube out of your hand.”

With a fast beating heart, I nodded my head and slowly started to approach the large black horse. When I was standing an arms-length away from him, he lifted up his head and made some strange noises.

With a soft whispering voice, I introduced myself to him and told him that he didn’t have to be afraid of me and that we are going to be good friends.

With that said, I continued to walk up to him, until we stood face to face. I slowly stretched out my hand with my palm facing upwards and held it up to his nose as close as I could reach it…