Viktoria was sitting in the passenger seat, hands placed lightly on her lap. Her eyes were moving between the window and Nikolai’s serene face. She had been trying to figure out where they were going for the last twenty minutes, but Nikolai was giving nothing away.
"Co on, Nikolai," Viktoria said in a light-hearted yet slightly irritated tone. "You’re not even giving a hint. I’m starting to think you’re kidnapping at this point."
Nikolai chuckled and smiled at the ntion of kidnapping. "I promise you’ll like it. Just trust ."
"I’m not a very good person when it cos to surprises," Viktoria said, giving Nikolai a mock stern look. "You’re lucky I didn’t want to drive instead."
"You wouldn’t have known the way," Nikolai said smoothly, giving Viktoria a brief glance before refocusing on the road. "It’s a secret place. You’ll see."
Viktoria let out a dramatic sigh but was unable to prevent the smile forming on her lips. "If it’s a secret place, then I hope it’s really good. You’re building this up way too much."
"It is," Nikolai said confidently, his tone light-hearted yet slightly teasing. "I’ve never been wrong about sothing like this."
"Where are we going?" Viktoria asked after a mont, her voice softer now, a little more curious. "It feels like we’re driving into the middle of nowhere."
"Maybe we are," Nikolai said with a sly smile.
She glared at him, but he just chuckled, his confidence undiminished. Viktoria relaxed back in her seat, her mind drifting away. The snow-covered scenery outside was lovely, almost surreal, and it triggered sothing in her—a fleeting feeling of familiarity. She didn’t know how to put it into words, but it was as if she’d seen sothing like this before, even if she couldn’t recall when and where.
"You’re quiet," Nikolai said suddenly, his voice piercing through her reverie. "What are you thinking?"
Viktoria shrugged lightly, her eyes still fixed outside the window. "Just... this," she said, waving her hand towards the snow-covered fields outside. "The quiet, the snow. It feels... I don’t know. Familiar, maybe?"
Nikolai glanced at her briefly, his expression sympathetic. "Good mories?" he asked cautiously.
"I think so," Viktoria said, her voice contemplative. "But it’s hard to tell sotis. It just feels peaceful, you know?"
Nikolai nodded, his hands gripping the steering wheel a little harder. "That’s good," he said softly.
The car slowed down as they drove onto a smaller, snow-covered road, flanked by tall trees on both sides. Viktoria leaned forward, her curiosity getting the better of her, as she peered out at the trees, their leaves rustling in the sunlight, causing the shadows to fall across the snow.
"This is new," she said, looking at Nikolai, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Are we close?"
"Almost," he said, his smile reappearing on his face. "Just a little further."
The trees suddenly gave way to a wide expanse of snow, and Viktoria sat up straight, her breath catching in her throat as she peered out at what was ahead of them. Before them, she could see a frozen lake, glistening in the sunlight, and lanterns placed along the sides.
"Nikolai..." Viktoria began, her voice trailing off in awe at what she was seeing before her.
He stopped the car abruptly and shut off the motor, and the silence served to enhance the beauty of the scene they had stopped to witness. He turned to her and smiled slightly, almost hesitantly. "Co on," he said, unbuckling the seatbelt. "Let’s go."
Viktoria mimicked his movents and stepped out of the car and into the cold winter air. Though the cold was biting at her cheeks, she was unaware of it as she gazed at the beautiful scene before her. Nikolai ca around the side of the car to stand beside her, his hands tucked away in the pockets of his coat as he observed her reaction.
"How did you find this place?" Viktoria asked in a voice full of wonder.
"I’ve been here before," Nikolai said simply. "A long ti ago. I thought you might like it."
"Like it?" Viktoria turned to Nikolai, her eyes sparkling with wonder. "It’s... magical."
He nodded, his breath visible in the cold air. "Co on," he said again, this ti waving his hand towards the lake. "There is more to see."
Viktoria took his hand, and he led her towards the light of the pathway. The snow beneath her feet crunched softly as they walked, and it seed to have a calming effect on her as they walked through the stillness of the afternoon air. The sun danced across the ice, causing it to sparkle like diamonds, and Viktoria couldn’t help but feel as though she had stepped into a dream world.
As they walked towards the lake, Viktoria saw sothing else—a faint glow on the ice, as though the light of the lanterns reflected off of it.
"What is that?" Viktoria asked, her curiosity piqued.
Nikolai did not answer, his smile seeming sly as he led her towards it. It wasn’t until they got to the edge of the lake, though, that Viktoria understood what it was. She took a breath in shock, her eyes widening in surprise.
Out of the frozen expanse of the lake, a few figures began to move.
Viktoria thought they were just shadows, illuminated by the light of the lanterns, until the laughter began to echo through the cold air—bright and unmistakably human.
A group of people erged from behind the trees on the far side of the lake. So of them carried small lanterns, others carried baskets, and one older man dragged a wooden sled across the ice.
Music erupted into the quiet afternoon air. A violin, and then an accordion.
Viktoria blinked in surprise. "Nikolai?"
He observed her reaction with great interest, a small smile already forming on his lips.
The people moved effortlessly across the frozen lake as if they had been doing it for a thousand tis before. Two won were spinning each other around, their thick coats flying out as they laughed, and another man was stomping his boots on the ice to the rhythm of the music.
It wasn’t so much of a performance as it was a celebration.
"What is this?" Viktoria asked, her tone laced with confusion and wonder.
Nikolai moved forward beside her, his boots crunching in the snow.
"It is a tradition," he said, and Viktoria looked at him.
"What kind of tradition is it to dance on a frozen lake?"
That made her laugh.
He nodded toward the group on the ice.
"They’re celebrating the winter."
Viktoria observed as the violinist began to play a quicker lody. Two n started to clap in ti with the music, and another woman took soone’s hand and began a whirling dance.
"They look like they’re having the ti of their lives."
"They are."
Nikolai turned and looked at her.
"You’re supposed to join in with them."
Viktoria blinked in surprise.
"Excuse ?"
He offered his hand in her direction.
"That’s part of it."
Viktoria looked from his offered hand to the happy dancing people on the ice.
"You brought all the way out here... to make dance with strangers?"
"Not strangers," he said coolly. "Friends."
Viktoria looked at the dancing people again.
One of the won was waving enthusiastically at Nikolai.
Another woman called out sothing in Russian, and they all laughed.
Viktoria looked at her with a suspicious gaze.
"You planned this."
"Of course."
"And they all know about it?"
"Most of them."
Viktoria placed her hands on her hips.
"Nikolai Volkov, you are unbelievable."
His smile widened slightly.
"You haven’t even seen the best part yet."
"Oh, there’s more?" she asked skeptically.
"Much more."
The accordion player struck a lively rhythm, and the group on the ice began clapping and stomping their boots in unison.
One of the older won shouted toward them.
"Что вы там стоите? Присоединяйтесь!"
(What are you waiting for? Join us!)
Viktoria blinked, startled by the sudden attention.
"They’re talking to you," she said under her breath.
Nikolai’s smile widened slightly.
"I noticed."
"Well?" she said, nudging him with her elbow. "Apparently we’re holding up the party."
The woman on the ice clapped again.
"Давайте! Давайте!"
(Co on! Co on!)
Nikolai extended his hand toward Viktoria."Looks like we’ve been invited."
She looked at the frozen lake, then at the laughing dancers.
"You’re sure this is safe?"
He raised an eyebrow at her.
"You trust , don’t you?"
Viktoria took a mont to answer, but Nikolai chuckled softly as he took her hand.
"Co on."
She took a mont’s hesitation before he led her out onto the frozen lake.
The ice was smooth beneath her feet, shimring in soft colors from the golden lanterns.
As they got closer, they were greeted by the others.
One woman hugged Nikolai quickly before turning to Viktoria with a happy smile on her face.
"You must be Viktoria!"
Viktoria looked at her in surprise.
"Yes?"
The woman clapped her hands in happiness.
"She’s even prettier than he said."
Viktoria turned slowly around to Nikolai.
"Oh really?"
He cleared his throat. "Maybe."
The group laughed. The violinist changed tune again, this ti fast and lively.
The old man on the sled stomped his foot.
"That is enough talk!" he said. "Dance!"
Before Viktoria could object, the woman took her hand and led her out onto the ice in a circle forming around them.
"Nikolai!" Viktoria said in half-laughter.
He stood watching her with a clear amusent on his face.
"You planned this."
"All of it."
The dancers began swaying in a circle, clapping their hands in ti with the music while gliding over the ice in a soft rhythm.
Viktoria stumbled a little on her feet.
"I don’t know this dance."
Nikolai stepped out onto the ice in a smooth glide alongside her.
"Yes you do."
She glared at him in incredulity.
"I absolutely don’t."
"Yes you did."
Her smile faded a little.
"You an before...?"
He nodded lightly.
The music continued, warm and lively around them.
He took her hands and began to demonstrate the dance steps slowly.
"Left." He spoke softly, and they danced together.
"Now right."
She tried to keep up with him.
The circle of dancers cheered as she successfully did the next dance step without slipping.
Viktoria laughed, breathless.
"This is ridiculous."
"You’re doing great."
"I’m guessing," she said between laughs, "this was supposed to help rember sothing?"
"Not really.... maybe."
She looked at him. "And if I don’t?"
Nikolai shrugged lightly.
"Then we’ll just make new mories instead."
Viktoria laughed again, and her eyes sparkled.
The music quickened, and they spun and danced with the others as snowflakes began to gently fall from the sky.
Lantern light danced across the frozen lake, reflecting off the ice like scattered stars.
She looked at Nikolai, and he was watching her with the sa quiet intensity as before.
"What?"
She laughed.
"Nothing."
He squeezed her hand lightly.
"I just like seeing you like this."
She looked at him curiously. "Like what?"
"Happy."
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