Up and up, the winding staircase went. Concealed within a one of the many guard towers that lined the defensive wall surrounding the royal palace of Knife’s Edge, the masons had crafted it firmly but humbly. Plain grey stone made up the walls and stairs, with the royal crest at every landing. I followed Kristina gladly, enjoying the sight of her lithe legs powering up the stairs. She carried a picnic basket in the crook of one elbow. After summoning a few uniformed guards to the blood soaked barn we had stopped at an all-night boulangerie. Picked up a decent spread for breakfast, and with a mysterious air Kristina said she wanted to show me something. The advancing hour and her choice of location gave me a hunch at what it was, and my stomach growled at the smells radiating from the basket. But not only my appetite yearned to be slaked. Nina’s form fitting leather pants left little to the imagination. I wanted to take her right there on the stairs.

The stairs ended in a blank platform, the familiar crest engraved on the wall. A ladder rose to the ceiling. We climbed it, ladies first as usual, and emerged on the top of the tower through an iron hinged trap door.

The view took my breath away. Empty space extended as far as my eyes could see. Outwards until the horizon line, upwards until the smoky clouds, and downwards until the streets of Knife’s Edge. The buildings looked like toys from so far away. Even my keen eyes could not pick out the lack of life from so high up. The sprawling city merely looked serene, at peace. I breathed deep and sighed in contentment, shoulders folding back to expand my chest. The air tasted clean as a mountain spring.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” Nina said, “And you haven’t even seen the best part yet.” She took my hand and led me to the waist-high parapet. We ate and chatted, gazing out over the never-ending tundra. Despite the beauty of the view, my hazel eyes kept straying to stare into Kristina’s brown ones. “Hey,” she chided, “You’re about to miss the show.”

Colors began to bleed into the drab clouds that lined the horizon. Like a grey towel slowly seeping into a technicolor bath, the cloud cover brightened. First a flourish of light purple that flirted with the aged nimbus above, then a bright vibrant yellow that leapt over the distant hills. It spilled light onto everything below. The dreary plains between the city and the sun became less desolate, a playground for the morning rather than a prison cell of night. The roofs of the houses and cookeries, offices and apartments, shops and slaughterhouses alike all flashed the glow of the impending sun. As if returning the greeting the morning had sent them, by way of reflecting its joyous light to new levels.

Kristina moved in front of and took my arms in her hands, then folded them across her stomach. I rested my chin on the top of her head and squeezed gently. Her callused fingers laced through mine and caressed my tough palm. I used my free hand to pull her hat off. The smell of her downy hair complemented the crisp air, rejuvenating my spirit. She lifted my arm and kissed the back of my hand, the gentle pressure of her full lips completing the sensory trifecta. I felt her lungs expand in anticipation.

“This is my favourite part,” She whispered, wiggling within my embrace.

A flock of birds sprang from beneath the eaves of the tower. They flew upwards past us, the drum roll of their wings and the cooing of their beaks heralding nature’s crescendo. I kissed Nina’s thick hair, inhaled her essence. A strange bliss seemed to radiate from my heart and fill the air around us, perfecting the moment.

A blinding white light crested the horizon in wake of the frivolous yellow. I squinted, not wanting to miss the arrival of the sun. The brilliant orb emerged, dazzling; enchanting; awe inspiring as it ascended the heavenly ladder. The purity of its presence washed the other colors from the sky, bleaching the yellow, and the purple, and melting the grey covers until blue sky showed through. The majestic sapphire shone in the sun’s glory, the pride of Althanas unveiled for all to see. Bereft of pollution its magnificence remained untainted, flawless as a diamond in the rough.

Nina turned to me, eyes shut against the solar flare. She cupped my head in gentle hands and pulled my lips to hers. The brilliance of the morning inspired a red haze to my closed eyelids as we kissed, tasting the sweet nectar of common desire. We stayed there, locked in a passionate embrace, two mere mortals with eyes averted in reverence to a blooming day. For a time, as we swayed in the soft snuggling breeze, the endless sky absolved us of everything save each other.

Our lips parted and I found myself lost in her eyes. Words rose from within, unbidden but welcome, for whatever they were worth.

“Thank you,” I breathed, “For showing me this. It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.” The simple truth of the statement lifted worries of sounding stupid from my floating shoulders. Nina’s smile could have charmed an early dawn on any day. She kissed her fingertips then touched them to my lips, a scarlet blush painting her dimpled cheeks.

“Me too,” she whispered, eyes shining in the radiance of daybreak. Could those be tears gathering in the corners of her chocolate brown orbs? I didn’t know what to say. So I kissed her again, under the azure sky.