The wind blew towards her, bringing the smell of forest along with a couple of pale, yellow leaves that landed behind her. Along with the coloured trees in the forest, the air had become somewhat sharper the last week – gone was the chocking heatwave of the late summer, and soon enough the mountain peaks would get the season’s first layer of snow. A smile formed on her lips as she brushed an auburn lock of hair behind her ear. Autumn would always be Sabine’s favourite time of year.

She hummed as she walked among giant trees, as old as the folksong itself – the words long forgotten. Not even her grandmother had known the lyrics when she had lulled her granddaughter to sleep all those years ago, but the melody kept coming back to Sabine every time she walked on this overgrown trail, which would bring her further and further into the depth of this old, untouched forest. It wouldn’t be long now before she found herself at the foot of the mountain where her secret spot would be waiting for her, as it did every year.

This trip had become the highlight of the season – hell, the full year, if Sabine had to be honest. Some of her closest friends tried every autumn to tag along, but this trip, and her way of celebrating her birthday by herself, was hers and hers alone.

Sabine ducked under a couple of low branches, as she hummed and strode over a moss-covered log in the middle of the trail. A clearing appeared before her, and a satisfied sigh came with an intense feeling of never wanting to go back to her everyday life – it was like coming home, after a long and strenuous journey. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered to the hot spring, waiting for her at the base of the mountain looming over the forest. The chilly air had made a mist form over the surface of the warm water, like an inviting, soft blanket.

The tent could wait, Sabine decided, as she let the backpack slide down from her shoulders and onto the mossy ground. She held back a childish giggle while stripping off her warm clothes and felt the cold breeze brush against her skin. It was a liberating feeling, knowing that no one would find this special place, so far away from civilisation. She bit her lip while smiling, as she carefully walked down the naturally formed steps of the rocks into the water. She sat down on one of them.

“Happy birthday to me,” Sabine sighed happily and closed her eyes, as she laid her head back against the mossy edge surrounding the spring. “I wish I could stay here forever.” She started humming again on the old melody while enjoying the warm water surrounding her naked body.

A sound made her stop and open her eyes again, staring across ripples and through the mist towards the trees. Nothing, it was perfectly quiet. Sabine shook her head and smiled sheepishly. I’m just paranoid, she thought, probably just a deer or … A chill went from her scalp, down her neck and back, while a grinding sound, like stone against stone, filled the air right behind her. Instinct made her throw herself forward and reach the other side of the spring, while looking panicked across her shoulder as she hurried to climb out of the water in case a boulder was on its way down the mountain, ready to crush her. Water trickled down her skin, as she crawled onto the moss, staring warily at the silent mountain – no boulder could be heard, nor seen. Everything was quiet.

A shiver went down her spine, as she realised it was too quiet. No birds, no breeze – the feeling of sitting in a bubble of vacuum and no passing time made her confused, while the adrenaline from the recent shock and scare made her laugh nervously. The mist over the hot spring had thickened and grown, making it difficult to see the other side where she had just been relaxing. Had she just imagined the sound, maybe fallen asleep for a brief moment?

Something made the mist swirl in front of her. Sabine held her breath as the mist uncovered a figure standing on the opposite side of the water, in front of a rift in the base of the mountain. It was as if the rock simply had parted and opened a tunnel into the solid mass of stone. For a moment, she thought it was a statue of a tall man staring back at her, with big muscles carved out of grey stone, with perfect precision and artistic care. A crown of roots and moss braided around his head kept the long, greenish hair away from his forehead. The stranger gave her a curious look, as he gently tilted his head to one side.

Get up! However, Sabine couldn’t find the will, nor the strength to do so. Sitting sideways on the ground, she stared back at the man, bewildered. What are you doing, you stupid woman, run away! Her body and mind felt a jolt of adrenalin, before going numb again as the man walked into the water, slowly working his way towards her. Her fingers dug down into the moss beneath her, as to keep her from collapsing.

It was as if it took him forever to reach the end of the spring, keeping his eyes fixated on her. Sabine didn’t try to cover herself from his gaze, and a shiver went through her, as she knew she didn’t even want to. Instead, she felt a heat rush through her while staring at his own naked body, as he waded towards her.

The man came to a stop, staring at her from the hot spring, water barely covering his waist. His eyes were the colour of autumn, a yellowish-orange like the trees behind her. The colour seemed to shimmer for every little movement, while his gaze traced the droplets running down her breasts, continuing down her body and disappearing between her closed thighs. Sabine shivered and briefly closed her eyes, as if it was his fingers tracing her features. When she opened them again she stared into those deep, hungry eyes of his, knowing she had the same stare.

A gentle touch against her leg made a soft, unwilling moan work its way between her lips. She bit down on her lower lip, as his hand stroked upwards on the outside of her thigh, careful and curious, as if he wondered if she was real. To Sabine’s surprise his hand was warm, his skin soft – nothing like cold stone, as she first had thought him to be made of. She lifted a shaking hand and traced his strong jawline with her fingertips, almost caressing the moss-coloured beard on his chin. His other hand took a hold of hers, pressing her palm against his cheek as he smelled her wrist and closed his eyes.

Sabine couldn’t stop herself from putting her other hand on his bare chest, leaning forward to do so. She could feel his strong and regular heartbeat pound against her palm. This otherworldly creature, this man, was standing right in front of her, holding her hand against his face, while his other hand rested on her thigh. He was like any other man and yet; far from it. He let go of her hand, but Sabine still cupped his face, unable to stop touching him. Their eyes locked, as he placed both his hands around her waist. Something moved in his gaze. A question? She barely noticed herself nodding, not knowing why or for what, but her body answered him as he pulled her closer to the edge of the hot spring - she straightened up and opened her legs, putting them on each side of him. The warm water closed itself around her legs, as she sat right in front of the stranger.

He leaned closer, putting a hand on her back. His breath fell on her breast. She gasped as his tongue slid over her erected nipple, making the skin tingle and wanting more. His grey lips continued downwards, as he pushed her body gradually down on the ground. Sabine held her breath and clasped her hands around his head, as he found his way down between her thighs.

Sabine was already wet – ready for his touch, his wants and desires. She stared up at the treetops and the grey sky, as she felt his tongue press against her. Her hips lifted themselves towards him, wanting more. Her legs started shaking, as she moaned towards the sky.

The man straightened up, pulling her closer. Something pressed against her again, something pulsating and big. Sabine looked down her body and blushed as she took in the sight of his enormous manhood, glistening from the water as he entered her with his whole length in one, slow movement. “Oh, fuck …” Sabine moaned and arched her back from the sensation of his hard and long member penetrating her.

His fingers dug into her thighs, pressing them down to each side so he could come even closer, as he started to move back and forth. His eyes studied her closely as if he was trying to read her mind. Sabine stared back at him through lowered lashes, simultaneously wondering who or what he was, and not caring one bit – all that she knew was that at this moment they were linked both psychological and physiological through pure desire. And she didn’t care about anything else.

Sabine pushed herself up from the moss, throwing her arms around his neck, as she wrapped her thighs around his waist. She pressed her lips to his throat, feeling his pulse beneath the skin. She playfully bit him and gasped as he pulled her head back by her hair. He thrust himself hard into her and faintly smiled, as his gaze landed on her parted lips. The man repeated the forceful movement, watched Sabine’s eyes begging him for more. Instead, he slowed down, making her squirm and drag him closer.

“Please,” she whispered, blushing as she dug her fingernails into his shoulders. “I …” Her words died with a deep kiss from the stranger, making her almost forget what was happing or where she was. All she managed to register was his tongue caressing hers. Sabine moaned as he pulled away from her. Quickly she jumped into the water with him and pushed him backwards, forcing him to sit on one of the so-called stairs on the other side of the hot spring. Her hand found his hard erection, and she leaned close towards his chest as she massaged him up and down, painfully slow. Sabine bit his lower lip, smiling as she heard a low growl forming in his throat. “My turn,” she teased.

He groaned as her lips kissed the head of his member, before she licked it – around, up and down. Her hand held a tight grip around his penis, making the pulsation grow stronger beneath her fingers. Sabine pressed her lips around him, taking him in as saliva started to drip and run down his warm and soft skin. She placed her hands on his thighs beneath the water, to stop him from moving around. It didn’t last too long – before she knew it he had grabbed her and pulled her up on his lap, thrusting himself into her so hard that she whimpered and moaned loudly. Sabine grabbed his head, pressing her forehead against his crown.

He muttered strange words, but Sabine was too far gone into the growing sensation of getting closer to her climax to pay attention. Her body started shaking, as she threw her head back and gasped for air. She moved faster to keep up with him, and screamed when her orgasm took a hold of her. He stopped their movements as he felt her clench her muscles and shake violently. Sabine started breathing again, as the climax slowly calmed down and her body relaxed. Her heartbeat was pulsating in her ears, making her see stars behind her eyelids. A hand caressed her cheek, and she opened her eyes and stared back at him. A smile was playing on his lips, his head tilted to one side. Sabine blushed and looked away, but he turned her head back and kissed her.

She moved her hips slowly again, almost like a question towards him. He answered by kissing her more deeply, before standing up and grabbing her hand. He took a step backwards up from the water, before stopping and looking down at her with a smile. She glanced behind him, into the rift in the mountain, before looking back up at him. She held her breath, before nodding. He smiled as he led her up from the water and towards the rift. The man repeated his words when they reached the tunnel, and this time it sounded like a question.

“I’m all yours,” she whispered back.

He grabbed her by her arms and pushed her into the cold wall inside the rift, pressing himself up against her. She moaned as she let him massage her wet spot between her thighs, and gasped as he turned her around and made her face the stone wall. Her satisfied scream of him entering her again from behind echoed into the mountain, along with their groans and moans.

“Yes,” she growled, pushing herself off the wall to meet his movements, feeling his fingers dig into her skin at her hips. “Yes, oh my god, yes,” she moaned. “Fuck, I’m …” A long, soft scream made its way through her body, and this time she could feel him coming with her on the ride. He sounded like an animal growling deeply in her ear, as he gripped her tightly and held her still while he ejaculated into her soaking wet vagina, which was embracing his big, throbbing member.

It wasn’t until the echo of their breathing calmed down around them, that Sabine noticed the complete darkness. Gone was the afternoon light that had followed them into the rift. She turned her head slightly, and blinked. Had the night fallen over the forest already? “It’s dark,” she whispered confused.

He turned her slowly around, facing him again. His eyes were the only things that Sabine could see in the darkness, as they glowed and shimmered. The man brushed away the hair from her face, before placing his fingers on both her temples. He murmured something, and Sabine closed her eyes with instinct. A tingling sensation at her temples spread through her head and mind. When she opened her eyes, she could see him standing right in front of her in the tunnel. She could see that the rift was gone, as if it never existed. Gone was the forest, the hot spring, her clothes and backpack with the folded tent. Her wish had come true – she would never return to her everyday life, her job and the people who cared for her.

Something wet trickled down her face, and he caught the tears with his lips. “I am sorry,” he whispered – still using his strange language, but this time Sabine could understand him. “I tried to stay away, but my love for you has grown painfully each year, ever since you first came back to the mountain.” He caught an auburn lock of hair, curling it between his fingers. “Torturing awareness of you being near, humming that melody …”

“What do you mean,” She whispered faintly. She had answered him in his own language. Before he could answer, a shiver went through her body, as her mind suddenly seemed to remember. The melody … A shock went through her, as the memory of her grandmother faded – replaced by the truth. The spell had been broken. Her shaking fingers reached up to her head, touching a crown of braided roots.

He nodded, a sad smile resting on his lips as he witnessed her realization. Sabine stared up at this man and his own crown, this otherworldly creature, which had taken her into his mountain. “I am sorry, my love …”

Sabine shook her head and embraced him. “No,” she whispered sobbing. “It wasn’t your fault, the curse … I am sorry that you had to wait for so long for me to remember.” She stood on her toes and kissed him. “My love, my husband … My Mountain King.”

“Welcome home, my queen,” he whispered, as a tear rolled down his cheek.