THE ENCHANTED GROVE

Surviving in Viperis' City

It was a kingdom of snakes. The hole I entered recently, had now turned into a huge snake city. There were small houses for each snake.

Snakes living in houses like humans, weird. All the present snakes were minding their business and doing whatever they liked. It was even bigger than my own village.

They stopped to look at me and whispered among themselves. Even the children stopped crying to look at me.

"It's the first time they are seeing a human like you. They have heard about humans before but haven't seen one." The snake servant said with a polite smile on his face. He said 'humans' like they were a very special creature.

"The palace is just down there" He pointed with his tail. Something was off with the way he was talking to me. It wasn't like that way you talk to a stranger.

I looked ahead and saw it, a magnificent building. It wasn't like the houses for the snakes. As I walked closer to the palace, there were even more eyes staring at me. The palace guards and the maids, they were speechless at the sight of me. Some stopped their conversation with each other just to look at me in awe.

Then we entered one room where I saw an elevated throne with a proud snake sitting on it. He was being fanned by two maids. He looked like a different specie from the other snakes I saw. He wore a golden crown and was of two different colors, red and yellow.

The snake servant bowed and beckoned to me to do it too. I bowed to the snake and was asked to stand up.

Who is this stupid snake. I am just here to steal the eggs wherever they are tomorrow from this evil Viperis.

" Welcome to snake kingdom, human. What is your name? Or do humans have names?" His voice sounded like he was hissing and speaking at the same time.

"Yes humans...have names. I am Lyra."

" Lyra from where? Or don't humans come from a place?"

" I am Lyra and I have come from the village of Aquaridge  to help my people retrieve the shell and restore the water in our river and make our lands fertile again. " I ended up telling him everything.

" Is that your only mission?"

" Y-yes sir " I kept my head as low as possible to avoid looking at his intimidating face.

" That's a lie " Viperis declared.

I was now standing alone in the middle of the palace. The servant snake had gone to his position near Viperis.

Does he already know my real intentions. But how?

There was a sudden silence. I was shivering already and he waited for an answer.

Should I tell him the truth?

" Bring my mirror of vision! " He ordered to one servant who hurried away to get it.

The mirror was brought forth to Viperis and he showed me what was on it. I could see myself talking with Bushytail and falling from the tree. I also saw myself being carried away by the large hawk to her nest. I couldn't hear the conversations but it was possible to understand from just our movements. I saw myself entering the hole and then the snake servant came to meet me.

Everything seems clear now. No wonder the snake servant talked to me like he knew me already. He came immediately I entered the hole and Viperis knew my real intentions of entering coming here.

There was something I saw on the mirror before it was taken away. While I was asleep, the hawk took my little knitted purse and added it to her nest.

How come I didn't notice. No wonder something felt off.