Backwards Fairy Tale

Chapter 12: I will bestow upon you a gift

When Giritin woke from his slumber he was in a bath house, and an unfamiliar man was scrubbing his back. The water was colored red and green from when he had been pelted, and Jay's voice screaming for him to come back echoed in his mind.

"Where am I?" He thought aloud.

"You're in the realm of the snake king," The man replied scrubbing soap in his hair, "Good morning by the way sleepy head."

Giritin rose up from the warm bath water and covered his lower body in a towel, stepping out onto the cold floor of the bathhouse.

"Giritin," Bethany greeted as she entered the bath house, "You're awake."

"That armor," He replied scanning the symbols, "You are Hedrin's new knight?"

"I am your knight," She corrected, "You saved my brothers life."

Giritin searched his memory for the boy she was speaking of, and he remembered his little pony Fiora disappearing into the night.

"The infant," He replied remembering the child's giggling face, "He is alive?"

"Yes," She agreed smiling at him, "Thanks to you."

"You have spoken with the snake king about me I take it?" He asked unevenly, "Does he wish to execute me too?"

"On the contrary," She replied crossing her arms, "He wishes to give you a gift, I happened to overhear in the corridor."

"A gift?" Giritin asked skeptically, "Are you sure it is not a trap?"

"If it is I will protect you," She promised.

"I've heard that before," Giritin snarled, "I do not wish to be lied to again."

"I am not lying, I swore I'd protect you the moment I agreed to wear this armor. I can feel it here."

Giritin watched her fingers settle over her heart, and he couldn't help but believe her.

"Then we must hurry, I've heard the snake king is hot headed, and I do not wish to overexert myself again."

Bethany agreed and handed him some new clothes, assisting Lathario out as well.

"Follow me to the throne room," She instructed, "And watch your step for the snakes. Lazario is very.... Protective."

Lazario and Giritin exchanged an amused grin before following her inside the castle, and were surprised to see no snake in sight.

"That is odd," Bethany thought aloud, "The snake king must've summoned them."

The three of them were greeted by the throne room's doors, and Giritin was brought inside first.

The snake king was no longer sitting in his throne, and a small door Bethany hadn't noticed at first was held wide open by one of the palace's guards.

"Giritin must come this way," He instructed, "alone."

Bethany looked reluctant to agree, but Giritin was already crawling through the door before anyone could argue.

The moment the door shut behind him, Giritin could hear the snakes. They were so loud he felt his eardrums would explode, and he used a small bubble of magic to cut out the noise.

The small tunnel eventually grew bigger, and he looked out at the biggest cave he had ever seen, bigger than his hideaway when he kidnapped Princess Clover.

The snake king was waiting patiently in a large nest that no human or snake could ever conjure up on its own.

Giritin quickly climbed down the jagged rocks towards him, his bare feet carried by magic that protected him from injury. Once he reached the bottom, he hastily climbed up into the large nest.

"Welcome," The snake king greeted, "I assume you know why you are here?"

"No idea," Giritin admitted, "Until this point, I thought you had the intentions to slaughter me."

"You think so ill of me," The snake king chuckled, "I only intend to give back what belongs to you."

"And what is that?" Giritin asked approaching the snake king, "I have no fortune in my name, only my cloak."

"You also have this," The snake king interrupted, lifting a large egg from behind his palace guards, "It has developed for thousands of years, awaiting your return."

"A chicken?" Giritin asked playing dumb, "I'll pass snake king, I'm not that hungry."

The snake king passed the large egg into Giritin's hands, and he had to use his magic to bear the weight.

The egg crackled and glowed when Giritin's fingers touched it, and the snake king moved back with his palace guards.

Giritin waited defensively to be attacked, but at the same time he felt inclined not to drop it.

Just as he was sure he had been tricked by the snake king, a burst of light flew from the egg, and a tiny creature bat its light blue eyes.

"A dragon?" Giritin asked as the creature flew into his arms, "You are giving me a dragon?!!!!"

"I am giving you your dragon," The snake king corrected, "Just as I had received my first serpent on the day of my 17th birthday.

"I don't understand," Giritin murmured lightly touching the creatures head, "Aren't you afraid of gifting me too much power?"

"Actually Giritin I am afraid of giving you too little," He replied, "Without your alliance, I'm afraid Drendecile will take over this kingdom, and Prince Jay would stomp my kingdom into the ground."

"Your castle is under siege?" Giritin asked worriedly.

"Not for long," The snake king corrected with a confident smile, "If you accept my request for an alliance, I have no doubt we have a chance at winning this war."

"And what makes you so sure?" Giritin asked.

"You're a wizard with a dragon," The snake king chuckled, "What would a figurehead king have to offer against that?"