Silas and Rowan stared at the serpent, still reeling from the unexpected turn of events. The shimmering creature, now a deep crimson with scales that gleamed like polished gemstones, curled affectionately around Rowan’s leg; its once hostile demeanour transformed into something akin to loyalty. The serpent’s ruby eyes, which had glowed with danger moments before, now held a strange warmth as it gazed up at Rowan.
Silas broke the silence first. “So... what do we do now? The Trial mandates we kill this serpent, but... look at it. It’s not the monster we expected.”
Rowan, still in shock, gently stroked the serpent’s head. “It doesn’t seem like it wants to hurt anyone. Maybe it was just scared or confused. Besides, we can’t kill it now, not after... whatever that was.” He glanced at Silas. “What if I keep it? As long as it’s okay with the idea.”
Silas raised an eyebrow, his mind racing through the implications. “A pet serpent? Well... It’s not exactly conventional, but then again you’ve got a bear for a pet... If it’s willing to stay with you, I suppose you could keep it, as long as we keep our mouths shut about the whole matter.”
Rowan nodded, then knelt down to face the serpent. “What do you think? Do you want to stay with me?” he asked softly, unsure if the creature would even understand.
To his surprise, the serpent nodded slowly as if comprehending his words. Its ruby eyes held an unmistakable look of trust and perhaps even gratitude. Rowan grinned, feeling a strange bond form between him and the serpent.
“Well, that settles it,” Rowan said, standing up with the serpent coiled around his arm. “Let’s get out of here before anyone sees us.”
As they turned to leave the alleyway, a figure appeared at the entrance. Silas and Rowan stopped dead in their tracks, their hearts sinking as they recognized the girl with golden hair and eyes clad in black attire. Her piercing gaze fell on them immediately, and Rowan felt a flutter of nervousness mixed with excitement.
‘It’s her! The girl from the market! She’s come to find me, maybe she’s smitten after seeing my unrivalled looks,’ Rowan thought, momentarily losing himself in the fantasy.
The girl stepped forward, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene. “Have you guys seen a ruby-eyed serpent around here?” she asked, her voice sharp and direct. But as she spoke, her gaze fell on the serpent coiled around Rowan’s arm, its ruby eyes looking up at her innocently. Her expression shifted from suspicion to confusion and then to something far more dangerous.
“Is that... is that serpent yours?” she demanded, her voice dropping to a low, threatening tone. “Is it the same one that attacked the Duke’s son?”
Silas and Rowan exchanged a panicked glance. They hadn’t anticipated this turn of events. Silas’s mind raced as he tried to devise a plausible explanation, but the girl’s gaze bore into them, demanding the truth.
Seeing their hesitation, the girl’s frustration grew. “If you don’t tell me what’s going on right now, I’ll inform the Duke about this. Do you know what happens to those who harbour creatures that attack nobles?”
Silas, who had been on edge since the moment the girl appeared, clenched his fists, his temper flaring. “Listen here, you—” he began, stepping forward, but Rowan quickly grabbed his arm and pulled him back, cutting him off mid-sentence.
“Silas, don’t,” Rowan hissed, shooting him a warning look. He then whispered next to his ears, “She’s your sister-in-law!”
Then, he turned back to face the girl as quick as lightning, oblivious to the dumbfounded look on Silas’s face. He forced a smile. “Miss Food Stall Owner, there’s no need to rush to conclusions. Let’s talk this out calmly.”
“...What?” The girl was momentarily confused by this address.
Rowan repeated, “Miss Food Stall Owner, let’s talk things out. We’ll tell you everything, okay?”
She grew furious and thought Rowan was deliberately teasing her. “Hey! Who... Who are you calling a food stall owner? My name is Layla Shone! I am the daughter of Countess Cassandra Shone!”
Realisation dawned on Rowan’s face.’Damn, she isn’t the food stall owner! Was she just waiting for the food?’ Hoping to diffuse the tension he quickly spoke “Oh, Lady Layla, I apologise! It’s just that you looked so elegant at the market that I couldn’t forget you... or the food. Haha” A bead of sweat trickled down his face at the end of his sentence.
Layla was not amused. “Enough with the flattery. If you two are in trouble, we need to talk. Now.”
Rowan nodded eagerly. “Absolutely, but not here. Let’s find a place to sit down and discuss this calmly. We wouldn’t want to draw any unwanted attention.”
Silas, finally shaking off his surprise, agreed. “Yeah, let’s go somewhere private. There’s a tavern nearby where we can talk.”
The three of them made their way to a small, dimly lit tavern around the corner. They settled into a secluded booth in the back, the murmur of other patrons providing a comfortable background hum. Still trying to be charming, Rowan gestured for Layla to sit first before sliding in next to Silas.
Layla eyed the serpent, which had curled up on the table, its crimson scales glinting in the dim light. Its head rested on Rowan’s hand as if it were nothing more than a loyal pet. “So, explain to me how you ended up with this serpent. And why it hasn’t tried to kill you yet.”
Rowan smiled with a hint of mischief in his eyes. “Well, it’s quite the story. But before we get into that, let’s start with introductions. I’m Rowan Amerion, and this here”—he gestured towards Silas, sitting beside him—“is my friend Silas Lonestar.”
Layla’s brow furrowed as the name registered. “Lonestar? As in Warmaster Sullivan Lonestar’s son?”
Silas gave a slight nod, his expression guarded. “Yes, that’s right.”
Her gaze lingered on him momentarily, curiosity and caution mingling in her eyes. “I’ve heard stories about your father. A formidable man, they say.”
Silas offered a wry smile. “Stories tend to exaggerate, but some of them might be true.”
Her attention shifted back to the serpent, the unease in her voice returning. “And what about this serpent? How did it come to be with you?”
Rowan leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “You see, this serpent isn’t just any creature. It’s been through something... unusual. It transformed right before our eyes, and it seems to have bonded with me.”
Layla raised an eyebrow, clearly sceptical. “Transformed? Into what?
Rowan smirked, sensing an opportunity. “Come! I will show you my majestic snake, watch closely as it transforms and reveals its true nature. We should do this under the table. We don’t want anyone else seeing it, right?” His voice brimmed with excitement, already imagining the look of awe on her face when she witnessed the serpent’s transformation.
Layla’s eyes widened in disbelief and shock, and her hand twitched as if ready to slap him. “If you’re making fun of me or trying anything inappropriate, I’ll slap you so hard your head will spin.”
Rowan blinked, taken aback. “...What? No, no! I’m serious! I meant the serpent! I was going to show you the serpent’s transformation!”
Stolen story; please report.
Silas burst into uncontrollable laughter, clutching his stomach because it ached from laughter.
Rowan glared at him before turning back to Layla, his face flushed with embarrassment. “I swear, I wasn’t trying to be inappropriate!”
Layla, still fuming, crossed her arms. “Fine. But if you’re lying, you’ll regret it.”
Rowan gingerly lifted the serpent and placed it under the table. He said, “Little guy, transform once, don’t make me look like a fool in front of the pretty lady here.” The serpent seemed to understand; it shimmered and shifted, its scales changing from crimson to a deep blue and then back again. Layla’s eyes widened as she watched the transformation.
Layla quickly looked under the table. “It... really did change,” she murmured, her anger giving way to astonishment. She looked at Rowan and Silas, her tone softening. “Alright, I believe you. But this doesn’t change the fact that we have a problem. I’m here for the same Trial—to kill the ruby-eyed serpent. I learned from one of the shops that you purchased Fever Fig, so I assumed that you would go where the snake was last seen. If you won’t kill it, neither of us can complete the Trial.”
Silas nodded. “We were thinking the same thing. But we can’t just kill it now. It’s not the same creature it was told to be before.”
Layla sighed, considering the dilemma. “Alright. So we keep our mouths shut about this matter. I don’t like that Duke and his perverted son anyway, I wouldn’t mind if both ended up dead. But we need to figure out another way to complete our trials. If we can’t kill the serpent, we’ll have to find a way to satisfy the conditions for both of our trials.”
Rowan nodded eagerly. “So, we work together?”
Layla hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, we’ll work together. But we’ll need to complete two trials—one for you, and one for me. We’ll have to be clever about this if we want to succeed.”
Silas leaned back, a smile spreading across his face. “Well, this should be interesting. Let’s see what kind of trouble we can get into together.”
Rowan grinned back, feeling a renewed sense of excitement. “Agreed. Let’s make this work.”
Layla gave them both a small smile, her earlier frustration fading. “Alright then. Let’s plan our next move. We’ll need to be smart and careful if we want to pull this off.”
The three of them leaned in closer, their heads almost touching as they began to discuss their strategy. The trials ahead would be difficult, but together, they were determined to find a way to succeed.
☪︎ ･ﾟ ･ﾟ·:｡･ﾟﾟ･⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆･ﾟ ･ﾟ·:｡･ﾟﾟ･❂
After their strategizing session, Layla, Silas, and Rowan leaned back in their chairs, finally able to relax. The tension from earlier had faded, replaced by a shared sense of purpose. The tavern’s warmth and the satisfaction of a hearty meal helped settle the unease that had lingered in the air.
Layla finished the last of her stew, wiping her mouth with a napkin. “Alright, I think we’ve covered everything we can for now. But there’s something else I’m curious about.” She glanced at the two boys, a small smile playing on her lips. “What’s this I overheard about grabbing some ‘roasted meat for Goldie’? Who—or what—is Goldie? What a weird name.”
Rowan froze, his cheeks flushing a deep shade of red. On the other hand, Silas burst into laughter once again, earning a glare from Rowan.
“Goldie is... well, uh, Goldie is my... pet,” Rowan stammered, trying to find the right words. “He’s a bear cub. With golden fur and blue eyes.”
Layla’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “A bear cub? With golden fur? That’s... unusual. How did you end up with such a rare creature?”
At this question, Rowan smiled. He said, “Well, my father found him in Amberwood Grove and gifted him to me.”
Silas, still chuckling, added, “Goldie’s got a bit of an attitude, but he’s really attached to Rowan. Like a big, fuzzy, overprotective baby.”
Layla’s curiosity was piqued. “Now I really want to meet him. Can I tag along to your inn? I’ve never seen a bear cub with golden fur before.”
Rowan grew excited but tried to keep things mysterious. He glanced at Silas, who gave him a reassuring nod. “Sure, why not? Just be warned, he’s a bit... energetic.”
The three of them gathered their things and left the tavern, Rowan carefully carrying the wrapped package of roasted meat for Goldie. Layla walked beside him, her curiosity bubbling over as she asked more questions about the cub. Rowan answered as best he could, his embarrassment slowly fading as he described the playful antics of his unusual pet.
When they arrived at the inn, the warm glow of the lanterns outside the entrance welcomed them. The innkeeper nodded as they entered, and they made their way up the narrow staircase to the room Rowan and Silas shared.
As soon as Rowan opened the door, an excited yelp filled the air, and a flash of golden fur darted toward him. Goldie, the bear cub, bounded forward, his tail wagging furiously as he tried to jump into Rowan’s arms. But as he approached, his joyful expression faltered, and he skidded to a stop, his blue eyes locking onto the small snake clinging to Rowan’s arm.
The room fell silent, the tension thickening as Goldie and the serpent stared each other down. Goldie’s wide blue eyes narrowed in suspicion, and he let out a series of indignant “Wow”s, his tone accusatory as if demanding an explanation for the intruder.
The serpent, for its part, didn’t back down. It hissed softly, coiling tighter around Rowan’s arm as if asserting its own claim.
Rowan found himself caught in the middle, glancing nervously between his two companions. “Uh... Goldie, meet... um, I guess I haven’t named the serpent yet.” He tried to keep his voice light, but the tension between the two was palpable.
Layla, meanwhile, had completely fallen in love with Goldie at first sight. Her eyes sparkled with delight as she knelt down to get a closer look at the cub. “Oh my goodness, he’s adorable! Look at those eyes! And that fur! He’s like a little golden treasure!”
But as she leaned in, her expression suddenly shifted from delight to shock. “Did... did he just say ‘wow’?” Layla asked, blinking in disbelief as she looked up at Rowan. “Is this bear... talking?”
Rowan tried to act smug “Well, yeah, he’s very expressive and likes to make his opinions known. …Even if he can only say one word for now.” His smugness seemed to be deflating at the end of the sentence.
Undeterred by the conversation, Goldie let out another series of increasingly insistent “Wow”s. his focus still locked onto the serpent. The tone of his “wow” s grew sharper, almost like a series of reprimands, as if the cub was scolding the serpent for intruding on his territory.
The serpent responded with a louder hiss, clearly not backing down, its ruby eyes narrowing in defiance.
Layla’s surprise turned into outright amazement. “He’s... arguing with the snake? And the snake is arguing back?” She glanced between Rowan, Goldie, and the serpent, trying to wrap her mind around the bizarre situation. “What kind of animals do you have?”
Meanwhile, Rowan was excited for a different reason altogether. He grew thrilled by Goldie’s brilliant performance. ‘Damn, Goldie and the snake really are girl magnets, dad was right in gifting me this little guy! Keep it going little guy I’ll reward you with ten bronze coins worth of meat tomorrow!’
Sensing an opportunity, in Layla’s words, he exaggeratedly sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Trust me, this wasn’t exactly what I wanted either, but it seems fate had grander designs for me.”
Layla responded curtly, “Stop your act, I’m feeling nauseous. Also you should stop their fight.”
Rowan grew dispirited again, hearing her reply. Even he could feel the standoff escalating and was at a loss for what to do. “Uh, guys, can we not fight? Goldie, this is... uh, a friend. We’re all friends here, right?”
Sitting against the doorframe, Silas watched the scene unfold with an amused grin. “Looks like Goldie’s not too happy about sharing his territory, Rowan. You better figure out how to calm him down before he decides to go after the serpent.”
Layla finally tore her gaze away from Goldie, realising the tension in the room. She stood up and gently touched Goldie’s head, trying to soothe him. “Hey, little guy, it’s okay. No need to be upset. I’m sure the serpent doesn’t mean any harm.”
Goldie glanced at Layla, his expression softening slightly at her touch, but his gaze quickly returned to the serpent. He let out a final, defiant “Wow,” as if making it clear that he was watching the serpent closely.
The serpent, sensing the tension might lead to an all-out brawl, slowly uncoiled itself from Rowan’s arm and slithered down to the floor, keeping a cautious distance from Goldie. It still maintained a wary eye on the cub, but the immediate threat of a confrontation seemed to have passed.
Rowan let out a relieved sigh, kneeling down to offer Goldie the roasted meat he had brought. “Here, Goldie. I brought you something tasty. Let’s focus on that, okay?”
Goldie sniffed the meat, his previous irritation momentarily forgotten as his stomach growled. He eagerly took the food from Rowan’s hand, munching happily but still shooting occasional glances at the serpent.
Layla watched the interaction with a soft smile. “Well, it seems like we have a little bit of a rivalry on our hands. But I’m sure they’ll get used to each other eventually.”
Silas chuckled, finally stepping forward to close the door behind them. “Yeah, let’s hope so. Otherwise, things are going to get really interesting around here.”
Rowan nodded, still feeling a bit frazzled but grateful that the situation hadn’t escalated further.
As Goldie continued to munch on his treat, the serpent cautiously explored the room from a safe distance. As the tension in the room finally eased, Rowan found himself smiling at the unlikely little group they were forming—even if it was bound to bring a few more surprises.
And with that, the strange new alliance between human, bear, and serpent began to take shape, with all the chaos and adventure that was sure to follow.