The lord of serpents

As soon as Yotta realized Lady Saphy was missing, a chill raced down her spine. She sensed danger lurking in the castle and, fueled by fear, hurried to inform the King and Queen of Princess Saphy's disappearance.

"What does this mean?" Queen Marissa's voice thundered angrily from her chambers. "Can you not keep an eye on your mistress, Yotta? Saphina has always been nothing but trouble for the entire court. Did she not know about the evil presence of my captive?"

"She did, Your Majesty," Yotta replied, her tone cold.

Queen Marissa sighed before speaking. "Take some men and find her quickly. She couldn't have gone far. Find her and bring her to the cave."

"The cave?" Yotta asked, confused.

"Do you have a problem with that? Will you not do as I ask?" the queen responded angrily.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Yotta said, then left to find Lady Saphina.

Queen Marissa always seemed to overreact when it came to Lady Saphina. Despite appearing indifferent at times, her reactions suggested otherwise. She was a model queen, beautiful yet a woman of haughty and imperious nature.

Yotta headed to the archery range to gather men and spotted Lady Saphina shooting arrows.

"My lady?" she said, surprised.

Lady Saphina, focused on her shooting, responded only after finishing. "Yotta," she said, tucking her long black hair behind her ear and preparing another arrow.

"I didn't know you were here," Yotta said.

"You know I come here often. What's different today?"

"Nothing. Just that Radna's presence is enough to instil fear in us. I'll go inform Queen Marissa of your safety."

"She thought I was missing? In danger? Dead?" Lady Saphina asked.

"Missing," Yotta replied. "I caused the panic, but Queen Marissa did overreact."

"She couldn't have. She never cares about me," Lady Saphina said.

"You never know. My lady, I think it's time to stop. Queen Marissa requests your presence in the cave."

"Am I being punished again? What cave?" Saphina asked.

"Radna's cave," Yotta responded.

For a moment, Saphina went silent, trying to comprehend her mother's decision but couldn't. Silently, she followed Yotta.

Queen Marissa and Lady Saphina had a strained relationship that lacked the typical warmth between a mother and daughter. Lady Saphina wasn't Queen Marissa's biological child, and the Queen had been reluctant to welcome the little girl into her home. This all unfolded seven years after Queen Marissa's marriage to King Nero, when he arrived home with a baby girl.

Twenty-three years in the past, the youthful and stunning Queen Marissa sat before her mirror, her thoughts consumed as she methodically brushed her hair. Her gaze fixed on her reflection, she absentmindedly tended to specific strands, lost in her own world until the creak of the door signalled King Nero's entrance. He entered the room, cradling a child in his arms.

"Whose child is that, Nero?" Queen Marissa asked.

"Our child. My Queen, we finally have a baby," King Nero said, handing over the sleeping baby to Marissa.

After staring at the baby disapprovingly, she spoke. "Where did you get this child?"

"From the merchant who supplies our weapons. He found the child alone in a house and decided to put her up for sale after she stayed with him for three weeks with no one claiming her," the King explained.

"And you believed his story?"

"He never lies to me, my queen."

"This could be a stolen child, Nero."

"It's not. It's just a homeless child."

"So you bought a child? Is that it?"

"No. I adopted her to be our little princess."

Marissa shifted her gaze from her husband to the baby and back. "I lost my child," she said tearfully, barely holding the sleeping baby.

"Yes, and our child would have been just like this now. Why don't we take it that we never lost our child and that this is her," King Nero said.

"No. Listen to yourself, Nero." Queen Marissa spoke.

"You have to take her back to where she belongs. Her parents could be bandits, assassins, or worse. She is filth and has no place in this castle."

"I'm afraid she does, Marissa. This is an innocent child, and I'll have you treat her as one. I am the King of Talcuta, and as such, it is my responsibility to protect every life, including the homeless and innocent ones like this child, especially when I have no child of my own. It doesn't matter where she comes from. We've picked her up, so we'll make her become the kind of person we want. I'm sorry, my Queen, but today I declare her…"

Queen Marissa interrupted, "The King's ward. She can't be the princess. I know we've been married for seven years without any child, but I still have enough time to bear children. Please, Nero, don't do this to us. Don't take away my chance of being a mother, please. I can't have her taking my daughter's place, please," she cried.

"My Queen, this child cannot take away your chances of motherhood. She can only bring us more blessings," King Nero said.

"Not like this. She's just a commoner. What could she hold in store for a king? Think of it, please, Nero. We'll raise her here in the castle, but as the King's ward. Please," Queen Marissa pleaded.

King Nero, never wanting to hurt his wife, agreed. She was announced to be the King's ward rather than daughter and was raised by different maids and her father. She was named Saphina.

PRESENT TIME

Lady Saphina prepared herself to meet the Queen by tidying up with great care before her maid, Yotta, escorted her to the cave. As they neared the entrance, a chill crept down Saphina's back. She was about to step into the lair where the mysterious beast, Radna, was imprisoned, unsure of the purpose behind her visit.

Lady Saphina cautiously entered the silent cave, moving at a slow pace. The only sound that broke the silence was the dripping water. The darkness engulfed the cave, rendering them unable to see without the aid of their torch. The walls were sticky due to the dripping water, giving off a mouldy smell. This was Lady Saphina's first time setting foot in the cave, as she had only heard of it before but was unaware of its location.

Lady Saphina expressed her distress to Yotta in a hushed voice, "I can't shake off this dreadful feeling about the cave."

Yotta replied in a whisper, "It's called the eldribu cave for a reason. It's known as the most terrifying place not only in this palace but in the entire kingdom."

Lady Saphina's concern deepened as she whispered back, "I don't understand why Queen Marissa has brought me here. What if Radna... What if he intends to harm us or even cause an explosion within this cave?"

Yotta provided reassurance to a concerned Saphina, saying, "Rest assured, Radna's powers are rendered ineffective within the eldribu cave. It is a mystical and ancient cavern that nullifies even the most formidable abilities. Legends speak of a priestess who was once trapped here many centuries ago. Even after her escape, she remained bound to this cave, her powers vanishing completely."

Although Yotta attempted to ease Saphina's worries with this tale, she remained more focused on her own fate in the present moment.

After a brief moment, Yotta and Lady Saphina found themselves in the presence of Queen Marissa, accompanied by a group of heavily armed guards. Queen Marissa had her back turned to them, engaged in a confrontation with Radna. The area of the cave they stood in was illuminated by faint rays of light seeping through the cracks in the walls, diminishing the overall darkness.

With a hint of reluctance, Lady Saphina called out, "Your Majesty."

Queen Marissa slowly pivoted around to meet the gaze of Lady Saphina.

"Saphy, my dear, I was growing concerned about your well-being," Queen Marissa expressed warmly.

Lady Saphina couldn't help but be taken aback by the Queen's unexpected display of affection. It was a departure from their usual interactions. A sense of unease settled within her. Was something amiss?

"Y-Your Majesty, you requested my presence," Lady Saphina stammered, choosing to ignore the Queen's friendly gesture.

"Yes, indeed. Please don't be alarmed. Come closer, my dear. I want you to meet our guest," Queen Marissa beckoned, her smile unwavering as she pointed towards Radna.

Lady Saphina's confusion deepened. Radna was supposed to be a prisoner, not a guest. Why would the Queen want her to engage with someone who posed a threat? The situation seemed inexplicable.

"A guest, Your Majesty?" Lady Saphina questioned, her voice reflecting her perplexity.

"Yes, our guest," Queen Marissa affirmed, her emphasis on the word 'our' carrying an air of significance.

With a sense of trepidation, Lady Saphina shifted her gaze from Queen Marissa to Radna, and their eyes met, locking in a moment of uncertainty…