Castlem: Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Charlotte and Victoria rode through the meadow on Johnathon. To Charlotte, the meadow seemed endless.
When she expressed this thought to Victoria, she replied, "That's what you think. It does end. However, it continues on for a while. The first time I traveled through this meadow, I too thought it never ended."
"But now that you have reached the end of the meadow more than once, you know better," Charlotte wisely remarked.
They rode on for a couple more hours when Victoria suddenly commanded, "Stop."
"What? Why?" asked Charlotte.
"You don't see it?"
"See what?"
Look down."
Charlotte did as she was told, but all she saw was the grassy meadow floor. "I don't see anything special," she said, turning to look at Victoria.
"Look again."
Charlotte did so and gasped, "What is that?" Rising five feet into the air, with another five feet trailing on the ground, was a dirt-brown snake.
"That," said Victoria, "is a Serpens-dragonis."
"A Serpens-what?"
"A Serpens-dragonis. It means "snake-dragon." It's the largest type of snake in Castlem. It won't harm you, unless you anger it. Then, and only then, may it harm you."
"Ssstop and nobody diesss," hissed the Serpens-dragonis.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" Victoria questioned suspiciously.
"I am Ssseymour, the Ssserpensss-dragonisss. And who might you and your companion be?"
"What's it to you?'
"My massster wishesss to know all newcomersss who passs through hisss land. I repeat, who are you?"
"Well, if you put it that way, I'm Penelope the pixie and this is my companion Amy."
"Tell the truth if you ssstill wish to live."
"All right. I'm Victoria the pixie and this is Charlotte. Now may we proceed with our journey?"
"No, after all, my massster will want to ssse and greet you. Wait here while I tell him that Victoria the pixxxie and Charlotte her companion are here. Stay where you are, or faccce cccertain death." With that, the Serpens-dragonis slithered away.
"What shall we do?" Charlotte asked Victoria.
"Simple. We wait."
When she expressed this thought to Victoria, she replied, "That's what you think. It does end. However, it continues on for a while. The first time I traveled through this meadow, I too thought it never ended."
"But now that you have reached the end of the meadow more than once, you know better," Charlotte wisely remarked.
They rode on for a couple more hours when Victoria suddenly commanded, "Stop."
"What? Why?" asked Charlotte.
"You don't see it?"
"See what?"
Look down."
Charlotte did as she was told, but all she saw was the grassy meadow floor. "I don't see anything special," she said, turning to look at Victoria.
"Look again."
Charlotte did so and gasped, "What is that?" Rising five feet into the air, with another five feet trailing on the ground, was a dirt-brown snake.
"That," said Victoria, "is a Serpens-dragonis."
"A Serpens-what?"
"A Serpens-dragonis. It means "snake-dragon." It's the largest type of snake in Castlem. It won't harm you, unless you anger it. Then, and only then, may it harm you."
"Ssstop and nobody diesss," hissed the Serpens-dragonis.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" Victoria questioned suspiciously.
"I am Ssseymour, the Ssserpensss-dragonisss. And who might you and your companion be?"
"What's it to you?'
"My massster wishesss to know all newcomersss who passs through hisss land. I repeat, who are you?"
"Well, if you put it that way, I'm Penelope the pixie and this is my companion Amy."
"Tell the truth if you ssstill wish to live."
"All right. I'm Victoria the pixie and this is Charlotte. Now may we proceed with our journey?"
"No, after all, my massster will want to ssse and greet you. Wait here while I tell him that Victoria the pixxxie and Charlotte her companion are here. Stay where you are, or faccce cccertain death." With that, the Serpens-dragonis slithered away.
"What shall we do?" Charlotte asked Victoria.
"Simple. We wait."
I greatly enjoy writing about Seymour the Serpens-dragonis. He is one of my favorite characters.
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