Divination.
The queen of the northern kingdom stood staring at the tender curves of her body reflected in the mirror. There was neither blemish nor speckle on her skin which resembled the smooth surface of a stone polished smooth by the currents of a river.
Her hand rested on her abdomen and pressed on it feeling the hollow emptiness.
She glanced up at her face shaped flawlessly and to a pristine glow void of the ancient days she had spent on this earth.
A sigh left her. Cold air pluming before rose red lips.
"Daemon." She uttered into the air and waited.
The summon was silent yet the air shifted with it; temperatures descending to that of a chill that marbled her flesh in goosebumps. It curled around her bare thighs and up the slant of her back.
The candles guttered and wavered against the breeze.
Without seeing the outline, she could make out its presence; the python, wrapping tenderly around her flesh. Its head nudged against her chin in a tender manner befitting of a lover.
"You ssssummoned, my queen."
The queen's head tilted as she studied herself in the mirror, eyes narrowing against the dull light of the lamp which flickered, repelled by the creature.
"Tell me," She said, hand skimming up the length of her body and to her neck, resting there where the serpent had coiled and squeezed gently. "Is he blind."
She knew the answer to her own question. It had been obvious and the facts had not changed since his father had run those long talons down his son's face, blinding him.
Yet she could not resist the comfort that came from the python which spoke nothing but truth in her ear.
The pressure increased on her throat as the serpent angled its head towards the mirror and met her reflective gaze. Its eye winked in the light and its fork-like tongue cut through the air whilst speaking.
"Nothing yet challengesss your throne." The verdict was there, displayed to her mercifully.
She bristled under the comment, clearly discontent by such words. "Yet."
"You know the prophesssy," the tongue flicked in her direction, "you know the truth."
"I do."
"Yet you sssseek a different tale."
"Tell me how I can change it."
"Hmmm." Amusement flickered in its eyes while considering her. The chill spread across her body and she shivered despite having centuries of familiarity with the serpent.
"How can I change it?"
"What do you offer in return?"
The exchange was plain in its greedy words. The queen felt its long length squeeze about her thighs in a subtle, suggestive manner. Her stomach clenched, a quiver of dread that rippled through her body.
When she smiled it did not reach her eyes, "Whatever you desire."
The silence was brief, its cold scales drifting over her flesh in waves as it squeezed her flesh and released; like an auctioneer of flesh. The python's head nudged her chin, tightened its grip on her throat until her pulse fluttered against its flesh, until veins surfaced on her temples.
The edges of her vision blurred as spots formed.
Her hands twitched at the side yet did not dare rise and disrupt its feeding of her fear. And just before she could pass out–
The python released her.
The queen gasped for air and leaned forward automatically with one hand braced against the mirror.
"What hasss been ssspoken sssshall come to passs."
Tears misted over her eyes. "You said–" she gasped, "you said I could change it."
"Yessss. You can. But it will require a ssssacrifice."
"What must I do?"
"Your dessssire isss for the throne."
"Yes."
"And who ssssitsss on the throne."
"My husband."
"To wear the crown, you mussst take it from him who wearsss it."
The queen stared unimpressed at the snake. Its parables had gone over her head multiple times and she was not one for deciphering codes, especially if it had the choice to tell her upfront.
"The king is immortal."
"Yet he bleedsss."
"You know I cannot kill him." Only his father had come close to ending the king, and that was after a brutal fight that left the father eventually buried beneath the earth. The king had, in blindness and rage, still gotten the upperhand.
To consider killing him was a suicidal job. And she preferred to breathe.
Just before her thoughts could drift, the python squeezed her throat, redirecting her back to it. "You do not ssssee."
"See what?"
"He bleedssss."
The queen was silent, trying to mollify the irritation that was brewing within her at how it was avoiding her confrontation.
And then it dawned on her like a light in the dark.
"His mate?"
The snake was quiet.
"Answer me."
Rather than answering, it uncoiled from her body and slithered down the floor towards her bed… its voice a silent guide to follow her.
What do you offer in return?