EVERNA The Snake Prince by Alistair Kane - A Fantasy Short Story for Little Light Bringers Anthology

 

EVERNA The Snake Prince
Retold by Alistair Kane

Once upon a time, in Maruksh, a kingdom of the Arcapada region, lived an old woman, alone and poor. Her daily routine involved going to the river to wash and fetch water in a small brass pot. Little did she know that one fateful day, her life would change forever.

As she washed her clothes, she left the pot unattended by the river bank. When she lifted the lid to fill it, she found herself face to face with a deadly snake, its glittering scales reflecting the sun's rays. The woman, with a heart filled with loneliness and despair, decided to take the snake home with her, hoping for it to end her life.

Upon reaching her humble hut, she carelessly tipped the pot over, but instead of the snake, a magnificent necklace fell out. Its gems shone with such intensity that the old woman couldn't help but stare in awe. Something stirred within her, and she knew that this necklace was worth more than her life. Without wasting any time, she rushed to the palace to offer it to the king.

The king, taken aback by the necklace's beauty, bought it from the old woman immediately. He had long searched for a way to make his queen happy, for she had been unable to bear children and was filled with deep sadness. As soon as the queen saw the necklace, she was overjoyed, and she locked it away in her jewel chest.

Days passed, and the queen wanted to admire the necklace again. But when she opened the chest, she found nothing but an empty space where the necklace once was. To her amazement, a baby boy sat on a silk cushion, smiling and beaming happily at her.

The queen's heart swelled with love and happiness. She had always longed for a baby and knew that this child was the lovelier jewel than any necklace that ever existed. "Oh, so sweet! I'll name him Raju," she exclaimed, holding the baby close to her heart.

As Raju grew into a handsome and wise young man, his parents began to look for a bride for their son. After much consideration, it was decided that he would marry Priyanka, a stunning princess from a neighbouring Kingdom of Ghopal. But a shadow loomed over their union, one that threatened to tear them apart.

The old woman who had sold the necklace to the king was given the honourable position of being the young prince's nurse. Her love for Raju was immense, but her foolish pride made her boast to the other servants about the magic surrounding the prince's birth. The rumours of this magic soon spread and eventually reached Priyanka's ears.

Filled with curiosity, Priyanka resolved to uncover the secret as soon as she became Raju's wife. However, when the prince tried to speak tenderly to her, she remained silent, lost in her thoughts. It wasn't until he pleaded with her to speak that she finally broke her silence and asked him to tell her the story of his birth.

Raju was filled with dismay at her request, for he knew the truth would only cause her pain. He warned her that she would regret asking him this question, but Priyanka was too curious to listen. For many months, their lives continued in this way, with each one growing sadder and paler due to the secret that lay between them.

At last, the prince could bear it no longer and made a promise to Priyanka. He told her that at midnight that very night, he would reveal his secret, but warned her once more that she would regret it for the rest of her life. Despite his warning, Priyanka was so happy to hear this that she paid no heed to his words. Little did she know that the truth would change their lives forever.

==oOo==

As the prince rode with his princess down the river, the moon cast a pale light upon the water, illuminating the waves as they gently lapped against the shore. They stopped by the riverbank, and the prince turned to his beloved with a sorrowful expression. "Do you still wish me to tell you my secret?" he asked in a voice filled with infinite sadness.

The princess nodded eagerly. "Yes, please tell me," she replied, her eyes shining with curiosity.

The prince took a deep breath and spoke the truth that he had kept hidden for so long. "I was not always a prince," he began. "I was once a snake, cursed by a wicked spell."

As soon as the words left his lips, the prince suddenly sank to the ground and disappeared. The princess heard a rustle and looked around in alarm, her eyes scanning the darkness. She caught a glimpse of something gliding into the river, and she cried out for her love to return.

Frantic with worry, the princess searched everywhere for the prince, but he was nowhere to be found. The wind moaned through the trees, and the river flowed silently past, holding its secrets close. As the night wore on, the princess stumbled over stones and brambles, her feet cut and bleeding. She wept bitter tears, mourning for her lost love.

In the morning, the king and queen found Priyanka by the riverbank, her hair flowing loose and her face streaked with tears. She begged them to build a temple of black stones where she could live alone and moan for her prince. The guards who watched over her never allowed anyone to enter, and Priyanka remained there for years, waiting for her husband to return.

As Priyanka woke up one morning, her eyes fell upon a dark stain of fresh mud on the pillow beside her. Her heart raced as she realized that someone must have entered her room while she slept. She immediately questioned the guards, but their answer was a resounding negative; no one had entered her room that night.

Determined to uncover the mystery, Priyanka decided to stay awake and watch for any signs of an intruder. She cut her finger with a knife to keep herself awake and alert. At the stroke of midnight, her eyes beheld a snake slithering towards her bed, its scaly skin covered with mud from the river. The serpent rose up, its head hovering over the pillow beside her.

"Who are you, and what do you want?" Priyanka demanded.

The snake's voice hissed through the silence, "Sssssssss.... I am Prince Raju, your husband, sssssssss... I have come to see you again... sssssss...."

Priyanka wept at the sight of her husband in the form of a snake. As she watched, the snake slithered away, taunting her with words of regret and warning.

The snake returned the following night and revealed to Priyanka a way to break the curse. She must place a bowl of milk and honey in each corner of her room. All the snakes in the river would come and drink the milk, and the one that led the way would be the queen of the snakes. Priyanka must stand in front of her and ask her to return her husband. If she failed to do so, the snake would be lost to her forever.

Determined to save her husband, Priyanka placed four bowls of milk in each corner of her room and waited. As midnight approached, a hissing and rustling sound came from the river, and the ground shook with the writhing forms of countless snakes. The guards fled in terror, leaving Priyanka alone in the doorway. The queen of the snakes led the procession, her malevolent gaze fixed on Priyanka.

Undaunted, Priyanka cried out, “Oh Queen of the Snakes! Queen of the Snakes, give me back my husband please!”

The queen of the snakes advanced, her head almost touching Priyanka's face. Her small, evil eyes glinted with malice, and her forked tongue flicked menacingly. Priyanka stood her ground and cried out again, “Oh Queen of the Snakes! Queen of the Snakes, give me back my husband please!”

Seeing the layout of the room and hearing Priyanka’s determination, the queen of the snakes fell back and hissed, "Ssssssss.... Tomorrow you shall have him... ssssssss... My prodigal son really deserves a brave, beautiful lady like you."

Overwhelmed with emotion, Priyanka fainted onto her bed. The next morning, she cast off her mourning dress and dressed herself in beautiful clothes. She filled the temple with flowers and lit the garden with lanterns and the temple with candles.

At midnight, Prince Raju emerged from the river, and Priyanka ran to embrace him. They held each other with more joy and love than ever before. The old king and queen wept with happiness and ordered feasting and rejoicing throughout the land. Though the prince's nurse was too old to care for the children, she loved them dearly. Maharajah Raju and Queen Priyanka ruled Maruksh with love and wisdom for many years to come.

For more children short stories, search for "Everna: Little Light Bringers" anthologies in this blog, platforms or the portal, linktr.ee/evernade. Thank you for reading!