Versailles faintly smiled as she met the serpent queen's shocked gaze.
"Versailles, is that you?" The Serpent Queen, Queen Nakee, uncertainly asked.
"Yes, my Queen, forgive me for keeping you worried all these years." Versailles emotionally said.
Although she called the snake queen 'My Queen', their bond was much stronger than the bond between a ruler and servant. Queen Nakee had once been her best friend, exploring the Nar realm together as they fought together and looked out for each other.
However, in one of their expedition, she separated from Nakee in a chase to scare off a beast from a lesser race when she felt an electric current pass through her body and encountered an ambush.
An extremely well-organized ambush against a helpless, weak, and defenseless young wolf cub.
And unconsciously, as if she had been turned into a puppet controlled by an outside force, she intervened in the battle that was completely unrelated to her without the slightest hesitation.
Fortunately, she succeeded in saving the young cub, but unfortunately for her, she lost her life, the second one now that she remembers her first, in the fierce struggle.
From there, her soul teleported to the Sacred Serpent Valley of Lord Tarke, where she ended up getting in the way of another well-planned conspiracy to steal the 'gem of three lives'. To prevent the magical gem from falling into the hands of the dark eagle lord, she unhesitantly sacrificed her soul.
However, the heavens were probably pleased with her good deed and took mercy on her. Even though her soul got erased and wiped out from existence the moment she touched the gem, she was blessed with a third life and was reborn in the Sybil realm.
After more than 18 years of separation, she was finally able to return to the Snake clan and reunite with her dear friend again.
Queen Nakee shakily stood up from her throne and approached her long last friend in disbelief.
"Is that really you?" She asked with tears streaming down her face as she stretched out a trembling hand.
"What, you can't even recognize me now? Has being a queen gotten to your head?" Versailles responded with a teasing smirk.
"Versailles, it's really you!" Lunging forward, she enveloped Versailles in a tight embrace, choking and sobbing as she poured out all of the worries and grief she buried in her heart.
As the two tightly clung to each other, the surrounding serpentines were moved to tears while they watched from the side. They felt emotional witnessing the scene of two long-lost friends finally uniting.
"She is the queen's friend?"
"I was not aware we had a golden serpentine in our midst."
"Not only you, but even I was not aware of this as well."
"Well, she's the queen's friend, and from the looks of it, a very close friend. If she was not among our kin, then how could the two of them have gotten so close together? Moreover, she is a serpentine who knows how to enter the snake abode as well!"
"Well, this is actually not a simple matter from the looks of it."
Many among the serpentines remarked out loud among themselves, not making an attempt at whispering since it would be useless with their serpentine hearing. As such, Versailles and Queen Nakee heard all the discussions between the serpentines.
Disengaging, Queen Nakee looked at Versailles deeply before asking.
"Versailles, where have you been for so many years, and why have your snake scales changed colors?" She asked as she gazed at Versailles golden scales, her curiosity more on her changed serpentine scales than the other question.
In the serpent clan, the colors of a serpentine's scale color are determined from the moment of their first change. After the first change, for the rest of their lives, serpentines will be stuck with that one color and it becomes a sort of a second identity to them.
The serpentine scale colors also determined the special ability of the serpentine.
For example, the red serpentines were voyagers, traveling and learning new things was where their passion and skills laid.
Whereas, blue serpentines were healers who supported their team in recovering rapidly. No one had the ability to change their abilities as they were determined by their heart based on their own passion and interest.
And although there were various colors and variations of snake scale colors, the serpentine's power laid in the dominant color.
However, no one had ever witnessed a golden serpentine before.
As such, it was labeled as a mysterious color.
"A lot has happened since the last we parted, I will fill you in on the story another day. And as for the serpentine colors, it might have something to do with a golden snake I encountered." Versailles gently replied.
"Golden serpentine snake? Where did you...come, I will fill you in on what you missed as we recollect old memories together." Queen Nakee paused in the midst of her speech, shocked by her own insensitivity.
Pulling Versailles' hand, they left the cave.
Unless the concerned party shared her tale with the rest of the clan on her own, prying into other serpentines' secrets was a taboo in the snake clan.
"Remember to gather everyone together at the entrance of the cave later in the evening. We still have to hold a banquet in celebration of the safe return of our kin and my dear friend." She threw the command carelessly over her shoulder as they went out of the cave right into the mass of snakes slithering unrestrainedly through the overgrown forest.
They changed into their own snake forms, and the two green and gold snakes slid their way out to a nearby stream that led directly to an underwater cave-dwelling.
An hour later in front of the moss-grown cave, millions of snakes, anciently old and newly born gathered together in anticipation of meeting an estranged kin, hissing and slithering as they twisted and entwined around the trees, branches, and twigs with impatience.
After a brief moment, Versailles and Queen Nakee appeared before the swarm of curious snakes, their green and gold snake scales shimmering in the verdant background.
Queen Nakee stepped up to make the necessary introduction.
"My fellow serpentines, 18 years ago, we had among us a white serpentine with black strips that explored and discovered natural resources with your queen to sustain the flourishing vines and trees growing in our abode."
"Unfortunately, due to an unexpected mishap, our serpentine kin separated from us for 18 years. Thanks to Lord Tarke, however, we got her back amidst us again after 18 years of separation."
"This is not only a miracle of our Lord but also a sign of his mercy and grace to our snake clan. For even after death, he made the impossible possible and breathed life back into our beloved kin, allowing her to walk among us again. Let us warmly welcome our serpentine kin, Versailles Skyler, home!" Queen Nakee said in a power-filled voice that rang into the hearts of all the serpentines present.
"Versailles Skyler, we welcome you back home."
"Lord Tarke's grace and blessings brought you back to us even after death, this is a matter of great importance and celebration for our snake clan."
"Even in the Nar realm, we are not alone, for we have the great blessings and grace of our Lord Tarke upon us."
"Welcome home, Versailles Skyler!"
"Welcome home!"
Joyous shouts and cheers rang out mightily and resounded throughout the whole serpent abode that even the floating flame island seemed to slightly tremble from the unrestrained commotion.