The sun was about to go down and Sienna was still stuck under the huge man half-snake in the water! She felt really frozen now. She could be in the water happily for hours, but this ride was wearing her out!
She wriggled herself in his embrace." Wait, we're almost there." he said in that cold manly voice.
"Ok, I'm sorry." Sienna, whispered carefully. He dragged her in the water for some time, till he finally slowed down and swam to the land.
He stopped at the grassy clearing circled by a yellow rocky cliff and the forest. Sienna noticed the cliffs git a few big openings in them. It looked like sandstone caves.
The snake man pushed Sienna out of the water and she collapsed into the soft grass. She sat up and looked at the snake, who came out of the water too. He took his human form and was dry suddenly! He looked massive. Sienna guessed he is like two meters tall."He will surely do well in wrestling matches, "she gulped at his burly figure.
He was wearing light silken black trousers, and dark leather boots. His chest was bare and really ripped." Eight-pack!" Sienna counted the abs on his stomach funnily in her mind."I wonder where he goes gym here!"She made a note in her head.
He came closer to her and crouched next to her curiously.
Sienna watched his copper-coloured long hair. He got them in a kind of loose half-bun tied with a leather string with some feathers.
His eyes were wild and bright yellow. He looked like a predator.
"Hi, I'm Sienna, thank you for saving me."She smiled sweetly.
"Hm, "he looked at her."I'm not sure if it was a good idea to take you with me at all," he growled.
"Of course, it was! You saved me and I'm grateful. I will be on my way soon anyway. I'm going to Crystal City, "Sienna smiled sweetly.
"You? By yourself? In this state? "he looked at her coldly.
"Well, I will need to find some clothes for sure." Sienna bit her lips.
"Tell me, why did you refuse Ramse so much? He could take good care of you. He is quite rich and popular with females of his tribe." the Snake King asked.
"Well, I'm not from his tribe. I do not want to be beaten."Sienna shook her head.
"Beaten for what? " he nodded his head.
"For not cleaning and cooking well enough?" she shook her shoulders.
"How do you know, it will be not well enough?" he asked her.
"It doesn't matter! I just do not like men like him, who let women be beaten." Sienna bit her lips.
"So what kind of man you are looking for then?" he asked her.
"I do not look for a man at all. I'm looking for a crystal to get back home. That is why I need to go to Crystal City."Sienna said.
"Where is your home?" he asked her.
"On the other side of the crystal? I really don't know for sure!"Sienna bit her lips."I'm not like you, I can't change into anything. I'm just me."
"So what happened?" he asked curiously.
"I was at the seaside and found a crystal, it took me here."She sighed."I went to look for help and Ramse found me, I run from him before we reach his village, and get to your cave. And now I'm here and free."She smiled happily.
"Who said you are free? "He looked at her seriously.
"Well, you saved me, so I'm free, no?" She looked at him sweetly."What is your name by the way?" she asked.
"I will tell you when I feel like it."He said. He was somehow upset she wants to go away, it did not feel right!"And you are not free, you are here with me."
"Well, I'm free, you not holding me here, are you?"Sienna bit her lips.
"Holding you?" he touched her soft arm." I don't need to hold you, you have no chance to go away, silly thing," he thought."Hm, you look cold, come with me for now, is getting dark soon. I have a grotto here, you can warm up," he said.
"Come," he helped her to stand up.
"Thank you, you are very nice."Sienna smiled."Go first, I will come in a minute, hm?"
He went inside slowly and Sienna went quickly to wee behind the bushes..." Ahh, finally I feel like human again." she thought. Then she went to water and washed her hands. She drank some water too. She looked at the sky, it was really getting dark soon. The sky was bright pink with sunset and the light was a bit dim."How beautiful," she thought.
She turn to go inside to warm up, when the Snake King, came out with the red cotton fabric piece, "Here, I found you a towel. Take off that wet pieces and cover yourself, to get warmer." he said.
"Thank you." said Sienna, " She took the fabric and went to the trees.
" Where are you going?" he asked worriedly.
"Just to take my clothes off."She smiled relaxedly.
"Rather stay here, they can be predators around, is dangerous for you at this time. Everybody is hunting," he explained.
"Ok, then, please turn around for a bit and don't look," she asked him sweetly.
"Look at what?" he asked.
"At me of course, I'm shy."Sienna shook her head. "Is he really so dumb or just playing?" she thought a bit disturbed.
"Why should I not look, I took you like my food anyway..." he said in a cold voice.
Sienna froze."Are you really going to eat me?..."Sienna asked in a low voice."I was thinking it was just a trick."
"Maybe..."Snake King said.
"Please tell me. Yes or no?"Sienna pleaded.
"You will see..." he did not budge a bit.
Sienna furrowed her brows worriedly."How many people did you eat before?"
"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10," Snake King started counting randomly.
Sienna's face froze, "Please tell me. Don't joke like this."
"I will tell you before I will eat you..hahaha." Snake King laughed coldly.
Sienna felt the colour of her face going down. She felt really low. She felt her heart thump in panic. She held the red fabric in her hand thinking.
The man was still staring at her. Sienna glanced at him worriedly She was not sure what to do. It was almost dark, but she did not trust him anymore! She looked at the water."Maybe I can go down the river and try to run again when he sleeps," she thought."But what if he eats me straight away?"
She backed off back into the water slowly.
He furrowed his brows and stretched his hand to her."Are you coming inside?"
" No, "Sienna shook her hand."I want to go. Stay away from me." she looked at him wildly.
" Are you scared of me now?" he chuckled.
"Sure. You want to eat me." Sienna stared at him.
"You said to be rather eaten by a snake than to go with Ramse. I saved you from him, so why do you complain now?" he asked a bit mockingly.
" Because I'm not ready to be eaten. I changed my mind. Now I do not want to be eaten by a snake and I do not want to be with him eighter. I do not want two things."she said carefully.
" So what do you want?" he asked.
"To go home, I told you, "Sienna said quietly.
"Is someone waiting for you there?" he asked.
"Yes, my freedom." she smiled.
"So, you do not have any mates there?" he asked.
"No, "she shook her head." I just get free. I can do whatever I want." she smiled dreamily.
" Interesting, but now you are here, you are my food and you do what I say," he said firmly.
"No, "she shook her head."You will have to kill me first." she stared at him.
"You want to fight me? " he chuckled.
"You gave me no other choice. I do not want to be your food or listen to you."She looked at him wildly.
"You owe me your life, I saved you." he looked at her.
" It doesn't matter if you will eat me anyway. It will negate it." She backed off slowly away from him.
"Is getting dark, don't you want to get inside and warm up?" he asked her.
"In your stomach? No, thank you." she shook her head. Her body was really cold, but her adrenaline was high.
"I promise, not to eat you tonight, hm?" he smiled entertained.
"That is so sweet but I rather take my chances." she chuckled nervously.
"I give you a word of a king!" he said seriously.
"You are really a king?"Sienna looked at him.
"Sure, The Snake King." he nodded.
"And you eat females?" Sienna looked at him in disbelief.
"You will see..." he chuckled.
"I don't like evasive answers!"Sienna threw the fabric back to him and ran back into the water. She was not even a few meters away when she felt a huge snake tail coiled around her waist. Sienna tried to loosen it but it was hugging her tighter with her every move. She felt the huge tail lift her into the air. It brought her back to the Snake King. He was still standing on the land. Just his long tail was coming fresh out of the water holding shaking Sienna tightly.
"You are really beautiful," he swayed her in the air in front of him.
"Here we go, he is going to eat me now! Sienna struggled desperately.
" Calm down, "he gave her the red fabric back.
Sienna held it in her hands hopelessly. She could hardly breathe."You don't like your food wet?"She chuckled at the red fabric nervously.
"I'm not eating you tonight!" he said calmly.
"Then stop hurting me, I can't breath."Sienna gasped for air.
He loosened his coils and slither with her inside his dark grotto. He dropped her into the big nest on the floor. It was made of grass and lined with velvety fabrics and furs.
"Go sleep now, I'm not eating you tonight." he said coldly."You have no chance to get away from me," he said.
Sienna looked at him but was too dark inside. She could only feel where he is.
"You promise? " she asked quietly.
"Yes, I already gave you my word of the king."His voice boomed in the grotto. Sienna touched the velvety fabrics and furs, they were dry and soft. The nest smelled quite well of fresh wildflowers. Sienna breathed the smell in and felt really sleepy. She took off her wet bra and knickers in the darkness and put them next to her to dry. She felt as in a weird dream. She lay inside the nest and covered herself with the fabric and fur to keep warm. "Hopefully, he will not try to eat me for breakfast." she thought dizzily. It was pitch dark inside and she did not know the snake is circled comfortably around the nest she had just fallen asleep in!