Sienna watched Sharmut worriedly."I hope I did not make him mad." she sighed in her mind.
"Father-in-law, how long you will hold me here?"She asked curiously.
"Till your king bring me what is mine," Sharmut smiled.
"Aha..."Sienna noted.''So, you like playing games as a family then."
"A lot..." he grinned."Unfortunately only strong can play, so you are my little White queen...you can never get away on your own. "He chuckled. He took the golden chain and pulled Sienna to move closer to him..."It is the softest metal and even so, you still can't get out..." he noted smiling cheekily and patted her head.
"And I was thinking you liked me."Sienna sighed a little sarcastically.
"I do, but you are here till I get what I want. Like my little puppet in my game ." he chuckled.
Sienna smiled at him but felt hurt."A little puppet! I will show him ...a little puppet..." she raged in her mind as she looked at him.
"Well, it is not fair Sharmut... but I can see you like to play the games...so enjoy." she smiled sweetly.
She went to the window and breathed in fresh air. Sienna noticed Sharmut's quarters were not very high. Only a few meters over the ground." It is so much nicer outside. "She smiled."Pity we have to stay in."She sighed.
"Well, hope your king will hurry up." Sharmut smiled and came next to her to look out as well. He watched the view outside seriously with his hands behind his back for a while.
"Are you checking how high are my rooms?" he asked Sienna cheekily.
" I'm just appreciating the view."Sienna sighed. She hoped he could not read her thoughts as Sharchan almost could...
"Good. I think it is too high for you to climb." he smiled at her and pinched her cheek."You are way too soft and fragile for it."
Sienna just looked at him sweetly."This is it!!! I will show him who is a soft puppet. He will not mock me anymore!" she thought raging inside.
"It is really beautiful weather today..." she smiled...
"Yes, chilly, windy but sunny...Wild weather like yourself ..." he chuckled." You are so good-behaved. How can my son have so much trouble with you?" he asked nonchalantly.
"Sharchan is rude sometimes and he mocks me too ."Sienna smiled sweetly.
"He was always rude and unbearable, even as a little boy. Nobody can tame his wild spirit."Sharmut nodded."Just as his mothers." he sighed...
"Don't stay too long in the wind...don't get sick."Sharmut said and took her back to the sofa and gave her a book to read..."Here, history of the Snake Kingdom..." he seemed so satisfied.
Sienna liked the history....but she felt belittled. She wanted to play too...
Sienna read a bit and then she went to the bathroom again...she made sure to take much of the chain with her, she kind of kicked it in front of her and stretched it straight by pretending to look like it stretched accidentally.
Sharmut was not even looking at her, he was writing something at his desk. In the bathroom she opened a chain with a metal floor sweeper handle, it was made of decorated iron and sturdy enough. She just bent the golden link a little. It was easy to get it through the other link anyway...like in jewellery making, just bigger...
Sienna lowered the golden chain carefully down from the window. It was hanging quite low to the ground. "I did so well to make Sharmut to make it longer," she smiled. She took a deep breath and imagined climbing down the golden chain, "It is not too far down, I can take on this few meters."Sienna thought confidently.
She got out the window bravely, held the chain and swooped her legs out. And then she realized she was not that strong to do it, so she rumbled right down the chain with a scream hurting her palms in the process as well...
She closed her eyes as she expected to hit the ground, but someone caught her in a hard embrace...she opened her eyes worriedly when a smiling Sharmut's face came into her view. Sharmut caught her with a smile...she was so entertaining...
"Why are you climbing when you are so clumsy?" he mocked her. Interestingly the same way as his son before!
Sienna just smiled cutely and bit her lips guiltily, there was no excuse...
"So tell me, did you think you could escape me?"He looked into her eyes firmly...
"Well, I like to play too father-in-law."Sienna smiled sheepishly and kissed his cheek."Thank you for saving me again..."
"Well game over for you!" he chuckled."Come, let's go back."
"Can we go for a little walk, please? I need some fresh air and we are outside already..." she smiled.
"Sure, let's go apple orchards. You like it there, don't you?" he asked entertained.
"Yes." she nodded and clenched into his arm.
Sharmut was walking with Sienna to the apple orchard. All the apples were gone and Sienna stared.
"When the apples were picked?"
"Two days ago...Sharmut smiled."I like walking around here. "He noted. I used to play with Sharchan and Sharchet here when they were little boys. And I like talking to the trees." He looked at her seriously.
"You can talk to trees? "Sienna asked him curiously.
"Sure," he nodded.
"So what do they say?"She looked at him in awe.
Sharmut looked into the orange leaves of the apple trees moving gently in the wind and then turned to her. "They said ...shshshshsh." he chuckled.
Sienna chuckled too." You fooled me, Sharmut Thank you for taking me out, it is so nice here."
"Yes, why not? It is not like you can change to a fox and run away..." he patted her hands holding his arm familiarly.
"No, it is just me...no fox."Sienna shook her head. "So do you like foxes then?"
"Only one. But all of them are protected in our kingdom. Nobody can kill a fox." he added.
"Why?"Sienna asked curiously.
"You will find out. You like to play, no?" he smiled.
"Is your mate a fox?"Sienna guessed.
"Yes, clever girl." he nodded.
Sienna smiled, he was kind of okay.
Meanwhile, after a really embarrassing trip to the goldsmith, Sharchan met S on the way to their mother...The brothers slithered side by side quietly, each thinking their own, only the dry leaves and sticks crushing under their strong bodies.
They rushed through the forest till they approached a small rocky formation. There they changed to their human form and walked to see their mother.
She lived in a luxurious wooden house with a wide porch.
She was sorting herbs over the round table, sitting on the cushion comfortably, when she saw the two burly brothers coming. She stood up and ran to see them happily.
"Great is freedom, Mother." they greeted her a bit sadly. She looked so happy and free. This was their secret hello.
"How nice to see you together. "She embraced them happily.
"Mother, father took my queen, what am I to do?" Sharchan looked at her puzzled.
"What does he want?" she asked with dark feeling.
"That you will exchange his golden chain with her. " Sharchan bit his lips.
"How could he take her?
"He saved her life. My servant tried to kill her..."Sharchan said guiltily.
"I heard, that your queen is very clever," Chantelle said thinking.
"Yes, but how can she get away from my father? What am I to do?"Sharchan sighed.
"Nothing...you do nothing...I will not go live in chains..."Chantelle shook her head a bit scared..."Your queen got caught, so she should get out of it or you can go get her out...or will you force me son and break your word to me?" her voice broke a bit involuntarily.
"No, I will never break my word to you, mother..."Sharchan shook his head
"I leave it to my queen then...She is clever.... and Marco is coming for her soon, he will just take her whatever father says..."he shook his shoulder...
"But her days just finished, I did not mated her yet..."S noted.
"Do you think, that I do miss being with her?"Sharchan hissed."But we both messed up!"
"You messed up more..." S noted cheekily.
"Yes, I did. But for now, she should be safe with our father... "Sharchan noted. "I'm not forcing mother back."
"Let him play his games then... "Chantelle chuckled."I would love to see how he would fight the eagle who killed Kraken..."
"I don't agree," said Sharchet, "Don't be lazy Snake King, we have to find a way to keep word to our mother and to get her out... "
"Father saved her life. His claim is valid even if we snatch her back."Sharchan shook his shoulders hopelessly.
"Let's get her lunch ready and check on her."S said."Maybe she will get some idea, she is definitely trickster enough. "he chuckled.
"Go then... " Chantelle sent them off with a kiss on each son's cheek. She watched her sons leaving burly figures. They looked so much like her cute little boys in her mind.. but their father!
"Silly man! He always has to have everything his way... even takes his daughter-in-law for me! "she raged. She dropped into her comfortable nest staring through the decorated windows thinking and suddenly her own story unfolded in front of her eyes...