Servant of the Serpent

Cold Scales

Eben raises an eyebrow at Adder's slurred speech. The gorgon must be lightweight. "Your job is to protect the villagers, not me. I'm just a criminal, remember?"

"No you're...you're...you're good too. I shouldn't have sssaid that. I just... Her booksss and her sculpturesss were everywhere on the ground."

"That's what you were mad about?"

Adder nods. "It's all I have left of her..."

Eben sets the apple down. He knows he shouldn't ask this, but he has to know...

"Adder, why did you kill Helia?"

The monster's tail shifts, seeming to coil protectively around himself.

"She asssked me to."

Eben blinks. "She wanted to die?"

Adder nods, morose. "She had a sssickness her whole life, but I don't—"

He gasps, sobbing. "I don't know why she sssuddenly wanted to die. I couldn't convince her otherwise."

Eben stares in shock as the giant gorgon breaks down, tears leaking from closed eyes.

"I knew it was wrong... Father Sheppard saysss every human life is precioussss, but she begged me to do it. Eben, I couldn't say no."

"Adder I—"

Eben pauses. What could he say to possibly make this better? Eben has killed, sure. But he's never had to deal with killing someone he cared about, especially not someone he considered a parent. He wants to help, but he has no idea how.

He shuffles over to Adder, placing a hand on his arm. The gorgon jumps at the contact before abruptly pulling Eben into a tight embrace. The half-elf jolts at the sudden motion but allows the gorgon to hold him. What was the harm? Adder was drunk and wounded, Eben could permit him this.

Eben smooths his palms comfortingly up and down the gorgon's back. "You need to rest Adder. You can sleep here, I'll bring you some blankets."

After being relinquished from the gorgon's hug, Eben makes his way to Adder's room and gathers an armful of blankets and furs.

Eben returns to Adder already curled up on the sheepskin fast asleep. Careful not to disturb the man, Eben covers the gorgon from shoulder to tail.

He sits there for a moment just watching the gorgon snore quietly before he gets up to do his chores for the day.

When he's finally done and able to rest, Eben curls up in his little bedroll. He's glad to finally be laying down, but somehow knowing how warm the gorgon could be made his own bed feel colder. Eben sighed, drifting off to hazy dreams. When Eben awakens come morning, it's to shivering and chattering teeth.

Autumn has officially made itself known by blowing chilly winds directly into the cave.

Wrapping his blanket around his shoulders and putting his socks on, Eben pads into the living area to check on Adder. The gorgon is still fast asleep, bundled under the covers.

Eben crouches in front of the mound of blankets and furs, lifting the edge of a pelt to peek at Adder's face. "Adder, it's time to get up. Do you want something to eat?"

Adder doesn't respond, face impassive in his slumber.

"Adder?"

Eben reaches out to touch the man's shoulder, only to flinch at the icy coldness of the gorgon's skin.

Fear takes hold of his heart. "Adder! Wake up!"

Adder responds to Eben's frightened pleas, albeit sluggishly. "...Eben..."