How the Serpent Lost His Legs

[ImagenAshyun]

WARNING:
Potentially disturbing scene.

I

Light poured in. The wall pivoted. Footsteps echoed down as heels struck the stairs like hooves. Clip. Clop Clip. Clop. The woman in red was the first to step, dainty toes slipped into tapered slippers, small heels thick but hard.

And then, heavy plodding. Plod. Plod. Plod. Plod. A dwarf now. He wore a hat to cover his head, but his beard, thick and a copper brown, was as visible as the bulbous nose on his face. He is then followed by four others.

Humans, all of them, all men. Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. They all stepped down in a single line, heading straight to a table where a candle was prepared. They were all followed by Papa. In his hand was a lantern, a stack of papers fitted into a tied knot, and a medicine bag slipped over his arm. He was looking around to his guests, then around the room. Dino was not there. He is not immediately visible.

"Geraldo?" Papa speaks up.

"I am here," the boy finally says as he slips in. He came from another direction not within Alberta's view. She moved her head side to side to try to see where he came from, but it's for naught. Dino knows all the hidden passages, but she doesn't. She'll have to ask later.

"Good. Come greet our guests."

"Hello and welcome, sires and ma'am," Dino says with a gracious bow of his head, his hand to his waist as it bends. Alberta's eyes dart to the guests as they returned his greeting. Gloves. Red gloves. All of them. The name was appropriate. Now she knows how to identify them.

"Such a fine lad, ain't you?" the dwarf says as he lifts his head, a grin lighting up. "My, you’ve gotten quite tall. Taller then me, naew. How long has it been? Two years? Three?"

"Four, Mr. Klaus," Dino says as he faces he dwarf, the bag remaining to cover his face. "It's four because Ms. Perin disappeared on the night of my eighth birthday. I turned twelve two months ago."

Alberta's brows raised. She is curious as to why Dino referred to his mother as 'Ms. Perin'.

"Ah!" Klaus begins with a raised hand. "A shame, a shame! She is still missing, Bertoldo?"

"She is," Papa says somberly. "I have been tracking her down since that night four years ago. I gave up two years later. I still occasionally contact the city guard for any updates, but so far, nothing. Even Mona is unsure of her location."

"I'm sorry to hear. We need her, Bertoldo. You have no idea how much we do."

"I can only imagine. What can we do for you, gentlemen... miss? None of you seem injured, and it's not time to provide this month's payment."

Alberta adjusts herself to keep watching. Her gears turn as she thinks of what her father is talking about.

Klaus smirks as he continues to speak. "Ah, dun rush us, laddie. We're here fer a very good reason. Have ye met Alyessa here?"

Papa looks up to the woman. "I have not... is she new?"

"Oh, not 'new', per say. Why don't ye show yer lovely face, lass?"

Both children's eyes widened with wonder as the woman lowered her hood. Her eyes shine like pools of water glimmering with a light in its depths, her lips thick and pink, and her hair long and silvery with gentle waves. Her ears were shaped differently--like swords piercing the sky. This was the first Alberta and Dino have ever seen, a wonder to behold indeed. What is she doing here? And why?

Even Papa was taken aback at the woman's beauty. "An elf! Amazing! I thought they never leave Silvermoon or Quel...Quel...wherever it is.."

"Ehh... yer sorta right, Doctor." Klaus points his thumb to the elven woman. "But even then, she ain't a Silvermoon elf, or from Quel'thalas. She's from Dalaran."

"Dalaran... a mage?"

"That's how we got here, friend. If we took the hard way, we'd probably be flatter than hotcakes straight from the stove." The dwarf laughs heartiily as he elbows Dino, the boy bowing his head sheepishly as he did. Dino doesn't answer back.

Papa steps forward. He holds a hand out to Alyessa, which she responds by placing hers on his. He greets her with a tender kiss to her ring-adorned fingers. "An honor to meet you, dearest Miss... to what do I owe this meeting?"

Alyessa looks to her companions anxiously, then to Dino. She glances to Papa then bows her head, her voice low and shaky. "I... may be with child."

Papa raises his brows as he turns to the elf. "Is that so?" he says. He glances to Klaus then to a specific human man among the Glove. This one, Alberta recognized.

Giuseppe.

He was here on several occasions, one time a patient of Papa's for a bullet he had to extract. The man is scarred, his face hard and crooked as is the smile upon it. The glove on his hand has a golden lining along the hem. He opened his mouth to speak, his teeth sharp from decay. He looked like a shark. "We'll talk the details out. Why don't you check on her first, to confirm her pregnancy?"

"How about we talk now? Geraldo? You check on her."

"Yes, Doctor."

Alyessa looks over to the boy, shaking. "Him? But... he is so young! You're... twelve, yes? A boy! A child! I'm not letting him near me! Not to check on me!"

"Don't underestimate him," Papa says with his hand waving dissmissively. "I had him perform surgeries on adults before. He knows about the female body as well as the male. Besides..." he says as he directs both the elf and the boy to the end of the room away from the stairs. Alberta cannot see, but she can hear. "...he will not be touching you directly. Follow his instructions, and he'll help you without laying a finger on you. We have technology for this."

"Really?"

"Trust me. Trust him." The doctor leads the two away, a door swinging open and then shutting. Then, more footsteps.

Alberta listened carefully. She heard the sounds... a hollow 'thump' and clicks. They were going across the wall. She realizes the elf and brother are going across it, perhaps behind the space in which she had to climb down. She turns around, listening carefully to where Dino and Alyessa are going. She lost them. Perhaps there is another passage... but Papa kept talking.

"All right, spit it out," Papa begins. "A mage... from Dalaran. An elf, no less. Elves look down on us... you could have gotten an elven doctor to check on her. Why do you need me?"

"For a very good reason, Doctor," Giuseppe began, stepping from the wall he leaned on to place an arm around Papa's shoulder. "You covered your bases well, hm? For a good reason, yes, indeed. There is a reason... one you must be willing to open your mind and heart to take in."

"I'll take it in."

"Good. Lovely girl, isn't she?"

Papa sighed. He hates when others 'beat around bush', as the idiom goes. "Straight to the point, Giuseppe."

"You're no fun," Giuseppe chuckles. "Long story short... she's the mistress of a Dalaran official."

"Which one?"

"We cannot say."

"Another elf?"

"Well..." Giuseppe's voice trailed.

Papa's brow quirked. "...a human's? She's carrying a half-elf?"

"Now that's using your noggin," the shark-toothed man says with a grin as he lightly punches the doctor on the shoulder. "As you can see, the child shouldn't exist. Hell, the relationship shouldn't exist. It was a fling, you see, but the official--married, shall I add--is of a well-respected standing among the council. Such a union wouldn't fly well with anyone, regardless of social standing. And the worst part, my dear Bertoldo?"

"What's that?"

"Alyessa is genuinely in love with the official. She wants him to leave the council and his wife so that he can run off with her. Scandalous, don't you think?"

Papa's eyes narrowed at Giuseppe. "I can relate."

"Ah! So you know what to do then, hm?"

"I've never done this with an elf. Human women, yes. It took many experiments, but after my first with Marta, I was finally successful."

"Ah, Marta... I do miss the girl. How will this be done? Surgery? You'll be opening her belly?"

"There is no need," Papa says as he travels across the room to a cabinet on the wall. He opens it. Bottles, bottles, more bottles, many shapes, sizes, and colors. Bags with herbs. Bags with pills. Papa opened a drawer to take out a small stone mortar and pestle. He starts mixing herbs, then a pill... no, two of them. Three. Papa seems hesitant as to think of the quantity to add. He adds a fourth... a smirk rises from his face. He pours water into the mixture, then a red potion--Alberta recognizes as a healing potion. A strange medicine. To help her? Alberta's stomach churned with anxiety, the air around her feeling heavy with tension.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The minutes seem to drag... Was it only a few minutes? An hour? Alberta couldn't tell. Papa was at work. She couldn't understand what's going on.

Dino emerged from the other room with the elf. His hands were folded together as he speaks up. "Dr. Galleani?"

"Ah, that was quick, Geraldo. The results?"

"Positive."

"How many times did you test?"

"Three. As you taught me, Doctor."

"Wonderful," Klaus says with a hint of sarcasm.

Alyessa grinned nonethless. "Hah! Now you see! My love shall leave the Council and run away with me. We'll be happy together. You shall see."

"I can see already," Papa says as he finishes the concoction. He pours it in a vial and begins mixing it. The brown, green, and white substances disappear in the swirls of red from the potion mixed in.

Though everyone else seems grim and serious, Dino was smiling under his bag, a tone of gladness in his voice. "I am happy for you! I never thought elves and humans can mix, ma'am!"

"They so can, child."

"What will you name him? Her? Do you hope for a boy? Or a girl?"

Alyessa smiled brightly, a chuckle rising to her cherubic lips as she watches Dino clutch his fists with excitement. "I don't know... Perhaps my love has an idea. I wouldn't mind a boy, though, if having one would would be as smart and bright as you."

"Ah..." Dino bows his head sheepishly once more. Alyessa smiles and chuckles again.

The men look over to Papa. The doctor nods to the others as he pours the potion into a glass. "Well... I congratulate you, Miss Alyessa. Geraldo? Why don't you present this to her?"

Dino turns around. He takes the glass from Papa's hand. "What is this?"

"It's a health drink. I put in vitamins that promote healthy development for an unborn child."

"Oh!" Dino nods his head. "I am more than happy to present this. Thank you, Doctor."

Papa nods his head as he begins putting the bottles and items away. "You're welcome, of course."

The boy trots over to the elf, who sat between Giuseppe and Klaus. She is smiling still, a glow to her image with joy over the news as her hands rest upon her belly. Her glowing azure eyes turns to the masked child, his hands delicately holding onto the potion. "A health drink. For you, Miss Alyessa, and your unborn one."

The elegant lady beams with joy from the gift. Her dainty hands float to the glass as she held it. She peers over to Dino, grinning gaily before the glass lifts to her lips. "I thank you again, little Geraldo. My little one too." And with that, she drinks the potion whole.







Gagging.

Coughing.

Wheezing.

Blood.



Alberta nearly faints from the horrible sight. Dino's legs gave out. Alyessa coughs violently, her face redding and eyes tearing. Her cheeks puff as air struggles in and out, her mouth puckered as her gagging bellows from her throat. Blood sputters out... It trickles down her pink lips. She's clutching her throat, her fingers wrapped around in desperation as she bends over. She staggers. She wobbles. Her eyes roll to the back of her skull. She falls.

Dino crawled over her in desperation, almost crying out. "Pap- Doctor! Doctor! What's going on?! What's happened to her?!"

The men glance at Papa as he places a hand over his mouth in feigned shock. "Dear me... I must miscalculated the ingredients in the potion. It seems elves have different body parts to humans," he says disturbingly calmly.

Alberta nearly cried. The red potion must not be a healing potion after all.

"Doctor!" Dino says in alarm as he panics by Alyessa's side. The elven woman's face remained contorted as blood continued to spray from our coughs. At last she stops. The boy lowers his head to her mouth then presses two fingers along her throat. "She's still breathing! We have to help her, Doctor!"

The men rise from their seats and gather near Papa. Giuseppe whispers to the doctor's ears, muttering in a volume so low, neither children can hear. Alberta keeps watching. Papa kept listening.

"To the sunflower meadow, gentlemen?" Papa says.

"We are not armed," Klaus says with a shrug.

Dino stood up. "Wait, what?"

"No worries. I have my trusty helper for this."

"....me?"

"Not you, boy." Papa turns to the closet by the cabinet. Alberta shifted her position to see better as he opened up the doors. Two rifles. Rolled up blankets. A long-handled axe with a red blade. Papa grabbed that one before he shut the door. “Off we go, gentlemen,” he says as he pats the handle onto a free hand.

“Do you not need the rifles too?” Dino asks as he reopens the closet. “You are arming yourselves against beasts, yes? If you’re going to the meadows?”

“Of course, boy.”

“Is the village still there?”

“Of course it is.”

“Will you be bringing back Ms. Alyessa, Doctor?”

“If she still needs to, yes.”

“Will she be okay?” Dino is genuinely worried. He rushes to Papa, clutching his sleeve as he pleaded. “I want to come too! What’s in the meadow that can help her?”

Papa had enough. He shoves the boy down, causing him to fall onto a chair. “Quiet, boy! If you raise your voice any louder, I’ll strike your mouth! Sit down, shut up, and wait here!” He huffs as he turns around. Waving his free hand, he motions his guests to follow. “Come. We must move before my wife comes home.”

The men agreed. Giuseppe gestures to the larger men to pick up Alyessa. She is carried like a bride, though her head slumps back, her long, silvery hair dangling with the hem of her red cloak. The grownups leave immediately, clomping and clopping as they did. Light disappears. The door is closed.

Dino is weeping now. He is alone now, and afraid.




“Dino!”

“Huh?”

“Psst! Dr. Dino!”

The boy turned. He hears Alberta’s voice from behind the wall. Knowing where the spy holes are located, he rushes straight there. “Alberta! You’re still here!”

“Why would anyone be going to the sunflower meadows?” the girl says. “There is no village there. I go there. Your Mama took me there. It’s just a sunflower field and nothing else.”

Dino freezes up. “...I had no idea! Papa always tells me there is a village there and Mama says the same... maybe it’s hidden?’

“I don’t know.”

“Maybe you can find out!”

“Me?”

“Go down the hall, away from where I led you. It takes you to the southmost wall, where a hidden door is located. The lever is on the floor--you activate it by sliding it up. It pushes open both ways.”

“I’ll try my best.”

“Light be with you, Alberta. Please come back to me.”

“I will. I promise.” With that, she departs.

[ImagenAshyun]

I

Alberta remembered the sunflower field. She was taken here a long time ago, back when Aunty Marta was still around. The sky was high; the skies were clear, with big puffy clouds of white. She and Aunty rushed through the sky-high stalks, little suns floating over their heads and smiling upon them. She remembered the smells, the tastes. She remembered the delightful rustling in her ears and the wind above their heads. She remembered the laughter. She remembered the joy.

She is here again, alone, and terrified. Papa musn’t see her. But she might find what happened to Alyessa.

Alberta stood atop of a hill and behind a tree as she watched over and around the field. There is movement now in the very middle, and loud, booming male voices. They are far into the field, however. Should Alberta attempt to move in, she would surely be caught. She waited there, quietly. Watching. Her hands folded in prayer, tears streaming down her face. She prayed to the Light in hopes that Alyessa is all right.

The hour seemed to drag. But finally, there is silence.

The girl circled around the tree to search for where her father and his colleagues went. So far, no one has left the field. They must still have Alyessa there. She takes deep breath, courage gathered within her fluttering belly. Her fists tightened and her eyes narrowed as she slipped down the hill. She makes her way into the field, hands reaching past the stalks to make way. The wind blew cold, deathly so, as she sneaks in. Her last sock is getting holes now, her legs and feet becoming dirty as her white nightgown becomes filthy. Leaves and petals catch onto her hair. Small stalkers had to be kicked to the side. Alberta relied on the wind to disguise her sounds and movement as she listened for Papa. But there was nothing.

She searched. She remained slow, quiet. The wind blew its song through the flowers, but it was somber and grim. Alberta felt she was too late.


I have to go back.


It was time to return. She turned about face, going back the way she came. She retraced her steps, dainty feet stepping lightly over rocks and soil. She keeps her eyes forward, still narrow, as she keeps her breath still. At last, she steps out. And her timing couldn’t get any worse.

Papa was there. He still had the axe in hand. Giuseppe, Klaus, and their cronies were around him... and they all can see her. “Alberta!”

The girl gasps, her heart skipping a beat in fright. “Papa!”

“What are you doing here?” he barks as he steps forward, the axe dropping from his hand. “Were you here this whole time?”

Alberta thought hard for an answer, knowing what she says will be used against her. She thought about what happened in the basement, how she found Dino, how she hid the whole time and was watching Papa all along. She still doesn’t know what happened to Alyessa, but her knowledge cannot be used to indicate her spying. She shakes her head, fingers tightly gripping the sunflower stalks beside her. “No. I ran to town and just came here now.”

“You were in town the whole time?”

Alberta couldn’t answer. Her eyes clenched shut as she tried to think of a cover story.

“Alberta, where were you the whole time?”

Her eyes lowered. Her mouth remained narrowed, frightened. She tried to speak as soon as she was demanded an answer, but she froze, her heart racing. She looks up to Papa, brows furrowed with fright. Nevertheless, she tries again, voice shaking and her tone trembling. She nearly squeaked like a mouse. “I was... compelled. Compelled to leave the house and run to town. I didn’t turn back, nor did I hide. I’ve thought about what was happening to me... to when you proposed I marry and leave. I was crying, Papa. I wanted to see the Priest... but even then, I couldn’t. I ran around town, crying, Papa. I hid from everyone. I was ready to run away. But... I couldn’t leave Teo and Bene.”

Papa stared... then he smiled. He approaches Alberta and reaches for her hand before he wraps his arm around her for a warm embrace. Alberta shuddered, remembering this hand was used to strike Dino. Her eyes clenched shut again, her lips pursed as her teeth reached to bite her lower lip. She was being comforted, but at the same time, she was frightened.

“Bene and Teo do miss you, Alberta,” Papa said tenderly. “They were crying this morning, afraid you disappeared. They’ll be happy to know you’re alright, safe and sound.”

“Bene and Teo were crying?”

“They were terrified of your disappearance. Come, now. Let’s go home.” Papa then turned around to the other men as he waved at them. “I’ll have to take my daughter home. Good day to you, gentlemen. I thank you for your help.”

Alberta shook as she turned to the men behind her. Giuseppe, the shark-toothed man. Klaus, the stout, eerie dwarf. The other men were no different, all of them dressed with red gloves. Alberta had a feeling this would not be the last she’ll see of any of them. Especially Giuseppe.

The girl nodded as she is led away. There is no point in asking for Alyessa now. She’ll just have to come back later.




Teobaldo and Benedetto did cry for Alberta. But they were crying for other reasons besides her disappearance.

[ImagenAshyun]

WARNING:
Graphic scene below.

I

              Benedetto and Teobaldo wanted to impress Alberta. They kept themselves busy in books from then on, their noses stuck into page after page. They wanted to look smart for Alberta. They wanted her to shower love and attention to them like she does Dino. It wasn't working. Night after night, she would read stories for them, but night after night, she'd depart for the hidden mazes of the house, creeping along tunnels to meet with the Serpent. They can hear voices, chats and discussions of the outside world, of mothers and the sun. They hated it. Alberta was only good for stories and scoldings now. She was becoming distant.

              Time to kick it up a notch.

              On one sunny day, Alberta walked out to the garden to pick on some flowers to bring to Dino. She gathered a bouquet of the brightest of whites, yellows, and bright blues--colors of the sky and sun. She arranged them lightly and delicately when a small hand reached for her shouler to tap on it. Turning around, she sees Teo accompanied by Bene, both boys grinning widely. Their hands were behind the back of their heads, as if hiding something. "Alberta!" Teo started. "Come see what we're doing!"

              "Is it something special?" Alberta says, a smile on her face. She wanted to continue with the flower arrangements, but she felt she needed to humor the other brothers nonetheless.

              "It's very special," Bene confirmed. "Come! This way."

              The two boys then turned around the hedges, leading their sister past trees and bushes that decorated the garden. After a long run, they both stopped, and Alberta froze with her mouth agape and purple eyes wide with shock. Bits and pieces of flesh and skin floated along the pond as the bank was stained with a deep, almost black red. Two toads were cut up, one dead but another barely alive and writhing in agony. Both were missing their front limbs, the dead one's stumps seeming to have been forcibly ripped as the skin was ragged and torn while the living one was cut up mercilessly. A garden snake was pinned to a small metallic tray, needles on its tail and snout as it struggled. The cut up toad arms were sewn crudely onto the snake, two on the front, two on the back. Alberta could feel vomit rising to her throat at the sight.

              "We gave the Serpent his legs back!" The boys said joyfully, now showing their bloody hands as they gripped basic surgical tools. Both boys were far too young to handle the scalpel and suturing needles, yet they somehow had their hands on Papa's surgery kit. Neither showed signs of injury, as it was apparent they took as much care as they could to create their work. As Alberta eyed the tools, she stepped back, her heel pressing onto what she would see as a textbook. It was one of Papa's human anatomy books, specifically covering elbow and wrist joints.

              "Do you like it?" the boys started.

              Alberta could only yell. "I don't like it at all! Look what you've done! This is senseless! This is cruel! Did you really think this would impress me?" The girl lowered herself to the mutilated critters, her hands caressing on the living toad as it kicked desperately for the sweet embrace of death. "What were you doing with Papa's tools? How did you get them? You're not supposed to play with them, they're dangerous! What if you cut yourselves?"

              The boys were shocked by their sisters' reaction. They were expecting praise and adulation, a display of medical knowledge they otherwise have never seen Dino do. They were just children. They misunderstood. "But... you said Dino can do doctor stuff... we wanted to show you we can too!"

              "Not like this!" Alberta cried as she held the snake. Holding it tenderly, she could see the snake barely breathing as it bled from the side, vitals inside possibly pierced in an attempt to sew the legs onto its trunk. The snake flicked its tongue, smelling the sweet scent of Alberta's hands as it would lift its head desperately one last time as it was lifted from the cold, metal tray. Slumping, it breathed its last.

              Alberta was enfuriated as she was sorrowful. "I'm telling Papa!"

              "No! No!" It was the boys' turn to cry as they backed away, their muddy feet stepping all over Papa's anatomy book. "Don't tell Papa! He'll punish us for stealing!"

              "He'll punish you for more than stealing! Papa! Mama!" Alberta shouted as she stood up, her voice calling across the garden as she yelled from the top of her lungs. Servants rushed forth to see the horrific scene before them, one of them even throwing up on the side. Soon, Papa came forward, and he, too, was mortified by the sight. It didn't take long for both boys to be punished. Alberta departed to bury the toads and snake, both of them under a garland of fresh flowers. Sacrifices made in the name of love. Unnecessarily so.

              The boys were beyond displeased. Now they know for a fact that Alberta was lost forever to the Serpent.