GEP : A King's Christmas Carol pt 5

“So your sins have finally caught up to you…you…you…”
“No!” Sethrophe kept shouting to a voice – his voice – echoing in the darkness.
“You think I care?  I will destroy every single one of your friends…friends…friends…”
With each line he heard in the darkness, the disturbed serpent king felt colder and colder.
“Leave me alone!”
“You honestly think you can over-power me?  I wouldn’t hesitate to kill all of these people just to get to you…you…you…”
“No…NO!!!”
The voices surrounded him from all sides.  It seemed hopeless, but then…
“…Sethrophe…,” another voice spoke piercing through the darkness and the cold.  “I’m here…come to me…”
A bright light illuminated the dark, and Sethrophe suddenly felt warm again.
“I don’t know how, but…I know you,” he said.
“…Come to me…” the voice spoke in a gentle tone.
“No, don’t go!”  Sethrophe cried as he reached out his hand towards the light.
“…Come to me…”
“Mother!”  
King Sethrophe awoke and quickly sat up in his bed as he breathed heavily.  He clutched his free hand to his chest.  He felt his heart beating rapidly.
“Blackguard!  Gargan!” he shouted as his voice echoed through the hallways.  Nothing else was heard.  “What’s going on?  Is this some kind of trick?  I’m in no mood for games.”  Still there was no answer.  Growing impatient, Sehthrophe pulled off the sheets from his bed, and then he got up and slithered furiously out of his quarters.  “If you won’t come to me, then I’ll find you myself!”
“…Look no further…” a voice came from behind him.
Sethrophe quickly spun around and shouted, “Who are you?  What are you doing here?”
“I’ve always been here…and I think you know who I am.”
Queen Mamba, a feminine humanoid black mamba, appeared before Sethrophe.  She was tall and slender, and wore a flowing red gown.
“Mother?”  Sethrophe whispered as he gazed upon the site of the figure.  “Is it really you?”  Queen Mamba nodded with a loving smile.  “It’s been so long.”  He moved closer to her with tears forming in his eyes.  “I…I’ve missed you.”
He embraced her as if he never wished to let her go.  She simply held him gently in her arms.
“I’ve missed you too, Sethrophe,” she replied.
“How…how is this possible?  You’re…am I…?”
“I am, but thankfully, you are not.  You’re just hurt, but that’s why I’m here.”
“He did this to me, mother.  That monster!  He—!”
“Shhh, I know, I know.”  Mamba gently stroked Sethrophe’s head.  “He can’t hurt you here.  You’re safe.”
“…We’re all safe here…,” another familiar voice spoke.
Sethrophe turned his head in surprise and responded, “It can’t be!”
King Arkobra, a humanoid king cobra slightly taller than King Sethrophe, slithered in from out of the shadows of the corridor.  He was plump around the midsection, and he wore a black robe.
“You didn’t think I’d miss the chance to see my only son again, did you?”  Arkobra said as he approached Sethrophe with open arms.
“Father!” Sethrophe cried as he went over to his father and embraced him with all of his might.  “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again!”
“And I you, my boy.”  King Arkobra parted the embrace to have a look at his son.  He then turned to look at Queen Mamba.  “Have you seen how he’s grown, my love?”
“Indeed, I have,” she replied.  “He’s just as much a strapping young man as you were when we first met.”
“You make it sound as if it were ages ago.”
Mamba let out a playful chuckle, and Arkobra laughed as well.
“I’m quite confused,” Sethrophe said.  “How is this all possible?  And why have you come to me, mother and father?  Why now?”
Queen Mamba and King Arkobra look at each other briefly, and then looked back at Sethrophe.
“Well, you see…” Arkobra spoke.
“This is sort of an intervention, sweetie.” Mamba added.
“What do you mean?” Sethrophe asked.
“It’s best if we show you, son,” Arkobra said.
The king and queen held out their hands to their son.  Sethrophe reluctantly placed his hands into theirs.  The three zoomed through the halls of the fortress until they entered a room that looked all too familiar.
“This was…” Sethrophe began to say.
“…Your room,” Mamba added with a smile.  “I remember what a scamp you used to be.  You’d always hide here and pounce on your father when he wasn’t looking.”
“I remember, “ Sethrophe replied with a chuckle., “he would fall for it every time.”
Arkobra just laughed and said, “You never stopped surprising us, my boy.”
The room suddenly came alive with the same bright colors it once had.  A little boy Sethrophe slithered in through the door and hid under his bed.  A younger version of his father came in shortly.
“Sethrophe?” the younger Akrobra called out.  “Come out now!  It’s bath time.”  He looked all around the room and in his closet.  “Are you hiding in there?  Where could you be?”
He looked under the bed, thinking that he would catch Sethrophe this time.   However, there was nothing there.   Just as Arkobra looked up, he was jumped on from behind.
“Snake attack!” the child Sethrophe shouted.  He nibbled playfully on his father’s right shoulder with his dull baby fangs.
“Help!” Arkobra laughed.  “I’m being attacked!”
A young Queen Mamba walked in on Sethrophe nibbling on his dad’s shoulder.  She snuck up behind him and caught him in her arms.
“Gotcha!” She said.
“Aw mom!” young Sethrophe whined.  “I don’t wanna take my bath.”
“That, my little prince, is a subject not up for debate.”
“Dad, please help me!”
Adult Sethrophe looked fondly on the memories that were unfolding before him.
“You always knew what was best for me, mother,” he said.
“Your mother and I cared for you very much, Sethrophe,” Akobra added.  “We wanted to see you grow up to become a strict and fair king.”
“When I became king,” Sethrophe responded as tears filled his eyes, “was after you had died, father.  And mother… you didn’t live to see me grow up.”
“Hey now,” Mamba said as she wiped away his tears with a handkerchief. “That is not true.  I’ve been with you every day and every night.  I’ve watched you run and play, I’ve watched you fall and pick yourself up, and I’ve watched you become stronger and wise.  I have always been right here with you and I always will be.”
Sethrophe smiled, and a warm glow began to fill his heart.  It was a feeling he hadn’t felt in the long time.