Serpent's Den (Lightning and Neph)

They called it only ‘Serpent’s Den’. No one with common sense entered these quarters at night-time. The low-life of the city had gathered in the dirty streets, struggled for their lives. It had never been a good place, but for years it had become worse and worse if one could believe the tales of old fishwives, babbling and muttering even if no one was there to listen.

Thaniel sighed and stepped out of his door, bucket in hand. He had lived here for his whole life. Though there were some people who told him different, he knew it was true. All the streets of Serpent’s Den were as familiar as his small apartment; he knew his neighbors by name and was even familiar with some of their more private intimacies. Not that privacy was a big deal in this neighbourhood.

“Thaniel, come here!”, an old man called out to him, his rasping voice and his heavy dialect was something Thaniel had almost waited for. A thin-lipped smile appeared on his face as he looked over to the man. “Berugir, I have no money with me, can’t buy your precious stones.”

He was crazy, Thaniel knew, but he was not the only case. Everyone who could not survive anywhere else, tried to find his luck in the darkest streets of the capital. Sighing, the young man made his way down to the well, while he was lost in thoughts.

“Thaniel!” Again his name. Curious the man turned round, looking right at a young boy. “Thaniel, the strange man told me to give this to you!” With that the child rummaged in his countless pockets and finally, after dropping two copper coins onto the floor passed an envelope over to Thaniel, who only smiled.

“For you!” the boy repeated proudly and the young man nodded.
“Yes”, he answered, not even once taking a look at the message. “Thanks, Din.” Reaching for the boy Thaniel tousled his red hair and then continued down to the well, the envelope carelessly stuffed into one small pouch.

It was not a real well, just a hole in the ground. Brown – and sometimes even more colorful water slopped in it like a great puddle. However, it was the only fresh water the poor could get their hands onto. Once they had been allowed to use the great well on the marketplace, but this time has long since passed.

Peeking down the hole, Thaniel grimaced. The water was only a sandish brown – a good sign. So the young man dropped down to one knee and looked examined it closer. Even now he could not see something out of the ordinary and so he filled his bucket with water. For just but a moment he caught a glimpse of his reflection. Dark, matted hair, a tanned face with high cheekbones, then the water rippled his face in many and many concentrical circles.

Letting out a small sigh, Thaniel got up again and stretched, before he looked around. The sun was burning and only some puffy clouds were hanging lazily in the blue sky. Brushing back some of his dark hair he smiled, until he remembered the envelope. He should read it first thing when he came home.


(I always have trouble with first-posts, especially in the middle of the night)