"Princess," Maya called softly as she entered the room, a small cage trembling in her hands. initially she collected the serpent from Isabel so that it can be diagnosed by the imperial doctor in secret without the king knowledge. The faint rattle of its metal echoed through the quiet chamber. She set it carefully upon the table, her eyes lifting to meet the young princess, Isabel.
Isabel turned from the window, sunlight catching on her golden hair. Her expression softened as she saw who had entered.
"Maya," she said warmly. The older woman was not just her maid—she was the closest thing Isabel had to a mother since the Queen's death.
With a faint smile, Isabel looked towards the creature in the cage.
Maya took a cautious step closer. The creature—Lucifer—lay coiled inside, his scales glimmering faintly under the light. Curiosity overcame her fear, and she reached out a tentative hand.
In an instant, the serpent lunged.
Maya screamed and stumbled backward, her heart hammering. Isabel burst into laughter, her eyes shining.
"He's still very aggressive," Isabel said between giggles.
"My princess!" Maya gasped, pressing a hand to her chest. "This thing is dangerous! If your father finds out you're keeping such a creature here, he'll have my head—and yours won't be far behind!" Maya isn't in support of keeping the creature.
Isabel waved off her concern, her tone playful but firm. "He won't find out… not unless you tell him, Maya. It will be our little secret. He isn't dangerous—he's just… scared."
Inside the cage, Lucifer's thoughts burned like fire.
Scared? The word echoed in his mind, thick with fury. They call me scared? Me—the Power of the Morning Star, the Flame of Heaven?
He seethed in silence. They would dare to cage me, to humiliate me like this. The heavens must be laughing. But let them laugh… I will make them choke on it soon enough. You'll regret sending me on this mortal punishment.
"Your Highness—please," Maya urged, her voice trembling as Isabel approached the cage.
"It's alright, Maya," Isabel reassured her gently. "You can go now. I'll take care of him."
"But, my princess—"
"That's enough," Isabel said softly, though her tone held authority.
Maya hesitated, then sighed. "Yes, my princess." She turned to leave, but Isabel's voice stopped her.
"Maya," she said quietly. "Father must never know about this."
Maya nodded gravely before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.
The chamber fell into silence, save for the faint rustle of the curtains and the whisper of Isabel's breath.
She turned back to Lucifer and crouched beside the cage. "I know you don't like it," she murmured. "And I can guess you've been through a lot." Her voice wavered. "But so have I."
She opened the cage door slowly. The serpent didn't move.
"I lost my mother," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "Right in front of me. And ever since then, I've been... unwanted. The rejected princess. The one the court whispers about."
Lucifer watched her quietly, his eyes flickering with something unfamiliar—sympathy.
"I just wanted someone," she continued. "A friend. Everyone else is busy laughing and smiling with Father and his new Queen. And I'm here... alone in this cold room."
Her voice cracked, and for the first time since his fall, Lucifer felt a strange tug in his chest. If injustice exists even in Heaven, he thought, how much more cruel must it be on Earth?
Slowly, he came out from cage and coiled beside her. She didn't flinch this time. Instead, she smiled faintly through her tears.
"I won't lock you up," she said gently. "You can stay near the window if you like."
She placed a small pillow on the sill, and Lucifer climbed onto it, curling into a soft spiral as the moonlight bathed his scales.
Exhausted, Isabel climbed into bed. The room soon fell into the quiet rhythm of her breathing.
Outside, the palace slept.
But as midnight crept in, Lucifer stirred. His eyes glowed faintly in the dark. With a slow, graceful motion, he slithered from the window to her bedside.
Then, in the silence of the moonlight—he transformed.