Gerlard: The Snake Whisperer

WRITER'S NOTE: This is a retrospective of Gerlard Strent before he became the Dark Wizard we know of! This is one of the written chapters soon to be published in a future book: "A Tale Between Knights & Mages" (2027). Please enjoy as this is one of the turning points of the story. Happy Reading!

"Finally," I said to myself. I had finally arrived at my desired and preferred destination. The first thing I did after walking through my bedroom door, I grabbed my secret book and sat by my desk, eager to read. As I read the confinements of the page within the book, I couldn't help but ponder.

"Why are people such damn idiots?" I thought about those drunken men from the Tipsy Tiger earlier. "They're nothing and don't hold anything for this society."

I then thought about the Honorable Knight... "Why must everything be about Sonas!? It's always Sonas this, Sonas that!"

The next person I thought about was my captain. "Sir Dugal should have been more on my side but no, he would rather take the people's side to boost his ego and image."

Finally, I was thinking about my useless of a father. "This is all of his fault! If it wasn't for him not providing and securing a future for his one and only son, I won't be at this mess at all! I do wonder if the old man is still live and kicking. I hope he's rotting in his jail cell!"

I was so frustrated about everything that eventually I calmed my nerves and thought about other things. Instead of the people who have been pissing me off, I was now thinking about my current favorite item. "With this book, I feel a bit whole. Like, something has been missing. For the past months, I have read about casting fire, visibility, transportation, transforming, all of the works, including the aforementioned society that the dark mages lives with. Information provided from dear old Sonas.

"Brah, the nerve of him, thinking he knows everything! However, what stumbles me is a torn up missing page. I've been looking constantly to find it but always came empty handed no matter where I turn. I might need to take another trip down at the black market. But, in the meantime, I'll just read on this section about illusion. Of which, became my favorite out of all the spells been given."

So I read the book for the next half hour, eventually finishing up the section and getting bored out of my mind. I was too exhausted to move from my spot so I decided to place the book down while dropping my head on top of it like a pillow. I know it's not the most comfortable of surfaces, and the posture I was presented with wasn't ideal, but I was extremely tired so back off! As I took my mental break from literally everything that life was throwing at me, a red-belly black snake came up on my window sill, undetected to my knowledge.

When I heard a silent yet unthreatening hiss, I quickly lifted my head and watched the snake coming through my window and unto my desk.

"Hey, little guy. You lost?" I asked the beautiful snake.

I absolutely adore this creature ever since I was little. I still remember finding a garden snake and when I presented to Brena, the Head Wash-Maid, she nearly had a heart attack. The poor old hen. It was just a garden snake. Completely harmless and elegance to the eyes of a beholder. A part of me still missed her just thinking about it. Just wish she would have stayed long enough to see how I have grown over the years. I'm sure she would be proud...for the most part, but I have never been a people pleaser to begin with. Curse these wondering thoughts and unresolved memories of mine!

The snake didn't seem scared or agitated, instead it looked rather calm and collected when he approached me there.

For some unknown reason, I decided that it was good idea to reach out my head for the little one. I know, I know! The red-belly black snake is completely venomous. Trust me, I know a lot about snakes. I have the whole "snakeopedia" in my mind. Got it very much memorized. At first, the snake smelled and licked my hand with its given tongue, by which it tickled me but I hold my composure as to make it didn't get startled. The snake eventually went onto my hand and started to wrap itself around it, like a tree branch.

While it had done so, I was simply amazed about the recent development! I always wanted to talk to snakes since it has always been legitimately my favorite animal of all time! So much so, that I would still have a collection of snakes, either real or fake, to keep at the laundromat back in the day. Only to have them all confiscated thanks to Brenda's paranoia. It also probably didn't help that one of my snakes escaped and ended in a laundry basket. Brena was close to having a stroke that day. After that, snakes were completely forbidden at the laundromat, academy and even at the Cub House, considering Evelyn didn't allow any pets in the orphanage. But now, I got one of my own and I'll be sure he won't get taken from me.

Cause not only did I have a secret romance with Esther, on top with a secret book, but I got myself a secret pet as well! One of which I was quite fond of, more than anything. The snake was getting itself very comfortable at my hand that it eventually rested its cute little eyes and started to take a nap, right there and then!

I was overjoyed by all of this that I wanted to show my best friend: Sonas. However, I stopped myself and had a second thought about it. Knowing Sonas, I won't keep something this big a secret and then my snake would be confiscated like the rest of my past snakes. I developed a new friend. One who won't back talk and betray my trust anyways. An individual who would listen and not overshadow with someone else's access. This snake will be best keep entirely as a secret, for now. Suddenly, I was currently developing a plan in my head. A cunning plan or two for all the people who have mistreated me. But for now, I want to savor this magical moment and give the snake within my hand a name.

"You shall be named Dormer after the window you just came from." And yes, I know what a dormer is, cause I'm a big fan of windows as well.