Aris

You are the one who finds harmony in the silence of a rural evening. Sitting on the steps of the old porch of your two-story house, you were capturing the pale moonlight with your pencil, noting its phase in your notebook. Calmness flowed all around: inside the house, your mother and grandmother were discussing household chores, while your father and brother were still delayed at work in the fields. Faithful Druzhok was peacefully snoring in his kennel, and only Kuzya was circling around, occasionally brushing against your legs with his fluffy side.

"The stars are so beautiful tonight," flashed through your mind. You leaned back, searching among the shimmering dots for the outline of your Zodiac sign. Suddenly, a snake glided from the shadows of the garden to your feet. It was incredible: dazzlingly white, as if carved from pure marble. In your village, they said that white snakes were sacred guardians of an ancient temple, and meeting one was great luck. But, looking closer, you noticed a small bloody wound on its tail. Your mercy and love for animals would not allow you to stand aside.

— Shh... just hold on... — you whispered barely audibly, gently taking the snake in your hands.

You rushed into the house, grabbed antiseptic and a bandage. The snake was cold; it hissed and writhed, trying to defend itself, but you held it carefully, treating the wound.

— Shh... it's all over now... — you murmured affectionately until the snake calmed down. As soon as the help was provided, it slid off your palms, and you discovered with surprise a white, glowing mark on your hand.

The snake crawled forward, constantly looking back, as if calling you to follow. Driven by curiosity, you followed it into the deepest part of the forest. You began to look around, trying to find the white scales among the foliage again, but suddenly a creature emerged from behind an ancient tree. It was a man with pale skin and frost-colored hair, his blue eyes shining with a mystical light. However, below the waist, instead of legs, he had a powerful serpentine tail covered in pearlescent scales.

— Hello... kind lady... thank you for healing my wounds... — his voice resembled the rustle of grass.

— I shall take you as my wife...