"Hmm, Felix still hasn't left the basilisk's cell yet...Maybe I'd better check up, in case something happened."
Henry grabbed hold of the keys on the side and began removing the locks on the door. After removing the final lock, he opened the door and saw the basilisk wrapped around Felix's body, well outside from the chains' limit.
"H...H-help..." Felix said, tears streaming down his face.
"Felix!" Henry whispered urgently.
Looking around, Henry saw no one else nearby. So he carefully entered the cell and climbed on top of the basilisk's body. The creature twitched slightly, but seemingly fell back to sleep. Henry worked his way until he was right next to Felix.
"Felix, don't cry. I'm here now, don't worry. Just listen very carefully, and do what I say."
Felix nods his head as Henry helps him out of the basilisk's grasp. It took several minutes to squirm out of the coils, but Felix manages to be set free as the two exit the cell. Henry reinserts the locks to the door as he faces the boy, sitting on the floor, crying.
"Felix, are you alright? You're unharmed, aren't you? What happened?"
"Y-yes...I'll be alright. Just, shaken is all... T-the chain was rusty, and...It broke."
"Felix, why don't you go back to the slaves' quarters. Get some rest, and I'll report about the broken chain to Lord William tomorrow."
Felix nodded as he ran as far away as he could to the slaves' quarters. Henry just looked back at the basilisk's cell. It was coiled around Felix, but didn't harm him in any way. It was intriguing for him, but he knew better than to question anything at the moment. It was not his place to question the basilisk's intentions, or its odd behavior. But if he had to guess, then it may have taken a liking for Felix. Henry chuckled at the thought as he resumed his watch.
-----
It was on the next day when they attached a new chain on the basilisk infant. Felix would still get very frightened when he saw the snake-like head move into the light. But then again, nothing bad happened the last time. Hopefully, nothing bad will ever happen to him. Felix refilled the bowl of water as he looked back at the basilisk. It was reaching out until the chain tugged it's head back, preventing the creature from moving any further. It began lapping up the water, then tried to move towards Felix. Felix was still scared though, but the sound of the chains did make him feel better. He quickly got out of the cell as fast as he could.
In the following weeks, it became routine for Felix to feed the basilisk, along with the other chores he had to do. Work, work, feed the creature, work, rest, torture, work, sleep. But the more time he spent with the basilisk, the more he began to feel less fear, and more sorry for the creature. This caused him to think back to when he was first 'captured' by it.
"It just nuzzled its head to me...Even though it licked me, it didn't eat me...Was it...Was it really just trying to show affection?"
Felix sat up on his bed, which was nothing more than a dirty blanket on the cold stone floor of his room. The idea of the basilisk showing affection kept bothering him, refusing to leave his mind. Maybe tomorrow, he could try and find out more about the basilisk himself.
-----
As Felix entered the cell, he refilled the water as usual. He waited as the basilisk emerged from the dark and lapped up the water. Felix gulped, thinking he has finally lost his sanity for doing this. He walked closer to the basilisk. The creature darted its tongue in the air, sensing Felix walk up closer to it. Felix walked up to the side of its head and gently placed a hand on it. The basilisk flinched at first, but seemed to calm down as it didn't feel any pain from Felix's touch.
"You must have been hurt badly, haven't you?" Felix said.
He gently rubbed the basilisk's head as it laid down on the ground.
"I bet you must be really lonely in here. And scared. Is that...Is that why you tried to get closer to me?" Felix asked.
There was no response as the basilisk stayed still on the ground. Felix continued to rub the creature's head, feeling some kind of comfort being able to talk to someone. He looks up at the basilisk.
"Well, I'm a little lonely too. That Lord William is no real Lord, but a tyrant. He's tortured us, trying to make us his slaves. But at least we have Henry. He'd never hurt us. He understands us, unlike most of the other soldiers in this place..."
Felix began to feel stupid, talking to the giant creature. He turned to walk back out the door. The tugging of the chains caught his attention, and he faced the basilisk again. But what he saw clearly surprised him. The red cloth the blinded the basilisk was wet...And tears were streaming down the side! Felix just stood there, watching the giant basilisk cry in front of him. Felix looked back at the cell door. He was happy that Henry was on guard again today. He could perhaps share this to him. But he looked at the crying snake on the other side. He was just as miserable as he was, until he came into his life. Should he just leave him all alone again? But then again, maybe Henry could share some insight on this...
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