He summoned every sorcerer in the kingdom. Within minutes, the room filled with magicians, each carrying their mystical tools.

King Bahar cleared his throat and narrated everything he had witnessed.

For a long time, none of the sorcerers spoke. Their heads remained bowed.

Tired of waiting, the king shouted angrily. Terrified, they began to stammer.

Finally, one of them gathered courage and said:

“Baduuhu has granted us victory. My investigation shows that…”

He left the room with a smile. Once he was gone, she sighed deeply, resting her chin on her palm as she thought about her life. When thinking became too heavy, she stood and walked to the courtyard.

“Inna, greetings,” she said to the old woman tending a fire.

“Inna” replied, “Boddi, what troubled you earlier? You rushed in here in fear.”

Boddi took a deep breath and said, “Inna, I was just terrified because of the killings happening in this town. I don’t know who they will kill next.”

Inna put down her work and sat beside her.

“Calm down, Boddi. Anyone who is killed— their time was simply up. The serpent is only a means. Nothing happens to a person unless it is written in their destiny.”

But Boddi wasn’t listening. She was thinking of the day they would discover she was the serpent. She knew no one would believe she wasn’t the killer.

Tears fell from her eyes onto her beautiful cheeks. Inna wiped them gently, comforting her until she calmed down. Afterwards, Inna playfully teased her about being afraid of death.

Boddi laughed outwardly, but in her heart she said:

“If only you knew, Inna… I am your death. I am not a blessing to you. I am a calamity.”

---

King Bahar and Princess Diyanah walked into the royal chambers hand in hand. From time to time they exchanged glances. Whenever they locked eyes, Diyanah gifted him a beautiful smile that melted his heart. He felt he could fight the whole world for her.

They entered King Bahar’s chambers while the servants stayed outside the door.

Once inside, Diyanah began removing her royal garments and climbed onto the large bed, watching him as he prepared to bathe. She smiled as she followed him with her eyes until he entered the bathroom.

Minutes later, King Bahar emerged, freshly bathed. Their eyes met, and they both smiled again. He walked toward a huge mirror positioned such that it reflected the bed where Diyanah lay.

Suddenly, he froze.

His heart dropped.

In the mirror, he did not see Diyanah.

He saw a massive serpent, coiled on the bed, its head raised, hissing and releasing venom.

But when he looked back directly at the bed—Diyanah was lying there smiling at him.

Terrified, King Bahar shouted for his servants.

They rushed in immediately.

He pointed at the mirror.

“What do you see?”

They stared carefully, then bowed and replied in unison:

“Baduuhu has granted you his princess, Your Majesty. That is his gift you see in the mirror.”

But King Bahar saw only a serpent in the mirror, though in reality the princess lay smiling before him.