"Wake up little one."

Tem didn't want to wake up; he'd have to start making breakfast for Dudley if he did.

"Little one, it's time to wake. Open your eyes to the new day."

"Do I have to?" the small boy asked with a yawn, rubbing his eyes with grimy fists. He wiped them on his equally dirty pants and tried again. Eventually he had to open his eyes to find a patch of skin that wasn't layered in sand.

"The sooner you wake, the sooner you can have something to eat. It's been almost a full day."

He blinked a few more times, trying to clear his fuzzy sight when he realized that his glasses were missing.

"Papa, Papa, can I play with him now?" a small, high voice asked, the words oddly slurred to Tem's ears. That wasn't Dudley.

"Maybe when he's more awake," was answered kindly, the dark voice soothing and mild. That was definitely not his Uncle. "Now go back to the Nursery; I'm sure your maid is missing you."

"But Papa…"

"Now, child."

Tem knew that whoever had been talking must be sad to go. He'd want to be near the kind voice too. The only one who had ever spoken to him like that was Donkor, and he'd only known him for a week! He tried figuring out who was talking, but no matter how much he squinted, he couldn't see anything other than blurry shapes and the bright blue and pink color of the early evening sky.

Something tapped his right hand; he reached out and found his glasses sitting next to him. He placed them on his small nose and looked up.

And screamed.

The largest snake he had ever seen, no, the largest anything he'd ever seen was hovering over him, large yellow eyes gleaming in the early morning sun. Tem continued screaming as it opened its mouth and showed him huge white fangs that dripped something slimy and gross near his left foot. Tem forced himself into as small a form as he could, wrapping his arms around his knees and burying his head against them. If he couldn't see it, it couldn't see him.

He was picked up tenderly and gently rocked back and forth, soothing words of comfort lulling him into a sense of peace and security. Tem couldn't believe that he was actually being cradled by a snake! What was going on? Overcome with fears and confusion, he started crying. He wanted Donkor! He wanted him now!

"There, there, Little one. I'm not going to hurt you. You have no reason to fear me. I was the one who saved you from drowning. I have no need to eat you, I promise."

Tem tried hard to stifle his crying. His aunt had always yelled at him if he was too loud. "You're not going to eat me?" he asked timidly. He looked up at the snake. Was it…smiling at him?

And laughing at him as well, if Tem was interpreting the soft hissing sound right. "Of course not! We never eat little boys or girls we prefer fruit." He lifted his tail up a little higher, still rocking the distraught boy. "Are you alright now? Would you like something to eat yourself? You have been asleep for a long time."

Tem, now dry of tears, uncurled himself and looked at the monster properly. Its scales were a dark blue, the edges rimmed in yellow. A few of his scales looked like there were white stars painted on them, some were solid yellow though and all were the same size. His eyes were still glowing, but they didn't seem as scary anymore. The boy couldn't remember why he had been so frightened. "Are you sure you're not going to eat me?"

The snake nodded.

"Okay." He tapped the snake's tail and he was lowered back down to the smooth sand. "I'm hungry."

The snake slowly drew himself up until half of his body was standing in an upright position. He looked down at the awe struck boy and hissed in amusement. "Come then. I'm sure I can find you something. It's been many a year since the last human occupied my Isle, but I think I still remember what little boys can and cannot eat."

Tem giggle at the snake. He sounded just like his teacher did when she…what did she call it? Teased him. It was nice. Donkor did that too, if he thought about it. No wonder he liked them so much! "We eat candy a lot," Tem told him, hiding his smile behind his dirty little hands.

"Is that so," the snake said dryly, giving him an indulgently look. His own offspring often tried the same thing. Children.

Tem nodded his head emphatically. "Uhhuh. And sometimes we even eat whole bowls full. If we're really hungry."

"My, my."

Eventually the child's curiosity got the better of him. "Um…?"

The serpent looked down, slowing his slithering until he was at a stand still with the boy. "Yes?"

"Um…can I…I mean, what what do I call you?" Tem hunched his shoulders and waited. Donkor never yelled at him for asking questions, but his Uncle had never liked him talking to him at all.

"Hm…" The snake tilted his head to the side and looked up at the dark sky. "The last man who stayed here was far older than you, and very courteous in addressing me as 'Great Prince of Punt'." He leaned down and nudged the boy's cheek with his snout. He was rewarded with an outpouring of giggles. "Little boys have no need of such strict manners. Or so my own children keep telling me. I suppose Sir would be best for now."

"Sir. I'll remember." His face screwed up in concentration. The large snake smiled warmly at his earnest effort.

"And you, little one? What might I call you? You won't stay little for long," he teased, measuring the boy's height with the end of his tail, raising it and lowering it as if gauging how tall the boy would grow in time.

"Tem! Donkor named me Tem!" the boy cried, jumping up and down in excitement. Ah, youth, so resilient in the face of adversary, the Prince of Punt thought to himself as he began leading the child towards food and rest.

"Donkor…is that the other man that was with you?"

Tem stopped bouncing and looked up with wide hopeful eyes. "Donkor? Donkor's here?"

"Would you like to go see him?"

"YES!" Tem covered his mouth and his eyes widened. "I mean, yes please, Sir."

"Such a polite child…well then," the large serpent bent down until he was lying flat along the sand. "If you are careful, you can climb up and sit on my head. We'll go much faster that way." The child tried as best he could to do as he was told, but he was just too small to be able to climb up the smooth scales himself. "Climb up my snout. Just be careful around my eyes." Tem did so, and eventually he was sitting atop the snake's crown, wishing he had something to hold onto. "Do not worry, Tem. You will not fall off."

They started off slowly, so that Tem would not get frightened, but picked up speed when the child squealed in delight. The lush jungle flew by them as they went, and Tem told himself to remember to ask if he could go exploring, but he was too excited to see Donkor to really pay attention now.

"Here we are," the serpent hissed, lowering his head for the child to tumble off. He did so with gratifying speed, jumping up off the ground and looking around wildly. "Over there." He nodded towards a shaded area of palms.

"DONKOR!" Tem shouted, diving down beside the figure. He stopped. "This isn't Donkor." He looked at the man closely. He sat back, thinking. "Lateef. This is Lateef! Donkor left him to watch after me while he was gone." Smiling at the kind man who had juggled for him, he tugged on his arm. "Wake up Lateef."

He didn't move.

Tem turned around and looked up at the silent Prince. "Why doesn't he wake up?" he asked fearfully.

"Calm yourself, child. I have put him to sleep for his own wellbeing."

"Why?" Tem sniffled, wiping away at tears.

"Look at his legs, Tem."

The child looked down. He squinted his eyes and leaned closer. "They look…funny. Can my legs look like that?" he asked, trying to bend his legs the same way Lateef was.

His guide shook his large head. "No; his legs are broken, Tem."

"Broken?" he whispered, scrambling up out of the sand and grabbing the snake desperately. "But you can fix him, right? You can make him ok, right?"

"I'm sorry, Tem. I cannot. My healing does not work on humans."

"But…but"

"But in time, you may be able to help your friend."

Tem looked up at him. "I don't get it."

"You would like to help him, would you not?"

"Yes!"

"Even if it takes years?"

"Years? Won't…won't he hurt?"

The snake wondered if all young humans were as kind and caring as this one. He doubted it. "I will place him somewhere on my Island where he will feel no pain. Where time will not age him, and magic will keep him slumbering."

"Magic? Donkor says that…that one day I'll have magic too. Will I be able to fix him then?"

The Prince of Punt leaned down and looked into the child's eyes, his own magic searching deep into the boy's own well of power. "I have no doubt you will be able to heal your friend in time. None what so ever."

"But how? I don't know what to do," he said, voice close to a wail of despair.

"I have lived a long time, Tem. I have collected books, scrolls that will help you; teach you how to repair the human body. While I cannot heal him myself, they will aid you in your quest to help Lateef."

"…years?"

The serpent hissed, laughing. "Time will move quickly for you, young one. Do not fear. He will feel no pain until you are ready." He leaned down and grabbed the boy by the collar, lifting him up and placing him down on his back. "Come now, you still need food in your stomach. I'll ask some of my brethren to come and move your friend someplace more comfortable. Alright?"

"Can I visit him later? I don't want him to get lonely." Tem looked down and fiddled with his hands.

The serpent Prince started moving once more. "Of course Tem. I would not deny you your comfort."

"Thank you, Sir."

You're welcome Lotus Child, he thought to himself. Anything for the Child Born of the Water Lily. The child who would save them all.