(Opening Scene: The tense standoff in Astrid's chambers continues. Zane stands protectively with Eclipse, Lady Elara is radiating anger and concern, and the Montaigne guards remain wary. A soft groan breaks the strained silence.)
Prince Lysander stirred on the floor, his eyelids fluttering open. He blinked, his vision blurry, and a wave of dull pain washed over him. He pushed himself up slowly, groaning again as he clutched his stomach, the last vestiges of Eclipse's grayish venom still lingering in his system.
His eyes widened as his vision cleared, taking in the dramatic scene before him. He saw Lady Elara's furious expression, the terrified guards, Astrid standing near Zane with a look of defiance, and then his gaze landed on Zane himself, with the magnificent, venom-coated shadow serpent coiled menacingly on his shoulder.
"What… what in the seven hells…?" Lysander stammered, his voice raspy and filled with confusion. He had a fragmented memory of a sharp pain in his arm and then… nothing. The current tableau made no sense. Why was Zane here? Why was that monstrous creature covered in what looked like black poison? And why was everyone so tense?
He looked at Astrid, his brow furrowed. "Astrid? What is going on? What… what happened to me?" He touched his arm gingerly, a faint throbbing sensation remaining where Eclipse had grazed him.
Lady Elara turned her attention to the groggy prince, her anger momentarily shifting to concern. "Lysander! You're awake. Thank the heavens." She moved towards him, helping him to sit up. "That… creature… attacked you." She gestured disdainfully towards Eclipse.
Lysander followed her gaze, his eyes widening further in disbelief. "Attacked me? That… serpent? But… why?" He looked at Zane, a flicker of his old arrogance returning, tinged with a healthy dose of wariness. "Did you sic your pet on me, void mage?"
Zane met the prince's bewildered gaze, his own expression hardening. "Eclipse acted to protect Lady Astrid from your unwanted advances, Prince Lysander. Perhaps you should direct your confusion towards your own behavior."
The pieces began to click into place for Lysander. He remembered his forceful attempts to persuade Astrid, her clear displeasure, and then… a swift, sharp pain. He looked at Eclipse with a newfound understanding of the familiar's protective nature. The sight of the black venom, however, still sent a shiver of unease down his spine.
The tense standoff in Astrid's chambers now had a bewildered and groggy royal prince added to the mix, his confusion a stark contrast to the underlying danger posed by Eclipse.