Chapter 4

Faethurin was in the middle of pulling a hissing, writhing, very angry snake out of a basket when Aislin and Cahir chose that minute to burst in.

"Sorry that we are late!" they shouted. This distracted Fae just long enough for the snake to bite her. Her flawless features twisted into an expression of irritation and exasperation.

"If either of you had been paying attention you would know that you are thirty seconds early." Fae growled. With a flick of her wrist she removed the snake and got it in a much better grip.

"Right, well, um, thanks for coming so quickly." Cahir said rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I did not have much choice, based on what I read from your letter and what I saw on my way here. You two would not have been able to handle the events about to take place." Fae said in a cool tone while placing the snake in a thick glass jar. The cool glass instantly began to turn cloudy and steam began to build around the snake. Fae meanwhile had her back turned to it and was using a vial to collect thick amber liquid from the bite wound on her wrist.

"Um, Fae? The snake, why is it steaming?" Aislin asked in a small voice. Fae raise an elegant dark brow at the question and turned to look at the snake.

"Ah, just as I thought, but I wanted to make sure. Then again the steam and the color of the venom are proof enough." Fae said more to herself.

"Proof of what?" Cahir asked. He also noticed that while the room was richly furnished it now resembled a physicians or chemists room with vials and containers full various concoctions. Not all of them pleasant.

"That Camelot is about to have a full blown crisis on its hands if I don't hurry." Fae said with a dark look at the snake.

"And what makes you say that?" Aislin asked slowly.

"He does." Fae said holding up the jar with the steaming snake, "This my dear children, is an Xiuhcoatl, a fire serpent. And it is very rare to see them outside of their dens this time of day, the little beasts are nocturnal and don't leave their nests without good reason."

"Wait, I remember you including these things in our studies. I thought they were farther east?" Aislin queried.

"That is where you would find them in greater numbers yes, but there are some here. It's rare that you see them before you die is all." Fae said nonchalantly.

"They are that venomous?" Cahir asked paling slightly.

"Oh yes, their venom is thick and fast acting on the nervous system. They'll drop a knight in a good two hours with one bite." Fae held out her arm and showed them the thick, dark, amber liquid that dripped off her wrist, "Lucky for me I don't have to worry about that sort of thing."

"So why is a fire snake here, and in broad daylight? Does it have to do with all of the other snakes slithering around?" Cahir asked leaning against the wall. Aislin sat on the large four poster bed tapping her chin in thought.

"That's the tricky part and the reason I showed up as fast as I did. Fire serpents will only move during the day if there is an egg to guard." Fae explained. She was now moving about the room tossing her cloak over the back of a chair and snatching up a book.

"So we need to look for a steaming egg and smash it before the two of them burn down the kingdom? Easiest task we have ever done!" Cahir said with a smile.

"No you twit." Fae said, there was an air of exasperation in her tone but it was lined with affection, "A fire serpent is always born as a male and being male they do not worry about the guarding of their offspring. They only guard the eggs of incredibly powerful dragons, or ancient serpents."

"There is a dragon that lives nearby." Aislin mused.

"Yes I know, stopped by to see him on my way in. Lovely fellow, he's invited me down for tea and a chat." Fae said skimming through the book she had set on a desk.

"You're having tea with a dragon?" Cahir asked in a stunned voice. Aislin smacked him on the back of the head.

"Focus will you!" she hissed, "So the snake is looking for the dragon."

"No, Khilgarah is not who the snake is after." Fae muttered.

"Why does it not surprise me that you are on first name basis with a dragon." Cahir grumbled.

"So what is it after?" Aislin asked impatiently.

"Think!" Fae hissed sharply, bringing her hands down on the desk hard. Aislin and Cahir looked at each other and shrugged, until realization dawned on the both of them.

"There is an ancient serpent somewhere in Camelot!" they exclaimed. Fae smirked at them.

"Well done dears, yes there is an ancient serpent about to hatch in Camelot. More specifically, a Basilisk." Fae said looking down at the book. Aislin and Cahir came to stand on either side of her, their stomachs clenched at the drawing of a massive black crested serpent.

"You're saying that, there is one of those things in the castle?" Aislin said wringing her hands.

"More specifically an egg but yes, and that is why he is here. That grumpy snake is here to help with the final hatching process." Fae explained. She moved away from the desk and went over to another desk and started shifting through scrolls, "What I don't understand is how one got there without anyone noticing!"

"Noticing what?" Cahir asked nervously. Fae gave him a look that made him suddenly doubt his intelligence.

"The mother of course! Even a blind man would notice a forty foot snake patrolling around the kingdom!" Fae was getting agitated now, "How on earth did that bloody egg get in here without people seeing the mother! I mean with how wary these people are of magic there is no way they would miss the mother, unless she was dead or-" Fae broke off in mid rant and mid stride. Her face morphed into an irritated but happy and slightly evil smile.

"Of course! The mother is not here because her egg was stolen and placed here! No Basilisk would lay her egg in a hostile kingdom." Fae said clapping herself on the forehead.

"So now we need to find out who would-wait, I think I know who placed it here!" Cahir said balling his fists in agitation. Fae raised an elegant dark brow in question, Cahir opened his mouth to answer her at the same time Merlin burst into the room with Mordred limp on his back and Morgana behind him.

"Merlin!" Aislin exclaimed, "What happened?"

"Mordred was bitten by a snake that I don't recognize and Giaus is in a council meeting. I tried everything but nothing has worked!" Merlin explained frantically. Fae, who had been watching from her scroll laden desk, suddenly appeared beside Merlin's shoulder.

"Are you sure you tried everything?" she asked, her expression calm. Merlin nearly jumped out of his skin but was quick to answer.

"Yes." He told her. Fae took a breath and gave him a curious look before smiling bewitchingly at him.

"I am sure you did dear, however I fear that you are not trained enough to drain venom out of body yet." Fae said placing a hand on Mordred's sweat covered brow.

"Can you do something for him?" Morgana asked plaintively. Fae gave her a kind smile.

"I most certainly can and will." With that she scooped Mordred off of Merlin's back and cradled him in her arms as she strode over to a large ornate chair by the window. It was made out of a dark, almost black wood with a wine red cushion on the seat and back of the chair, ideal for spending the day in. Fae swept over to the chair and sat down in a gentle swish of her cloak and gown that fell dramatically beside her. As if the material were trying to enhance her already majestic, mysterious, and terrifying persona.

"Hmmm, can you describe what the snake looked like that bit him?" Fae asked as she checked his pulse. It was rapid and weak, his breathing shallow and his face was bathed in sweat. In all honesty Fae did not need to know what snake bit the boy, she just wanted to distract Merlin and Morgana. As the pair stumbled over the description of the snake she carefully raised his wrist to her lips.

"Are you sure it was a brown snake with a gold head and ruby tail tip?" Aislin asked a frantic Merlin. The dark haired warlock nodded furiously, as did Morgana who looked about ready to faint and was leaning on Cahir. The knight looked a bit confused as to what he should do but years of etiquette from Fae had him supporting her like a gentleman.

"What is that snake doing in Camelot? It's not native here, not even in Mercia." Cahir mused.

"But, that means no one knows how to make a cure!" Merlin said with wide, fearful eyes. Morgana tried to choke back a sob and leaned heavily on Cahir while Merlin stumbled back to lean on the wall. Aislin glided over to him and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, Cahir was gently rubbing Morgana's arm.

"Oh come now, no need for those crocodile tears! The boy is fine." Fae admonished in a surprisingly gentle, motherly tone. All heads turned in her direction to see her smiling at them as she helped a wide eyed Mordred onto his feet. The curly haired young man looked at her, mouth open to ask a question but Fae hushed him and murmured something to him. It must have been the right thing because he smiled and bowed deeply to her.

"Mordred!" Morgana cried and promptly threw herself at the young man, "I thought we were going to lose you for good!" she gushed, crushing him in a hug.

"Wow." Cahir breathed.

"Be grateful it's, him she is smothering and not you. Morgana is stronger than she looks." Merlin laughed in relief.

"Of course she is, being a seer does not make her weak. Just like you being a warlock does not automatically make you clumsy like everyone claims." Fae said striding by them. Merlin, Morgana, and Mordred stared at her in slack jawed surprise, "Yes, I know about all three of you. You are lucky that Arthur seems so desensitized to magic that he has not noticed you with how many times a week you save his life. Honestly does that man have a bull's eye on his back?" Fae said in exasperation as she sifted through several vials of colored liquids.

"I ask myself the same question every day." Merlin muttered. Fae gave him an appreciative look.

"If you knew we had magic, does that mean?" Morgana trailed off expectantly.

"Yes dear, I have magic as well and more than enough experience dealing with seers and adolescent youth learning to control their powers." Fae answered with a pointed look at Cahir and Aislin. Both found other sides of the room far more interesting to look at, "Now then, Merlin you will be pleased to know that I have found the reason for all of the snakes in Camelot so if you could be a dear and arrange a meeting with Arthur for me I would-" Fae was cut off by the screams of the laundry maids and a breathless Elyan barging in the door.

"Now what!" Fae snarled.

"Pardon me Milady, but there is, uh, a predicament in the laundry rooms that warrants your immediate attention." Elyan panted.

"What warrants my attention is an audience with your king, not a prank in the laundry room." Fae said coldly.

"The King is, in the laundry room Milady. He requested you specifically." Elyan said in a timid voice. Aislin and Cahir sent apologetic looks at the knight, Lady Fae could wither armies with her frustration alone and this news was threatening to unleash her anger and he was at the forefront currently.

Fae arched an elegant dark brow before closing her eyes, taking a deep breath to calm herself and striding out of the rooms. Tying on her cloak as she went, in a grand flourish of black.

"Very well then, Come along then all of you. Let's see what warrants my attention in the laundry room." Fae said in clipped tones.

The group trotted silently behind the intimidating and powerful woman as she swept through the castle. Servants, knights, and noblemen all scurried out of her way as she strode past. Face set like marble, eye's glittering threateningly. She had been close to finding the basilisk egg and now this! Someone was in trouble when she found out what was going on!

"Alright, here we are." Fae said coming to a stop outside a door.

"You just got here, how do you know that this is the right door?" Cahir asked skeptically. The door flew open as a horde of screaming maids fled. Fae looked at Cahir with a raised brow as if to ask, "that answer your question?"

"Skepticism will get you nowhere in life dear." Fae scolded coolly before gliding down the stairs. Arthur was standing outside the door to the main wash room waiting for her.

"Ah, Lady Fae. Thank you for coming so quickly." Arthur began. Fae strode past him, cape billowing in frustration.

"Yes, yes, now if you don't mind I would like to know what is so important that it derives attention away from our current snake epidemic!" she snapped.

"Well, that is a bit tough to explain but it is just as bad." Arthur said shifting where he stood. Merlin saw that and groaned. Whatever was beyond the door was going to be one heck of a headache.

"Oh please! It cannot be that bad!" Fae threw the doors open. Aislin gave a squeak of surprise and flushed a deep crimson. Cahir's face turned red along with Merlin's and Morgana's who proceeded to cover Mordred's eyes. Arthur just sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose while Fae stood rigid with a clenched jaw. Staring into the washroom with utter disgust and loathing. For on display was the now dancing underwear of the nobles of Camelot.