It was 3 days before he got another opportunity to leave the Keep. This time, he took the path at the mountain base past a large wooden cottage into town. Gwydion had only stopped briefly to admire the large structure and its small patch of brightly coloured primrose in front. It looked straight out of the story books on knights and maidens Petunia had once read to Dudley, all yellow thatch roof and exposed wooden beams. Gwydion had been very tempted to go up and knock, that was until the door opened and he watched three large black bears walk out on their hind legs. The largest and smallest were wearing blue overalls, while the middle sized one was wearing bright pink sundress.

The largest bear exclaimed, "What a beautiful day for a stroll through the forest!" Before all three wandered off. Gwydion thanked his lucky stars he hadn't gone to knock. Bears! Talking, cloths wearing bears! As he started to walk away he found a tiny silver thimble glinting amidst the grass. Knowing it was the right thing to do, he had managed to get up the courage to greet the Bears as they started to leave the garden. Sadly, his cordial greeting annoyed the bear in a sun dress, and she growled back, "Grrrrrrrrrrrrreetings yourrrrrrrrrrself, young man. Stay out of my garden!"

Gwydion was reminded too strongly of Petunia to try again, but even as he thought of leaving the bear had growled menacingly again, "Grrrrrrrrrrr! We don't take to strangers here. Go away!"

With that Gwydion had hightailed it on to the town.

Calling it a 'town' might be a bit generous. For starters there was only 5 buildings and a long pier sticking out into the sea. Of the five buildings, only two had large signs on the front, a Tavern and a Store, the rest appeared to be houses, like the bear's house, in grey plaster between exposed dark wooden beams, but with red tiled roofs. Both the store and tavern were made of cherry red wood, with round gold trimmed windows, like an old fashion boat. The tavern had a chimney from which white smoke curled lazily, perfuming the air with a gentle warmth. A large anchor was propped up against the stores' wall.

After checking that the old crone who delivered weekly to Manannan was no where in sight, Gwydion ducked into the store and took in the walls packed with produce. Barrels and bags, jars and junk, every inch of space was full. A large black old stove against the back wall radiated heat. A shaggy old dog lay in front of the stove, taking up much of the space. It briefly lifted its head as Gwydion entered, only to huff and lay back down. Gwydion could see its collar is engraved with the name 'Kenny'.

"Good day to you, young man!" the store keeper was a friendly middle aged man, dressed in a smart black suit with a crisp white shirt. He even had a black tie around his upper arms. "What can I do for you?"

Gwydion wasn't interested in the food, if he needed anything, Manannan's kitchen would provide. What did catch Gwydion eye was an old large pouch with a thick shoulder strap.

"Um, hello. How much is that pouch?"

"A keen eye you have there young man! This pouch is specially enchanted, its made of soft leather from a questing beast. No matter how large, it will fit exactly 20 items, yet weigh no more then it does now!"

"Wow!"

"Now for such a princely item, I'm afraid costs a princely sum. For such a fine young adventure such as yourself I'd need to ask for 10 gold pieces."

"Oh. I don't have that much."

The store owner looked sad, and hung the pouch back up behind the desk. "Well anything else?"

"No, um." Gwydion hesitated then smiled, "Thanks anyway."

"Come back any time!"

Outside, the salty sea air brushed against Gwydion's face. The tavern was next, and Gwydion wandered in, not expecting any customers at such an early time of the day. To his surprise two large burly men were drinking ale from large steins. A women stood behind the bar, with bottles of rum and wine sitting atop wooden shelves. Her low cut light blue top displayed her own wares. Just like in the store, a large stove squatted in the back corner, heating the room. On one wall was a large tabard and a pair of crossed swords.

"Um hello." Gwydion greeted the barmaid.

But before the blonde barmaid could answer, one of the surly-looking characters yelled out, "Wench! Come o'er here with more ale!"

The young blonde hurried over, and Gwydion snuck back out to avoid the men's eye. Their loud voices had reminded Gwydion too much of a time when he was called Freak and Vernon would yell at Petunia. Such yells were always a prelude to his own punishment.

Back outside, Gwydion checked the sun, but its high position suggested he still had plenty of time. He decided to stroll along the dock. There were no ships currently docked, but he took the time to watch the gulls soar gracefully on the sea breezes.

Wandering back into town, he tilted his head back, taking in the sea breeze and warm sun. He had never been to the beach Before, and he hoped he would be lucky enough to be able to return when the weather warmed. He couldn't swim, but he could paddle in the surf, maybe even build a sand castle. As he was distracted with his day dreams, he didn't see the burly men exiting the tavern.

"Watch were you're going!" One yelled as Gwydion knocked into him.

"Sorry sir!"

"I'll make ya sorry!" As the burly man reached out to grab Gwydion, the boy darted away. Hours of running from Dudley in practice, Gwydion sprinted away, into the forest and away from town. The drunk men shouted and made as if to chase, but their drunk muscle bound bodies were slow and heavy. Gwydion by this stage was are the edge of the woods. The chase continued for a good hour, at least for Gwydion, who refused to stop running, even if the sounds of the mens shouting and heavy running has long since fell silent. Huffing and sweating, Gwydion slowed and stopped as he broke from the tree line, facing the desert. The sky in the desert was a cloudless, deep, deep blue. Close to him a short round cactus was in bloom, delicate red flowers bright in the glaring sunlight. Just beyond that Gwydion could see a bleached skeleton of a cow or similar large animal. Even knowing it was a bad idea, he crept out onto the sand. The cactus flowers were very pretty, so he carefully picked a few and pocketed them. Halfway to the horizon, Gwydion could make out a structure made of stone, jagged like teeth above the dunes. He couldn't help but venture forth to explore.

After about 30 minutes in the burning heat, the shade cast but what appeared to be some kind of large door set into a small mountain of rock was a relief. Gwydion hesitated, then knocked on the door. If they were friendly he might be able to get something to drink. To his surprise the door swung open, revealing a dark shadowed cave. Gwydion crept inside, "Hello?" He called. A large chasms in the centre of the cave gave off strange green light, throwing stalactites and stalagmites into sharp relief.

A voice hissed in the dark, "who comes to my den? Who dares disturb me?"

Gwydion tried to peer into the shadows, he knew it was polite to look someone in the face when talking to them, "Just me, Gwydion."

"What is this? He speaks? What is a Gwydion?"

"Not a Gwydion, thats my name. I'm a human."

"Man? I have known many called 'man.' All wretched. All deceitful. Now… all stone. As a man, you are not capable of honesty. Of truth."

"But I am."

But the voice continued as if it hadn't heard, "As a man, you exist only to break a women's heart. Shallowness and fear are your bane. Come closer, and I will destroy you."
"You don't need to do that. Not everyone is like that. I don't think I've ever broken a womens heart. I try and be nice and polite. You can't judge everyone before you have meet them."

"The foolish man thinks he is different? If you truly believe so then reveal your true self."

"How?"

"Hear me in earnest and respond in kind. A blind man asks you to describe the sunset."

Gwydion considered. Once he could have been that blind man, never having seen the sunset, locked away in the dark. He wasn't the most poetic of people, but he tried to consider how he would have described the beauty he had only now discovered in this world to the sun descend at days end. "I would speak of a flame dwindling in a rolling sky, and of heavenly fingers which trace the land with warm, dry pools."

The voices hissed, weather in agreement or not Gwydion couldn't tell. There was a pause then it spoke again, "A poor girl offers to sell you a rotten apple from her basket."
Gwydion had been poor his whole life, poor and alone and very often hungry. His voice was soft as he replied, "If I had money I would share it with her to buy riper apples. We could sit and eat them together."

The voice was harsh, "You would sit with her? Take what you pretended to offer?"

"I know what it is like to be hungry and doing whatever you can to survive. The biggest hungry is not always for food, but for someone to listen and hold you and tell you it will get better."

"So if an old man, who reeks of the worlds's worst stenches, asks for shelter…"

"I would invite him in."

There was a long pause, and Gwydion listened to the drip of distant liquid, happy enough to wait in the cool dark. Eventually the voice hissed, "You have a pure heart child, and you speak the tongue of snakes, approach and look at me."

With that Gwydion walked around the deep chasms in the floor and then looked up at the shadow in the deepest dark corner. He was surprised to be meet with a tall women, with green skin and hair made of tiny snakes, each hissing quietly. Now close he could make out there tiny voices, "He smells like dirt."
"And lighting!"
"Snake eyes."
"Scruffy."
"Speaker!"

Gwydion blinked a few times, entranced. And before Gwydion's eyes her skin lightened, into a normal honey tan, and the dark black snakes in her hair lighten into a golden yellow. Her eyes darkened from slate grey into a deep blue. Then the women's voice made the others quieten, "So, it is true. You are not stone."

Gwydion gulped, then squeaked, "I could have turned to stone?"

"If you were not worthy, yes, you would have turned to stone."

"Oh."

"But you have instead broken the curse which was placed on me almost 50 years ago."

"50 years? What? But? Oh, you changed colour."

"Yes. I had been cursed to be like my forsaken mirror. As you see me now is truth, and I will not turn you to stone. So Gwydion, what brings you here to my den?"

Gwydion calmed his shiver. He quietly thanked his stars that he had somehow past the test he hadn't even known he was taking. "I was in the desert and was saw your door. I was thirsty and hoped for a glass of water."

The women laughed, a laugh still held a note of a hissing noise which Gwydion found oddly soothing. "Yes Gwydion. Come, follow me."

She turned, and Gwydion realised her entire bottom half was actually the thick coils of a golden snake. As they made there way deeper into the caves, Gwydion asked, "Do you have a name?" Gwydion could feel the blush at his blunt question, "I mean, what are you called? No, I mean, um, what should I call you?"

"Oh, little one. The answer to all of those questions is the same, Medusa I am called, for Medusa is what I have return to. I can not remember my name from before the curse which turned me into a gorgon."

"Who cursed you? Why would someone do something like that?"

As Medusa slowed she gestured to a small pool ahead. The water was crystal clear, brightly casting sparkling reflections on the cave walls. "My family were great Witches, as all Medusa are, but we were hunted by men. Only I remained, and I refused to bow down to any man, so when Manannan came here he cursed me, that I would never be able to look upon another or spread my knowledge."

Gwydion made his way over to the pool, and greedily drunk from the cool water. "That's horrible. Why would he do that?"

"Men fear what they can not understand or control. We were all females, and looked to no man. After I was cursed I was hunted as a beast and a monster."

"Oh. Surely you could ask them not to hunt you."

That hissing laugh began again, as Gwydion sat down next to the pool. He wanted to ask where the soft light came from, but it had been forgotten in Medusa's story. "Most humans can not speak the tongue of snakes. They could not understand my words."

"But I could!"

"Yes little Gwydion, you are special. You have magic in your blood, truth in your soul. You speak the tongue the snakes easily. I would not be surprised if you could speak all the tongues of magic."

"Tongues of magic? What do you mean?"

"Most magical animals speak their own tongue, which is shared and understood by all of their lesser kin. The great tongue of snakes is just one. For example there is the tongue of the hoof, the tongue of the many legged fang, the tongue of the feathered, the tongue of the small furred to name a few."

"And I could learn them?"

Medusa inclined her head, "I shall aid you, if you wish. There is a potion which allows you to understand the tongues, from that you could learn to speak as well."

"Oh yes please!"

"It is a task that will take longer then a day, and I think you have been in this cave for long enough today."

With that thought, Gwydion was reminded of the time and jumped up, "Oh no! I'm going to be late! I have to go!"

Medusa huffed and escorted and quickly walking Gwydion to the cave door. "I will see you again, come back and visit me soon."

"Of course!" and acting on impulse, Gwydion awkwardly hugged Medusa. "I won't leave you alone again." Then as fast as he had run from the men earlier in the day, he ran all the way back through the desert and forest and up the mountain, to collapse in his room, after shoving the cactus flowers in the hidden box. Bare seconds later he heard the tell tale CRACK of Manannans return, followed by his voice yelling, "Gwydion! Where is my dinner!"

Gwydion hurried downstairs to put a slice of cheese and ham on a piece of bread and bring it in to Manannan. It had been a full and exciting day. He couldn't wait for tomorrow.