It was 6 days before Gwydion was free again. In that time Manannan made him dust the entire study, removing one book at a time and gently wiping down the covers to clean them. It was during this process he found a false back in one of the shelves, which when opened reviled a small metal lever. Gwydion wasn't ready to try it, but was pretty sure it was the way into the hidden cellar. He replaced the wood panel and book and avoided Manannan's eye for the rest of the day as if the wizard might see the knowledge somehow. As Gwydion avoided Manannan's eye normally anyway, the wizard did't notice and went on his trip as normal. As soon as the wizard was gone Gwydion headed straight out of the keep and to the desert door, but hesitated once he got there. He was looking forward to the visit, but didn't want to look stupid if Medusa had been lying to him about coming back. He had thought she could be trusted, but his history of adults keeping their promises (which weren't threats) was zero. Gwydion considered if he should knock on the door. What if she doesn't want to talk to you? What if you are just disturbing her, being an annoying little freak like always? But you said you would visit. But before Gwydion could talk himself out or into knocking, the door opened and Medusa could be seen.
"Hello Gwydion, beautiful day is it not? How about you come in out of the heat?"
The little snakes around he head twisted excitement, "Hatching!"
"Scruffy!"
"Still smells like dirt."
"He's so little."
"Did you bring me a mouse?"

Gwydion stammered, "Hello Medusa, and um, little hair snakes. I was coming to visit, like you said."

"Yes, I can see." Her smile was gentle as she ushered him inside. "Ignore the little ones, they are just excited."

Inside had changed dramatically from his last visit. The heavy dark atmosphere was gone, mostly due to the regular wall scones which had been added, giving off soft warm light. The deep chasms with its eery green light was still there, but Medusa quickly lead them deeper, back to the pool and its glowing walls. From there, multiple new small caves had budded off, one he could see had its floor covered in pillows and throws, another pots filled with deep green moss and leafy plants. The smallest had a deep stone basin and a number of earthen pots stacked in shelves dug into the rock.

"Does it meet your approval?"

"Oh, sorry, yes. I just don't remember this all before, but its nice, of course!"

Medusa smiled, and gestured to the room with pillows. "Make yourself comfortable."

Once both had settled in the pump pillows, Gwydion said, "I'm sorry I couldn't visit sooner, I can only visit when Manannan isn't home."

Medusa hiss quick and scary, "Manannan! The wizard who cursed me!"

Having reminded Gwydion, he recalled her saying that before, but hadn't really connected that his Master was the wizard who had cursed her. "Maybe? I mean, probably, he is a wizard."

Medusa seemed to realise she was scaring Gwydion. "What is he to you?"

Gwydion can feel the blood rush into his face is embarrassment. "He is my Master. When I came here, he said he had bought me as a slave."

"Where were you before? Who sold you?"

Gwydion hesitated. It was one thing to think he might have come from a different world, it was another to say it, "I'm not sure. I was, I think, in a different world. My cousin was chasing me and then I blacked out and then I was here and Master was saying he bought me and I was a slave, but I don't remember being sold. And he is a wizard, and scary, but its better here then where I was so I don't… I mean…" Gwydion trailed off, waiting for Medusa to yell at him or tell him to leave or something.

Instead, the half snake half women remained still and calm until Gwydion had run out of words. "I see."

"Your not angry are you?" Gwydion didn't want to loose what he though might be his very first friend.

"No, Gwydion, of course I'm not angry at you. But by the sounds of it, your Master is indeed the one who cursed me."

"Oh."

"I will need to think of what we should do."

"We?"

"Yes, Gwydion. You saved me. I am very grateful, and I will teach you everything I can. Together we will find a way to deal with Manannan."

"But I don't want to deal with him!" Gwydion cried. Manannan might be a horrible person but he was happy! He didn't want it to change!

Gwydion couldn't believe it, but he found himself busting suddenly into tears, great heaving sobs. Medusa's warm arms wrapped around him, and he could vaguely hear the soft soothing voices of Medusa and her snakes, "Shhh little one. Its ok. We will work it out."
"Is little snake hurt?"
"Make it better!"
"It will be ok."
"Now he smells like mud instead."

Eventually, Gwydion calmed into an exhausted silence. As he became aware he was sitting in Medusa's lap, her tail and arms curled around him like a dry silky blanket. His voice was small and corse when he whispered, "I'm sorry."

"No, little one. I am sorry. It is not the place of children to deal with evil wizards."

"But he isn't evil! He's mean sometimes, but I have a bed, and I get to eat whenever I want! He he only beat me once, right at the start!"

"Shhh shhhh. I know it seems like that now, but I fear for you. If he was gone, you could live with me if you wanted, and have a bed here too, and I could cook for you, and I would never hurt you. Doesn't that sound nice?"

Gwydion couldn't help the swell of hope in his chest, "You would really let me stay here?"

"Absolutely. But we don't have to do anything yet. You have much to learn first. And you know if you ever need to you can come here. Now let me get you something to drink to sooth you."

Medusa wasn't gone long at all, returning with two cups of slightly pink liquid. Something about the aroma soothed Gwydion even more, reminding him of tea, and Gwydion found himself asking, "Where did all this come from?"

"This was my home before I was cursed. I had placed special wards on it before hand, so that no one could steal from me, which meant when I was, well, not myself, these sections were invisible to me as well. It was a good thing too, I can't image what would have happened to my things if left for so long with only my rage as company."

"Arn't you scared of what Manannan will do once he realises you are back?"

"No, the temple is still invisible to all but you and I. I've also limited myself from going past the end of the wards during the day. Now tell me about what has happened since you came here."

And so Gwydion explained about waking up on the mountain, and the days after, when he had to learn how to cook in a fire place, and how he had found a journal with Rowan's words. He talked about his garden, and the cat. Occasionally Medusa would comment on something, but when he spoke of the cat, Medusa said, "Another reason to tell you the tongues, for if the cat has been there long, it may be able to tell you much about Manannan."

Gwydion nodded. "What does this potion need? Maybe I could get the things during the day."

"You would have to. The magic is stronger if you put your own effort in."

Gwydion smiled, and Medusa collected the cups and took them to the other room. When she returned, she had a large scroll in her hands, "This scroll details how to create the potion to Understand the Language of Creatures. This type of magic is from the land, and requires little in the way of tools, but great will and intent to work." The writing was a strange curly script, which seemed to resolve itself as he watched. Medusa noticed he attention and said, "This is written in the snakes tongue too. Can you read it?"

"It is? I mean, it looks normal."

"Yes, it does to those who a blessed by magic to understand. So, we need a feather from a creature of the air, the coat of a creature of land, the scale of a creature of the sea, and a piece of your souls magic form and a few drops of distilled spring."

"So something from a creature of air, land and sea is easy, just like a feather and a some fish scales and um, maybe some fur from a dog?"

"Very good!"

Gwydion felt a buzz of pride and happiness at Medusa's words. "But I don't know about the rest."

"Mmm yes, well, a piece of your soul magic is something which represents you. Given your talents with the snake tongue, I would suggest a snake skin. As for distilled spring, that is just a fancy way of saying you will need to collect some pure dew, best would be from spring flowers, and should be collected in something silver, to keep it pure."

"I can do that!"

"Yes, I am sure you can. Once you have an ingredient bring it here, we don't want Manannan to find out what we are doing. If he suspects you of doing magic, I fear he will do far worse then what he did to me."

"I'll be careful."

"Good." Then, to Gwydion's surprise, Medusa hugged him hard. "I know you can do this. Come visit me whenever you can."

"I will." And with a few goodbyes, Gwydion left to look for the first needed ingredients.