As expected, Nymue was just past them, dressed in her green outfit with her hair long and draping over her body. What was unexpected, though, was the big smile on her lips and the two women who were with her. They also looked vaguely ‘faerie’ with long, unbraided hair and shimmery clothes—one wore blue the other wore pale red.
Nymue raised her hand and nodded to Britt as she approached them but conversed with her companions. “—Cannot believe our good fortune that they finally left. The Slobs were on the brink of drinking us dry and the Debaucher broke the hearts of all the water nymphs,” Nymue said, her smile was almost greedy.
The red faerie lady frowned, making fine lines crease around her mouth. “I do not understand why you detest them so. All three of them are very kind and honorable.”
Nymue snorted like a wild boar. “They are not kind in any way of the expression. They do nothing but eat us out of the lake and cause a ruckus. Next time they wander back do not let them back in our realm, I forbid it! If I hear that either of you approved their entrance there will be repercussions.”
“But they say the nicest things,” the lady in blue insisted. “And all three are so handsome. They said I must make the moon envious with the glow of my skin.”
“Pretty words drip off their tongue like the poison of a serpent. Do not let them back in, that is final!” Nymue said, her eyes narrowed and her voice thunderous. She settled her shoulders and adopted her joyous beyond all belief smile again. “They are gone now, so there is no sense in meditating over what is done. We can only rejoice that they have finally left.”
Britt cleared her throat.
“Ahh yes, King Arthur. I was getting to you. What brings you to my humble abode?” the Lady of the Lake said as she finally greeted Britt.
“A wish to return your visit,” Britt said, mustering her courage. “I didn’t know you already had company.”
“They have just left,” Nymue said.
The faerie lady in red smiled and fluttered her eyes. “Nymue, won’t you introduce us to your guest?”
“Certainly—although I wouldn’t bother with the beauty routine, the King isn’t the type to dally in romance. Ladies, may I present to you King Arthur of Camelot. Arthur, these are my ladies in waiting, Aislin and Keela.”
Britt performed her most elaborate bow. “It is a pleasure to meet you, ladies,” she smiled.
Aislin and Keela giggled and Nymue rolled her eyes. “If you will excuse me, ladies. I wish to speak to the King alone.”
Aislin and Keela coyly waved to Britt as they retreated down the shoreline, swishing their skirts.
Britt awkwardly itched the back of her neck. “Wow, are they ever barking up the wrong tree.”
“I am not familiar with the words you use, but I agree with your implied meaning,” Nymue said, settling her hands in front of her. “Now, what can I do for you?”
“Pardon?”
“You obviously came here to ask for another boon. Normally I would send you home with your tail between your legs, but as I have just experienced a stroke of good fortune I am inclined to be generous,” Nymue said. “How may I help you?”
“I am in need of faerie magic. I am not from…Britain. The only way I am able to understand what people say is through the use of a spell Merlin cast on me,” Britt said.
“Intriguing. Continue.”
“As useful as the spell is I have hit an area in which its helpfulness is limited.”
“I’m not one of your knights in court who needs to be petted and doted upon to grasp a basic concept, Sire. Spit it out.”
“Queen Morgause of Orkney is visiting and has brought her four sons with. I can’t understand a single thing her sons say. It sounds like another language, but Merlin insists it is merely that her sons speak with a thick accent. The magic seems unable to translate it for me. Merlin said adjusting the spell to translate accents is beyond his abilities.”
“Amateur,” Nymue said, shooing a butterfly away. “You are in luck, I know of the spell and I know how to spin it so you may understand Morgause’s spawn. It will only take a few minutes—although we will have to stand in the lake. It makes my magic stronger—which I will need to finish this.”
“I cannot thank you enough, Nymue.”
“So now you say thank you with that pretty mouth of yours? I cannot say I am happy to help you, but I would rather have you on the throne than some idiot like the Debaucher, so I guess I will aid you.”
Merlin jumped Britt the moment she returned from her lake visiting excursion.
“Where have you been? You said you were going for a ride, not a sightseeing tour. Why do you smell so horrible?” Merlin said, taking a step back.
Britt grimaced. “I’m making a new decree: we’re building public bath houses.”
“Like the one Romans built?”
“I have no idea. As long as it has fresh water people can use to wash I don’t care. I am going to single handedly improve the hygiene of this castle if it kills me,” Britt said, handing Roen off to a stable boy. “What have I missed?”