Fairy Vivienne

Please, come into my parlor."

Mercury stepped in close behind Merlin

When they were settled and chai was ordered and hashish was smoked Arachnae leaned forward confidentially. "I don't know why the fates threw us hither like this, but I must tell you, your fellow wizard, Malagigi, has suddenly arrived. He does not speak kindly of you."

Merlin said. "Where is he?"

"I am here," Malagigi announced as he came through the door.

Polyphemus stooped to fit.

"Hey Poly," Mercury jumped up. "It's great to see you."

Polyphemus smiled. "I didn't know you would be here."

Malagigi was dressed in a black velvet cape, vest and breeches, with royal purple hose, and around his wrists and neck immaculate white starched lace.

Merlin smiled. "How's Anjelica?"

"That love potion you sold me wore off." Malagigi said.

"2400 years is a long time."

Malagigi in a sudden rage threw himself at Merlin's neck.

Mercury and Polyphemus were stone startled. The petite turquoise man jumped up, alarmed. "My friends, truly is this necessary? This is a small problem and you must take it elsewhere."

Polyphemus regained his wit, jumped in and controlled Malagigi who hissed. "My inquisition is scheduled."

"What are the charges?" Merlin asked.

"Sorcery, you moron." He took a couple of deep breaths and in perfect mimicry of Anjelica whined. "You're honor, you see like, it had to be sorcery. I mean, can't you see? I didn't love him before, in fact despised him, then all of a sudden it's overwhelming love. How could this possibly happen? Only one way, sorcery. And! And your honor he had me unknowingly imprisoned. I thought, like, I was in my father's castle and I was so happy. So happy. But it wasn't love it was wicked sorcery."

Merlin nodded his head in empathy. "Tough."

The petite turquoise man screamed, the patrol came in, there was scuffling and injections. The next thing Merlin knew was waking up in jail.

Fairy Vivienne glared into the monitor which was now almost always a crystal portal. She watched the DEA haul away her liberators. She stood up, paced and pounded and finally threw herself on the divan. "Stinking idiots."

On The Bullfinch, Thalia said carefully, "In jail." She had her hands down, her fingers spread.

Zaldivar continued, "Malagigi and Polyphemus are with them."

"What about that little dealer spider?"

"Gone, along with the money and the hashish."

"If there's no evidence, what are the charges?"

"We're not Basmatian."

Thalia said, "Rinaldo, can you make a journey?"

"To bail them out I'll need sisterchies," Rinaldo answered.

"For sisterchies you'll have to find the turquoise spider. Go to the jail, talk to whom you can, find Arachnae."

Zaldivar began working on the forms. The next day Rinaldo finally got into the jail.

Rinaldo glared into Polyphemus's one big eye. "What?"

"Malagigi has gone crazy." Polyphemus stated. "Merlin has got to help." He cocked his head forward, scrunched his brow and said, "Remember Anjelica?"

"Yeah."

"Remember King Charlemagnes' last great joust?"

"And Merlin's crazy love me, love me not potions?" Rinaldo asked.

"Exactly."

"That was 2400 years ago."

"Do you know that Merlin and Malagigi negotiated desires? Malagigi's desire was Anjelica's love." Polyphemus said.

Rinaldo said, "Anjelica's a wench."

"Exactly, and he blames Merlin." Polyphemus laughed until he teared.

"Alright," Rinaldo sobered. "Why are you here?"

"I don't know. Malagigi often trades here. The charges are disturbing the peace, but we were in private quarters and wizards are wimps so we are the only ones disturbed."

"Malagigi's money, Merlin's hashish and Arachnae have all vanished."

Polyphemus laughed some more.

Malagigi sipped sweet tea and flipped through the latest issue of Basmati Man.

"This is quite relaxing compared to the stress Anjelica has put me through.