Alexander The Great Mage

"Mistress, we were so worried!" Shira grabbed hold of Aleyria's hand emotionally as she looked at Aleyria with glistening eyes.

"Hmmm." Aleyria blinked a few times to get her bearings and recall the events that happened before she passed out.

Kan-Dari returned with a cup of water in one hand and a jug in the other. She offered the cup to Aleyria, which was accepted gratefully. Aleyria sat up and drained the cup with a few big gulps.

She held out the cup to Kan-Dari, got it refilled and promptly drained it again. This happened for a few more times until Aleyria was finally satisfied.

"I would have drank directly from the jug if it didn't seem so uncouth." Aleyria said sweetly as she smiled at Kan-Dari who giggled at her words.

"It would have been faster indeed. But heavens, what would people say if they knew?" Kan-Dari laughed.

"I do not see why Mistress couldn't drink directly from the jug. It would have been faster AND much more satisfying!" Shira promptly said.

"Hmmm, yes that is true." The usually quiet Liz'An chimed in.

"The jug was not designed nor intended to be drunk from directly. To do so would be misusing the jug and putting it to inglorious use, far departed from its intended purpose and function! This is something all cultured and civilised people know." Kan-Dari replied Shira airily. Apparently the joy of seeing their mistress awake had quickly passed and they had resumed their comfortable squabbling.

"Really?" Shira smirked evilly. "Then I wonder who was it I saw yesterday crying by Mistress's side who blew her nose on a, heavens forbid! A dress!! What an inglorious use of the dress! An outrageous departure from its glorious intended purpose and function! Oh woe to the dress maker should she find out that her custom-made dress was put to such barbaric use!! She would never survive the information should she ever know that her wonderful fabrics had to touch, of all things! Elven snot!!"

Liz'An giggled uncontrollably at Shira's theatrics. Aleyria had to muster every ounce of her recently awakened will-power and strength to prevent herself from laughing out loud. Her eyes shined with mirth and her lips quivered slightly.

She wouldn't laugh at poor Kan-Dari who had probably worried for her and had taken care of her so very gently through the night. She wouldn't. Don't smile, lips!

Poor Kan-dari's face had turned tomato-red and would definitely have steam rising from her head if it was winter. She opened her mouth to say something, but apparently her brain was fried with all the embarrassment. She couldn't say a single word.

"And! To add fuel to fire, no, I mean, to add fuel to snot, no, I mean to add more inglorious things to snot, I wonder who was it I saw yesterday who AFTER blowing her nose on her dress, actually -"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH Shira you meanie!!" Kan-Dari couldn't take it anymore and finally screamed out in panic. With a half-full jug still in hand, she rushed towards Shira!

Shira laughed out happily and avoided Kan-Dari's rush with great agility while shouting, "She actually -"

"AAAAHHHH!!!" Kan-Dari screamed even louder and splashed the contents of the jug on Shira!

Splash! Shira failed to avoid Kan-Dari's attack in time resulting in her face and a portion of her robe to be immediately drenched with water.

Shira gasped in utter shock and absolute indignance.

"Yo-you!!" Shira sputtered angrily at Kan-Dari.

"Yo-you made me do it!!" Kan-Dari shouted, apparently rather in shock herself at what she had done.

"Grrrrr." Shira gritted her teeth in anger and formed two globes of water on her hands.

"Take this!!" Shira flung the globes at Kan-Dari with all her strength!

Kan-Dari screamed again in panic and summoned an earthen shield to block Shira's water bombs.

Splash!! The water globes hit the earthen shield and water splashed out everywhere. By Aleyria's side, Liz'An had faithfully casted a shimmering wind shield to protect her and her mistress from the water.

Aleyria finally laughed at her outrageous bodyguards.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here? A water fight? Looks really fun!" Alexander's voice rang out suddenly.

"Your majesty."  Kan-Dari and Shira dropped all their antics and bowed respectfully and guiltily towards Alexander.

"Your majesty." Liz'An dispelled her shield and bowed as well.

Alexander grinned at the guards and waved them out of the room, "If you have that much energy, go outside and take a walk into town. Do what you can to help."

"Yes, your majesty." The three girls said in unison. They bowed once more and quickly left the room.

Alexander pulled a chair and sat by Aleyria's bed. "How are you?" He asked in a concerned voice.

"I'm totally fine. My overdrawn energy had been restored. I simply need to recharge in a forest if possible. If not, I'll just recharge with space energy. It's no big deal." Aleyria assured Alexander.

"More importantly, what happened after I passed out? I didn't get a chance to ask the girls before they started their fight." Aleyria laughed helplessly at the antics of her bodyguards.

Alexander smiled as well and quickly told her about Lyra and the things she mentioned.

"Look, here's Fluff-fluff." Alexander pointed at the rather noticeable bulge on his left shoulder. Something was hiding beneath his jacket.

"Fluff-fluff!" Aleyria's eyes shined once more.

The bulge on Alexander's shoulder twitched a little and began to squirrel out of the jacket and out into the open.

"Meowwwwww!" It meowed and purred happily when it saw Aleyria. It leapt into Aleyria's open arms and began to snuggle.

"Awwww.. Fluff-fluff! I really miss you. I can't believe Lyra would lend you to us!" Aleyria hugged the extremely fat little furball and began to shower it with kisses.

"I bet you're hoping that you're that cat, aren't you?" Buccephalas said smugly.

"Oh yes, I am definitely jealous of that cat right now." Alexander replied honestly.

"The fact that I am no longer surprised or disgusted by your words is saying a lot about how sad my life is right now." Buccephalas grumbled.

"Hehehe, don't worry. Soon you'll be at the top of the world with me, and by that time, I should be able to give you your own body. When that happens, feel free to express your heartfelt thanks to me and your sincerest apologies for all the negative remarks you've made along the way." Alexander chuckled.

"Hmmmmm, I can't wait." Buccephalas retorted half-sarcastically. The truth was, she actually couldn't wait to see how far Alexander would make it in his journey. It would truly be one heck of a journey. She certainly was enjoying herself so far.

"What is your relationship with Lyra anyway? How did you get to know a Left General of the Eastern Phoenix Kingdom in the mainland?" Alexander asked Aleyria.

"I was sent on a mission by King Aloxandros a few years ago. He wanted allies in the main continent, and he had heard that the Eastern Phoenix Kingdom had a princess around my age. So he sent me there to stay for a few years and try to make friends with that princess. I succeeded, and now we're good friends." Aleyria tickled Fluff-fluff who purred happily.

"I see." Alexander nodded.

"With Fluff-fluff, our mission has become much easier. You wouldn't believe the amount of good luck Lyra experienced when I was there with her. Things just somehow happen exactly the way Lyra needed them to be. It's incredible. If we could even be half as lucky as Lyra, we'll probably just find a dragon in a few days and it'll already be tame." Aleyria predicted with a chuckle.

DING! DING! DING! DING! Bells began to chime frantically.

Suddenly, the door burst open and Liz'An came rushing in.

"Wyvern attack!" She gasped. "It's a massive one! And it's breathing fire!!"

Alexander gaped at the news. "No way…" He whispered. He turned his head around to look at Fluff-fluff who was concentrating hard on licking her paws.

"Well, it's not exactly tame, but isn't it the Wyvern from the earlier generations which you just said you're looking for?" Aleyria smiled and leapt out of bed with an energetic spring. "Let's go! The tide of good fortune has arrived! We have a Wyvern to tame and an army to build!"

Alexander and Aleyria hurried to the eastern section of the town where the Wyvern was. When they reached there, a few buildings were already in flames and the Wyvern was roaring mightily.

"What do you think?" Alexander asked Aleyria (and Buccephalas). "3rd generation?"

"Probably." Aleyria answered.

"Definitely not" Buccephalas answered as well.

"Why?"

"It's still breathing fire, and I sensed traces of wind energy around it. It's still capable of magic, so it must not be too far removed from the main bloodline." Aleyria answered.

"It's too small to be third generation. I'm calling it 4th generation." Buccephalas answered.

Alexander nodded. Both women's arguments had their merits. But the truth will be revealed once they tame this giant mini-dragon.

"Let's knock it unconscious first." Alexander said.

"Good idea." Aleyria agreed.

"BAD IDEA!" Buccephalas yelled. "Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT attack that Wyvern yet!"