A/N: Well folks, we're sitting at 5,077 views! Totally awesome! Many thanks to those who reviewed: I'm VERY happy you liked the chapters of Aladdin & Mozenrath trying to find common ground and better understand each other. I will clarify that the 'popping' noise and Moze almost passing out was entirely because of the magical overexertion; there was some question of that; what the underlying cause was. Other than that, the man in blue that they both saw just before was in fact Cassim; I keep getting lots of inquiries of whether or not Cassim will be able to ask the Oracle…you'll just have to stay tuned! LOL; anyhow…onward!

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Aladdin & the Heirs of Magic Ch. 44: Rampant

Jasmine and the others decided to return at that moment.

"We're back," Jasmine announced lightly as the door swung open and she entered, Rajah in tow with Iago and Abu. Genie came in last, carrying a ridiculous amount of food in both hands and atop his head, all piled on top of each other…in ways that clearly defied gravity.

Mozenrath thought back to the sandwich Genie had balanced on his head when he had first met the street rat and his…'entourage,' and sighed.

Some things truly never changed.

He gingerly tested his magic…and found it mostly recovered from his…last usage.

Xerxes; come. They've brought breakfast, he called.

Xerxes didn't reply, though he could have. But, he never did; no matter where he was in the world, he would always hear his master's voice; it was a natural part of their binding.

But, he felt the eel's presence draw near; albeit he sensed his servant's nervousness too.

"I talked to my father," the princess went on, coming to stand beside her vagrant and taking his arm. She smiled up at him before turning to Mozenrath. "My father agrees you'd be the better choice to go with Sadira."

Mozenrath kept his face carefully neutral in face of sultan's shocking amount of insight. Hmmm, perhaps he underestimated the old man in times past after all.

"And your sand witch is all right with this?" he evenly questioned, noticing how calm (and unsurprised) the genie and animals looked at this revelation.

Ah; so that's why they were so long in getting back…it was this.

Undoubtedly, there was much heated debate over it downstairs; such a pity, then that he missed the show.

He held in the snicker at what the spectacle must have looked like until the little sultan pronounced his decision and made it final.

"Sadira…wasn't there," the princess eventually confessed, fidgeting just a tiny fraction, "she's outside, checking her wards. Rajah came into the throne room, I think he was looking for her…." She looked at him and the street rat in turn, letting the sentence hang.

"It was nothing," Mozenrath offered before Aladdin could speak yet more honesty, and ruin everything, "a minor episode; lasting only a moment." He gestured indifferently, and snuck a quick gesture to dissolve the telling cloth stained with his blood. He felt a pinch of pain in his stomach, his body telling him to not push again; but it was enough.

The betraying cloth was gone; and no one had seen.

The princess glanced one more time between him and her betrothed before saying: "Oh, well, if that was all," she looked over to Genie, who was now entertaining the animals by juggling their food, "would you mind setting the table, Genie?"

"Oh, sure thing Jaz," he said, suspending the breakfast in mid-juggle to salute her. One 'poof' later, and a large, rectangular table appeared between the door and balcony archway, and Genie, now in the form of Mrs. Cleaver, ruffled apron and all, was showing the animals the 'only proper way' to fold napkins.

The food was all immaculately set out. Mozenrath twisted his lips at the sight of it.

How quaint: domestic magic, in its element.

Xerxes flew in at that moment, took in the heavily laden table and 'oooohhh-ed' gleefully, before coming to rest on his master's shoulder.

Mozenrath gestured to the table with his chin. "You'll have to be presentable enough for both of us, Xerxes," he said matter of factly and reached up to pet his head.

Xerxes straightened, lifting his head dutifully. "Xerxes presentable!"

The princess giggled at that. "Xerxes, did you see Sadira anywhere?"

"Sand witch coming," he told the group, "outside, checking magic lamps."

'Magic lamps'? Oh; of course: the wards, Mozenrath deduced, feeling his servant's tense body relax as he scratched his head. Xerxes by now surely realized no anger was going to be directed his way.

But, still, wards made in lamp form? A tricky feat, that; perhaps the street rat was correct (it was bound to happen someday; Mozenrath supposed), he had judged the bushy-headed magician too hastily.

Well, hadn't this morning turned out to be full of surprises? Mozenrath could already feel the headache coming on; wondering what else lie in wait for him today.

He could hardly wait…. He rubbed his brow as the door's latch 'clicked,' then the large door swung open.

"Oh, Sadira, there you are," he heard the princess say as he felt Xerxes leave his shoulder—no doubt to inspect the breakfast offerings—and picked up the light footfalls of the princess as she made her way to the other magician.

He looked up just to see the princess whisper something to the sand witch; and then the fluffy-headed girl glanced his way with narrowed eyes.

Ah; so perhaps the princess intuited his 'minor episode' was in fact, more than that.

Blast her for being clever.

The sand witch's dark sapphire eyes re-met the princess's and she nodded soberly, apparently agreeing to something. But, Mozenrath couldn't help but think that it wasn't about the upcoming search into the Old Palace, the sand witch was taking the princess's words too…gravely.

That…was puzzling.

And then, better and better, the street rat joined the discussion, telling the sand witch something as well in hushed tones. Mozenrath rose as the magician's brow creased in concern. He distinctly heard the street rat say 'elixir' and 'didn't ask him to.'

Ah; the bit with the fire mirror then…and no doubt what came after. He held back a sigh.

Blast that street rat and his rampant disease of honesty…there were times when he blabbed worse than that wretched parrot.

And as if on cue:

"Hey! Worm breath! Those are my grapes!"

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A/N: Yep, slightly shorter chapter this time…but you guys got long chapters last time, and I really wanted to get something uploaded today. I figured Iago left us at a good point. So, things are transitioning! Yay! The quest into the Old Palace is coming! I'm really excited about that…are you? Anyhow, plz leave a review and any ?'s you might have. Till next time!