Disclaimer: I do not own Alexander. But you have no idea what I would give to own Jared Leto. Or to have him own me... ;p The line at the end is from Broken Wings by Sage Francis. Oh, and I do own Ling Mei and Shen!

Author's Note: FINALLY the new chapter, right? I hope the wait wasn't too long. angstman brought up a point that I'd like to clarify here and now: there is not and will not be any kind of relationship between Ling Mei and Hephaestion, or for that matter Ling Mei and Alexander. It's strictly a friends-only thing, kay? Mmkay. :

Thanks so much to angstman, Mimilafee, and Enqueri for the reviews! Enjoy!

XXXXX

Hephaestion was woken by a soft knock at his door. After a moment, the door opened, and he was happy to see Ling Mei slip into the room.

"Hephaestion?" She whispered, "Are you awake?"

He yawned and mumbled, "I am now."

"Sorry," She apologized sheepishly, "Only, I wanted to see how you were. How did it go with the king?"

"It went..." Hephaestion wondered how to respond, "Better than I expected, anyway. What are you carrying?"

"Oh," She smiled, "Breakfast." Ling Mei placed the tray on the bed.

Hephaestion shook his head, "No, I'm not hungry."

"Lies." Ling Mei dismissed this last remark, and elaborated, "Look at you. Any thinner, and you'd be dead."

"Did Alexander tell you that?" Hephaestion asked, in a tone that suggested he already knew the answer.

"He may have had Bagoas relay a message," She answered with a smirk, "But, that's beside the point. You need to eat, Hephaestion."

"Did you eat this morning?" Hephaestion retorted.

"Well. No." Ling Mei admitted, "I wasn't sure if I was supposed to."

"You eat it," Hephaestion gestured to the plate, "I don't want any."

"Look, if you're not eating, then neither am I," She told him.

Hephaestion rolled his eyes, "Don't be difficult."

"I'm not. But my life is in your hands now," She crossed her arms, and stared pointedly into his eyes.

The prince narrowed his eyes, "Oh, you're tricky."

"Are you eating?"

Hephaestion took a bite.

"Perfect!" Ling Mei clapped her hands together and smiled, plopping down on the bed, on the other side of the tray, "Because I'm starved."

XXXXX

"What do you think of her?" Cassander asked, glancing at Alexander. The king and a few of his generals were out for a morning ride. The fresh air did well for their minds.

Alexander cocked his head, a habit he had never been able to do away with, "Whom?"

"That girl; the one from yesterday," He clarified.

"Ling Mei?" Alexander laughed, "She is... different. I think she will be good for Hephaestion."

"They seem to get along well," Ptolemy agreed.

"She might beat you to the punch," Cleitus teased.

"Yes, I had thought of that," Alexander agreed, giving Ptolemy a slightly worried look.

"Ask her, if it bothers you," Ptolemy suggested.

"One would hope there's nothing there, though," Cleitus voiced aloud, "I wouldn't mind a shot at her."

"Oh, so she's caught your eye, has she?" Alexander smirked.

"That body, that face..." Cleitus sighed, "I believe I am in love!"

"We've gone over this, Cleitus, one mustn't mistake their heart with their head," Ptolemy reminded him teasingly, "The other head."

"Yes, Ptolemy, and I'm sure your heart told you to take those two women to your bed last night," Cleitus responded.

"Really, Ptolemy?" Alexander laughed aloud, "It seems even my most virtuous had been sucked in by the eastern desires!"

"Yes, well," Ptolemy smiled a bit sheepishly, "There are many."

"About the girl, though," Cassander interjected, "Will you be bringing her to meals and such?"

"You too, Cassander?" Alexander's eyebrows rose incredulously.

Cassander shrugged, "Like Cleitus said... She is something."

"Well, then," Alexander decided, "I shall have to ask her to dinner. In any case, it will convince Hephaestion to come."

"How goes it, with the boy?" Cleitus inquired.

"There has been... progress."

"Well, better hurry," Cleitus advised, "At this rate, you'll be dead before you manage to bed him."

"There is more to love than sex, Cleitus," Alexander informed him.

"Perhaps," Cleitus conceded, "But it hasn't been proven to me yet."

XXXXX

"Stop squirming, Hephaestion!" Ling Mei ordered.

"Well, I can't help it if you keep stabbing the brush in my eye!" Hephaestion protested.

"I wouldn't be stabbing you in the eye if you weren't squirming," She retorted, "Look, I'm almost done..."

"Ok, that's it!"

"Ah! Hephaestion!"

Hephaestion had shoved Ling Mei playful, except Ling Mei lost her balance. The two toppled over on the floor, Ling Mei accidentally putting a streak of black kohl across her cheek.

"Oh my gods, I have no idea how your other servants ever managed this!" Ling Mei said between laughter.

"They didn't stab me in the eye!"

"Oh, you want stabbing, I'll give you stabbing!"

"No, get that away from me!"

Just then, the door opened, and Alexander stepped in. His eyes were greeted with the sight of Hephaestion and Ling Mei sprawled on the ground, the latter trying to attack the former with an eye brush.

"Well, well," Alexander smirked and leaned against the wall, "Are we having fun?"

"Oh..." Hephaestion blushed, standing, "Ling Mei was just doing my eyeliner."

"Or attempting to," Ling Mei muttered. Hephaestion tried to give her a dirty look, but the two only succeeded in bursting out in a fit of giggles. He helped her up.

"Did you wish to speak to me?" Hephaestion inquired to Alexander, his voice turning hard again.

"No, actually... I was hoping to have a word with Ling Mei," Alexander clarified.

Ling Mei blinked, and looked from Hephaestion to Alexander, "Me? Um, of course..."

She and the king stepped outside, Ling Mei biting her lip nervously. Alexander closed the door, and then turned to her, "Where's the tiger?"

"Panther," She corrected.

"Yes, that."

"In the servants' quarters, sleeping," She told him, "He's not usually up 'til evening."

"Did you sleep well?" The king inquired.

"Oh, yes," Ling Mei agreed, "I shared a bed with Bagoas; he's sweet. Timid, though."

"It's how he was taught to be," Alexander explained, "For the other king."

"The king before you?" She asked curiously.

Alexander was surprised at how relaxed she was around him, as all the other servants acted as if he was about to spontaneously combust, "King Darius."

Suddenly, the girl gasped, "Really? Oh, I didn't know that."

"..." Alexander eyed her strangely, "Where do you come from?"

She smiled a bit sheepishly, "Honestly, I couldn't tell you. I haven't an idea."

"Really?" Alexander asked, "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. It's nice to see Hephaestion happy, for once..."

"But?" Ling Mei pressed.

"Hm?" Alexander cocked his head to the side.

"King Alexander, I know you didn't come here to see how I was faring. While you might be a kind king, I'm certain a new servant doesn't interest you to that extent," She answered boldly.

Alexander smiled, "Smart girl. No, actually, I wanted to ask about your relationship with Hephaestion."

"There isn't much to say. We only met yesterday."

"Yes, I'm aware of it," Alexander nodded, "But you two seem... close."

Ling Mei laughed, "You can't possibly be suggesting that we're... What? Enamored?"

"Are you?" Alexander met her eyes with a challenging gaze.

"Certainly not." She answered readily.

The king looked skeptical.

Ling Mei glanced around quickly, and smiled conspiratorially, "Listen, I will tell you something, but you mustn't tell anyone."

She dropped her voice, and the king leaned in so she could murmur in his ear, "I was only in love once, King Alexander, and that was some time ago. There will never be anyone else. Ever."

Then she straightened up and told him, "As for Hephaestion, I wouldn't worry so much. He seems more of the solitary type to me. It would be hard for anyone to catch his eye."

"But not impossible?" Alexander asked, with a hopeful tone.

"He means that much to you?" She seemed impressed.

"You cannot possibly imagine what he does to me," Was Alexander's response. Ling Mei regarded him thoughtfully for a minute, and then asserted, "I like you. You seem like a very genuine, good person."

"Could you please pass that on to him?" Alexander almost begged, and Ling Mei almost laughed at how candid he was being with her. She nodded, "Yes, I suppose I could. Why does he hate you so?"

Alexander sighed, "You'll have to ask him about that. You have something on your cheek, by the way." He wiped the tip of his thumb across her cheek and showed her. It was black. She laughed.

"I think I should go finish Hephaestion's eyeliner now."

"Tell him I expect him in the 'Room of Desires' later tonight. You're welcome as well."

"Yes, my king," The girl bowed, smiled, and then slipped back into Hephaestion's room.

Alexander waited a moment outside the door. A small smile graced his face.

Perhaps things were looking up.

XXXXX

"Must we go?" Hephaestion groaned.

"Oh, don't be so boring, Phaestie!" Ling Mei scolded, "And move, I have to do my eyeliner."

"Don't call me that! And I noticed you wear that; why?"

"The Persians used to put it on me. They like their girls better that way, I suppose. It's hard to do yourself, though..." She was silent a moment, her mouth slightly agape as she applied the dark kohl, "Alright, finished. How do I look?"

Hephaestion glanced at her, irritated, "What does it matter? Everyone will be drunk."

"Are you always this boring?" Ling Mei rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms haughtily.

The prince sighed, and looked her over. She really did look good, though. Her silky, black hair complimented her sun-tanned skin and strange, jewel-green eyes. She had donned a fuchsia tunic with gold details that Hephaestion had deemed too tight, and much too womanly for himself. Ling Mei did wonder if it had gotten mixed up with the prince's clothes, and if it didn't actually belong to the princess.

"You look very pretty," He told her sincerely, "Must we go?"

"Yes. Now come, we must get Shen beforehand. If he doesn't see me soon, he might eat someone," She informed Hephaestion.

"Who?"

"My panther," Ling Mei clarified.

"We're bringing him?"

"Do you think we can?"

"Honestly, I doubt anybody will even notice, what with all the wine... They don't even cut it here; did you know?" Hephaestion sounded appalled at the very idea.

They went to the servants' quarters, where they found Shen sleeping soundly in a pile of sheets. Ling Mei smiled, "Poor thing, he's tired from yesterday. Shen... Shen..." She said something in a foreign language to the panther.

Shen opened his eyes, blinked, and got up. Ling Mei smiled proudly at him, "Isn't he just wonderful?"

"Does he bite?" Hephaestion asked nervously.

"Only to defend me," She told him. Then she knelt, and whispered something in the animal's ear. Shen turned to Hephaestion, and bowed his head.

"That means he likes you. Go on, pet him," Ling Mei instructed.

"Pet him? You must be mad."

"No, really, he won't hurt you, I swear it!"

Hephaestion eyed Ling Mei doubtfully, but he reached out a shaking hand, and stroked the beast's head. Shen purred, and licked the prince's hand. The prince chuckled, despite himself, "He's very soft."

Ling Mei nodded, "You see? Come on, let's go."

The three departed for the "Room of Desires", and were there in a short time. Nobody noticed them come in, and they sat down on a couch near the center of the room, with Shen at their feet.

"So why do you hate Alexander?" Ling Mei asked curiously.

Hephaestion's eyes darkened, "Alexander made my father choose between me and his city. He chose his city."

"And that's how you came here?" The girl ate a grape off a plate, and offered one to Hephaestion. (He ate it.)

Hephaestion nodded.

"But, Hephaestion... Don't you think he's alright?"

"The king?" Hephaestion asked incredulously.

"Look, aside from all that has happened," Ling Mei added quickly, "It was, after all, your father who gave you away. And it seems to me that the king genuinely cares for you. Look at your life here. It is more than comfortable. It seems to me that he could have you living in the dungeon, or as the whole army's whore. Don't you think he deserves a chance?"

Hephaestion glared at her, "Let's not do this."

Ling Mei sighed, "Alright, alright. Oh, look, here he comes. Who are those four behind him?"

"Um... Three of his generals, I believe," Hephaestion told her.

Alexander stopped in front of them, "Could you tell the panther to stand down, please?"

Ling Mei smiled, and said something very quick to Shen, in the same language Hephaestion did not recognize. Shen, who had bristled at the approaching of the king and his generals, relaxed, and only eyed them warily.

"Thank you," Alexander then turned to his generals, "Hephaestion, Ling Mei, I'd like to introduce you to my finest generals: Craterus, Ptolemy, Cleitus, and Cassander."

"Pleasure to meet you," Ling Mei returned amicably. Hephaestion only glared at them.

"Oh, believe me," Cleitus replied with a grin, "The pleasure is all mine."

"Do you drink, Ling Mei?" Cassander added, "Because I could offer you some of the finest wine."

"Oh, no thank you, I'm fine for now..." She gave Hephaestion a look that said, What on earth is wrong with those two? Hephaestion did his best to stifle a laugh with a cough.

"Well, I hope you two enjoy yourselves..." Alexander said, "Hephaestion, we must go riding tomorrow."

Hephaestion sighed, "If you say so."

Alexander smiled, bent over, and kissed the boy on the forehead. Hephaestion blushed, and looked away. The king turned and left with Ptolemy. Cassander and Cleitus stood by for a moment, but when Ling Mei turned back to Hephaestion, and Shen hissed quietly at them, they too dispersed.

"You're going to have trouble with those two, Ling Mei," Hephaestion warned her with a smirk.

Ling Mei laughed.

"Well, I, for one, think life here is going to be very exciting."

Kids are wishing for just a kiss, and it's a mission to touch her lips.

XXXXX

Author's Note: If it seems like the dialogue is a bit fast-paced with Ling Mei, it's supposed to be that way. I think it's a lot to do with her personality, but I don't know if it comes out weird. I hope you're enjoying seeing how she affects this world! I'm sorry there wasn't much Xander/Phae in this chapter. Next one, I promise.

Reviews, s'il vous plait?

xoxo