Lady Candice

Kairo sat upright and saw he was still in bed. He hoped that all his dreams didn't involve visits to his spiritual sea to suffer quests.

"That was intense." But it was also rewarding.

The Star Jump orb materialized in his hand, but he returned it to his spiritual sea with a thought, when he heard snoring at the foot of his bed. He smiled when he saw Genie with his head resting on the edge, his body on the ottoman.

He carefully slipped out and looked for a blanket, finding a throw-over type folded on a shelf. Genie stirred in his sleep as he carefully placed the blanket over him.

Kairo knelt before his face, appreciating his features. The man looked so innocent and cute asleep. It stirred warm and fuzzy feelings in his heart with yearning. His smile fell when he wondered why he was asleep at the foot of his bed in the first place, but decided to ask later.

As he turned to leave, Genie held his wrist.

"That's the second time I've seen you smile with your mouth," he mumbled as he fully opened his eyes and saw the blanket draped over him. His heart did a somersault.

Kairo's cheeks burned with a blush: he stammered with excuses, feeling embarrassed.

Genie laughed and released him, so the man could get ready. Kairo hurried into the xelfall to cleanse his body and wash away his embarrassment.

"He's too cute." Genie sighed as he rose and stretched, then activated his magic, so his vision went beyond physical sight.

He saw the fine threads of his magic barrier still intact: no other signs of disturbances. As he pushed his scope further he saw two centurion women headed for the villa door. He released his internal vision and headed downstairs.

Approaching the door were the ladies.

"We won't get in trouble for barging into his house?" A horse-woman excitedly asked with an expression of eagerness and impatience.

"He shouldn't mind if we're carrying breakfast. Besides, we're good friends and I need to thank him for saving me." Lady Bluesteed blushed.

The other horse-woman grinned heartily at her friend's expression. She was eager to see this Kairo-wizard in person, and if he was true as what Moon-turn Maidan had reported on him.

Before Lady Bluesteed could open the door, Genie did it for her. He greeted her smugly as he leaned against the door frame.

"You came with breakfast. Good girls." He eyed the picnic basket in her hands.

"What are you doing here?" She frowned.

"I live here," he cockily answered to rile a pout reaction from her.

"Is someone here?" Kairo went to see who Genie was speaking to and welcomed the two ladies inside.

"Did you bring breakfast?" He eyed the basket with its savory smells making his mouth water.

"We sure did!" The other woman jovially answered.

Kairo looked unsure on how to react as the girl circled him.

Lady Bluesteed's friend was shorter. Her green and white lace-trimmed dress was loose around her chest, flaring out from her layered belts at the waist and ending at her knees. Thigh-high green boots gave her some height. Her long auburn hair swished at her back in a ponytail, with a straight fringe across her small forehead. Her round green eyes, pudgy cheeks, and wide mouth made her appear far younger than Lady Bluesteed. To Kairo, she looked around twelve years old.

"What are you doing Lady Candice?" Lady Bluesteed asked concerned.

"Woot! He is that hot-looking in person. No wonder you keep talking on and on about him." Lady Candice's pinkish horse ears twitched excitedly.

"Lady Candice!" Lady Bluesteed's face was so red, wanting to find a hole to crawl into and die with her embarrassment.

Genie laughed. Kairo stood awkwardly, still unsure on how to react.

But Lady Candice grabbed Kairo's hand and yanked him into a walk for the big table before the bookshelves. She pulled out a chair and had him sit down.

"You sit here. We'll get food ready for you." She sounded so bossy like a girl playing a tea party game with her dolls.

"I'm a doll." He gulped. This pocket-rocket of a centurion was a bit too much energy.

She sat Lady Bluesteed next to Kairo, but was too slow to stop Genie from taking the other seat. Again, Kairo was wedged between the two at a dinner table. Lady Candice giggled, finding the arrangement cute and funny. She bossily laid out all the food for them to eat.

Before they could get started, Squad-7 leisurely entered to call everyone to a snap meeting in the throne room. The big announcement was going to be made.

"The throne room." Kairo's mind recalled his first time in it with feelings of apprehension.

"You're not a drop-in this time." Genie reassured him, prompting Kairo to shuffle out of his seat. They both stood back from the table.

"He'll come with me," Genie said as he activated a teleportation array.

Lady Bluesteed sighed when she saw the men disappear through it and was gone.

"Phooey. There goes your ideal boyfriend." Lady Candice bluntly stated as she took a big bite of her toast.

Henka-guard sat next to Lady Bluesteed with some words he wanted to say, but felt unsure on how to say them well. He was looking coy about it, so much so, it made Lady Bluesteed worry that he was suppressing a cold.

"Here." She poured him warm tea. "Should help with your cold."

Henka-guard's face went beetroot red. He scrambled out of his seat and rushed out of the villa, mumbling about letting off some steam.

Adell-guard rolled her eyes. The man was a write-off.

"Is he okay?" Lady Bluesteed worryingly asked.

She smiled and nodded. "He's just, well, he'll get through it." She reminded the ladies about the address.

A short while later everyone was gone from the villa.