"An explanation is surely a beauteous thing, it gets rid of our questions. Even more beauteously though, it makes more." – a beauteous philosopher

Alex wakes to the stare of his past tutor and jumps back in surprise.

"Alex," Reynold draws out, trying to convey his disappointment, "What are you doing here, in the guard's custody no less?"

Alex, still getting used to his surroundings, does not immediately answer the question. Instead, he looks around the room he finds himself in, seeing the extravagant draperies and curtains. The elegant bookshelves alongside a desk, not to mention the king-size bed he is currently laying on, all contribute to his feeling of awe.

'Even Father's bedroom didn't look this majestic, and no less profligate.'

In a few seconds, Alex's mind starts to convert the sounds he had heard into ideas and words. A few seconds after that, he looks back at Reynold and begins to form a response.

Reynold, at this point, is, of course, nonplussed.

'He should be fine with mage-speak, he knows me well enough. Also, to be honest, I'm tired of staying mute.'

"Teacher, it's good to see you. A lot has happened, and to be honest, I'm not even sure of the full extent. Before that, where are we?"

Reynold continues his flat stare for a few moments, before sighing.

"You were always like this, always changing the topic, wandering off into whatever suits your fancy… but more so, you've added another question to my list. When did you learn mage-speak, it should be near impossible for someone of your constitution, and why are you using it now? Even more so, I will not be dissuaded! Why are you here, Alex? it would be dangerous for someone without your condition, but for someone with it… even more so!"

Reynold shakes his head.

"Even though I told you to avoid Irkshire so many times during our lessons… where you even listening then?"

Alex nods out of habit.

Reynold puts his hands to his face and lifts his head, letting them drag his skin out of shape, "You're causing me so much trouble Alex to begin with, my ties with you and being affiliated with the old duke, I've had to do the best I can to maintain my position, but now this? You're going to need to explain everything to me. Starting from the beginning and not stopping to the end."

Alex starts to speak, "Well-"

Reynold holds his hand up, and Alex stops.

"Can you please not speak with mage-speak when were talking? I admit it's an incredible feat and shows you must have been practicing to extraordinary levels to incorporate it in that way. Still, it will likely draw the attention of every mage within 30 madras of you. Which since we're in the academy is quite a few."

Alex's face scrunches up in confusion.

Reynold's face turns incredulous, "You took the time to learn mage-speech, but not it's consequences or effects? I thought I taught you better than that…" he then sighs again, something becoming more and more common as their 'conversation' progresses,

Alex shakes his head, trying to convey that Reynold's conjecture is not the case.

"Do you mean to tell me then that you never learned your units of distance then? Oh, please tell me there was something else confusing about my statement."

Alex nods, and Reynold sighs in relief.

'Does he really have such a low opinion of me?'

Alex then mimes writing, and Reynold seeing this nods, gets up and walks over to a few piles of paper. He then starts ruffling through them, "I should have a blank notepad somewhere around here. The academy really spoils me, you know? Though the pay is nothing like what I got paid back at the manor, probably because of the confidentiality clause, though…"

Reynold suddenly gets up, with a fresh notepad and pencil in his hand, "See, I told you I had it."

Alex continues staring at him.

Reynold stares back, and the atmosphere becomes awkward for a moment, before Reynold breaks the silence, "You know, one of the main reasons I taught you was the pay. Teaching a twelve cycle young boy like yourself is a large task, especially when you need to start from the very beginning!"

Alex feels slightly hurt at that, which doubles over as Reynold chuckles to himself.

"But, you kind of grew on me. The enthusiasm you demonstrated and showed me, it really changed my view on those like you with constitutions," Reynold looks straight into where Alex's eyes would be.

"In short, even though it's probably going to be more trouble than it's worth, you can rely on me."

Alex thinks for a few moments and then nods.

'I wouldn't have talked to him otherwise, though…'

Alex thinks back to Bernhart and shakes his head.

'Reynold isn't like him.'

A small voice, lost in the noise of Alex's thoughts, responds.

'He's a mage too, though…'

Alex takes the pad from Reynold and starts writing.

After a good thirty minutes, he had gotten a decent bit into his experiences, Alex's hand is starting to become sore.

'With the amount I've written today, I'm surprised my wrist isn't injured. It would be a lot easier if those guards would let me use the answers I used there, though I suppose Reynold does deserve a personal explanation…'

Reynold would peer over Alex's shoulder to get a good look at what Alex was writing and then pace back and forth, making sure to look every 30 seconds or so. When Reynold read the part about the revolt, he had taken the pad and reread it for good measure. Then he had let drop back into Alex's lap and had sat in the chair behind his desk, staring at the opposite wall for almost a minute. This was not the only time Reynold would take the pad, though. Alex had decided to impart to him his experiences with 'time travel' which prompted Reynold to stand up while taking the pad for a reread.

He starts pacing back and forth, "I know you had trauma, but do you really think I would believe this?"

Reynold starts flicking the notepad and finishes to the point to where Alex had escaped the invading army.

"Time travel would explain how you made it out of there alive, even if in the hands of one of those accursed rogue mages." Reynold spits into a nearby plant, "From the time I've been with you, I can tell you're not a liar, but I still can't believe this, you know. There has been research, but…"

Reynold turns contemplative for a moment, "Actually, it might be possible. Maybe if you were on the level of one of the founders… but even then, it wouldn't be enough. You'd have to be a niche above that. That's the amount of energy required, and even then, it would be a false time travel… Just some of my musings, we'll deal with this whole time-travel situation once you finish your explanation."

Reynold takes the pad and places it back in front of Alex.

"Please, continue where you left off."

Situations like this propagated over the next couple of hours or so. In particular, Reynold's face turned grim when Alex had started his stay with the rogue mage, and even more so when he talked about his contract. After that, it didn't take much time to explain how he had gotten into the whole situation with the guards.

"You've really had it rough, Alex… I've got a few questions, and then you can rest or ask questions yourself if you need."

Alex nods.

"Before that, though, I'm sorry that I left. If I had known that things had gotten that bad, I wouldn't have done so…"

Alex gives Reynold a confused look.

Reynold looks as if he's about to say something, before shaking his head, "I'll explain it later. First, I need to know. You can't turn off your mage-voice, right?"

Alex nods.

"It has a lot of power, use it correctly, and you are more than likely to make it out of a few dodgy situations," Reynold gives Alex a look he isn't able to identify.

Alex's gaze grows confused, but Reynold doesn't stop there.

"Next, you woke up naked in the alley, right?"

Alex nods.

"On that note, I didn't want to invade your privacy, so I left you as you were, you can dress now if you'd like."

'Now that he mentions it, I've only had this cloak between me and the outside world for a while now… Am I getting used to nakedness.'

Alex shivers and then runs over to the dresser, quickly getting dressed, ignoring Reynold, who averts his gaze. Once in more presentable attire, Alex sits back onto the bed, this time feeling a wave of relief.

'Finally, some clothing.'

Reynold gives an appraising gaze to Alex, "I never realized that we are the same size, the clothes fit you so you can keep them."

Alex nods in gratefulness.

'Even if only this comes from it, I'm glad I trusted him.'

'…'

"Anyway, let's continue where we left off."

Reynold gets up and approaches Alex; he then touches the gem, which adorns his forehead, "You're lucky I recognized you, especially with how much your features have changed…"

Reynold's gaze saddens.

"We'll probably need to hold some tests later if only to figure out how you survived what seems to be the scourge of this city…"

It was then that a knocking sound could be heard through the room.

"Didn't I say not to be disturbed?" Says Reynold.

"I'm sorry, sir, but-"the muffled voice coming from the other side of the door is interrupted as Reynold gets up forcefully.

"I'm the director of this school, what could be so important that you would defy a direct order?"

Alex sits there silently.

"Um… sir, the princess is here to see you. We've held here from coming here for about an hour, and I think she might retaliate violently if we don't let her through soon." The garbled voice finishes apologetically.

'Princess, the kingdom never had one… Wait… wasn't there one of the western duchy?'

Reynold's eyes widen before he closes them, "I'm sorry, Alex, something has come up. We'll have to finish this later."

That is when a crashing sound resounds through the room before the door is slammed open.

A young lady bursts through, not a cycle over 18, with brown hair and freckles.

"Here you are, Reynold, they kept saying you were out. You need to discipline your servants more, you know?" She starts wagging her finger at Reynold.

Reynold simply face palms and falls back into his chair, letting it envelop him. His head then flops back against the chair-rest.

"I really don't want to deal with you ri-"

"Oh, who is this? Another student of yours? A lover?" She starts waging her eyebrows.

Reynold just sits in silence.

"If this is the reason you keep refusing my proposal, you can keep him, you know. But you sure do like 'em young, don't you."

Reynold just sits in silence.

Alex looks to his teacher's depressed state, and back to the princess(?).

'You sure have it rough, Reynold.'