UPDATE! Shocker! I don't own any characters.

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Chapter 2: Alone at Last.

The next morning, Achmed woke like he usually did. From a night of sleep and no dreams. A fact that he couldn't wait to share with Rhapsody. After getting ready for the morning, he went to the Cauldron for breakfast. Most mornings, he'd come to find Grunthor already there, waiting for breakfast, but today, wasn't like most mornings. The Sergeant-Major was no where to be seen. Instead, there was an annoying man with copper hair.

"Where's Grunthor?" Achmed asked, hating the fact that he had to ask him.

"I believe I was told that he went on a border check."

Achmed stared at Ashe.

"And what are you doing up here? Shouldn't you be 'relaxing' with your wife?"

"She went with him. Said she needed some quality time with Grunthor."

"How nice of her. But that still doesn't explain why you're polluting my breakfast table."

"That's easy enough to explain; I'm hungry and thought I'd join you for some breakfast." Ashe answered back with an almost obvious forced grin.

Achmed stared hard at the man before him. He knew that Ashe expected him to turn away and not eat. But he wasn't feeling very cooperative this morning, having slept in and been found lacking in important information such as where his Sergeant-Major was. So, much to Ashe's surprise, Achmed sat down and waited for breakfast to be served.

Though it took only seven minutes for the food to be served, it seemed like an eternity to the two men sitting at the table. When the food finally did arrive, they ate in silence.

Many times Ashe thought to speak, but wasn't really motivated to do so.

'How could I have promised Rhapsody that I would try and get along with Achmed?!' he thought to himself, already knowing the answer to the question. How could he resist any request that Rhapsody made? For her sake, he would stick to his promise and try to get better acquainted with the Firbolg King.

Achmed ate rather quickly and stood up after finishing and started to leave.

"Where are you going?" Ashe asked, standing up also.

"Unlike some people that can have vacations whenever they wish, I'm busy ruling a nation." Achmed retorted.

Biting back his sarcastic reply, Ashe forced a grin and said, "I'll join you. Maybe I'll learn a thing or to."

Without waiting for Ashe, Achmed turned back towards the door and muttered, "I doubt it."

Again biting back his comeback, Ashe followed Achmed out of the room and on to business.

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It was now the end of the day and Ashe fell back in his bed. All day he put up with Achmed's snide remarks.

"I wonder what Rhapsody sees in him, I truly do." He said staring at the ceiling.

As he stared, he had to admit that Achmed did make a good king. He got right to business, took care of the problem, then went on to the next thing. And he had to admit that it was kinda fun to watch Achmed make a diplomat trying to start a trade with the firbolg sweat and stutter. Maybe if he was lucky, more would come tomorrow. At least it was a good substitute for entertainment with his wife gone.

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Achmed laid down in his bed very tired. All day he was either commenting on Ashe's incompetence or ignoring him completely. All day he tried to get him to leave, but none of it worked. It was like having a creepy, nosy, noisy shadow follow you everywhere.

"How does Rhapsody stand him?" Achmed wondered out loud.

While going over the days events, he finally came to a conclusion. If he were one that laughed easily, that's what Ashe would be good for. Maybe he'd let Ashe hang around him during his short visit here. He might be able to find even more things to insult.

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End of updated fanfic. I'm not sure if Achmed would really be that petty, but in my story, he is. In case I forgot to say it earlier, I love Ashe, I think he's awesome. But I love Achmed a whooooole bunch. Well, hopefully I didn't make either of them OOC, I tried, but if you think they're not any good, let me know, and I'll see if I agree with your point. Ciao for now.