Gregor had been looking to a good nights sleep for days and now, he was back from the vineyard of eyes, and he slept like a log. He didn't wake when boots' elbows dig into his ribs as she slept, he didn't wake when the guards bickered as they strolled down the corridor, he didn't wake when boots woke and poked his nose repeatedly. However, Gregor did wake when Luxa's blood-curdling scream pierced the cool night's air. Gregor stirred drowsily, a tired boots blinking the sleep out of her eyes. Gregor felt sorry for Luxa, she had had nightmares ever since she returned from the vineyard of eyes, and refused to discuss the matters with him, nor Vikus, Solovet, Hazard or Ripred. Every morning she looked worse, her eyes where red and dark circles began to surround her eyes. Gregor sat up and wondered whether or not he would be allowed to see her. He doubted he would be allowed near a girl's room, never mind the queen! Besides, Vikus would already be with her now, calming her and giving her Drayus Maximes, the sleeping tonic his mother had been given in odd occasions when she worked herself up about Lizzie, whilst still recovering from the plague. So Gregor decided to think nothing more of it, shifted his position, nestled down under the covers and pulled a yawning boots close to his chest.

"Shut eyes now Grego?" asked Boots, cuddling closer to him, pressing her cold, small hands against his thin top.

"Yes, boots, Shut eyes" Gregor thrust his spare arm under the pillow, his eyes grew heavy and before he knew it, he was asleep next to a snoring two year old.

Surely Gregor had only been asleep for five minutes when a desperate hand was shaking his shoulder and calling his name as if his life depended on Gregors waking. Gregor arose, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, and noticed his little sister was still asleep, so he tried to move with little disturbance to the sleeping infant. He made out a face in the murky darkness of his room. It was Vikus. Distress and sadness was clearly etched into those purple eyes, wait was he crying?

"Vikus! What's the matter?" Gregor asked in a hushed voice, lighting the oil lamp on his bedside table. Light burst into the room, illuminating the shiny streaks on Vikus' cheeks, which were pathways of recent tears. His almost transparent body was quavering and his shoulders were heaving. He seemed in no condition to speak, even if he could talk, why talk to him? He was just a twelve-year old overlander warrior. Gregor found himself repeating himself half a dozen times before Vikus could answer him. By that time Boots had woken.

"He cry, Grego," Boots told him. He sighed; Boots always thought he could fix things he couldn't.

"Yes Boot's," He thought it would be a bad idea, Vikus talking to him with boots exclaiming things which he already knew. Gregor reached for the small bag which sat next to his bed and soon found boot's favourite. "Want a cookie boots?" he smiled

"Ye-es!" She squealed, standing up to reach the cookie "C is for cookie and cat and cream!"

"Go fetch the cookie" and with that he Frisbee the cookie to the other side of the room. Boots jumped down and chased it, giggling as she went.

"Gregor . . ." Vikus began, but he was reduced to tears, but he continued " a few minutes ago, someone got into Regalia unseen, that someone also got into the palace and they have taken . . . " He couldn't continue, tears poured down his translucent face. Then realisation clicked. Gregor went numb, his palms sweaty and his gut twisted. The scream wasn't a nightmare . . .

"Luxa," Gregor felt like he had been punched in the stomach, and he looked down to his lap, just in case Vikus would see the fact Gregor was almost in tears to.