Just to let whoever's reading this know, this is totally, totally disregarding the last book of the series. I think that's the...code of claw, right? Yeah, I wrote this before that one came out, so a lot of things don't make sense anymore.

Gregor and the Prophecy of Heart

As his mom tightened his bow tie, Gregor squirmed in anticipation. In just minutes, he would be going to a combination coronation party and birthday party for the newly crowned queen of Regalia, Luxa.

"Gregor, honey, calm down," his mom said soothingly. Her peach evening gown made swishing sounds as she walked across their small apartment to get his sisters. Twelve year old Lizzie walked out of the room that she shared with their seven year old sister Boots and their grandma. Boots was trailing quickly after her.

"Daddy, come on!" called Boots.

"I'm coming," Gregor's dad sang. He walked out of the room that he and his wife shared, humming merrily and buttoning his tuxedo jacket.

"That fits perfectly!" Gregor's mother exclaimed. She hugged him. "It was lucky that they had all this in the Museum." She motioned at the suits that Gregor and his father wore, and the dress she wore.

The adults and Gregor's clothes had, in fact, come from the Overlander Museum in Regalia. Boots and Lizzie however had been given new, beautiful dresses for their birthdays from Mrs. Cormaci; Boots' in purple and Lizzie's in deep red.

"We're going to be late," Gregor fidgeted.

"Gregor!" Gregor's mom laughed in an annoyed sort of way. "You're sixteen. Haven't you grown a little patience over the years?"

"Nope," Gregor grinned.

"Luxa will wait for you," his dad smirked. Gregor blushed.

"Gregor loves Luxa, Gregor loves Luxa," Boots sang, giggling. Gregor blushed deeper.

"No I don't!" Gregor protested, though it was a total lie. Lizzie looked at him knowingly.

"We'll see," she said. Gregor's mom decided that then would be a good time to intervene and announced that they really should leave. The family made their way to the laundry room and through the entrance to the Underland. Ares and Aurora were waiting for them.

"Hey Ares," Gregor gave his bond a big hug. "Hey Aurora."

"Hello Overlander. Hello Overlander's family," Aurora purred. "Are you all ready to go?"

The family climbed carefully onto the bats' backs and it wasn't long before they reached the palace. Nerissa, who though as pale and thin was stronger then she had been when they first met her, met them at the door and walked them into the ballroom. People filled the room and whether they were dancing, sitting, or standing, they all looked happy. Soft music played in the background and the lights were turned down low.

"Where's Luxa?" Boots whispered anxiously.

"I believe she is right here," a voice whispered from behind them. Boots jumped and turned around. Luxa was bent down behind her so that she was at eye level with the little girl. Boots threw her arms around the queen's neck. Luxa laughed and hugged her back.

Boots let go so Lizzie and both of Gregor's parents could hug and congratulate her as well. Then tactfully, the family made their way across the room to talk to Vikus and Marith.

Luxa turned to Gregor.

"Would you like to dance?" she asked with a smile. He smiled in spite of himself.

"You know I'm not much for dancing," he laughed.

"Come. Please?" her eyes were shining nervously as she waited for Gregor's reply. He was remembering the last time that they had danced together, before they learned of the attacks on the Nibblers. He remembered how nice it had felt to be close to her, to be touching her. The corners of his mouth turned up in a smile at the memory.

"Of course," he replied, taking her hand. Boots mouthed "Gregor loves Luxa" at him as the pair made their way onto the dance floor.

Slow classical music started up and Gregor pulled Luxa close to him. She leaned her head against his shoulder. Both were blushing brightly as they danced.

"I've missed you Gregor," Luxa said suddenly. Gregor smiled softly.

"I've missed you too."

It wasn't long before other couples started to dance; Gregor's parents and Hazard and Lizzie among them.

"So you're the queen for real now?" Gregor whispered in Luxa's ear. "You can declare war without having to do it in some tunnel under Regalia?"

Luxa laughed. "Yes, I am the queen now. And as queen, I can…" she stumbled over her words. "Well, I am allowed to…I can choose…" she sighed. "Never mind."

"No, what were you going to say?" Gregor asked curiously. Luxa turned her purple eyed gaze up to Gregor's face. She seemed to be searching for something. She bit her lip nervously.

"Do you remember what Howard told you that day? When we went on the 'picnic' and you tried to disillusion him by telling him that you and I were going on a date?"

"Yeah, of course I do," Gregor frowned. What Howard had said stuck with him all the years since he'd heard it. He wasn't allowed to care for Luxa the way he did, according to royalty standards. She was a queen, and he was but a mere Overland boy…alright, so the last part wasn't technically true. He was an Overlander, but most Overland boys weren't written about in multiple prophecies. They also probably weren't natural born killers either, come to think of it. But whether or not he was a Rager, whether or not he was the Warrior of Sandwich's prophecies, he was still not allowed to love Luxa.

It didn't matter anyway. She didn't feel that way about him. At least, he didn't think she did.

"Well, Howard was wrong," Luxa whispered adamantly. "He said that it would not work out between you and I. But as queen, I feel I should be able to overturn the idea that royalty must be with royalty, do you not think so?"

It took Gregor a minute to understand what she had just said. But when he did get it, he was shocked. So he was wrong. Maybe she did feel the same.

"Does that mean that you…that you and I…" Gregor managed to splutter out. Luxa looked embarrassed.

"I am…sorry. I just assumed…well, it does not matter anymore…" she tried to inconspicuously wipe her eyes as tears trickled down. She pulled away from Gregor.

'Oh no!' Gregor thought in horror. 'I didn't…'

"Luxa," he called, grabbing her hand and pulling her back towards him. "Whatever I said or you think I said, I guarantee you that I didn't mean it." She still didn't look at him. "I was just trying to figure out what you said. I'm a guy, what do you expect? I'm stupid." He shrugged and Luxa gave a small laugh.

"I was trying to tell you…Gregor the Overlander," she made eye contact with him, and continued in a resilient voice. "I love you."

A wide grin broke out across his face. He pulled the queen into his arms and held her tightly against him.

"I've wished that you would say those words for four years now," he whispered happily. "I love you, Luxa."

She smiled at him and kissed him quickly on the lips.

"A Junior in high school from the Overland with the Queen of humans in the Underland. Who would've thought?" Gregor remarked with a laugh.

"Not I," Luxa was beaming. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "But I am very glad that it happened."

"So am I," Gregor leaned his forehead against hers. "So am I."

Vikus sat with Nerissa and Marith, watching the new couple dance.

"They have done it," Nerissa said excitedly. "They have fulfilled the Prophecy of Heart."

"I had wondered how long it would take before they realized how they felt about one another," Vikus admitted.

"As did I," Marith grinned. "They look wonderful together."

"Yes, they do," Nerissa agreed happily.

Gregor and Luxa soon tired of dancing and excused themselves to sit in the dining hall that Nerissa had taken Gregor to after the hearing he had when he didn't kill the Bane. Gregor had enclosed Luxa's pale hand in his as soon as they were out of sight range of his family. He was sure that they'd already seen what had happened – meaning he was pretty sure that they'd seen he and Luxa kiss – but he didn't really want Boots to start teasing him and Lizzie to give him her I-told-you-so look.

"You have fulfilled another prophecy, warrior," Luxa teased as they walked down the hall. "Would you like to see?"

"Sure," Gregor replied, too happy to care that, once again, Sandwich had decided his fate for him.

Luxa led him not into the prophecy room, but into a room three flights of stairs up that looked like a bedroom. A small square of fabric hung on the wall. There were words embroidered into it.

"Read," Luxa pointed with her free hand. Gregor read.

THE SIXTEENTH YEAR HAS NOW BEGUN

THE BATTLES, GOOD HAS NOW PREVAILED

AND NOW TRUE FEELINGS DO SHOW THROUGH

THEIR INNER HEARTS WILL BE REVEALED.

THE WARRIOR IN ALL HIS MIGHT

THE QUEEN IN ALL HER BEAUTY SHINES

WILL SEE WHAT JOY THEIR LOVE WILL BRING

THE LIVES OF BOTH WILL NOW ENTWINE

A GREATER NATION THEY WILL BRING

FOR REGALIA WILL NOW LIVE ON…

"That's the clearest prophecy that Sandwich ever wrote," Gregor remarked after he finished reading.

" Sandwich didn't write this," Luxa replied smugly.

"He didn't?" Gregor asked in surprise.

"No," Luxa smiled. "Nerissa did, years ago. While I was living in the jungle."

"One amazing girl, your cousin," Gregor wrapped Luxa in a hug again.

"Yes, I think so too," Luxa whispered against his chest. "I think so too..."

-LE FIN-