"Ah, here is my sister and her bond," Ergane nodded his head toward a landing Human/Flier pair.
"Greetings, Ergane," A familiar black and white striped bat was just landing in the high hall, with an equally familiar rider.
"Hey, Nike! Hey Howard!" Gregor called from Ergane's back.
Gregor laughed as Howard tripped dismounting Nike, who performed a less-than-graceful landing herself.
"Overlander? Are you here, or did I eat some bad mushrooms?" Howard joked.
"I don't know man, could be the mushrooms," Gregor teased back.
"And is this Lizzie? My, how you've grown."
Lizzie smiled, but seemed to be at a loss for words. She hadn't had a panic attack since coming back from the Underland, though Gregor was unsure whether seeing everyone again would set one off.
"It's so good to see everyone. But honestly, I haven't seen anyone familiar except for you three," He said, pointing at Howard, Nike, and Nerissa. "How is everybody?"
"That is a vague question, Gregor. Why don't you talk to everyone, over dinner? I will send for Vikus, Luxa, Aurora, Temp, Hazard, Mareth…," Howard at this point began mumbling to himself. He rallied off more names and ended with "…and Ripred, too, of course. I will make the preparations. In the meantime, I would think it best for you two to stay unseen, keep it a surprise until dinner tonight."
"How can we do that?" Lizzie inquired.
"Ergane, would you mind finding somewhere for them to hide while I make the preparations?" Howard requested.
"Of course not."
"Great. Maybe at the fount colony of nibblers? I am not sure, so wherever you think is a good place…" Howard's voice trailed off; he was obviously thinking aloud.
"I will find somewhere, if not just a flying tour of… the waterway or somewhere," Ergane told him.
"I have an idea," Lizzie put in. "How about we hide in the museum for the day, then you can come get us when it's time for dinner. That way, nobody with a sharp enough nose would detect our Overland smell."
"That is a great idea, Lizzie! Yes, I will send for you when it is dinner," Howard told them.
Gregor had been very used to being in the museum in the palace. It was the place that reminded him most of home. The museum was filled with all sorts of things that had fallen from the Overland. Hardhats from construction workers, Handbags, backpacks, and all sorts of miscellaneous things that would seem disposable to any Overlander, such as pencils, money, and even an old shoe all sat next to each other on a single table. There were some things that seemed completely random sitting next to each other; there was a stuffed penguin next to a dictionary, next to a tennis ball.
Lizzie picked up a copy of the book Silverwingby Kenneth Oppal, and sat down to read in a corner to pass the time. Gregor looked through all the Overland stuff, trying to keep occupied and get the anxious butterflies out of his stomach. Nothing helped too much, but at least it was something to do. He gazed at the assortment of things, wondering how each had ended up here.
A violin case, he thought. Probably a performer in central park's.
Gregor found a stack of familiar photos; on top was a picture of Three-year-old Boots in her princess costume feeding Temp some cake. He smiled, and began flipping through them, until he came across the ones of him and Luxa. These were the pictures they had taken during the war, right here at this spot. This was the day after he had overheard Ripred snuggled up with Lizzie, talking about Ripred's family at the Garden of Hesperides, telling about how his family drowned without even a chance to say goodbye. The Scarred rat had been king enough to give that to them, a half hour. And this is where they spent it, before he went off to battle. Geez, he remembered all the details like it was yesterday!
He kept flipping through the stack of photos to find a loose paper at the bottom of the stack. It was a note in an unfamiliar handwriting. He decided to read through it. It appeared to be some kind of request addressed to Sandwich, yet it was written on Overland paper with an Overland pen. Green, it looked like.
Bartholomew of Sandwich
If I never see him again, at least let him not forget of me, as I will not do to him.
It was very vague and unsigned, though Gregor had a feeling that this was not from the Overland at all. He had a very good idea of who wrote this, based on its location, and a bit of background knowledge.
He really wanted to see Luxa again, and though he knew he would soon he could not help himself from wanting to see her now. He remembered meeting her for the first time in the arena with Boots, now that was nothing he'd ever forget.
"You can have the ball, but to get it you must be stronger or smarter than I," Luxa had told Boots.
"Pu-ple!" Boots poking her in the eye, causing her to release the ball in surprise. That was good.
"I guess she's smarter," Gregor had told her.
"But not you, or you would not dare say such things to a queen."
Gregor smiled, remembering his first trip down here. But the memories got painful as Ares was brought up. He squeezed his eyes tight, as if to shut out the scene that always played in his head.
Too close to the Bane. "Get out of there, Ares!" Wing snagged. Pulled in. Teeth on neck. Sword through heart. Claws on chest. "Don't go, Ares, okay? Don't." Claw in hand. Loosing blood. Pure blue light…
He must have fallen asleep, and slept peacefully at that, because next thing he knew, Lizzie was prodding him awake.
"Gregor? It's time for dinner."
Gregor's stomach did leaps and bounds as he followed the messenger Howard had sent for them toward his friends.