Hey all you wonderful people who hopefully still love me and read my story even though i promised a new chappie like more than 3 months ago and then didn't give you one. I really am sorry and to show you how sorry i am i will allow you to throw sharp objects at me. This is a one time offer though mind you, so use it wisely. But anyways I love you all forever and ever, you are the best and I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 12

"Gregor!? What has happened?!" Vikus cried when Gregor finally stumbled into the room where Vikus was busy making plans for the feast.

"I honestly have no idea," Gregor mumbled, not loud enough for anyone to hear. He gingerly touched his now black eye and winced. (Just FYI I have no idea how fast a black eye forms or how long it lasts or anything of that sort having never had one myself, so sorry if I get my black eye facts wrong here.) After being punched in the face by his supposed former friend Howard, for a reason he could not possibly think of, Gregor had lurched to his feet out of his good five minute daze on the floor, and into the nearest bathroom he could find. Years ago a friend of his, he couldn't even remember who, had told him if you splash cold water on a black eye it makes it hurt less. They were wrong, all it did was make him wet.

Gregor noticed Vikus, and the staff that were present all staring at him, concern written on all their faces. "It's nothing," he said, "I accidently hit myself with something when I was changing." He poked the edge of his eye and forced himself not to change his face. "See? It doesn't even hurt."

Vikus didn't look convinced so Gregor quickly changed the topic. He didn't know why but even after all the years and even with everything that had just happened Gregor couldn't bring himself to rat out Howard. "So when is this feast?" he asked.

"Tonight," Vikus answered, brightening slightly, "it is to be a grand occasion. Everyone who had accompanied you on your journeys has been invited. I thought it might give you a chance to catch up, perhaps reflect on your time here."

'Yeah right,' thought Gregor. He'd insulted Luxa and he'd already seen how well "reflecting" had gone with Howard.

"There will be six courses, toasts will be given, and a group of musicians has been hired to play. Decorations are being set up as we speak." Vikus continued.

"About the food," Gregor started. He had just realized how hungry he was. With all the excitement he hadn't noticed the gnawing that had started in the pit of his stomach. With a shock he thought back to the last thing he had eaten; a piece of toast that morning when he rolled out of bed. As if to confirm this his traitorous belly growled.

Vikus laughed. "I'm afraid you will have to wait a few hours till the main event but we can have some food brought up for you" he signaled to a lady a bit younger than Mrs. Cormaci who nodded and headed out the door down some unknown corridor to the kitchen.

The next few minutes were uneventful, waiting for the woman to come back. Gregor sat back in the surprisingly soft coach, his eyes beginning to drift closed, Vikus' constant whispering with the palace attendants causing Gregor to be lulled into sleep. His eyelids got heavier and heavier, making it harder and harder for him to open his eyes. Suddenly being awake seemed like such a silly idea. Who had thought of it? And why?

And just as suddenly he was dreaming.

A girl, Luxa, he realized, was standing on top of a hill. She was crying, sobbing and calling his name. This wasn't right, Luxa never cried. He reached out his hand to her but fell forward onto the floor. Not the floor though, it was a note, a scroll. His note, the one he wrote to Luxa before he remembered who she was. It rose up, towering above them, every word magnified. Luxa cried harder still, the scroll twisting around her till Gregor could see her no longer.

The scene changed. It was dark, he was surrounded by volcanoes and dark pits. It smelled like sulfur. Gregor wondered if this was Hell and why did it seem familiar. Luxa was there again, wearing a flowing gown of red and gold that cascaded down the hill she stood on. This time though she was not crying. She stared him down, every bit the queen she was; only this time he was the enemy. He'd seen that look before when she had looked at the Bane and his followers and suddenly he knew where he was. This was where the Bane had murdered hundreds of innocent mice. When Luxa spoke it was not pleading like before but hard and angry. "You hurt me," she said, not yelling or shaking but even and clear even over the din, "So I'll hurt them." She pointed a long pale finger to her right into a dark pit. He looked expecting to see mice but what he saw made him want to scream. His mom and dad, Boots and Lizzie, his poor gone grandmother, his friends, even in weird dream logic the crying Luxa from before, all clutching their throats and gasping for air. Gregor whirled around towards the other Luxa. "How could you?" he screamed, "How, how?"

She laughed a cold, heartless laugh and stared into his eyes. What was once purple was now deep black. "Welcome back," she whispered, cold eyes dancing, mouth twisting into a smirk, "We're glad you're here Gregor. Gregor. Gregor. Gregor…"

"Gregor, Gregor wake up!" Someone was shaking him. Then he remembered his dream and snapped up on the couch. "You dozed off Overlander. I did not want to wake you but the food is getting cold."

"What?" Gregor asked as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Oh, right, the food. It seemed like forever ago that he had asked for food and it seemed impossible that there was still a hollow feeling in his stomach.

Now that he really was awake he remembered his hunger. Gregor looked around and saw a pile of food on a cart off to the side. He pulled it over and was surprised at how heavy it seemed. There were at least three types of bread, two cakes, several sauces and soups. He grinned when he saw the shrimp and cream sauce then dug in.

He was half way through a bowl of some type of gelatin when he noticed Vikus was not eating. "Oh, hey sorry," he said, "I didn't mean to hog all the food."

"Oh, no," said Vikus laughing, "I had a quick meal awhile ago. I don't want to ruin my appetite for the feast. It will be quite large you know."

Don't remind me, Gregor thought to himself. He hated to admit it but he was kind of, well, scared to go. Vikus had said everyone from his trips had been invited, meaning he would have to face them all. And he'd already seen how well Howard had reacted. But then again, Vikus and Mareth had seemed happy to see him. Who knew what would happen. He would just have to wait and see.