A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, please don't hate me. I got caught up in football and the start of school. I'll probably be more regular now that my football season is over. UNDEFEATED!

Gregor took in the familiar sights as he flew on Aurora's back into the familiar city of Regalia. It was almost exactly how he remembered it, the ornate stone carvings, the bustling city streets down below, and the innumerable number of torches that kept this city alive. He was O so aware of Luxa's body against his, feeling her chest rise and fall as they flew toward the high hall.

"Did Vikus ever recover?" Gregor asked not wanting to think about the possibility that the old man had passed away in his absence.
"Yes." Luxa said with some emotion Gregor couldn't identify hidden in her voice. But if the old man was alive then he couldn't wait to see him. Outside of Luxa, and maybe Mareth, Vikus was one of Gregor's favorite Underlanders.
They spent the rest of the flight silent, just enjoying each other's company after spending so long without one another. When they finally did land in the High Hall Gregor wasn't at all surprised to see a fuming Mareth and Ripred pacing nervously back and forth. But when they saw Gregor something in their expressions changed. Gregor saw something he hadn't seen on the rat's face in years. Pity. Though Ripred's face went back to normal quickly enough that Gregor dismissed it.
"Gregor!" Mareth bounded to him and put him into a rib crushing hug. The knight looked like he spent more time worrying than fighting nowadays, like he had been swept up in the waves of the business of men. Like he had left behind all the dreams of a young man, as if the realization that he had to lead an army had weighed too heavily on him.
"It's great to see you too man, though the experience would be better if I could breathe." Gregor choked out to his Underlander friend. Mareth seemed to realize how hard he was gripping Gregor and somewhat reluctantly let go. But the next person to appear in front of Gregor was the person that beside Luxa he had missed the most. Ripred. The old rat had aged well it seemed with no new scars since the last time Gregor saw him, though the scar that came across his face to make the "X" that had branded him the Peacemaker had all but faded.
"What's your plan?" The rat's words caught Gregor off guard, pulling him out of his stupor.
"Beg your pardon?" Gregor replied not knowing what Ripred was referencing. Ripred just stared into Gregor's eyes, rager to rager sending a message that no one else in the room could have possibly picked up on, "You couldn't have picked a worse time to show up." But quicker than lightning the rat's expression changed into a grin, telling the others in the room that nothing had passed between them, though for Gregor there was no mistaking it.
"So where's your family boy?" Ripred's words came as a shock to almost everyone, "I always did like that sister Lizzie of yours, don't suppose you brought her with you?" The big rat sighed as if he somehow knew the exact manner in which Gregor had left his family.
"They didn't come this time, they just left me alone to my hearts desire," Gregor flashed his eyes to Luxa as he said the word desire and she shot her glance away hoping that Ripred wouldn't notice.
"You still going on with that boy? I would have thought you'd have grown out of it by now," Ripred sneered in a tone that was unusual for the rat, not because it was sarcastic but more because he actually seemed to care about the outcome. Which, compared to his behavior in the past, was completely out of character.
"What's it to you Ripred?" Gregor asked as he looked into the eyes of his old mentor thinking about years of experience that the rat had. How that if the rat wanted to he could take out Gregor, so being lippy probably wasn't the smartest thing for Gregor to do seeing as he was out of practice with a sword and besides he didn't have one on him anyways.
The rat didn't seem to really care about Gregor's tone and just stared at him stonily trying to break some sort of news to Gregor that he obviously didn't get.

Gregor and Luxa sat alone in her chambers. Gregor couldn't get his mind of how amazing this reunion was, he wished that it was only there world to have to themselves. But something was bugging him, "What's everybody keeping from me Luxa?" He shout out breaking the loving silence that had gripped them in it's embrace. But when he saw the look on her face as she prepared to answer the question he chided himself for being so curious, who was he to ruin something this blissful?
"Thing is... is we're not really set in stone or anything..." her voice trailed off as if even she couldn't believe what she was saying. What was she saying? After they were reunited after they hadn't seen each other in three years and now she was acting like he was no big deal! Who was she kidding? His life had been a living hell for the years without her, and yet here she was saying that he was just some crazy experiment in her wild teenage years. Screw her.

Luxa saw the hurt register on Gregor's face and knew that she had to explain herself better. "Gregor, it's not that I don't love you, I do! Don't think that this is easy for me. But I'm almost of age to rule and with that power also comes the expectation that I stop chasing after what the council deems 'childish whims'!" Luxa burst so suddenly she wasn't even sure that she was done expressing her self.
"I thought that once you were the queen the council wouldn't be able to tell you what to do." Gregor countered. Was he actually arguing that she didn't love him?
"In certain respects you would be correct, but the council must approve whom I marry and whom courts me, and I fear they will not abandon tradition just for the warrior of old." Luxa said so softly she wasn't sure that Gregor could even hear her. But he must have since his question acknowledged her point.
"Will they let me court you?" His words stung the both of them with the realization that they might not be able to continue this trist.
"Honestly? I do not know." Her words killed the lovely silence that had held them before and replaced it with and angry silence, one which even blood could not satisfy. But it was Gregor who broke this silence as well, "Well, let's not wait for their permission then." And with that took her in his arms and laid down on the couch.

Gregor felt her warmth in his arms and knew that without her there with him this moment would have been impossible. Without her presence to reassure him that he wouldn't be strangled by the immense abyss of aloneness. He knew that without the guarantee that they would be together his life might be worse than before. She would be at his fingertips yet he would be unable to grasp her, have her, call her his only love. And to think about when he wasn't with her? To think of her being with another man like this? He couldn't do it, wouldn't do it. He simply refused to torture himself.

Luxa's mind was torn as she lay there in his arms, as she imagined the types of people that the council would envision her being with. She shuddered. Gregor squeezed her and held her tighter. Giving her exactly what she needed. Even if he didn't know it. Especially if he didn't know it. She knew she would have to repay him and not give in to any of these men's advances. Knew that it was the only way to show her love and appreciation for his affection, not only for this now, but for returning to her.

Luxa awoke with Gregor's arms around her. She didn't know what time it was but she did know that this was the happiest she had been in a long time. And she also knew that all good things must end. She nudged Gregor to wake him, and could tell by the look on his face that this was the happiest he had been in a long time as well.

A/N: Sorry about the short chapter, kind of got out of the feel of the story after the long time between updates. More is coming so don't worry, I'll hope to be more regular with my updates. One thing I need to know for where I'm going with this is what do all of you think Luxa's greatest desire is? Please leave something in your review and if I like the idea and it fits I'll roll with it, You'll see where I'm going with this. Fly You High!