The Banished

Chapter 9

"Where is your child?"

"He is not my-"

"Where is he?"

"I took care of it."

"Meaning?"

Gregor let out a long sigh as he sat down on the couch next to Luxa. "He's in the, uh, daycare place. I think you guys call it the nursery."

Luxa nodded slightly. "It will cost you."

"It already has," he sighed with a shake of his head. "But anyways, you wished to speak with me?"

"They say that she is conscious, but too weak to talk."

Gregor nodded. "I was told the same."

The night had not gone over smoothly. Nerissa had fallen in and out of consciousness multiple times. Things were not looking up for her. Then, the next morning, Gregor was told that the boy he had been caring for was ready to be taken home. The only problem was Gregor had no real home to take him to. Howard, who had been the one to discharge the boy, told Gregor that many of the guards kept their children at the palace nursery for a small fee. That was the easiest solution at that moment.

"It's been a long day."

"It is hardly midday."

Luxa leaned into his shoulder then, causing Gregor to still.

"Are we alone?"

"When are we not? I do not care regardless," Luxa told him, sighing softly. "I wished to be with you, Overlander. If you do not wish to be with me-"

"We can sit here for awhile, if you want." Gregor shifted on the couch. "What's…wrong? Is it just Nerissa or-"

"There have been more attacks on the gnawers," she sighed.

"Really?"

"Perdita wishes to send in soldiers."

"…Are you going to?"

"I want to, but…" She shook her head slightly. "The attacks have turned deadly in the gnawers land. I do not want to waste our lives on theirs."

"If you don't-"

"Perdita fears we will look guilty."

"Not to mention another visit from Ripred."

His joke was lost on Luxa, who only buried her head deeper in his arm. "It is much easier, Overlander, when you have me to make your decisions for you. Try being me."

"You used to have your decisions made for you and you hated it," he told her. "You know as well as I do that as much as you dread making choices, you find it a better alternative to being told what to do."

She kissed his arm then. "What do you think then, Overlander?"

"Of what?"

"Of sending soldiers off to fight the gnawers battles."

"Why do you care? I'm your valueless guard."

"In front of others, Overlander. We are alone. I wish to hear from my knight."

"Your knight is tired of being disrespected in front of others, but held in such high esteem when alone. You would not accept this if the roles were reversed."

Luxa only groaned. "Life would be far easier, Gregor, if you did not have emotions."

"I find it to be the same with you."

"Why do we stay together then, my love? If we can never please one another?"

"You please me," he assured her. "But you also bother me to no end."

"I think at times that perhaps it would be easier if…"

"If what?"

"If you retired as my guard."

"To do what?"

"I never get that far," she sighed. "I like to think you could just stay here, with me, but I know that this could never happen."

"It is ideal, being your guard. I can go anywhere with you without question. I can be in the royal wing after hours with no one stopping me." He shook his head. "Not to mention, I am the best man for the job."

"Are you?"

"I fought for this job, should you not remember."

"I do."

"I train mercilessly. I am the warrior."

"You are the warrior when it suits you," Luxa complained. "And when it does not, the warrior is dead."

He just moved one of his hands to her thigh, squeezing slightly. "What are you supposed to be doing right now?"

"I was in meetings all morning, but we broke for a meal."

"Then maybe you should eat."

"I ate when I woke."

"You're not only supposed to eat once."

"I do not hunger."

"I say this not as your guard, but as more." He released her thigh then. "You are losing weight, Lux. Not in a healthy way. Should we find ourselves at war soon, you would not be what you once were."

"If I do not wish to eat, Overlander-"

"I only worry about your health," he told her softly. "It has been noticed by many, how thin you are getting. I know that you have been rather…depressed as of late, but-"

"Why would I be depressed?" She sat up then, staring hard at him. "Gregor? Nothing has happened as of late that would call for that."

"That is what depression is," he told her with a shake of his head. "When bad things happen, yeah, you might get sad, but with good reason. When there's nothing going on, but you still feel that way and you have no idea why, that's depression."

"Mental diseases are for the weak. My cousin, Nerissa, she is frequently depressed. We do not consider it a valid problem here."

Gregor knew this though. The Underland was not still stuck in the 1600s, when Sandwich originally led them down below, but they definitely weren't passed the 1900s. Maybe not even the 1700s.

"I just want you to be okay, Lux."

"I am."

"You don't seem to be."

"How do I not seem to be, Overlander?"

"You just haven't been you. You've been stressed."

"I-"

"It's okay to be stressed out, Lux, but when you're being detrimental to your wellbeing, then I have to say something." He reached over then, laying a hand on her shoulder. "I would send soldiers. Just enough to get our point across. And if someone is honestly bothering the nibblers, that would be the first place I sent people."

"I feel the same."

"Okay then."

She just stared into his eyes for a long moment. "I do respect your opinions, Gregor. Greatly."

"I know that. But when we are with others, sometimes you come off as-"

"It should not bother you what others think of you or our relationship. You know what you are to me. Why should another have any value in our feelings?"

"You…emasculate me in front of other men for your own enjoyment."

"Not for my own enjoyment."

He just stared at her. "Admit it. You like making me seem weak in front of others."

"I-"

"Luxa, you do. Just admit it."

She turned away from him then. "I do much for you, Overlander, that you do not acknowledge."

"Oh I acknowledge it. It just isn't relevant in this conversation."

She snorted. "Then we need not speak of this conversation. There is much to be taken care of."

He shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Then go take care of it, my queen."

"Do mind yourself, Overlander. I will not take for a sour temper."

"Then I wonder how you stand yourself."

She stood then, leaving him in her wake. "I have actual business to tend to, Overlander. I would suggest you sort out your feelings of maltreatment yourself before you present yourself in my presence again."

"I'm really getting tired of the two of us never having real conversations, Lux. Real tired."

"Then rest yourself, Overlander. Do not bog down my mind with your petty problems."

"You hate hearing about yourself."

She only left the room, leaving him alone. Gregor sat there for a long time before slipping off his sword belt and stretching out on the couch. She had been the one to tell him to rest, after all.

The child was easy enough to pick out, as he was the only one playing by himself. Gregor just smiled as he came into the nursery, not shocked to find the little boy playing alone with some blocks while the other children in the room found other ways to entertain themselves.

"He keeps to himself, it seems."

Gregor smiled at Dulcet as she approached him. "He is only getting used to his surroundings, I am sure. Much has changed for him in the past few days."

"And much will continue to, I am sure."

When he approached the child, he immediately reached up for the guard, who just smiled down at him.

"He has taken to you well."

"I rescued him," Gregor said with a shrug as he finally reached down to lift the child up. "It is only natural you would feel some kind of appreciation for a person that saved you, yes?"

Dulcet smiled at him again. Gregor did not see her much in the more recent years, as Boots was nearly grown and he had little reason to spend anytime around the nanny. Still, he had always considered her a friend and would never have an unkind word to say about her.

"I can assume you will be needing someone to watch him for the foreseeable future as well?" she asked Gregor then as the toddler in his arms began to suck his thumb.

"I would think so, yes."

"He is very mild mannered. If only all of my children were this way."

Gregor got some looks then, as he left the nursery with the child, though he was expecting it as he had gotten them that morning when he was carrying the child around. Still, he seemed to be used to being carried and just slung one arm around Gregor's neck and held still, making little noises the whole way.

He got even more looks when he took him with him in the mess hall that they fed soldiers and guards in. Instead of getting a plate though, he just went over to a table where he knew and got along well enough with some of the guys at before sitting down.

"I heard you had found yourself in possession of a child, but I thought it only rumor," one of the guys, Giles, said with a slight frown. Gregor only sat the child in his lap, shaking his head.

"It is only until a more permanent arrangement can be found."

"And what does the queen think of this?" Heath, another one, questioned.

"I do not find it her concern," Gregor said as the child reached towards one of the men's plates for a roll. The man quickly gave it to the boy, who started to happily munch on it. "My personal life is little of her concern. I am only under her employ for a few hours a day."

"His eyes are-"

"His parentage is unknown," was all Gregor said on the matter. The boy finished his roll and then held out his hand for more, one of the men handing him a chuck of meat then. The boy began to eat that as well without much thought. "This is the first day I have gotten him out of the hospital, however, and I fear of where he shall sleep."

"I am sure that the royal wing has many rooms for the child," another, older guard told him in a dark tone. Gregor only shook his head.

"Should you ever speak a comment of any value, alert me. I would be most remiss to not hear the only useful thing you shall ever say," was all the Overlander said in response.

"You should learn to watch yourself, Overlander," he retorted. "I could slit your throat in this very room and not a soul would come to your defense."

"No," Gregor said slowly. "Perhaps they would not. Believe me, however, that should I be unable to defend myself, that your head would hang from a spike off the palace walls until it rots off."

"I'm sure your courting gets you that honor."

"Dare you speak of your queen in such a way?" Gregor started at the man full on. "And if so, to the head of the royal guard? It seems rather…unsafe. It would be a shame, should their father not make it home to your children tonight."

Suddenly, someone burst into the room, yelling out Gregor's name. All heads shot up, while Gregor actually stood, keeping the child in his arms.

"What is it that you require?" Gregor asked as the messenger made his way towards him.

"Your council has been requested in the war room immediately," the messenger told him. "The queen as well as the head of the army awaits you there. A general as well."

Gregor nodded at the man then. "Thank you for your service."

With that, he set off towards the royal wing. He got halfway there before he remembered the boy in his arms.

"What can I do with you then?" Gregor mumbled to the boy who was still eating his hunk of meat.

He made it there before he could figure that out, but decided it didn't matter much. Who would mind a child? A mute one at that?

"My queen, you requested my service?"

He found Luxa in the room, Perdita and Mareth with her. At the sight of the child, Mareth smiled, but neither Luxa nor Perdita seemed interested.

"Tell me, Overlander, of why you thought it proper to bring a child with you when the queen calls for you?" Luxa asked him with a frown.

"I am off duty," he told her with a shrug. "Not all of us have a woman to push our children off on."

He could tell from the look on her face that he would get it from her later for that. Not that he wasn't expecting it anyways.

"You may relax, Overlander," Perdita said then. "We call you not here for leisure, but nothing heavy either."

He sat the boy down then, though he only held fast to the man's legs. "I am not sure what use I would be for the three of you, but I am open to whatever you have to say."

"You are held in high esteem by many gnawers," Luxa said then. "Or at the very least, they respect you. We wish for you to lead a few soldiers into battle there."

Gregor paused for a moment. "I am merely a guard. I-"

"Everyone in this room knows that to be a valueless statement," Mareth said before smiling down at the child. "Most of us, anyways."

The boy giggled when he saw the man staring at him and moved away from Gregor, instead trotting over to the general.

"Why I?" Gregor asked then, looking to Perdita.

"Barrett will take others to the nibblers," she told him. "You are the next option."

"Over Namus and Helix?"

Mareth lift the child into his arms when he was close enough. "They have their own orders."

"Of none of your concern," Luxa told him then, still glaring at him for some reason. "Shall you go then?"

"I have not much of a choice," he told her. "However, my only restraint is the child. I-"

"Of course we will find care for you child at our own expenses," Mareth told him.

"It is not his child," Luxa told the general harshly who bowed his head in response. "And we shall not. It shall go where it belongs. Into an orphanage."

"Then you should best find another person to lead your troops to battle." Gregor leveled his eyes with her. "Queen Luxa."

"Then leave us, Overlander. You have once again proven yourself insignificant."

"Then good day, my queen."

Perdita let out a long sigh. She had been around before during many of Luxa and Gregor's coded disputes and had long tired of them.

"Perhaps we can put personal effect to the side for a moment, yes?" She looked at her queen before at Gregor. "You are the head of the royal guard, yes, but how secure is the queen if we do not first secure foreign affairs? And of course your child will be well taken care of. The queen forgets at times that her personal life should not rule the kingdom."

"And you forget, Perdita, of your place at times," Luxa said then, looking at the older woman for a moment before heading out of the room. "We had an old woman once, that ruled the army. One that none of us particularly cared for. And we all know how she ended up. Do not make me question your position."

After Luxa left the room, it was quiet for a second, save the sounds the boy made as he gurgled at Mareth.

"I shall go," Gregor told Perdita then softly, bowing his head.

"I knew you would," she assured him before looking to Mareth. "Can you keep yourself away from the child for a moment? I am sure there is much to be taken care of on your end, Mareth, given we are sending out troops."

"You know my weaknesses well, Perdita, and children are one of them." Mareth bounced the boy once more before setting him down. "Off I go then. Sleep well, both of you."

"You as well," Perdita told him while Gregor just nodded at him.

After Mareth left, Perdita headed over to Gregor, the child beating her there. She only smiled at the little boy, tapping him gently on the top of the head before speaking to the dead warrior.

"What is your position, Overlander?"

"Hmmm?"

"In caring for the child. Surely it is not your parental desire," she said, giving him a slightly look.

"I only feel duty," he told her as the boy let out a loud yawn. "I found him. It is no different than having a pet."

"It is very different," she warned him lightly before looking down at the boy once more. "He will be safe upon your return. Leave him with a nanny before you depart and I will handle it all from there. He shall be far from an orphanage."

"The queen makes veiled threats to those that she knows do not fear her," Gregor said with a shrug.

"Careful," Perdita warned, patting him on the cheek once before heading out of the room. "We both know the queen has quite the temper. And many, many regrets."

"He eats a lot."

Gregor smiled at Hazard before looking down at the boy. "He was malnourished. I find it doubtful that food was readily available to him."

The three guys were in Luxa's normal dining area. She had yet to show up though, which was just as well for the two older men, as neither had been in quite a good place with her as of late.

"And he can't speak?"

"He hasn't to me."

"Perhaps he speaks another language."

"What?"

"Maybe he was raised by others," Hazard said as he stared at the other Halflander. "Perhaps his parents died and someone else took over his rearing."

"He seems to have human mannerisms. He reacts well to humans at least."

Still, Hazard made a series of differing noises, in a hope of attracting the attention of the child. He only continued to eat though, paying the teen no mind.

"What if he is deaf then?" Hazard asked.

"They checked his hearing. He responds to sounds." Gregor patted the top of the young boy's head then, making him look up at him. "He is making quite the mess of himself."

"He seems to really like eating.""

"Who does not?" Gregor smiled at the boy once more before turning his attention to his own food. "I shall leave this afternoon, Hazard."

"I have heard. You're going to the gnawer land, yes?"

"Yeah."

"Do not die, Gregor."

He stared at Hazard for a moment before shaking his head. "And leave you with Luxa?"

"She would be quite the monster then, after your death."

"Even more so should your light die out," Gregor assured the boy. "Where is she anyways?"

"I do not know. She did not mention to me that she would not be at breakfast. Perhaps she is not hungry. She does not hunger often."

Gregor took a pause at that before saying, "Hazard, you will look out for your cousin until I return?"

"I will try my best."

"She does not give you enough credit," Gregor told her. "She tries to make you man, not realizing what an upstanding one you are currently."

That one made Hazard smile, though it was only slightly. It was then though that someone walked into the dining room causing both guys to look up.

"You would dine without your queen?" Luxa came into the room already looking pretty pissed off. Gregor immediately moved to stand, but she held up as hand. "Stay seated, Overlander."

"Your grace-"

"You eat my food and then wish to flatter me? Sit. Finish your meal." She took her seat with a sigh and a shake of the head. "And why is the child here?"

"He hungers as well."

"Did I not tell you that it was your job to feed him?"

"I figured it wouldn't matter much if he ate with us," Gregor said with a shrug of his shoulders. The little boy let out a giggle then, grinning at Luxa. She only shook her head.

"When will you cut his hair? It looks feminine."

"I think it fits him."

"It does not," she told him simply. "What do you call him then, Gregor?"

"Call him?"

"His name."

"I don't know it."

"Surely you call him something."

"He does not speak," Gregor said with a shrug. "Names have not come up. Would you like to name him?"

"You treat him as an animal."

"And you do not?" Gregor grinned at her. "And what animals do you allow in your bed? He slept there with me last night. Surely you do not let such things in your bed chambers."

She leveled her gaze with him. "Only when I am feeling foolish."

"This is worse than torture," Hazard said as he stood. "I do not wish to sit here and listen to the two of you…do this."

"Do what?" Luxa asked him.

"This weird stuff you do. Courting in an a roundabout way." The teen shook his head as he left the room. "It's truly disgusting."

Luxa rolled her eyes while Gregor just grinned at her. Once it was only them and the child, she said, "Where will the child go when you are in battle, Overlander?"

"Perdita told me to just leave him with a nanny and she would see to it."

She stared hard at him for a moment. "Should you wish for him to stay with me?"

"Could he?"

"Not publicly, of course, but at nights he would be most comfortable with someone that he knows."

"He does not know you."

"He will learn. And he's taken to Hazard, it seems. There are many places in the royal chamber for him. Does he sleep well at night?"

"The whole night through," he assured her.

"Then he shall sleep there," she said with a nod of her head.

Gregor was still smiling. "Admit that you've always wanted another Halflander around."

"And why would I want that?"

Patting the boy on the head, Gregor said, "Caring for a child while I am out at war. It his your hope for our future, yes?"

"Do not make yourself unwelcome, Overlander. It would be very easy for me to pay a soldier to take you out while you do battle."

"Your threats only prove your love for me," Gregor assured her. "The child will be with Dulcet, should you choose to house him at night. He has quite the appetite."

"So I am observing," Luxa said softly, watching the toddler as he continued to eat his meal. "Do not allow him much food, Overlander. You must remember that he is coming off little food. You could make him very ill, should you overfeed him."

"Howard gave me the same such warning," Gregor assured her. "I only wish for him to be comfortable though."

"I am sure he would be most comfortable with a name," she told him.

"Then perhaps you can name him, yes? While I am gone? I am not much for Underland names. I fear he shall need one, as this seems to be where he shall stay. You know more names than I. You can name him well, yes?"

"He is not my child."

"And what more of an honor for a lowborn such as him to be named by a queen?"

Luxa only sighed before shaking her head. "You should be off, Gregor. Your battle armor awaits you, I am sure."

Nodding, he moved to stand, lifting the child into his arms as well. The boy let out a slight whine as his food was left behind.

"I shall see you upon my return, my queen. I hope yours is the first face I see."

She only shook her head. It wasn't until he was to the doorway that she spoke. "And Overlander?"

"Yes, your grace?"

"Do not lose your light out there," she said simply. "It is very hard to train a good guard these days."

"Aye."

"Fly you high, my knight."

"The same to you, my love."