The Banished

Chapter 16

"How can Queen Athena do this?"

Luxa continued to stare down at the map in front of her. It was clear that she wasn't really looking it over, but was instead in deep thought.

"How?" Helix insisted. "And what of our bonds? What of-"

"Aurora will not leave me," Luxa whispered softly before looking up. Her eyes met Mareth's. "And Andromeda will never leave you. Nor will Eos leave your side, Barrett. This is…this is some kind of a mistake. This is merely a mistake."

Perdita shook her head. "Our men went and spoke with her themselves. She called for their heads. She has called war on us, should you not give into the whims of the banished."

"And we shall not," Luxa mumbled before turning again to look at Gregor, who had taken up post. "Overlander, do you-"

"He is not a general," Helix complained. "He has no knowledge on any of this."

They were all gathered in the tactics room. Luxa was still there as Gregor left her, but Barrett now joined her, as well as Helix. When Perdita led Mareth and Gregor into the room, the first place his eyes went honestly was Zander, who was sitting in the chair Luxa had been in before, sucking on his thumb. Now, only a few minutes since then, Gregor had gone to stand in the corner like always though Zander kept his eyes on the man, watching him.

"He has more knowledge than you ever shall," Mareth told him with a frown before looking at Luxa. "However, Luxa, if I am following your thoughts as I usually do, you are hoping to send Gregor there, aren't you?"

"I merely need a few people to go with me," she said with a slight shrug. "I must go speak to Queen Athena."

"You cannot leave," Barrett told her.

"Do not annoy me today, Barrett."

He shook his head. "I mean not to. With enemies at our gates though and fliers heading back to their own lands, it would not be safe."

"Aye," Perdita said slowly. "It would not."

"I am sure it would only take a day," Luxa told them with a shake of her head. "Aurora would take me. Aurora-"

"Aurora is aligned with you, yes," Mareth agreed. "And yet that is her queen."

"It matters not," Luxa told him, her tone coming off harsher then. "She shall take me there and I shall speak with Queen Athena myself. Or better yet, I shall have Nike do it."

"Nike?"

She nodded. "She is her daughter. No doubt she can talk some sense into her. Helix, go find Nike and bring her to me, yes?"

Helix hesitated before heading off, out of the room. Once he was gone, Gregor stepped forward to take his place next to Luxa. Barrett glanced at them before shaking his head.

"What do you intend to tell her then?" the man asked. "What do you think you can say that will cause her hesitance?"

"There must be something we can do," Luxa said, rolling her eyes. "We have to do something. If those…people start getting more fliers than us, they will simply drop people over our walls. We will have to fight our friends. Aurora is family to me. As is Eos to you, no? And you can kill her then, should she attack you?"

Zander made a loud noise at that before giggling and reaching out to be picked up. When no one moved to do so, Mareth walked around the table to lift the boy into his arms.

"Why is he not in the nursery?" Mareth asked.

"Does it matter currently?" Luxa didn't look at him. "We will not conquer these people should we not regain Queen Athena's allegiance. Should I not go, then who?"

"York is still here, yes?" Barrett looked around at all of them. "Send him. Surely his bond will take him. They are quite the pair, yeah?"

Luxa shook her head. "I would rather go myself."

"We would all rather be else where currently," Perdita told her. "It does not always work out that way. It would be best for you to stay here. It is ultimately up to you, of course, but we all know that it is the right decision."

Zander was still making soft noises as Mareth bounced him gently in his arms. Luxa finally moved to reach over and take the boy herself.

"Perhaps you can go, Mareth. You and York," Luxa said as Zander wrapped his arms around her neck. "You both have bonds that I have no doubt shall stand by you. Not to mention you have much to discuss."

"Do we?"

Luxa bounced Zander slightly. "From what I hear."

It was finally Perdita's turn to click her tongue. Barrett made a face at Gregor that he didn't really understand. Luxa only shook her head, heading from the room then.

"Standing around is getting us nowhere. If I must stay in the capital, I shall. Mareth, locate my uncle. Have him ready to leave with you early tomorrow. Make him stay sober. Lock him in the dungeons if you have to."

"Yes, your grace."

"Barrett, stay here. When Helix returns, come to me with Nike. I shall not roam far."

"As you wish."

"Come, Overlander," she said, leaving the room without looking at him. Zander was watching him from over her shoulder though, giving him sad eyes. The boy was probably hungry again.

Nodding at the men in the room and giving Perdita a small smile, Gregor rushed after her. It wasn't until they were in the hall that he spoke.

"Where are we going, your grace?"

He expected her to hand off the child then, but she did not.

"I must find Aurora. She should be in the royal wing. That was where I last saw her."

"Or the High Hall."

"Or there," Luxa agreed, walking quickly. Then she bounced Zander again. "Alexander stinks, Overlander. I think he requires changing."

"Ew."

"Gregor."

He sighed, picking up his pace slightly to get even with her. Then he took the boy from her who just smiled in recognition of Gregor's face.

"I shall take care of him," Gregor told her. "And then meet back up with you. Alright?"

She nodded. "Put him to bed while you are at it, yes?"

"If that's what you want. I will leave Hazard and Boots to watch him."

It took Gregor awhile to get Zander changed and ready for bed. The boy was still plenty rambunctious and really didn't want to be put down. Gregor even gave him a bath and some milk in hopes of getting him tired, but it did no good. In the end, he found himself in the royal wing with Hazard. Luxa didn't seem to be around though, so Gregor figured she had been unable to locate her bond there.

"I do not know why he does not sleep."

"When I couldn't sleep as a child, my mother would tell me stories."

Gregor glanced at Hazard then. They were both standing at the toddler's bedside. At the moment, Zander was chewing on the ear off one of his stuffed teddy bears that Gregor had found for him.

"What kind of stories?"

"Of the Overland," he told him. "She had many, many stories. My father though, he wasn't too good at that kind of thing."

"I am sure he had many stories, Hazard," Gregor told him with a sigh. "Just not ones that he wanted you hearing."

"It makes no sense, you know?" Hazard stared down at Zander with a frown. "He hated Solovet for forcing him to fight and then he did the same thing to me. He forced me not to. He forces me not to now, through Luxa. He hated her for ruining his life and he is ruining my own."

"Only in an attempt to shield you, Hazard. Your father loved you much."

"You know what's really bad, Gregor?" He looked up at him. "I don't remember loving him. I just don't. I don't remember loving my mother. I hardly remember them at all. Their faces…I can't even see them any longer. I remember coming here. I remember Luxa taking care of me. I remember the war, when we thought you were dead during the Prophecy of Time. Things before that though only blur."

"It has to be that way, Hazard, or else your brain wouldn't be able to remember all the good things that happen now."

"Do you remember your father?"

"I do."

"Luxa remembers hers," Hazard told him. "Sometimes…sometimes she will tell me of him. Lennox. He would have been my uncle."

"He would have been."

Hazard let out a soft sigh. "My father spoke of him sometimes. I knew his name at least. Him and York. He really liked them."

"York is a good man."

"So people tell me constantly."

"He has never treated you or I wrong."

"Does not doing wrong make you good now? I thought doing good made you that?"

Gregor only shook his head before staring down at Zander as well.

"Hey, Zay, you need to go to sleep, huh?" Gregor reached out to stroke the boy's silvery hair. "I gotta go take care of some stuff. As does Hazard."

Zander only stared up at him, his electric blue eyes watchful as ever.

"I can stay with him, Gregor," Hazard told him then. "Should you need to get back to Luxa."

"Are you sure?"

Hazard nodded slightly. "I have nothing better to do anyways. Boots is mad at me."

"About what?"

"I do not know. She is too…emotional for me to deal with." Hazard shook his head. "When is she going back home?"

"You wanted her, buddy," Gregor said simply, clapping the teen on the shoulder before walking off.

Luxa had returned to the sitting room of the royal wing by that point, though she was only accompanied by Aurora. They seemed at odds with each other for once however.

"-my queen, Luxa. I cannot-"

"Your queen is not as important as me. Is she?"

Aurora ruffled her wings. "It is not that simple. She calls us all home."

"It is that simple, Aurora. What do you think she can do to you? To any of you? The fliers cannot kill the humans anymore than we can them. They cannot harm you here."

"You do not-"

Luxa let out a loud huff then. And though she didn't turn to look at the doorway, it was Gregor she spoke to.

"Come out, Overlander. You are horrible at stealth, you realize, yes?"

He slowly came into the room, looking both at Aurora, who was in the corner, adjusting her wings again, and Luxa, who stood with her arms crossed, not even turning to look at him.

"Everything is not well, I see," he said as he came to stand between the two of them. "Should you wish for my input-"

"We do not."

"Keep your thoughts to yourself, Overlander."

"-you both need to calm down. York and Mareth are headed to your lands on the morrow, Aurora. Everything will be settled then. And Luxa has sent for Nike. Surely she can talk some sense into-"

"Talk sense?" Aurora's usually low toned voice was hitting an octave that was rare for her. "And what of your queen, Overlander?"

"Oh, speak of me so, Aurora? And to my face?" Luxa turned from her then. "Then leave. I need not a bond who is so callus, so ignorant. I already have one that way. I do not have room for another."

"Luxa, knock it off," Gregor said with a sigh. To Aurora, he said, "I meant not to offend you. You know this. And should you see it fit to return to your lands, then so be it. Neither Luxa nor I can stop you. I only remind you, however, that we are currently on the edge of war, with people right outside our gates. I do not mean to get between your duty or honor to your queen, but there is a good chance when you return, I won't have one anymore."

Luxa snorted. "Duty and honor. That's all anyone wants to talk about anymore. Fallacies. They do not exist. People do as they choose. Men with their honor. You have no honor, Overlander. Neither do you, Aurora, should you turn your back on me. And when we conquer these people, we will come for you. All of you. And I hope that I am the one that gets to finish you."

Neither Gregor nor Aurora spoke as Luxa walked off. It wasn't until they were alone that Gregor even opened his mouth again.

"I know you must go," Gregor said slowly. "She is merely stressed. You know this. Much has occurred in secession. She speaks out of frustration."

"I have known her longer than you, Overlander," Aurora told him softly, taking her normal tone once more. "And I assure you, she means ever word of it."

"For now."

"For now," the flier agreed.

It was then that Gregor heard footsteps, coming from the opposite direction than the one Luxa had went off in. He was expecting Boots, honestly, and was slightly shocked when he found them to belong to Barrett.

"Ah, Overlander. Why am I not surprised?" He strode into the room, taking a good look around. "I have come with news for the queen."

"She is in her bed chamber," Gregor told him. "I was just heading out."

"Of course you were." Barrett shook his head. "I shall tell you then, yes? And you can tell her?"

"Tell me what?"

"Helix was unable to locate Nike. And after speaking with a few people, they claim to not have seen her for the past few days."

Aurora shifted her wings. "She surely just went home, yes?"

"It is unlikely. You know Nike has taken up residence here," Barrett told her. "Queen Athena's news only just broke today. If she has been missing since then-"

"Have you not seen her, Aurora?" Gregor asked.

"We have not spoke in a little over a week, no."

Though Howard and Nike had never actually gone through with bonding to one another, both Aurora and Luxa still considered Nike part of their little mix-matched family. Gregor did as well. Nike had been with him during some of his most troubling trials. She had saved his sisters countless times, as well as him. The thought that she would just take off bothered him. Even Aurora waited around to have a fight with Luxa before taking off.

What bothered him even more, however, is that Nike could be missing or so long and none of them noticed.

"Could you tell Luxa?" Gregor asked Barrett then. "She is merely in her room. I am a guard. It would be indecent of me to bother her there, yes? You, though, are a general. Quite common."

Barrett raised an eyebrow. "What is your endgame, Overlander?"

"I must speak with someone. I do not have time to busy myself with things that do not concern me."

Barrett just shook his head as Gregor left the room. "You fool no one with these games. I am beginning to think that the queen and you just like playing them."

"More than you know," Gregor mumbled as he headed down the hall back towards Zander's room. The boy was still up, as he expected, and Hazard was still trying to get him down.

"What is it?" Hazard asked, taking in the older man's face. "Gregor?"

Zander made a loud noise at his reentrance, but Gregor kept his eyes on Hazard.

"When is the last time you saw Nike?"

Hazard frowned. "Why would I-"

"Do not play with me right now, Hazard. I know that Nike takes you from the palace sometimes, that she helps you sneak away. When is the last time you saw her?"

Hazard looked off, shrugging from his spot on the bed next to Zander. "I have not seen her in a number of days. I do not remember how many."

"You haven't seen her? Like at all?"

Hazard shook his head. "I could not locate her the past few times I have tried. I figured she went home or something. Either that or what busy. A lot has been going on, after all. Why, Gregor? Is something wrong?"

"Nike's missing," Gregor whispered before looking back to the doorway. Closing his eyes for a moment, he then said, "Hazard, can you take care of Zander for me for a day or so?"

"Why? Where-"

"Can you?"

"Of course. I guess. Yeah." Hazard stared hard at him. "Is Luxa-"

"Right now, I couldn't care less about what Luxa is doing."

"Gregor-"

"I have to go. Take care of Boots too, okay?" Walking over to the bed, Gregor gave Zander a pat on the head. "And take care of this little one too, huh?"

"Alright."

"I'd tell you to look out for your cousin too, but, well, we both know there's no doing that." Gregor looked Hazard in the eyes. "Much is going on though."

"I know."

"When I return, I do not want to see anyone hurt."

"How can I protect them without even a dagger?" Hazard smiled at him. "Maybe-"

"If I have learned anything, Hazard, it's that at times, words are stronger than any weapon."

"Yeah," Hazard mumbled as Gregor turned to leave the room. "You say that because if your words fail you, you always have your sword with you."

Gregor just left the room after that, quickening his pace so he could catch Aurora before she took off. He found her in the High Hall, just about ready to do that.

"Aurora," he called out, rushing over to her. He had never seen the High Hall so empty before. There were only two other fliers there and they looked around ready to take of as well.

"Overlander," she scolded as he came to a skidding stop in front of her. "You are the one that told me that you would allow me to leave. Why are you-"

"I cannot stop you from leaving, Aurora, nor do I wish to." Gregor just stared at her. "I wish for you to take me with you."

"Overlander-"

"Nike is missing. Should be missing, do you not think we would explore every cavern in the Underland searching for you?"

"She is not missing. I am sure that she is at her mother's side."

"And should she not be, then we must figure out exactly where she is, yes? If I show up and that is where she is, I shall return."

"I cannot grant you safe passage there, Overlander," Aurora warned him. "We are no long allied with you. I could be punished for taking you there."

"I will bare any punishment they throw down on you. I shall take it for you, could I."

Aurora still on stared at him. "I most definitely cannot take you back."

"Then I will find my own way."

"Gregor, Luxa will-"

"I care not what Luxa thinks currently," he told her. "I am going to find Nike. She is our friend. All of us. And we have done her an injustice. Not noticing her departure was a severe oversight on our part and I shall right our wrongs. Should you not wish to do the same, I-"

"Come then, Overlander," Aurora caved. "Let us make hast."

He smiled, though it was a sad one. "Yes. Let us."

The flight to the flier's land was silent. It was not a long flight, but still, Gregor felt apprehensive the whole way. He wasn't exactly sure what he was hoping for. Part of him though was banking on the fact that he was the Overlander, the warrior. Even if Athena was angry with Luxa, he couldn't hate Gregor. Gregor had saved them all from the plague, put an end to the Bane's reign of terror. How could she ever blame him for anything?

"I shall not take you straight to Queen Athena," Aurora told him when they drew near. I shall drop you and then ask around for Nike. Should I not find her, I shall see about getting you in to speak with the queen. Yes?"

"I don't mean to bother Athena. If-"

"Queen Athena, Gregor."

"Right. Sorry. I just-"

"You must be formal. If we are not on good terms with the humans, then you need to be careful. It would be very easy for a flier to pick you up and drop you off a cliff, yes?"

"Yes. I am sorry."

"Do not be sorry. There is nothing to be sorry for. Just watch yourself. I cannot face Luxa again should you not return from here."

"Given her threats, I am shocked you wish to return to her at all."

"She was quite harsh, she was not?"

"You know Luxa. Love hard, hate hard."

True to her word, when they arrived in the flier's territory, Aurora dropped Gregor off on an isolated cliff before heading off, promising to return for him soon. It was completely dark there, as the fliers had no real need for light. It was only when humans were present that there was any light at all. So Gregor sat in the darkness, clicking his tongue softly as a way to get a bearing on his surroundings.

It was all Gregor could do not to think about what was going on at Regalia. He had left Luxa alone, without her bond or her guard. It had been impulsive, his decision to go find Nike. He knew though, that as angry as she had been at Aurora in that moment, that Luxa would not have allowed him to leave. Her anger was all consuming, he understood that, he truly did.

But Nike had been there for them countless times. She was always their fall back. She would take Gregor into battle, should he ask. She would accompany any of them anywhere. God, she had been sneaking Hazard out of the palace for how long? She was a friend to all of them. All of them. And now she was missing. The thought of her being hurt weighed out the fear of Luxa getting angry with him.

Family came first. Always. Luxa of all people should know that.

"Nike is not here," Aurora told Gregor when she returned. A few fliers had passed him while she was gone, but none had messed with him. He was almost certain though that he would have been able to fend for themselves. Alliance or no alliance, most everyone in the Underland respected him.

You know, except for the people he actually gave his loyalty to. For the most part anyways.

"She is not? Then I must-"

"You must come with me."

"Come with you where? Aurora, I have to get back home. If Nike is not here, then-"

"It is Queen Athena," Aurora said. "She wishes to speak with you."

"With me? About what?"

"I do not know. Hurry."

Once Gregor was seated upon Aurora again, she said, "You must be careful, Overlander. Many of the banished roam around here."

"Many?"

"No more than thirty or so."

"How many of these guys are there anyways, that we have some at home, in the gnawers land, the jungle, and here?" He shook his head. "And what could the queen possibly want me for?"

"I do not know. She was not happy that I brought you here."

Gregor frowned, her usually soft voice almost sounding normal in the calm that encircled them on all sides. "Aurora, are you sure-"

"I would not lead you into a trap, Overlander," she told him, no doubt offended. "No matter where my allegiance is, we are…"

Family. Friends.

"I know this," he told her softly, only darkness surrounding them. "I have no reserves in my mind about that. However, Luxa sent me unwittingly me into one before. One I almost didn't return from."

"I would save you just as I would Luxa," Aurora told him.

"Aye," he agreed solemnly, his smile more haunting than happy. "As I would you, Aurora. As I would you."