The Banished
Chapter 27
"Aha, the warrior awakens. You were out for quite some time. Tell me, what do you recall of the last day?"
Gregor blinked. Then he blinked again. "Who are you?"
The woman standing over him frowned slightly before looking down at the chart she had in her hands. "You do not remember then? Anything? This is most upsetting. Amnesia is-"
"I-I know who I am," Gregor told her hastily before shutting his eyes again. His head was killing him. "And I know why I'm here. There was a…battle. I only wish to know who you are, is all."
"Oh." The doctor giggled then, something not uncommon for someone her age. She was probably just commissioned. She appeared younger than Howard, even. "My apologies."
Gregor slowly opened his eyes once again, looking around. "Usually when I awaken, I at least have one of my friends here waiting on me. I hope I am not getting unpopular."
"You are in the Fount," the woman told him.
"The Fount?"
She nodded slightly. "Lay and rest. I-"
"Why am I in the Fount?"
"Regalia is dealing with the injured and dying. We are taking care of body disposal."
He just stared at her. "You are disposing of me?"
She smiled then, laughing slightly. "No, of course not. The general that brought you here, Barrett, knew that there was much chaos in Regalia as they dealt with the injuries. He thought it best to bring you here, where the doctors would be able to devote time to you."
"I have to get to Regalia," he told her then. "I have to-"
"Queen Luxa sent word that you are to stay here for now."
"Why would she-"
"Because, Gregor, if she allowed you back in Regalia, the first thing you would do is head out to find Vlad and that child, yes?"
Gregor looked over as Barrett came into the room. He only frowned at him. "Why are you still here?"
"Am I not allowed to be worried about you?" Barrett snorted. "Besides, I take off today. I merely slept here. It is rare that I get to see my family."
Gregor made a face. "You're from the Fount?"
"Aye." Barrett came further into the room. "How does he fare then, Jane? Shall he be accompanying me back to the capital?"
"He shall not."
"What?" Gregor sat up then. "I'm going back. Now. I was only-"
"You are lucky, Overlander, that the man that hit you was so weak. Had he gotten a clear shot, he would have crushed your skull." The doctor, Jane, did not look so kind then. "You will stay in the Fount until you are healed."
"I am fine," Gregor said. "I only-"
"The war will be there when you are ready, Overlander," Barrett assured him. "We have yet to even find Vlad."
"I need-"
"You have a head injury."
"And you do not?"
"I merely have a cut, Overlander. You were struck hard enough to knock you out. You shall stay here for the day and I shall go back. When you are ready, you shall join." Barrett shrugged his shoulders slightly. "It is best for you to be here, anyhow. Regalian doctors are quite overworked currently. You have a concussion. You would not be able to be watched there like you shall here."
Gregor was not going to take that as the true reasoning, however. "You only wish for me to stay here because you do not want me in the capital. You brought me here on purpose. You do not wish for me to be in Regalia, so you brought me here instead."
The other man almost looked hurt at the accusation before shaking it off. "The queen herself has issued an order for you to stay here until you are healed. Tough luck, Overlander."
With that, the man walked out, leaving them alone once more. The doctor seemed embarrassed from just witnessing the exchange and quickly finished what needed to be done and left Gregor alone.
He was given orders to rest, but only after half an hour, Gregor was bored out of his mind. So, seeing as he was in the city that he actually wanted to live in to begin with, he went exploring.
It was not that Gregor did not appreciate what the doctors were doing for him. And he knew that head injuries were tricky. Still though, he did not like just sitting around. Not when there was so much going on. At the very least, he wanted to find York and get some information on what was going on in the capital out of him.
He was easily recognized as he walked the halls, of course. It was hard not to be, considering he was an Overlander. He got much of the same reception as he had before. A few of the people even offered him a meal, should he feel up to it, at any time during his stay. Gregor was quickly reminded of why he loves the Fount so much.
The layout of the palace in the Fount was similar to Regalia, only smaller. Also with less repairs over the years. It was easy for Gregor to find the main dining hall, where he assumed York would be. Given the time of day he assumed it was, there was no way that the man was skipping out on a meal.
"Ha ha! I told them that they could not keep you down," York greeted as Gregor entered the room. "Did I not, Susannah?"
His wife, who was seated with him at the table, only stared at Gregor. "Should you not be in the hospital? You-"
"He's a warrior. A rager." York seemed hardly concerned. "Hospitals are for the weak, I always say."
"You nearly died of blood loss once, saying that."
"But did I die, Susannah?" York grinned at her before nodding Gregor over. "Sit, sit. Right there, between Stellovet and Chim. They should all be happy to see you. Are you not, children?"
"Of course, father," Hero said from her spot at the table.
"Most glad," Kent said, bowing his head slightly in respect.
"I thank you for the offer," Gregor said then, walking over to the table. "However, I-"
"Do not ask me for travel back to Regalia. My niece made it very clear. You are stuck here, Overlander, at the very least for the day, if not more."
"But I must-"
"My niece is not pleased with me as it is. Thanks to you, I was forced to harbor secrets from her about the fliers. And then, Mareth went back to say that we are not willing to help with the war. She would have my head, could she find someone to actually take it." Then York paused before grinning. "Perhaps having you behind my walls is not a good idea, Gregor."
The man only shook his head as he took a seat, a plate quickly placed in front of him by a server. "I do not know why they insist I stay here."
"You took quite the head injury, dear," Susannah told him then, watching carefully as he moved to pick at his food. "You should not even be up, honestly. I think that you-"
"Leave him, Susannah," York sighed, reaching out to grab his mug no doubt filled with ale. "He's stronger than most men. Besides, we send him off to the hospital now, he's liable to wonder off to the High Hall and convince someone to take him back to Regalia."
Gregor looked up. "That is actually my plan for after this meal."
"Then perhaps I shall have to keep you busy, eh?" York grinned at him. "You have just finished a battle. A tough one at that. Relax, Overlander. Regalia will be there when you return. My niece's abuse will as well."
So Gregor stayed and ate with them. Then, after, York had him accompany him to the tactics room. He said that he had gotten a few messages while Gregor had been unconscious that he thought perhaps he would like to look at.
"Two are from the queen herself, for you and you only, I was told. I did not even look at them," York said as he and Gregor entered the empty room. "The rest are just the customary ones sent after something such as what took place, informing me of any updates on the enemies' location and what is expected off the Fount. Never much."
"I am most interested in seeing the two for me, yes?"
"Aye. Though do not expect much. I do not find my niece as one to send many love letters."
Gregor tried his hardest not to blush then, but York laughed regardless as they headed over to the big table in the room. They both quickly took seats, York sliding two rolled up scrolls across the table to the Overlander. Letting out a slow breath, Gregor unraveled the first one.
6-22 702-4 33-203 99-20 7-333 22-44 111-99 535-4
Beginning of first. More to come. Fount scrolls identical to Regalia.
Luxa
He was quick to open the next one, tossing the first to the side.
99992-135 333-44 767-2 88-99 234-4 332-90
All I have gotten. No more to come. Take what I give you. Stay strong.
Luxa
"What is this here then? Some kind of a code?" York had picked up the scroll Gregor had tossed the side. "Perhaps she does send loving words. Yes?"
"I-I need to go to the scroll room."
"Hmmm?"
"Where you keep your scrolls. They align in order with how Regalia keeps theirs, yes? Numerically?"
"They should. We do not mess with them much. Only to record recent battles. I do not-"
"You must take me there."
"Gregor-"
"Luxa has sent me a code, yes, but it is not about us."
"So no love?"
Gregor didn't have time to realize that York was teasing him. "No. It has to do with the banished. I do not know where she acquired this, but I just really need to look into it."
"Come with me then." York let out a slight sigh as he stood. "Though I might not have said it in front of Susannah, she was right, Gregor. You should be resting."
"If you just take me to the scroll room, after I finish what I need in there, I shall stay down for the rest of my time here."
"Why is it that I do not believe you?" York shook his head. "Come then. I shall take you. If my niece sent these to you, she must have expected you to take care of this over in the Fount anyways. Tell me, if you can what it is that she has you doing?"
"It's kind of a secret, I suppose."
"Then do not-"
"But you are old enough that you might be of help."
"Aye," York sighed. "Old is what I appear to you, I am sure."
Gregor did not take a moment to apologize, instead just moving to grab both scrolls. "Do you know anything about the dark prophecies or the lost prophecies?"
York hardly glanced at him. "I am not a thinker, son. I am mostly a fighter. So no, prophecies are not explained to me very often."
Gregor nodded then. He had not been hoping for much. "That is what we are dealing with."
"Well, then, do not let me bother you," York said as he led him out of the room. "I shall take you there and allow you to be alone for some time."
"Thank you."
When they got to the room, York told Gregor that there would be no one in to check on him, but should he need anything, he'd be back in the war room, awaiting more messages from Luxa.
Gregor took a few minutes once he was in the room to familiarize himself with it before opening the first scroll and reading over the numbers she had given him. Nerissa had said something about verses and scroll numbers. It seemed simple enough, but like York, he was far more suited for battle than he was puzzles. Oh, if he didn't miss Lizzie most at times like then.
An imperfection in the design
Connect the dots to form the line
To find the truth in the kin
You must begin again
So infinite are the combinations
Seek the past to find the contamination
When all lie together
They are tainted forever
So that was the first part. Gregor was still hard at work locating the scrolls involved in the second part when someone entered the room.
"He's resting, my husband assured me. And look, I find you in here, doing…what are you doing, Gregor?"
"Merely educating myself."
Susannah came further into the room. "And what would you be educating yourself for, exactly?"
"Oh, it is nothing, truly."
"Should it be nothing, then you may go to bed now. Come. I have prepared a room for you. York told me that it was highly unlikely that you would be willing to go back to the hospital."
Gregor shook his head slightly, looking up from the scroll that he was going over. "No, I shall not. The hospital is for those who need it."
"And yet you do so frequently."
He ignored that as she came closer to the table he was at and sat down. "How well do you know the lineage of the kingdom?"
"Hmmm?"
"Luxa's father's side of the family. How far back could you tell me about it?"
He got an odd look for that before Susannah looked up, as if in thought.
"Well," she said slowly. "There was King Lennox, of course, her father. And then her grandfather, King Trevor, and grandmother, Queen Anneliese. Then his first queen, of course, Queen Heba. Before that was King Trevor's father and mother, King Tidus and Queen Mika. There was quite a scandal with them, should I recall from what I have been told."
"Scandal?"
"Aye," she said, nodding slightly, tiredly. Gregor did not yet have a grasp on the time of day since he had woken up. It must have been rather late. "It was through Mika that Tidus came into power. She was picked after an abdication. Tidus was not a very good king, or so they say. He-"
"Then Luxa is not a direct line to Sandwich?" he cut her off.
That almost made Susannah laugh. Instead, she just gave him a bemused look. "Is there something I should know, Gregor?"
"Huh?"
"You seem rather interested in Luxa's family at the moment."
Hesitation held him for a moment before he finally said, "It is something that Vlad and Usha said, about her being a more direct line to Sandwich than-"
"There are likely people in the Fount right now that are a more direct line," Susannah told him with a shrug. "It does not make much of a difference, honestly. That is not how a king or queen is picked. There were many abdications through out the years, I assure you. That does not give Usha any more power than Luxa. Is that what is bothering you then, Gregor?"
"Not exactly, no."
"Tell me then that you do not just wish to hear stories of past royalty? If so, then perhaps Luxa herself would be better at telling them, hmmm?"
"I'm sure anything Luxa says will be extremely biased."
"Anything anyone says is, Gregor," she told him, giving him a hard look then. "This wouldn't have anything to do with Hazard, would it?"
"No," he said quickly, more out of shock than anything. That was the last name that had been circulating in his head at the moment. "Why would it?"
"The letters you wrote me?"
"Oh." Gregor sighed then. "Hazard only wishes for a change of scenery. It is hard, living with Luxa, you must understand."
"I'm sure you two boys do better than anyone." Susannah sighed then. "Once this all settles, I need to speak to Luxa about relocation anyways."
Gregor frowned. "For?"
"My father, mainly," she said. "He is rather ill. I know that he will not wish to leave Regalia, but it is best for him to come to the Fount now. Our doctors will care for him more closely here. Not that Luxa has done anything wrong, but she has a kingdom to worry about. I am his only living child. It is best that he comes to stay with me."
Gregor let that sink in for a moment before looking up at her. "You said mainly. That implies that there is someone else as well."
She nodded slightly then, looking him in the eyes as she said, "Though she is not direct blood to me, I think it is time that Nerissa left the capital as well. She is not only a strain on the queen, but she also would do better here. Doctors there are far more concerned with more pressing matters. Here, doctors could give her more of their attention. It is what she needs. It is more peaceful as well."
He was troubled then and she could tell. Still, he only said, "Nerissa loves prophecies. When she is not in the hospital or bedridden, she enjoys spending much of her time in the prophecy room."
Susannah gestured to the room they were in. "Every prophecy ever written is contained here, Gregor. And even more things for her to discover."
"I just don't-"
"I have no ulterior motives in this. My husband either. I only wish for everyone to be where they truly need to be."
"Nerissa is of royal descent. Is she not bound to the capital?"
"No one expects her to assume the throne once more," Susannah sighed. "It was bad enough the first time."
He only shook his head again. "If Hazard left and you took Vikus and Nerissa away, then Luxa would have no one left."
She smiled at him then, reaching out to pat his cheek gently. "Luxa will have you, Gregor, as well as Aurora. What else has she ever needed?"
"Luxa and I aren't doing too good right now," he said, looking off. "Remember? In the letter, I asked to stay too. You-"
"You would never wish to stay here long. You know that as well as I. A vacation when this is all over, maybe, but you would not stay." She laughed slightly, withdrawing her hand. "You gave up your homeland for my niece. You continue to do so. You wish for me to believe that a series of fights could cause you to leave her behind then? For some reason, Gregor, I truly doubt that."
They made eye contact once again as he turned back to look at her. She was still smiling softly at him though and he couldn't get too annoyed with her.
"The Fount is not so far from Regalia, Gregor," she told him then. "Vikus and Nerissa would not be far."
"I suppose not."
"And besides, I am only speaking on what I believe would be best. Vikus is my father and I decide many things for him, but Nerissa is not my kin. If Luxa wants her to be there, fine. Or if the girl does not wish to come. I am not trying to force anything on anyone, Gregor. I am only trying to help the situation."
"For now though, the situation is at rest," Gregor said then before looking back down at his scrolls. "I thank you for your time, but I would like to get back to my work now."
"Ah-ah, Gregor," she said, wagging her finger slightly. "You're going to come to bed now. Come on."
"I merely-"
"The time is late. My husband promised our niece that he would take adequate care of you. Should you not come to bed now, I will be forced to send you back to the hospital."
He just sighed slightly. "You don't play, do you?"
"I have had far more hardheaded children than you. Granted, not one more hardheaded than my niece, but you are no comparison to her to begin with." Susannah stood then, making a face at him. "You can finish your work in here tomorrow. You can leave your stuff out, should you like. No one spends any time in here, I assure you."
Still, he took the scrolls Luxa had given him as well as the parchment he had written the lost prophecy on. He expected Susannah to ask exactly what it was he had been doing specifically, but she did not. She only led him from the room with a sigh.
"You do not hunger, do you, Gregor?"
"No," he told her with a shake of his head as he followed her. "I'm fine."
"That is good. It is rather late, but if you do find yourself hungry in the middle of the night, the kitchen is always open to you."
"I thank you. You have all been extremely kind to me."
"You are family, Gregor," she told him softly then. "We would never treat you wrong."
It was not until he was alone in the room she showed him that Gregor panicked for a moment. Last time he had been there, Stellovet had tried to…well…she had bothered him. Ignoring the fact that he wasn't really, truly attracted to her at all, Gregor also knew that those supposed family ties that Susannah and York thought existed could be severed in a minute, should they find her in his bedroom.
"Great," he mumbled to himself. "Yet another thing to worry about."
He was also concerned as he laid down for the night about sleeping after having what he assumed was a concussion. Still, the doctor had not warned him against it, so he really had no way of knowing if it was allowed or not. Besides, he did not plan on sleeping long. Gregor figured he'd just nap, really, before heading back to the scroll room.
Because if he couldn't find Vlad and Usha, then he was going to at least figure out their prophecy.
"Susannah was worried about you, when they could not find you this morning. Thought you had taken off for Regalia. I knew you were here though, once she told me that you had spent the entire night here."
Gregor didn't look up at York as he came into the room. "I'm almost done, I think."
"With your code, right?"
"Yes." He shook his head, staying seated as the larger man came into the room. "It is more complex than I originally thought. The scrolls are numbered, but most verses are not."
"I fear, Gregor, that my niece sent you this only in an attempt to keep you busy here."
"If that is so, then it is working."
York came over to the table to look over Gregor's shoulder. "My wife told me that you were inquiring about dead kings."
"Aye."
York patted him on the head then, as if he were a child. "She would only know the glamorized tales."
"Oh?"
"She might know much about Lennox, but only because her sister was quite the gossip." He laughed then, a hearty one. "Me? I fought in wars for these men. I knew who they truly were. I heard tales about who they really were. If you wished to know something about anything, you should come to me."
"I only-"
"I came to give you this." York produced a scroll from his pocket, quickly setting it on the table. "Another specifically for you. You are quite popular, it would seem."
Gregor rolled his eyes. "Luxa is only-"
"It is not from my niece."
This intrigued Gregor, causing him to quickly move to unravel it. The precise handwriting immediately gave away who the author was.
They tell me that you are stationed in the Fount now, though they do not tell me for how long. I am most fearful with you being so far away from the capital, but what is done is done. While you are gone, however, I have enclosed a few names of those who you might inquire information from about your newest interest.
Take care and do be sure to come back alive,
Nerissa
Underneath her signature was a list of ten names, none of which Gregor knew. He looked to York then, who was standing with his hands clasped behind his back, as if awaiting an explanation.
"Do you know everyone in the Fount?"
"Well, mostly, yes. We are much more close-knit than Regalia."
"Great. Are you busy today?"
York hesitated. "I must not leave this immediate area, I am afraid, son. What is it that you require?"
"Nerissa sent me some names of people who might know more about what I'm researching." Gregor stood, holding the letter out to the man. "Do you perhaps know them?"
"Aye," York said slowly. "I cannot take you to them though. Many are old and decrepit. They live outside the palace. I can find someone to take you to them, however, if you-"
"Yes, please."
He got a hard look for that. "You are supposed to be resting, Gregor."
"I am only here for a short time," he said then. "Please."
York took a deep breath before nodding his head slightly. "Come with me then. I shall set you up with an escort, yes?"
So that was how Gregor ended up down on the streets of the Fount, being paraded around by Kent and Hero. He had never truly spent any time with the two as Luxa had never seemed to care for them much. They had come to visit Howard only a handful of times, in which Gregor normally ended up eating dinner with them and their family. Other than that, he had limited interactions with them.
"So," Gregor said slowly as they walked in front of him, nearly silent. "How old are the two of you now? Eighteen?"
"Nearly," Hero answered, glancing back at him. "I am told that that is something of a milestone in the Overland, yes?"
"Yes," Gregor said, nodding his head. "It means you are an adult."
Kent grunted slightly, continuing to look straight head. "Here it just means that Hero has been passed over by all the men once again."
That got him a sharp hook to his arm by his sister, but he only laughed. From what Gregor had observed from the two of them were rather close. Then again, they did happen to be twins. That in itself made them much closer than ordinary siblings, he was sure.
"Why do you speak?" Hero crossed her arms then, looking forwards once more. "Even Stellovet has not found a suitable man yet."
"Aye, but father has picked for her. You want that to happen to you?"
"Again, why do you speak?" Hero stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Besides, I do not see you wedded off."
"I am a man. I do not need to be wed. I merely need to bed."
"Be quiet! You are embarrassing yourself in front of the Overlander."
Gregor smiled slightly then at the two of them. Hazard had never gotten along badly with his cousins like Luxa did, so perhaps it would be good for him to spend some time in the Fount. He was almost certain that Kent and Hero would take good care of him.
"We are here," Kent said then as they came to a stop in front of a specific shop. "Nevie lives here, above her shop. She sells many crafts. She is rather good at sewing."
They led him into the shop, where Gregor was immediately recognized by a few of the people in there. While he was busy being thanked for everything he had done for people by the shoppers, Kent and Hero went over to the huddled over woman seated in the corner, hardly even looking up at the commotion in her shop.
"She says she shall speak to you in the back room," Hero told Gregor as she came back over to him, pulling him away from the enthusiastic shop goers. "If you so wish."
Gregor thanked the people for their kindness before letting Hero lead him by hand to the backroom, where the old woman was now sitting, Kent having helped her back there.
"Come closer, dear," the woman drawled out as Gregor came into the room. Then she made a gesture to her eyes. "It's hard to see, you know. It's not every day I get visitors."
Gregor bowed slightly to her before coming forwards to stand at the table she was sitting at. "My name is-"
"I know who you are, warrior. My eyes and ears are going, but I know who you are."
He nodded slightly while Hero just went over to Kent and whispered something in his ear. The young man nodded before the two of them left the room, allowing Gregor to speak to the woman in peace.
"Tell me, dear, what it is that you wish from me?"
Gregor hesitated before deciding just to get to the point. "You know of the battle we just fought. With the people banished to the Uncharted Lands?"
"I have heard as much."
"Well, it has to do with those people, specifically," Gregor said slowly. "And Sandwich."
"I am listening," she was able to croak out.
"Your name was given to me by the queen's cousin, Nerissa. It has been told to me that you can tell me a little about some prophecies that-"
The woman's eyes opened wider then and she seemed to truly see him for the first time. Gregor only stared back at her, taking in every wrinkle and imperfection on her face. It always amazed him slightly, people who were actually able to reach old age in the Underland. He did not know if that was luck or lack thereof.
"Do not meddle in things that you do not understand, my child," she whispered to him harshly. "Do you know what you are asking for?"
"No," he said, shaking his head. "I was only told that I had a part in them and wished-"
"There is nothing for me to tell you. Go. Go now! There is no reason for anyone to pay any heed to what-"
"What are you so afraid of? What are in these prophecies?"
The woman turned her eyes from him then. "I have nothing more to say to you."
The rest of the visits went much the same. No one would tell him what was so wrong with the prophecies. He met with about nine people, all of which had nothing more to tell him than that he had no business messing with the past, that they were not spoken of by those of the Fount or Regalians. He was pretty much went from being a hero to being kicked out of every shop, every time. It was rather tiring. He could tell that Hero and Kent were slowly becoming suspicious of his motives as well.
"What are you doing to get so many to scorn us, Gregor?" Hero asked finally as they finished up with the last guy, who literally yelled at Gregor for sticking his nose where it did not belong. "Father only said that Nerissa had some people for you to talk to. What are the two of you up to?"
"I am merely investigating a few things," he told her coolly as they headed back to the palace, his tail more or less tucked between his legs. Where had Nerissa gotten the names? And why were they being so rude to him? "Nerissa told me of a few people that could help me in my search. Apparently she was given faulty information."
"Who cares about old people anyways? They'll all die soon enough." Kent was leading again, his hands cradling the back of his head as they strolled along. "Or the past for that matter? Father says to not even live in the present, but the future. That's the only thing that matters."
"Father sure likes to tell stories of the past."
"Those are war stories, Hero. Those are important."
"I'll give you that they are more important than, say, you, but overall, they are mostly verbose and gory."
"That is what makes them good," Kent argued. Then he looked back at Gregor. "I am leaving to join the military soon."
That made him pause slightly as Gregor had been thinking about the prophecies more than anything else.
"Are you?"
"Yes. My father says that we both should, but Hero refuses."
Gregor smiled at her then. "Do you not wish to fight, Hero?"
She snorted. "I am not like Stellovet. I am not going to sit around and just marry some man to take care of me, but I am also not going to join something I do not believe in. Father says I must pick one or the other, but I do not wish to. He says that he shall find me a suitable husband, if I do not wish to join the military. But it is not fair! There are other things to do in life."
"Such as?" Kent glanced over at her. "What is it that you want to do? Become a merchant? A farmer? Ha. You were born of Father and Mother's blood. There is no way you should strive to be something so…normal."
"If it is what you wish, then I do not see why not," Gregor told her gently. "Your cousin Hazard, he was bore of one of the most skilled fighters I have ever seen. And yet he shall not be a fighter. If you do not wish it, Hero, do not be it. Life is short. Be what you want."
"Are you what you want?" Kent asked, glancing at him.
"I am where I want," he told them simply. "There are other things you can do in the military than just fight, Hero. You could be a scout, for example."
"I care not for any of that," she told him with a shake of her head. She kept her hair short, cropped almost identical to her brother. "All we ever do is fight the gnawers, fight the spinners, fight the cutters. And for what point? It is tiring, is it not? There has to be something more meaningful than that constantly, huh?"
Kent only grunted. "You sound like a girl."
"And since when is that a bad thing?"
Gregor only smiled at the two of them. "Hazard is supposed to come stay with you guys for awhile, once all this banished business is over. Perhaps after that, you could come to the capital, Hero. There is much that goes on there. I'm sure you could find a job that you would like. And your older brother and Luxa would most definitely help you out with that."
Kent snorted that time. "As if she could leave the Fount."
"You're leaving the Fount," she told him.
"Aye, but I'm a man now. It's only natural that I would leave home." He moved to flex then, grinning over at Gregor. "One day, you shall beg me for mercy, Overlander."
"You're embarrassing yourself again," Hero sighed before shaking her head. "Besides, Kent, you won't last in the military anyways."
"I will too. I am going to be as great a fighter as Father."
"You shall be a scared little boy who begs his mother to pull some strings and get him sent home."
"Lies."
"Calm down," Gregor sighed, shaking his head at the two of them. "You're both young. You have time to figure out what you want, Hero. And Kent, it is a lot of work, being part of the army, but I am sure you shall do fine."
The teen nodded. "You say that now, but you just wait, Overlander, until I am the one that everyone turns to in times of turmoil instead of you."
"Honestly, at this point, Kent, I think I would rather welcome that."