The Living Dead
Chapter 6
"I think I should go up."
"Up where?"
"You know. Up top. To the Overland."
Luxa glanced over at Gregor then before shaking her head. 'It is not advisable, what with the Reclaimer around. Why would you choose now to go?"
"I want to tell my mother about, you know, the baby and the wedding."
She kept messing with the markers on the map in front of her for a moment before speaking.
"Send her a message."
"Luxa-"
"Gregor, I do not wish for you to-"
"It won't take more than a day. Less, really, as she's probably going to be mad at me. I just want to go up there, tell her, see my sisters, and then I'll come back down. Promise."
"Mmmm…no."
"Luxa."
The two of them were the only ones in the war room for once. He had found her there after his training and figured it was the best time to spring the idea on her. Since Perdita had left, she had spent most of her time in the tactics room, going over scouts reports as she awaited Perdita's return. It was not until she came back with concrete proof of the Reclaimer that they would announce their plan to wed. Luxa was clearly on edge about it.
"I am sorry, Overlander, but I do not think that something such as this requires you to return to the Overland. It is not-"
"You just don't want me to go," he accused then. "Even if the Reclaimer stuff wasn't going on, you still wouldn't want me to go. Admit it."
Luxa just continued to stand there, staring down at the table for a moment before shaking her head. "And why would I not want you to-"
"Every single time we talked about the baby, what did you do? Accuse me of trying to run out on you. That's what you think is going to happen now. Isn't it? Isn't it?" He shook his head at her. "Is that really all that you think of me? That I would seriously go up there and never come back to you? Honestly?"
Instead of answering him, she only began to move pieces again, which about pissed him completely off. As he was next to her, he only reached out to grab her hand, forcing her to let go of the marker.
"Gregor-"
"Look at me."
"Stop. We are-"
"Alone. Now look at me."
She wouldn't though, only jerked her hand from his grasp. "If you must go, then go now. And be back before the morning."
"Luxa-"
"Go."
"You know, eventually you'll learn that you win a lot less friends with this hard ass act."
"I do not need friends, Overlander."
"Yeah, I've noticed."
He didn't leave the room, however, only stood there behind her, waiting for her to calm down some.
"I'll always come back to you, Lux."
She still stood there for a moment or two, staring off, before glancing behind herself at him. "Do not delude yourself into thinking that I honestly care about-"
"Oh, Lux." When he reached out that time, he only laid a hand on her shoulder. "You can't be mad at me for having to go talk to my mother. You do get that, right? I did kind of give up my entire life involving them for you."
"Apparently not if you must still talk to them."
"You're something else, you know that?" He took a step closer then, wrapping his arm around her neck tightly. She tried to elbow him, but he only kissed her neck.
"Enough. We are not-"
"Still alone. And even if we weren't? So what?" He shook his head. "Who's gonna say something to you anyhow? They already talk behind your back. Not that the things they say are wholly untrue-"
"Gregor-"
"But what difference does it make now? Huh?" He kissed the side of her neck again. "We're going to be-"
"Even if we were, Overlander, this is still indecent."
"Indecent. Right." He let go of her then. "You know, I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that the Overland and Underland really aren't that different."
"What are you talking about?"
"Everyone's so concerned with what everyone else is doing in front of their face, but completely ignorant to what they are doing behind closed doors. Men hangout in the mess hall, paying women to go home with them, but I can't hug the person I've been with since I'm twelve because it's indecent? Bull. And you know it."
"I am a queen, Gregor. I-"
"Yeah, I know. You're the freaking Queen. That's great. That's amazing. Whatever. If I was Barrett, would it still be indecent?"
She turned on him then, her eyes dark as they made contact with his. In a low voice, she said, "Do not bring him up again, Overlander. Who am I marrying? Whose child am I having?"
He shrugged slightly. "Why would I kn- Luxa!"
It was by reflex that he caught her wrist when she tried to slap him. It also saved his face a lot of pain. She just as quickly wiggled her hand free from him before turning once more, facing the table like before.
"Go then, Gregor. Back home." She paused to swallow. "And perhaps when you return, another arrangement will be thought of."
"Arrangement?"
"I've finished talking with you."
"Luxa, knock it off. You-"
"Go. You wished to go, now go."
"Well…can you take care of Zander alone until I get back? He-"
"I do while you're here. What difference would it make?"
"Lux-"
"Go."
He didn't even try to hug her that time. Instead he just turned and walked away. After all, he wasn't gong to fight with her. If she wanted to leave things like that, then that's how they would be left.
The problem with coming home at such short notice without telling anyone was that there was a chance that no one would be home. A big chance. A chance that Gregor ran into in that moment.
It wasn't really that big of a deal. He had a house key, which he always brought with him when he came home and just let himself into the apartment. It was midday on a Wednesday anyways. It wasn't like he was expecting someone to be there, not really. His mother was probably at work, his sisters at school. And besides, he needed some time to think alone.
It was the beginning of the winter in the Overland. After a check of the calendar, he found it to be December 9th. Sometimes he found himself forgetting things like that, the date and even the month. In the Underland, sure, dates existed the same as above, but they were not nearly as important. What was happening in that moment dictated their lives, not what happened in the past or in the future.
Food was the first thing Gregor went in search of. He immediately went to the fridge to find something to eat. There was some leftover pizza, just like he was hoping. With that and a soda, he laid out on the couch to watch TV and think.
He had told Aurora to meet him back at the stairwell in the park in about seven hours. He figured that would give him enough time to explain the situation to his mother and still get back to the Underland without pissing Luxa off too much. Not to mention, after he told his mother the plan, he figured that she wouldn't really want him around for awhile.
He really didn't get why Luxa didn't want him to go home. Not really. If he was really going to leave her, never come back, he would just do it. He wouldn't go through the whole show of getting married and all that bull. And a baby wouldn't have been what made him take off. Luxa's attitude in general would have caused that a long time ago if that was his plan.
Not to mention Zander. He wanted Zander. He chose Zander. And then she had the audacity to act as if he was just pawning the kid off on her? Oh, right, sure. Like she took so much better care of Zander. Yeah right. The only reason Zander clung to her so much was because she pushed him away so often. It's like with a dog. The more a person ignores it, the more it wants their attention. Everyone wants what they can't have. Zander wants Luxa's love and can't get it, so he hangs around and bothers her in a hopeless attempt to win over some affection. Gregor gave Zander unconditional affection and rarely ever got angry with him. Because of that, Zander just always expected Gregor to be that way. He didn't have to prove himself to Gregor or be annoying to keep his attention. Unlike with Luxa who only paid attention when he was annoying.
Gregor also understood her hesitance about him going away, though. He figured it was like when the husband goes away on a business trip or something and the wife gets all bitchy about it. Sort of. Luxa had no idea what went on in New York and she had made it clear to him in the past that she would much rather he just went to the jungle to absorb what light he could from the lava there, than him go up to the Overland. He wasn't sure what sort of relationship she thought he could have with another woman, as he was only in New York every couple of months for at the most a week, in which he normally hung around his younger sisters, but then again, Luxa could accuse him of cheating even if they spent every hour of the day together.
Boots got home first. She was, of course, excited to see him. For a moment anyways. Then he had to go and call her Boots and ruin the whole thing. Still, she did give him a hug before she got pissy, which was a good thing.
She did sit down and watch TV with him though. She revealed to him at one point that she was actually grounded and not supposed to be watching it, so to compensate, he put it on some detective show and told her to look bored.
Grace was the next one to arrive home. At first, she just walked through the front door, hardly even glancing over at the couch. She did yell at Boots though, something about how she needed to turn that TV off and get busy cleaning the house, as part of her punishment.
"Uh, Mom?" Gregor sat up slightly, moving to stand from the couch. "I'm home."
She turned then, at the sound of his voice, before rushing to go hug him. It had been about a month or so since he had come home and every time he stayed away for so long, she feared him dead.
"Gregor," she said as she pulled him into a tight hug. "I've missed you. What are you doing here? Are you staying for-"
"Can I not just come visit sometimes? I mean, you guys aren't that far," he pointed out as she kissed his cheek. "God, Mom, it hasn't been that long."
"I just worry," she said, taking a step back then. "How long have you been here? Awhile? If you had told me you were coming, I would have-"
"I was fine. I just watched some TV while I waited," he said, grinning at her. Boots was still on the couch though, only staring at her mother with pleading eyes, hoping that she would become so distracted with Gregor that she wouldn't remember she was supposed to be cleaning.
"How's the baby then? Is he okay?"
Gregor paused at that word. Baby. Then he shook his head. "He's not a baby, Mom, and he's fine."
"And Luxa then?" his mother asked, staring at his face then. He could tell by the way that she said the other woman's name that she was only asking to be polite. "She is…doing alright?"
"She's fine," Gregor said slowly, nodding his head.
"How long are you staying for then?"
"Just for the day. Not even that. I just came to see you guys for a little bit." He followed her as she headed back into the kitchen. "Is Lizzie-"
"She's got work after school, so she probably won't even come home. Oh, Gregor, she's going to be so upset that she missed you."
"Yeah, well, I just came up to tell you something."
"Tell me something?" his mother asked slowly, glancing back at him. She had gone over to the fridge then, no doubt to grab a soda or something, but stopped at his words. "What are you going to tell me? What is something?"
"Nothing big. Just, uh, well, Luxa and I are going to be married."
"What? You-"
"Probably next week or so."
"Gregor-"
"And she's kind of, you know, pregnant, so that sort of works itself out if we just go ahead and-"
"You cannot be serious."
"Mom-"
"You are serious, aren't you?" She fell back then, against one of the counters, putting a hand to her head. "You got the Queen of a city that hates you half the time pregnant. You got…how could…Gregor-"
"When you put it that way, yeah, it sounds bad, but there's also this new prophecy about some guy called the Reclaimer that they're about to want me to kill probably, so I mean, really-"
"And a new prophecy. Oh, good. Because I was so worried."
"Mom-"
"No. Gregor, you…how could you do this? Now you've completely entangled yourself in all of that mess."
"Mom, it's not a mess. It's-"
"They didn't want you with her, Gregor. They hated you for it. And now you've gotten her pregnant? You can't honestly think-"
"You don't get it thought. They're going to need me to help the champion fight the Reclaimer."
"What are you talking about? Gregor, this is serious."
"It's not that big of a deal," he told her, frowning as Boots suddenly appeared in the room, no doubt having heard the fight. She was looking up at Gregor with a snide grin, as she knew that his new drama would definitely take the attention away from her and put it onto him.
"It's not that big of a deal? Gregor-"
"We already have Zander. Now we'll just have another kid. It's not-"
"It is very different, Gregor, to have a your own child. You and Luxa are just playing house with that boy right now, but an actual baby? You can't leave that behind, Gregor. Now you have a kid down there, you have to stay down there."
"That was the plan from the start, so-"
"Gregor, you've completely ruined any chance of a life up here. You-"
"I don't want a life up here, Mom! I don't have a life up here! I was always going to stay down there. Even if I wasn't with Luxa, that's where I want to be. That's how I want my life to be. And if you don't support that, after all this time, fine. You don't support it. I don't care. I really don't."
She only stared hard at him for a moment before saying, "So what, Gregor? You're just going to become their king? Do you know how silly that sounds?"
"I love Luxa and she-"
"You are twenty-two, Gregor. You-"
"I've been with her since I was-"
"All the more reason not to get married. Or have a kid with her. You don't know what you want. You're only a kid. You-"
"I'm doing this. I'm getting married. I'm having a kid. And if you don't want to be a part of any of that, then don't. But you're not going to stand there and tell me that I'm wrong. I'm an adult. If I want to be a freaking king, I'll be a freaking king!"
Boots lost it at that, falling over into giggles while her mother and brother just glared at her.
"I'm…sorry," she gasped. "It's just so…funny. When you think about it, really."
"It is not funny, Margaret that your brother-"
"Mom, you're mad at him for becoming a king. Think about it. A king. It's silly. You know, that he's going to be one and that you're ticked about it. It's really kind of hilarious. God, I wished I had someone to- Hazard!" She looked to ber brother then. "Can I go home with you and see-"
"No, Margaret, you can't," their mother said flatly, glaring at her son then. "Go clean the bathroom or something."
"But-"
"Go."
With one more stink eye at her mother, the teen turned to go do as asked. Or at least pretend to do as asked. Gregor only continued to glare at his mother though.
"You can stop looking at me like that, Gregor," Grace finally said as she turned to face the fridge finally. "You are the one that did wrong."
"How is wrong to-"
"You got a queen pregnant, Gregor. One that calls you horrible names and mistreats you half the time. You really don't see how that's wrong?"
"Luxa and I have been doing a lot better recently and-"
"Oh, Gregor, you always say that."
"And I always mean that," he told her. "Seriously. Other than her not wanting me to come home today, we-"
"You cannot be serious."
"A lot is going on right now, Mom. We just found out that she's pregnant, we think that the Reclaimer might-"
"Do not talk to me about those stupid prophecies, Gregor."
"Mom-"
"I don't need this right now." She walked around him then, her drink one hand. "I'm going to my room, Gregor. I can't…fight with you today."
"Then don't fight with me," he told her. "Be happy for me."
She only looked him in the eye before asking, "Are you even happy for you?"
He only stared at her as she walked off. Was he happy? Was he really?
It was Nike that came to pick him up that night, but it was just as well. He really didn't have a preference between her and Aurora. They were both just as good company at that point to him.
When they got back to the palace, Luxa was already in bed. Zander was there too, of course, snuggled up with his tiger. Gregor had brought him a new book back from the house, which he went to put in the boy's bedroom before going to get into bed with him and Luxa.
"What smells?"
"I bought some cookies, before I left," he said, holding up the little white bag before going to hand it to her. She only stared at him though, causing his smile to fall slightly. "What's wrong?"
She only shrugged, sitting up as she took the sack from him. "They smell nice."
The crinkling of the paper bag woke Zander, who immediately sat up and began whining, no doubt smelling the cookies. Luxa gave him one with a roll of her eyes, though she kept watching as Gregor stripped down for bed.
"Mom wasn't happy."
"She is never happy."
"Luxa-"
"Why do you care? You knew that she would not be. Why does it shock you? Why does it interest you? It does not me. In the slightest."
"See, maybe if you were at least somewhat kind to her, she would be-"
"Me? I must be kind?" Luxa snorted as Zander happily munched away on his cookie. "Why must I be anything? She is the one that-"
"Not now, okay? I've been fussed at enough for one day, thanks."
When he laid down on the bed, Zander immediately moved to break off a piece of his cookie and feed it to him. Gregor, who was laying on his side, only opened his mouth to allow the boy to put it in there, which he did of course, giggling slightly at the act.
"Anything happen today?" Gregor asked as Luxa handed Zander another cookie. They were fresh, he had gone out to a bakery to buy them, and he was clearly enjoying himself with them.
"If you were here, you would know. Because you were not-"
"Luxa, you're killing me." He rolled onto his back then. "Did you eat tonight?"
"Again, if you were here-"
"At least eat a cookie or something, alright? I brought them for you, really. Not so Zander could stuff his face."
The little boy made a noise at the sound of his name, though he just kept eating his cookie. Luxa took a cookie for herself before setting the bag down on the side table next to the bed.
"I have received no word from Perdita as of yet. The scouts are still unable to pinpoint the location of the Reclaimer. And Mareth and Barrett are once again at each others throats."
"So really, nothing's changed."
She only glanced over at him. "Susannah and York are coming from the Fount tomorrow."
That caused him some hesitance. "What?"
"They already know. Or at least I sent word to my aunt. Hazard and Kent are accompanying them."
"Kent?"
"I am told that he wishes to become a part of the military. With the threat of the Reclaimer on our backs, now is no greater time."
"Hmmm."
"I have not seen him in some time," Luxa remarked then. "Perhaps the military will do him some good. Toughen him up. Life in the Fount is a joke compared to that of Regalia."
"Right, Luxa," Gregor sighed, closing his eyes. "So anyways, did anything else go on?"
"It was only a few hours, Gregor."
"How's your stomach then?"
That made her pause. "I do not wish to talk about-"
"Luxa, we have to. It's real now, okay? You're pregnant." He let out a slow breath. "You're pregnant. You really are pregnant. That's just the truth. We can't avoid it."
Zander had finished his cookie and was whining for another. Luxa only pulled him to her, giving him a kiss on the head while she was at it.
"You know that I love you, Luxa," Gregor went on, when it was clear that she wasn't going to say anything to him. "I'm not trying to be, like, a jerk or something. I'm honestly not." He turned his head to the side, staring at her. "And I think having a baby will be cool. Or at least fun. Sometimes. And besides, you need an heir, right?"
She only laid there for a moment or two, stroking Zander's stomach gently. Eventually, she said, "What of Alexander then?"
"What about him?"
"Do you not think he won't get jealous when he is older? Of the other child?"
Gregor shrugged slightly. "I haven't thought about it. But we both agreed to let him know that we weren't his real parents, right? So-"
"He will be like…Henry," Luxa said slowly. "He will be very jealous. It won't be fair."
"Luxa-"
"I will give him the Fount," she said then with a nod of her head. "When he is of age, he shall inherit the Fount, should he want it."
"Can you make that happen?" Gregor asked. "What if you're dead before then? If both of us are dead?"
"I can. I will make sure of it." She kissed Zander again, who was clearly starting to get suspicious, He looked up at her, but only giggled. "He is our child too."
"Yeah," Gregor sighed. "He is."
They settled for awhile then, Zander quickly falling back asleep. Gregor only laid there, still too riled up from his day to really fall asleep in that moment. Luxa for her part had taken to stroking Zander's head while staring at her boyfriend.
"Gregor?"
"Mmmm?"
"Are you going to go back to your room tonight?"
"Dunno." He let out a slow breath. "You want me to?"
"I do not care."
"You wouldn't have asked if you did not care."
"I think that it does not matter at this point," she told him flatly. "If you wish to stay, then stay."
"Cool."
"You're going to get Zander ready for the day though," she warned. "And bathe him, if he gets messy at breakfast."
"It's cool," Gregor sighed. "I think I'll be stuck doing all of that sorts of stuff for the new baby too."
"Do not just think, Gregor," Luxa told him then with a sigh. "Believe it without fail."
As Susannah was coming with him, York arrived sober and right on time. This did nothing to calm Gregor's nerves, however, as he stood there in the High Hall, awaiting their arrival.
York was very happy and jolly when he arrived, like always, while Susannah only stared blankly at Luxa as she stood in front of her.
"Ha, ha! Gregor." York immediately moved to pat the man on the back before squeezing his shoulder. That was not in the least how Gregor would expect him to take the news. "You look well."
"I am well," Gregor said slowly, glancing at Luxa. She was just standing there though, staring back at her aunt. She hadn't even greeted Hazard and Kent.
"Come then, Luxa," Susannah said slowly then. "To your wing, yes? To…discuss things?"
"Yes, let's," she said slowly. Then she looked over at Hazard, who was hanging back slightly, and at Kent, who was just looking about. "Hazard, Nerissa is most overjoyed by your return. I believe her to be in the prophecy room. Should you not go stop in and say hello?"
He narrowed his eyes slightly at her before nodding and heading off. Great, Gregor thought. So the two of them hadn't made up yet. Or were they fighting over something different then? Who knew?
"Go with him, Kent," York ordered then, still grinning at Gregor. "It shall be good for you to see her too."
"She is not my cousin," Kent grumbled, but he headed out too, after Hazard.
It was a silent walk back to the royal wing, save York having to greet everyone they saw. The man knew everyone apparently and that meant he had to greet them all, assuring all the soldiers he passed that he would most certainly be in the mess hall later to discuss stories. Gregor went ahead and tacked on getting sloppy drunk because that was just a given.
When they got to the sitting room, York was overjoyed to find that Luxa had already set out a jug of ale and mugs on the table for his use. He immediately went to pour himself a glass while Susannah only shook her head.
"You do not wish to drink any then?" he asked, only smiling at her.
"No," Susannah said slowly. Then she looked around. "York, what if you and the Overlander speak here, yes? Catch up? Luxa and I have a few things to speak about privately."
This was no concern to York, who only happily poured Gregor a mug as well.
"You do not wish for any either then, Luxa?" York asked her. "I see no wine around."
"I am cutting back, uncle," she told him simply before leading Susannah off, no doubt to her own bedchamber.
"Women," York said simply as he sat down on one of the couches. "They can never just allow themselves any fun. Always so concerned with things."
Gregor frowned, slowly going to sit on the couch opposite the man. Did York…not know? That was a strong possibility. Though Gregor couldn't imagine why Susannah would be keeping anything from him. And why did he think then that they were in Regalia? Hmmm.
"Though it is a stressful time," York remarked then as Gregor picked up his own mug. "The Reclaimer and all."
"Yeah, well, I'm not so sure Luxa's not overreacting on that one."
"Women are known to do that as well," York assured him before downing at least half the mug in his hand. "Mmmm. It is a nice excuse for a visit, however. Though Susannah was insistent on coming."
"You did not want her to?"
York shrugged slightly at that. "It is not setback to me that she has. She will just monitor my drinking like at home. Does not mean much, I suppose. She cannot stop me from what I am going to do."
Sure. Gregor only shook his head. "I would be annoyed if Luxa came to the Fount with me."
"That is because you and Luxa are different from Susannah and I. You and my niece thrive off fighting. I do not fight with Susannah. I cannot fight with Susannah. I never have been able to."
"Because you love her."
"No," York said slowly. "Because she will cry. And cry. And cry. I do not rather like crying. It is a nuisance and solves nothing. I found early on that it is much easier to allow her to tell me what is bothering her and then explain to her what I can or cannot do about it. That is how we handle problems.
"Not that we do not fight. Because we do. Problems spring up at times. Like Kent. He is going to be a soldier, what a man should be. I let her have Howard, that was fine. But she cannot have Kent. He wishes to fight and he shall. We did fight over that. Much. But I have won."
"You have won?"
"Well, in a roundabout way. Kent was going to be a soldier no matter what I said. But still. I won. Sort of. Enough to count." York shook his head. "She wins everything else. Why can I not have won this once?"
Gregor stared down at his drink for a moment before saying, "Is that why you guys are really here? To see Kent off?"
"No. The boy is a man now. He could have done this all on his own. Susannah wanted to come see Luxa about something. The Reclaimer, I am sure. You know how stressed Luxa gets when a prophecy is brought up." York settled into the couch, stretching one arm across the back. "Besides, Susannah has not been to Regalia since her father's passing. This is her home more than mine. If she wishes to go to Regalia a few times a year, then fine. Not much goes on in the Fount anyhow."
"Lucky you."
"Say, where's the boy then?" York looked around at the toys that had been left out from the day before. "The one that you and Luxa are-"
"He's napping."
"Ah." York nodded his head then. "Children are fun when they are that young. I-"
"I must go speak with Howard."
York glanced toward the doorway, hardly seeming concerned with his wife suddenly being there. "Aye. That is a good idea. I shall-"
"Alone," Susannah said briskly, glancing at Gregor then. "Apparently he has been giving out unsavory advice to Luxa. I-"
"You do not have to explain your life to me. Just refill my mug before you go, please." York held it out, not even looking at her any longer. Susannah, as always, was quick to do as he asked while Luxa slowly followed into the room, looking no less annoyed than she had all day.
"Refill, Lux?" Gregor asked, but one glare shut that right down. "Or not."
"Mmmm. Thank you." York smiled at his wife when she handed him his mug back. He even gave her a kiss on the cheek. "And what sort of advice would you need anyways, Luxa? From Howard? He is not a general. He's like his mother. Boy's lucky he can even swing a sword."
"It was not about that, York," Luxa said as she stood next to the couch Gregor was on, her arms crossed. "He suggested that I abort my child."
"Mmm. He always…what?"
Susannah bit her tongue then, making a pinched face as she turned to stare at her niece. "Luxa, your uncle did not know about-"
"What are you talking about?" York sat up then as Gregor closed his eyes tightly, biting the inside of his cheek in hopes it would wake him up. Nope. Not a dream. Damn. "An abortion? Luxa are…you cannot be serious."
"Well-" Luxa started, but York cut her off.
"You are, aren't you? And you let me sit here, and talk to him, to Gregor, not even…" York stood then, quickly towering over his wife, who only looked off. "And you knew then? Susannah-"
"I knew how you would react York and thought-"
"You allowed me to look as if I am a fool because-"
"York, take a breath. It is not-"
"Susannah-"
"York, do not-"
"No, Susannah." He looked from her then to Gregor, who figured it was best to stand then, as everyone else was. "And you, Gregor, it is yours then, I am assuming?"
"What are you implying?" Luxa made a face at York who only shook his head at her.
"Your mother and father would be so disappointed in you," he said then, keeping eye contact with her.
"York." Susannah literally hit him then, but he only grabbed her hand and threw it away from her.
"Yours would as well, Susannah," he said, voice pinched. "I watched all of Vikus and Solovet's children fuck their lives up and I am not going to let her do the same thing. You have more than tarnished your reign, Luxa. Now do you hope to completely obliterate it? This is something that-"
"You are not my father," Luxa told him harshly, though her tone stayed even. "And never speak of him again. You are not blood to me and you know nothing of Vikus and Solovet. You were nothing, but a soldier that caught a lucky break and do not think that I won't take it away from you."
"I do not wish to be Lennox, Luxa, I truly do not. I did not even like the man half the time," York went on, clearly getting more and more disgruntled by the moment. "I am the last male of this family, however, and I will not sit by and watch it burn. What do you think shall happen now? Hmmm? That they will all just accept this with open arms and take your child in as the next heir?"
"We are going to be married and-"
"It won't matter. You think that you got death attempts when you were a child? Your child will most certainly be killed before-"
"York, enough." Susannah shook her head at him. "You are not-"
"Not what, Susannah? Smart enough to grasp this situation? Intelligent enough to think up a plan? I let your brother and your brother-in-laws do whatever they wanted because they were so much smarter than me. They knew so much more than me. You know where they all are now? All the smart, smart men? The intelligent men? Dead. Hamnet, Lennox, and Edward are all dead. Vikus as well. Even Solovet, the cunning old bat. And now this is all left on my shoulders. I was suppose to watch after her. You were too. And we allowed this to-"
"Enough. I mean it, York. You are-"
"I am what, Susannah? Angry? Too loud? Good! I am angry. I am too loud. I have a right to be. We messed this up, Susannah. We should have put a stop to this long ago. We should have stuck a sword through the Overlander's back the second we had a chance. Do you not think it is what Solovet would have done? Judith? Lennox? Lennox would have never allowed this to begin, much less escalate to this. I-"
"York." Susannah finally just grabbed his hands, forcing him to stare down at her. "You are gong to go to go down to the mess hall now and say no more. You are going to get drunk and I am going to come get you in a few hours. Then you are going to go to bed and on the morrow, you are going to have a better attitude."
"I-"
"Go."
He held her gaze for a long moment before heading out of the room, not even looking at Gregor or Luxa. It was only once he was gone that Susannah spoke.
"Now do you see why I did not wish for him to know?" Susannah only rolled her eyes. "I must…go speak with Howard. Yes. I must go speak with Howard now."
Gregor could see it though; that what York said was true before. She was pretty teary eyed. He knew for a long time though that Susannah did not like confrontation. York's outburst probably upset her.
Luxa only nodded slightly, clearly not interested with her aunt any longer. She never did like anyone to bring up Lennox. Especially not to say that he would disagree with her. Vikus did it a few times, when Luxa first came into power. It never did go over well.
When it was finally just them again, Gregor slowly fell back onto the couch, waiting for Luxa to join him. She did so slowly, though she quickly moved to rest her head n his lap once she had, laying out on the couch.
"Gregor?"
"Mmmm?" He stared down at her then, not really sure what to say. He couldn't be too mad at York, as the man was right. Gregor truly had no business getting Luxa pregnant. But it had happened. And it wasn't going away any time soon.
"York has always liked the idea of you being with me. He has always thought of us as good together." Luxa only looked up at him. "He did not like it, not always, but he came to accept it. He always says that you are family."
"Mmmm."
"My point is, that if someone that is not unfamiliar with the idea had that sort of reaction," she began, only staring into his eyes, "then how will everyone else take it?"