The Living Dead

Chapter 9

Gregor awoke the next morning to Luxa bolting up in bed, disturbing him. He only groaned, rolling onto his other side, thinking she was just nauseous again or something. Still, he managed to grunt out a, "What's wrong?"

She just sat there, though, breathing deeply. Groaning, he glanced over his shoulder at her.

"If you gotta puke, just go puke. Breathing deeply won't make it go away."

She didn't look at him though, only sat there for a moment before slowly moving to lay back down. "I do not have to…puke," she told him, the word sounding as odd on her tongue as most. "I had a dream, is all."

He grunted again. She had bad dreams all the time. He did too. They did deal with high stress situations constantly.

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep. He had to be up in a few hours, preparing for his journey. He really just wanted to sleep. "Lux?"

"No. I want…I want Zander."

He frowned. "Was it about Zander?"

She only moved to push up out of the bed, which made him sigh and reach behind her, grabbing her arm.

"Stay," he grumbled before moving to get up as well. "I'll get him, huh?"

"I-"

"Calm down." He finally got out of the bed. "Just stay. Be right back."

"Greg-"

"Are you afraid of the dark?"

"No," she told him, frowning.

"Then stay. I'll go get him and be right back. Promise."

She shifted on the bed, curling up. "I just…I would calm down if I could drink."

"Well, you can't, so get over it."

With that, he left the room, heading off to get Zander from his. The little boy was just sleeping, all of his stuffed animals snuggled up on his bed with him. Gregor just grabbed him and the tiger before heading back to Luxa's bedchamber.

He ran into someone in the hall, however.

"What are you doing up, Hazard?"

The boy just kept walking down the hall, hardly paying him any mind. "I was working on a business deal."

"A business deal? What? It's the middle of the night. Where were you?"

Hazard ignored him, only heading into his old bedroom. Groaning, Gregor went to drop Zander off with Luxa, who readily accepted him and the stuffed tiger, before going to find out what the boy was up to.

"Hazard," Gregor began as he headed into the boy's room. "What were you doing?"

He was already laying in bed and only glanced up at Gregor. "What are you talking about? I told you that I had a business deal to attend to."

"And what sort of deal would that be?"

He only smiled at Gregor. "I found better use of my talents of persuasion."

"Meaning?"

"I cannot talk to women well," Hazard said. "But while I was in the Fount, Kent and I spent a lot of time trying. And I realized something."

"Which would be?"

He only grinned up at Gregor. "I cannot talk to women, because I am better at dealing with males."

Gregor blinked. Then he sighed. "Hazard, I think this is something that you and Luxa should-"

"Which is why I shall be good at owning the women."

That got another blinked. "What?"

"I am going to help run a brothel. On the East Wall."

That one didn't even get a blink. Instead, Gregor just stared at him. "You what?"

"Aye. I have spoken with one of the owners. And Luxa shall be pleased, because I will be here in the capital with her. Then, during the day and at night too, I suppose, I can go run the brothel. Eventually open my own. It shall be a very good way to meet women. And powerful men. Not to mention the money."

Deciding to take things one step at a time, Gregor slowly began. "To start with, Hazard, you don't own women."

"But-"

"You don't. No one owns another human being. Ever. So do not say that again."

"I-"

"Secondly, you are not going to be a…pimp or whatever the hell you call it down here. You're just not."

"You cannot tell me-"

"And lastly, if Luxa finds out about this, I'm going to get hell for it because I'm the one that let you…go that first time. And York is going to get hell because she'll think that he encouraged you in this. So you go back to your little pipe dream about fruit and-"

"You can't tell me what to do, Gregor! You're not my father. You-"

"Oh, I can tell you what you are and what you aren't going to do, Hazard. You are not going to-"

"So it is okay for me to have sex with whores, but not own them?"

"For the last time, you do not own another person, Hazard. Ever. I mean it."

"I will too own them! I will control what they-"

"No, you won't. Number one because you're not going to work at a brothel, number two- And who the hell even approached you about this? Huh?"

He shrugged slightly, looking off. "I met some men in the Fount that have connections here. One of the men that owns one was there and offered me a chance to learn to run it. It is a lot of hard work, after all, making sure that the women-"

"Hazard, I do not want to talk about this," he said, shaking his head. "I'm going to bed. And in the morning, you're going to go tell this guy that you can't work for him and then you're going to work on your juggling and go back to the fruit stand shit, alright?"

"You're not my boss, Gregor!"

Leaving him behind then, Gregor went back to Luxa's room, where he found her and Zander snuggled up in bed. The boy was sleeping still, but she was up, awaiting him.

"What was Hazard doing?" Luxa asked, as he had mentioned to her that was what he was going to check out. "Up so late?"

"Nothing."

"Gregor-"

"Are you better now?" He collapsed back into his spot on the bed, pulling her into his arms. Zander, who was snuggled up on top of her, didn't stir in the slightest. "About your dream? Now that you know Zander is safe?"

She just kissed the boy's head, shaking her own slightly. "I dreamt that…that he was older and that he…that those prophecies-"

"Shhh." He snuggled her neck, sighing slightly. "He loves us, Luxa. We saved him. We're going to be his parents. We are his parents. He won't ever hate us."

She shifted against him. "Hazard hates me."

"Luxa-"

"I did everything for Hazard and he hates me. I did everything for Henry and he betrayed me. Why is it so far off that Zander will-"

"I love you," he pointed out then. "Don't I count for anything?"

She only sighed. "I am not overly caring towards you. Or even caring at all for the most part."

He knew she was pausing for him to disagree, but honestly? He had no disagreement in that statement. At all.

"But I love Hazard. And I tried very hard to make him love me. Perhaps I am just not…a loveable person?"

"I just said that I love you."

"You love being degraded constantly."

"God, Luxa, you sure are pretty self-aware today."

"Gregor-"

"Zander's going to love us as much as we love him. He has to. There's no way that he won't. And those prophecies are bullshit. You know that they are." He kissed her neck then. "It was just a dream."

"It was very real though."

"The worst of them always are."

Zander made a noise then, pushing away from Luxa as the sound of their voices awoke him. She moved to lay him down on the bed, where he immediately curled up, one thumb finding its way into his mouth. Usually Luxa would have stopped him from doing that, but for once she just laid there, not saying anything.

After awhile, Gregor started to drift off again. He felt Luxa stir in his arms a few times and eventually he let her go, rolling onto his other side once more. Other than that though, he slept straight through the next few hours.

Zander woke him bright and early though, whining about having to go to the bathroom or something. He was potty trained for the most part, which Gregor was more than glad for. He just wished the boy had better timing.

After that he was up and couldn't go back to sleep, so he went ahead and began getting ready for the day. Luxa complained of feeling sick again and, though he had his reservations about whether or not she was just faking it for the sake of not having to get Zander ready, he went ahead and let her stay in bed for awhile longer. She had been pretty stressed most the night, after all.

Susannah looked downright depressed at breakfast that morning, while York was back to his jovial self. He was clearly excited about Kent's new adventure, while Susannah's eyes were red and it was obvious she had spent some time crying. And really, Gregor couldn't blame her. She had lost her mother, sister, and brother all to war, after all. In a roundabout way, the military had ruined her entire life. Other than York. Gregor figured she considered York one of the good things in her life. For the most part.

Kent was clearly excited for the rest of events of that day and Gregor didn't have to heart to break it to him that it would not be nearly as fun as he was certain York and others had made it out to be. Kent would be the low man on the totem pole. Not to mention being such a highborn automatically made him a target. The poor guy really didn't know what he was getting himself into.

York kept making jokes all through breakfast and it made him seem more like his normal self. Luxa eventually showed up, though she only ate some bread and drank a glass of water. Zander was most happy when Hazard arrived, honestly, though he and Gregor did have a miniature glaring match going on there for awhile.

"What are you plans for the day then, Overlander? Care to go sparring with me? Eh?" York asked, grinning at him while absently reaching over to rub Susannah's arm. She looked like she was about to start crying again and clearly didn't wish to be touched by him, but York never did seem to realize when he was being a nuisance to his wife.

"Luxa has me going off on a mission."

"A mission," York laughed, as if this was a wonderful tale in the making. Gregor sure hoped not. He really hadn't recovered from their last misadventure in the Uncharted Lands. "That's great. It shall give us something to talk about next time we see each other."

Susannah glared at York then, no doubt angry that he was in such an upbeat mood. As if in an attempt to ruin it, she said, "I think that there shall be more than enough to talk about when that time arises, York."

Luxa frowned over at her aunt for that, but Hazard and Kent both started laughing. York immediately shut that down with only a look. Gregor only sighed, picking at his food some more.

"You should eat more, Luxa," Susannah finally said, taking in a deep breath then. "You need to gain some weight, for your own health and also the child. If you want to carry it to term. I know that you do not feel well, but tough. You are going to have to get over it. The child cannot suffer because you do not feel up to caring for yourself."

That was it for Luxa. She immediately pushed out of her seat and walked off, leaving them all behind. Gregor sighed, rolling his eyes, but saying nothing. York only frowned at his wife.

"Susannah-"

"It is the truth, York. And if no one else is going to say something, I must. I am the only one left in her family. It is my job to make sure she is taken care of it. It is what Judith would-"

"Judith did not care for you and she certainly would not have cared about this child." York rose from his seat then as well. "If you do not wish to spar with me, Overlander, then I shall go find someone who will, yes? I just must locate Rhea first."

He kissed Susannah's head before he left, but she clearly was still upset with him. York only squeezed her shoulder and patted Kent on the head before heading off. Then it was back to Gregor glaring down Hazard.

"Lucka," Zander called out from his own seat, where he had whined to sit in that day. Sometimes sitting in someone's lap made him wiggle and whine. "Lucka?"

"Here. I must go check on her anyways." Susannah moved to get Zander out of his seat, setting him down on the ground. He took off then, no doubt after Luxa while Susannah followed at a slower pace. Gregor didn't really care if Susannah had Zander or not. She had her own children, a lot of them, and they were relatively okay. For the most part.

…Well, Howard was cool. And Hero and Kent were tolerable.

Gregor left then, not even saying anything to Hazard. He was beyond over Hazard in that moment and just wanted to get into the Dead Lands. Whether or not he found Ripred wasn't really an issue; just getting out of the capital was good for Gregor.

He headed off to Nerissa's room, as if he was leaving the capital, he wanted her to know. She was there, of course she was there, laying in bed, but awake. She was most happy to see him, especially when he pulled up a chair and sat down.

"Gregor," she said excitedly. "When I heard someone enter, I feared it to be the nurse with my medicine. I am most happy to find it to be you."

"Yeah, well," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm heading out today for the Dead Lands, so you won't see me for a few days. Susannah and York are going to be gone too. So if you need something' it's back to relying on Luxa. I think that Hazard's staying in Regalia as well though I don't know for how long."

"Hmmm. Long are the days that there were so many filtering around," she remarked. "I would not mind if a few of my family members were possibly the Living Dead."

"W-What? Nerissa-"

She only giggled before grinning at him. "I know that they would be evil, that you would have to kill them, but wouldn't it be wonderful? Wouldn't it be great? If I could see my mother and father again? Or my brother? …Though he was already evil, I suppose, so I wouldn't really have to adjust to that one."

"Nerissa-"

"Of course, I could also do to see Vikus again. Or Lennox. Not Solovet though. She would be much the same as Henry. Evil. Not good. No change."

Gregor only shook his head. "Anyone ever tell you that you're psychotic?"

She only continued to grin at him. "It is a silly fantasy, I know. But it is hard to realize that Luxa is all I have left. The only blood. And even she does not wish for me to be around at times."

"That's not true," Gregor told her with a frown. "Luxa's just got a lot going on right now."

Nerissa only shook her head. "I do not blame her. I am quite the considerable amount of baggage."

"Well," he started, trying to think of something that would cheer her up. "Luxa and my baby will be blood to you, right? A little. So don't think about it so much. And you know that Howard and I would do anything for you, huh? And York and Susannah, they wanted you to come live with them."

"What?"

He nodded slightly. "Once, Susannah told me that she would rather that you and Vikus come stay in the Fount. That it would be far less stressful. And then at Vikus' funeral, she mentioned it to Luxa, who got very angry, but said she'd extend the offer to you. Has she never mentioned it?"

Nerissa only stared at him for a moment before shaking her head slowly. "No."

"Well," he began again, frowning slightly. "I'm sure that she just doesn't want you to leave the palace. You're her last line of blood too, you know, that connects her to her father. That certainly means something, I am sure."

Nerissa made a noise then, softly, thinking. She seemed better in that moment, more clear, but Gregor knew it was just because her morning medication had not come yet. He was certain that she'd be back to her normal crazy self when it did arrive.

"Why are you going to the Dead Lands, Overlander?" she asked after a few moments of silence. "Is Perdita-"

"She is home now," he assured her. "She is fine. Just a broken arm. I'm going for another reason."

"Being?"

He sighed slightly before saying, "Your cousin is fearful of that Ripred is dead and wishes for me to investigate."

"The peacemaker is not dead," she said slowly. "He is alive."

"Why doe you think that?"

"Because he just is, Gregor," she said, turning to look at him then. "He has to be. It would not be fitting, for one such as himself to be killed without some sort of dramatic final battle. It is very anticlimactic. Like if you dropped dead of a brain aneurism. It would not be fitting. And people such as you and Ripred deserve fitting deaths."

"Oh yeah?" He leaned forwards then, resting his elbows against his thighs as he stared at her. "What sort of death would fit me then, Nerissa?"

"Being killed during battle. Before the birth of your child."

He blinked. Then, slowly, he said, "Why before-"

"It would set up for another prophecy," she said then. "There is a certain prophecy of a prince whose father is killed in battle. It is hinted it is before his birth. Every prince ever has wished it to be him, but it never is. Should it be your son, it would be most fantastical. Such a plotline, yes?"

He only sighed, staring at her. "You know, Nerissa, sometimes I think that you don't really believe in these prophecies either. That you just like them because they entertain you."

"They are most entertaining," she admitted with a nod of her head. "They are what are told to children, for bedtime stories. When you think of how many times Luxa heard the story of the night her parents were killed without knowing it was about them, why, it's almost too much to bear. That was a fine prophecy. My mother would have been thrilled to know that she was a part of one. Though of course, had she known it was that specific one, well, that would have only caused problems, yes?"

Continuing to stare at her, he slowly said, "You know, Nerissa, I think it's almost unhealthy. Your obsession with prophecies. Maybe-"

"They are all I have."

"What?"

"If I did not have them, what would I do with my life? My name is not credible. Even my own family did not have faith in me. No, they are all that I am good for. Studying them and passing on my knowledge to those who need it." She shifted on her bed then. "I have no friends, Gregor, other than you. I do not have a life outside of the prophecy room. I-"

"Maybe you could help someone for me?" he asked then, slowly, if only to keep her from sounding so depressed in that moment. "For someone that Luxa…cares about?"

"Most anything. If I am able to, that is."

He nodded his head slightly then. "See, the thing that I need your help with is one of the generals."

"Mareth?"

Shaking his head, he said, "Barrett."

"Gregor," she scolded lightly before brightening. "What are we going to do to him? I am not sure how I can be any help, but I most certainly-"

"I don't want to harm him, Nerissa," Gregor complained, making a face.

"Oh." She settled back into her bed. "Then what is the problem?"

"He does not know prophecies well. And he wishes to. If I could set up a meeting between the two of you, say, weekly, do you think that you would be able to-"

"Oh, most certainly!" She looked rather happy in that moment, for which Gregor was glad. "I would love to. I very much so enjoy teaching people things. Like Hazard. I taught him about the prophecies. The ones that kept his interest, at least. And I will teach Zander, when he can understand words better. I-"

"That's great, Nerissa." Gregor stood then, moving to pat her on the arm. "I have go now though. I'll set up the meeting with Barrett and everything, alright? And then tell you?"

"Of course."

"I'll see you when I get back then, alright?"

She only grinned at him then. "So long as you don't die first."

Again with the blinking. Then, slowly, he nodded his head. "Yeah, so long as I don't die first."

When Gregor went into the war room, it was with the intent of finding Luxa. He knew that she said that he was not to leave until after York and Susannah, but he was honestly bored at that point and wanted nothing more than to hurry the trip along. Instead though, he found Perdita, once again accompanied by Kent.

She was busy writing things down on a scroll as he sat idly by, watching her. Gregor could tell that Perdita was annoyed by his presence. He was sitting right next to her, staring at the scroll she was writing on, while she kept giving him side glances that showed her perturbed attitude.

Upon Gregor entering the room, she immediately spoke to him, clearly glad to find another person around.

"General," she greeted, smiling brightly at the sight of him. "Have you seen the Queen? Her cousin here came looking for her. He thought he would stay until she showed up, but if you know where-"

"Hey, Kent? I thought you were going to be joining the military today?" Gregor asked, frowning slightly. "Shouldn't you be taking care of that?"

"I have to be sworn in later, after luncheon," he said, shrugging slightly.

"Well, shouldn't you spend some time with your mother and father then? Because they take off?"

He snorted. "I'm not a child. I do not need them."

"Your mother is really broken up about it though," Gregor went on as Perdita gave him pleading eyes, clearly wishing to get rid of him. "You should go spend some time with her, huh?"

"Mmmm…no," Kent said, shaking his head. "I think that I am needed here."

Perdita sighed then, rather loudly, but Kent was still all smiles. He clearly didn't realize the discomfort he was causing.

"I haven't seen Luxa either," Gregor said finally. "I, uh, will wait here too. Is that okay, Perdita?"

It was not the solution she wanted, but it did keep her from being along with Kent.

"That shall be fine, if you so wish," she said, nodding her head. It was a compromise, at least. "I am merely writing a note to one of the-"

"Is there a meeting going on then?"

Suddenly, Barrett appeared behind Gregor, pushing into the room. Perdita only sighed.

"Have you seen Luxa then?" she asked him to which he shook his head.

"Why? Is there not a meeting? I heard voices when I passed and thought that I was missing something again."

"No," Kent said quickly then, frowning at both he and Gregor. "Perhaps the two of you should go look for my cousin. She-"

"Ah. Trent." Barrett smiled over at the boy. "Helping Perdita out again I see."

"No," Perdita said while Kent only grumbled about his name.

"Why," Barrett went on. "It is almost as if you are her assistant. She more or less needs one. It is her dominant hand that is broken, you know. You will need help, Perdita, if you are to carry on as normal."

"I do not need-"

"Not to mention," he went on, knowing where to hit her. "Were you not like Solovet's assistant? Remember? That is what I hear. That she plucked you out of obscurity as a soldier and made you a general just because you were so dedicated to her. I am certain that Kent can be much of the same."

The Solovet card made her pause momentarily. Long enough for Kent to speak up.

"That would be great," Kent said then, smiling at Perdita. "I can help you do all sorts of things. I can even fight for you, if you want. Like your own personal guard. And-"

"Kent, take a breath," Gregor sighed. "And I don't think that Perdita-"

"Nonsense. She needs someone. And since Mareth is turning out to be as much of a drunk as me, why not let the boy help her out some times?"

"Barrett," Gregor mumbled to him. "What are you-"

"I can do anything you want me to," Kent said then, staring at Perdita. She was still stuck up on the Solovet comment, however. "Anything. Any-"

"Okay, Kent, she gets it," Gregor said, sighing. "Let Perdita-"

"Solovet did help me," Perdita mumbled slightly then. "She chose me because I…and she was… You are her grandson. It would almost as if I were helping her now, yes?"

"If it helps, Solovet always thought of me like Hamnet. And I am told she loved him very much."

Gregor sent Kent a look. "In what way are you like Hamnet?"

"I am the male twin. That makes me-"

"That does not-"

"You can be my assistant," Perdita said then, slowly. "Can you write and read?"

"Yes. Who doesn't know how to write and read?"

She glanced at him. "Solovet taught me to write. I could read, but-"

"Someone tell me that she is not talking about the dead again?"

Once again, someone else entered the room. It was Luxa, of course, as she went to go lay a hand on Gregor's arm while staring at Perdita.

"Even Solovet did not speak of her own self this much. And she was the vainest woman I've ever known." Luxa shook her head at Perdita "What were you speak of anyways?"

"I-"

"Perdita has decided that I am going to be her very person assistant," Kent said then, nodding his head at his cousin.

"Very?" Gregor mumbled. "What does very imply?"

Barrett only grinned before saying, "I think we all know what that means."

The blush that Perdita got then was probably the worst Gregor had ever seen. Her thoughts of Solovet were gone as she suddenly thought of what it would look like for her to take a young boy under her mentorship. Luxa only sent Barrett a look before speaking again.

"It is only until your arm is healed, yes?" Luxa asked Perdita then. "And once that is over, he can start his career as a solider? His father will not have it any other way."

"Soldier. Yes. Yes, he will most definitely be a soldier," Perdita said, nodding her head. She was clearly still apprehensive about the whole thing. "This will only be for a few weeks. A month or so at most."

"See, Trent? Gregor here thinks I ruin lives, but I would argue I have just made one."

"Kent," the teen growled at Barrett, who only looked to Luxa.

"When are York and Susannah leaving then? So I can know when the Overlander leaves?"

"Why would you need to know that?" Luxa asked as Gregor glared at him, knowing he was setting up for a rude comment or joke.

"So I can estimate how long before I have to go off to save him."

Perdita's sigh stopped them all from speaking then as she stood up. Nodding at the scroll, she said to Kent, "Toss that. My handwriting is horrid with my left hand. Now that you are here, you can write whatever I tell you to, yes?"

"Anything you say," he agreed, jumping up as well. "You just tell me what to write and I shall do it. Are we going somewhere though?"

"Aye," she sighed, heading out of the room then. "I need to speak with someone first and then we will rewrite it, yes?"

Kent was quick to follow along Perdita, which only made Barrett grin. Luxa seemed indifferent, but Gregor was annoyed. The second Perdita was gone, he spoke.

"Why would you do that, Barrett?" Gregor asked then. "You could clearly tell that she was not comfortable with the way he's acting towards her. And yet you-"

"Perdita and her precious Mareth have been trying to ruin me since the banished problem. Especially when I left him in that dungeon after freeing you." Barrett snorted, no longer smiling. He had clearly only been acting so jolly as an attempt to get Perdita riled up. "That boy clearly…enjoys Perdita. Though I do not know why."

"But-"

"And tell me, what do you think Mareth will do when he notices this?" Barrett laughed then. "They call me stupid and yet I am smarter than both of them combined."

Luxa only sighed, rolling her eyes. "It will at least keep my aunt content for a month."

Gregor only shook his head. "That was wrong, Barrett. Perdita-"

"They do me wrong constantly. They would ruin my entire career if they were able to. Giving her a little boy to play with is actually rather nice of me. Maybe it'll make her less tense."

Making a face at the insinuation, Luxa said simply, "I believe you forget at times who I am, Barrett."

"Never," he said before bowing to her. "I only speak in jest. The boy only wishes to impress her, so that she will be quick to raise his rank, I am certain. Besides, what would he want with Perdita anyways?"

"Hn." Luxa looked to Gregor then. "Have you decided on Aurora or Nike?"

"Nike. I spoke with her before and she-"

"Good. Be ready in-"

"Lux, can I just go now?"

"What?"

He moved closer to her as Barrett pretended to be preoccupied with something else, over at the table.

"I do not need to see Susannah and York off, do I? I mean-"

"Why do you wish to go now?"

"Why not? I'm bored, Luxa. I want to go do something. And I'm sure Nike is ready to go as well."

She stared hard at him for a second before sighing. "Come then. I shall help you into your armor."

That made him pause, but Luxa just continued on out of the room, as if that was the most normal thing in the world. Barrett glanced at them over his shoulder, but Gregor didn't take a moment to look back. He just followed right behind Luxa to his bedroom.

She did exactly what she said she would too. She literally helped him put on his armor. He knew from other soldiers that sometimes their wives would help them dress and undress, making sure to snap on the chest plate and such, but the idea of Luxa helping him out was foreign.

Still, she was gentle as she helped him. It was almost sensual, the way she was taking care to get all of his armor on. She kissed him multiple times, as well as stroked his arms and chest. He only let her do as she pleased, slightly in shock and also slightly turned on.

"You're being nice," he mumbled to her at one point.

"You get upset when I am not loving. You are rude when I am. I would love to know what middle ground you want for me to meet."

"Just confused, is all."

She paused then before saying, "The last time that I sent you off to the Dead Lands on a white flier to meet gnawers, you nearly did not come back to me."

It was his turn to kiss her. "The last time was very different. Nike is striped, I'm going to a different part of the Dead Lands, and Ripred isn't a gnawer. Ripred isn't even a normal being. He's passed a gnawer. He's passed a human. He's just a thing."

"Just come back to me," she finally said. "That's all I want."

"Always." He cupped her face in his hands for a moment before removing one and pressing it against her stomach gently. "Always."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Is your armor not uncomfortable? Or have you grown used to it? I know that you usually don't care for it."

"Luxa insisted upon it," Gregor sighed. "She is fearful of me being killed all of a sudden. Her. The one that sent me off to live with the banished."

"Things have changed," Nike said simply as they flew through the air. "Now. Aurora told me of… And now Luxa only wishes to protect you as the father of her child. It is different now."

Gregor leaned forwards slightly on her back, sighing slightly. "What about you then?"

"What about me?"

"How do you feel about going into the Dead Lands once more? After what happened before?"

Nike was silent for a moment or two before saying, "I am to be the Queen after my mother passes. I will lose my chance at adventures like these then. As Luxa has. She never gets to do anything interesting anymore. And I will get to do even less than her. I cannot hide in Regalia forever, or behind my mother. I must stand on my own. Build my character. I wish to be a strong queen, with many experiences behind me. With the plague, banished, and Prophecy of Time already under my belt, I feel as if there is little else that can shake me."

He paused at that before slowly asking, "Hey, Nike? Can I ask you something? That might sound sort of…well, weird?"

"We are friends, Gregor," was her only answer.

"…Whatever happened to your father?"

That made Nike laugh. Huh-huh-huh.

"We are not as the humans, Overlander. We think it is silly, how they live."

"What do you mean?"

"There are no such things as bastards," she told him then. "If Luxa is the queen, any child she has is of royal birth. Any child a king fathers is of royal birth. If you wish to remain committed to one person, that is fine. If not, that is also fine. It is your life. And it is very short. Why mate for life when that only makes so many miserable?"

He leaned forwards some more, sighing slightly. "Then you don't know who he was?"

"I knew him. He died when I was young. I never rather liked him." Nike paused for a moment before saying, "You are going to be the King then, Gregor?"

"It's looking that way, yeah."

"Hmmm."

"I do not even know how to be a king," he mumbled then. "Or what the ceremony entails."

"You were at Luxa's crowning, were you not?"

"Yes, of course, but I meant the marriage ceremony. I have never been invited to an actual wedding. I've been to some parties afterwards, the receptions, but-"

"You must hold your hand over an open flame and repeated the long lost words of Sandwich."

"What?"

She laughed again. "I am kidding. Of course it is much like your ceremony, Gregor, I am sure. You just say some vows, commitment vows, and agree to join your lives together. Then, as you are marrying into royalty, you shall go through your coronation right after.

"It is usually done in the throne room, both parts, as everyone comes to see such a thing. However, I am sure Luxa will wish for the wedding to take place privately first, as not to cause too much controversy. Your crowning must happen in the throne room, however, else too much suspicion will be raised."

"Hmmm." Gregor thought for a moment before saying, "Rings are not custom here."

"Not frequently. The lowborn would never waste coins on such a thing. Is it custom for you?"

"In the Overland? Oh, yeah. Big freaking deal," he said, nodding his head. "You have to get diamonds, which cost a ton. And that's just for an engagement ring."

"It is my understanding that it was a thing in the Underland for the humans as well, for a short time. I am sure the tradition just died out. It seems rather foolish. As if you are showing ownership."

"God, please don't tell that to Luxa," Gregor sighed. "Then I'll have to hear about how I don't own her and all that crap. Ugh."

"Are you going to get her one then?"

"No. I don't know. Maybe. She has so much jewelry as it is. I do not see it as being that special to her. Just waste me money."

"You will be funded by the Regalian bank now, Overlander," Nike reminded him. "Your wage will mean nothing. You could completely run them dry of money. You won't, of course, but you could." She laughed again. "And with your gambling addiction, I am sure this will please you."

He only shook his head. "I'm going to have to give up my job as general, aren't I?"

"You will not need it any longer. You will control the generals. That one you do not like, Barrett? You can do as you wish to him."

"No, I can't. Luxa would never let me touch him." Gregor frowned at the way that sounded. "You don't think that she would ever…cheat on me, do you?"

"Hmmm." Nike did not answer immediately which only lowered Gregor's mood. "I think that the two of you have had more stale periods than most and she has not. So-"

"How do I know though? There's been times when she's completely hated me. How do I even know that this is my kid?"

"…Why do you insist on having serious conversations with me when I merely wished to talk about fanciful things? Like your wedding? And the cake at your wedding? And…no, mostly the cake at the wedding?"

That made him smile slightly as he patted her head. It was so dark, as he traveled with no torch, that he clicked slightly to be sure he got her between the ears. "Sorry, Nike. I'm just…I dunno. All my other friends like Luxa more than me, I guess. Or at least are more loyal to her than I."

"And you think I am not?"

"Nike-"

"You are not nearly as moody, which is always a plus," she told him then. "And Gregor, if there was even a chance this was not your child, Luxa would not be going through this ruse. If it was Barrett's, then things would have been much less complex for her. She could have married him without fail and just told you to live with it or leave. And knowing you, you would have gone to the Fount to sulk and then came back to be her dirty secret again."

He frowned then. "I would not have. Why would you-"

"Sometimes it takes a friend to tell you the truth, Gregor," she reasoned with him. "Not to mention, Overlander, I do not know this Barrett well, but I assume if he were to really be engaging in any sort of activity with Luxa, he would be unable to hide it from you. He would wish to throw it back at you. He is not. That is why he is so jealous of you and your accomplishments."

He let that sink in for awhile before shaking his head slightly and giving up on the conversation. Instead he asked her, "How familiar are you with that spot on the map? I cannot read a map in the dark, unfortunately. Do you know for certain the location?"

"Of course. I have a very good memory, Gregor."

"Right. Sure."

"You know, Gregor, I could dump you off my back right now and drop you into the waterway, tell Luxa that some gnawers killed you, and be done with you right now."

"And lose your best friend?"

"I am sorry. I do not see Luxa around."

He laughed at that before shaking his head. "You know that you would pick me over her any day."

"Aye," Nike sighed. "I believe it to be my greatest flaw."