The Living Dead

Chapter 11

He spent a few days in the hospital before being released on strict instructions of not doing anything too arduous. Gregor thought it was a silly instruction, as he had no doubt that he would immediately head back to the Dead Lands to investigate.

Luxa had other plans.

"Luxa-"

"You were released to me, Overlander. That means you are going to be with me at all times. You are not going anywhere."

"Then why do I even have to get out of bed? I mean, honestly? It's not even-"

"Because the second I left, you would go and get yourself someone to take you back to the Dead Lands to be killed. Now get up."

He had only been released the afternoon before, in which Luxa made him stay on the couch in the sitting room, even making him eat dinner in there. It was beyond annoying, but he played into her because he really wasn't feeling too hot at that point. He could use a few hours of rest.

And he had had them. Now he was prepared to go back out and find out who the heck attacked him.

"Luxa," he whined then, shifting in her bed. Their bed. Soon. "I'm still tired."

"I have been up for hours. I have already taken Zander to the nursery even. I must get to the war room soon. Get up."

"But-"

"We're bathing."

That intrigued him slightly, enough to push himself up. "Together?"

She only glanced back at him. "It is the plan. Come."

Well, with an incentive…

In the back part of the royal wing, there was a small bathing area. It was too risky for Gregor to hangout in there very often, as he couldn't very well come out off the royal wing with wet hair at the end of the night, could he?

Still, sometimes Luxa would allow him to bathe with her there. Very rarely. This was also due to the fact that Luxa usually wished to be alone then and rarely saw anything sexual behind the idea of it. Since Hazard had been gone, however, and they were more or less alone in the royal wing, it had begun happening more often. It had been a few weeks though.

"In the coming days, you shall not need an invitation," Luxa was telling Gregor when they got there. It was truly just a slightly larger than usual room with a free-flowing pool in the center. Though he did not like the idea of bath time in general, Zander rather enjoyed it once he was swimming around in there. "This shall all be yours as well."

He only grinned at her slightly before reaching up to run a hand over his hair, only to remember that it was wrapped for the time being. Sigh.

"Hands," Luxa ordered, holding out her own as they stood there, the only other sound being the water swooshing around. When he gave her his, she began to unwrap the binds. He could see she already had some gauze over in the corner, next to their clothes for the day, no doubt planning to rewrap them when they were done. She was in a caring mood.

"You guys pipe system interests me," Gregor mentioned to her then, just trying to find something to talk about. He always kind of felt awkward when Luxa was fretting over his wounds. It was just so out of character. "The Romans were able to build a sewage system. I'm sure that's what this place is based off. In school they told us-"

"Gregor."

"Hmmm?"

"Shut up."

That made him smile while she only continued to tend to his binds. Once those were completely off, she reached out to grab the hem of his shirt and pull it off.

"We must be careful with your head. Would not want to do it anymore damage." She stared him in the eyes. "I doubt you have very many more cells in there, after all."

"Ha ha."

She sat in his lap when they were finally in the water, clearly planning on being there awhile. He thought of reminding her of the fact that she herself said they needed to get to the war room soon, but then remembered that he didn't care. He really didn't. Recently the only things that going there brought were annoyances. He deserved a chance to relax. The water felt good on his tired muscles.

The water was not as high in the royal wing as it was in the public baths. It was clear that the one in the royal wing was meant for more recreational use, should the time call for it, than the public one, as that was used strictly for it's purpose.

"You're gonna have to cut this all off soon," Gregor mumbled softly to Luxa when he ran a hand through the back of her hair, tangling it up. "War and all."

She shifted when he kissed the back of her neck, tensing slightly. "Not before the wedding."

"About that," he began slowly before saying, "Nike told me that you'd probably want it to be private."

"I have not given it much thought, really. I am more concerned with your crowning than anything else." She relaxed against him again. "And of course the child."

"Of course." He moved his hand then, reaching around her to rest it against her stomach.

"The ceremony though would not be that serious of a problem. Someone of high standing shall oversee, you shall say the oath-"

"What exactly is the oath?"

She ignored him. "-and I shall repeat. It is not entirely different than a bonding ceremony, I suppose."

"You'll look prettier, huh? Wear a dress?"

That usually would have gotten him an elbow to the stomach, but she only rolled her eyes.

"I would not wish to, but I must for the coronation, so I might as well." She groaned then. "And your mother will be there, I am certain."

"I'm not," he said with a sigh. "She's not exactly on board with this whole thing."

"How delightful."

"Luxa-"

"I was being kind. That is a kind thing to say. Those are kind words. Delight is a kind-"

"Anyways," he began again. "Lizzie and Boots are on winter break by now. Not for much longer, I wouldn't guess. Maybe a week or so."

"They may come," she said indifferently. "If they wish."

He leaned his head back, over the side of the tub, closing his eyes. "Being married's gonna rock."

"Rock?"

"Be cool. Good. Whatever." He tightened his grip on her. "We can hangout whenever, I can fuck you whenever, we'll take bathes every morning together-"

"I am agreeing to none of this. Being married to me shall be horrible for you." She shifted back against him. "I swear it."

"Ah. Great. Perfect even. Just like the rest of my existence." He smiled slightly. "Won't have to get used to a single thing."

"At times I find it was better for you, Gregor, when you were a guard." Mareth grinned at him. "At least you had a helmet in those days."

"You're funny, Mareth. Far too funny to be a general. Do not be too upset when I make you my jester."

He grinned at him then. "And should I bow to you then now? Should I call you your grace? Your highness?"

Luxa, who was walking in behind Gregor, only shook her head slightly. "No, but you should be doing so for me. You should always have been doing so for me. Now that the Overlander is going to be royalty, it is silly for him to be doing things for me. So one of you two are going to have to pick up the slack."

"Well, we already know for certain who that shall be," Mareth remarked as Barrett, who was standing in the room as well, moved to pull Luxa's chair out for her. She started to shake her head and tell him no, but then she glanced at Gregor. He would never admit to being in pain and actually sit. She would have to feign exhaustion from the pregnancy again and bite the bullet for him. Look weak for him.

And Gregor says she never does anything kind for him.

"We shall all be seated," she commanded then. "And where is my army head then?"

"Who knows?" Mareth grumbled, pulling out his own chair and taking a seat. "She's been running around, dealing with scouts and such since Gregor was attacked. She believes the story he has spun."

Gregor frowned at that. "It is not just something I have spun. I saw a gnawer and a human teamed up together. They used my shock to trick me and try to kill me."

"They did not try to kill you," Luxa told him as she went to take her seat. "If they were trying to kill you, they would have when they had the chance. Instead, they left you for dead for a reason. Unconscious. They had to have known you were still breathing. The point was to keep you alive. Though I do not know why."

"Because if the Overlander was left for dead there, you would have issued a mass search."

They all looked up as Perdita came into the room, Kent faithfully behind her, carrying a few scrolls. He looked happy though, following so closely behind her that he almost ran into her when she came to a sudden stop.

"If that had happened, Luxa," Perdita went on as she stood there, looking at the four of them as if she had just cracked some sort of code or something. Figuring things out was always a huge victory for her though and since she had so few enjoyments in life, very few took it from her. "You would have discovered what was going on. They needed Gregor incapacitated so they could get away, but they did not want him to die out there. So they left him, figuring that whoever was with him would come get him. It's rare that we send generals out on their own, though I blame you for that decision-"

"Perdita," Luxa warned to which she bowed her head. Gregor only grinned slightly, settling into his seat.

"Here that, Lux?" Gregor smiled at her slightly. "Perdita blames you too."

"I-I did not say that," Perdita said, frowning at him. Luxa only held her head higher.

"Believe me, your opinion has little affect on me regardless," the Queen assured the other woman.

"I care about your opinion," Kent assured her to which Perdita only shook her head.

"What did I say, Kent?" she asked, glancing at him. "You are to be seen, not heard. You are nothing more than a-"

"Give the kid a break, Perdita," Barrett said then, smiling at her though it was hallow. "He's just trying to…butter you up. Eh, Trent?"

"Kent," the teen growled, glowering over at the older man.

Perdita was already putting it all behind her, however, as she just headed over to the table. Mareth, who always sat on one side of her, moved to pull out her chair. Rushing over, Kent beat him to it, causing Mareth to glare at him. Perdita either didn't notice either of them or just didn't care, as she took her seat without acknowledging either.

Kent sat her scrolls in front of her before going to stand in the corner. As Gregor had not been to any meetings since getting back, this made him frown.

"Come on, guys," he complained. "You can't even get a chair for him? Seriously?"

Luxa frowned at him. "Where would we put it?"

"Where did you put it when Helix was here, Luxa? Or Namus? Seriously?" He shook his head before looking to Kent. "Go find a chair, buddy. You can sit with us. God, guys, really?"

Kent waited for Perdita to nod at him before he left the room. Then Mareth only took to glaring at Gregor.

"He has no standing, Gregor. Helix and Namus did. He-"

"All of us were nothing once," Barrett reminded him. "Tell me, you ever miss the orphanage, Mareth? When even your parents did not want you?"

Mareth started to stand then, but Perdita reached over to grab his arm, though she kept her eyes glaring at Barrett. Luxa only groaned.

"That will be all for today, General," she finally sighed, shaking her head at him. "And we will discuss appropriate comments on the morrow. Leave."

"What?" Barrett glared at her then. "He says worse to me constantly. When they speak ill of the Fount, ill of my upbringing, you-"

"That will be all, General." Luxa lowered her voice then as she said, "Do not make me say it again, Barrett."

Kent was coming back into the room then, carrying a chair in his hands. Gregor thought that he'd just put it on the other side of the table, where there were no chairs. Instead, he went to squeeze it between Mareth and Perdita.

The boy was a brat, but he was an intelligent brat.

"What are you doing?" Mareth grumbled as Barrett stormed off. "Kid-"

"I have to sit next to Perdita," he explained. "I am her assistant, after all."

"Kent, go sit in Barrett's spot and put the chair off to the side," Luxa said with a shake of her head.

"We will have to change seat positions soon enough though, huh? Don't I get to sit in the center now? Because a king outweighs a queen?"

Luxa pinched Gregor for that one, her apparent form of attack when she couldn't hit him. "Quiet, Overlander."

Kent frowned, but did as Luxa told him, though when Perdita glanced at him, he sat up to attention in his seat. She only shook her head before reminding him, "Seen not heard."

Mareth was still grumbling though, clearly put out on both ends for the day. "I do not even know why he must be in here."

"He is her assistant," Luxa said. "You know this."

"It was Barrett's idea," Perdita told him softly. "I told you, Mareth, like how Solovet-"

"If you start talking about that woman, Perdita, I will walk out and go to the Fount and never come back."

She rolled her eyes at that, but did reach over to pat Mareth on the shoulder. Gregor figured she was still feeling badly about how Barrett behaved, not Kent. Kent was just embarrassing to her.

"As you were saying then, Perdita?" Luxa finally began, wanting to get the meeting back on track. Honestly, Gregor was never expecting much to get done during the meetings. They always seemed to be too easily derailed.

Perdita nodded then before saying, "I do not remember exactly what I was saying when we were distracted, but my entire point was that they did not want us in that portion of the Dead Lands. They did not want us lurking around. So they had to get the Overlander out of there without letting him know who they were. So they knocked him unconscious without knowing about how frequently he gains head wounds. It was worse than they expected. He was truly injured. When he awoke, disoriented and out of it, they were long gone, thinking they had completed their job."

"But what could a gnawer and a human possibly be doing together?" Mareth shook his head. "It makes no-"

"Maybe it was the Reclaimer," Perdita suggested. "That would make sense."

"Who was the human, Perdita?" Mareth shook his head. "You two have latched onto this Reclaimer nonsense, the Overlander on the Living Dead. Why can we not just be at peace for once? Without a prophecy? Can we not just live for awhile?"

"Can we all live the way you live? No." Perdita sighed. "They clearly do not want us there, Mareth. What choice do we have but to go there and investigate?"

"Hmmm, how about not investigating?"

"If the two of you start bickering too, I will just close the meeting," Luxa warned. To Perdita, she said, "Have you found anything then? With the scouts you have out there?"

"Nothing. I think that the Overlander scared whoever it was into hiding." Perdita nodded at Kent then. "Grab the scroll we got from Brend and read it, yes?"

He was quick to stand and go grab the scroll before taking his seat again. The scroll gave out a very basic set of information, involving that specific scout discovering a nest for a gnawer along with the remains of a fire. They were assumed to be fresh, but abandoned. She staked them out for a day and got nothing from it. There would be more updates to follow.

"So we have a gnawer aligned with a human. Perhaps he is left over from the banished, yes? A rouge?" Mareth shook his head. "I do not think we should-"

"You are here to discuss with me, Mareth, but once the discussion is dead, do not try and tell me what to do. I am in charge of you." Perdita wasn't looking at him then. "Do remember it."

Mareth was about done for the day with that comment and shifted in his seat, setting his jaw. Luxa glanced at Gregor, but he only shook his head. He didn't want them to fight, but he also didn't want to get involved in their argument either.

"Anyways," Luxa finally said. "It does no harm if we have some scouts out there filtering around. Really, it-"

"I wanna go back," Gregor spoke up then. "I was the one that was able to find them before, so it is only reasonable to think that I will be the one that is able to find them again."

"No, Gregor," she sighed. "You are still healing. Not to mention, our wedding is next week. You are not leaving the capital."

He glared at her. "I'm going Luxa. They attacked me. If someone attacked you, I would have to chain you to keep from going after them."

"Hmmm. Locking you in the dungeon is a favorite pastime of mine."

"Especially when I am dying or have a serious head wound."

"Yes, well, how else am I supposed to make sure you stay down?"

Perdita shook her head then. "If the Overlander wishes to go, then he could be sent out with other men. Barrett can even go, Luxa, if it would make you feel better."

"Though the chance of them both being gone at once and both possibly being killed off does intrigue me, no," Luxa said with a frown. "And Gregor, do not think I will not chain you if I think that you are going to leave the castle for the Dead Lands. It never does any good for you. You always end up hurt when your return from it."

"Yeah, but I live, don't I?" he grumbled.

"Barely."

"There is no reason to put your life in danger, Gregor," Mareth told him, no doubt taking Luxa's side if only because it was opposite of Perdita's. "Especially for something that has no bearing on any of us."

"It has enough of a bearing on me. I think you guys are forgetting that they tried to kill me."

"Are you going to live off revenge then, Gregor?" Luxa shook her head. "It's not very becoming of a king."

"And being pregnant out of wedlock isn't very becoming of a queen, but you're still living, aren't you?"

There was no pinch that time. She literally hit Gregor in the arm. Kent was the only one who made a noise and it was just snickering.

"Domestic violence much, Lux?" Gregor rubbed his arm while glaring at her. "You know, I could completely call this whole thing off and make you out to be a slut to your entire realm."

He deserved that one just as much as the last, but it did annoy him that she had that uncanny ability to hit him in the same freaking spot every time. It was unnerving, really. Or rather nerve killing, as he was sure he lost not only a few blood cells, but also some nerve endings.

"One day, I'm going to backhand you," he growled as he rubbed his bruising arm. "And once I'm king, I'm pretty sure I can do whatever the fuck I want to you, so- Do not hit me again!"

"Then stop talking."

It was Perdita and Mareth's turn to share a look, and his turn to shake his head. They just needed to let the children play out their drama so they could get back to real business. As Gregor and Luxa continued to fight, he leaned over to ask her something. Gregor frowned at that, as he thought that they were fighting as well, while Luxa only hit him again.

"Luxa, I swear to God-"

"Your threats have no value on me."

"I will slap you."

"And I will kill you."

"-lunch with me today? I think that we need to…talk again," Mareth was saying to Perdita then who only nodded her head slightly.

"If you wish. I was not going to eat at the mess hall though. I-"

"That is fine. I can make you something, if that is the problem. You and your mother."

Kent, blocking out Gregor and his cousin then, looked over at Mareth and frowned. "Me too. I have to go with her everywhere, after all."

Mareth, who was still looking at Perdita, snorted. "What? Does he feed you too?"

Perdita made a face at that before looking off. "Perhaps you should eat alone, Mareth. Till you learn to curve your tongue. You have been rather rude, as of late. Professionally and personally."

"Me? I've been rude?" Mareth shook his head at her. "Maybe, Perdita, I am tired of you dragging some kid around-"

"He is not a kid, Mareth. He is going to be a soldier soon enough. He is just assisting me until-"

"What do you need him to do that I couldn't do?"

"Walk," Kent mumbled which got him a look from Perdita. Gregor, who was ignoring Luxa by that point as she was still going off on her little tantrum about…whatever it was that they were fighting over, made a face at the teen too.

"I have had enough of you, kid," Mareth growled as Perdita laid a hand on his arm again, sighing slightly. "You are not going to disrespect me, you little brat. I'll send you back to your mother and father in pieces before I allow you to do that."

"Yes, well, you would have to be able to stand for that to be possible, wouldn't you?"

"You little-"

"Meeting's over," Gregor announced then as he had to jump up to avoid being hit again. "Or at least it is for me and Kent. Come on, buddy, time to go."

"But-"

"Gregor, you come back here," Luxa said as she stood too. "You-"

"No way. This is pure abuse at this point. Okay, so I threatened to leave you and called you a slut. And? That is not the time to attack me. That is the time to sit me down and discuss our feelings."

"Gregor-"

"Kent and I have to go now," he said as the boy stood up, still glaring at Mareth. Patting the teen on the shoulder, he said, "Come on."

After they were out of the war room, Kent immediately asked, "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere that Mareth won't find you," Gregor told him before frowning at him. "Seriously, Kent, you need to leave Mareth alone. He-"

"While you were in the hospital, I saw how mean he is to her. He brings her out with him and then will blatantly spend time with another." Kent shook his head. "I am a far better suitor and-"

"Kent," Gregor sighed before glancing at him. "To begin with, they're not…courting or whatever. They're just friends. He teases her, yes, enough to make her mad, but she clearly enjoys it. She must if she keeps coming back for more, right?"

"Well-"

"And you're too young for her."

"I am not. I am an adult. I can-"

"She's old enough to be your mother."

"She is not as old as Mother."

"No, I mean…yes, Kent, she is not as old as Susannah. But she is old enough to be a mother towards you." Gregor glanced down at him as they walked along. "You are in Regalia. There are tons of young women that just wait around to be chosen by a young soldier. Why are you hung up on Perdita?"

"I do not like younger women," he said with a shake of his head. "They always wish to talk about their feelings and make you listen to their petty problems. As if I care about whether or not their father is making them do chores still or not. Like it matters to me whether or not they were able to get the new dress they want."

"Kent-"

"Hazard and I both resolved not to bother ourselves with them," he said. "When we were in the Fount. They are most boring and annoying. Hazard is going to get an in with the older women by owning them. Then, if things with Perdita do not work out-"

"They shall not," Gregor assured him.

"-he shall introduce me to some of his women."

Gregor shook his head then before saying slowly, "It is as I told Hazard, Kent. He shall not own any woman. Ever. That is a horrible way of putting it."

Kent just shrugged. "Okay. Then the women he employs. Do you like that better?"

"Well…yes, but he won't be employing anyone either," the older man added.

"Have you not heard of-"

"I have. And I assure you, that shall not be an acceptable career path for him. Even if I stay out of it, Luxa shall make sure it does not continue. It is a filthy job."

"Have you never…" He giggled then. "You've never gone to one before, have you?"

"Of course not," Gregor said, frowning down at him. "I am with your cousin. I-"

He laughed again. "Father says-"

"Your father has not been with another woman since he met your mother, so I do not know why-"

"Yes, but he says that that's because he had his fill before. He was a real man. He-"

"Kent, your father is a heavy drinker. I am certain when he told you all of this, he was drunk. Was he not?"

"Well…he is always drunk, so there's rarely a time we talk when he is sober."

"Then see? He would not say something like that in front of Susannah."

"So? She is just his wife. He is not afraid of her. She-"

"I assure you he very much is, but that is not the argument we are having right now."

"Father is not afraid of anything."

Crying. Gregor had seen that first hand.

"Anyways, Kent, the point is, Hazard's not going to…employs whores and you are not gong to be with Perdita." He shivered at the thought of the last one. "Why would you want to be?"

"What do you mean?"

Gregor glanced at him before slowly saying, "Perdita and I are friendly, fine, but…do you truly find her that attractive?"

That made Kent frown at him. "Yes. Of course. Do you not?"

"Well…" Gregor scratched the back of his neck. "She's kinda…reminds me of a guy, so-"

"She does not!"

"I didn't mean it in a bad way," Gregor told him, glancing around at the teen's outburst. They were alone in the hall though. "She's just…boyish, I guess. She's not…womanly. Like Luxa."

"Like Luxa's a prize."

"Hey-"

"Besides, Perdita is very mature. Like me."

"Like you," Gregor said slowly. "You're mature."

"Yes."

"You," he repeated dryly. "You're as matures as Perdita, the head of the military, who can resist smiling at the cutest child in the world or the funniest joke or even-"

"Yes. We're just as mature as one another." Kent looked up at Gregor. "Mareth is just a complication. One that it is my duty to solve. And solve him, I will."

"It is good to see you up and walking again, Overlander."

"That's actually what I wanted to see you about," Gregor said as he approached Nike and Aurora in the High Hall. They had both been gone all afternoon and he was afraid they were actually in the flier land, which kept him from going anywhere. "Both of you, I guess. I need you guys help with something."

"With what?" Aurora asked him.

"I need you to take me to the Dead-"

"Luxa already told us that we were not to take you anywhere. And she specified that the last place we are ever supposed to take you again is the Dead Lands," Aurora told him. "So tell me that you were not about to ask that."

"I am the King now, or have you not heard?"

"You are not yet," Nike reminded him. "And to us, you will not be the King. You will be a king."

"Not to mention, we will always fear Luxa more than you," Aurora added on. Gregor only gave her a look.

"You know as well as me that you will never fear Luxa."

"Either way, Nike and I both agree that you should not being going out anymore," Aurora told him then. "You are supposed to be resting."

"Your head is still wrapped," Nike pointed out.

"If you guys won't help, I'll just-"

"How did you get away from Luxa anyhow?" Nike asked. "I was under the assumption she was watching you."

"I was with her cousin, Kent, and when he had to go find Perdita again, I might have neglected to find Luxa."

"Then get to it, Overlander."

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, turning to walk away. Stupid Luxa, trying to keep him safe and whatever. How dare she think that she could control his life? It was ludicrous.

"Here you are, Gregor. I've been looking for you."

"Yeah, I figured," he grumbled as he came into the royal wing to find Luxa in the sitting room, Zander in her arms. She was trying to get him tired for his nap, no doubt. "What's wrong with Zander?"

"He's too whiny to take his nap."

"Why isn't he still in the nursery?"

"I was finished in the war room and thought that he would like to be with me." Luxa sighed as the toddler let out another whine. "But he is only proving to be annoying."

"Let me see him."

"Gregor-"

"I'm not that injured."

She handed over the child slowly, who took immediately to the man. Gregor only bounced him slightly, making Zander looking at him. Then, slowly, he smiled before snuggling closer.

"See?" Gregor grinned at Luxa who only made a face. "I'm a better father than you are mother."

"Hardly."

"Here you are, Overlander." Nerissa was coming into the room then, having to use the wall as support. Luxa made a face when she saw her before going to help her sit down. "I have been searching for you."

"Nerissa," Luxa scolded slightly. "I told you that every time you and Gregor get together, you only succeed in working one another up about something foolish. I told you that when he is feeling better and you are better that you could-"

"But I had to ask him about the plans he was supposed to set up for me."

"What plans?" Luxa looked to her fiancé then. "Gregor?"

He couldn't help it then though as he only stared at Nerissa, who was smiling back at him. He only gazed blankly back for a moment as he watched her face. Then, slowly, he fell back onto the couch behind him, Zander landing in his lap. Pressing a hand against his head, he closed his eyes tightly.

"God, I get it now," he grumbled, peeking an eye open. "Why I couldn't place that guy before. Until I saw you, Nerissa. Now-"

"What are you talking about?" Luxa moved away from her cousin then and over to Gregor. "Overlander? What's wrong?"

"My head hurts," he told her as he let go of Zander, who just crawled away, onto the other part of the couch. Curling up, he went right to sleep. "I just…when I saw Nerissa, it made me think of what happened. Before I blacked out, back there in the Dead Lands."

"Yes? What about it?" Luxa glanced at Nerissa, but she had no answers and was staring just as openly at the dead warrior. "Greg?"

He turned his head when she moved to cup his cheek before slowly saying, "I recognized the guy. The one that knocked me out."

"And Nerissa reminded you of him?" Luxa frowned. "What-"

"Because you look like him, Nerissa," Gregor said, opening his eyes again though his head was pounding. He wasn't sure if it was from the memory or the fact that he just realized how big of a headache he was about to have to deal with. "You look just like your brother. I saw Henry. He knocked me out."