12

"Your company risks trespassing." It talked. Gregor could not believe it talked. "Definitely not like the twisters," he thought. He could see the others looked shocked by its voice, which seemed to whisper, slithering over the S's. Luxa's face remained calm, and she spoke up first.

"I am Queen Luxa of Regalia. We are new here, and mean no harm. We have no intention of trespassing."

"Indeed. It would be unwise," the serpent replied. "Yet here you are, at the edge of our jungle, insssulting us. Insssults can lead to conflict" So the heat was from a jungle. Gregor did not like the emphasis the serpent was giving 'insult.'

"How do we insult you?" Luxa asks, her voice remaining strong.

"You come to our lands, yet ignore out ways. A declaration of war?" This was dangerous. These snakes saw the slightest insult as a declaration of war.

"We have our own ways. How do they conflict with your own?"

"Your males. They are… indecent." Gregor was confused now.

"They're like the twisters," Lapblood explained in a low voice. "Female dominated. Truly inspiring, but it may be troublesome now."

"The flier is mated. You have done well," the serpent nods in approval to Hector and Hippolyta. "But these humans. Unmated. We shall eat them." Gregor exchanges a very nervous look with Howard.

"We were unaware of your customs, as you are of our own," Luxa says quickly. "We can come to some agreement."

"Perhaps. In the future. But as to you tread so closely to our land with no invitation, we expect you to abide by our laws. Anything else would be an attack on our ways" Luxa is thinking.

"The Overlander. He is unworthy to… mate… in the Underland. Therefore, he is my servant. My personal guard. Does this not sit well with your customs?" Luxa asks. The serpent considers this.

"Servant. Yes. If a male is unworthy, this is indeed an excellent position for him." Gregor cannot help but feel annoyed with being called an unworthy servant, but he decides it is smarter to keep his mouth shut.

"And Howard," Luxa continues, nodding to her cousin. "He is my cousin, of noble blood (Not quite true, Gregor thinks)… he is highly regarded in our home."

"Then you have failed him by not giving him to a female. Then you parade him before the queen. Insssulting. We shall eat him." Luxa flinches when she realizes she is talking to the queen.

"Luxa," Howard hisses. Nike steps behind him protectively.

"Do not attack," she whispers back. "We cannot risk provoking them. It may lead to war."

"They wish to eat me, Luxa."

"We must find a way to fit you into their customs." The serpent's jaw begins to unhinge, and Gregor's stomach twists. The other serpents follow suit, and soon they are all staring at the party with horrifying, gaping mouths, light glinting off their fangs. Gregor can see Luxa thinking hard, and he is thinking to. Either they let the snakes eat Howard to avoid insulting their culture and staring a war, or they attack to save Howard and most likely cause a war. Just then Wynnora steps forward.

"And who said he wasn't married?" she yells. "Er. I mean mated." She puts her hands on her hips, and stares serpent right in its face. "He is my mate… I mean. Husband." Everyone looks at her in confusion, including the serpent. It begins to crack its jaw back into place, and Gregor sees everyone flinch at the sight, and worse, the sound.

"Do not lie to us, human. It is an isssult. We can smell no connection between you and the male."

"Oh, and just how much experience do you have with humans?" Gregor hears Lapblood cheer her on in a whisper. The snake looks uncertain.

"The last travelers through the tunnel were human."

"And one group of humans makes you an expert. We're married, meaning mated. He's mine." Now it is Gregor's party that stares with gaping mouths.

"Show us proof." Wynnora's face only falters a brief moment.

"Proof? What do you want us to do? Consummate our. Uh. Union. Right here? I don't know what you do in the jungle, but in Regalia we save that for the bedroom." The Underlanders are covered in a deep blush, but Lapblood burst into laughter. The serpent ignores her.

"The last humans had many ways of showing mated pairs. Show proof, or we shall eat him." Wynnora did not hesitate. She just turns around, grabs Howard, and kisses him. Not just a nice, little kiss, but borderline make out. Gregor and Luxa just stare, and Gregor swore he would punch Howard because he was actually kissing her back. Then just as quickly, Wynnora pushes Howard away hard, and turns back to the serpent. She put her hand back on her hips, and watches as the snake licks the air.

"I am impresssssed," she said. "You have excellent control over your mate." Wynnora smiles proudly.

"Thank you, I try." More laughter from Lapblood.

"And I do smell the union now." That was it. Gregor was going to punch Howard. The serpent turned back to Luxa. "You handle your males excellently. They know their place well. Know that our territory begins in this tunnel. Do not enter uninvited. If you pass this tunnel again, we will be willing to discuss customs and agreements with your people." The snake did not wait for a reply, and slithered away. After a few minutes, Luxa turned her fury onto Wynnora.

"Why would you do such a thing? Are you mad?" She went on and on, and Wynnora yelled back. She said there was no other choice. Lapblood continued laughing, and Nike joined in. Howard still stood in shock.

"I will need Howard later for negotiations with this new race. What will happen when he has no Overlander wife?" Luxa yells.

"I don't know. Make something up."

"I have a better idea," Luxa says with an evil smile.

"Luxa, do not-" Howard begins.

"By the power vested in me by the people of Regalia," she says, raising her chin triumphantly, "I now pronounce you husband and wife." Lapblood laughs so hard she rolls on the ground. Now Gregor is mad. They are yelling at each other, fliers included. Can she do that? Yes. Officially? Yes. There are witnesses. Take it back. Never. This is not funny. It was not a joke.

"Fine!" Wynnora yells. "We're married! Happy?" She stares at Luxa with a wicked smile. "Now if you do not mind," she continues sweetly, "someone needs to take first watch. As Howard and I are newlyweds, we will be a bit busy tonight." Howard faints.

"Stop torturing my cousin so," Luxa tells Wynnora. "You are divorced."

"Annulled," Wynnora insists.

"Your marriage is officially annulled by the Queen of Regalia," Luxa says, and tries to revive her cousin. Gregor feels pretty faint himself. Lapblood is trying to stop laughing.

"Good," Wynnora says. "Now we should probably move on."