Gregor the Overlander and the Ghost of War

Chapter 9

Gregor woke with Luxa cradled against his chest. He smiled down at her, feeling like the luckiest guy in the world. How awesome was it that his girlfriend was the queen of an underground civilisation?

Luxa stirred and looked up at Gregor. Gregor smiled. "Hey you." Luxa smiled back. "Hey you." They just lay there for a while, looking at each other. Then Gregor stretched and sat up. "So what time's breakfast?" Luxa laughed, leapt out of bed, and threw open the curtains. For a second Gregor was confused when morning sunlight didn't enter the room, then he remembered where he was. "Whenever we wish. I am royalty, after all," she said haughtily, then broke character with a laugh. "I think I will take a... how do you say it, a day off?" Gregor nodded. "Yes, today I will take a day off from being queen so I may show you what Regalia does for enrichment." Gregor brightened at the idea. "Yeah, I guess we were too busy to have fun when I was here last. You know, fulfilling prophecies and such." "Yes, and battling legendary monsters," Luxa agreed. "One does become bored after battling their tenth white rat." Gregor keeled over with laughter. It felt good to laugh again.

"We will gather breakfast from the kitchens," Luxa thought aloud. "So to have as much time as possible to show you around. Have you yet spoken with Howard?" Gregor shook his head. "No, I was hoping to today. And Ripred, too. Lizzie gave me a gift to give him. Oh, and I have to tell Dulcet, Hazard, and Temp 'Hi' from Boots." "And how are the Princesses?" Luxa asked with a smile.

"Boots is her same bubbly self, except she's seven now. And Lizzie, well, she's still shy." Luxa nodded. "Well, let the day begin!"

After the two had gotten changed and Gregor had retrieved Ripred's gift from the floor, Luxa lead Gregor a short way to the kitchen. He had never actually been there before; the servants had always brought their food out to them.

"Princess Luxa!" Someone who looked like the head chef exclaimed. "What brings you here?" Then the woman saw Gregor, and her eyes widened. "The Overlander! Oh, such an honour this is!" She bowed deeply, and Luxa suppressed laughter at Gregor's obvious discomfort. "Just, uh, call me Gregor," he mumbled sheepishly. "Alennia, have a small breakfast basket readied," Luxa said with a smile at Gregor. "I am taking a day off of queening today." Alennia nodded, and in less than a minute she had prepared a delicious smelling basket of pastries, meat, and strange looking fruits. She presented it to Luxa, and the two thanked her before heading to the hospital to find Howard.

On the way there, Gregor stopped by the nursery to see Dulcet. When he saw the nanny, he immediately ran to embrace her. If not for Dulcet, who knows what he would've done with Boots. "Hey, Dulcet, it's good to see you!" Dulcet looked at him in amazement. "Gregor? You are so tall now!" Luxa laughed. "Everyone he has greeted has said the same, and is it not the truth?" Dulcet nodded. "And how fares the baby Boots?" "Oh yeah, she says 'hi' by the way. She's a lot bigger now, almost eight. She still calls you Dulcie, too; you were one of her favourite people here." Dulcet smiled. "It is a shame she could not come down here as well. Well, tell her I miss her greatly – I must return to the nursery." They said goodbye and continued down to the hospital.

When they reached the lower level of the palace, Gregor didn't realize he was in the hospital before a doctor came up to them and asked if they required anything. He wasn't used to seeing so few people there – the last time he had been in the hospital was during the war, where every room was literally overflowing with the injured and dying. The isolation rooms, built behind glass windows, were empty, much to Gregor's relief. So the Plague really was gone for good.

Luxa and Gregor approached two doctors talking about something on a clipboard one was holding. When the conversation ended and the doctor with the clipboard walked away, the other turned to face Gregor.

"Howard!" Gregor exclaimed, and hugged Howard tightly. "Gregor!" Howard laughed in delight. "It is wonderful seeing you! How long has it been?" "Four years," Gregor said with a smile. "In such a short time you have almost outgrown me!" Howard exclaimed. "And how fares your mother?" "She's completely recovered from the Plague," Gregor said with a grateful smile. "Excellent," Howard said approvingly. "That is very good. And how fare you?" Gregor's smile faded as he remembered his most recent nightmare. "I'm okay. Actually, I was wondering if you could give me some of that medicine you gave Luxa? You know, for nightmares?" Howard nodded immediately. "Of course. Follow me."