Underland Chronicles: 1 - The Border's Edge (A Gregor the Overlander FanFic)

Chapter 2

The next time Pandora opened her eyes, she was lying in a bed in a very neat, white room. The bed and a table next to it were the only furniture. A glass of water rested on the table; Pandora reached over and held it up to her lips. She drank half of it before putting it down again, not realizing how thirsty she was.

Sitting up, she noticed that she had changed clothes -- her jeans and white t-shirt were replaced with some sort of slacks and a blue tunic. Strappy sandals were on her feet. She pulled the covers off, too hot to keep them on.

It wasn't long before someone entered the room. He seemed surprised to find her awake. His presence made Pandora suddenly wary. He was one of the strange humans with the pale skin and violet eyes, although his eyes weren't anything like the eyes she saw before. His were open and gentle, instead of cold and calculating. She opened her mouth to start a torrent of questions but didn't get any one of them out.

"Do not worry. You are in the hospital of Regalia; and you've only been asleep for about one hour," he said. "I am called Howard, and you are?"

"Pandora," she said. A strange expression passed on Howard's face, almost like a grimace of pain, but it passed quickly, being replaced by a smile. "Where is Regalia?"

"Well, to an Overlander like you, it is directly underneath the city of New York. We call this land the Underland."

Pandora's mind raced at the strange words, trying to comprehend what kind of world she accidentally fell into. "I have heard the term Overlander before, but I don't remember where."

"That does not surprise me. You fainted back at the arena," he pursed his lips as if to say something more, but he seemed to think better of it.

She remembered that big, bright field and all the creatures she found there. "All those... animals. What...? Will they...?" Pandora couldn't seem to form the right question.

"I suppose you are referring to our fellow Underland creatures. They will not hurt you, so do not worry about that."

"Are you sure?" she asked giving him an incredulous look.

Howard laughed. "I am perfectly sure. Now, I am sure you are hungry." As if to agree with him, her stomach growled. "Are you well enough to come and dine? There is a group of people waiting to meet you."

"Yes, I feel fine." She swung her feet over the side of the bed, politely declining Howard's help when he walked over to the bedside. Pandora followed him out of the room and down a hallway.

It was a hospital -- people occasionally passed them, some carrying equipment and all looking busy. They weren't wearing uniforms, but Pandora guessed they were doctors and nurses. Howard guided Pandora up several flights of stairs. "My cousin, Queen Luxa, requested for a feast to be held in your honor. Remember her, from the arena?"

"I'm sure if I saw her, I would remember," Pandora answered, slightly frowning at that she had quickly become the center of attention. She absolutely hated it; it made her feel like everyone was studying her from under a microscope. After ascending two flights of stairs, they came to a landing that opened to a vast room.

The room wasn't like the hospital at all; it was elegant and had many furnishings. Everything had a royal air to it. Surprised by the sudden change, Pandora said, "I thought we were in the hospital."

Howard chuckled, "The hospital is located on one of the many floors of the palace. Each floor has a different function."

An older man slouched on a plush couch, holding a cane in his left hand. When he saw them come in, he looked up and smiled warmly. So warmly in fact, Pandora found herself smiling back.