Gregor the Overlander and the Return of The Warrior

Beginnings

The party didn't last much longer after Marcellus' departure. It was clear the tole this took on Luxa and while everyone was excited for Gregor's return, they figured there would be better times to catch up. As Luxa and Gregor made their way back to the Royal wing of the palace, Luxa held onto Gregor tighter and tighter. Once they made it back to her bedroom it was clear that she could no longer keep her facade up. As soon as they were in the privacy of her room she broke down. She fell into Gregor's arms and started crying. Gregor carried her into bed and laid beside her; he didn't say anything, he just rubbed her back and whispered in her ear about how much he loved her. In the dark room, Gregor eventually let his echolocation to take stock of everything around them and came to a startling realization. Luxa was smiling as she cried. Gregor pulled away and looked at her, Luxa opened her eyes and said 5 words that they had dreamed about for 4 years, "We can finally be together."

Ever since dinner Gregor hadn't even thought about it, he'd been to worried about Luxa. There was nothing stopping them from being together. They weren't the 12 year old kids who didn't know if the other would be alive the next time they saw each other, they weren't separated by 800 miles that might have been an entire universe. She no longer was engaged...

By the time Gregor had realized all of this, Luxa was asleep on his chest. He couldn't help to admire her. The girl he had dreamed about being with for years, the one thing from the Underland that he never wanted to forget. He brushed a stray stand of hair out of her face and Luxa smiled in her sleep. He could have laid there and stared at her forever, but eventually he succumb to his tiredness and fell into a dreamless sleep. 

When he woke up he begin to panic, he didn't remember falling asleep or where he was at first. His quickened breathe light up the room with he echolocation skills. Everything came back to him when he felt the comforting presence of Luxa asleep on his chest. Gregor's breathe returned to normal and his body relaxed as he tightened his arms around the beautiful girl in bed next to him. 

Just as Gregor began to drift off to sleep the curtains parted and Ripred stuck his snout in. Once he saw Gregor his demeanor tightened up. "Gregor, we need to talk," he said in a low, even tone

Coming from almost anyone else, Gregor would have dismissed. But if Ripred comes to get you, you go. Something about how the big rat was acting worried Gregor. Ripred's normal laid back stature was gone; he had only seen Ripred like this before a battle. This instantly put Gregor on edge, he wish he had a sword with him. Ripred led him down a dark corridor out of the royal wing towards the high hall. Gregor's questions were met with stony silence. Once they got to the high hall Gregor realized what was happening.

Vikus, Howard, and Ripred formed a half circle in front of him. Gregor eyed the three wearily, he knew what this was about. Luxa. "Take a seat Gregor," Vikus calmly instructed him gesturing to 3 chairs behind him. 

"I'd rather stand," Gregor replied. He figured if worst came to worst he'd need to be able to defend himself and with Ripred there, doing that sitting down would be impossible. 

"Sit Overlander," Ripred said forcefully behind him. Well that settles it, he sat down quickly. If this meeting went as expected, he didn't want to mess with an already upset rat. As the others sat down, Gregor was wishing he still had his clothes. He always kept the picture he and Luxa took in the museum all those years ago and he would tap on it from outside his pocket when he got nervous. But he fell back on his other nervous habit, 3 quick taps. Once his family moved to Virginia, Gregor started having these nervous twitches. Whenever he though of Luxa all he could think of is I love you, so one tap for every word. The group sat in silence for what felt like and eternity; Vikus, Howard and Ripred staring at Gregor as he nervously tapped his leg.

Eventually, Howard broke the silence. "I'm guessing you can figure out why you're here Gregor. But you don't need to be scared." 

Ya right Gregor though, his gaze nervously shifted between the 3 of them. "Can we get this over with then? Yada yada you can't date Luxa, blah blah you need to leave her alone whatever, " Gregor said in a voice so confident it surprised even him. 

The three looked at him in shock before Vikus chuckled. Gregor looked at him like he was crazy, maybe the stroke effected his brain more than Gregor knew. "This is actually about quite the contrary Gregor. We wanted to give you our blessings to be with Luxa," Vikus' calm words washed over Gregor. There was nothing to stop him from being with her, really nothing. As he though back on the night before he realized he never even considered this. He was so happy Marcellus was gone that he figured everyone else would be ok with it. 

Gregor was ripped from his thoughts by Ripred's cold voice, "But, just because we are saying this now doesn't mean it cannot change. Trust me, if you hurt my bond there is no where, under or over, that you can hide from my wrath. And no amount of weapons or fighting or your pesky little rager side will be able to stop me from tearing you limb from limb." 

"Understood; but trust me, if I hurt her you'll have to wait for her to be finished with me before you get your chance," Gregor countered with a twinge of fear and humor in his voice. Vikus and Howard just laughed as Ripred seemed to consider the idea. "Is that all you brought me here for?" Gregor finally asked. 

Vikus nodded. "Well and this," the old man said handing Gregor a picture. It was the one of him and Luxa in the museum. "Along with that, the clothes waiting for you will have... oh what do you call them, pockets in them tomorrow so you can keep it on you."

Gregor looked up and started to thank him. He was cut off by Vikus raising his hand up, "No need my boy. There is no one that is more worthy for my granddaughter."

Without another word, Vikus and Howard got up and left, Howard shaking Gregor's hand on his way out. This left just Ripred and Gregor. As Gregor got up, something smacked into his head. He realized it was the rat's tail. "Hey! What was that for?" Gregor yelled at the rat.

"To show that I can still beat you whenever I want," the rager said tauntingly, with what Gregor could only assume was a smirk on his face, "C'mon, lets get you back to your precious queen."

The pair walked back in silence and when they got to Luxa's room Ripred just walked off into another room without another word. As strange as it was, Gregor brushed it off and walked back in to find Luxa in a panic. He ran over to the bed to make sure she was ok. As soon as she saw him, she started to calm down. "Gregor, where have you been!? I thought you left me again," Luxa said though tears as she held onto Gregor

Gregor pulled her into his lap and held her tight, "No no no. I am never leaving Luxa. Ripred just had some stuff he wanted to talk to me about. I'm sorry I scared you my love." He hadn't even thought about her and if she woke up when he was gone. 

They sat in silence; Gregor holding Luxa and playing with her hair as Luxa kept calming down. Eventually her breathe started to even out and Gregor knew she was asleep. He carefully laid back in the bed and tucked Luxa in next to him. Gregor tried to sleep, but he couldn't. His mind was still racing from his conversation with Vikus, Howard and Ripred. 

Vikus said he was worthy of her, which honestly came as a surprise to him, but Ripred clearly didn't want the two of them together. Or maybe he did; the rat was so hard to read clearly. He seemed like he didn't like it but didn't want to fight Vikus on it so he didn't object. Then there was Howard. He hadn't said a word, besides starting it off he hadn't commented on him being able to be with her or on how much pain he would be caused if he hurt her. Howard had never really endorsed their relationship in the beginning of the war. But by the end, he seemed to have accepted it was happening. So what was he thinking now?

Gregor let all these thought tumble though his head till he eventually was overcome with his tiredness and he fell asleep.