"A Bandle Gunner never turns tail—unless it's to taunt you."~ Tristana, The Bandle Gunner
Quick update: I think I'll change the way the story continues for now. With the reveal of the new Darkin character and their lore.... Ionia is a must visit now. They have two Darkin hosts with sentience.
Though currently Kayn should be around 13-14 years old.
Which means I'll probably shorten the Ruined King arc and make it possible to flow into Ionia better.
Therefore new outline would be,
Targon(Mini arc)
Arcane S2
Ruination
Ionia
Shurima(Mini Arc)
Darkin War
Overall chapter length should still remain the same.
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"Gregori!" Eileen exclaimed scandalized.
He looked in her direction and shrugged. "Hey.... who am I to judge his preferences. As long as he is happy."
She snorted at the reply.
"You don't know what he wants!" Vale growled from her seat. "A king would desire someone of his stature. A queen."
Gregori turned to Alain, eyes widening, "Ah. So Jarvan tickles your fancy? But unfortunately I do not think he likes you the same way. Heard he's got a little something going on with someone magical." He turned toward Maer, "Well if you are worried about your blood continuing.... you shouldn't be. Minas has her children and lets not be counting Eileen out yet. She should be getting hitched soon enough." He raised an eyebrow at Eileen. "Fancy anyone?"
"NO!" She shot back.
The tone of the dinner had changed completely due to Gregori. What was supposed to be a somber affair turned into a comedic one. The set up for Gregori to fail had crumbled on itself. The servants that stood off to the side whose sole presence was to ensure bad word about Gregori got out..... they trembled with laughter, struggling to hold it in.
Currently it was Gregori that controlled the flow of the conversation and he was enjoying every single bit of it.
He hadn't seen that much red on a person that wasn't bleeding. Ever. And Alain seemed to be getting redder each passing moment.
Maer sat at the head of the table with clenched teeth, he forcefully shifted the topic of the conversation. "I heard of you killing that line of nobles in Noxus.... what was its name again?"
"Mallat." Gregori replied without hesitation.
"Though from our information.... it seems that the Mallat home was supposedly destroyed in a fire." Maer replied.
Gregori nodded. "You would find that dead people do not run from a burning home." He gave them an evil smile. "Quite a fascinating fact that one."
"How many members of the family left?" Maer pushed.
"None." He answered.
Maer smirked as he followed up. "Not even children?"
Gregori nodded, "Not even children."
Maer smile widened as he spoke, "I didn't take you to be that heartless.... attacking children? Not an ounce of honor in you."
Gregori's eyes sharpened as he shot back, "They killed my pregnant wife and took my daughter. There was no chance for mercy. Any who try something similar would face the same happen to them. Touch my family and I eradicate yours." He leaned forward. "That fear for your own family? That is the most effective thing and in the case that the attacker has no family? Well my weapons would find it fun to torture their souls for eternity."
With those words, Gregori had turned the situation set out to smear him as a merciless killer who took the lives of children to that of a man who avenged his family and threatened to do so as many times as it would take.
Maer's gaze dropped from being unable to match Gregori's own.
"But still, killing children is barbaric." Vale tried. "The innocent must be left out of combat."
Gregori nodded. "But a honorable battle has to have both sides follow the rules. Noxus attacks everything that lives. Age does not matter to them. And against them? It will not matter to me. If you do not follow the rules of battle.... why must I be expected to do the same?"
By this time, Gregori had realized that no food would be coming. And even if it did.... it would probably be poisoned. So he dropped all pretenses and pushed his chair away from the table. With the now, plenty room, he placed his feet up onto the dining table and fully leaned back.
The rules were there. A guest was expected to follow the rules of a dinner.
But without food being served..... it was no longer a dinner. Which meant that the guest was free to do what he wanted.
"How long do you plan to stay here?" Alain finally asked.
Gregori tilted his head to see Alain from behind his shoes. "If all goes well.... right after the battle. I would have left earlier but I'm being forced to participate due to my weapons." This wasn't some secret information. Nothing he told them was. But it was the truth.
"If..." Alain began. "If I got your weapons back.... would you leave?"
Gregori frowned, clearly contemplating the option. A few moments later he shook his head. "No."
Alain was taken aback. "Why?"
"I want to put that Sylas boy in his place." Gregori answered. "AFTER which I'll leave. My children want to see the world anyway. Demacia isn't the place to have dreams like that. Everyone here is too content staying within these walls."
A short jab to their sedentary lifestyle.
"Ah Eileen. How much longer do you plan on running from your responsibilities as a Commander of the Dragonguard. Your subordinates must be waiting for you." Gregori shifted the attention to her.
"FUCK-"
"MANNERS EILEEN!" Vale screamed over her daughter.
Eileen looked annoyed at her mother's interruption. "Don't tell me what to do." Her hair flew around as she furiously glared at Gregori, "And you! We could have discussed this later. And either way... most of our soldiers are being moved closer to Demacia to cover for the invasion. Orders have been sent. There will be a meeting between the nobles and all the Commanders soon."
Gregori nodded. "I'll join you then."
"Yeah you are expected to be there." She said as she gave him a little shove.
"Anything else?" Gregori asked the three.
They looked confused but couldn't reply.
"I'll take you silence as a yes then." He kicked his feet off the table and rose to his feet. He then gave them a deep bow, and mockingly announced, "Thank you for the meal. It was delicious. I wish most nobles were as hospitable as you. I appreciate you hosting me tonight but it appears that I might have overstayed my welcome."
With those closing words, he walked to the doors of the dining hall. As he reached them, he looked over his shoulder and spoke, "And if you do have any designs against my children or me...."
WHOOOSH
He let the words hang in the air as the knives laid across the table all rose and surrounded the three nobles.
"Guards!" Vale screeched.
The knives inched closer to her in response.
She shut her mouth.
"We won't go after you or your children." Maer voiced.
Alain remained silent as he refused to turn his eyes away from the knives in front of him.
The knives shot back to their original positions. "Good." Gregori responded as he pushed the doors open and walked out, his head held high.
"Wait! Gregori!" Eileen scrambled after him.
Without waiting for her to catch up, he walked to the nearest servant and asked, "Where is Willa at the moment?"
The servant looked confused at then replied, "The kitchens.. She would be there now. She was asked to make pie."
Gregori nodded and started walking toward the kitchens.
The layout of the estate hadn't changed and he remembered where most of the rooms where.
"You really want to see her huh?" Eileen said beside him.
Gregori just continued in silence.
The kitchens were just as he remembered them. Opulent but not extremely so. They had everything to make delicious food but had little to no character. They still seemed empty. Even with the people, tools and food inside.
The workers all stopped and stared as Gregori walked in.
And there she was.
Older.
Hunched over.
But unmistakably still her.
Gregori calmly walked up to her.
She met his gaze in askance.
And the words just came, "Survive. Please Live. Whatever happens just don't die."
He repeated the words he had followed religiously.
The same words she had told him before he was sent away.
The same words he heard repeating in his head as he ran away from Aatrox.
The same words that had brought him back to her.
Recognition spread through her eyes as they widened.
"I survived. I lived. And against all odds..... I did not die." He spoke.
"Titan." She whispered with a shaky voice, her hands shaking with disbelief.
Gregori smiled as he pointed to the steaming pie on the table beside her, "I believe that pie is for me?"