"I will tear the world asunder!"~ Renekton, The Butcher of the Sands
Hey! I'm trying to make more background characters. The world needed to feel alive for what I'm about to do. And I believe I am cooking up something devious. Named characters and fun interactions... just like the real world. Better conversations will be present. Realism is my goal. These new characters may appear again or just be one off characters. Just like life, they might come into play for just be another person to the group.
Do you like this? It has been happening for the past three chapters. And I have plenty more on the way.
Comment pls! (Little easter egg on the pricing last chapter..... It is for a certain item in game.... what item do you think I'm referencing)
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"Where are we going now dad?" Rell asked him as they walked toward their destination.
Pointing forward, Gregori answered. "We are going to the center of the city."
"Are they waiting for us there?" Daani asked.
Gregori shrugged. "I don't know who is waiting for us but we have to be there when they start their meeting."
Annie hopped to the front. "Are we going to the palace daddy?" Her excitement was obvious.
"Maybe." He answered. "I don't know who the audience is with either. Maybe one of their generals. Maybe their chief strategist. I don't know."
On their way, the group passed through giant stone arches and large white stone spires.
He wasn't sure if their were Petricite or not but he warned the children against touching it either way. A single mistake could hurt them. It would not cause permanent harm but he did not want them to be in pain. And not to mention the effects on someone like Briar. Her entire issue was magical and was held back by even more magic.
Touching the anti-magic objects around them might instantly kill her.
Rell could be in a similar boat. Her sigils were a product of magic. They were carved into her body.
Petricite might cause her body to shutdown instantly.
"Is that it?" Faye pointed forward from her vantage point on top of Loompa.
Gregori snapped out of thought and looked forward. The large open courtyard area and a building overlooking the whole thing. Gates were present on either side of the building which led into large open ground.
The Palace Gardens.
Gregori nodded. "That is the Grand Plaza." He stated. "You see that?" His finger pointed to the top of the building. At the very top there was a balcony with a large arch overlooking the courtyard. "That is where the royal family come out and speak to a crowd."
"Why do they say it from that far?" Daisy asked in confusion. "Won't it be hard to hear?"
Snorting, Gregori answered, "They do it from there so that they can see the entire crowd." He pointed to the front. "If they speak from there no one can see them. And you see those large round holes in the walls." He pointed to the holes at the bottom and on the balcony. "These holes are connected and run through the walls. Whatever someone says at the top becomes louder and louder as it comes out of these holes. That is how they speak to the crowds."
Daisy nodded as if understanding his words. Gregori recognized her act but chose to not say anything. Just because his children might not understand the reasoning behind his words did not stop him from teaching them the whole thing without omission of details.
Of course he did not precisely understand the inner workings of the holes but he explained whatever he knew.
"What do they say anyway?" Sydell asked.
He started to walk toward the gates, "Anything. Announcement of a new law, announcement of war... Anything that needs to be told to the public they do it here."
"Halt!" The guards called out as they spotted them approaching. "State your purpose."
Gregori stepped up to them. "I was told that someone would be waiting for me here."
The guards stalled for a moment. "Your name?"
"Gregori."
The guard nodded, "They are with you?"
He nodded. "Can't leave them alone." He titled his head in their direction. "Wouldn't know what they would be up to. I do not need that anxiety right now."
The guard nodded once again. "Keep them in line." He warned before stepping to the side. "Lady Spiritmight is waiting for you in the gardens." He informed.
"I will and thank you." Gregori nodded and led the group in.
"The beasts?" The guard asked.
Gregori turned around, "Yes. They are harmless really."
"How do we believe that?" The guard asked.
"Feel free to pet them." Gregori stated. "They understand our language pretty well for some reason. Any language really..."
He hadn't wondered why but the beasts did understand them regardless of the language spoken. A magical reason maybe? But it was not important in the grand scheme of things.
The guard did not seem convinced.
"Give them a command." Gregori told the guards. "They will listen."
The guards looked at each other and then one of them called out. "Sit."
Both beasts sat down on their bellies.
"Paw?"
The beasts raised their paws. Oompa even gave them a little wave.
"Is... it waving?" One guard asked, baffled by the idea that a beast was waving at them.
"Seems to be." Gregori replied. "Does that answer your questions?"
"O...One last thing..." The guard who called out commands walked up and placed a hand on the Oompa and gave him a rub.
"Soft...." He muttered. His hands sunk into the soft fur and he felt like he was being hugged by the softest pillow in the world. The guard pulled his hand out and stared at it before placing it back in. It was almost like he was melting into the creature.
Gregori smiled at the interaction, "I suppose you are convinced now."
The guard turned around, shaken out of his experience. "Yeah.... yes.. you can head in..." He reluctantly removed his hand from the beast.
"Thank you lads." Gregori told them and led the group inside.
As the group went onward the second guard turned to the other and asked. "What was that?"
The guard stared at his hand in shock. The phantom feeling still remaining.
"Hey! Tallow!" The guard called. "Answer the question."
The guard turned around to the beasts. With a forlorn look he replied, "That... was heaven..."
The other turned to him and then to the beasts.
"Huh?"
-x-
"This.... is.. all in the city?" Rell asked in shock.
The rest just walked around admiring the view but Rell was the only one who realized how out of place it was. Noxus never had anything like this. People had lawns and manors had their gardens but none like this.
This was massive. Grand. Regal even.
Gregori placed a hand on her shoulder.
Rell looked up at him.
"The world is a big place Rell. Just because you think something is impossible doesn't mean it is." He looked forward. "The world has a way of proving you wrong at the worst of times. So keep an open mind, unless you see something do not rule it out."
Rell scoffed.
Gregori looked back down at her, "I did not expect attitude from you miss."
Rell's eyes widened, and she scrambled to explain, "No... no.. It was just... I asked a question and.. and.."
"And I gave you advice." Gregori finished for her.
"No!... no I mean yes." Rell sputtered. "Its just you make every question seem like advice and it gets..."
"Boring?" Gregori finished once more.
Rell hung her head and gave him a small nod.
Patting her back, Gregori answered, "I suppose I have been doing that a lot recently...." He looked into her eyes and smiled, "I'll give you less advice from now on then."
Rell smiled but it felt like she was losing out on something. Even though she had gotten her point across the win felt empty.
Looking at her expression, Gregori spoke again, "Don't worry too much little lance... You have a lot more time to spend with me. You are not missing out on anything."
"Lance?" Rell asked.
"Do you not like the nickname?" Gregori looked concerned. "The others have nicknames but you haven't gotten one yet. So I chose lance from the first time we saw you." He moved his hand in a thrusting motion, "You know... with the lance..."
The next thing he knew Rell had slammed into him, hugging him with everything she had. Tears had started to form in her eyes.
"Thank you." She said into his chest but the words came out muffled.
Gregori gave her a kiss on her forehead and wiped the tears from her face.
"Like it or hate it Rell.... I am your father now. And our family is going to last a long long time.
Rell pulled back and gave him the widest smile he had ever seen her give. The kind that suited Briar and Daisy.
A little while later, they continued on their journey.
Rell wasn't overreacting when they had entered the gardens. It wasn't small. Wasn't big either. It spanned as far as their eyes could see. Of course you could see buildings and statues in the distance but it was surrounded by ample greenery. Not just wild plants and grass.
No.
These were lined and trimmed to perfection. Flowers on every side almost eternally in bloom. Bushes and trees were dotted across the garden. White benches lay about, arranged under some grand vision.
As they approached the center of the garden, Gregori spotted the red armor facing away from them.
Eileen sat at the large statue at the front, her eyes on the fountain surrounding it. The statue was of a soldier kneeling, spear in hand. Its face determined and stoic. The fountain spray coated the statue giving it a shine under the sunlight.
He took a deep breath as they walked closer.
Things were not going to be simple today. After all, he was going to be facing the demons of his past.