"OK."~ Rammus, The Armordillo.
OK.
Gregori is revealing a lot. That seems to be out of character but currently his goal is not to play for information but build as much trust as possible. This is the fastest way to do that.
But....
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"You have a lot on your mind?" Gregori asked the Commander walking beside him.
His face has pensive and his eyes cold. Gregori had give the man a lot to think about with the words from the previous day. Sleep did nothing to help that. Neither did the journey they had begun.
Garen did not respond with words, rather giving him a slow nod. The look on his face let Gregori know that he wasn't going to talk for a while.
He would need to be distracted but there was still time for that.
"Why are you coming along?" Gregori asked, turning to his sister. "Don't you have to be with your group?"
Eileen snorted. "Why? Do I scare you?"
"Not really..." Gregori shrugged. "Just curious. I thought unsanctioned travels were a punishable offense."
Eileen smiled smugly at him, "Where did you hear that?"
He shook his head, "Didn't hear... Guessed. Armies have rules and without rules there would be chaos and chaos on a battlefield often means death."
Eileen squinted at him, "From your experiences with Noxus?"
Gregori nodded.
Sighing, Eileen answered. "Yes there are rules but the information you have just revealed put us on a race." She looked to Garen, "Our families do not see eye to eye..... And now that large shoulders here, is moving to escort the messenger..... it would be a failure on my part if I didn't do the same as a daughter of the Spiritmights."
"I suppose you are doing it out of duty then?" Gregori pushed. He found the conversation fun. It was light and he was learning more and more about a sister he hadn't seen in decades. It was therapeutic.
"Heh." Eileen snorted. "Duty? No. It is just a good excuse to not go back to that place. A perfectly legal unsanctioned holiday."
The words got a few looks from the members of the First Shield.
"What?" Eileen asked. "Don't tell me you guys wouldn't do the same if you got the chance?"
The twins and Eben Hoss turned around with small smiles. She was right. They would do the same.
Garen looked mollified at the claim. "You would leave your post for such a reason?" He asked shocked at her audacity.
"Yes." Eileen answered like she saw nothing wrong with it.
Garen looked at her, rapidly reassessing his opinion of the Commander who had tagged along. "What about your soldiers?"
"Bah... They will survive." Eileen waved him off. "Nothing ever happens most days. Once a week, a dragon might be spotted and maybe once a month, on might slip through but that it about it. They do not need me around every single day."
Their conversation carried on.
Meanwhile, Daisy walked up to Gregori and raised her hands upward.
Gregori sighed and lifted her up.
"You are getting a little old for this now firefly." He said as he complied with his daughter. He looked at the rest, who all seemed to be lazing on Oompa and Loompa.
"How is raising seven children?" Eileen asked having spotted Gregori out of the corner of her eye.
"Its not easy." Gregori hugged Annie closer, "But it is worth every moment. The children need love and I am capable of giving it." He looked to the kids, "They have not had easy lives like most children would. Noxus was not good to them."
"Torture?" Eileen growled.
"Briar and Rell." Gregori answered. "I got the rest before anything happened."
"Noxians are all bastards." Eileen stated as she looked at the kids with a soft expression. "Going after children? Scum."
"There are groups within Noxus that want power at all costs. The nobles assist them." Gregori said. "I removed one of those families in my revenge."
"A whole family?" Eileen asked shocked.
Gregori answered without a beat, "Blood must be repaid with blood."
The First Shield that had heard his words, listened in silence, though some of them were wary against him.
Someone who was willing to kill an entire noble family for revenge was not just a simple man.
"And you got out of Noxus without issue?" Eileen asked not completely believing his words.
"As I said before...." Gregori sighed. "I was owed a lot of favors." Refusing to share further.
"When did this happen?" Kriel cut in.
Gregori frowned, "Around four to five months ago."
"Mallat." Kriel whispered.
Gregori looked surprised. "Oh! You've heard of their fall?"
Kriel nodded but the fear on his face was visible.
Gregori realized that Kriel knew about how many members were in the house. It wasn't impossible to guess considering there were no other Mallat to be found anywhere else.
Turning to Eileen, he asked. "Are you married? Planning to be a mother soon?" It was straightforward and could be considered rude but Gregori did not want to beat around the bush.
Eileen choked. "No!" She caught her bearings as she continued, "I.... I just like children. Innocent. Reminds me of better days."
Gregori nodded. "What about your siblings?"
"You know of my siblings?" Eileen asked.
The Spiritmights are quite famous." Gregori responded dryly.
"My oldest brother has two children... both with different women. My sister on the other hand has a happy family of her own with two children." Eileen stated.
"Oldest brother?" Gregori asked.
Eileen realized her slip and tried to correct herself. "I meant the eldest... eldest of my siblings."
Gregori squinted but nodded nonetheless. She did remember of his existence and did consider him a brother. That was a welcome thought. But she couldn't let others know of his existence. Though...
As that thought came to Gregori, he turned to Garen. "What about your family?"
"My sister is too young to be married and I am still single." Garen said.
Eileen interrupted, "But you don't know where she is either."
Garen gave her a deadly stare.
Eileen retreated with her hands upward.
"Any relation to Tianna Crownguard?" Gregori distracted them.
Garen nodded. "My aunt."
"She's married?" Gregori pushed.
Garen nodded once again.
"Children?"
Garen shook his head. "No."
Gregori nodded. "So I guess your father is either Morun or Pieter then?"
Garen stopped walking and turned around, "My uncle Morun died when I was still a child. Why are you asking all of this?"
"Died in battle?" Gregori ignored the question.
Garen nodded.
"Good man." Gregori spoke. "I remember him watching over us when I played with your aunt."
Garen's sword flew up to his face. "You said that you were Noxian."
"Nope." Gregori responded. "Never said that. Said I'm from there. And that is correct since that was where my home was." He turned to the side, "Now do you mind removing the end of your blade away from my daughter's face."
Garen grit his teeth but complied.
"I was born in Demacia." Gregori dropped the final bombshell. "I played with the noble children back in the day. Even your brother." Gregori winked at Eileen as her eyes widened.
He shrugged. "Then I found out that I had magic and in order to not get killed... I left." He patted Annie's back rhythmically as he sensed her asleep. "That was the last of my interaction with Demacia until I came back once a decade ago."
"Your family is still here?" Saskja asked.
Gregori shrugged, "I don't know and I don't really care." He smiled. "I have my own family now and that is all that matters."
"Daddy?" Annie's sleepy voice interrupted. "Hungry...."
"Well I suppose we can take a break now can't we." Gregori softly spoke. "What about you guys?"
They group accepted the chance to take a break.
As Gregori cooked some food for his children, Kriel pulled Garen to the side.
"Commander." He stated his title, ensuring Garen knew that it was serious. "This man is dangerous."
Garen nodded. "I know. Every time we pointed our weapons at him, he looked back without any fear in his eyes. He doesn't think we can do anything to him."
"No." Kriel said. "That isn't what I mean."
Garen looked at him expectantly. "What is it?"
"The Mallat." Kriel spoke. "The family he said he wiped out... There was no one alive."
Garen nodded. "Of course."
"No." Kriel said again. "Not like how you believe. Everyone dead. EVERYONE. Women. Children. All dead." Kriel's eyes flitted to Gregori's exposed back. "All that remained was the burnt down remains of their manor and burnt bodies on the ground."
"So he is an insane murderer." Garen said as he clenched his fists. "Then he could be lying."
"About the information?" Kriel confirmed.
Garen nodded. "About everything." He spun around. "Let everyone know of our current situation and get ready for battle."
"The children?" Kriel asked.
"They aren't to be killed." Garen stated.
The back that the men were looking at now seemed incredibly dark and dangerous.