"Eventually, my blades will find their way into your heart."~ Talon, The Blade's Shadow (This title is quite literally my inspiration for what I changed about Talon)
Hey! I am currently struggling to meet my semester project work deadlines so chapter updates will not be stable. My bad (I ended up being assigned a topic way out of my skillset and if I don't put in work I might not get a passing grade). But on the other hand there is something I need to mention. The chapters I uploaded previously were the ones missed. But it does not account for the chapters that were supposed to be released on those days normally.
That means I am still 5 chapters behind. In order to remedy this I will do a mass release as soon as this is all done. Somewhere between the 13th-21st. (If the results of the hard exam is a pass you will get the chapters on the 14th. Good news is I got a perfect 10 on the other subject and my ego has experienced a massive boost.)
Enjoy!
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"My lord, Gregori Hastur and his children have arrived."
Pieter adjusted his sleeves with a smile and nodded. "Lead them to the dining hall Micah. Inform my family of their arrival as well."
The two men had much to discuss.
After Micah left, Pieter turned back to his desk and eyed his glass. A brief moment of contemplation later, he walked up to his alcohol storage and pulled out an exquisite looking bottle.
Pulling out a piece of paper from his desk, he wrote, "Chill this and keep it ready for after the meal." He slid the note under the bottle and walked out, making his way to the dining hall.
"Brother."
He didn't turn around, "I hope you are prepared sister."
"....Yes." Came the reply.
"Then I will meet you at the dining hall with the guests." Pieter continued on his way.
As he arrived to the dining halls, the servants at the door pushed it open for him.
"Milord."
He nodded at them as he walked in. "Tell Micah to go to my office."
"Yes milord." The servants replied jointly.
Immediately, he spotted Gregori and his children, all sitting on one side. "I hope you find our home to my liking?"
"Thank you for inviting us." Gregori answered with a nod.
Pieter turned to the kids, "Are you all liking this place?"
Most of them nodded. One of them, the dark skinned boy, replied, "But we cannot touch anything."
"Ah." Pieter understood. "It is not as you expect. Most of the items on display are not really Petricite.... just made to look like it. My own daughter is a mage and I wouldn't have her come into contact with anything that could harm her."
"Really!" A girl exclaimed. Her long hair rippling as she spoke, "What can she do?"
"She can make light." Garen answered as he entered the room. "Father." He greeted before turning to Gregori. "I apologize for being distrustful of you when you were speaking the truth."
Garen stood tall in some regal robes, the Crownguard crest on his chest. The clothes framed his body quite well. The bulky armor did his no service as it hid his strong and sculpted body.
"You were right in being distrustful." Gregori waved him off. "Better to err on the side of caution than end up regretting your actions later."
Garen nodded.
After him two women walked in. Both in gowns.
Pieter took the opportunity to introduce them.
He pointed to an aging brown haired woman in a silver gown. "Let me introduce you to my wife. Augatha Crownguard." The lady curtseyed and then gave the children a sad smile.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance my lady." Gregori spoke.
Augatha gave him a kind smile, "It is my pleasure sir Gregori. My husband has not stopped speaking of you from the moment he figured out your identity."
"I hope he had only good things to tell?" Gregori smoothly replied. His eyes flitting to Pieter with a smile of his own.
"I assure you there was nothing bad said to my wife." Pieter chuckled. He then turned to the other woman. "And Gregori.... as you may already know or remember.... this is my sister, Tianna Crownguard."
Tianna matched eyes with Gregori. Gregori finally observed her properly. Her blond hair was done up in a braid that seemed to curl into itself. And the blue gown she wore pushed her looks one step further.
"My lady." Gregori nodded. "It has been a long time."
Tianna struggled to find a reply to those words but composed herself and answered with a melancholic smile, "Indeed it has Gregori. A very long time."
Gregori returned her smile and nodded once again. He turned to his children. "Let me introduce my children. This is Daani, Rell, Briar, Daisy, Faye, Annie and Sydell. All of them possess magic to some capacity."
The Crownguards gave the children a smile and a nod.
"Have guards been put on watch yet?" Pieter asked as he signaled to a servant with a wave of his hand.
The man bowed and left the room.
Gregori nodded. "They have. Fortunately, they are not very good at hiding themselves. Though it is mildly annoying to have people watch your every action, I have decided to overlook it."
"Really? I was expecting you to attack them." Pieter responded as he leaned into his seat at the head of the table.
"Considering there is another group watching my every action.... I suppose I can forgive someone who is being forced to do so." Gregori smiled as he gestured to his children with a tilt of his head.
The Crownguards smiled and Pieter chuckled outwardly. "That will do."
The doors to the hall opened once more as servants walked in with trays of food.
"Well.... I suppose you must be hungry." Pieter started. "Please feel free to enjoy the spread laid out in front of you."
"Thank you." Gregori answered as the servants cut up the food in different portions for him and his children.
A servant stepped forth as he pointed out the dishes, "The entree is Greathorn strips with honey and Terbisian cheese. There is also a side of bread and butter if you would require them."
Gregori took a bite and was blown aback. The meat and cheese went together really well, the spiced meat's heat and the salty-sour nature of the cheese perfectly complimenting each other while the honey just brought it all together.
The children watched their father take a bite and then swallow. He then nodded, only after which the kids ate the food on their plates.
"I hope you do not mind this." Gregori told his hosts.
Pieter smiled, "We do not mind it at all Gregori. I would be more disappointed if you hadn't done so." He looked to his sister, "One can never be safe enough, especially when children are involved."
"Wow!" Daisy groaned, "This is so good daddy!"
"Then eat well flower." Gregori replied with a smile.
A few minutes later as everyone finished their plates, Tianna spoke up, "Why didn't you come back? We all believed you were dead....."
"I did not want to." Gregori replied as he closed his eyes, "I wanted to live and make something of myself. Build a home. Start a family. Doing so in Demacia as a mage was next to impossible. And unlike you all, I did not have anyone who could protect me in case my identity as a mage was revealed. So, instead of coming back..... I decided to travel."
Tianna didn't back down however, "You could have at least told us.."
Gregori nodded, "Maybe.... but I wanted a fresh start. I believed I was better of being dead to Demacia. I wanted Titan dead. And he was....." Gregori took a deep breath. "He still is. I am Gregori now and have been for more time than I have been Titan. If I hadn't come to Demacia, then no one would have doubted my death. My return..... The revelation of my identity..... They all happened under my terms. You all know who I am because I chose to reveal it and that is my decision alone."
"That is quite the sad outlook Gregori." Pieter spoke as he leaned forward, "There were quite a few of us who mourned you.... Tianna had cried for multiple days."
Gregori turned to her, "I apologize."
Tianna shook her head, "There is nothing to apologize for." She placed her fork on the plate, "I am glad you are alive Gregori."
"Thank you."
The servants walked in again with more food. One of them stepped forth, "This is the main course for today. Baked chicken with mushroom pepper sauce. Please enjoy."
The servant bowed and left.
Gregori tried the dish. The juices of the chicken spilt forth as he cut into it melding into the sauce surrounding it. It tasted delightful. Light yet filling. Not as heavily seasoned as the previous dish but delicious nonetheless.
He gave another nod and the kids immediately devoured the dish. If the smiles on their face was anything to go by, they were very satisfied with the food.
Pieter and Augatha then took the time to talk with Gregori's children. Asking about random things but always defaulting back to questions related to magic. Gregori could spot their fear for their daughter's wellbeing from a mile away.
The children answered to the best of their ability.
But Garen asked, "You had told me that you could seal one's magic."
That got three heads instantly shifting in his direction.
"I also remembered clarifying that my daughter was a special case Garen." Gregori corrected.
"But can my sister fit the criteria?" Garen pushed.
Gregori shrugged, "Was your sister used in magical experiments her whole life and can lose control of herself with the presence of a trigger?"
Garen slowly shook his head with wide eyes.
"Then I do not think your sister fits the criteria." Gregori finished.
"WHAT!" Peiter looked enraged.
Gregori turned to him, his eyes growing colder.
"Experiments on a child?" Peiter glowered.
Gregori nodded, his mind relaxing, "Noxians. I got her out and have helped heal her. She is still healing and it will take a long time to fully do so."
"They should be put to death." Augatha growled.
Gregori nodded. "Indeed."
The group fell into silence for a while but he had noticed that they had started looking at the children with pity.
The servants walked in one last time, "This is your desert of the day. Tangor mousse with sponge cake. I hope you enjoy."
Gregori took a bite of the food. The taste of the Tangor was extraordinary. The fruit grew in abundance in parts of Demacia. Just like Drugne, the citrus fruits were used by those who frequented sea travel. The cake delightful and airy. A complete desert with complimentary textures and flavors.
The children enjoyed this a lot more than the previous two dishes.
Gregori understood that sentiment. This had sugar in it. Sweet things were a favorite to these lot.
As they finished up eating, Augatha asked her question, "What about their mother?"