"I wander, but I'm not lost."~ Ahri, The Nine-Tailed Fox.
Manager here. If you want something to read, check out Split Skies. Its an original story by me and its completely free. Otherwise you can look at my reading list and pick one of the ones I recommend. Personally, I think you should give Shattered Tale SAO a try. Fun stuff.
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The door opened with a strong creak. Instantly drawing the attention of all those frequenting the inn.
Gregori looked around the inn. Circular tables surrounded by chairs around it, a few of which remained unoccupied. Spotting Leanna and daisy in a far corner, he led Annie and made his way toward them.
"Are my eyes deceiving me? Gregori! Been years lad! Here for a couple pints are ya?" Came a voice from behind the counter.
"It has been a while Melly but not today. Some other time maybe."
Gregori shook his head as he spoke back, while giving Melly a nod. The heavyset man was one that deserved respect. Not only for the fact that the inn belonged to him but also due to his character and his own story, one evident from the plethora of scars he sported across his face and arms. He was also one of the few people Gregori could call a friend.
Leanna chose wisely. This inn was probably the safest place for her and her daughter. Melly would make sure to not let any harm befall them as long as they were inside the inn. No one would make trouble here, the guards saw to that and in their absence the regulars would shut any kind of unruly behavior down. And a lot of beatdowns took place here, Gregori himself dished out a couple of them back when everything was still new.
But that was years ago. Before he had to raise Annie alone.
He looked toward Leanna, watching her gently smile at him. He smiled back.
"Are you ready Leanna?" Gregori spoke as he stood in front of her.
"Yes." And a slow nod from her.
Gregori shuffled Annie to his left side and pushed his right hand toward her, extending an invitation. "Come. Lets go home."
Leanna took the hand and raised herself.
"Entertain Daisy will you? I will go get our things." She said and promptly made her way up the stairs of the inn.
Daisy watched her mother climb the stairs and then looked toward Annie and Gregori. More specifically, she had her eyes glued to Annie's hand holding Gregori's.
Gregori having noticed this quickly sat on the chair Leanna had been seated on, "Annie, why don't you and Daisy play?" He had also noticed the spark in Annie's eyes the moment she saw Daisy. They had played with each other before and had hit off quite well.
As the words left his mouth, Annie instantly went to Daisy and started to talk to her, trying to initiate play time.
Gregori watched as the kids ran about with rapt attention, while also thinking about them. Daisy especially. He knew those eyes. Annie had the same ones when she saw other children with their mothers. He had seen those eyes in countless orphans and he had been desensitized to them but seeing them on Annie's and now Daisy's face, made him feel sad. That was all he felt. Just sadness.
The children's energy and enthusiasm invaded the dull but calm nature of the inn. A sudden burst of energy ran through the all those frequenting the inn. Drinks were ordered, cheers rang through and emotions were high.
He wasn't watching the children out of fear of anyone harming them. That wouldn't happen here. These fellows had been through war, most, if not all of them had crossed rivers of blood. They knew the value of the little period of peace they were going through. Noxus was restructuring. There would be no invasions for now.
Gregori had his eyes on the kids, so that they wouldn't harm themselves. A hurt child was a crying child. And he didn't want to carry a crying child all the way back home.
A couple minutes later, Leanna arrived with a large cloth bag tied around her neck, hanging in front of her.
Looking at the questioning look Gregori gave her, "So that its harder to steal."
Gregori gave her an understanding look.
She had experienced many situations where people had tried to steal from her and picked up some tactics having watched the way older travelers and refugees moved with their belongings.
Leanna gave a tired smile as she watched her child play. She had her own issues to deal with but she wanted Daisy to have a good life. And staying with Gregori could provide that and maybe it could lead to greater things. From what she had seen, Gregori was a good man and like her, he was focused on raising his child. That made him infinitely more trustworthy. There was no way she would have gone forward with a plan like this if it was any other man.
"Daisy come here girl." She called out. Her voice firm.
Daisy immediately stopped and walked back to her mother. That voice meant seriousness and she had to listen when her mother spoke like that. Annie followed behind her with her head down, fearing the worst after hearing Leanna's tone.
Gregori stepped forward. "Come. Lets go home."
As they left the inn, Gregori turned back one last time and gave a nod to Melly, one he reciprocated. Friendships worked differently here. The passing of time reinforced the connections between people instead of breaking it. Gregori had made many friends in his younger years but those connections slowly fizzled out. Relationships in Noxus however, they were resilient. In a place where betrayal was common the people yearned for a solid connection. One without politics or any play for power. Of course there were other friendships which Gregori believed still held strong despite the passage of time but none were as visible as the ones he made in Noxus.
Leading the three back home was a straining task. Opportunists waited at every corner, waiting for a single slipup. Gregori had to extend the range of his protection from beyond just Annie to both Leanna and Daisy.
Daisy held onto Leanna while Annie held onto Gregori's right. Gregori led the way with his left hand resting on the handle of the hand axe.
Fortunately, not a single soul moved toward them. That didn't stop him from staying alert. Anything could happen at any moment. Even during the walk through the forest path and all the way home.
"Woaaaaah!"
Daisy exclaimed. She had never seen a house like this. It was beautiful. The little creek that ran in front of it. And for the first time in her life, she looked forward to things happening.
She looked around in awe as Gregori led them inside the house and showed them around.
Leanna seemed impressed too. Viewing Gregori in a new light. This man turned out to be even more reliable than her initial thoughts. His claim of having built the house himself pushed her image of him even higher.
Annie, watching all this from the side, stood with her chin up and hands crossed feeling proud as if she herself built everything.
Gregori didn't mind that little action giving out a little laugh as he saw Annie's face and Daisy's wonder. Raising children had its issues but it was a hell of a lot easier than handling fully grown adults. Most children were straightforward in expressing their emotions and feelings.
Things related to children were easy yet troublesome at the same time.
But first he needed to talk things out with Leanna.
Calling out to the kids, "Firefly? Take Daisy with you and play outside for a little bit okay?"
"Okay!"
Annie instantly ran out grabbing Daisy and pulling her along.
"Don't cross the creek!" He yelled after them.
"Daisy come!" Was all he heard back.
He looked outside and walked back to Leanna after spotting the kids playing beside the house.
Taking a deep breath, Gregori looked toward Leanna expectantly, "So..... How do you like it?"
"Its..... its better than anything I could have expected. A house this big AND this nice? I mean.... I was expecting a little shack in the woods with maybe a single room. Not anything this grand. And you claiming to have built this yourself seems like quite the tall tale as well. Saying I like it feels wrong, no Gregori..... I love it. Never had I ever thought that we would ever get a chance to live in a place like this and I'm happy we came to this agreement. Even if... even if things don't work out between us, at the very least Daisy will have a good place to call home. At the very least our children will have good memories growing up. And that is enough for me."
Hearing her words, Gregori was left stunned. He hadn't expected Leanna to be this appreciative of everything. And for the second time in his life, he felt like he had made the correct decision. The first was when he married Amoline. Not to mention the fact that they seemed to be on the same page, the both of them only wanted what was best for their children. And since they both had the same ideas on how to tackle the future, it would be easier to..... become a family. To find acceptance and rely on each other.
"Lets just hope our children see this as well. Let them grow closer, both as friends and as sisters. They need the other more than we do and that is enough for me." Gregori spoke slowly, trying to make sure Leanna understood what he was implying.
She walked up to the large window on the side of the house, looking outside at the two children hunched over a rock, giggling at something. Gregori made his way to her side and joined her in looking out of the window.
He then turned to her and asked, " I have been meaning to ask something. And I am only asking this because we both need to move on if we want anything to work out between us. Yes, it is a bit early but getting this out of the way as soon as possible is probably for the best. So, do I have permission to proceed."
She looked back at him and right into his eyes and nodded, having an understanding of where the conversation was leading.
"How was your life before all this? Your previous partner. Your family. Everything."
A loaded question.
He knew that it was too soon to ask a question like this. But it was necessary, these walls needed to be broken down in order for them to life together. And he too would open up about his life previously.
She looked back outside the window. Leanna knew that this conversation had to happen one day but she didn't expect it to have happened this early, they had just been in the house for a short while. Gregori had been straight to the point and she couldn't find fault with that.
Rolling her tongue inside her mouth, she let out a sigh and started speaking.
"My family were part of a nomadic tribe. Similar to the ones you see with their elnuks here. And like them, we used to travel along the borders of the Freljord and the mountains here. A simple life. Travel with the tribe, roam with the animals, meet people, experience things. It was nice and I wanted nothing more."
Leanna paused for a bit, reminiscing the past, a weak smile on her face. Gregori stood by silently, not trying to force anything out of her.
"But that changed one day. I mean.... it was risky to travel with anything the Freljordian tribes could consider food. We new that risk and we faced it everyday. The members of the tribes were strong enough to fight off any attackers. But you can never underestimate the extent to which hunger can drive a man. The onslaught we faced was unending and the enemy warriors were rabid. We didn't stand a chance. Just like that most of my family lost their lives and the rest were captured. But we were offered freedom, there was no need to share their hard earned food with us anyway. We knew we couldn't survive freedom, the inner regions of the Freljord was too harsh for any of us to survive alone. Then came the other offer. The chance to be accepted as bloodsworn. In essence, taken as wives. We had no other choice. I was taken by a man named Jaum. A warrior. I could never find myself to love him. He was crass. Uncaring. Held no affection for anyone. And was fueled by nothing but bloodlust. But out of our relation, Daisy came. For that alone I am grateful."
She looked at Gregori and he reached out for her hand and held it tightly.
"Still, even that tribe faced their reckoning soon after. Mere months after Daisy's birth, the tribe decided to fight another tribe for food. The winters had been getting harsher with every passing year and tribes fought relentlessly for survival. But they faced warriors too strong. Men and women too strong to be stopped, forget defeating. I watched as Jaum got cut down. Not once did he look back to see me or Daisy. He died in battle. An honorable death to the Freljordian tribes. But I knew that was just an excuse, there is no honor in failing to raise your child. He didn't die to protect Daisy..... he died because he wanted to fight."
Gregori saw the look in her eyes, conveying both hate toward the man and sadness for the way her life turned out. But he did understand her. Being a father took precedent over any other objective he had ever had in life.
"And just like that, we were alone again. Somehow we made it out of Freljord and since then, I've been travelling and raising Daisy. The other either died or went their owns ways. Eventually we came to Delverhold and ended up meeting you."
The story was heavy. Gregori didn't know how to reply or even provide any support to her. But he did the one thing he knew would show acceptance, a slow understanding nod.
And then he spoke.