"I hear a man likes a lady with legs."~ Elise, The Spider Queen
Do you like the pets? I do not know what they are called in lore. The only thing I have is a picture to go off of, so I am naming it myself.
I have arrived at an author problem....
If I use common phrases from our world, it doesn't work in Runeterra. For example hell isn't really a thing. So, even a "Go to hell." would be nonsensical. Again, this is a small thing to worry about but goddamn it irks me.
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He dismounted the beast and led it by hand to the gates.
""HALT!"" The guards called from atop the gates.
He stopped.
"Who are you?" One of them asked.
"My name is Gregori." He replied.
"State your purpose." The other ordered.
Gregori straightened his back and called out loudly, "I have returned after completing the task given to me by the Warmother and her council."
The guards discussed something animatedly before responding, "Wait here! We will confirm your words and then let you in." One of the guards moved away.
He moved to the side of the pathway and sat down waiting for the guard to return. The beast followed and sat around him. A few minutes later, Gregori decided to remove the two heads of the Draklorn Inquisitors and hang them off his hips.
If was going to intimidate the Avarosans, might as well do it to everyone and not just the Warmother and council. A warrior was respected. And a warrior who had just taken on a hundred man strong army would be feared.
Gregori looked up after hearing the doors move. He spotted the woman who had come alongside Ashe as he had left. She was walking toward him, a guard in tow.
Her name...
"Sigur?" He spoke, not fully sure of her name.
"Sigra. Have you truly completed the task given to you?" Sigra asked incredulously. She had faced the Draklorn before, they were monstrous. Their magic was strong and so were their bodies. The inquisitors were stronger. Their weapons could cleave even the hardest of rocks with no resistance. The previous Warmother, Ashe's mother, Grena had also fallen to a Draklorn Inquisitor. By pure miracle, Ashe had found her bow and survived. Her actions from then on led people to believe that she was the second coming of Avarosa herself.
But this man he had claimed to have killed a Draklorn Inquisitor in five weeks? He wasn't even an Iceborn.
The guard behind her took a few steps back after laying his eyes on the two beasts.
Instead of replying, Gregori turned to his side and let her get a view of the two decapitated heads. The helmets stood out like a sore thumb.
Sigra's eyes fell on the heads and they widened. "TWO?!" She exclaimed.
He got up and patted the snow off himself. "Can you tell me where I can keep these two?" He pointed to the two mounts with his thumb.
"Did you tame them?" Sigra asked, her eyes still wide still not having processed the sheer absurdity of the situation.
"They were the mounts of the two inquisitors. After I killed them, these two started following me. And they didn't even attack me." He replied as he patted the creatures.
"You just managed to tame two Avalance beasts after killing their previous owners?" Sigra questioned once again. The situation kept overwhelming her. It was nonsensical. Avalance beasts were extremely dangerous and violent but the two in front of her seemed completely tame.
Gregori nodded. Then moved to the bags and pulled out some meat. He placed them in front of the beasts and they ate it happily. Purring in satisfaction as he ran his hands over their heads.
"You.... you can keep them with you for now.... on the condition that they harm no one." Sigra pushed out.
Gregori then grabbed the horn of one of the beasts and lifted a little. The Avalance beast stood up. The other beast followed. He then led them inside the gates.
Sigra followed him.
"The Warmother is waiting for you." She added.
Gregori walked toward the tents, not responding to her. The tribespeople gave him looks of fear, though he presumed that those looks were aimed at his two new companions.
Sigra walked in front of him, forcing him to stop and repeated firmly, "The Warmother is waiting for you."
"She can wait a little longer. My daughter comes first."
As soon as he finished speaking, the two beasts let out a low growl. He snorted at the reaction and scratched the beast's fur. He then walked past Sigra to the tents. She stood still in shock at someone blatantly disregarding the Warmother's authority. Did this man not realize that she was the reincarnation of Avarosa?
He hadn't seen Daisy in so long. Gregori missed her and was sure that she missed him too. Even so, he was slightly excited to see the changes she would have gone through. Iceborn were inherently strong and trained Iceborn were machines of war. They developed faster than the average man as well. He wouldn't be surprised to see Daisy being a few inches taller.
Pushing aside the flaps in the tent, he snuck his head in only to find it empty. He spotted new clothes on the ground. Assuming nothing wrong, he set his spear and shield inside and walked back out.
He spotted the gathering around the fire and walked toward it. The two beasts followed him.
Pushing past the men and women in the farther end, he made his way to the center. As he did.... he heard laughter. Peals of laughter. His daughter's laughter.
Daisy, was on top of Braum's door, playing with the poros.
The relief that flooded through him as he spotted her was mind numbing. The only thought running in his head was that she was safe. Safe and happy.
He snuck up behind her and lifted her up.
"Flower!"
She struggled for a second, before turning in his arms and squealing, "Daddy!"
Gregori pulled her in to a hug and she snuggled in. "I missed you."
"Me too flower. Me too."
"Braum has tears in his eyes." Braum's voice cut in.
Gregori chuckled at the intrusion then placed numerous small kisses on Daisy's head.
"Did you do what the Warmother Ashe asked you to?" Daisy asked from within the hug.
Gregori's smile faded a little, the Warmother had gotten close to his daughter. Close enough for her to say her name. He could not blame her since he had asked her to take care of his daughter. And considering her status as an Iceborn, it was only so long before she moved to teach Daisy the ropes.
"Done and dusted!"
She rubbed her face against him.
"Flower?" He asked.
Her head shot up to him in askance.
"I want you to meet two friends."
"Who daddy?" She spoke cautiously.
He turned around and carried her to the two Avalance beasts. "I am told that these are Avalance beasts. They followed me back. Do you want to give them names?"
The two beasts already had poros jumping on them. But that did not mean that those surrounding them hadn't maintained a steady distance from them.
Daisy had stars in her eyes as he hefted her up and placed her onto one of them. Gregori scratched the head of the one she sat on.
His eyes darted to the side as a large hand landed on the head of the other beast. Braum had taken the opportunity to pat the beast's head. Both beasts didn't move or react to the two new people coming near them.
Daisy was probably fine, considering that Gregori was the one who placed her on them and Braum was... well..... Braum. No one would attack him without reason. The man had an aura around him that diffused any anger or rage. Even he had the urge to smile mindlessly near him.
"This one is Oompa and this is Loompa." Daisy proclaimed.
Gregori chuckled, "As you wish flower."
Braum asked, "How did you tame these two?"
"I didn't. They just followed me."
Braum's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
Then a voice cut in behind him, "Gregori."
He turned to see who called him out. Spotting Tryndamere walking up, he gave him a slight nod.
"Did you beat it?" Tryndamere asked, getting straight to the point.
"No. He was long gone by the time I had reached the place." Gregori replied. "I did manage to perform the funeral rites for your fallen brethren."
Tryndamere looked at him with some gratitude. By giving them a funeral, Gregori did him a great service. They died in battle and deserved to not be rotting or food for some roaming animal. "Thank you."
"I have to talk to you about something Tryndamere. It is of extreme importance. Very serious."
Tryndamere was about to reply but his attention was split to something behind him. His brows furrowed and eyes narrowed.
"Tryndamere...." A female voice sounded behind him.
Gregori turned once more and spotted the crowd had completely moved apart for the Warmother and her council.
"You should be in the main house." Ashe spoke.
Gregori tilted his head in confusion. Was Tryndamere in talks with the Avarosans? Well they did not have a home so it made sense.
"Braum thinks Tryndamere should be in bed with Ashe."
Gregori's eyes widened. That made more infinitely more sense. Tryndamere had won the Bloodsworn competition. They were married.
Quickly turning around, he spoke to Tryndamere, "Congratulations my friend. I wish for you to have a happy future."
Tryndamere appeared startled at his words but gave him a nod in response.
"And you..... you were told to meet me at the main house."
Gregori understood that she was talking about him. And he replied, "My daughter is more important. I hadn't seen her in a while so she takes precedence."
He replied with no remorse and in such a way that made everyone second guess if he had committed a slight against the Warmother.
A few seconds later, Ashe spoke, "Have you completed the task?"
Gregori unhooked the heads from his side and placed them on the ground in front of her.
"Did you kill them?"
Gregori frowned then nodded.
"Do you swear on your god?"
Gregori was not a man who took offense easily but this woman..... no this child, dared to doubt him.
"Yes, I swear on my god and my honor as a hunter." He spoke through gritted teeth.
"How many of them did you kill?" Ashe continued her questioning.
"They had a total of eighty seven members. Eighty nine with the two inquisitors." Gregori replied. He had counted the total number of black cloaks as he looted their bodies and bags.
The members of the council behind Ashe laughed.
"A fibber!"
"No honor in him. Lying after swearing on his god."
Gregori looked at the men who laughed at his words. "I may still be weak... but I will not accept this disrespect."
His eyes landed on each and every one of them. He felt his rage bubble upon listening to them.
Ashe tried to speak up and diffuse the situation but Gregori continued, "I challenge you. All of you. The entire council against me alone in the same place you held the Bloodsworn competition. I will show you a fibber."
Numerous protests arose from the men and women in the council.
"If you can accuse someone, you have to be willing to face their anger. You gave me a near impossible task and then you accuse me of cheating. You challenge my honor... I challenge your authority. You can even bring your Warmother alongside you if you wish, maybe then it might be a fair fight." Gregori pushed on. Hurting their honor and in essence calling them pussies.
A few angry words later, they accepted. The battle was arranged for the next morning.
Gregori apologized to Tryndamere for implicating his Bloodsworn and then walked off with Daisy and the beasts in tow. Not before he gave away some of the meat and fruit to those around him.
"Daddy?"
"Yes flower?"
"Can you beat them?"
"Don't you worry Daisy. You haven't seen how strong your daddy really is." Gregori ran his hand through her hair. "I will just put these jesters in their place."