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Gregor rushed down the stairs of the apartment building with a quick glance at his watch. Luxa was going to kill him for being so late. Out of breath he reached the laundry room relieved to find it was empty. He made his way to the grate behind the old washing machine that rumbled in its cycle and rapped his knuckles against the metal three times. Suddenly a pale face appeared as he pulled the grate from the wall and quietly set it next to the opening.
“You’re late, Overlander.” The woman said with a fierce expression in her violet eyes.
“I’m sorry” Gregor said with an apologetic wince. “I just stopped to get you these” He held out a small bouquet of red flowers from the corner stand just down the street from the old apartment building. Luxa glared at him a moment longer, then her expression softened and a ghost of a smile graced her lips, though she did not take them. Figuring he was forgiven Gregor climbed into the grate as Luxa disappeared again. His feet dangled in the air over a drop that went on for miles into the darkness. He smiled and pushed himself off the ledge.
Gregor fell a short distance then landed on a soft ball of fur.
“Greetings overlander” Auroras voice purred into the darkness.
“Hey.” Gregor greeted her, then wrapped his arms around the girl in front of him. He felt her shoulders relax. He buried his face in her neck and took in the peculiar smell of the Underland that he never did get used to. “I missed you” he said. The darkness had completely enclosed them and the only thing that could be heard was the soft beat of Aurora’s wings. He let out a long breath just to get a visual on Luxa’s face, the echolocation still stuck with him over the years.
“I missed you, too, Gregor.” She leaned her head against his and he felt her chest rise and fall and in a short sigh.
“So where are we off to today?” Gregor asked, hopeful to make conversation. The last time he and Luxa had been able to see each other was more than a month ago.
“It’s a secret” He could hear the smirk in Luxa’s voice. He knew she was teasing him for the last date they had gone on where he refused to tell her about it until they arrived at the location.
“Come on, tell me? Please?” He played along with her.
Luxa laughed and Gregor savored the sound. It was rare that she ever did laugh even years after the war. “No, you must wait.” Gregor let out an exaggerated sigh in response and kissed her cheek. He allowed himself a small smile. This was a nice break from the dozens of odd-jobs and the overdue bills that kept him busy and on edge in New York. “So how’s things been in Regalia?” He felt Luxa tense underneath his hold.
“It has been busy. The council...is very difficult. I have been working to create a new colony. It is almost there, I think.”
“That’s great! How’s Ripred? And Hazard?”
“Ripred has been growing fat on shrimp, though he tells me otherwise. And Hazard is doing well. He spends much time in the new Nibbler colony. He’s growing into a fine diplomat.” In the last sentence Gregor could hear the pride in her voice over Hazard. Gregor was also proud of how he had grown from the little boy in the jungle to the herald of prosperity between all of the species in the underland.
“We are almost there.” Aurora said in her soft voice. Shortly the group of three took a turn left and Gregor was surprised as they flew into a cavern with a wide space overhead but something under them that wasn’t quite stone. After a few clicks into the darkness Gregor asked “Is that water beneath us?”
“Yes. Aurora and I found this place about one month ago while exploring during some free time. It has a...lake I think it’s called. There is no way out of here besides the entrance we just came through.” Gregor was dumbfounded as they flew over the expanse of water and landed on a ledge on the far side of the lake. There he found a shallow cave where already Luxa and Aurora had stockpiled blankets and torches. He felt a pang in his heart when he was struck with a similarity between here and Ares’ cave. His hand unconsciously found its way over his heart, over the words of the poem that had bonded them years ago. He gripped the bouquet tighter in his hand.
His thoughts were interrupted as Luxa lit a torch. The orange fire bounced lit the cavern for a short distance and Gregor could finally get a good look around. What he saw amazed him and left his mouth gaping. The top of the cavern seemed to be covered in any number of gems which sparkled and twinkled like stars in the torch light.
“They make me think of the stars in the Overland.” Luxa said, her voice echoing off the walls of the chamber. “They make me think of you. It’s nice to be able to come here sometimes. To get away from the pressures of the kingdom.” Gregor turned from the gems to Luxa who was looking up at the roof of the cavern. Gregor felt winded seeing her in the glow of the torch light, standing regally, her violet eyes alight. He felt his face flush and his heart flutter. She looked over to him and met his eyes with a concentrated stare.
With a smile Gregor said “I missed you. A lot.” She returned a shaky smile and he walked over to the cave entrance where she stood. He wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug and she returned it with her available arm. “So much.” He said, thinking about all of the troubles the overland presented, about the scars on his body that tied him to the past, and the ache in his heart that still remained for friends lost.
“I missed you too” she said quietly, with her Underland accent. Gregor let her go and she seemed almost lost when he did.
“It’s really beautiful in here.” He said looking around. “I know Boots would love this.”
“Perhaps when she returns to your...apartment she may visit again.” Luxa said with a melancholy note to her voice. Gregor nodded and sat against the wall of the cavern, watching the shimmering gems. Luxa sat next to him and they leaned their heads together. They sat together for a long time and, without a word, watched the underground stars above their heads.