A Search Through Runeterra (Arcane)

"I touched the stars, and saw the glorious light of a thousand suns! Now, blinded by this elegance, how could my purpose be anything... but dark..." ~ Aatrox the Darkin Blade

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The next morning was eventful to say the least.

Annie was unusually energetic. Gregori played with her for a couple hours and then they ate some fruits for breakfast.

Filling up buckets of water from the stream, he bathed Annie and after cleaning her up, he did the same. Unlike homes in the heart of Noxus or any major settlement, their house didn't have water pipelines. Buckets and mugs were all they needed. He could use magic, but the stream water was too good to not use. It was clean and cool, though for Annie alone he heated it up a little. She liked warm water. 

But just like every time, he had to coax her into taking a bath. Its not that she wouldn't do it, it was that she wouldn't do it without Tibbers.

And the conversation usually went like this,

"Why does Tibbers not take baths daddy? Let me wash him too!"

"No firefly. Tibbers can't take baths."

Furious stomping.

"Tibbers is a bear and bears don't need baths. And also Tibbers only likes a clean firefly right? Not the stinky and sweaty firefly."

Horrified face.

"Bath fast daddy!"

Willing child.

Gregori teetered on the edge of both spoiling her and incurring her anger on a daily basis. At this point he employed various tactics to keep the child happy. A result of 2 years of trial and error.

The first few years? Easy! 

Baby cry?

Hungry? Then feed.

Not hungry? Check clothes. Dirty? Then change and clean.

Not dirty? Probably pain. Cast calming spell. Check for cause of pain. Healing spell.

Done!

Even a moron like him could figure that out. But as his firefly grew older, she started thinking, developing a personality. Gregori was stern when it was needed but he couldn't bear to see his daughter sad. Hence, Annie grew up spoiled. She grew heavily reliant on Tibbers and him. Hopefully that changed. Hopefully Leanna and Daisy changed her for the better. Hopefully.

He wore his hand axe to his left and prepared the sack. More people meant more food was required. This trip would be another supply run as well. Not to mention any possessions both Leanna and Daisy might bring along with them.

After that little struggle, the two of them set out to Delverhold. The walk ahead of them was long but Annie was energetic. Just like all the times when they made this journey. She had even started to recognize the pathways. Trying to predict what would come next after every twist and turn became her entertainment. Gregori didn't initiate many conversations during the travel, but he did reply to Annie energetically. He knew that she would tire herself out soon. It was to be expected of a child.

Like always, after she did tire herself out, he picked her up and carried her all the way to Delverhold. The walk there was safe from predators. Most creatures were cleared out as Noxians invaded. It was standard operating procedure after all. Eliminate dangers before proceeding, leave necessary flora and fauna. That's why the plants and trees and non-aggressive animals remained. 

Delverhold's previous rulers thought not to make clear and safe trade routes despite their main source of income being export of iron and the like, and if routes were not safe, no trader would use them.

In matters like these, Noxus exhibited startling speed and striking efficiency. 

Not that Gregori minded. There was no greater place for protection than Noxus either way. No one would search for him here and for all intents and purposes, to everyone in the past, he was dead and buried.

Good riddance for them and freedom for him.

Annie sat on his shoulders and played with his hair. Being tired never stopped that. She didn't stop speaking either. A change from the norm. She usually just slept while hugging his head. 

"Daddy?"

"Yes firefly?"

"How much longer? Tibbers is getting bored."

"Really Tibbers? Is the outside really boring? Look at this tree-" He spoke, understanding that his daughter used Tibbers as the scapegoat.

No remorse from her either. 

He veered of the path, spotting a tree he recognized. "Every thing in this world has secrets hidden in them." He reached around the tree and pushed his hand through.

A couple of grunts from him and giggles from Annie, he pulled out his hand. 

Annie peeked around his head to look at his clenched fist.

"Open! Open!"

With a gentle smile, Gregori opened his hand revealing a perfectly ordinary round stone.

"There are rocks in trees?" 

Gregori then flipped the rock to reveal markings underneath it. "Me and your mother.... we hid rocks like these in and around the forest. Even in our house. This marking? This is a rune. With all the stones in their places, no one can find our home. But you have to put it back if you find one like this okay?"

Rapid nodding of head.

"You see the tree behind us?"

"Yeah!" The excitement was palpable now. Annie was hooked.

"If you look hard at the side of its biggest branch you can spot a bird's nest."

"I see it! I see it! But Daddy?"

"Yes firefly?"

"What is a bird's nest?"

Hmm. The question put things into perspective for Gregori, he needed to prioritize his daughter's education more. He needed to push her past simple counting and into more things. Annie was smart, something she probably got from her mother, she could and would be able to pick up things easily.

Gregori sighed. That would be put on hold for now. He would start teaching once Daisy joined in as well.

"A bird's nest is a house for birds."

That explanation would have to do for now. He would go into details once he actually started teaching later.

"House for birds? But some birds just sleep on trees?"

"That is because sometimes, when birds are flying back home, they get tired and sleep on a tree and then fly away in the morning."

Gregori continued on like nothing happened. These kinds of questions were nothing new to him and he had grown accustomed to giving instantaneous replies like this. All part of raising a kid. His ability to bluff and use his words to get out of situations was quite reliable and proved its usefulness almost everyday.

Were these lies? Yes. But did it hurt anyone? No. 

Hence, there was no issue in telling them.

Annie was innocent. She saw the world differently compared to him. That would change as she grew older and experienced different things. Amoline was the same. She had her view of the world. And.... it was an innocent one. Growing up in Noxus didn't change that. Despite all the glory hunting and warmongering, she was still extremely optimistic. A trait he didn't share or develop in the years he spent with her.

And in that manner, Gregori completed the journey to the gates of Delverhold.

Delverhold, being a Noxian settlement, carried all the indications of it. Noxian flags and banners littered the outer stone walls. Large iron gates blocked the entrance. Houses and buildings inside were all different kinds. Stone houses, wooden cabins, cloth tents, shoddy mud huts, all of them were present. But it was surprisingly orderly, houses were supposed to only be there on designated areas, offices and buildings for Noxian officials in other areas. There were shops and traders both inside and outside the walls. Their prices and quality changing depending on which side of the wall they were on.

The shadow of the previous kingdom's architecture still remained, so did a lot of its people and culture. Weapon making was still the most value skill here alongside metal working.

Despite the tiring travel, Annie was happy and excited. That made him significantly happier since, she was usually grumpy in the past but perked up once they made their way inside.

Annie faced the gates. Her left hand gripped her father's and her right clasped Tibbers tightly.

Gregori waited. Waited till she took the first step. To her it wouldn't mean much, she couldn't understand the consequences of moving on. But he knew. The moment he took that step, he wouldn't just be a father, he would become a husband again. He would also gain another daughter.

And Annie pulled him in past the gates. Almost as if forcing him to move on. A little shuffle and then a strong step forward. Gregori was finally ready to move on. He then took over and led Annie to the inn where Leanna and him had planned to meet.

Annie, despite having visited the settlement multiple times, took in the sights and various people in awe. The people here were either Noxian soldiers or settlers and refugees, so it wouldn't be hard to spot people donning heavy armor or carrying large weapons. Almost everyone carried a weapon, it was a requirement. Some carried them openly, whilst some kept them concealed.

Gregori's hand axe was there for a reason, a deterrent. It hadn't seen an action at all, just existing to make certain think twice before moving. Years of inaction and a simple and dull lifestyle led to gradual weakening but he still radiated the aura of one not to be messed with.

A person moving with a child alone looked like easy pickings. Hence relying on the cosmetic weapon and his natural stature kept most criminals away. The rest usually backed off once they saw the glare he would give them.

He could use magic to scare of enemies but that could possibly alert Noxian soldiers. They might have received orders for capturing mages and the like. Things had gotten tighter since, Boram Darkwill's death and Jericho Swain's ascension to Grand General of Noxus. Soldiers moved with renewed passion and drive. Change in leadership often did that, everyone scrambled to get things done. New leadership meant new management and new management meant they could climb up ranks fast and easily. The Trifarix made sure of that, anyone with talent and the skills would be able to climb the ranks, individual skill had its value greatly emphasized. Achievements during a war wasn't the only thing that could lead to promotions, things like catching criminals or 'anything for the benefit of Noxus' was appreciated. Of course they wouldn't care for someone like him, but for Gregori, it was better to be safe than sorry. He had hidden his existence as The Gray pretty well.

Ignoring the shady looking fellows and the random passerby's, he led Annie forward. His grip on her arm was a strong one and she returned the grip by squeezing hard onto him.

Nor knowing what her dad was thinking, Annie still reciprocated the firm grip on her hand. She liked physical contact with her dad. She liked it when he held her hand. She liked it when he played with her and Tibbers, even if his beard was scratchy and his chest was hairy.

Watching the houses and people kept her mind engaged. She let out 'woahs' and 'wows' at different people. Even those of other species were not exactly rare here.

"Woah big horns!"

"Don't point at them Annie, it is rude. Be respectful okay? They are older than you."

The person she had just pointed to was a member of the Minotaurs. Donning large and heavy Noxian armor, the Minotaur watched everyone carrying on with their lives. Simply watching. Their eyes carried no emotion, just watching, lost in their thoughts. A large battle-axe lay on the wall they leaned on. A seasoned warrior. Implied by the wear and tear on both the weapon and the armor.

The Minotaurs have had a love-hate relationship with Noxus over the years. Well, more hate and less love but that didn't mean they went on killing sprees across Noxus. After The Fleshing, they had every right to. Gregori sympathized with them. The twenty-one day festival was inhumane. They might be beastlike but they didn't deserve the treatment they got. He specifically remembered the one Minotaur, that left everyone fearing for their lives. A true mighty warrior he was.

His bloody rampage and Jericho's Ascension had given him and Amoline the chance to run away and settle down here. It was amazing how easily they were forgotten. Both of them had kept their eyes and ears out for any searches relating to them but fortunately they were forgotten.

"Daddy ears! Pretty!"

Gregori felt a tug and looked to where Annie pointed. A person with animal features. Ionian. These people were rare and he did consider them people, the same way the minotaurs were. Ionia was far from here, very far, an ocean away in fact. After the Noxian invasion of Ionia, few of them were dragged out here. Ionians had various features, some were regular humans while other had feathers, fur, claws, animal ears and such. And naturally, those with animal features displayed feats of strength and speed beyond that of normal humans. Becoming one of the reasons why they had managed to repel the Noxians. Minotaurs were surprisingly not an Ionian species. They were native to the region between Noxus and Piltover. 

With a defeated expression, Gregori spoke, "Yes Annie, they look pretty but remember, it is rude to point at strangers."

Annie nodded, downcast at her father's reminder.

And just like that, they arrived in front of the inn. Gregori lifted Annie up onto his right hand and pushed the door open with his left.