Ch. 2 The expressionless child, Regis Pendragon and The Queen

Starling city, 1999

"Regis! Regis Pendragon! Hurry along now we're going to be late for our dinner with the Queen family!" A woman called from the door.

"No need to shout mother, I am ready." A small child of only about five walks down the stairs of his large home adjusting his little red tie. He wore a black suit and walked with the dignity and pride of a king. His flowing golden hair was loosely braided to the side and more hung freely (similar to Chigiri Hyouma). The sharp stare of deep red eyes sweep back and forth around the luxurious mansion. "I don't see why I have to go to this pretentious dinner, where you all passively squabble over policies that make no difference."

"These policies decided the very laws that govern Starling City, the city we live in, what do you mean 'makes no difference'?" Regis' father responded "You may be a smart kid but you have to learn the way things work in the world. Building up your social network is a good way to secure your future weather you go into business or politics. You're going to need allies to make anything significant happen in life."

Regis was irked by the statement (There's no way anyone could offer me anything I don't have…few can even entertain me. How could they affect the security of my future?) I shouldn't have-"

"You're going Regis, end of story." His mother concluded with a stern voice. Regis had no fear of anyone, but he still believed he should honor her wishes.

"Fine, I will go on account of your face. Don't expect me to be a politician though."

"Stop being so dramatic Regis, how did I end up with a child who thinks he's a middle aged professor?" His dad chuckles. "All you have to do is sit there and look like my cute adoring son."

"It'd help if you showed an ounce of emotion." His mother said.

Regis' lips twitched ever so slightly "There, a smile… Shall we go get this over with?" He said as he walked out ahead of his parents.

"Did his face even change?" His mother whispered.

"I couldn't tell," his father shrugged.

...….

Queen residence

The Pendragon family's limousine arrived at the Queen residence, where Robert and Moira Queen were waiting to greet them outside.

"Moira! How are you?"

"I'm fine Igraine, and yourself?" Regis' mother and Oliver's mother greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek. While the men shook hands.

"Good to see you Uther."

"Likewise Robert, thanks for having us over."

"It's my pleasure" Robert responded. "Please come in, we can discuss that proposition over a drink at dinner." He ushered the family in.

"Greetings Mr. Queen, Mrs. Queen." Regis said flatly as he walked in "you have a lovely home."

The distinguished aura Regis gave off was a little disconcerting, it definitely didn't feel like he was talking to a child. but Robert returned his greeting. "Hello Regis and thank you."

"That's all for today, Ollie, we can pick this up again tomorrow if you didn't understand anything. Don't you have that dinner with the Pendragon family soon?" A teenage girl came walking downstairs with an Oliver Queen of the same age. "I should be getting home, before my dad gets worried."

"Or you could stay with us for dinner too?" Young Oliver asked playfully. "Detective Lance has nothing to worry about, you're with me."

"That's what he's worried about," she giggled. "Bye Oliver." Only then did she notice Moira and Robert with their company.

"Mr. and Mrs. Queen. I was just leaving."

Moira spoke up. "Oliver, Uther and Ingraine Pendragon along with their son Regis are here. As you know they'll be joining us for dinner tonight. And you have a lovely evening Laurel, would you like for us to call you a ride?"

"No that's ok Mrs. Queen." Laurel declined politely. "I can get home myself."

"It's no trouble, Laurel" she insisted.

"No need, Laurel's gonna eat with us too." Oliver added. Robert and Moira both gave him a tried look saying 'don't embarrass us'.

Laurel spoke up before Oliver got himself in too deep. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Pendragon. My name is Laurel Lance. I'm sorry if I'm intruding on your evening, I'll see myself out now."

"What no! Stay, Laurel you don't have to leave." Oliver protested. "She's here so much anyways why can't she stay today?"

"I'll see you later Ollie." Laurel started to walk out when she noticed Regis. "Hi, you must be little Regis. I've heard about you from Oliver and the others."

"It would seem my reputation precedes me. Greetings Laurel Lance." Regis said back plainly.

"("It would seem my reputation precedes me?" Where does he get this stuff from?)" Uther thought. "(Well as much as he reads…)" Uther thought back a couple of years ago when Regis taught himself to read almost as soon as he could talk by memorizing how word sounds were used from an old poem. Since then, he had devoured countless books.

"That's quite the vocabulary you have there…" Laurel was a little taken aback by his response.

"What's up little man?" Oliver said extending a hand.

Regis simply looked at his hand "Hello Oliver."

"(He's a weird one alright,)" Oliver thought.

"Mommy, daddy! Look what I did!" A little girl around Regis' age ran up to Moira and Robert showing them a crayon drawing of her family.

"That's beautiful, we'll have it framed as soon as possible!" Robert exclaimed picking her up and giving her a kiss. "Thea sweetheart, I'd like you to meet some friends of ours, the Pendragon family."

Thea greeted the Pendragons too and after receiving one of Regis' emotionless responses she looked at him quizzically for a moment. Regis stared back at her wondering what she'd say. "Why do you look sad? You're weally pwetty! You should smile!"

That startled Regis at first, people have been trying to force him to smile for as long as he could remember. His parents put him through all kinds of therapy to find out why he was so apathetic, and this girl having the audacity to tell him he's too pretty to look so sad was definitely something new. He almost felt like she was cat calling him, which was ridiculous. But it did bring a smile to his face, he even chuckled a little at how stupid it was.

"What was your name?" He asked.

"The-a Queen" she says funnily because of a missing tooth.

Regis burst out into a big laugh, but it wasn't condescending or at anyone's expense. It was like the pure laughter of a child. His parents were startled to silence seeing this.

"Uther…h-he's laughing" Igraine sobbed grabbing her husband.

"I know…" Uther said in disbelief.

"Is something wrong?" Robert Inquired.

"No, nothing's wrong. It's- it's just we've never seen Regis show this much genuine emotion. He's been like that all his life, so calm and apathetic. Joy, anger, pain …he's never expressed any of it. He didn't even cry when he was born, just glared at the doctor who delivered him..." Uther answered.

"What's so funny Reges?" Thea asked thinking he was laughing at her speech.

"Take the A out" Regis stopped laughing enough to answer.

"Take the A out?" Everyone thought about it for a second.

"The Queen?" Laurel guessed.

"Of course!" Regis said "Who could pique my interest but the Queen?" Everyone thought it was cute, laughing it off while little Thea blushed.

"My- my son is interested in someone?!? This is a momentous occasion!" Igraine was ecstatic, in the last minute he's shown more emotion than he has in his whole life. She nearly fainted, resting on her husband.

"H-hang in there Igraine!" Uther said fanning his wife.

"Regis you better not be playing with my little princess's emotions." Robert said half seriously.

"I have no reason to lie. She's the most interesting person I've met so far" Regis responded.

"(That was actually pretty smooth runt.)" Oliver laughed to himself.

"(Isn't it funny, his last name is Pendragon, and his parents are both named after King Arthur's parents? No wonder he could say that so brazenly. With his demeanor it's like he's some reincarnated king,)" Laurel thought looking at the boy, golden locks, handsome but childish face revealing eyes that look as though they see through everything with indifference at a glance, but also full of compassion. An impossible contrast, and around his body there seemed to be a faint but dazzling light, almost like an glistening aura. For a moment it was like he was adorned in a golden robe with a crown, but she dismissed the image of something so crazy thinking it was all in her head.

"Come everyone, dinner's been served. Let's eat." Moira said leading the way.

As everyone made their way towards the dining room, Laurel started towards the door.

"You're actually leaving?" Regis inquired. It didn't make much of a difference with her there or not, but he felt she could keep up in a conversation. She seemed to have a good head on her shoulders…decent head, considering she was with Oliver, who didn't strike him as anyone special. A spoiled rich kid who'd just waste his parents' money until he took over the company and run it into the ground some years later.

"Regis you know it's not your place to say that in someone else's home" His mother said.

"Ah, I've forgotten my manners. I simply didn't think it would be harmful to have her here, isn't she already like family to the Queens? She and Oliver can sit at the children's table with Thea and myself while you adults discuss, 'politics'. I doubt we(those) children would have much place in your business."

"Regis." Igraine's tone went sharp.

"Oh don't worry it's not a problem. Regis is right, Laurel is like family." Moira intervened.

"Her being here won't be a problem."

"Nice one" Oliver whispered to Regis, offering another fist bump.

Regis looked at his hand again "(I suppose there's no reason for me to disrespect him, especially since our families will be working together in the future) Don't mention it," Regis said touching his own fist to Oliver's.

As they were seated at their respective tables (kids and adults) Regis put a napkin in his lap before eating and Igraine offered him another to put over his shirt. Of course, Regis refused to wear a bib at the expense of looking childish. Soon after eating, and the burning through the basic small talk topics everyone drifted into their own conversations. The adults moved their conversation to the bar to talk business, Laurel and Oliver began half studying half flirting, and Regis just sat looking bored around the room. Thea would inquire about various topics that Regis could answer easily like she had her own search engine. Looking at the algebra work Laurel was helping Oliver with Regis scoffed unconsciously.

"What?" Oliver said taking notice.

"Do you really not get it? It's a simple problem." Regis answered with a question.

"I get the whole middle aged toddler thing you got going on there but don't act like you know stuff you don't."

"Who says I don't?" Regis answered with another question.

"Alright try this one smartass." Oliver slid the textbook to him getting a little annoyed. Thea and Laurel were also curious to see if Regis was bluffing.

Regis didn't even take a moment to think about it he just wrote down numbers and returned the book.

"You just put down numbers! There's no way that's right!"

"You can always check my work" Regis said.

"He- he's right" A surprised Laurel said after working the problem herself. It couldn't be a lucky guess. Just how smart was this child? "Try this one." Correct. "This one too." Correct again. "How about this one?" Still correct.

"Are you done? These are rather easy…and honestly boring" Regis said dejectedly as he turned his gaze to the adults.

"Uh sure…" Oliver said as he looked over the work.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Laurel asked noticing where Regis' attention went.

"Cleaning up the Glades, no doubt. The crime rates over there have been rising steadily, and whoever could solve the problem would receive significant merit." Regis answered.

"I can see that. It would make business ventures or campaigning in the city much easier for whoever could make a big difference there." Laurel continued

"So boy genius, I suppose you have a solution for that too?" Oliver said sarcastically.

"I've given it some thought. Nothing too excessive, we'd simply need to implicate some new facilities in the area. Namely better schooling, access to better healthcare for the poor and a few businesses would probably have to be renovated to increase the average income of the area, while keeping the cost of living low enough to avoid gentrification. Not to mention security measures must be taken. May I have some paper? It couldn't hurt to see my thoughts written out," Regis went to writing numbers and procedures down. Enough information to fill several pages. Oliver, Laurel, and Thea looked at him write without even pausing to think like he was making it up on the spot. "Something like this."

"Let me see that." Oliver snatched the papers "This is a nice thought, but even I can tell whoever invested in this would take heavy losses."

"In the beginning yes, but if this is successful the value of the community could rise to the top of Starling City. All the while remaining completely affordable to the people living there. The investors would definitely see big profits in the long term. I'm impressed Regis." Laurel commented.

"Wow you're weally smart Reges!" Thea exclaimed.

"I guess he's kind of smart," Oliver said upset someone ten years his junior made him feel so dumb.

"The deeper we set our roots, the higher the trees will grow," Regis said, sounding really profound to the three of them. "Building an environment where we can give our fellow citizens a strong foundation will benefit everyone involved."

"I couldn't agree more, you continue to surprise me with your brilliant ideas" Igraine said standing over them reading the papers.

"Let me see these notes. I think something like this is just what we're looking for son." She returned to the other side of the room and showed Uther, Moira and Robert the idea and they were all amazed at the potential investment. They all looked at the bored child with wonder at how far ahead he was thinking.

"Even though it will take some time to see results, this is definitely a venture worth trying" Robert said. "I'm sure I know a few other people willing to get behind this plan too."

"Alright we'll do some research and present it at the next city council meeting." Moira confirmed. "(That boy is beyond clever. He is a one-of-a-kind rare genius. I know he'll bring big changes to this city in the future. It might be a good thing if he's taken a liking to Thea, I can keep a closer eye on him this way.)"

"Nice Reges, I think they like your idea!" Thea said watching their parents.

"I suppose time will tell if they make use of the wisdom I've shared with them." Regis said.