A/N: This is set in the same au as "Long trip to Accordo." You don't need to read it to understand what is going on but it does explain why Ardyn is with Regis and his retinue.
Slam!
Regis barely glanced up from his paperwork at the sound. The wordless snarl was more than enough to let him know who had just entered his office. "What is it Ardyn?" When a hiss followed by dropped documents answered him, Regis looked up. Oh dear, he thought as he saw the state of his ancestor, this is serious.
Ardyn was furious. Black ichor dripped from his eyes in his fury, the scourge absorbed by the black ring on his finger before it could cause a biohazard. A ring Regis had once expected to wear after it had claimed the life of his father, like it had claimed the lives of most of the kings and queens of Lucis.
Except Ardyn had taken offense to King Mor's plan to withdraw the Wall over Lucis and stolen it from the King in front of the council. Put it on and declared that, being an immortal asshole that would not allow unnecessary deaths, he would sustain the Wall from that point forth. The containment of his Scourge when Ardyn was infuriated had been a happy bonus.
Regis brought his thoughts back to the present situation. There were few things that would anger Ardyn as much as this. Regis could count three reasons really and he wasn't certain which one was the cause of this outburst.
The first, and most likely cause, was Ardyn's newly adopted son. The new Prince of Lucis. One stubborn, still reckless, Cor Leonis now with the added Lucia Caelum to his name.
Regis quickly searched his memories for something Cor might have done recently that would have caused such a visceral reaction from Ardyn. Nothing came to mind. Cor hadn't left the Citadel since his last mission over a month ago. Perhaps an older mission report had been found by Ardyn?
The second reason that might anger Ardyn easily, also quite possible, was finding major historical inaccuracies surrounding the years of his pseudo reign. While Ardyn had understood that Regis, and many of the Lucis Caelum line, had no idea of the circumstances surrounding the Founder King's ascent to the throne; finding blatant lies and tampering of the facts still hurt him deeply.
Regis had tried to temper that hurt by proposing he worked with the Citadel's on staff historians and librarians to find and correct such information. Ardyn had been delighted with the idea until he had seen how extensive the manipulation had been. Then he'd gotten angry and threatened to burn down the library. Regis, Cor and Cid had managed to convince the immortal not to. (Regis still remembers the mysterious reclassification of 85% of the historical books dated around the time of Lucis' founding as historical fiction. The librarians were still finding books almost 4 months after the fact.)
The last reason that might anger Ardyn was one that usually ended up angering Regis once he learnt of it too. Any act of cruelty against their people left both Lucis Caelum's ready for war. Ardyn seemed to have a knack for finding traces of crimes, collusions and other foul deeds.
He'd gone for a walk with Cor a week ago and returned with news of a human trafficking ring. He'd spent 5 minutes talking with a Lord with land in Duscae. Three hours later, the Crownguards had received a full report detailing massive fraud where the Lord in question was imposing ever increasing taxes on the people living under his care in the Crown's name. Each and every time, Ardyn spent hours angry and ranting about the state of Lucis' nobility and their growing selfishness.
Regis sighed, Ardyn had started to pace around his office. Time to check the documents he'd dropped on his desk to see if Regis could glean the source of his anger. Regis read the report title, blinked and read it again.
Hum, so the first reason it was. The documents held the reports written by Cor on the trip to Accordo, including added notes and commentaries by Regis, Cid, Clarus and Weskham. "So why are you angry? Is it because Cor was so reckless and got hurt so often? Because he didn't tell you any of this himself? Or is it something else?" Regis asked calmly.
Ardyn snarled, twisting suddenly to face Regis. "He is a child! My son!" He paused, took a deep breath and looked away from Regis. When he turned back towards the other man, Ardyn's eyes were no longer dripping ichor. They were still pitch black and he was still clearly angry but it was quite the improvement.
"So why is it that when I requested for Cor's files, as is my right as his guardian; and which I did with his permission by the way; and I find a third. A third! Of it is classified?" Ardyn slapped his hands on Regis' desk. "And this is just your damn trip! Fix it!" He snarled, mouth showing just a bit too much teeth to be considered human.
Regis kept a tight rein on his emotions and nodded, "Of course. Let me ask for the originals right away. We can also start the process to get your clearance put in place." It took a single call from the current heir to the Throne of Lucis to get everything moving.
Ten minutes later, a calmer Ardyn was reading through the full, un-censored version of the reports concerning Cor. Regis was filling in the required paperwork for Ardyn to get the required clearance to automatically match Cor's. He checked on his guest as he worked, knowing that Ardyn would not like the many incidents involving Cor.
When Ardyn does finally react to the reports, it's not in the way Regis expected. He doesn't go back to being angry. No. Ardyn goes pale and still. Regis carefully places his pen down before going to check on his many-time removed uncle. "Ardyn?"
The man didn't even look up as Regis knelt beside the couch. It took a bit of maneuvering to see the report Ardyn was staring at so intently. Odly, it was not a medical report about any number of Cor's injuries. It was the first page of a simple accident report.
Well, not so simple once Regis realized which one it was. The accident report concerned the disappearing act Cor pulled after hearing about the deadly Trial Grounds. Cor had disappeared for a full week before reappearing, half-dead and mostly unconscious, at their haven. Regis and the others had been beside themselves with worry as they waited for their youngest member to wake up.
"Ah yes, Cor's adventures in the Trial Grounds. That Blademaster, Gilgamesh.." Regis couldn't finish his thought as Ardyn surged up at the name, almost knocking him out.
Ardyn looked even paler than mere seconds ago. "Gil..ga..mesh?" Regis finds himself suddenly dragged forward by the collar and staring into blown golden eyes. "The cursed man in the Trial Grounds is Gilgamesh! Are you certain?"
Regis froze at the sheer desperation in Ardyn's tone. It took him much too long to answer Ardyn with a simple nod. He could vividly remember the look in Cor's eyes when the still young child recounted his experience within the crag.
Ardyn slumped back against the couch. Regis adjusted his shirt and asked, "What do you need?" Ardyn didn't respond. That alone said more than any word could have done. Regis sent a quick message to Cor and stayed by Ardyn's side until his arrival.
In hindsight, letting two of the most reckless and impulsive men Regis knew walk out together without supervision while one was emotionally distressed and the other held the knowledge that might help him; was not the brightest thing he had done to that day. Not the stupidest but definitely not something Regis would remember without a sigh of regret.
The reckless duo of father and son promptly disappeared from the Citadel. Ardyn had been thoughtful enough to leave a small note in their shared apartment. Gone to verify something with Cor. Be back soon. -Ardyn Lucis Caelum
A day passed by without news. Then a second one. On the third day, Cor was back training with the Crownguards as though he'd never left. And Ardyn was introducing someone Regis had only heard tales of to the Court. In the middle of a closed session. After having allowed said person to knock out all of the Crownguards on duty and single-handedly take down both Clarus and Clarus' father.
"Lords, Ladies, me dear nephews; may I present to you the Shield to the Founder King and my beloved husband, Gilgamesh Amicitia?" Ardyn drawled as he sauntered over to the one-armed giant. Regis dropped his head unto his hands even as the shouting began. Weskham was going to need to stock up on his migraine remedy because he just knew the next few days were going to be excruciating to manage.