Title: Remorse (1 of 2)

Author: Yamato795

Rating: Honestly, it's probably only PG I think.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not the game or the characters.

Warning: This story is SPOILER HEAVY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE YET TO FINISH THE GAME, OR LEARN ABOUT REGAL'S PAST, HOLD OFF ON READING THIS UNTIL YOU DO.

Author's notes: Oddly enough, I wrote this story a long time ago, before I even started On my Honor. Actually, that fic sprung from the roots of this one, I suppose. I did it out of a desire to see more interest in Regal as a character. I also always felt that the end of the original game didn't leave any true closure when it came to my favorite Duke. So, now since I realized I never posted this story on this site….here it is.

Remorse

Prologue

To be in Altamira again was as heart wrenching as it was shameful. Here people knew him as a noble, a man who had been given the title of Duke by the King of Tethe'alla, and the president of the prosperous Lezareno Company. An ever hopeful part of him wanted to believe that he was still that man, the one who had strived to be honorable as well as respectable. Then reality was always brought back by the reminder around his wrists.

Shackles, the mark of a criminal, of a convict. Regal Bryant did not delude himself, he knew what he was. He was a murderer and he wore the symbol of his sins for all to see. He had taken the life of the woman he loved so dearly with his own hands, so not only had he turned himself in for his crime but he still wore the shackles. To return to Altamira before, with Lloyd, Presea, and the others, had been one of the hardest things he'd done, yet not as hard as watching Lloyd destroy the Exsphere that held Alicia's consciousness. For the second time he had lost the one he loved, right before his eyes.

At least he knew she had forgiven him in a way. Alicia had even asked Presea to try to forgive him as well. Regal had been so grateful for the chance to just hear his beloved's voice, even if it was only because of the same accursed stone that had transformed Alicia into a monster that he'd had the chance to speak with her. She'd told him to stop punishing himself, to try to make peace with the past, but he didn't know how to.

So he had vowed to take off the shackles when those who had used Exshperes to toy with people's lives had been punished, and that he would no longer use his hands as instruments of death. After defeating Vharley, Regal could have walked away, gone back to his cell in Meltokio, but he'd wanted to protect Presea and Lloyd had still needed him. So the convict had continued on until the end, until the worlds were reunited.

And after seeing to it that the Toize Valley Mine had been rendered useless to anyone who would have wished to dig for Exshperes, Regal had returned to Altamira, reluctant to find out what sort of reception he would receive. Instead of disgust or contempt in the looks people gave him, he saw warmth, warmth that had not changed in all these years. George had met him on the grand floor of the Lezareno Building to tell him that Presea was on the Sky Terrace. It was as if nothing had changed, as if no one saw him for what he was. That should have made him happy; instead it only added to his guilt.

Perhaps the only thing that had made him truly happy was that when he had told Presea of his plans she had offered to help him. It wasn't forgiveness, but acceptance would do for now.

Part One

In the month that had passed since Mithos' downfall and the reuniting of the worlds, Regal had spent endless hours tracking every shipment of Exspheres his company had ever participated in or heard of. His efforts had aided Lloyd, who kept in touch, on his journey to collect all the stones that had hurt so many people. The more information the president of the Lezareno Company could dig up, the faster the young swordsman could complete his mission. With the ties he'd had as a noble, Regal was using every angle he could muster to track down the Exspheres that had been scattered over the two worlds that were newly joined.

This job gave him purpose, as well as serving as better penance than sitting idle in a jail cell. Not only that but it served to give Presea something to do as well. She would never be able to return to Ozette, and with no family she almost had nowhere to go. At least in Altamira she had a goal to strive for.

The girl who appeared so much younger than she was had retired her place as Mascot of the resort town. Her new duties for the Lezareno Company meant a bit of traveling, either for information or to actually retrieve Exspheres, and she felt that to be much more important. She had actually just returned from a visit to Mizuho to see if their information network had learned anything that Regal's ties had not when upon entering the Lezareno building she spotted an unexpected yet familiar figure talking to the two receptionists.

"Zelos?"

Indeed, the red headed swordsman was the one before her. Noting had changed, not his sly grin, the elegant way with which he carried himself, or the way he had to flirt with both ladies behind the desk. When their eyes met, the smile he wore widened. "Presea, tiny rosebud, you're looking as lovely as ever I see."

Only one of her eyebrows rose at that. "Hello, Zelos."

"What? That's all I get?" the Chosen of Tethe'alla gasped in mock pain, his signature pout crossing his face as he put a hand over his heart. "Not even a kiss or two for the Great Zelos Wilder?"

"You can be…terrible, Zelos." The pink haired girl shook her head at his antics with her lips nearly curling into a smile. She was in fact happy to see him, but emotions were still difficult for her to show, even if the Cruxis Crystal no longer controlled her. "You're not here to see me…are you?"

"Okay, well, no," Zelos admitted sheepishly, laughing a little bit at his own expense. Even after all that their group had been through he had still managed to retain his positive outlook on life. Whether that was a testament to his ability to be oblivious to what was around him or the strength of his will no one could be sure. "I'm actually here to see Regal on official business from the King. I wasn't expecting to run into you."

"I have been assisting Regal." She told him as she headed for the elevator knowing that he would follow without being told to. "We are collecting the Exspheres."

"Right! Lloyd told me something about that when he was in Meltokio about a week ago! I would have went along with him, but I still had some things to take care of there," the magic swordsman exclaimed nodding in recollection of the last time he'd talked to their former leader. "I bet that's been keeping all of you busy."

"Yes," Presea murmured in her soft voice as the elevator came to a stop.

Together they stepped into the large office that seemed much more cluttered than the last time either of them had been within the elegant structure. Large piles of books were stacked on each side of the desk, along with several folders, and one set of books had marked pages while the other set looked as if they had yet to be opened. Behind the desk sat their friend, reading several documents spread out in front of him, his serious expression only tainted by an edge of frustration in his gaze. He didn't look up to acknowledge their presence.

"Regal." The girl took a few steps forward, concerned. The convict had become very dedicated to their task, but the bags under his eyes and the conditions of the room were enough to unsettle her. She'd been gone for only two days, since Sheena had insisted she stay longer than planned.

The sound of his name was enough to rouse Regal back to reality, although he appeared a bit startled at first. But perhaps that was because he hadn't anticipated Presea to bring a guest. "Oh, Presea, you're back. And, Zelos, what are you doing here?"

"Ouch, both of you! What's with the cold greetings?" the younger man joked glancing form the taciturn girl to the convict before faking a sigh. "Here I went to all that trouble to help you out, Regal, using what time I had left as the Chosen of Mana, and I can't even get a warm hello! Isn't anyone ever happy to see me and my handsome face?"

"Hello, Zelos," Regal said with a bit of amusement.

"You're no longer…the Chosen?" Presea remarked in confusion.

"Yup. That was one of the results of our journey. The Church of Martel hasn't been doing so hot since we discovered that Cruxis was behind the whole thing. Plus with the two worlds no longer in a struggle for Mana there's no more need for the ritual of the Chosen, so I lost myself a title," he replied still cheerful as ever, or even more than usual. Perhaps it was because the burden of sacrificing himself for the sake of Tethe'alla was no longer his to bear that had lifted his spirits exponentially. "But while I still had the Rights of the Chosen I thought I could help you out, Regal, since his Majesty had to listen to me."

"What do you mean?" The president of the Lezareno Company stood; brow furrowed and shackled wrists still hanging in front of him. It amazed him how he could move so easily while his hands were bound, and yet it had become second nature with time.

"Well, when I returned to Meltokio, I had to report to his Majesty of our journey since I knew he'd need to understand everything that had happened. And while I still had the Rights of the Chosen I made sure to mention your situation to the King, since you know each other and all," the magical swordsman explained slowly, running once hand over the back of his neck almost as if he were nervous. "So I told him all the details, like what happened with Alicia and how you helped us defeat Cruxis to reunite the worlds."

"You said you did me a favor?" the convict murmured, his serious glare sweeping the paper and book littered floor before coming to rest on Zelos' gaze. "What did you ask the King to do for me?"

"Hey, relax; I didn't really have to ask him to do anything, really. We sort of came up with conclusion of what we could do to thank you for helping out the people of Tethe'alla. Besides, the King likes you, Regal. He did make you a Duke, after all," Zelos continued doing his best to gauge both of the expressions of the pair watching him. When it came to Presea, he'd all but given up trying to read her, for her face was blank unless she was upset with something usually. And when it came to the older man, the former Chosen couldn't tell just what was going on in his former companion's head. "So that's why I'm here, to deliver a message, and to give you this."

From his pocket the swordsman pulled out a box about the same size as the palm of his hand, holding it up for his friends to see. "You see, Regal, technically, you're supposed to still be in your cell even though the Pope let you out to capture Collette."

Presea clenched a fist, her gaze fixed on the young president's profile. There were emotions that were stirring in her gut, emotions that always came to life when anything concerning the way Alicia had died or Regal's part in her death was mentioned, and she couldn't help it. She did not hate the man that had loved her sister, no; she just couldn't come to terms with the way Alicia had had to die. "Regal?"

"I had…forgotten." He hung his head slightly.

"No kidding." The former Chosen snickered a bit unable to help himself. Holding the box in both hands, he stepped forward so that he was only a few feet away from his comrade, only the desk left between them pretty much. "But, as his Majesty knows, while you've been free you fought along side us, risked your life to save countless others, and since then you've been working to make our reunited worlds a better place for everyone. The King thinks you've served enough time for your crime, and he wants you to be free to continue your work now."

"Zelos…" He didn't know what to say, couldn't find his voice. For a moment he'd thought the red headed young fighter had come to bring him back to prison, but it did not seem that that was what Zelos had been sent to do. And what was in that box?

"So I'm here with his Majesty's message." Zelos grinned genuinely his blue eyes alight with what could have been pride. "The King of Tethe'alla has granted you, Regal Bryant, a royal pardon for your crime. Your debt has been paid and the title of Duke is still yours. His Majesty also insisted that I present you with this."

With that, the Chosen opened the box under the scrutiny of his two friends. His grin only grew, if that was physically possible, when he heard the both of them gasp at what the King had asked him to present to the Duke. Presea was then glancing from Regal, back to the contents of the box, waiting for what the convict would say or do in light of the pardon he'd been granted. Regal, he, after gasping, didn't move, and he could have even been holding his breath as if exhaling would make this any less real.

The King of Tethe'alla had pardoned him. And sent Zelos with a key.

A key.

"To be honest, I think you're buff enough that those handcuffs don't really hold you, but the King thought this was more meaningful," Zelos commented, extending the gift to the shackled man with an encouraging smile. "You can finally take them off."

When Regal didn't say anything, Zelos took a step forward.

And the convict took one back, hanging his head. "No. I cannot."

"But, Regal…" the ax woman began, but couldn't finish. Regal Bryant had been the one to murder her sister, no matter the circumstances, and now the King had pardoned him of that crime. She had understood how the convict had insisted on continuing to wear the bonds as a symbol of his sins, as punishment. But how was she supposed to feel about him being given a chance to throw that symbol away? Was she supposed to be happy that he seemed to be refusing the offer of freedom?

"Hey, come on. You told Alicia you would take them off once we took care of the creeps who used Exspheres to toy with people, and we did that." Perhaps the red headed charmer would have moved closer to the other man, but with the desk in between them he couldn't get there without going around. "You've kept your promise to her; this is just the last step."

"These are the symbol of my crime." Regal held out his bound hands.

"Which you've paid for." Zelos insisted his smile gradually fading. "Besides, Alicia herself said that you've punished yourself enough already. You can take them off now."

"I took the life of my love with my own hands." Those words seemed to be choked out through a set jaw. With his head dipped down blue bangs managed to hide his eyes, but there was no mistaking the tension in his entire body or the way his knuckles were turning white from how tightly he'd balled his hands up. His shoulders were at least moving if, only slightly, with each breath he drew in, and he swayed forward for an instant. For a man who was usually so calm and collected in any circumstances, Regal seemed to be crumbling before their eyes.

"And you've suffered for that," the former Chosen nodded obviously not ready to back down from this. Setting the box down on a small stack of documents on the desk he then put his hands on his hips taking a deep breath. "No one is questioning that, Regal. But I think that it's time you do what you promised Alicia, and take them off. Stop punishing yourself!"

"You do not understand, Zelos, it is not just as simple as that. I murdered the woman I loved with these hands, no pardon will change that and taking off these shackles will not bring her back!" Regal nearly shouted although his glare was still pointed downwards. His shoulders trembled suddenly, and he shook his head. "I cannot just remove my bonds as if I have made up for the fact that I murdered another person! I cannot!"

"Regal--" Zelos started.

"Even if I take them off, I will still suffer without her!" the president yelled with his face contorted in agony. Before either of his friends could move, Regal rushed to the elevator to escape their stares.

When the former Chosen of Mana turned back to Presea he no longer appeared to be the cheerful youth he had been when he'd entered. Even though he knew that Regal's actions were nothing personal against him, it was hard for Zelos not to be hurt by the fact the Duke had downright refused to accept his gift. Asking the King of Tethe'alla to pardon a man for murder and not being thrown out of the palace was nothing to scoff at, but perhaps the Casanova swordsman had never considered that the convict would toss his efforts back in his face. Normally full of life, Zelos appeared deflated, hurt. "I—I guess I can leave the key here. He might still change his mind."

"Zelos, he knows what you went through for him," Presea said softly to comfort her friend, clasping her hands in front of her. When it came to the president of the Lezareno Company it was still hard for her to be entirely objective or sympathetic. "I am sure he appreciates what you have done."

"Yeah…" the former Chosen murmured.

"The wounds he has suffered are still fresh for him, he has not yet had time to heal," the young woman who still appeared a child remarked, almost to herself. Her azure eyes found the elevator with which Regal had left the office abruptly. "He will need…time to think about what he will do. Please do not think ill of him, Zelos."

"No, of course not." He waved his hand as if he was also brushing off her concern with a sigh. For a moment he seemed to be considering his next course of action, whether or not he should go after Regal, leave him be, or something else entirely. The silence stretched on until part of the swordsman's grin returned, a nearly mischievous light springing into his eyes as he once again faced the ax woman. "Tell me, how have you two been keeping in touch with Lloyd?"

End Part One