On My Honor

by Yamato795

A Regal musing fic that gives you a look at the game from how he saw it, and a better look at his past

4. Four

Title: On my Honor

Author: Yamato795

Pairing: Lots of mentions of RegalxAlicia, but no other ones planned at the moment…

Rating: Let's go PG-13 to be safe, since they do swear in the game, and the violence.

Status: Chapter 4 out of ? parts. Lots planned, but a number is not clear just yet.

Disclaimer: Don't own Tales of Symphonia. Please don't sue me.

Spoilers: A TON, mostly for Regal. I'd say this story is better suited for those who have beaten the game if you ask me. Read at your own risk of spoiling anything. Since it starts where Regal comes in, it should spoil quite a bit of the game after that, don't you think?

Summary: Take a look through Regal's eyes as well as a look into his past.

Author notes: The biggest thing about this chapter is the fact that I answered two questions. As not to ruin either of what those questions are, I'm just going to tell you one thing. The martial art that Regal mentions learning in this chapter was made up by me to explain the fighting style he originally used. Regal said he originally fought with his hands, so I made up the martial art as I could not find one already in existence that fit. If anyone wants more details, let me know, I'm happy to answer questions. I would also like to thank everyone that has reviewed this story. All of your kind words really do help drive me, and they mean a great deal to me. Thank you.

On my Honor

Chapter four

To obtain the Rheairds, Sheena was to make a pact with the Summon Spirit of lightning. His mana was required to power the vehicles, but that was not the entire reason why the young ninja was to make the pact. The Vice Chief of Mizuho wished to test her, and if she passed, we were to be given the location of the Rheairds.

Such a task had to have been trying on Sheena in so many ways. First, she had failed to make a pact with Volt before, something that still haunted her because of the deaths that occurred from the incident so many years ago. Second, the Temple of Lightning itself seemed to try to slow our progress, as the entire structure seemed to be electrically charged and lightning could have taken any of us down while we were battling the monsters or trying to gain access to the seal. Lastly, Volt had practically refused to make a pact, he did not desire one. And as we needed his assistance, Sheena demanded that he make a pact, angering the spirit enough to have him lash out at all of us. The summoner was not able to bring herself to subdue him by force until her small companion, the fox like spirit Corrine, jumped in front of her to save her from one of the Volt's attacks. The small creature did not survive. That was what hit Sheena the hardest.

While we had obtained the information we needed to get the vehicles that we needed, Sheena had lost a dear friend. It was a hollow victory mostly, even as we began to set up camp for the night, as we planned to meet Orochi at the Tethe'alla base near Flanoir the following day. The others, even Zelos, were uncharacteristically quiet as chores were assigned by Raine for the evening.

It seemed the half-elven professor was more than capable of pushing aside her own feelings for the moment to think about what was best for the group, but when her younger brother heard that she had volunteered herself to cook, his objection was on the border of pleading. He nearly begged her to ask someone else to cook, anyone else, as he insisted that if she were the one to prepare our meal we had the good chance of not making it through the night.

"I could cook instead, Raine." I murmured softly to break into their conversation, earning both of the Sage siblings' attention. I had just finished building the fire as Raine had instructed me to do, the flames already roaring and perfect for the task of preparing a hot meal.

"It's kind of you to offer, Regal, but…" Her eyes trailed down to the shackles on my wrists as discreetly as she could manage, but not enough that I did not catch it.

"No, that's a wonderful idea! Now you can help me with my homework!" Genis exclaimed taking his sister by the wrist and beginning to pull her away from the bags that contained our food supply. He did glance over his shoulder at me to give me a grateful expression before he went back to distracting Raine with questions about whatever assignment she had currently given her young students.

I had not cooked in years, and I had never cooked while wearing shackles, but fortunately I managed. Most of the ingredients for the meat stew I planned to prepare were already cut up, as chopping anything would have been quite difficult while I was handcuffed, and so it did not take long before I had the stew simmering over the fire. After the difficult day we had had, I was not at all surprised when the smell drew my companions over to the fire away from what they each had been doing.

Raine was kind enough to help me serve up a bowl to everyone, and I noted the look of surprise on Lloyd's face after I handed him his share and took a seat next to him to eat my own.

"Can you cook, Regal?" He was staring into the contents of the bowl as if he expected the worst from the first bite. From what I could tell it was Genis that did most of the cooking in this group, and from his reaction to Raine suggesting she prepare the evening meal, there was a good reason why he did most of the cooking.

But I could not help but be a bit insulted by his surprise. He had not even tasted it. "Humph. Don't underestimate me. How about you decide whether I can or can't after you taste it?"

With a small shrug, he took his spoon and brought some of the stew to his lips, blowing on it first to cool it off. Thoughtfully he then savored the bite, his eyes going wide after a moment as he turned slightly to look up at me. "Hey, this is pretty good!"

I wasn't too surprised by his reaction. While I had not exercised my culinary skills for quite some time, I still knew what I was doing even with the shackles on. And after all the time I had spent locked away in prison, it was all too liberating to do something so simple and relaxing as preparing a meal. Gripping my chin I couldn't help the smile that curled my lips. "Of course."

That made Lloyd grin as well, chuckling. "But knowing you, you probably made it with your feet, heh."

"Of course." I replied easily keeping my expression just as it had been seconds before and my tone a bit more serious.

"…" the swordsman nearly blanched at that, his eyes going wide again as he moved away from me a bit.

I wanted to shake my head at him. "…That was a joke."

"It doesn't sound like a joke when you say it!" Lloyd sighed almost looking deflated. Perhaps he didn't like how I had easily fooled him, or perhaps the idea of someone cooking with their feet had caused him to lose a bit of his appetite, but either way, I really had just been joking with him. While I knew that today had been hard on everyone, especially Sheena, it did not feel right to allow them all to wallow in their sorrows. I was probably not the best one to cheer any of them up, I didn't know them that well, but I felt I owed it to them, to Lloyd, for allowing me to continue on with them.

I knew what it was like to let sadness consume you.

With a small sigh that mirrored that of the swordsman's next to me, I went back to my own meal deciding it had cooled down enough to enjoy. The silence between us was comfortable enough, as it didn't seem Lloyd objected to my presence at all. I didn't know how he managed to make me feel welcome near him, but I could see that it was probably a trait that the others had experienced as well, considering the size of the group and how they all seemed close to him.

"You know…it's great to have someone else that can cook with us, Regal." Lloyd commented quietly after swallowing the last bite of his stew and searching out my gaze.

"I'm glad I could help, Lloyd." The way he was looking at me, I didn't understand it at first, not until he stood, and started back for where the rest of the group was putting the dirty dishes together to be washed.

When he glanced back at me, with that same look still in his eyes, I saw him grin just a little as he remarked with a soft laugh, "No, I mean, it's really good to have you with us. I mean, it's just like a bonus that you can cook. You've really helped us out, especially with Presea."

"How could I do anything less?" I replied a bit stunned by his words. How could he be so friendly with me? He barely knew me, I had originally met him as an enemy, and he knew me to be a murderer. Yet he smiled at me, he seemed comfortable with me.

"I know. That's what makes you a good friend." Lloyd grinned back at me before turning back and striding over to the white haired boy leaving me where I sat just a little more than amazed at how accepting this young man could truly be. He considered me a friend? After everything I had done against him, even after seeing me for the criminal I am, he still thought of me as a companion?

I couldn't help the smile that crossed my features.

When she usually took her son into the kitchen with her, intent on teaching him to cook, it was because she wanted to spend time with him while his father had to work away the hours at the office. Tamara Bryant also wanted her child to grow to be independent, to know how to do things for himself instead of relying on servants, and within everything else she would have to teach him in the years to come at the very least he could find real joy in cooking. Normally when her husband was called away on business, she would take their six-year-old son into the estate's enormous kitchen, and no one questioned it. Except now she could hear George, a man who had been in the service of the Bryant family for a while now, arguing with the Duke he was to serve.

The Duchess did not want Regal to pay any attention to the loud argument, so even though lunch had just recently been served, she took his hand and led him away from the study. She knew he was curious as to what was going on, glancing back at the origin of the angry voices, but in between those glances he would smile up at her with anticipation glittering in his large blue eyes.

"What are we going to make today, Mother?" Regal asked her excitedly when she lifted him up onto the counter so that he could observe what she was doing. He was kicking his legs while watching his mother move about the cupboards and drawers to gather what was needed for whatever dish she intended to prepare. The boy was delighted to have any time with his parents as they were both very busy people and he had no siblings. When his mother actually had time to give him these impromptu culinary lessons he was always eager to begin even if she was the one that did most of the tasks and he would mostly just be watching.

Tamara had rolled up the sleeves of her fine dress before taking an apron off of a nearby hook and putting it on. She flashed the boy a smile as she tied back her long blonde curls with a ribbon. "How about we bake a cake?"

Her son nodded enthusiastically. Desserts were not usually something the Duchess included in her lessons, but as she could still hear her husband shouting with George on the second floor and their afternoon meal had already come and passed, she thought indulging her child's sweet tooth would be all right just this once. Besides, Regal would only be this young once, and very soon he would be burdened with all the studies of nobility as well as the inner workings of the Lezareno Company. As much as she didn't want it to happen, he would have to grow up, and faster than she wanted to accept. Her son was the heir to the Bryant legacy, he would carry on the work of both of his parents, but at the moment he was still just a little boy and she would not be forced to let go of that just yet.

She'd set down the mixing bowl at his side, handing him two eggs so that she could measure the flour, sugar, cocoa, vanilla, vinegar, baking soda, salt, water, and cooking oil. She put all of the dry ingredients into the bowl first, then instructing him to add the eggs as she had shown him how to do many times before.

"Here, now add these." Tamara gestured to the liquid ingredients, letting her son be the one to put them in the bowl. He was still too young for her to allow him to participate in some of the more challenging tasks in the kitchen, but he either didn't realize that or had enough fun assisting her that he did not notice. She saw how at ease he was adding the water and cooking oil at the same time, his gaze fixed on the small puddles both liquids made in the powdery concoction. Even if the boy only aided her in preparing the recipe, he seemed overjoyed to do so. Handing him a large spoon, she gave him another warm smile. "All right, now mix it together, Regal."

"Yes, Mother." He took the offered utensil, setting to work to beat everything together. It was with practiced ease that he had it looking more and more like a dark smooth mixture within minutes.

Watching her son stir the batter, Tamara couldn't help but pause. It amazed her how much Regal looked like his father. The boy had gotten his light blue hair, a peculiar color, from the Duke, as well as vibrant eyes of the same shade. She could see now even though he was still young that her son would grow to have his father's strong build and distinguished chin. But Regal was not an exact replica of Duke Victor Bryant. While he had the same hair and eye color as Victor, the boy had inherited his fair skin from his mother, as well as the body that tried to curl his blue locks. Victor had thin, fine hair that was kept short and neat easily. Regal's was also short, except his locks had a volume that made it appear untamed while his blue bangs stretched to nearly hide his gaze. And while it was rare to see Victor in anything but a suit, her son was still free to wear more casual clothes, like the dark green jacket, white undershirt, and black pants he'd chosen for himself that day. It made her smile to remember how much the child had protested the first time he'd been made to wear a neck tie.

Someday things would not be so simple for him; it would not just be that Regal looked like his father, he would have to follow in Victor's footsteps. He would have to take on the life his father lived every day where protocol and etiquette would practically dictate the man he became. It nearly saddened her that her only child would fall into the grasp of privilege and responsibility, forcing him to take on burdens that were his from the instant he was born. But there, in that moment, Regal was nothing more than a normal child, who was laughing and smiling up at his mother, blissfully unaware of what awaited him as he grew older. The Duchess wished she could always see her son this happy, that there might be some way to know that in spite of everything expected of the Bryant heir that Regal would be content with his life.

She jumped when suddenly the shouting was much closer, startling her from her thoughts. Glancing over her shoulder at the swinging doors that led into and out of the kitchen she guessed that Victor had grown fed up with George and had left the study to end the argument, but George had to have followed for her husband started to shout again. Tamara could not recall another time that the Duke raised his voice to anyone, as the nobleman was usually calm and in control. His voice sounded strange to her, so full of frustration and anger, and she turned back to their child to see if he too was listening to what was being said probably just down the corridor outside the swinging doors.

"George, I have always respected your opinion, but you are over-stepping your position here." Victor's voice trailed in through the doors and walls. The intensity of it was what made Regal stop what he was doing, his smile vanishing and his small hands now gripping the edge of the counter tight enough to turn his knuckles white.

"Duke Bryant, forgive me," George was at the same volume, his tone sharp, and Tamara saw how it made her son cringe. "But what Mistress Bryant is doing is not proper for a lady of her status! She should find more appropriate lessons for young Master Regal, ones more fitting for the heir to your legacy!"

"That is enough." The words were practically growled out, and it made the Duchess move to stand in front of her child, running her fingers through his long bangs to try to soothe him. This argument had been going on for far too long. She wished he did not have to hear this. "Regal is our son, not yours. Tamara and I will raise him as we see fit. And if I can entrust my wife to teach our child how to be a Duke of the Royal Court, then I can trust her to teach him anything else that she deems to be worthy knowledge. If you have any objections to it then you will keep them from my family, is that clear?"

George had to of mumbled his response because she did not hear it.

In the silence that followed, Tamara brushed back a few locks of almost wild blue hair to move it from in front of her little boy's eyes. Regal looked so sullen now, staring at his feet, still holding onto the counter. Inside, the Duchess was furious with George for trying to take away something she could do with her son that made them both so happy, but on the outside she mustered up a warm smile for him. Victor had defended her decision to teach their son to cook, and although the method of his defense was not what she would have wanted for their child to experience, it meant that she was free to continue his lessons.

"Regal, sweetheart, do you remember why I wanted to teach you to cook?" she asked him softly to try to bring his glare away from his feet and to bring that grin back to his lips.

Azure eyes strayed to the doors, where no more yelling erupted, before then trailing up to meet the chocolate pools of his mother's gaze. "You said that because everyone eats, everyone should know how to cook for themselves."

The Duchess nodded. "And do you like when I show you how to cook?"

"Yes." The smile that crossed his expression was fond, but it was gone in an instant, and once again his stare went back to the other side of the kitchen, to the door. His usually vibrant eyes faded a bit, just as they had when the yelling had started, and it nearly broke his mother's heart to see him this way. What right did George have to protest to the time she spent with her son? "But…why doesn't George like it, Mother?"

"Listen to me, sweetheart." She held cupped both of his cheeks with the palms of her hands, leaning down so that he would have to meet her gaze. "It does not matter what George likes. What George likes is his own business. What matters is what you like, what makes you happy, Regal. What he says or thinks will never be as important as your happiness, do you understand?"

"Is that why Father was so angry?" The question merely tugged at her heart even more, that her son had had to witness his father's outrage over something like this. Didn't their servant understand that with trips to Meltokio, business at the Lezareno Company, and having to entertain nobles from all over Tethe'alla that any moment that either she or Victor could have with their son was precious? What right did he have to protest how they raised their son, especially when he was a servant? "Because George didn't understand that I like it when we get to cook?"

"It doesn't matter if George understands or not, son." The voice made Tamara turn, not because she was startled, but more of relieved to hear it in a lighter, gentler tone than before. How long he had been standing inside of the swinging doors, the Duchess could not be sure, but it was better to see him now when he was calm and wearing a small smile than when he was shouting back at one of their servants. Victor crossed over the tiled floor to his wife, planting a kiss on her cheek before putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "No one else will ever dictate what you can and cannot do, Regal."

The way their son's face brightened at the sight of his father was something that Tamara would always treasure. Victor never seemed to have as much time with their little boy as she did and that seemed to make Regal treasure any moment with the Duke all the more.

"Oh, was your mother having you bake, son?" Victor acted as if he had just noticed the large mixing bowl full of batter still sitting on the counter next to the child. When Regal nodded enthusiastically, grinning broadly, the Duke chuckled, wrapping an arm around his wife's slender waist. "I don't suppose you could use one more hand in the kitchen then, dear?"

It was his way of trying to make it up to Regal, even if their son couldn't see it. Victor probably felt terribly guilty about the shouting match he'd had with George and the fact that their son had been upset by it. And now he was willing to drop everything to be with both of them. Tamara gave her husband a kiss on the cheek, unable to hold back her own giggle at the notion of Duke Bryant working in the kitchen. She knew that their son was watching them intently, waiting to see what she would say, so she drew back from the nobleman, pointing at one of the cupboards. "Well, I am in need of more sugar for the frosting once we get the cake in the oven…"

Infiltrating the Tethe'alla base, home of an organization known as the Renegades, was how we were to obtain the Rheairds. Mizuho had already planted their own informant into the ranks of this group, and it was through this we were able to gain discreet entrance. Orochi told us how to then reach the hangar, where we would find the vehicles we sought. While entering the base had been simple enough, making it to the hangar was anything but.

Numerous Renegades tried to stop us, only three of them in possession of the pieces of the access code to the hangar. Our combined strength gave us the power to overcome the guards though, and after obtaining the three parts of the password we made a break for where the Rheairds were being contained only to stumble into a trap. Waiting for us had been Yuan, leader of the Renegades, and his second-in-command, Botta, both prepared for combat to prevent us from escaping. Both were skilled fighters that came at all of us relentlessly. Lloyd personally seemed to have a grudge with Yuan, but that was something I did not have the time to dwell on. When the leader of the Renegades and Botta could no longer fight, we could not pass up the opportunity, escaping with the fliers we needed, our goal accomplished at long last.

At least, our first goal had been accomplished. Focus quickly shifted to rescuing Colette. It was with great hesitance that the group decided to rest the night in Flanoir to recuperate before we went after Rodyle. While it did not sit well with any of us, the day's grueling battles had taken their toll, and it would have been utterly foolish to leap into another fight with exhaustion already on our heels.

We were quick to leave in the morning, taking to the eastern skies as we had all been anxious to do for quite some time. I knew that Presea was deeply concerned, that she wanted nothing more than to find Colette unharmed, and that she had to be disturbed by how Rodyle had used her. It was practically a relief that we found where the Desian Cardinal had fled to relatively early in our search.

Lloyd was the first to swoop his Rheaird down low enough that he could jump off. "We've finally found you."

I was not far behind the young swordsman, neither were the others, and soon we all stood on the rocky ground of Rodyle's floating hideout. Colette was only a few yards away, her wrists shackled, her angel wings exposed, and a strange ring of orange light surrounding her. Blue eyes wide at the sight of us, she cried out, "…No, Lloyd, stay away! It's a trap!"

Surprised, Lloyd glanced around as if expecting the trap she spoke of to be sprung on us any second. "What?..."

Before anymore could be said, Rodyle appeared, materializing between us and Sylvarant's Chosen of Mana. His smug expression spoke of nothing but triumph, celebrating the fact he had lured all of us here. It was the same wicked glee in his eyes that had filled his gaze when he'd discovered that Presea had finally returned to Ozette. I clenched my fists to contain the anger swelling inside of me. This was the man that had used Presea to kidnap Colette, and the same man that had had a hand in how the same little girl had come to have that cursed Exsphere.

"You will pay for using me!" Presea exclaimed as she hurried towards him, lifting her ax ever her head to bring down upon the Desian. "Let Colette go!"

When her weapon came crashing down the only thing it hit was stone as it passed right through Rodyle. The pink haired child was startled, letting go of her ax handle for a moment.

Raine gasped softly. "An illusion?..."

Suddenly Rodyle appeared a bit to the left, his features impossibly more smug than before as he laughed obnoxiously. "Hahahaha! You can have that worthless Chosen. Now I understand why Lord Yggrasill left her alone."

"Worthless!" Lloyd repeated indignantly, his hand hovering over the hilt of his sword prepared to draw it in an instant.

"Absolutely. A sinful Chosen like that is completely useless for my Mana Cannon." Rodyle remarked snidely gesturing back at Colette disdainfully as if she were not even worth that effort. His words were sharp, cutting into the girl that stood behind his image causing her to visibly cringe where she was being held prisoner. "She can't save the world. She can't merge with Martel. She even puts her friends in danger. What a pathetic Chosen."

Presea's tone dripped with outrage as she waved her ax at the image of the Desian threateningly even though she knew him to be an illusion. "Stop blaming Colette for things she did not do!"

Clenching my jaw I took a step forward, furious with his words. What right had he to judge the girl that he had kidnapped? Who was he to call her sinful when he had stripped one girl of her life with an Exsphere and stripped another girl of her freedom? "Indeed. It is enough that I alone bear the weight of sin. You and I are the epitome of sin! I'll drag you down to hell with me!"

Rodyle deserved that fate, perhaps more so than I did. He had used Presea, taken her very will from her for some length of time, and then taken Colette as a captive. That was to say nothing of the horrendous deeds he probably committed as a Desian Grand Cardinal. He saw how serious all of us were, caught my fierce gaze even, and still laughed it off with a scoff. "Take me to hell? You inferior beings and your silly jokes."

Before I could respond to Rodyle's taunts, a loud piercing shriek erupted from above. I saw Colette's eyes go wide, full of both fear and helplessness. Her voice ringing of desperation she called out, "Everyone, please, run!"

The image of Rodyle cackled wickedly. "Now, my darling pets! Feed on the flesh of these wretched beings!"

Just as they had in Ozette, a pair of winged dragons swooped down upon the platform, hovering menacingly. Their jaws opened and closed exposing gleaming fangs that dripped with saliva in menacing anticipation of their promised next meal. The sight of them panicked Colette further, drove her to struggle against her bindings even though she obviously could not free herself, shaking her head and again pleading with us to flee. "Don't try to fight them! Run!"

"Winged Dragon, a subspecies of dragon. Carnivorous. Excels at the pursuit and capture of prey." It was as if Presea was assessing the situation out loud, her words punctuated and calculating as she drew her battle ax prepared for any advance the beasts made.

"Give me a break!" Zelos remarked almost exasperatedly. "I'll pass on dying, thanks!"

Drawing his swords, Lloyd set his jaw, watching the dragons for any sudden movements. It was one of the almost rare moments where I could see him truly focused, all of his concentration devoted to one task. This was a side of him that I had only seen in battle, where all of his attention became concentrated on survival as well as victory, or when he had worked on the inhibitor ore in the mines. "All we have to do is defeat them before they can kill us."

"Indeed." I nodded in agreement, shifting my weight to a more comfortable stance as my muscles coiled beneath my skin in preparation for the battle to come. "I have no intention of becoming part of the food chain without a fight."

The two dragons that were poised in the air above us could not be more than infants for their species, and I found it odd for a moment that the Desian Grand Cardinal would send two baby dragons to deal with his foes. Yet it became clear that Rodyle had perhaps put a bit more planning behind this trap when another roar sliced through the air behind us, causing us to turn partially to find that a larger, full grown winged dragon had flown in to join in the prospective meal of its young.

With dragon on both sides even if we intended to attempt an escape it would have been futile to even put up the effort. The size of the parent dragon gave it the advantage to block any movement towards the edge of the platform, and the smaller dragons in the air would more than likely swoop down to pick off anyone to slow to open their wing pack and mount their Rheaird. Even though Colette had insisted we run, we really had no choice but to fight our way off of the platform, and to rescue the Chosen of Sylvarant we would need to free her from the strange bindings Rodyle had put her in.

"Here they come!" Sheena exclaimed as she saw one of the baby dragons tip their wings to dive down, pulling her cards from her sash and taking her battle stance. It was only a few seconds later that the other small dragon followed its sibling, shrieking viciously as it snapped at the ninja once it was in range. The dark haired woman had been ready though, the spell behind her cards circling in the air before her and colliding into the snout of the beast, knocking it back. "Pyre Seal!"

Struck by the enchanted cards, the creature was propelled backwards, its wings crumpled and unable to save it from falling hard to the platform. The second dragon was caught off guard mid-dive when Lloyd leapt into the air to meet it head-on in a rapid summersault with his blades out to make the rotations slice into his opponents. "Omega Tempest!"

The younger dragons were acting rashly, probably from lack of experience when it came to an actual hunt, but the parent dragon was another matter. Its nostrils flared the instant a rune circle appeared underneath Raine's feet, it large head jerking in her direction, the beast was sensing the shift of mana around her. She'd made herself a target, more so than with the fact that to use magic she needed to be stationary, concentrating, with her eyes closed. Massive jaws parted to release a loud roar before the beast swung its large head in the Professor's direction meaning to knock her off balance at the very least.

"Raine!" I moved on instinct, bolting forward, placing myself between the half elven woman and the beast. Blocking would have done me no good, I would have been overpowered easily, so my only chance was to counter. With a small jump forward spinning in the air to gather as much momentum, I threw out my right leg. "Rising Dragon!"

My kick merely stunned it, thick scaled purple skin cushioning most of the blow. I only had time to land before it whipped its massive head once again, this time slamming into me. The impact with the dragon knocked the air from my lungs instantly, but it was the second impact, this with the stone floor of the platform, that made me see stars for an instant. I shook my head to clear it, rolling to my side so that I could climb to my feet. Even though Raine was still finishing up her spell, and Genis was conjuring up one of his own now, I was the one that had the beast's attention.

With a snarl it lunged for me, jaws wide, large fangs ready to tear into my limbs the moment they clamped down. My mind was still a bit dazed, but I didn't need to think to react. I was so used to combat that it felt natural to wait until the last second, just before that enormous mouth snapped onto me, then crouch slightly, springing into a back flip leaving my left leg extended to strike the creature. "Crescent Moon!"

The technique also bought me enough distance to land safely and prepare for the creature's next strike. Behind me, I could hear Raine complete her Nurse spell, the wave of healing energy stirring up around us all, and at the same time one of the baby dragons shrieked in pain. I did not have time to look why. The Winged dragon rose up, growling, its eyes glazed over in a way that seemed unnaturally intelligent for its kind, and it was the only warning the beast gave.

I ran to my left as fast as I could, barely escaping the Ground Dasher that the parent dragon had unleashed. But while I'd been focused on narrowly escaping how where I'd stood a moment before was shaking violently, the beast swung its head at me once again.

"Finality Punishment!" Presea had somehow appeared in the path of the dragon, swinging her as in a circle, slicing past the creature's hard scales. She gave it no time to recover from the injury, swinging her ax once again, this time in an upper cut. "Infliction!"

With it stunned from her onslaught, I saw my chance, leaping up into the air, sweeping my right leg back and forth twice, then jabbing my heal into the dragon's eye for the final blow of the technique. "Dragon Dance!"

It was then I heard the second infant dragon yelp in defeat. With all of our combined might falling upon the winged dragon, it too, soon fell, Zelos striking the final blow with his Light Spear technique. Triumphant, our group hurried back over to the strange cage that contained Colette finally prepared to free her.

"Colette, don't worry. We're going to get you out of there." Lloyd assured her with a wide grin as he approached, swords still in hand but resting at his sides. But before he could even get close enough to free the girl, a strange orange light sprung up under her feet, spreading over the platform underneath where all of us stood.

"No, it's too late!" Colette gasped.

"What is this ominous light that threatens to engulf us?" I asked as I felt my legs grow heavy, as I saw from the corner of my eye that Lloyd was now hunched over his swords on his knees. Next to me, Sheena had also dropped down, and I saw Raine was leaning on her staff, Genis at her feet in a sitting position.

"Arrgh…I can't move!" the summoner growled out in frustration, struggling to stand.

"It's Colette!" Genis exclaimed in realization his blue eyes wide on the Chosen of Sylvarant. "The mana from Colette's body is flowing out towards us!"

"It's caused by that magic circle beneath her!" Raine cried out.

"Colette! Get out of there!" Lloyd shouted to the blonde girl, the worry in voice ringing through.

"I can't…I'm chained to it. I…I can't move." Colette called back, her blue eyes downcast. Never had I heard such defeat in her usually hopeful tone, never had I seen her gaze so sorrowful, and it did not seem right on her feature. She was normally bright in spite of dim circumstances. "I'm sorry. I'm just a Chosen who couldn't save her friends, much less the world. Maybe I'm just like Rodyle said, 'a pathetic Chosen'…"

"…No, Colette, don't delude yourself." Presea remarked firmly as she pulled out her ax once again. "What's wrong is this system that demands the sacrifice of the Chosen!"

Struggling hard to step forward, perhaps her enhanced strength giving her the power to move when the rest of us were unable, the pink haired girl managed to move closer to the strange cage holding our companion, raising her weapon above her head. She brought it down in the blink of an eye, and as soon as it struck a light encircled her as her expression contorted with pain. "Augh!"

As the light disappeared, Presea fell to the ground. Her efforts were not in vain though for the strange cage shattered, as well as the chains that held the young Chosen, freeing her. The orange light that had been at our feet holding most of us in place vanished as well, giving Raine and I both the chance to move to the fallen girl's side.

"Presea! …Thank you…" Colette said softly, her wings fluttering behind her. It was just then that the ground began to shake violently beneath us, nearly throwing us all down with its abruptness. The platform was trembling, preparing to crumble beneath us.

"Whoa, what's up with the ground!" Zelos exclaimed in confusion.

"We have to get out of here!" Lloyd remarked as he glanced over all of us, even down at Presea with worry, as if to make sure we all understood the urgent need to leave.

"Lloyd, I…" Colette's protest was interrupted by another strong tremor, and she clasped her hands in front of her chest as she stumbled to regain her footing. Her voice caused Lloyd to whirl around to face her.

"Colette! You have to live!" the young swordsman shouted to her firmly, his eyes deadset with hers. He did not mean to leave her any room for argument, not with how determined he had been against the odds to rescue her from Rodyle.

"…I…I know." She nodded, unfurling her wings and lifting off into the air as the rest of us fled to the Rheairds.

We set down outside of Meltokio in a small clearing, Raine carefully setting Presea down after having carried her on the Rheaird to safety. It seemed that the young ax woman was uninjured, that she was merely unconscious, which was much to my relief.

"Is everybody okay?" Lloyd asked with concern glancing over each of us with his deep brown gaze to be sure of our health. He paused a bit longer than he needed to on Colette, but it was obvious that he worried for her most of all as he did not know what had befallen her while she had been in Rodyle's clutches.

"I'm still alive!" Zelos chuckled pointing out the obvious, which earned him a bit of a glare from both Lloyd and Sheena. While he was most likely trying to brighten the mood it seemed no one else was prepared to let go of the serious atmosphere that had surrounded the party since we'd set off in search of the Desian Grand Cardinal that had taken our friend prisoner.

I, too, wasn't ready to just brush off what had happened. Rodyle did not seem the type at all to go to the lengths of kidnapping for no reason at all, and he had very specifically taken the Chosen of Sylvarant. Musing, I could not help but voice my question to the others, wondering if perhaps they might know more and be able to answer me. "…But for what reason did that Rodyle character kidnap Colette?"

Appearing a bit sullen by the reminder, the girl replied, "He said he needed a Cruxis Crystal in order to control the Mana Cannon. But apparently, mine didn't work."

"Instantly our young leader's face filled with confusion as he turned back to the blonde girl. "Mana Cannon?"

"Pietro, the man we saved in Hima, also spoke of this Mana Cannon." Raine said to him with only a small note of admonishment in her tone. She obviously thought he should have recalled the information, even if she was not going to openly say so to her student. Her attention then returned to the pink haired child at her feet just in time to see the girl's face scruntch up a bit fighting off consciousness for a moment more.

"Presea's waking up!" Genis murmured happily.

Indeed she was, for Presea visibly flinched as her eyes fluttered open once, fending off the sunlight before she then pulled herself up onto her elbows. It seemed she took a moment to assess what had happened while she was out before she then looked up to Sylvarant's Chosen of Mana. "Colette…are you okay?"

At the sound of her voice and the sight of her awake, Colette instantly brightened, beaming down at her. "Yes, thanks to you."

Even if Colette did not know it, that had been exactly the right thing to say to the young ax woman. Presea had sworn to save the blonde girl, she had been distraught over her involvement in the kidnapping, voluntary or not. She had wanted to make up for it anyway, she had wanted to set things right, and to hear that she had from the very person she had struggled to save had to be more meaningful then anything else. Perhaps that was why, instead of saying anything else, Presea's usually stoic expression was lit up by a bright smile.

Sweet Goddess…

Everything around me seemed to still, just for an instant, as I was lost in that hauntingly familiar face, the vision of the love I had lost. There, in this little girl that had also fallen victim to an Exsphere, was Alicia staring back at me, especially in her smile. While this girl had always looked so much like my beloved, it was in that moment that it tore my heart to see that smile again when I knew it was not Alicia, it would never be Alicia again. But Presea looked so like her, so strikingly similar, that it was as liberating as it was heart wrenching. On one hand it was like seeing the woman I had loved so dearly, but on the other is was another reminder that she was no longer with me.

"Presea smiled!" Lloyd laughed happily.

That smile, that smile that was so much like Alicia's. There was no mistaking it, no doubt in my mind, how much they looked alike, which was probably why I murmured without thinking, "…She resembles her, just as I thought."

While I did not visibly stiffen after my carelessness, I did freeze, waiting for someone, anyone, to catch me for what I had said. But while Raine's calculating gaze met mine briefly, she did not ask for any explanation, nor did she draw attention to me. It made me wonder if she had heard me at all. But the focus of the group was shifted when Zelos spoke up again.

"Okay then, now that my cute little Presea has smiled, it's a good time to start thinking about the next step." Tethe'alla's Chosen, indeed, was right that now was the time to plan what we should do next, as it would be easier to work off an optimistic moment with our spirits up.

"Yeah. We got Colette back, so what now?" the young spellcaster inquired.

"What else?" Lloyd remarked with a determined grin. "We're going to separate the two worlds!"

"So we're going to form pacts with the Summon Spirits of both worlds." Zelos commented with his arms crossed over his chest.

Sheena's grin turned confident as she met Lloyd's gaze. It was a completely different expression, a completely different stance, for her than when she'd been told she had to make a pact with Volt. After overcoming such a trial, perhaps she was much more sure of her abilities. "This is where I come in, right? How about we start with the Summon Spirit, Gnome? He should be near here."

"All right, that sounds good." Lloyd agreed with a nod. Then his eyes landed on his teacher, her perplexed and far away glare causing him to worry. "Professor? Is that okay with you?"

She blinked, her train of thought broken suddenly. "…What? Um, Y…Yes, sure. That's fine."

Lloyd observed her for a moment. "Professor?...Is something wrong?"

"It's nothing." She brushed the question off casually. "Anyway, let's get going."

"Would it be wise to continue on so soon? The sun will set in only two hours and we do not know what challenges we will face in temple." Presea pointed out as she slowly climbed to her feet. Her words probably made us all think of the numerous puzzles and lightning rods we had dealt with in the Temple of Lightning all just to gain access to the seal.

"P-Presea's right. We should probably make camp here and start off fresh tomorrow instead." Genis said with a slight stammer.

Lloyd glanced to the Professor first, and when she nodded in agreement, he flashed everyone a broad grin. "Okay, so I guess we make camp then. We all deserve a rest after the day we've had anyway."

So the tasks were divided, Lloyd insisting that if I didn't mind I should be the one to make dinner. As the only alternative was to have Raine cook, again I surrendered to her brother's pleading, as well as our leader's request. I had decided on tenderloin, and was watching it carefully when I sensed someone take a seat next to me on the log I'd been positioned on for quite some time.

"So…she reminds you of someone?" Raine broke the tentative silence, her voice soft to keep her statement quiet. She had heard me earlier. I was grateful she had at least waited to speak to me about it, as well as she did not seem prepared to press for any information I was not forthcoming with. "I should have guessed that."

I could see not only the Professor from the corner of my eye, but Presea, the girl we spoke of as well. I couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips. "And here I thought you were concerned about Rodyle and the Mana Cannon."

"Of course I am." She insisted a bit sharply as if to warn me not to imply she'd be so foolish as to forget the threat the Desian Cardinal posed, but then she too grinned. "But after you said there was no connection between you and Presea, I was curious as to why you were still so interested in her."

While it would have been a relief to share my thoughts on the subject with someone, especially someone like Raine who could aid me in piecing it all together, I did not think it wise to. I had once thought there was no connection between myself and the pink haired girl, I had even once hoped that there would be no connection, now I no longer knew what I should think or what I should want. Any connection, any link, that could be would not be a fortunate one, at least none that I could conceive of. So I said nothing to her comment, opting for a meaningful silence instead of trying to weave some sort of lie, especially since I was a horrible liar.

"And I suppose whoever it is she reminds you of was very important to you." the half elven woman commented a moment later, watching me as if she thought my expression might give her more insight.

"Someone…very important to me." The response was cryptic, but true, and as much as I could bear to give her for the time being.

"Hmm." The Professor seemed to consider this response, the silence falling between us now much more comfortable than first. Out of anyone, it was Raine's trust that I would truly have to earn. She was the most cautious, the most guarded, and while I had not made myself a threat to her, I had made myself a mystery. She was curious as to my motives, and for that I did not blame her. With a small sigh, she finally just shook her head. "I suppose it doesn't matter why you have stayed with us and continued to fight with us, Regal, just that you have. You've been more than helpful…and more than kind."

"I've just been doing my best to return the kindness you all have shown me, Raine." I told her as I glanced over to her surprised to have had her actually, in her own way, accept me as part of their group. "Although it does help that this fight that you are in is for the good of us all."

"That it is." She murmured softly. "And there is a lot we have to fight for."

I could still make out Presea off to my side, the young woman that did not look her true age but wore the face of my love. Even if there was no link between us, I did not think I could just walk away from the chance to get to know her, to perhaps piece together some sort of connection between us if there was one at all. Instead of sitting idle in my cell, protecting her gave me purpose. Fighting for the fate of two worlds gave me purpose. "Yes, we do."

She heard a noise. She normally would have ignored it, gone to bed, and prepared to yell at Sanji for his drunken antics in the morning, but the staff party was over. Everyone was supposed to be in bed. No one should have been up. The only reason Alicia wasn't asleep already was because her chef friend had had way too much to drink, and she'd had to drag him across the mansion to his room before she could return to her own. The fastest way to her room was through the kitchen, and she was just inside the swinging door when she heard the noise.

It could have been anything or nothing at all merely her mind playing tricks on her, but then she saw a shadow moving near a counter across the kitchen heading for the rear door that led out to the main hall. For a moment, Alicia was frozen. With all of her senses she tried to identify this second presence, to determine if it was a fellow staff member that seemed to be fumbling around in the dark. She just couldn't seem to recognize the silhouette in the blackness around them, and that caused a frightening train of thought in her mind.

What if it was an intruder? All of the staff should have gone to bed already, not all of them needing to carry an intoxicated colleague around the estate first. Her heartbeat tripled when she also realized that any of the other servants wouldn't be stumbling in the dark like this. If she hadn't been startled by this mystery person, Alicia knew she would have turned on the lights herself, but whoever was in the kitchen with her had not.

That meant that whoever they were, they didn't belong here. Panicked thoughts flitted through her mind. What if this dark figure had broken in? What if they had come to rob the estate…or worse? No, this was her home too, almost!

Her hand fumbled in the dark for anything that she could use to defend herself and possibly chase this intruder out. The only thing she found was the wooden handle of a broom what was kept rested against the wall, so she took it, holding it like a weapon and taking her first few daring steps forward. Although she was aware of the intruder, the intruder seemed oblivious to her, even as she crept closer. She didn't want to think about that this person could possibly be armed or the fact that she could tell that the intruder had stopped in their tracks suddenly. She tried to remember that she had the element of surprise.

Just as she managed to close most of the gap between them, Alicia was nearly trembling in fear. She should have gone for help or something more sensible, but instead she leapt at the intruder swinging her makeshift weapon at the dark figure with all her might.

But her target spun around instantly, catching her weapon with ease before she could land a blow.

It had to have been the adrenaline, mixed with fear that this was an intruder that made her draw in a sharp breath to prepare to scream, eyes wide in horror. Perhaps the other person knew this, or anticipated it, either way a large hand shot out to cover her mouth and muffled the sound. The intruder's other hand then rested on her shoulder, having tossed the broom onto the floor a second before, whether to prevent her from bolting or from struggling. "Please, don't scream! Please…"

Alicia didn't think she could have. Something was strange here, for the voice of the intruder was vaguely familiar even though it had come out in a hiss, and she could nearly make out their face in the dark now. Why wasn't she frightened as this person guided her backwards, releasing her shoulder only to flip on the lights? Immediately she was blind, and she had to blink several times before her vision focused on the visage before hers.

At the same time, the intruder jumped back, stunned. "Alicia!"

"Master Regal!"

"I-I apologize, Alicia. I never meant to frighten you!" the young Duke was fumbling over himself now, his eyes filled with regret.

"No, Master Regal, I'm sorry! I practically attacked you!" the young woman stammered out feeling the heat rising in her cheeks. What had she done? How could she have not recognized Regal when they had been spending their lunch breaks together for nearly two years now? It didn't matter if it was dark! He was going to be so furious with her. "I-I didn't know it was you! I…I thought you were an intruder…it was dark…I'm so sorry, Master!"

It was when she bowed her head, hoping to avoid having to see the anger on his face, that she noticed something strange about him. Never before had she seen her young master in anything but beautifully tailored suits, the finery of his status, and yet there he stood in a simple pair of blue cotton pants with a white cotton shirt clinging to his lean, muscular form. Alicia blushed all the more for taking note of what he was wearing and concerning herself with it just before he was probably going to yell at her.

"You thought I was…" He couldn't help but laugh.

"Master Regal?" She risked looking up at him and was surprised to see the amusement in his eyes, the grin across his lips. Her heart did an all too familiar flip, as it always did when he smiled at her, or when she heard him really laugh.

"I suppose I didn't help matters much…walking around here in the dark." He chuckled, collecting the broom off the floor and setting it up against the wall to his right. There was a different air about him that Alicia had not seen before, one that was carefree, one that he could never have had in the stressful office of the Lezareno building. She liked how it made him seem so much more vibrant, so much more alive when he turned back to her. "I really never meant to frighten you."

"Master Regal…did you…go back to your office at the Lezareno building for something?" Alicia cocked her head to the side, observing the man she had never seen wear anything but a suit. As far as she knew, the Duke stayed once he came home in the evening, eating dinner, and then usually disappearing into the study. She had never seen him about the mansion at night. "Was there some sort of problem?"

Regal stiffened at the question, eyes darting to the side.

"Master?" she coaxed softly, taking a small step forward. He would usually talk to her; she treasured all of the conversations she'd had with him ever since Sanji had assigned her to take the young company president his afternoon meal.

"Alicia…" Again his voice was soft, nothing but a whisper, and he clenched his fists at his sides. When he finally did look up, he felt trapped by her concerned gaze. He was unable to bring himself to lie to her. He was a terrible liar and he just couldn't bring himself to be dishonest with her anyway, for she had never been that way with him. She was gazing up at him with worry. It was tearing at him now, shredding through his defenses, even though he had kept this a secret for so long, everything was suddenly crumbling. "I…don't know if I should say…"

"Is something wrong?" She questioned, attempting to read his face, but not finding the answers there. Why did the Duke suddenly seem so upset?

"I need to tell you something, Alicia, something that I have kept secret for quite some time now." Regal said in a hushed tone, glancing around as if he expected someone else to come through the swinging doors and into the kitchen. Taking another step closer, he held her gaze. "Perhaps I should not ask you to keep this a secret…but I owe you an explanation for what I am doing up at this hour…and after everything, you deserve at least that."

Alicia nodded, unsure of how to respond to that. What could her employer have to tell her that he had never told anyone else? What could he have been keeping secret? Did it have something to do with why he was sneaking around in the kitchen so late at night in such casual attire?

"Can we…talk somewhere else?" He made a gesture in the direction of the rear door, and she gave him a small encouraging smile. Seeming only slightly relieved, he led her in the direction he had been headed in from the beginning, then through the main hall and to the south exit of the mansion that led out into the gardens. Opening the door for her, he gave her one last half-smile, before shutting the door silently behind them, and motioning for her to take a seat on the back steps with him.

For quite some time, she could only watch him struggle with words. She wanted to be able to reach out to him, but she didn't understand what was going on, and she never would if she didn't let him explain. Besides that, she couldn't help but be flattered in the back of her mind. Here she was, alone with the Duke, late at night, out in the gardens, and he was going to tell her something he had never divulged to another human being. Then her common sense kicked in within an instant, telling her that she needed to be attentive to her young master now when he seemed to need her so much.

"I go out at night…alone…to learn martial arts." He finally spoke.

"You…what?" She practically gasped.

"I suppose I should be clearer. I've been learning Dragakendo for about six years now." Regal began slowly closing his hands in his lap, his azure gaze focused on the ornate cobblestone walkway of the garden. "Dragakendo is a dying martial art that only few have mastered, and there is only one living master left in the whole world. He agreed to train me in secret."

Alicia nodded even though he could not see it in his position on the stone steps next to her. Then her brow furrowed with confusion. "But, Master Regal, I don't understand. Why do you need to be trained at night, and in secret?"

"Unfortunately a man of my status should be more concerned with business, or dealings in the Royal Court, not the fighting arts. If anyone knew about my training to fight it would be frowned upon." The young Duke explained in a long sigh, daring to glance up at her for a moment. He found it strange that out of all of the people he knew in Tethe'alla, all of the nobles, and the business tycoons, and everyone else he'd encountered before, it was this girl that he felt the most comfortable with. He felt he could tell her anything and she would not judge him, just like when they sat in his office chatting over lunch. "I normally would not worry what others thought of me, but I do not want to cause trouble for Lezareno when I am its main representative."

"So you go out late at night to train, Master?" she asked to help herself clarify. The apprehension in his expression was obvious to her even in the dim glow of the garden's lamplights. He had been doing this for six years now, slipping out at night so that no one would know that he was learning martial arts, and he'd been caught. Did he truly believe she would tell someone? Did he think that little of her? "I…I'm so sorry!"

"What do you have to apologize for, Alicia?" His eyes were now locked on hers, the confusion beginning to replace his nervousness.

"I never meant to catch you! This is your home, you should be able to come and go as you please!" If she squeezed her eyes shut tight she could forget how handsome he looked without his bangs slicked back like usual, and she could shield herself from the guilt swelling in her chest. He would hate her for destroying six years of uninterrupted lessons. Alicia didn't think she could handle the nobleman's contempt.

But then a gentle hand was on her shoulder causing her to start, eyes now open wide, finding him to be looking down at her with what had to be tenderness in his gaze. "You've done nothing wrong, Alicia. You didn't know, no one knew. And I suppose it was only a matter of time before someone found out. I am in no way upset with you, all right?"

She nodded hurriedly, hoping he didn't notice that her fingers were buried in the folds of her skirt or her thundering heartbeat. "I…I won't tell anyone, Master Regal! I promise."

"I won't force you to keep my secret; I should not even ask you to." Regal insisted in what could have been a regretful whisper. Again he looked away, his hand still on her arm as if the contact was to reassure him as well, and he bit his lower lip. This girl was his servant, anyone else in his position would have just ordered her to keep her mouth shut, maybe even threatened her job to ensure her silence, but he could not do that. Not to Alicia, who was kind enough to spend her lunch breaks with him and who blushed adorably so often in his presence. The Duke knew he could never ask of her anything she was not willing to give.

"Does practicing Dragakendo make you happy?" Alicia inquired at the same volume, placing her hand over his and giving it a squeeze. At any other moment she would have been rejoicing that she was touching her young master's hand, that her side was practically pressed to his. But she could see the sadness in him, the preparation for defeat and the loss of something that was so important to him.

Her heart fluttered when he gave her a small, wistful smile. "Yes."

"Then it will be our secret." How she loved being able to reassure him, to put that sparkle back in his gaze! Inside she was rejoicing, she was memorizing how his large hand felt wrapped in hers, but on the outside she could only beam up at him.

Regal squeezed her hand, mentally noting the way it made her blush. "Alicia…thank you."

"Maybe…I can help you make sure no one else finds out." She didn't mean to get so excited, but the idea of being able to spend even more time with the nobleman, of being able to help him with something no one else could, had her almost bouncing up and down on the steps. "You know, help you come in and out of the mansion easier so that you don't get caught again?"

He watched her for a moment, thoughtfully, wondering how this girl managed to make him so comfortable. Regal was used to being treated differently, to being treated as if he would lash out at the slightest mistake of those around him, but Alicia was the only one who treated him like she did everyone else. She was friendly, and eager, and cheerful with everyone. He was surprised how much that meant to him. "I would like that."

Like a gentleman, Regal took her back to her room that night. Alicia hoped that the dark hid her blush, and it wasn't until she was in her chambers with the door shut that she realized that they had not discussed any plans of her actually participating in any of his nightly ventures. Part of her considered going after him, the other part remembered the time and the fact she would see him for lunch the next day. They would have plenty of time to plot then.

She was yawning loudly the next morning when she entered the huge kitchen of the Bryant estate. Many of the other staff members were looking at her oddly, and she didn't understand why until she saw Sanji smirking at her. He waved over in the direction of the counter across the room. "Oh, there was something special here for you this morning, Alicia."

A vase of red roses awaited her, if the large white card with her name scrawled across it was any indication of whom they were for. She moved over to it slowly, and she knew that Sanji was looking over her shoulder as she opened the card; she was just too amazed to care. Alicia had never been sent flowers before. The message in the card might not have meant much to anyone else, but it was enough to make the poor girl blush as red as her roses.

Alicia,

I wanted to thank you again for last night.

R

No one else would know what it meant, who it could be from. Sure there were a few things they could infer from it, but that didn't mean they would come any closer to the truth. The only one who seemed to know who might have sent Alicia the roses was Sanji. Alicia was sure that he knew, because when she turned to see his reaction to the card, he had that knowing little grin on his face, the very same grin that he wore every day when he sent her off to the Lezareno building with their young master's lunch.

To be continued

End notes: The questions answered in this chapter were 1) Where did Regal learn to cook (especially since he's a Duke and I doubt that a lot of nobleman concern themselves with their culinary skills) and 2) What was Regal's original fighting style. I thought that if Regal learned to cook from his mother, someone he cared about and looked up to, it would stick if not become something he could really enjoy. I bet no one expected a kid Regal…even I hadn't been planning on it when I started this. Second, I made up Dragakendo to explain the fact that Regal originally fought with his hands (which he says when he breaks them out of the cage with a huge blast of energy). Hopefully, no one minds that I've taken so much artistic liberty in creating Regal's past, but I think it fits his original character. Thank you for taking the time to read, and any insight you can offer is always appreciated.