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Regis stood at the foot of King Mor's bed, arms crossed as he looked out the window at the rain. There was a heavy silence looming over the room. The only thing to be heard was the low rasp of each and every breath King Mors had left in him; his soul grasping onto the coattails of his mortal body, and the constant rain that pitter pattered against the window.
His presence had been demanded by those in the high council, stating he should 'be with his father in his time of need.' 'Mend all that was broken, forgive one another for the useless arguments they tortured each other with.' Regis could think of thousands of other places he'd rather be.
It's not that he hated Mors, it's that he disliked him with a passionate and intense amount.
Okay, he hated him.
They never once saw eye to eye, and Regis knew that the only reason Mors kept him around was because he was his only child and the only eligible heir to the throne.
Had his mother not died under the neglectful hand and eye of Mors, he might have had siblings. Siblings Mors would be more proud of and Regis could be brushed aside and end up mysteriously missing. Probably left for dead in the slums of Insomnia with his teeth kicked in, and with his luck, he just wouldn't die.
'Don't do this.' 'Don't do that.' 'No you don't have time to make friends.' 'Absolutely not, you can not go out in public alone, you can not trust the people.'
'They want nothing but control.' Mors voice rang through his mind as his teeth worried the inside of his lip waiting for the inevitable.
He didn't approve of any suitors from kingdoms outside the walls, and he sure as hell didn't approve of non-royalty marrying in. Claimed that they were weaker and below them, and yet he married Regis' mom for the sake of 'love'.
Total hypocrisy.
It had been raining for weeks, ever since Mors initially fell ill, Mors claimed it was because Eos is weeping for his recovery, and that the rains would heal him. 'Delusional bastard, he'll catch death at this rate', Regis thought. Sure enough, he developed severe pneumonia shortly after his 'healing in the rain' despite the cries of everyone around him telling him it was a terrible idea.
Mors advisor sat at a desk, writing away and doing whatever work he had, probably finalizing all the preparation paperwork for Regis to take the throne. Something he's been preparing to do since before he could walk, he was twenty-three and ready to get it on and over with.
Badhadar Amcitia, the Kings shield stood off to the side, not a single emotion written across his face. A stare so hardened Regis swore he'd stab right through Mors. Regis could never tell his intentions, even when Regis trained with Clarus or Cor; his own shield and loyal friend. It was the same hardened stare.
Clarus claims it's just how he is, how he's a man of little words and expression, but Regis has never been too sure.
With one final breath, Mors' head lulled to the side. All that was left was the sound of rain and the shaky sigh that Regis didn't even realize he was holding.
A nurse checked the King over, a disappointed frown evident by the twist down of her lips, though Regis could have sworn he saw delight behind her eyes. She looked up at Badhadar and nodded.
With one nod, she left, brushing past Regis gently as she kept her eyes to the ground.
Badhadar took a few steps, now standing shoulder to shoulder with Regis. Regis wasn't sure how long he had been standing there, eyes glancing back out the window.
"I fought alongside your father in the Kingsguard the day he took the crown, and stood by his side as his shield until his end." Bahadar began,
"I know who you are, Bahadar. It's almost as if I've known you since I was a child and we haven't been standing in the same room for the last four hours listening to the same daft man wheeze himself to eternal sleep" Regis' jaw clenched now looking over the deceased King Mors. Good Riddance.
"You will be as great a King as your father before you if not greater."
Regis snapped, "I'm not him. I will not be anything like him."
"No, your Grace. Thank the Gods for that, you will be greater."
Regis froze. He wasn't sure how to take that, did Badhadar really think so high of Mors? He thought he was a great King?
"There's nothing great about him. He was a Mad King."
"Your father did what he could." His tone warned.
"No, he did the bare minimum to keep the people from revolting, though I'm sure with the bastard." Regis turned to him.
"You bite your tongue, that was your father." Badhadar looks at Regis aghast.
"He was nothing more than a tyrant who could not trust his people let alone his own son. He was never my father. He wasn't there at my first steps, or my first words. He did not dress me or bathe me. We had 'people' for that. He never once cared about anything in his life other than himself." His voice raised as he stepped away, now pacing around the room as he spoke, his tongue piercing every word that came out.
"How am I to do damage control for a King who abused his role? How am I to undo what he did and fix it? Tell me!" Regis' felt fire through his veins as he swung his hand off to the side in a pent up rage sending a waft of flame cascading to a wall. Instantly dissipating against the glass. It wasn't until he felt a hand on his shoulder by Mors advisor did he even realize he was crying, purple flamed eyes flicking back to their traditional green.
He sniffed, straightening himself out after a moment.
"Excuse me." And with a quick rub at his eyes, he left his father's room, going to the only place he found any sort of comfort.
The gardens.
With a push of the doors, Regis left, entering the garden, and as if on cue, the rain stopped, the skies opened, and the sun shined for the first time in two weeks.