[He knows precisely what the surge of warmth means and it makes guilt claw its way up into his throat, stopping anything he could possibly think to say. There's a startled, wet little burst of something close to laughter at the first question.]

Of course she knew.

[He's not surprised at all. The woman was too brilliant for her own good. But the other questions make his heart ache, realizing how much of his self Regis was already sacrificing to the crown. He'd watched it happen but until Aulea passed he hadn't thought it was really there, not this much. Accepting his place as a tool of prophecy wouldn't come for years yet but... this.

Cor finally has to look up, his hand sliding up from Regis' chest to let his fingers ghost over the other man's cheek.]

What Lucis or your father asked of me are not what you have asked. You have always been my closest friend... and you have only once asked me to do something I would not have happily done regardless.

[They haven't talked about it but it's easy enough to figure out. In the future Regis was dead and Cor wasn't. The only reason for that is that he was not there to lay down his life for his King.

He clenches his eyes shut once more, lashes clinging wetly but stubbornly no tears fall. Cor's hand drops to the bed though, his body tensing, clearly readying to pull away unless Regis does something to keep him near.]

I'm sorry.