Of Graves

A/N: It's Friday! -does Friday dance-. Seeing as how I have the house to myself, I'm going to post at least two fics today! Hopefully they will be good. SQUEE! The Blue Notebook is finally underway! Look for it a couple of years and prepare to have your socks blown off! I DO NOT OWN TALES OF SYMPHONIA! Trust me, things would be different if I did...

Regal sighed as he stood in front of Alicia's grave. Had it really been so long ago that he lost her? It seemed like only yesterday. He bent down and put a bouquet of lilies-her favorite-by the grave. The waves were crashing against the island, blocking out any noise that could have been heard. It was just Regal and his sorrow.

Raine looked at the blue-haired man, with his head bent down. Why did he continue to punish himself so? Regal had Alicia's forgiveness. He had killed her at her own request. He had killed her because he loved her. Love, she thought. What a funny emotion. It makes us do things we would never have thought to do any other time. People die for the ones they love. People thrive on love. Raine blinked back the tears forming in her eyes. Why couldn't she find one to love? Why was she stuck alone in the world?

Regal eyes were closed, thinking of his beloved. It was always so hard for him, no matter how many times he came to Alicia's grave. He could have found another way! He could have saved her! But no, he thought. I was weak. I killed her. I say I did it in the name of love, but in reality, I was just too weak to find another way. A single tear dripped down his face. I killed my lover, my friend, my companion. Regal opened his eyes and looked out to the sea. And now I'm alone, he thought. Alone forever. He stood and turned around, ready to go back to his office. That was when he saw Raine standing there, tears running like rivers down her face.

"Raine, what's wrong? Are you okay?" He asked as he jogged over to where she was.

Raine gasped through her sobs. "It's just that love...love is so powerful. It makes us change, become better people. It empowers us, teaches us, humbles us. It is a teacher, a friend, a wanderer of life, just like us." She looked up at him. "But its not something you can learn from a book, or studying out in the wild. You have to experience it to truly know how love feels. I...I have yet to find out about it first hand." Raine eyes went downcast. "And I doubt I ever will."

Regal felt for the half-elf. She was an outcast among two societies. The humans would not accept her, nor would the elves. He thought of his own situation. He was above a common criminal, and yet he just couldn't bring himself to ever feel the same about the human race. Not after Alicia...

Raine's eyes widened as she was pulled into a hug from Regal. Why is he doing this? she thought. Regal is a human, and I am a half-elf. By all rights, we should not even associate as it is.

Regal looked into Raine's eyes. Blue met blue. Silver and blue hair was swept about by the wind. Water sprayed over the wall. Finally, Regal spoke, "I'm ready to learn to love again."

Raine looked at him, memories of their travels in her mind. "And I'm ready to learn to love."

A/N: And that's it! Hmm...did anybody think that by saying that they were ready to learn to love, it was a bit disrespecting to Alicia, it being by her grave and all? Of course, I'm sure she would be happy to learn that Regal was living again... Anywho. Read! (Which I'm sure you would have already done by the time you got down here..). Review! Praise! Flame! Feedback! Buy Cheese!