Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia.

Broken Hearts Entwined

by A. R. Russ

Chapter Two: Price of Peace

Outside the Sage home:

It was a beautiful day in Iselia. The sun hung high in the sky with just enough clouds to cause the rays to streak out in a glorious dance. A soft breeze tickled the trees making them sing with joy. Everything was perfect as the young couple stepped out of Phiadra's home hand in hand. Their fingers were interlocked, and their steps were light.

"I can't wait to see the professor and Genis again!" exclaimed the blond angel.

"Yeah, I didn't realize how much I've missed everyone until we got here last night," Lloyd squinted in an odd sort of pain. Colette could see his regret for not keeping in touch with the others during their journey.

"It's okay, Lloyd," she grabbed his arm forcing him to look into her pleading blue eyes. "They understand that we were busy with our journey. I'm sure that they were quite busy, too, but regardless of that, we're back now and so are they. We'll always be friends- no matter what!" Colette ended her tiny speech with her beaming smile, and Lloyd couldn't stop the huge grin that overtook his own face.

"You're right," he replied, "I shouldn't be nervous about seeing my old friends." He threw his arm around Colette as they finally approached the Sage house. Lloyd reached his hand out to knock but the door swung open before he had a chance.

"Kay, Raine, I'm going now!" Genis yelled to his sister over his shoulder before slamming into two very surprised angels. After a series of indistinguishable grunts and yelps, they were finally able to untangle themselves from one another.

"Lloyd! Colette? Holy Martel, are you really back!" Genis couldn't believe his eyes as he stood there staring at his two friends. They hadn't changed a bit. He cringed inwardly when he heard Colette's gasp.

"Genis, what happened to your face?" Lloyd gaped unabashed at the two rigid scars that ran from the top of Genis' left eyebrow, across his temple, and then ended below his left ear.

"Let's just say that I hope your journey was more successful than my own," his eyes had taken on a dull quality that made the youngest Sage seem much older. Not only that, though, he had gained a few inches in height. He wasn't quite as tall as Lloyd, but his voice was a little deeper than the former leader's. One thing was certain in both Lloyd and Colette's mind however, Genis was not a boy any longer.

Colette was the first to break the awkward silence with a whispered condolence, but it was drowned out by the repetitive thud of metal hitting floor paneling. The group looked on in pained wonder when Raine appeared in the doorway leaning on a cane for support.

"Oh, well, this is a pleasant surprise. I take it that your sudden appearance means that your journey was a success?" Raine's voice was even and smooth. If the evidence had not been right there before them the two would have sworn that the professor had not changed a bit. She still wore the same orange cloak with her short silver hair styled in her typical wistful fashion. The only thing that was noticeably different was the fact that she now leaned on a cane instead of wielding a staff. Lloyd didn't know what to say to his two half-elven friends, but he knew that his silence was becoming rude.

"Hey Professor!" he smiled as brightly as he could. "Yeah, we destroyed over two hundred exspheres. I mean, I'm sure we didn't find them all, but we searched as hard as we could."

"You should have seen how brave Lloyd was! One time there was this huge monster, and it attacked me after I tripped. But Lloyd saved me by using Rising Falcon; it was amazing! He didn't even hesitate when the monster whipped him with his tail. He just got back up and ran it through with Double Demon Fang. By the time I got up the monster was already destroyed and Lloyd was handing me an apple gel. He's so courageous!" Colette stopped her speech only because she had run out breath. Lloyd blushed brightly and rubbed the back of his head as she wrapped her arms around his free one in a clearly possessive display.

"Ah, it wasn't that big of a deal, Colette. I wasn't about to let that creature have you for lunch." He smiled again as he freed his arm and draped it around Colette's shoulders.

"I see that you two have finally gotten together as well," Raine said happily. The young couple only nodded as Genis began to recollect himself.

"I hate to leave just after you two arrived, but Presea is expecting me to pick her up before class and at this rate I'm already going to be at least five minutes late." Genis shrugged apologetically as he jumped aboard his rheiard and flew off. The small group of three just stood silently and watched his image fade on the horizon until Raine broke the silence.

"No doubt the two of you are curious about Genis' scar and my cane. Come in and I will explain." With that they moved indoors and sat down at the small kitchen table. Neither Lloyd or Colette knew what to say so they decided to keep quiet and allow the professor to tell her story.

"You both know how Genis and I decided to go on our own journey to stop discrimination, but I see now that some hearts are truly beyond repair. Before, when you and the others were still us, we never really saw just how bad it was. We were blinded by our task. Once it was just the two of us, though, it all changed." Raine sat across from the two others as her eyes glossed over and her knuckles turned white from clutching her cane. She took a deep, cleansing breath before she continued. "We were chased out of many cities for our attempts at peace, but that day was the first time anyone ever turned violent. The citizens of Heimdal had started throwing stones and in our rush, we got lost in the Ymir Forest. When night came we set up camp by the water. They waited until we were both fast asleep to attack us. First, they broke my staff. Second, all of them jumped atop Genis. I tried to tear them off, but there was too many. When they finally backed away from him he was tied up and covered in blood and bruises. I went to run to him, but I was stopped by a spell and sword that slashed through my leg as if it were mere grass. When I looked down at the wound, I saw that my left leg had been severed from my body. At that point, I passed out."

"Oh Martel!" Colette gasped, "that's beyond terrible!" Raine nodded her head agreeingly.

"I woke up over a week later to discover that Regal had sent a spy to keep tabs on our progress- or lack thereof, and when he heard of our impromptu stoning, he left immediately. He saved both our lives, but his healing arts were not good enough to heal the worst damage. Genis will always have that scar, and I will never have my left leg back." At that Raine lifted her cloak up enough for the Lloyd and Colette to see her prosthetic leg. "After that, we both decided that it would best to allow time to be healer of relations between elves, humans, and those caught in between."

"I'm so sorry, Raine... I wish- oh, it's just too much." Colette couldn't hold back her tears as she grieved for her two misunderstood friends. Hadn't they suffered enough, Martel? Lloyd thought. Must they now continue to live with such a blatant reminder of how cruel people can be? Raine was quick to pick up on the anger growing in Lloyd's eyes.

"Just let it go, Lloyd. Regal made sure that those responsible were justly punished. We have moved on; Genis is finally back at school, and I now have the time to read and study ancient texts. We're both just thankful to be alive." She smiled softly at her former student as the flames went back down in his eyes.

"Yeah. Being alive is good." He knew it was a dumb statement, but at that moment, it was all he had.

End chapter two.

I apologize for long wait and short chapter, but my computer fried itself and I lost everything for awhile. Not fun. Anyways, please R&R and stay tuned for more.