Crimson Snow
Disclaimer: Kitty doesn't own Tales of Symphonia.

Zelos opened his eyes to the morning sun.

It was strangely bright today…why was that?

He glanced out the window, and to his surprise, found it was raining white, sparkly dots outside. What was that?

The young boy stood up and went over to the window. He looked at the swirling crystals in awe, covering the city in a thin, but visible, blanket. The young boy had never seen snow before; it scarcely happened in the bustling city of Meltokio. That kind of weather was more reserved for Flanoir.

"Wow..." Zelos breathed, fogging up the glass of the window with his breath. He rushed out of his room and barged into his parents', forgetting that his mother told him to always knock.

His mother was sitting at the makeup table, brushing her silky red hair. Her head turned sharply at his entry with an annoyed look in her crystal blue eyes.

"What is it, Zelos?" she snapped.

The young boy flinched at the tone of her voice, never realizing that he reminded his mother so much of the husband that she hated so. His parents had always pretended that they loved him and each other in public, so as not to lose face, but in the privacy of their mansion, there was no need for pretense. Zelos was not as ignorant as they would've liked him to be and knew that his father always went out with his mistress at night when he’d been alive.

"Mom, it's raining diamonds outside!" he remembered his reason for coming in.

His mother put down the brush with a sigh and turned around in her chair to look at Zelos.

"It's called snow," she corrected in a scathing tone. Zelos shrunk back a little, intimidated by his mother's malevolent glare. Why? Why did he always seem to act like an idiot in front of her? Neither of his parents had liked him...and they probably never would, but Zelos yearned for the love that all the other children received from their parents.

"Can we go outside and see?" the redhead asked eagerly. He'd never seen anything so beautiful before in his life and wanted to enjoy it as much as he could. In the Capital City, snow was a rarity.

"I'm busy." his mother responded flatly, picking up her brush again and restarting to comb through her silky blonde hair. But to her mounting annoyance, the young Chosen-to-be started pleading and whining. His mother finally snapped and slammed the comb down on the table. "Stop whining, you little brat! Fine!"

“Thank you, Mom!” Zelos’ face split into a grin, despite his mother’s harsh words. There was a sliver of hope in his heart that maybe if they spent time together; she might get to love him.

As Zelos pulled on his navy mittens and white boots, his mother leaned against the doorway of the door, looking at him regretfully. Regret that this accursed child even existed. The red-haired young Chosen zipped up his white cloak with the pink lining, the hems of which brushed his ankles as he walked. Everyone had thought Mylene would give birth to a girl, giving her many pink gifts, which were now, unfortunately, bestowed upon him.

He hurried joyfully out the door and promptly sank into the foot-high snow. A grin found its way onto his face as he tread through the snow, making the bottom of his cloak grow dark with water.

His mother followed after him reluctantly, seeing as some other nobles’ children were outside as well. Wanting to put up a good pretense this time, since she’d heard about a rumor flying around about her husband and his mistress, Mylene grudgingly agreed to help her eager child build a snowman.

As his small hands started rolling a ball around, she actually crouched down and helped. Imagine poor Zelos’ surprise.

Unbeknownst to them, a figure lurked a bit away, fingering the wand underneath the white cloak. It blended in perfectly with the white snow as the woman muttered under her breath the complicated incantation for the spell that would finally end that wretched child’s existence.

If she could just get rid of that stupid child, then Seles would become Chosen and receive all the benefits of being a Chosen. At least that way… That way she wouldn’t be looked down on being only a quarter of an elf. Even her own father refused to acknowledge her as his because of the ‘impure’ blood running through her dear girl’s veins.

If neither humans nor elves could accept half-elves, who was to say that half-elves would accept quarter elves?

It was simply unheard of. A human and a half-elf?

That’s why she needed to do this. To secure her daughter’s future. Her lover’s son was a human and would never be looked down upon. Why should someone like him deserve the title and riches of a Chosen? Why should that spoiled child get everything while her own daughter would receive nothing?!

Ursula’s fury grew as her thoughts continued. Her spell finally finished charging and she unleashed it, losing control as she did.

The square of light appeared under the two redheads but the swords of light were aimed at Mylene, not Zelos. Zelos let out a cry of panic as he ran towards his mother, who was frozen to the spot with a look of shock on her face. Ursula was in the same position.

Then the swords came crashing down.

The falling snow was dyed red that day with Mylene Wilder’s blood.

Before she could pass away, with her last bit of strength, the wretched woman grabbed her son’s shoulders and shook him harshly, coughing out intelligible words.

From the look of horror on the boy’s face, Zelos obviously could make out the words clearly.

With a feeling of dread within her, Ursula fled the town center, her hood falling off in the process. Her vibrant orange hair was hard to miss amongst the snow and one of the nobles shouted something.

Seles, she had to get to Seles. Oh, Martel, what had she done?

Ursula fled down the long flight of stairs, evading those who tried to catch her easily thanks to her elven blood, and burst into her own small home, running into Seles’ room. The woman took hold of her daughter and shook her awake urgently.

“Mommy…?” Seles mumbled, looking at her blearily. Then the girl saw her mother’s tear-stricken face and became alert. “Mommy, what happened?!”

“Seles, please, you have to believe me,” Ursula pleaded, choking on her sobs. Her daughter was beginning to become alarmed rapidly. What could have happened that had her mother in such an emotional state? “No matter what they tell you, I love you and I only wanted the best for you!”

“Mom-!” Seles tried to twist around so she could look her mother in the eye.

The rest of the girl’s sentence was cut off when several knights heaved the door down, clattering noisily into the home with their armor. They didn’t even bother to be careful as they knocked away the tables and chairs, even going so far as to smash some pottery simply out of spite.

“Ursula, you are hereby arrested and to be hanged for the murder of Mylene Wilder,” the lead one spat at the half-elf, who was clutching her daughter.

“Mommy, what did you do?” Seles begged her mother hysterically. The lead knight gave a curt nod and the other knights grabbed Ursula’s arms, ripping her away from her daughter.

“Seles!”

“MOMMY!” Seles sobbed as she collapsed onto the wooden floor of the tiny house.

--

“I’m so sorry, Seles,” Zelos whispered hoarsely.

They were at the South East Abbey, where Seles had been confined to for the rest of her life, thanks to her mother’s crime.

His half sister was crying her heart out right now and he felt his heart wrench that he couldn’t do anything about it.

He’d lost both of his parents within the span of a week, but they’d never truly loved him and so the family had no bond. But Seles… her mother actually loved her, cared for her… wanted the best for her… But he… he still had Sebastian and now Seles was forced to be put under house arrest for the remainder of her life. It hadn’t even been her fault, but they still punished her!

“T-they killed h-her!” she screamed at him through her tears. Goddess, she was only seven! She shouldn’t be in this kind of situation! She should be… she should be allowed to play and have fun like normal kids…

But it wasn’t as if he knew the meaning of being normal. His life was never normal and it will never be. He’ll only end up a sacrifice, as the priest at the church often reminded him, telling him not to get too attached to anyone.

“I’m all alone…” she squeezed her eyes shut, the tears still leaking out. She pulled her legs up to her chest and buried her face into her knees. “It’s not fair…”

“Life isn’t fair,” Zelos muttered bitterly. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his Cruxis Crystal. “Seles, I want you to have this.”

The girl looked up and her eyes widened at the sight of the glittering red jewel in his hand. Her emerald eyes shifted up to his with a questioning gaze.

“It’s a promise,” he explained. “That I’ll come back and visit. No matter what.”

“You…” Seles murmured, her cheeks and her bedsheets damp from her sobbing. Her hand reached out to pluck the jewel from his hand and held it close to her heart. “You…promise?”

Zelos nodded. It was his entire fault. If it weren’t for that accursed title of Chosen, Seles would still have her mother, he would still have his and maybe she’d actually love him.

“All we have left is each other. Family is more important than anything in the world.”

I dunno, I just wanted to have people see Seles’ mother in a NON-evil light for once. It does make sense, y’know? People wouldn’t dare defy the Chosen, not even if they’re a half-elf.