Breath of a New Era

Chapter 4

Healed Heart, New Life and Half-elves

The next day, Lloyd and the others, save Zelos because he wanted to stick close to Sheena and Nikita until the problem with the Vanguard had been solved, were at the Altamira hotel, having agreed to meet with Presea's new boyfriend there for some dinner and light conversation. As they made their way down from the VIP room, they saw a Vanguard soldier pinning him to a wall, telling him that if he didn't join his sister soon, he might have to kill the President of Lezareno in order to stay alive.

Overhearing this, Lloyd clenched a fist and told them both, "What makes you think we'll let you lay a finger on Regal? Cedric, I thought Presea said you weren't with the Vanguard."

Cedric explained, "I'm not. They've approached me a few times about joining because Kylie's in it, but each time, I've told them no. And I'm telling them the same thing this time. I just want a life of peace, and the Vanguard can't give me that." He looked at the soldier pinning him and added, "So, you just take your ideals and stuff them up your ass, because I'm not going to join you, no matter how many times you approach me."

The soldier laughed, "Very well. Then, I hope you will enjoy having Marta dragged through court."

Lloyd clenched a fist, "You mean the pervert that touched Marta actually gets a trial?! He should just be thrown in the Colosseum and left alone for what he did!"

Regal sighed and put a hand on his shoulder, "As much as I agree with you on this, Lloyd, justice must have her day as well. If not every side is heard, then the soldier who did this will feel like he's been cheated out of a fair chance to explain."

Presea gulped and responded, "I don't think he should get that chance. Not after how he treated Marta!" She thought a moment, then gasped and added, "Wait...going through a trial is gonna be tough on Marta. She'll...have to keep talking about what happened."

Raine sighed and told her, "Yes, but with us by her side, she'll make it through the trial just fine, and the guy will be put in prison. At least, I would hope so."

Cedric nodded, "I'll be sure to put in a good word for your friend as well. I was at the hotel with Emil when I heard her screaming. That should be proof enough to the judge and jury that she didn't want what that Vanguard soldier was doing to her."

Colette, a little confused and concerned, asked, "Would someone...really try to say that Marta wanted that kind of contact with someone she doesn't know?"

Regal sighed and nodded, "Yes. As much as it shames me to say it, there are people in Altamira that wanna shed a bad light on Marta for the time she served the Vanguard. But, don't worry. As her friends, we can put in a good word to keep her on the fair side of things as well."

Lloyd nodded, "All right. Then, let's head to the courtroom. Assuming that's where we're needed right now."

Raine replied, "I'm guessing we will be."

A short time later, Lloyd and friends arrived at the courtroom in Meltokio, ready to help Marta get through the tough times. She gasped and ran over to Lloyd, hugging him and crying onto his shoulder. After holding Marta for a moment to let her calm down a little, he gently eased her off him and said, "Marta...I'm sorry we didn't get here sooner. We were meeting up with someone. Presea's new boyfriend, to be exact. Did she tell you..?"

Marta smiled a little and nodded, "I'm glad she found someone. She told me when she, Regal and Emil were staying with me before you guys arrived from Mizuho. So what's he like? Presea only told me a little bit about him, and I've not really gotten a chance to meet him in person."

Lloyd told her, "He's super nice, aside from the fact that he has Kylie for a sister."

Marta gasped, "Wait...isn't Kylie-?" Before she could finish her thought, Colette spoke up and said, "Yes, she is the one who attacked Emil, but Cedric's not like that at all. When we were talking to him at dinner, he explained to us what happened to their parents and why his life took a different direction from hers. While she was angry at the world for their parents dying, he wasn't mad at anybody about it. He just accepted it as his lot in life and moved on, internalizing all that pain. Around, I think he said his 9th birthday, he wanted a life of peace, and he knew the Vanguard would never be able to offer him that, so he started studying to be a priest that day." She gasped and then giggled as she felt the twins moving around inside her, placing a hand on her stomach.

Lloyd noticed the motion and walked over to Colette. He whispered in her ear, "Are you okay?"

Colette nodded, "I'm fine. The twins just startled me a little."

Lloyd nodded, put his arms around her in a loose embrace, and placed a hand on top of hers, chuckling as he felt the little ones moving towards his hand, "They seem extremely happy."

Colette told him, "Maybe they're just happy you're so close by." She smiled and leaned back into him, tilting her chin up to kiss his cheek.

Kratos smiled and told them, "Whatever the reason they have for being so energetic, I'm just glad that they'll have you two to raise them. I take it you're not having any problems, Colette?"

Colette giggled and shook her head, "No. In fact, it's been a pretty easy pregnancy for the most part. The toughest part was the first few days. I had morning sickness every day. Now though, it's getting easier to deal with. My ankles are swollen a little, but they don't hurt. At least, not that much."

Kratos nodded, "I am pleased to hear that." He then asked, moving a little closer to Colette, "May I-?"

Colette smiled and nodded, "Of course, Kratos."

Kratos placed a hand on Colette's belly as well, smiling a little when he felt the twins moving. He told her, "They seem healthy. I'm glad you've not had any difficulty." He frowned a little, a dark thought crossing his path.

Lloyd told Kratos, "So far, no, she hasn't. I hope it stays that way, but there are no guarantees of anything. I'm sure you know that, though, Dad." He kissed Colette's cheek, trembling a little.

Noticing his trembling, Raine asked, "Lloyd..is something wrong?"

Lloyd replied, "It's just…"

Colette shook her head, not wanting Lloyd to burden their friends with the knowledge of what she told him to do if she didn't survive childbirth. Though, she had spoken to Zelos and Sheena a few hours ago, just to make sure they would be ready. She told him, "Lloyd, don't worry. I know the delivery won't be easy, but I'll have you there, holding my hand, and Raine as well." She lay her head on his shoulder, then stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

Lloyd nodded and pulled her just a bit closer, though careful not to hurt her or the unborn babies, "Yeah, you're right." As the young man continued to speak with his friends about the upcoming trial for Marta's rape, a court clerk walked over and asked, "So...is it true?"

Emil looked confused and asked, "Is what true?"

The clerk replied, "Rumors are going around that Lady Marta is pregnant as a result of her rape. Is that so?"

Emil glared and clenched a fist, not liking that rumors had already started about her. He told the lady, "She's NOT pregnant. Or...if she is, she hasn't told us, and we're her friends. So...either buzz off and leave us alone, or check the source of that rumor. You've been lied to." He walked over to the doors to the courtroom and sighed, leaning on the wall beside them.

Lloyd spoke up and said, "I'll be glad when this whole thing is settled. It's bad enough Marta had to go through what she did once...but having to re-live that memory just for evidence? I can't...I can't imagine how scared she must be." He looked over at Marta, who was now clinging to Emil and shaking very badly.

Emil kissed the top of Marta's head and told her quietly, holding her to try and calm her down, "If you need me to stay near you while you tell the jurors what happened, I'll ask the court to let me do that. It's not fair you should have to…" He trailed off, feeling Marta's tears falling onto his shirt. He rubbed her back and continued, "go through that pain a second time by yourself. Bad enough I wasn't there to protect you the first time."

Marta sighed and shook her head, "No, Emil. What happened to me wasn't your fault. You need to stop being so hard on yourself. You and Lloyd both. You can't always protect everyone, as much as you'd like to."

Kratos nodded, in agreement with the girl. He then added, "If there's nothing else, I believe we are needed now."

The court clerk replied, "Yes, we need Marta now. Since all of you are her friends, you are free to watch the trial. And, Sir Emil...I will ask the judge about you being allowed near the witness stand for Lady Marta, but I can't make any promises."

Emil told her, releasing Marta from the hug but still holding her hand, "As long as you try, that's all I care about. Something like this...no one should have to go through alone." He then walked into the courtroom with Marta, following the clerk.

After the clerk cleared it with the judge for Emil to stay near Marta, she nodded to show that the judge had approved and took her seat. The trial then proceeded.

Many hours later, the Vanguard soldier that had brutally attacked Marta was found guilty on all charges and shipped out of the courtroom to Meltokio Prison. The sight of this made Marta gasp and tear up out of relief. No other girl would have to experience the trauma she did. She got down from the witness stand and was soon joined by Emil. A little happier, but also exhausted, the young girl told her friends, "That was some trial, huh?"

Colette smiled and shrugged, "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be." A moment later, she felt some wetness between her thighs and let out a soft gasp, then a yelp. She walked over and leaned on one of the benches. It was time! The twins were coming. They were a few days early, but Raine had explained that sometimes, in cases with more than one child, the mother would go into labor early. Lloyd took Colette's hand and teared up, both scared and excited. He told Raine, "Professor Sage, it's time!"

Raine nodded, "Let's hurry and go to Iselia. I believe that's where Colette said she wanted her children born, and we need to get moving."

Colette muttered, "There's no time. They're coming...NOW!" She screamed as she felt her contractions coming on and pushed as Raine had told her to do.

The judge from the trial said, "That girl must have her child elsewhere, this is no delivery room!"

Lloyd wheeled on the judge and told him, "We're doing what we can to get her moving, okay? She's having more than one baby, so it might take a second!"

After Colette's contractions had slowed their pace, at least somewhat, they took her to a hospital so she could give birth to the twins without worrying about her children picking up any ailments. At one point during the long process of labor, Colette's heart stopped and he and Raine were asked to leave the room by the doctors. Lloyd shook his head and screamed at them, "No, I'm NOT leaving her side! Colette said-!"

The doctor grabbed Lloyd's chin and told him, "I don't care what she told you before; this is my hospital and we go by my rules. We're going to restart her heart so she can finish giving birth, though we'll keep her on oxygen for the rest of it. She's having a tough time." He shoved Lloyd out of the room and Raine glared at him before going out the door to make sure that the swordsman hadn't been injured by the doctor. "Lloyd?"

Lloyd sighed, "I'm fine...but...Colette…"

Zelos asked, worrying because Lloyd and Raine had been kicked out also, "Is something going wrong, you two?"

Raine nodded, "Yes, terribly. Colette's heart stopped. They're going to bring her back, but...as I told Lloyd when they first conceived...it's not going to be easy." She sighed and went to sit down in a chair.

Hours later, a doctor walked out and told them, "You all are friends of Mrs. Colette Irving, correct?"

Lloyd nodded, "Yeah, we all are. She's my wife, even. Is she...is she alive? Is she okay? Are the twins-?"

The doctor explained, "She's fine, just resting. And the twins are both alive. One of them we had to put on oxygen though. She had a weak heart."

Lloyd frowned, but then nodded, "Which baby?"

The doctor told him, "The baby girl, delivered second. Do you have some names?"

Lloyd nodded, "The boy is Edmund Kratos Irving and the girl is Emily Freya. Is it okay if I go in and see them now?"

The doctor nodded, "Sure, but please be quiet. Colette has had a difficult delivery and needs to rest as much as she can. Oh...and I have some unfortunate news. Her uterus tore when she was giving birth, so she can't have anymore children. And...for the first little while…" She looked directly at Lloyd while saying this, "intercourse will be painful for her. But she'll get over it. You may go and see her now." Once the doctor had gone to her office, and Colette had been taken to a recovery room, Lloyd and friends went into the room to see her, and Edmund. Emily had to stay overnight in the NICU because of her weak heart. After everything settled down, Lloyd crawled into bed next to Colette and put his arms around her, dozing off.

The next day, as the group was about to split up and go their various ways, a woman in her late 30s or early 40s approached the group. Lloyd nodded in greeting, "Hello miss. How are you today?"

The woman responded with some sarcasm and hostility in her tone, "Oh, just peachy. Did you know that my son is now having to live at home again?"

Zelos asked, "And that has...what, to do with us exactly?"

The woman looked back at Zelos and told him, rolling her eyes, "Oh, don't act like you don't know. My little boy, Wendall, is attending Palmacosta Academy. He had Genis there for a roommate. They had a wonderful arrangement too."

Genis walked closer to the woman, looking ready to punch her in the face, and said, "If by arrangement, you mean me being basically a punching bag for him to vent on, then yeah, we had an arrangement all right."

The woman glared, "Don't test me, boy. You're lucky you have connections." She shoved Genis, causing the boy to yelp in pain and look back at Raine.

Raine folded her arms and stormed over to the woman, "You keep your hands off my brother! It's bad enough that he was getting bullied by your son."

The woman told her, "You wanna go, half-elf bitch? Cause I'll take you on right now!"

Raine told her, "There's no need for violence. I was simply trying to protect my brother, just as you would your son."

The woman responded, "Oh, there's plenty of need. Half-elves are invading!" She punched Raine in the gut and ran off.

Raine fell down and trembled, her hand clenched into a tight fist and looking like she was on the verge of tears.

Regal knelt down to her and held her close, whispering a few comforting things in her ear before helping her up. Noticing the bruise on her stomach, he trembled from rage and looked the direction the racist woman had run off in. He added, "She had better not show her face around here again."

Genis hugged Raine gently, "All this...just because we're half-elves. It's just not fair…"

Raine sighed, "Thankfully it was only one woman, Genis. And besides, with all the other conflicts in the world right now, that woman may be the only half-elf hater we see."