Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Ashes and Remembrance ❯ Chapter Five ( Chapter 5 )

FIVE

Jindra watched Folken as he walked down the lane that led towards the street until he was lost in the shadows. Sighing, she turned back to the path that would lead her back to the house. She was startled to see the outline of someone a few feet away. "Who's there? What do you want?" she said, trying to steady her voice.

"Relax Jin, it's just me." Coren said as he stepped out where she could see him clearly. "Everyone was wondering where you were. I should have guessed."

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough to ask you if you're out of your mind?" Jindra could hear the controlled anger in her brother's voice.

"Not that it's any of your business; but no, I'm not." She replied, trying to walk past him.

"Of course it's my business; I am your brother after all." Coren said putting out an arm to block her way. "He's a sorcerer Jin, or he will be. Don't tell me you don't understand what that means."

"No, I don't understand it. Why don't you explain it to me?"

"You don't know some of what I know about him."

Jindra put her hands on her hips, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Do you really know how he came to be here? Where he really came from? Did you know that the emperor has a very personal interest him? No, I didn't think so."

"Then why don't you enlighten me, dear brother." Jindra's voice dripped with sarcasm as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Look, just from I've seen tonight, I can tell there is some real feeling between the two of you - but I'm only trying to save you some heartache."

"No, you're trying to break my heart and I don't want to hear anything you have to say." Jindra tried to push past him once again, but Coren caught her by the arm and held her.

"Jin, just listen - please. I'm not saying this to hurt you . . . but - but you know that I love you. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

Jindra wrenched her arm from her brother's grasp, "Then tell me - tell me what you think you know about Folken."

"You know I like Folken. I even consider him to be a friend . . . but . . ."

"But what -- he's not your friend anymore because he kissed your sister?"

"No! It's not like that. Look, didn't you ever wonder why I even agreed to teach him in the first place? It's because I didn't have any choice. Folken approached me about becoming his fencing instructor, but I said no. I've never taught anyone before, and quite frankly I really didn't want to."

"But obviously you changed your mind."

"No, my mind was changed for me. A few days later, a man came to see me. He was one of the emperor's personal guards and he suggested that it might be in my best interest - and the interest of my family - to reconsider Lord Folken's request. Lord Folken, that's what he called him. I mean how can possibly say no to something like that. Of course I agreed."

"Folken would never threaten you . . ."

"I know he wouldn't and I don't think he even knows that anyone came to see me. But after that encounter, I was even more curious about him; so I started asking around and listening to things that were being said about him. I didn't plan on liking him and becoming friends with him. That just made it even harder to accept what I learned about him."

"Well, what is it then? What's so horrible?"

"You know that he isn't from Zaibach, right?" Jindra nodded her head. "Well he's from a small country near Asturia. I never really heard of it before, it's called Fanelia. In fact he was, or maybe still is, the crown prince of Fanelia."

"F-F-Fanelia? But . . . that's . . ."

Coren saw the strange look that came over his sister's face and he hesitated. "What? Did he tell you already?"

"N-No . . . but . . . it doesn't matter - keep going."

"Apparently a patrol found him in the woods; he had been gravely injured - near death. He had lost his right arm. They took him onboard and the ship's physician somehow managed to keep him alive until they reached the capital. They brought him to the sorcerer's tower - that's where that metal arm came from. They somehow attached it to his shoulder to replace the one that he had lost."

Coren looked thoughtful for a moment, "Although I always wondered what one of our patrols would be doing in backwater country like Fanelia . . ."

As her brother spoke, Jindra imagined Folken's face in her mind. Oh, what it must have been like to wake up and see what they had done to you. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes.

"Jin - are you alright? You're not crying are you?"

Hastily scrubbing at her eyes with her fingers, she replied "No, I'm not crying."

Coren looked at her face. She's such a horrible liar. Sighing, he continued on. "From what I've learned, Folken is held in the highest esteem by the emperor; something along the lines of a protégé. I've heard that some people think that the emperor has chosen him to be his successor - as if that will ever happen."

"That's it - that's your groundbreaking information?" Jindra said with scorn in her voice once again.

"Damn it Jin! How think is your skull? What it all means is that his future has already been mapped out for him - a future that doesn't include you, no matter how the two of you feel about each other. You know all the stories about the sorcerers that I do. How they don't have any attachments or lives outside of the tower. How they commit everything to their pursuit of knowledge and science. How the emperor controls their every move and thought. Do you really think that you will be the exception to that?"

"That's all they are Coren - stories. You know Folken; you know he's not like that. Maybe he will give up the tower."

"Jin, will you wake up? You can't really believe that? For some reason he won't - or can't - return to his own homeland. He owes his very life to that tower and to the emperor. In the end, I think that is what he'll choose. I know that isn't what you want to hear, but I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Coren . . . I love you, you're my brother - and my best friend, but you have to let me live my own life. What I feel for Folken can't just be turned off - it's . . . it's - I think I might be in love with him. I just want you to understand . . ." Jindra trailed off as she felt the tears come once again.

Coren's arms came around her shoulders and he asked gently, "Jin, are you sure? Are you sure you're in love with him?"

"I-I-I don't know . . . I've never felt this way before. I-It's like I was empty inside before I met Folken . . . and now - now I can feel him in my heart. It's like finding a piece of myself that I didn't know was missing. I-I-I . . . I just don't know . . ."

"Shhhh, it's alright - I do understand. I felt the same way once, but unfortunately she didn't feel the same way about me and that's even worse. But I do understand."

Pulling back, Jindra took her brother's hand in her own. "Coren . . . I know you don't approve, but please - please let me live my own life. If I get hurt, then it will be my own fault and you can come back and say 'I told you so'."

Coren stared into her face for a few moments before answering. "Where did my little tomboy sister go?" He gave her a small smile, "She seems to have grown up into a very pretty young woman - a woman that doesn't need her big brother to protect her anymore . . . not that she ever really did . . ."

"Coren . . ."

"No, if this is what you really want, then who am I to stop you. But remember that I did try to warn you, Jin. I hope for your sake that I'm wrong. But you better warn Lord Folken Lacour that he'll have to answer to me if he hurts you."

Jindra threw her arms around her brother, "I knew you would understand - you'll see . . ."

I do understand, Jin. I just wish that you would. "C'mon little sister," Coren said, breaking Jindra's embrace. "We better get back before mother has the servants out searching for us." Jindra slipped her arm through her brother's.

"If I were you, I'd apologize to Anton when we get back." Coren said as they started walking towards the house.

"Anton? Why do I need to apologize to Anton?"

"He was a bit miffed when you disappeared." He smiled and winked at her. "You better watch it; I think he's got a crush on you. Just try to let him down easy, okay?"

"How can he have a crush on me? We only just met."

Coren looked at her and shook his head, "You really have no idea, do you? Did you look at yourself in the mirror tonight? Hell if I wasn't your brother, I'd probably have a crush on you too."

"Coren - yuck! I hope not, you are definitely not my type."

"Oh - and what exactly is your type?"

"Um . . . um, well . . . I'm not - I'm not really sure, but I know it isn't you."

Coren clutched his chest, "Owwwww! Right through the heart baby sister - right through the heart." He started to laugh and unable to help herself, Jindra joined him. They were still laughing as they climbed the steps to the balcony and returned to the conservatory.