Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Ashes and Remembrance ❯ Chapter Fourteen ( Chapter 14 )

FOURTEEN

Jindra Roh wound through the crowded street at a hurried pace. I can't believe how late it is - I should have left Laurelle's house long before now . . . but the baby was so cute . . . Laurelle Dunbar was one of Jindra's oldest friends. She was three years older, married, and had just recently given birth to her first child. Jindra had been so anxious to see the baby that she hadn't realized how fast the afternoon had slipped by.

I can't be late - not today. Today Folken would be calling at her house and meeting her mother for the first time. It hadn't been easy, but Jindra had managed to convince her mother to at least meet the young man before passing judgment on him. Although she knew that Doreena still did not approve of their relationship, she was glad that her mother had at least agreed to the introduction. Yet as hard as it had been to convince her mother, Jindra had found it three times harder to get Folken to agree. She could understand all of his reasons not to, but she was adamant and would not take "no" for an answer. After countless hours of arguing, he had finally given in and agreed. Reluctantly of course, but she was more than willing to take what she could get at that point. Jindra knew that this meeting wasn't going to be easy for either one of them; but deep down, she felt that it was the right thing to do. I don't' want to hide anymore . . . I just hope this doesn't turn out to be the world's biggest mistake. Why are the streets so crowded today?

Trying to pick up her pace, Jindra almost collided with a man coming out of one of the shop doors to her left. Without looking up, she muttered "Sorry" and was moving past when she heard a familiar voice call her name. Stopping, she turned and looked up into an equally familiar pair of dark blue eyes. Startled, Jindra found that the man she had almost bumped into had been Anton Lefebvre.

"Jindra? I thought it was you."

"Anton . . . I'm sorry; I wasn't watching where I was going."

"It's alright." He smiled a little as he spoke. "How are you? How is your family?"

"We're all doing well, thanks for asking." Jindra hoped that her voice didn't betray her nervousness. "How are things going with you at the academy?"

"Very good - I'll be graduating soon. I expect to receive my commission within the next month or so."

"That's wonderful, congratulations." This is too weird - after everything that we said to each other, are we supposed to be friends now?

"Have you heard anything from Coren lately? I'm sorry to admit that I haven't really kept in touch with him since he left."

"I had a letter from him a couple of weeks ago; he's doing really well. He's been accepted for guymelef training. He sounded very excited about it."

"Pilot training, huh? That's excellent news - he really deserves it." Anton's smile widened as he spoke.

Why is he being so nice to me? "Anton . . . I don't want to seem rude, but I really need to be going. We're expecting company this afternoon and I'm already running late as it is."

Anton gave her a measured look before dropping his eyes. "Jindra . . . I don't want to keep you . . . but . . . could I speak with you - for just a minute or two?"

"I'm sorry Anton, but I really can't . . ."

"Please Jindra, just two minutes - that's all I ask." His voice pleaded with her.

"I don't think I want to hear anymore of what you might have to say to me."

Jindra could see that her words had stung him. "I deserved that, I know." Anton's voice was soft as he spoke. "There's no excuse for my behavior towards you that day. I was hurt and angry, but it was my pride that was hurt the most. It was my damn pride that said those things to you, Jindra. All I've thought about since that hateful day was how much I hurt you."

She could hear the anguish in the young man's voice and see it on his face as he spoke. "Jindra . . . I - I want to ask you . . . I want to ask you to forgive me - if you can."

"Anton . . ." She sighed.

"I didn't realize it until later, but that by hurting you I was also hurting your family - and I never meant that. My own family is so far away and I miss them . . . your parents invited me into their house and treated me like a member of the family. You don't know how much that meant to me. But by insulting you, I insulted them as well." He paused and turned his face away from her. Jindra could see him take several deep breaths.

When Anton turned back to face her, she thought that he had regained some of his normal composure. "My honor and my pride are all that I have. You've seen what my pride can do; please help me preserve what little honor I have left. All I ask is that you please accept my most humble apology." He gave her a formal bow as he finished.

Jindra didn't know what to say. She felt that he was being sincere; but all she could hear in her head were all the hurtful things that he had said to her that day in her parent's library. Would I have said those things to him if our places had been reversed? Am I so petty that I want him to suffer? He looks like he's punished himself more than enough as it is. Not wanting to look at Anton's sad, almost pleading eyes, Jindra turned her face away and looked up at the sky for a few moments.

"Anton . . . we were friends once - and I'll always be grateful for your companionship after Coren left; and because of that friendship, I want to believe that you mean what you say." She turned back to face him, "I-I will accept your apology, but things can never be as they were between us - I hope you understand."

Anton's face fell a little. "I understand . . . but if I see you on the street and say hello, will you at least acknowledge me?"

"Of course I will." Gods, he looks so sad.

"Then that will be enough. Thank you, Jindra and I apologize for holding you up as well. If you see Coren or the next time that you write to him, please tell him that I said hello and congratulations on the pilot training."

She gave him a small smile, "I will; I'm sure he'd like to hear from you."

Anton bowed to her once again, "Also, please give my regards to your parents - I'll always be grateful for their kindness and hospitality." He gave her one last sad looking smile, "Perhaps I will see you again; but if not, take care Jindra." Turning on his heel, he walked away and was soon lost from sight on the busy sidewalk.

"Take care Anton." Jindra whispered after him.