Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Ashes and Remembrance ❯ Chapter Fifteen ( Chapter 15 )

FIFTEEN

Jindra and Doreena Roh were seated in the front parlor awaiting Folken Lacour's arrival. Despite her unexpected conversation with Anton Lefebvre in the street, Jindra had made it home in plenty of time to freshen up and change her clothes. Much to her mother's dismay however, she had refused to wear a "proper" dress and instead chose one of her usual trouser/overdress outfits. Albeit this one was of a better cloth and cut then most; and Jindra thought that the color was quite complimentary. The young woman kept glancing at the clock on the mantle and jumped a bit from her chair when she heard the brass knocker on the front door pound.

"Sit down," Doreena's voice was firm.

"But Mother . . ."

"I said sit. A woman should never run after a man like a lovesick puppy. Make him come to you, always."

"Mother!"

Doreena gave her daughter a smug smile, "If you want to be treated like a lady, then you should learn to behave like one - not running after men like some kind of a hoyden."

Before Jindra could respond, there was a knock on the door. Without waiting for a reply, the door opened admitting the footman. "Madam, there is a young gentleman here to call on you and the young miss." Moving aside, the man continued. "Master Folken Lacour." Folken entered the doorway as the man gave his name. Bowing to Doreena, the footman left and closed the door behind him.

Rising for her seat, Jindra's mother held out her right hand to the young man. "Welcome to our home; I'm Doreena Roh." Jindra rose from her chair as her mother spoke. She nervously watched the two as they regarded one another. Jindra noticed that Folken was not wearing his usual apprentice robes and she was glad that he had the forethought to change his clothing before coming. His outfit was plain, but well cut; and he wore a mantle about his shoulders that trailed down to cover his right arm and hand.

Bowing deeply, Folken took Doreena's offered hand in his own left one. "Thank you for the invitation and the welcome. I'm most honored to finally meet you." He released her hand and dared a small smile. Turning towards Jindra, he took her hand and kissed it. Jindra felt herself blush as he gave her a wink, before turning back towards her mother.

"Please, have a seat." The older woman indicated the chair next to Jindra's. Folken waited for the two women to reseat themselves first. "I regret that my husband isn't here to meet you, but he's out of the country right now. But that may be for the best at the moment."

Folken's face remained neutral, "I'm sorry as well. Coren always spoke so highly of his father that I always wanted to meet him." Doreena nodded slightly, "My husband is very proud of Coren - he has done quite well since leaving the academy."

"Yes; Jindra told me that he had been accepted for pilot training. It is quite an honor, I'm sure he'll do well."

The three sat in an uneasy silence for a few minutes before Doreena spoke. "Jindra dear, would you please go and see what is keeping the tea tray? I gave specific instructions to have it brought when your guest arrived."

"I'm sure that the maid will be here with it any moment." Jindra was loathe to leave the two alone. She could feel the tension between them and she was afraid of what her mother might say to Folken in her absence.

"Still, it should have been here already. Please go and see to it, will you." Her mother's voice was firm. Jindra gave Folken a quick glance and he gave her the slightest of nods in response. Glaring at her mother, she rose. "Please excuse me, I'll be right back." Giving them both a backward glance, she shut the door as she left.

Doreena and Folken stared warily at one another for several seconds; but it was Folken who broke the silence first. "Obviously you wished to speak with me alone. I would prefer to do the same with you as well."

The older woman arched her eyebrow, "This meeting was not my idea, and I can assure you of that. But my daughter can be the most stubborn of children when she sets her mind to it."

Folken nodded in agreement. "Yes, she can be. But perhaps this is for the best; I know that it hurt Jindra to keep this from you."

"My daughter and I never had secrets from one another until now."

The young man looked down at the floor. "I will take the blame for that, if you wish." Looking back up, he continued. "I don't want to drive your family apart - that's the last thing that I want."

"But you already have. This - this - relationship," Doreena almost spat the word out; "has caused such a rift between the two of us that I don't think it can ever be healed. I don't even want to think about my husband's reaction when he finally learns of it."

Folken did not reply immediately; but when he finally did, his voice was low. "I never meant for this to happen - I never planned to fall in love with Jindra. As much as I tried to deny my feelings, they just grew stronger. Even as I fell in love with her, I knew that it was wrong - but how can you deny your heart?"

Doreena sighed and Folken thought that her voice sounded a bit softer. "Falling in love is a wondrous and powerful thing. Sometimes it's just so overwhelming that you lose sight of everything else. But you can't let your heart blind you to the world around you - you can't let it blind you to the consequences of your actions."

"Don't you think that I know that?" Folken's voice rose. "Everyday I think about what would happen if someone from the tower found out about Jindra. I gave my word to serve the tower, but I gave my heart to your daughter. You can't begin to imagine the conflict that I fight within myself everyday." Doreena could see the hardness in the young man's eyes as he finished speaking.

"No, perhaps I can't. But try to put yourself in my position. How would you feel if this were happening to your daughter? How would you feel knowing that your child was walking down a path that could only lead to pain and heartbreak?"

"I'm sure I'd feel much the same as you do. But I'd try to give that child the benefit of the doubt and allow her to walk that path if she chose to."

Doreena snorted, "It's very easy to sit here and say those words; but when you have children of your own, you'll realize just how hard it is to actually mean them." Sighing, she continued. "Perhaps this is my fault . . . I let Jindra have her way too much. I let her run wild with Coren and by the time I tried to rein her in, it was too late."

Folken's voice was soft, "I don't think I would have fallen in love with Jin if she didn't have that streak of wildness in her. You should be very proud of your daughter, Mrs. Roh. She is a very giving and caring person. There is something in her that draws people to her - she has that very rare ability to look past the physical and see into the true heart of a person."

Doreena regarded him silently for a few moments. "Why did you come here? Why did you come to Zaibach?"

Folken was startled, "I-I was brought here to be healed. I would have died if I hadn't of been brought here."

"Jindra told me some of what happened to you - about your . . . injury. It appears that you have recovered, so why do you stay? Why don't you return to your own homeland?"

Folken could not meet Doreena's eyes. "I-I . . . I can't return home. To my family, I'm dead. It's best if they continue to believe that." He could feel the older woman's eyes on him as he finished and he was afraid of what her next question would be.

Doreena however, startled him once again. "So you pledged yourself to the sorcerer's as payment for saving your life?" Folken slowly nodded his head. "You're willing to risk the wrath of the black tower for something as frivolous as love?" Her voice held a note of sarcasm that the young man didn't like.

Trying to control his anger, Folken looked directly at her as he replied. "What I feel for your daughter isn't frivolous, Mrs. Roh. Jindra and I have a bond that transcends mere love - she is a part of me . . . a part of my soul, and I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with her. So yes, I am willing to risk everything to be with her. I would gladly give up my very life to protect her, she means that much to me."

Doreena looked at him hard in the face, as if searching for something. Her mouth was a grim line as she spoke. "I can see that you are sincere in your feelings, but you must understand that there is no way that I can approve of this. I know that Jindra will defy me and continue to see you. She is a woman grown and although she still lives in my house, she will do as she pleases."

Folken opened his mouth to speak, but Doreena waved her hand at him. "No, let me finish. You, more than any of us, know what will happen if and when the two of you are found out. My husband's influence may be enough to save Jindra, but you will have to fend for yourself. I will not allow you to drag my family down when you fall. I may not have been born here, but I've lived here long enough to know that the black tower deals quite harshly with those that break its rules or go against it. My daughter's reputation will be in tatters, but at least she will be alive - which is more than you can probably hope for."

She looked at him for a few moments, "But then again, perhaps you will prove all of us wrong. For my daughter's sake, I would hope so; but I am not that much of an optimist. When all of this comes crashing down, you will have to face it alone Folken Lacour - no one in my family will raise a finger to help you, I can assure of that much."

Folken's voice was hard, "As I said, no one will harm Jindra as long as I have a breath left in my body. She and I belong together and we will be. I don't know how yet, but I will find a way. I can't promise you that it won't mean leaving Zaibach, but I won't force her to leave her family if she doesn't want to either. But one way or another, she and I will be together. Although I haven't asked her yet, I intend to make Jindra my wife." He saw Doreena's jaw tighten as he finished and her eyes flashed with anger.

The two regarded one another silently, each finally knowing where the other stood. Neither one was happy, but at least they had been able to remain somewhat civil. That was how Jindra found them when she finally opened the door. She had been out in the hall listening, and although she couldn't actually understand the words being spoken, she could hear their voices. She was relieved that she didn't hear any shouting, but worried that the two had sounded so calm. Looking at her mother and then at Folken, she was even more confused by the cool neutral expression that each wore. I have a bad feeling about this - they're both way too calm. As she returned to her seat, the group was interrupted by the maid with the long delayed tea tray.

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Anton Lefebvre stood on the corner across from the Roh house. He had followed Jindra home, curious about who would be visiting her that afternoon. He was not altogether surprised to see Folken Lacour step from a cab and enter the house. Bold as brass, isn't he? I can't believe Doreena Roh would even let him in the house.

Quietly, he continued his vigil and was rewarded about an hour later when the door opened. He saw Jindra and the outlander as they stood together on the front stoop talking. Anton watched as Folken took Jindra's hand and brought it to his lips. He watched as the two embraced and kissed, deeply. He watched as Jindra took Folken's hand and walked with him down the front steps and walk to a waiting cab. He watched and clenched his fists as Folken kissed Jindra again, this time on the forehead. He watched Folken climb into the cab and he watched as Jindra turned away and returned to her house. It was about then that he realized her had been grinding his teeth.