Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Ashes and Remembrance ❯ Chapter Twenty ( Chapter 20 )

TWENTY

Jindra spun around and found Folken watching her; and she blushed as she realized that she was still wearing his coat. Looking down at the floor, she quickly swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. Folken stepped towards her and took her by the shoulders. She was startled and struggled to break free, but his grip was like iron. Folken pushed her back until she was sitting on the edge of the bed and then he released her.

"It may be too late, but - but I have something that I need to tell you. All I ask is that you listen, and then . . . then I will accept whatever decision you make regarding your feelings for me." Jindra's couldn't find her voice, so she merely nodded her head in response.

Taking a deep breath, Folken looked at her and then started. "My name is Folken Lacour de Fanel. I was born on the seventeenth day of the Purple month almost eighteen years ago. My father and mother are Goau and Varie de Fanel, the king and queen of Fanelia. I have one brother . . ." and he continued on.

As he spoke, Folken started to pace about the small loft; and occasionally he would stop and turn away, so that Jindra couldn't see his face. She guessed that it was because he did not want her to see the extent of his emotions as he poured out his life to her.

Jindra sat in rapt silence and listened as he spoke. She didn't speak or touch him, she just listened. She felt tears spark in her eyes as Folken spoke of his father's illness and death; she felt herself smile when he told her of his younger brother, Van; and she clutched her hands to her chest in fear when he told her of the dragon hunt. Jindra's heart ached to reach out to him when he told her of how he thought he was going to die after the dragon took his arm, but she held herself back. She felt the anger rage in her when he spoke of first waking up in the sorcerer's tower and the horror that he felt when he saw what they had done to him.

Folken spoke for some time, and his voice was hoarse when he finally finished. Drained, he sat down on the bed away from Jindra and rested his head on his arms. Jindra looked at him sadly for a few moments before she rose and quietly went down the stairs. Folken heard her walk away and he felt his heart sink. I knew it . . . why did I even try? She hates me . . .

He could feel the despair washing over him when there was a sudden, light touch on his arm. Looking up, he saw Jindra kneeling in front of him with one of the pewter mugs in her hands. Folken saw that it was filled with water and he smiled his gratitude as she handed him the mug. As he drained the contents, Jindra sat down next to him on the bed, but remained silent.

Folken set the empty cup down on the floor and steeling himself, he turned towards Jindra. She was looking at the far wall and seemed lost in thought. Gently, he touched her arm and blinking, she came back to herself. She looked at him silently, still considering all that he had told her. It was Folken who broke the silence first.

"Now you know everything. I wanted to tell you all of this for so long . . . but there was something that held me back." He swallowed and licked his lips, "You were right, I didn't trust you. But it wasn't because I didn't love you, Jin. I just . . . I just couldn't believe that you could love me. I don't even like myself very much . . . how could someone possibly love me?"

Jindra could hear the pain in his voice and see it in his eyes. Reaching out, she took his metal hand in both of hers. Looking down at the palm, she ran her thumbs over the cool metal. "I love you Folken . . . I've loved you for so long - even before that night in my mother's garden when I told you how I felt. But what you've told me tonight - what you've given me tonight . . . it makes me love you even more." She looked up at him, "I knew you weren't like anyone else that I'd ever met . . . and I know it sounds stupid, but - but I always knew that there was someone special out there for me . . . a soul mate, if you will." She raised his hand to her lips and kissed the palm. "You are that man, Folken Lacour."

Folken widened his eyes in surprise and he felt tears spark in his eyes. Taking her hand from her grasp, he cupped her face and looked at her in wonder. "I-I never dreamed that there could be someone like you, Jindra. I never knew how to dream until I met you." Leaving her face, he reached down and clasp her hands. "I - I've been thinking about this for some time now and maybe - maybe now it's the right time." He paused and took a breath, "I love you and I want to be with you, Jindra - for the rest of my life. I want to make love with you at night and wake up every morning with you in my arms. I want to share my heart and my life with you. What I'm trying to say - what I'm trying to ask you is . . . will you - will you marry me, Jindra?"

Jindra opened her mouth, but found she couldn't speak. Swallowing hard, she finally whispered, "Yes - a hundred million times, yes!" and she threw her arms around him. Folken kissed away the tears that welled from her eyes and then moved down to engulf her welcoming mouth. As their tongues met and entwined, Jindra gently pushed Folken back down on the bed and the two soon gave themselves up to ecstasy again.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------

Much later, the young lovers lay in each other's arms enjoying the closeness of one another. Jindra's head rested on Folken's chest as he cradled her in his arms. Her arm was across his chest and her fingers absently played across the metal bands. The rain had stopped and the wind was quiet. Folken kissed the top of Jindra's head and she snuggled closer to him. The fingers of his left hand traced circles on the warm skin of her back. ""You're awfully quiet."

"Just thinking, that's all"

"About me I hope." Jindra could hear the playful tone in his voice and moving her head, she looked up at him. "You? You're pretty confident all of a sudden."

"Well, I'd like to think that my future wife is thinking about me." He arched his brow at her as he spoke.

Playing along with him, Jindra turned on her side towards him and propped herself up on her elbow. "Well actually . . . I was wondering why I didn't get to see your wings again." She watched the blush that crept over his face and gave him a smug smile.

"Jindra! That's - that's not funny . . . it's not like I meant for that happen."

"Oh no . . ?"

"I-I couldn't help it; I - I lost control." His blush deepened, "Don't you dare laugh at me Jindra Roh! I swear I'll withdraw my marriage proposal and leave you in this bed alone for the rest of the night. You just don't joke about things like that."

"Peace Folken, peace. I'm sorry - I was only teasing." Reaching up, she stroked the side of his face with her hand. Her voice was soft as she looked at him. "They're beautiful wings - really. Seeing you there with them outstretched like that . . . you looked - you looked so . . . I don't know if this is the right word, but magnificent." This time it was Jindra's turn to blush.

Looking at him shyly, she asked "Do they hurt?" Folken gave her a puzzled look. "Your wings - do they hurt when you - when you . . . let them out?"

He shook his head, "No, not really. They did feel a little stiff, but that's just because I haven't unfurled them in a very long time. They're not something that I usually show in public; in fact, there are only a handful of people in Zaibach who know that I have them."

"Unfurled . . . that was the word I was looking for." She looked at him for a moment, as if considering something. "This is a stupid question, but I have to ask . . ." Folken nodded at her to continue. "Can you . . . can you . . .?"

"Fly?" He finished for her. Turning pink once again, Jindra nodded.

"After a fashion -- although it's more like gliding on air currents than actually flying;" He watched her eyes widened as he spoke. "There's a certain sense of freedom - an exhilaration that I've never felt from anything else. When I was younger and feeling sad about something, I'd leave the city and go out into the hills where I could be alone and ride the currents. But my mother didn't like it, she always cautioned Van and I about showing our wings where other people could see them. Other than my family, that's probably the one thing that I miss most about home - being able to soar whenever I felt like it."

Jindra saw the momentary flash of melancholy that passed over his face as he finished speaking; then just as quickly he gave her a playful smile and put his arm around her waist. "See, I knew that you were thinking about me."

Making a face at him, Jindra let her elbow slide down until her head was resting on the pillow. "Seriously, I was thinking about us. I've been thinking about what we're going to do." Shifting a little onto his side, Folken faced her. "What do you mean?"

Jindra clasped his hand, "I know that we'll have to leave here . . ."

He interrupted her before she could finish. "Maybe not - I'm sure we can work something out."

"Folken, from what you told me, I don't believe that they will just allow you to walk away from the tower. I don't believe that the emperor will just let you go. We'll have to leave."

"I know . . . and I know it will be hard to leave your family - but I won't ask you to unless there is no other way."

Jindra nodded slowly, "I know you wouldn't." She was silent for a few moments, a thoughtful look on her face. "We could go to Egzardia or maybe even Basram - my father always said that Basram was almost like being Zaibach . . . or Palas - I'm sure that Bethanne would help us."

Folken leaned towards her and kissed her forehead, "We have time, Jindra. We don't have to decide anything right now."

Jindra reached over and stroked his cheek. "I know . . . but it is important and I can't help thinking about it." She looked thoughtful once again. "What about Fanelia? No one would ever think to look for us there."

"No Jin, not Fanelia." Folken's voice was cold and his eyes grew dark, "I can't ever go back home. I don't care where we go, but it won't be there."

Jindra put her hand on his chest, "I'm sorry Folken; I didn't mean to upset you -- I was just thinking out loud." She brushed his lips with a soft kiss. "I don't want to go there anyway - I don't think I could live among people that send children out to face things that would kill most grown men."

"It's not like that," he gave her a hard look. "It's the duty of the royal family, Jin. The right of dragon slaying is to prove that you're worthy to be king . . . that you have the strength to lead." Folken looked away from her, his voice soft and sad. "But I failed . . . I wasn't strong enough - that's why I can't ever go back. I just hope that Van will be the king that I could never be."

Jindra cupped his chin and raised his eyes back up to hers. "How can you say that? How can you believe that you're a failure, Folken? Why? Because you didn't die like you were supposed to - because you survived?" Her voice was firm as she looked into his dark eyes, "I won't allow you to say that, do you hear me? You are not a failure Folken - don't ever think that." She leaned forward and kissed him again, "You may not be the king of Fanelia, Folken de Fanel; but you are a king to me." She gave him a shy smile, "You are the king of my heart."

Folken pulled Jindra to his chest and captured her mouth once again as her hands reached up to tangle in his pale hair.

----------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------

". . . and the survival rate among the test subjects is excellent - much better than we predicted; almost ninety percent when compare to those that have undergone the fate alternation process."

Dornkirk's voice echoed in the dark chamber, "Excellent . . . but what about the side effects?"

"They're almost non-existent, your majesty. None of the subjects have shown any signs of the madness that was prevalent among the fate alteration subjects. The only lasting damage seems to be to their long-term memory - but the percentage is quite negligible. As long as the subjects receive the formula on a regular basis, they are quite tractable and trainable."

"Are you still administering it through injection?"

"No my lord; after the initial injection series, all other doses are given through the food rations. It has worked out quite well."

"I must congratulate you, Foruma; you've done an outstanding job. I would like you to continue - the initial group must be ready for the next phase, if I am not mistaken. Since everything seems to be running smoothly, I would like to expand the program." The other man nodded. "Excellent - excellent . . . this project has exceeded my expectations. I will expect your next report in three weeks. You may leave me now."

The man named Foruma bowed deeply, "As you wish, my emperor." Straightening, he quickly left the chamber.

Dornkirk turned his attention to one of the shadowed recesses in the wall, "Has he been found."

A dark-cloaked figure stepped away from the wall and into the feeble light. "No your majesty . . . it appears that he has left the tower walls," a man's voice replied.

"With the girl, I presume?"

The cloaked man could feel the emperor's anger and he willed himself not to tremble. "I believe so, my lord. They were seen leaving by the western gate - on horseback. The groom from her father's stable said that he believed she had just gone riding for the afternoon. He swore that she took nothing with her but a picnic basket, your majesty."

The emperor considered the man's words. "You had his rooms searched?"

"Yes my lord. It did not appear that anything was missing."

"How did he leave the tower without being seen?" Dornkirk's anger permeated the room.

"I-I-I do not know." The cloaked man hated himself for stuttering, but he knew that he could not keep anything from the emperor.

Dornkirk's eyes bored into the man before him. "You will know - or you will suffer for it." His voice was even more hard and cold, "I want him found and brought back here - even if you have to drag him in chains to do it. If you cannot handle the responsibility, then I will replace you with someone who can."

The man fell to his knees and pressed his forehead to the stone floor of the chamber. "I am your humble servant, my emperor."

"I want an end to this. Folken must take his place as my apprentice." Dornkirk saw the man flinch at his words. "I have allowed him too much freedom it seems; perhaps it is time to tether my young Draconian prince."

The cloaked man raised his head, but remained kneeling. "It will be as you command, my emperor. I have already taken steps to ensure his loyalty to the tower. May I have your leave to go?"

The emperor's voice was hard, "Yes, go - get out of my sight until you have something worthwhile to report."

The man rose, but hesitated. "Your majesty . . . what about - what about the girl?"

"What about her? Kill her if you must - just get rid of her. Now leave me!"

Bowing, the man turned and quickly fled from the darkened chamber.