Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Ashes and Remembrance ❯ Chapter Twenty-Two ( Chapter 22 )

TWENTY-TWO

Folken and Jindra made a slow return journey towards the city as they kept their horses to a walk. They had been traveling for about an hour or so when they stopped at a small farm to inquire about purchasing some food for themselves, as well as feed for their mounts. The farmer and his wife had at first been suspicious and a little fearful of the travel-stained couple; but when they saw that the two carried no weapons and had coin to pay with, their fears eased a little and the two were invited in.

Folken had borrowed Jindra's cloak and draped it over his shoulder so that it hung down and helped to cover his metal arm and hand from view. Then under her husband's watchful eye, the farm wife ushered the young couple into her kitchen and bid them to sit down at the table.

Jindra and Folken surprised not only the farm wife, whose name they learned was Mrs. Gelinas; but also themselves with the extent of their appetites. Watching the two young people devour the lunch that she had set out for them, the woman clucked her tongue. "Only city people would be travelin' round the countryside without proper provisions." Jindra and Folken both colored at her words.

Swallowing the honey-coated bread that she had just taken a huge bite of, Jindra tried to explain; "We rode out this way for a picnic and got caught in that storm last night."

"I jest bet ye did." The woman eyed the two of them. "Ye look like 'o pair newlyweds to me. How long ye been wed?" She asked with a smile.

Jindra and Folken both looked at one another and Jindra felt the blood rush to her face once again. Mrs. Gelinas gave a small laugh at their expressions, "That new, huh? Well, the two 'o ye make a fine lookin' couple, you do." The woman practically beamed, "I been with my Taim for thirty years; gods willin', I'll be with him for thirty more. He's a fine man - always done right by me."

The farm wife gave Folken a pointed look, "That's my advice to ye young man, always do right by your woman."

Startled, Folken could only stammer. "Uh . . . y-yes . . . uh yes m'am." Jindra bit her lip to keep for laughing aloud at his slightly uncomfortable expression.

The woman then turned her attention to Jindra. "My advice to you, little miss, is to never say I told ye so; even when he's wrong. More'n likely he will be - he's only a man after all; jest don't go pointin' it out to him." Jindra quickly glanced at Folken, and the expression on his face made her laugh even harder while he shot her a black look.

Leaving the couple to finish their lunch, the woman continued on with whatever chores she had been in the middle of when they had arrived.

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Jindra thought that she was going to burst when she finally pushed her plate away. Looking at Folken, she was amazed to see that he was still eating quite heartily. "Where are you putting all that?"

Folken swallowed, "Hey, it's been a long time since I've had food this good." Giving her a smug smile, he continued. "Besides, you were putting it away pretty good yourself."

"Well . . . uh . . ." Jindra felt the color rise in her face. "I haven't eaten anything since yesterday afternoon, what did you expect?"

"Neither have I, in case you've forgotten." Folken replied as he lifted the dark earthenware mug filled with spiced cider. "Plus with all the other activity from last night . . . well, a man tends to build up a healthy appetite." He winked at her as he took a drink.

Jindra looked shocked, "Folken!" She dropped her voice to a whisper. "I can't - I can't believe you just said that." She glanced around nervously, "Suppose someone heard you?"

"C'mon Jin, relax - you're over-reacting. Besides she thinks we're married - what does it matter?"

"What does it matter? Gods Folken, do you want everyone to know what we . . . what went on between us last night? I don't know about you, but it's very personal to me; and I don't think I want everyone and their mother to know about it."

Folken set his mug down and reached for her hand. "It was only a joke - I'm sorry if you didn't find it funny. But I love you Jindra, and I don't care who knows it."

She squeezed his hand, "I love you too." She glanced down, but he could see the blush that crept up her throat across her cheeks. "It's just . . . I-I feel like . . . like everyone knows what we did - just by looking at me." Her voice sounded small, "Do I . . . do I look any different today?"

Folken let go of her hand and raised her chin up so that he could look into her eyes. "You look like the woman I love, Jin - yesterday and today." Taking her hand once more, he stroked his thumb against the back of her palm. "But I know what you mean though. I feel a little different too . . . but I don't feel guilty about being with you - about making love with you." He gave her a smile, "Last night . . . last night was the most wonderful - the most perfect thing that I've ever felt and I won't let anyone make me feel guilty about it; and you shouldn't either."

Just as he finished speaking, Mrs. Gelinas came bustling back into the kitchen with a wicker basket of what looked like clothing balanced on her hip. "Just about finished up, are ye?" Seeing the couple holding hands, she smiled. "I'd say so, I'd say so; ah, to be young and in love again . . . well, young anyways." Laughing, she set the basket down on the floor.

Despite Folken's words, Jindra felt herself blush and she pulled her hand from his grasp. Getting up from her seat, she turned to the older woman. "That was some of the best food that I've had in a long time. I can't believe I ate so much."

The farm wife smiled at her, "Glad to have young people in the house again. All 'o my children are grown and gone away with their own families. They don't come round often enough for my likin', but that's the way of it, I suppose." She gave Jindra a measured look. "I 'spect your own mother will be missin' you too, now that ye got a man 'o yer own." Jindra cast a quick glance in Folken's direction and she caught him watching her intently.

Seeing the looks that passed between the young couple, the woman nodded to herself knowingly. Looking at Folken, she spoke. "Taim took care o' feeding yer horses, but ye might want to go have a look see at 'em and make sure they be alright. They're tied up by the front fence."

Folken raised an eyebrow at her not so subtle hint. He wasn't sure if he should leave Jindra with this strange, talkative woman; but after a few moments consideration, he rose from the table and excused himself. "Yes, they did have a bit of a rough night - with the storm and all. I probably should just give them a quick once over."

She seems to be harmless enough; maybe she just wants to have some . . . what do they call it - girl talk? Jin will be alright, she can handle herself. Folken gave Jindra's arm a light squeeze as he left the room.

Feeling a bit nervous after being left alone with Mrs. Gelinas, Jindra turned back to the table and started to clear off the dirty plates and utensils. The older woman waved her hands, "Oh, leave all 'o that to me."

Jindra shook her head, "Please, I'd like to help - you've been so kind to us Mrs. Gelinas; it's the least I can do." The farm wife pointed to a wooden tub at the end of the counter, "Oh alright . . . ye can put the dishes 'an mugs in there then."

The two women worked silently for several minutes as they cleared off the table. After everything had been put into the waiting tub, Mrs. Gelinas reached for the large kettle that was hanging over the fireplace and poured hot water over the dirty plates, mugs and utensils. "We'll jest let that soak a little -- how bout a cup 'o tea in the meantime?" Jindra nodded yes and sat back down at the table.

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"Is it always so quiet here?" Jindra asked as she waited for her tea to cool a little.

Mrs. Gelinas smiled at her, "City folk don't like the quiet much, do they?" She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Been to the city a few times myself, didn't care much for it though. Too many people, big buildings, strange machines everywhere - things is queer in the city."

Jindra gave the woman a small smile of her own, "I've lived in the city my whole life; the country seems strange to me." She didn't know why, but Jindra found herself warming up to the plain-speaking, motherly woman. "Although it is nice to get away from everything for a while, to be able to find some peace and quiet without having to go miles and miles away from home."

Mrs. Gelinas took a sip from her cup and gave the young woman a strange look. "It's not every woman that'd take a man with one arm."

"I-I . . . I'm sorry . . ." Caught off guard by the woman's words, Jindra could only stammer. The older woman at least had the courtesy to blush, "Taim is always tellin' me to mind my own business; and here I go, stickin' my nose in where it don't belong again."

Unsure of what to say, Jindra picked up her cup and took a long swallow. She recalled that Folken had kept his right arm covered all afternoon and that he had only used his left hand during lunch. Of course . . . she thinks that he only has one arm.

Setting her cup down, Jindra looked at the woman across from her. She tried to mask the anger that she felt over the woman's intrusion into her personal life, especially since Mrs. Gelinas had been so kind the two of them. But her voice still sounded a bit cold, "It doesn't matter to me, it's never mattered to me. I can accept him for who he is - as he is."

The farm wife dropped her eyes, "It's a hard thing though - it takes a lot 'o love and courage to take on that kind 'o responsibility."

"I have plenty of the first, but I'm not so sure about the second." Jindra tried to push some of her anger away and she gave the woman a small smile.

The older woman gave her a measured look before speaking. "Oh, I don't know 'bout that. You were right quick to jump to his defense when ye thought I was lookin' down on him." Jindra was surprised when Mrs. Gelinas reached across the table and patted her hand, "Course I'd be doin' the same for my Taim."

The two women quietly sipped at their tea for a few moments. Pouring herself another cup, Mrs. Gelinas broke the silence first. "You two aren't really wed, are ye?"

Jindra was startled and she was glad that she didn't have anything in her mouth as she was afraid that she probably would have started choking. "W-Why . . . w-why would you t-think that? Of course we're m-married." Even as the words left her mouth, she could tell that the other didn't believe her; and Jindra felt herself color once again under the woman's scrutiny.

"The two 'o ye ran off?" The woman asked, but it sounded more like a statement of fact.

Jindra shook her head vehemently, "No - that's not true - that's not what happened at all. We really did ride out this way for a picnic yesterday afternoon, and we did get caught in that storm last night. We stayed the night in a hunting lodge on the west side of the mountain." Realizing she had said too much, Jindra quickly dropped her eyes from the other woman's face.

"Yer awful brave to be goin' home after spending the night away with a man yer not married to."

The younger woman kept her eyes focused on the tabletop in front of her. "Well . . . uh . . . m-my parents don't - they don't know I was with him . . . at least, I don't think that they do; and before you ask, no I don't think they would like it at all. In fact, if they even suspected that we spent the entire night alone together . . ." she trailed off and glanced up at the other woman.

Mrs. Gelinas raised her eyebrows, "Yer father would be callin' him out, now would he?" She saw the puzzled look that Jindra gave her. "I'm guessin that the two 'o ye did a bit more'n sleeping last night?"

Jindra blushed furiously and looked back down at the table. "Is it that obvious?" Her voice sounded small.

"What is it about young people nowadays? Can't never wait for anything, always got to be in such a hurry." Mrs. Gelinas shook her head. "Course if ye were one 'o my daughters, ye can sure as bet I'd have switched every shred 'o skin off yer hide - and his too; and then I'd drag both 'o ye by the ear right down to the civil office."

Feeling completely embarrassed, Jindra could not meet the woman's gaze and continued to stare down at the tabletop. "My mother says she can always tell when I've done something that I shouldn't have." Her voice gained a little strength as she continued, "But I . . . I don't believe that what happened between us was wrong. I refuse to believe that something so beautiful could be wrong. Besides, who cares if we're married or not - the fact that we love each other should be enough."

"But he does plan on marryin' ye doesn't he?"

Finally looking up, Jindra nodded her head. "Oh yes; we are going to be married." The woman heard something more in the young woman's words. "But yer families don't approve 'o the match?"

"No . . . well at least mine doesn't; and Folken doesn't have any family in the city. But we're planning to elope and leave here anyway, so it doesn't really matter if my parents approve or not." Jindra's voice sounded hard.

Mrs. Gelinas reached out and patted her hand once again. "You'd go 'an break the heart 'o your poor mother by just runnin' off?"

Jindra's eyes looked as cold as her voice. "I gave my mother the chance to meet him and get to know him - but she didn't even try. Oh she smiled and shook his hand, but it was like she was meeting the lowliest, most disgusting thing on the face of Gaea. So I really don't give a damn about my mother's feelings as far as this goes."

The woman drew back from the intensity of Jindra's gaze. "Well now, I don't really believe that an I don't think ye really do either - it's just the anger talkin'. But I'll tell ye this: when all else fails, the one thing that stays true is family. Ye ever hear that old sayin', 'Blood is thicker than water'? Well, they jest ain't words."

The young woman's voice was softer as she replied. "I know . . . and I hate that I have to go behind my parent's backs to be with him; but unfortunately, that's how it has to be. Maybe one day my parents will open their eyes and see how happy the two of us are together - how much we love one another. But I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for it to happen either."

"Well, speakin' as 'o mother myself; all I ever wanted was for my girls to be happy and have a man that was able to take care 'o them and give'em a good life. Now my youngest, Maris, she had her heart set on one 'o them Fortinier boys over by Northgate. I'll tell ye straight, Taim and me didn't care much for him ourselves - always seemed a bit uppity if ye know what I mean. But Maris, well she wasn't goin' to take no for an answer; and so we eventually said yes. If it didn't turn out that Thom Fortinier wasn't at all like we thought; in fact, he's probably my favorite son-in-law; and his mama and I became great friends." She saw the puzzled look that Jindra gave her. "What I'm tryin' to say is, give your parents some time - they jest might surprise ye."

Jindra gave Mrs. Gelinas a small smile, "I hope so . . . I really do." She poured herself another cup of tea.

"I know ye think I'm jest some old busybody, but I took a likin' to the two o' ye right away. Don't know why, but soon as I saw the pair 'o ye, well it jest felt like you were 'o couple of my own come home to visit. Course they all think I'm jest some meddlin' old fool too; but I don't mean no harm by it."

Jindra smiled as the older woman finished and then she reached across the table and touched her hand. "You've been very kind, Mrs. Gelinas. You invited two strangers into your house and made them feel welcome. I don't know why, but I felt that I could trust you and talk to you. You don't know how grateful I am for that. Sometimes it's just so hard to keep everything bottled up inside; and I don't really want to put all of this on Folken - he feels guilty enough about what's happened with my family as it is. Thank you so much for listening to me; and thank you for the advice too. Your daughters are very lucky to have a mother like you - I hope they appreciate it."

The other woman smiled back and the two finished their tea in silence; and that was how Folken found them when he came to collect Jindra to resume their journey back to the city.