FIFTY-SIX
The next couple of days passed uneventfully. Doreena and Jindra went shopping together and the younger woman only protested a little when the seamstress that her mother hired came to take her measurements and bring some dress samples for Jindra to choose from. Despite everything that had happened in the past week, Jindra and her mother found themselves growing close once again; and although Doreena still did not approve of her daughter's marriage, she had managed to curb her tongue and very rarely referred to Folken as "him" or "that man" when speaking of him – in fact once or twice she actually said his name. Although she still did not like the young outlander, she had resigned herself to the fact that he was now a member of her family and she tried to be civil whenever she was with her daughter. Doreena had only to think of her own father's treatment of Erich before the two of them had been married and she found that she didn't want to repeat Yellan's actions. Besides, the old coot did eventually give in and decide that Erich wasn't as bad as he thought. For Jindra's sake I have to at least try to accept him.
Thinking of her husband, Doreena winced as she recalled Erich's reaction to the news that Jindra and Folken would be leaving Zaibach. Although he had not immediately flown into a rage, Doreena could see that his anger had been barely contained. He had looked at Jindra with hard eyes, and in an equally hard voice had asked her if that was what she really wanted or if Lacour forcing her into it. Of course their daughter had immediately gone on the defensive and if it hadn't of been for Doreena, the two of them would have been at each other's throats in mere minutes.
Doreena shook her head; she found it somehow amusing that her normally cool and calm husband had now become possessed of a very hot temper. She wondered if it had always been there and if it would ever go away. Erich had always been the voice of reason, but now he had just become a stubborn hot head . . . like me; she thought. Doreena had started to try to accept Jindra's marriage – and Folken Lacour; and she hoped that Erich would begin to do so too, if only for their daughter's sake. But Erich still refused to be swayed and the sad, disappointed look that haunted his face whenever he looked at his daughter made the tears in Doreena's eyes well up before she would hastily brush them away.
The two women were walking together down the sidewalk, their arms laden with packages. Jindra could hardly believe that she had allowed her mother to purchase so much for her. Before they had left the last shop, Jindra had protested once again about the amount of items that her mother had deemed necessary to the start up of a proper household.
"Mother – what am I going to do with all of this? I'm sure that we won't be able to bring even half of all this with us on the ship."
"Nonsense, Jindra – they'll probably just charge you for the extra baggage; and if it's truly outrageous then we'll have 'Turo send a ship here for you." Doreena had replied dismissively. "Besides, you won't find a better price on these linens outside of Zaibach; trust me." Jindra gave her mother an exasperated look, but remained silent while their purchases were tallied and packaged up.
The day was warm and bright as mother and daughter wound their way down the crowded sidewalk. Their carriage had been left several blocks away so that the women could explore the various shops at their leisure; although Doreena was now regretting her decision as she trudged along burdened by the weight of several large parcels.
"Mrs. Roh . . . Jindra?" A familiar male voice spoke from Doreena's left.
The older woman stopped and looked over to see Anton Lefebvre under the awning of a small spirits shop looking as if he had just stepped out into the street. "Lieutenant Lefebvre – what a pleasant surprise."
Jindra had pulled to a stop alongside her mother, and she saw Anton wince a little when her mother called him Lieutenant. I don't think she knows that Anton isn't at the academy anymore. She tried to manage a polite smile as the young man looked at her. "Hello Anton."
Lefebvre gave them a small bow, "It seems like ages since we last saw one another. I hope that you and your husband are doing well, Mrs. Roh?"
"Yes, we're quite well; thank you for asking." Doreena shifted her packages a bit in her arms. Noticing her discomfort, the young man quickly reached for several of the larger parcels. "Please, allow me to be of some service."
The older woman smiled her thanks. "Thank you Lieutenant."
"It looks as if the two of you have been on quite a shopping spree – hopefully you've left something for the rest of us to buy." Anton joked and smiled.
"I'd be quick if I were you Lieutenant; we've pretty much picked everything clean – haven't we dear." Doreena returned the young man's jest as she gave her daughter a smile. "It sure looks like it," Jindra replied in a deadpan voice.
"Surely you weren't intending to carry all of this home by yourselves?" Anton asked. "Allow me to get you a cab."
"Actually, our carriage is just down the next block – we're on our way there now." Jindra answered.
"Then allow me to fetch it for you – the two of you shouldn't be trudging up the sidewalk with all of these packages." The young man offered. "If you just tell me where it is . . ."
"Actually Lieutenant, it's a new coach and you probably wouldn't recognize it – the trim is different." Doreena thought for a moment, "Perhaps it would be better for me to go – if you will be kind enough to wait here with Jindra and watch our things."
"Of course, Mrs. Roh – if you're sure that you don't want me to go."
"I'm certain, it will be much quicker if I go myself." Giving her daughter a smile, Doreena let Anton take her remaining packages. "I'll be back in a few minutes." Turning, the older woman made her way quickly up the street.
Anton stacked the parcels he had taken from Mrs. Roh on the sidewalk next to him. "Why don't you put those down for a few minutes Jindra," he said as he turned to his companion. Reaching out, he took what looked to be the heaviest of the packages that the young woman was carrying.
"Thank you." Jindra murmured.
"So, is there some special occasion I've missed? A holiday I don't know about?" Anton asked.
"Huh? Jindra looked puzzled.
"All your shopping – I just figured that there was something special going on." He replied as he gestured at the packages.
"Uh . . . no . . . my mother just thinks that I need everything under the sun for some reason."
"My mother loved to shop and buy things for my sisters all the time too – whether they needed it or not." Anton's expression looked pained for a moment. "Before my oldest sister married, I think the two of them must have bought out every shop in the village."
Jindra felt her breath catch. Married . . . no, he can't – please no . . . he can't know . . . Steadying her voice, Jindra looked up at the young man's face. "I know you told me you had sisters, but you never told me how many."
"Three – I have three sisters; one older and two younger. Only Katarine – the oldest – is married. The others, Brigitte and Liana, are still at home." Jindra nodded her head and the couple lapsed into silence for a few moments.
Jindra's eyes had darted a glance up the street looking for the carriage when Anton spoke again. "Jindra . . . I-I've been debating on whether or not to come and see you. There's something that I think you should know about." There seemed to be a hesitation in his voice and Jindra sensed that whatever it was that he wanted to speak with about was obviously of some importance.
"What is it Anton? Is there something wrong?"
"No – well, I don't know . . . I'm not sure yet." He looked down at her, the look on his face serious. "I . . . I've heard some things in the tower – things that if they are true . . ." Anton looked away from her.
Growing more concerned, Jindra put her hand on his arm and the young man turned back to face her. "What kind of things Anton?" Please – not about Folken and I . . . not about our marriage. "What – what kind of things?"
The young man seemed to struggle to find the words. "About – about the accident . . . the guymelef accident that killed Coren;" he paused for a moment to gauge Jindra's reaction. "There are rumors going around . . ." He broke off speaking and looked away once again.
"Rumors about the accident?" Jindra grabbed Anton's jacket by the sleeve and pulled until he returned his gaze to her once again. "Please, tell me!"
"They're only rumors Jindra . . . maybe I shouldn't have said anything to you."
"I don't care – if you know something Anton, you have to tell me."
The young man shook his head, "I don't want to hurt you Jindra . . ."
Jindra let out an exasperated sound, "Damn it Anton – just tell me!" Lefebvre's eyes widened at the tone in her voice and the spark of emotion in her silvery-gray eyes.
"Some of them have to do with . . . some of them are about Folken Lacour."
Jindra put her palm up towards him, "Stop – I don't want to hear anymore." She sighed and shook her head. "Why can't you just let it go Anton?"
The young man looked at her with sad eyes, "Believe it or not, it pains me greatly to tell you things like this Jindra. I know that you think yourself in love with Lacour -- but what do you really know about him? What do you really know about his life in the tower?"
'I know that if Folken knew anything about the accident then we would have told me. Besides, you said yourself that they were nothing but rumors – you don't have any proof that they're true."
Lefebvre reached out his hand, but dropped it before touching her arm. "No I don't – not yet; but I will. Coren was like a brother to me – you can't even begin to understand how I felt when I heard that he had been killed. One of the reasons that I took the position in the sorcerer's tower was to see if I could find out what happened to him. I never believed that what happened was his fault – I had a feeling that there was something more going on, and I know that I'm right."
Jindra sighed again, "I want to know what happened that day too Anton – more than you could imagine. But your jealousy over Folken is clouding your judgment. I don't understand why you can't just let it go – why you insist with this obsession to make me believe that Folken is some kind of black-hearted monster, that he has some hidden agenda."
"Because someone has to make you see reason Jindra – I know what goes on inside that godforsaken place, I see it everyday. You've let your feelings for Lacour blind you to all the secrets that he's hiding from you. He knows something about what happened to Coren – I know he does. If you don't believe me, then ask him yourself the next time you see him. If he cares for you as much as you think he does, then he won't lie to you."
The young woman let out an exasperated sound, "Folken does love me; and he was just as hurt and upset by Coren's death as anyone else – the two of them were friends too, you know. If he knew anything at all about the accident then he would tell me – I trust him, Anton. Despite what you think, Folken would have no reason to hold back something like that – he knows how important finding out what happened is to me."
Lefebvre shook his head, "You don't understand Jindra – how he is with you is not how he is in the tower. I've seen him there – seen how he is within the walls of that place. I know you won't believe it, but he's just as cold and calculating as any of them – perhaps even more so. I've heard that the emperor chose him to be his apprentice – personally selected him out of all the others in the tower. I don't think you realize what kind of power and influence that gives him. He might show you one face when he's with you Jindra; but believe me, he shows a completely different one when he's among his own kind."
Jindra's anger had started to slowly well up and by the time Anton finished speaking, she knew that she couldn't hold back any longer. "You're obsessed Anton – obsessed with this sick jealousy. Unless you have any proof whatsoever about any of this, then I don't want to hear another word from you. I don't know why you can't leave me in peace – why you can't leave Folken and I in peace. Why can't you understand that I don't love you – I've never loved you, and I never will!"
Anton's jaw clenched in anger and the look he gave Jindra was hard and cold. "I don't care if you love me or not, but I don't want to see you end up getting hurt because you put your trust in a man who has more secrets than you could possibly imagine. What if what I've heard is true – what if I find the proof to convince you that I'm telling you the truth?"
"If, Anton – if. I don't believe there is any proof and I'm not sure I could trust anything that came from you. All you have is rumor and conjecture – not to mention your own biased judgment. Until there is proof – irrefutable proof -- then that's all you have; and I refuse to believe any of it."
"Your being stupid Jindra – stupid and blind."
Jindra had opened her mouth to give Anton a venomous reply when she saw the carriage approaching. Biting back the words that were on her tongue, she picked up several of the parcels and haughtily approached the curb. His arms laden with the remaining packages, Anton joined her just as the carriage pulled up alongside them.
The driver quickly scrambled down and opened the door. Doreena leaned out and took several of the bundles from Anton, "Thank you Lieutenant." The young man gave her a small bow, but remained silent. Jindra handed her packages to the driver before starting to climb up in the carriage. With an angry glare, she shrugged off Lefebvre's attempt to assist her. The driver passed the items to the two women inside and closed the door before returning to his seat up top.
Jindra's eyes flashed with anger as she looked out the opened carriage window. Anton's eyes were equally cold as he looked back at her. Just as the carriage pulled away, the young man called out to her, "Remember what I've said Jindra – I will show you that I'm right."
The young woman tore her eyes away from the window and crossed her arms over her chest. Doreena looked at her daughter with worry, "Is something wrong Jindra? You look quite put out. Did the Lieutenant say something to upset you?"
Jindra sighed and shook her head, "No . . . it's alright – it was nothing." Her gaze turned towards the small window, "Although if I never see Anton Lefebvre again, it will be too soon."
Her mother regarded her for a moment, wondering what had happened between the two of them; but she decided that perhaps this time it would be better to not say anything and let the matter drop. The two women continued their journey home in silence.
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Anton Lefebvre returned to the tower, grateful for the bottle of liquor that was safely stored inside his coat pocket. If he ever thought he needed a drink, it was then. He couldn't believe how blind and stubborn Jindra had been. Lacour's influence over her was greater than he thought, but soon it would all be over and she would see that her precious Folken was just as deceitful and secretive as he had told her he was.
As he walked towards his small room in the guard's quarters he looked out the windows as he passed. He paused in mid-step as he saw the very object of his hatred down below crossing the main courtyard. What I wouldn't give for a bow right now; he thought. One quick shot and it would all be over. As Lacour passed out of sight and into the other building, Lefebvre resumed walking.
As Anton closed the door to his quarters, he took the small bottle from his pocket and quickly unscrewed the lid. Drinking deeply, he winced as the liquor burned down his throat. I swear I'm going to kill that bastard before all this is over.