“ Thank you, Mother, but I can speak for myself,” Ashinji interjected firmly, though his eyes shone with gratitude for her support. He met his father’s anger unflinchingly and said, “My point, Father, is that I am not the Heir…Sadaiyo will inherit your title and all of your lands, not me. It will be his child, his okui child, who will carry on your direct line, so you needn’t worry. There will be no taint of human blood to sully the future Lords of Kerala.” He moved to stand beside Jelena, who had remained sitting on the floor throughout the entire exchange, frozen in place and too mortified to speak.
“ Stand beside me, my love,” he urged gently, holding his hand out to her. The steadfastness of his gaze infused her nerveless legs with the strength they needed to lift her up. “I’ve always been a dutiful son to you, Father,” Ashinji said quietly, “but in this, I cannot obey. If you won’t give us your permission, I’m prepared to give up my place in this family and leave Kerala so that Jelena and I can marry and have a life together.”
Ashinji’s brave words touched off the spark that lit the fire of Jelena’s own dormant courage. Boldly, she met Lord Sen’s anguished stare, and said, “My lord, never did I wish for me to come between you and your son, please believe! I am so grateful for all you and my Lady Amara have given to me. I do not want Ashi to give up his family, and I do not wish to leave Kerala myself…” She paused to look into Ashinji’s eyes, and added, “He has made up his mind that he loves me enough to do this thing, and I love him too much to give him up now.”
Sen exhaled sharply. Something within him seemed to yield then, and the storm brewing in his eyes subsided. He sat down on the couch beside Amara and covered his face with both hands, his shoulders slumping wearily. He remained so for only a moment before looking back up, first at Ashinji, then Jelena. With an air of resignation, he turned to Amara and asked, “Do you agree to this match, Wife?”
“ I want our son to be happy,” Amara replied, and gently, she laid her hand atop his. “It was not so long ago that you rode through the gates of a certain mage school to claim the woman who had stolen your heart, Husband. We angered a great many people that day, as I recall.”
“ This is different, as you well know!” Sen growled, but Jelena could see his resistance crumbling.
“ It’s no different…Not really,” Amara insisted.
“ I know I am not what you would choose for your son, my lord,” Jelena spoke up. “I am kinless and… hikui …it is true. I wish I had a father to speak for me, but I don’t. There is only me to speak for myself, and I say to you that my love for your son is pure, even though my blood is not.”
Sen rubbed at his chin and frowned slightly, but Jelena had the distinct feeling that his thoughts no longer focused on his objections to Ashinji marrying her. Rather, he seemed concerned about something else entirely, something that he wished to keep hidden.
“ Once Jelena is my wife, she will belong to this family,” Ashinji said, “and who her father is won’t matter.”
Jelena felt confused by the sudden, overwhelming certainty that Lord Sen knew exactly who her father was. If he knows, why is he keeping it from me when he promised that he’d do everything he could to help me? Jelena wondered. Is he trying to protect me?
No, protect my father’s reputation, most likely.
Aloud, she said, “My lord, my father and his family will have nothing to fear from me, if I do find them. All I want is just to know who they are.”
Jelena fell silent and together, she and Ashinji waited while Sen brooded. The quiet of the sitting room was disturbed only by the little sundry noises that always fill up spaces when there is no conversation to mask them-the sweet tinkle of wind chimes, the distant caw of a raven, the creaks and groans of the castle itself as it settled down more comfortably upon its wooden bones.
At last, Sen pursed his lips and turned to his wife. “Well, I s’pose we can’t stand in their way, can we?” he said gruffly.
“ We could, but what purpose would it serve, other than to hurt our son and the girl who saved your life?” Amara replied. She laid a tender hand against her husband’s cheek. “I think that we must give this gift to our son and to the girl he so obviously loves.”
Sen grasped her hand and brought it to his lips. “You, as usual, are right,” he replied.
“ Thank you both,” Ashinji breathed, sinking to his knees before his parents and bowing his head.
“ Yes, yes,” Jelena added, kneeling beside him, her voice breaking. “I thank you, also!” Unable to stop herself, she began to cry.
“ No, no…No tears, girl,” Sen grumbled. “I’ll start blubbering m’self, and believe me, you don’t want to see that!” Jelena couldn’t help but smile as she dabbed at her eyes with the cuff of her sleeve. Sen stood up from the couch and added, “Looks like you’ve got another wedding to plan, Wife. Now, I must be off. I promised Sadaiyo I’d help him inventory supplies for the trip to Sendai.”
“ Father, Jelena and I must marry before we leave,” Ashinji said.
“ Hmm, yes, of course. Looks like your mother has her work cut out for her, then. I’m gone!” he called over his shoulder as he stumped out.
Ashinji shook his head. “Father is not happy about this,” he stated. He rose to his feet in a single fluid motion and reached out a hand to steady Jelena as she climbed, considerably less gracefully in her opinion, to hers.
“ Give him a little time, Son. He’ll come around.” Amara turned her cool green gaze on Jelena. “Societal tradition is hard to go against, even for a man who believes wholeheartedly that some traditions are wrong. My husband really does hold you in the highest regard, child. You proved to him when you shot that boar and saved his life that your heart is courageous.” She paused for a heartbeat, then said, “Jelena, you are going to need all of your courage from this day on.”
Jelena nodded, but she felt puzzled; she sensed some hidden meaning behind Amara’s words.
“ Jelena and I should go, now, Mother,” Ashinji said, grabbing Jelena’s hand and starting toward the door.
“ Ashi, wait,” Amara said. “I need to speak with Jelena alone.”
Ashinji looked questioningly at his mother but Amara’s expression gave nothing away. “Yes, Mother,” was all he said. He kissed Jelena lightly on the lips and whispered in her ear that he would see her at dinner, then strode from the room.
Amara waited until the door had shut behind her son before she spoke again. “Come and sit beside me, Jelena.” Her voice was gentle, yet still infused with an undertone of quiet authority. Jelena obeyed without question.
“ Some weeks ago, you came to me asking for help in understanding the energy you harbor within you,” Amara began. “I agreed to teach you all that I could about it. Back then, I wasn’t certain what it was that we’d be dealing with, but I’ve had time to do some research…”
“ And you know now what the blue fire is!” Jelena interrupted, excitement riding roughshod over her manners. “Oh! Apologies, my lady,” she quickly added, dipping her head in contrition.
“ As I’ve said, I did some research, and, yes, I know what it is now.” Amara paused to look intently into Jelena’s eyes.
Ashi and his mother have the same eyes, Jelena thought. So green…like emeralds.
“ I’m going to try something with you, something that my son may have already attempted,” Amara continued. “Relax now, and clear your mind of all thought.”
“ I…I am not certain I can,” Jelena said. “Relax, I mean.” She still felt a little intimidated by Amara, despite the other’s kindness.