Tale as Old As Time [Finished]

[yamikuronue]

Lance stands, slamming a fist onto the table. "I won't hear of it. This is my home, and if I tell you to go--"

"Then I'll make the argument you know I will make," replies Siegfried, quietly. There's a long, tense moment as they stare at each other, before Rosanna's voice breaks in.

"I'd like a letter, if it's all the same to you. I'd like to be able to put food on my table, thank ye."

[accalia]

Echo nods sadly

"If that is your decision then so be it. This one cannot yet leave as one is not yet recovered from the service rendered unto your personage as well as to the fair Rosanna. After that point... This one will have to see."

Echo stands and bows solemnly

"This one will take ones leave if you will grant permission to do so.".

[yamikuronue]

"Wait," says Siegfried, still staring at Lance.

Lance narrows his eyes, then suddenly burst out, "Fine! If that's what it takes, that's what it takes. Ruin my name and my father's before me. Destroy what's left of this family if you have to. But for God's sake stop torturing yourself trying to fix me!"

[accalia]

Echo stays silent. he backs away from the table slightly but does not leave the room.

He is waiting to see how Siegfried will respond to this outburst.

[yamikuronue]

Siegfried's reply, when it comes, is very soft, composed. "You were never just the Master to me." Lance flinches at the word, paling, but Siegfried continues on. "I won't abandon the only family I have left. If you're so concerned about my wellbeing, let us help you. This young man has offered to help you heal, but you rejected him as surely as you've rejected me."

[accalia]

Echo remains silent for the moment. he feels it best to see how Lance responds before offering his own comments.

[yamikuronue]

Lance lowers his head, sinking back into his chair. "...I don't want to forget. I don't want to forget Muriel, or what I am."

Siegfried glances at Rosanna, who is looking particularly uncomfortable, then turns to Echo. "Do you have time to chat? I think the three of us should clear up some misconceptions,  but poor Rosanna would probably like to go get ready for bed."

[accalia]

Echo remains silent, but he does smile wryly and returns to his seat at the table. His posture is confident and fluid, but with a hint of repressed pain. Once seated he looks patiently but expectantly at Siegfried.

[yamikuronue]

Rosanna gratefully heads off for her room, and Siegfried moves to clear the table, bringing out a pot of tea and some cookies while Lance fidgets, unsure what to say.

Finally, Siegfried sits, turning to Echo. "Is there any way to help the Young Master without doing a disservice to the memory of the Young Mistress?"

[accalia]

"That is a loaded question my friend. The answer would most forrectly be: Yes, but."

Echo pauses and looks directly at Lance, his eyes seeming to look through Lance's and deep into lance's soul.

"As things stand there is little this one can do. Lance, you are holding on to the memories of the past, painful memories. This one will not, no... cannot tell you that that is wrong for it is up to you to decide the rightness of it. However there are other ways to remember and honour those you wish to remember. If you let go of the pain and remember the happy memories then this one can help you in the manner Siegfried wishes."

"it would not be easy, indeed it would be painful at first, a worse pain then you feel now. Letting go is the hardest thing that one can do, but if one is strong one can let go and grow. you can let go of the pain without letting go of remembering. This one would help you , but it must be you who decides, it must be you who does. This is not a thing that can be cured as this one cured Rosanna, or yourself from your bullet wounds earlier. This would be a healing of the mind."

[yamikuronue]

Lance bows his head. "I don't want to forget.... let me speak plainly." He takes a deep breath, his hands shaking slightly in his lap.

"I killed them. My mother, my father, my sister. They're dead because I killed them."

[accalia]

Echo says nothing for a long moment, he sits still deep in thought. Then he rises to his feet and offers a hand to Lance

"A terrible thing, to say that... and this one feels truth in your words, but this is not the end of things nor the end of life. This one would hear of the details of this so we can work out how to proceed, but first... would you walk with this one? This one would like to show you something that might help ease your mind before we go further along this path."

Echo stands holding his hand out in support to Lance, but turns his head slightly to Siegfried and addresses the other man.

"Is there a fountain or pool on the premisis, this one would be aided greatly by having water and moonlight on hand..."

[yamikuronue]

"The only fountain that's still turned on is the one in the front drive," replies Siegfried, almost automatically.

Lance doesn't take the hand, but does rise.

[accalia]

"that one will do. It will be but a stage magicians trick, but the visual does help comprehension. Lead on then kind sirs. And should Rosanna wish to join us she is welcome to as well"

Echo raises his voice slightly at those last words. He can't sense her over the turmoil that Lance is generating right now, but he does hope she might have stayed around to listen.

[yamikuronue]

Rosanna does not appear as Siegfried leads them to the fountain in the front: a leaping dolphin statue, with a large basin of water at the base, and a stream coming from the dolphin's mouth to land in the pool.