"You don't marry someone you can live with,
you marry the person who you cannot live without..."
Takamaru's was always taught that marriage was a sacred thing by his teachers. He was always taught that marriage was a covenant between a man and a woman, that it was the true act of love. It was a way of sealing ones fate with another. However, that wasn't what he was taught by his parents. The specifically stated that he was to be married to a girl that was from London. He remembered his father coming in the middle of the night to speak with his aunt. She was more than willing to do whatever it was that he asked of her. She was nothing more than his little lapdog as far as Taka was concerned.
"The boy still lives with you?" Voldemort asked quietly, his scarlet eyes peering out of his hood, "Then he is to be married to Bella's daughter. She goes by the name of Jade D'Amore, and Bella was more than agreeable to the terms. This marriage will consecrate the binding of two of the most powerful bloodlines known to the wizarding lines. Make sure the boy goes along with it."
Taka squinted his eyes so he could see somewhat better than before. He could see his father's wand in his hand. His aunt was on her knees, caught in a state of pain, and a state of loyalty. Taka didn't understand at the time that his Aunt, even though she followed Voldemort with more than her whole heart, wanted what was best for the boy she raised since birth. Ever since Voldemort found out that he was to have a bastard son, he wanted to make sure that the boy was kept both a secret, but, was also used as a tool. To Voldemort, Taka was just another little toy piece of the game.
"It will be done, M'Lord," came the soft voice of Taka's aunt as she bowed her head, never looking up into those scarlet eyes that bore into her soul and body. Voldemort departed from the house after having a few more words with the woman, who once he finally had left, got up from her knees. She walked back to check on Taka, who was lying in bed, his eyes shut. Once she was satisfied that he had been asleep the whole time, she turned in herself.
Takamaru never knew that what had taken place that night would change his life forever. That it would forever change the views he held of things. That very next summer a young girl, Jade by the name, arrived on his door step. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The very sight of her made him lose breath. Takamaru couldn't believe that she had ended up on his doorstep. He wasn't sure why she was here..and the fact that a beautiful young female was on his doorstep was more than he could take in.
It was always known that Takamaru was the odd ball out. He was never the one that got the girls. In fact, he had never once eyes a female in lust, nor did he ever feel any kind of love towards one. Or male for that matter. He, like his father, had never even held a friend. Not one. And it was assumed that he, just like his father, would never want one. But a lie that seemed to have been, for the heartless little six year old boy soon found out that love was available to everyone, no matter who's son you were.
He could tell that this relationship was going to last, that there would be nothing more important to him than her. How much more right he could have possibly been on those thoughts not even god himself could have said. For the boy's thoughts were constantly filled with the images of her. Of her scents, the way her voice sounded. Every little detail that he could ever use to hold onto her in his memory was stored away, and was constantly playing through his head, for the little Riddle Boy would never forget that raven-haired girl with those magnificent eyes that he was betrothed to at the age of six.
"Where is your Aunt boy?" came a harsh voice from behind her. Taka looked up and saw the most horrific man he had ever seen in his life. Taka was almost too scared to move, which, was quite funny really, for Taka had always been somewhat comfortable around his father. Jade stood there almost as though she were afraid to move, and Taka, frankly, didn't blame her a bit. He started to point to the next room, but before he finished raising his hand, he was slapped so hard that he was nearly rendered unconscious.
"I asked you a question boy! You will answer me!" the man held the boy nearly a foot off the ground by his collar and was screaming in his ear. Taka, almost in tears, was still quiet. He heard the words, "Relashio," and he felt a tingling sensation before he was dropped to the ground. His aunt had entered the room, and was walking, quite quickly, towards her nephew. The man that had stood behind Jade held his hand which looked to have been horribly burned.
"You will not touch the son of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named in such manners!" she said, her voice threatening, and protective. Jade swallowed, she still stood there, her eyes staring in the same place. She knew what was to be expected from the man. The man looked at Tak's Aunt, "I'll return for her on the last day of July," he flicked his wand and suitcases appeared, and then he turned around, and was gone. Jade then looked at Taka's aunt, "Where can I put my stuff?" Taka took notice that Jade wouldn't look the woman in her eyes.
"I'll show you!" cracked Taka's voice as he struggled upwards trying his best to beat his aunt to the punch. Taka's aunt nodded, "Let me know if you need anything," and then she strolled out of the room. Taka looked at the girl, his right hand dabbing a cut that was on his lip from the slap. The entire left side of his face was swollen and red. Jade chuckled, "Let me help you with that," she took a step forward, but, out of nervousness, Taka took a step back, and went crashing to the floor over the suitcases. He clenched his fingers into a fist, and brought it up hitting the floor nearly as hard as he could. Jade's eyes narrowed as she thought she saw a spark come off his hand...or a small flame, but ignored it as she bent down to help him off the ground.
"I don't need your help," he said defiantly, standing up on his own, and grabbing the cases. He took them to the room that was next to his own, on the second level of the house. He showed her where the bathroom was, where she could unpack her things. Showed her through the different routines of the house, how things worked, what was done before dinner, etc. She quietly followed behind him paying little attention to what he was saying and more attention to him. She loved the way he held himself defiantly. Held himself like royalty. Who knew that later she would end up saying, "From the first time that my green eyes had fallen on the boy I fell head over heels. Who cares that I was only about five years old at that time. One summer with him and I knew that was the person I was supposed to spend the rest of my life with. Ha! What a joke. Who finds their soulmate at five, right? I can still remember the day we parted at the end of the holidays. My eyes filled with tears, and the words he spoke. He said that distance didn't matter that someday we'd find a way, and would be together forever. That one day everything would work out..." She couldn't help but to smile when he looked her way.
Taka couldn't help but act stupid around her. Who can help if they act stupid around the one they love? Of course, to the person they love, they aren't doing stupid things. They are being their self, the one thing that anyone could ask of the other person in the relationship. Sometimes that stupid thing that he would think he was doing wasn't stupid at all. To her it was something completely different. Jade never knew, though, that one day she would be told by Takamaru as he risked nearly everything for her, "Because that's what people do. They leap, and hope to God they can fly, because otherwise you just drop like a rock, wondering the whole way down "Why in the hell did I jump?" But here I am, Jade, falling, and the only one that makes me feel like I can fly is you."
Takamaru stood looking at her in the eyes. He felt the little sting as the rag brushed across his swollen lip. She dabbed it in warm water, then touched it once more.
"I am sorry. He works for my father, he is not a very nice man. Trust me on that," her tender eyes looked in his and she smiled. Takamaru felt his blood warm. Everytime she smiled like that, he could feel his blood heat. He could feel himself lose control over his emotions. He had never felt this way before. He wasn't sure what to do.
"I won't let him do this again..." said Tak in a low tone. Jade chuckled and continued to dab the cut. There was something about her that made him feel above the rules of the world. Above the rules of existence. He felt like he could do anything. She was all that mattered at this moment.
The days went on, and then the weeks, until it was to come to an end. Jade was to return to her fathers estate, and Taka was to remain where he was. The summer was what had been planned. They were to bond, get to know each other, for then they would be less likely to rebel against the relationship.
"We will write. Constant communication," said Taka as he placed the suitcases on the bed, "Its not like we will never see each other again. We will find away, trust me. We will be together forever, I promise," Jade stared into those crystal blue eyes, her own eyes filled with tears.
"If only that were true...but be real Taka...we live on separate parts of the world...the most we could do is write..." it took all she had to keep her tears at bay. Takamaru shook his head angrily, "Don't speak like that! We will find away; I will find away. And I can promise you, we will be together forever."
