"Tara, I have something to show you…."
Ronin at barely seventeen years of age led the young Tara to one of their favourite haunts in the forest. It was by a cascading waterfall where they would swim and sit on its banks to dry off. Further away from the waterfall is a peaceful clearing where they sat on its carpet of luscious green grass and have a picnic together. Many times in this very clearing, Tara would innocently tease and tickle him, something he has always enjoyed and looked forward to.
On this particular day, Ronin created a wreath of forest flowers and presented it to her.
"Oh Ronin, this is so lovely," Tara was most grateful looking at the intricate work that Ronin must have spent hours doing just to perfect such a wreath.
"Remember the first time we met?" Ronin smiled.
Tara's heart skipped a beat. Looking at him smiling at her like that just melted her heart. "Oh Ronin, have I ever told you, that you have the sweetest smile?"
A flush of pink colour rose up in Ronin's pale cheeks. He smiled even more. "Yes, you told me that several times…"
"I would love you to smile all the time, Ronin…"
"You make me smile, Tara…."he said as he held her hands.
"We've known each other a long time," Tara said, loving the way the feel of his large hands seem to envelop her slender fingers. "We were children then when we first met. We know not where you came from. You were so different from the rest of us, from the Jinn of the Forest…"
Ronin sighed. Tara instinctively snuggled right next to him, leaning her head on his chest, hearing his heartbeat. It was strong, regular, almost lulling her to sleep. Ronin puts his arms around her. She felt so good being held like this. He can smell the fragrance of her hair reminding him of sweet smelling roses in full bloom. Her hair always felt soft, silky and its dark colour reminiscent of midnight. Her ebony skin contrasting his light skin felt like satin to his touch. Everything about her was just perfect in his eyes.
"You know that I grew up almost in the Leafman barracks; I say almost because I would spend time with your family as well as the rest of the Leafmen's families seeing as I do not have one of my own…"
Tara felt his pain as he winced, holding her tighter to him. It was well known that his parents were killed in a Boggan ambush as they lived in the outskirts of Moonhaven. He was only a child when this happened, and he was taken in by the Leafmen and brought up as one of their own. He remembered that horrifying night. It was raining heavily when Boggans attacked their home. He closed his eyes and leaned on Tara's head. It was a memory he would rather not have to visit again as all he can recall now was his demolished home, his parents nowhere to be seen and spilt blood everywhere.
He knew not how he managed to get himself out of where he was to safety. All he knew was that he was dripping wet, bleeding, terribly scared and dirty from having to drag himself from the ruins of what used to be his home and into Tara's place. Her parents took him in, got him cleaned, fed and settled him to bed. He remembered the child Tara asking him over and over again whether he was all right. He saw her dark eyes so full of concern, of worry for him. Whenever he was terrified, dreaming of her eyes was enough to calm him down and send him to sleep. The next day, Tara's parents went in search for his parents and found their bodies. Hearing of their deaths was the most painful experience he had. It made him somber, even more of an outcast. He retreated within himself and it paved the way for his seriousness. But with the help of Tara who would often visit him, another close friend Don who would father a son called Nod and the Leafmen, he survived this childhood trauma. It could have easily made him bitter and vengeful but instead it made him all the more realize how precious life indeed is.
As a child, Ronin showed incredible prowess at being faster, bigger, better than the average Jinn. He was large for his age and at almost seventeen, looked like a fully grown man. There had been times he was picked on as a child because of his difference to the Jinn, his agility and speed not to mention his size, but those experiences certainly made him tougher and stronger. As he grew, no one would dare fight him anymore as he was getting far too well-built and muscular for any of them to handle.
He also knew that where he came from, it was time to choose the One he is to be bonded with.
"Tara?"
"Yes, Ronin?" Tara felt so at home in his arms and did not wish to move.
"Among my people, at my age, I am meant to choose the female my heart will be bonded to for life."
"What?" Tara was shocked. She sat upright and looked straight into his blue eyes. Ronin missed the physical closeness they had just shared, his arms felt suddenly empty and bereft without her in them.
"It's a ritual where I came from…a pledge of eternal loyalty…" His hand traced Tara's hand as though he wanted to memorise how her fingers looked like.
"What does that involve?"
"Well, I take one of these vines, just a short one, and then I bind our hands together and say the oath. If you accept, then I am yours for life, even after death." He looked at her earnestly.
"But what if you change your mind?"
"We can't. The females can. But us males, we can't. Once we have chosen, then it is done. We stay with the female we have chosen no matter what. This is how it has been among my people for generations. It is also our culture and tradition."
"But what if the female says no?"
"Then the bond is broken…" He said sadly. He did prepare for this part. If Tara turned him down, he would have to respect that even if it would tear him apart. He immediately felt a strong stabbing sensation in his heart. He knew he would not recover easily if she spurned him. It would be almost like how he felt when his parents died. The devastation would be immense and he would die from the inside.
"Do you still believe in this ritual? You are of Moonhaven now, Ronin, even if you weren't born here."
"I know, Tara, but this bonding oath is part of me, of what I believe in."
"And what do you believe in?"
"That I…I belong to you…." Ronin was all seriousness once more, his blue eyes displaying all the honesty he felt. His heart was racing, anticipating the worst. It took him incredible restraint to hold back his tears. He may be a growing into a man but he has feelings. And right now he is at his most vulnerable. Give him a fight any day and he can handle that, but where Tara is concerned, his emotions are raw and open.
"Are you sure?" Tara remained uncertain.
"Tara, I can't see myself with any other female except you. I know that in my heart, I had always felt more than just friendship towards you. I...I..." Ronin stammered. He was not sure how he can say what he truly felt. Talking about feelings does not come easy to him.
Tara smiled. Taking the vine he was holding, she took it in her hand and bound their wrists together. Ronin looked at her in pleasant surprise, then with indescribable joy and with the sweetest smile he can ever give her, he recited the oath binding himself to her with the reassurance that she is indeed his One and Only.
Author's note:
These events occurred about a year before Tara was crowned Queen. A bonding ritual among Ronin's people is a pledge of their loyalty to the one they love and is not necessarily a physical consummation of that love. Males instigate the bonding process but it is the females that ultimately hold the power as they can either accept or refuse, and as Ronin stated, it is also up to the females to break the bond if they so choose. This ritual was created purely for this story and not reflective of any existing culture. Please review, let me know what you think. Thank you.
