Title: "Bride of the Rin Jyu Den", Part II
Author: Trinity
Fandom: Jyuken Sentai Gekiranger
Pairing: Rio & Mele
Rating: G
Summary: Mele's Confrontation Command Ceremony has arrived.
Author's Notes: The Confrontation Command Ceremony is also referred to as the Rinmei Ceremony.
In the candle lit "throne room", Rio knelt before the banner bearing the symbol of the Rin Jyu Den. He was awaiting Mele's summoning to the room by a clearly disgruntled Kata and a (way too happy) Rageku.
Tonight, Mele would undergo her Rinmei ceremony and pledge her life, body, heart and spirit, to the Rin Jyu Ken Aku Gata.
"We will now begin the Rinmei ceremony." Rageku announced, shattering the silence of the room. "Rin Jyu Den Leader, Rin Jyu Chameleon-Ken Mele, approach."
The doors directly behind Rio opened and Mele, nervous as all get out, slowly walked into the room, approaching the altar and kneeling before it. She bowed her head as a sign of respect for Rageku and Kata.
Rio was pleased. Mele was going into their marriage and any subsequent battles with the Geki Jyu Ken with her pride as a Rin Jyu Den at stake. She was already becoming a dutiful wife. He was proud of her.
Rageku nudged Kata and the Hawk-ken master snorted before both Kenma spoke. "Rin Jyu Den leader, Mele…" they began.
"Do you swear to fight without disgracing the name of Rin Jyu Ken Aku Gata?" Rageku asked.
Mele lifted her head. "I swear."
Kata's disinterest in Mele was beginning to show and it was annoying Rio, but he knew better than to say anything. "Do you swear your life for the power of the Rin Jyu Ken Aku Gata?" Kata asked.
"I swear."
Rageku sounded like she was smiling when she spoke. "Mele-chan, do you swear to uphold your marriage vows to Rin Jyu Ken leader Rio, even at the cost of your own life?"
"I swear." Mele's insides were quivering.
"Do you swear your life to Rio, and vow to do whatever he asks of you?" Kata asked.
"I swear." Mele didn't dare to turn around to look at her betrothed, kneeling only a few feet away. She knew how important these vows were. Her heart was quivering, the same way it did when Rio revived her.
"Then, drink from the cup of oaths." The two Kenma instructed and Mele rose, taking the small dish of water on the altar and looking into it.
"My life is with Rin Jyu Ken Aku Gata." She declared. "I pledge my heart, my body and my soul to Rin Jyu Ken Aku Gata and to Rio-sama. I vow to put my husband first…even before my duties to the Rin Jyu Den." She drank from the dish and then put it down.
"Very good, Mele-chan." Rageku was pleased. "Now remember, you must uphold these vows with everything you have. Otherwise…"
"…the penalty is death." Mele finished.
Rageku nodded. "Rio-chan, rise. I believe it is time for you to test Mele-chan's dedication."
Mele then turned to face her husband to be, eyes wide. What did Rageku mean by testing her dedication?
To her surprise, Rio was holding one of her Sais in hand as he approached Mele, his face as emotionless as ever. He held out the weapon to her, and she took it, nervous.
"Cut yourself, Mele." He instructed.
Mele wasn't even sure if she could BLEED, but she knew she had to do whatever Rio asked her to do.
Carefully, wincing, she pressed the blade to her bare arm right above the end of her black glove and cut. A thin line of blood appeared and Rio smiled.
Rageku was thrilled, while Kata, left the room, grumbling to himself about how "Young lion should have stayed with young lioness."
Rio gently wiped the blood away from her cut and looked at his bride to be. "You did very well." He praised. "If you were nervous, you didn't show it."
Her heart was still quivering as his fingers caressed her face. "I will uphold my vows to you, Rio-sama…at all costs."
"And I…" His lips touched her gloved hand. "…will uphold my vows to you."
Mele's insides seemed to melt and she smiled…but her smile, quickly turned to a puzzled expression as he slipped off her glove and placed a silver band adorned with a black stone on her ring finger.
"In the excitement, I realized that I forgot to give you a proper ring." He told her. "This ring will combine our Rinki when you and I are together, enabling us greater attack power when we are one."
She understood the implications. "It will only take a short time before the Geki Jyu Ken falls to our combined strength."
He nodded and kissed the stone, which seemed to shimmer even in the dim light and for a moment, she could make out the outline of a gold and black lion…the aura that surrounded him. She remembered the power that radiated from him, what had drawn her to him.
And suddenly, she wanted to throw herself on him and kiss him until her heart stopped.
"Come, Mele." Rio took her hand and lead her out of the room. "We'll have dinner."
Mele sighed dreamily, resting her head on his fur covered shoulder as the left, unaware of the glaring golden eyes of the Rin Jyu Lioness-ken mistress, Shizuka.
The eyes followed them out of the room before Shizuka stepped out from behind a pillar, cracking her knuckles.
"So, Rio-sama chose Mele over me for a bride." Shizuka had never taken rejection well. "We'll see how well the little Chameleon takes it when everything starts to go wrong tomorrow." She smiled. "I'll teach her to mess with the Lioness-ken mistress. She's going to pay…with her life."
To be continued…