Acceptance.
The sun shines down on me as I walk up to the house section of Colm's church. Of course I really want this to go well! I mean, Mr. Shiozaki is so strong and I don't want to disappoint him. The house is connected to the church, a nice white color with a massive garden full of flowers and other plants around it all.
A willow tree's leaves sway gently in the back, sitting on a wooden bench under it is the man himself, watching the world go by, his wizened face and rough hewn body towering even as he's sitting down.
"Ah, Renaru. Ye called ahead." he says as I bow to him.
"Yes sir, I wanted to speak with you about me and Ibara." I look up and he pats the bench next to him.
"Sit down, lad." I do so and he smiles, "Look out there. This world ye fought for. Breathe it in, take it all in. You've been busy."
A smile comes onto my face and I close my eyes, taking a deep breath of the wind and the leaves and the sun. We survived. We made it.
Nature flows into me, the wind welcomes me back to slowing down for a while. To finally live. Embers swirl out of my hair and dance through the blue sky and white clouds. Opening my eyes, I finally gather the courage to ask.
Colm chuckles and his hand lands on my shoulder. The feeling steadying my nerves.
"Now then, I s'pose yer here for somethin' special, right?" he looks at me with that same fatherly warmth he always had for me, "Th' floor is yours, my boy."
"Well… I wanted to ask you for her hand in marriage. I know I'm not the most perfect husband in the world, or if I'm even worthy of having her by my side, but… I want you to know that… that I care about her a lot." Tugging on my tie, I loosen my collar and Colm considers.
"Aye. I understand." he rises with heavy crackling coming from his body. He looks down at me with a soft smile, "Follow me, Renaru." He guides me back into the house, incense hanging in the air and light streaming through the windows, hand-carved designs of vines and branches line the pillars and walls.
Colm sweeps into a room, it's his bedroom. He opens up a drawer on his desk and pulls out a small box, almost like a shoebox. He opens it with a tiny key he produced from the side. His motions are reverent and slow, working everything like a gentle song.
He smiles and takes out a silver ring with a diamond twisted by vines in the middle of it being a combination of nature and silver. Turning to me, he motions for my hands. I cup them and he drops it in. it's cool and big enough for her finger I'm sure.
"This was her mother's. Now, I give it to you t' pass to her." hesitation sits in me at that and I thrust it back towards him.
"Sir, I can't-"
"Ye can and ye will, Renaru." he closes my hands over it, "I've been holdin' onto her for too long, it's time fer Ibara t'be happy." Colm's gaze softens, "Yer a good man." The brightness in my hair grows as I hear that.
"Thank you, Colm!" I exclaim, hugging him tight and he hugs me back with crackling limbs.
"Go with god, my boy. An' take good care of Ibara."
Walking out of the house, ring in hand, I face the day with new eyes. Everything blows and breathes around me, the leaves dance and the birds sing. I fought for this, gave my soul for this, and now I can breathe easier than ever.
My flames burn gently, dancing with the breeze, leading me past my house to the cliff overlooking the forest. The sunlight shines down on the leaves as I pass down towards it. Hearing a soft, crooning voice rising in the singing breeze. The path through the forest is dappled with light, bending and shifting with the rustle of leaves. Years ago, when I was beaten and raw from a fight I ran in here. Following the voice now, the birds and squirrels running and scurrying from place to place.
Bugs buzz, frogs croak, the voice is soft and singing, leading me to the center of the woods. The trees break away as a willow twists from the earth, leaves breezing as soft as hair. Sitting under it with her back against the trunk is Ibara.
Ibara's voice flows out and washes over me, singing something in German, not sure what it is though. She opens her eyes and sees me standing in front of her. The dark green eyes of my love shine in the light and her vines reach for me.
"Renaru, I have something to ask of you." she smiles and I grab the ring in my pocket. She kneels and I do too, she notices and giggles.
"I think you're the one supposed to kneel."
"Nah, let's do it together…" I square my shoulders, "Whew… okay." My knees ache a little but when I get her ring out, she looks down at it, holding mine too. A ring of obsidian sits in her hand.
"Ibara Shiozaki." I start.
"Renaru Kaenshita." she echoes, not helping the laughter coming out of us, singing in the wind and whirling around us. I will continue.
"Will you marry me?"
She nods, tears coming to her eyes, "Of course… Of course!" she tackles me with both rings falling to the earth, squeezing me in her arms and covering my face with soft kisses. Laying in the grass with our arms around each other.
Fire and nature finally joined. Finally being together. The long road is over…
It's time to breathe again. Time to live without the shadows of the past or villains or the horrors of the future. Lighting my way down into the darkness is less frightening. All because I have Ibara by my side.
She and I grab our rings, slipping them onto our fingers, Ibara's hand holding mine as she helps me up, dress billowing in the wind. A wild gale, her other hand grabbing mine. An almost wild gaze locks with mine as she pulls me along into a whirling dance, hearing only music she could listen to.
Her hair blossoms with roses, her thorns grow and twist, her dress billows when the dance grows into a wild gale of spinning, laughing, and singing. I see her as she really is. Free, hair down to her thighs, vines twisting back into a crown of blooming roses looking like horns. Her eyes are the brightest green I've ever seen.
Her body lithe, flowing around me in steps of her own making, staying close, hands trailing up and down my body before grabbing my hands and yanking me into the almost maypole dance. She's free. The mad dance ends with her dipping me, lips meeting mine and trailing down my neck a little, sparks flying a bit before sputtering out against her lips. Suddenly we're on the grass, Ibara curled around me with the happiest smile on her face.
"Renaru, my love…" she coos, pulling me closer and winding more of her vines around me, "I cannot wait to be your wife, to be with you until death do us part…" she kisses my shaking hand, looking down at our rings.
"Already I just… want to stay like this…" I sigh, staring up at the clouds and sun through the leaves, "It's a beautiful day."
Ibara kisses me again, "Yes. It is."
The leaves and embers dance in the air, together and twisting down onto the ground. Everything is over…
Time to live.