Chapter 10: Ronin's meeting
After breakfast, I went to the Great Chamber, where Ronin's meeting was taking place. When I got there, I was surprised of what I saw. There was a really big round table in the middle. There were so many leafmen, and leafwomen too. When I entered, everybody started saying 'hi ' and 'Good morning '. I smiled at them all. When I got closer to the table, I saw that it was a map, I guess of Moonhaven. Just then someone entered the room, my heart was full of joy at the sight of him. Nod was here. It was nice to see him out of bed. When he entered everybody started going toward him. When he got out of the tsunami of leafmen, he got a glimpse of me and walked toward me.
" Hey" Nod said. He looked so much happier now. Maybe because he was free to go.
" Hey, I see that you are the star now, huh?" I teased. The way that everybody went toward was like a bunch of fans running toward their favorite actor. Nod laughed, embarrassed.
" Yeah well, you know, I got hurt and everybody thought that I couldn't get heal. I mean they exaggerated a little. Is not like I'm the most famous leafmen, I mean some I knew since childhood and I totally understand, but others were worried sick and I barely knew then for like a year or less" Nod said. I smiled at this, Nod, always complaining. But I mean who wouldn't worried sick about Nod, I mean all this leafmens knew his father and his son getting hurt is not something good, especially if that father wasn't here anymore.
" Well at least the care about you. You should stop complaining and be at least be glad that they got worried" I complained, but also mocking him. Nod gave me an are-you-serious look, but then he released what i meant.
" Well yeah I do appreciated , but I'm not used to all this, you know, it's weird and annoying, but also good at the same time." Nod said, while rubbing the back of his neck. I chuckled a little at this. He looked at me like ' did I just said something funny?'.
" Well at least you appreciated. Anyway... Umm how does this meetings go cause I'm new at this." I said, a little embarrassed. Nod chuckled at this.
" Okay, well... Is mostly just Ronin saying that we need to work harder and that he will increase the security system and all things that involve protecting Moonhaven, but now is going to be different. In fact, maybe a little worst" Nod said, a little nervous. I got nervous, it wasn't just my first meeting but I knew it was going to be hard. With Mandrake back everything will change. Just then Ronin took a stone and pound it to the stone table. Everybody felt silence and started surrounding the stone table.
" Now. As you all know. Mandrake is back, alive, more stronger and powerful than ever. Now what do this means. It means night patrols will be extended. Every entrance to Moonhaven will be patrol, day and night. Now I don't want excuses. This is for the good of our people our duty is to protect our people. Now we need to train harder and every leafmen will train, even you M.K." Ronin said.
" What?" I asked, but I wasn't the only. Nod did too.
" That's right. You need to train for battle you never know when we going to need your help in combat" I stood there, frozen. What he was thinking? Me? Train for battle? Is he nuts.
" Ronin, you not actually planning to take her to battle the boggans, are you?" Nod asked, I could tell he was worrying. I was too. I'm not really good at fighting.
" That's the plan. Even if she isn't going to battle, she needs to train in case the boggans come to Moonhaven." Ronin said. My eyes widen. I was still frozen.
" But Ronin don't you understand. She is gonna get killed. When the boggans see her the first thing they're going to do is killed her. Don't you remember she was the one that help the pod bloomed. Don't you think Mandrake will want her killed so that he can take over the forest. He knows that as long as M.K. lives, the less chance he gets to take over the forest." Nod complained, almost a yell. Nod was getting angry at Ronin. I looked at Nod, and then at Ronin. Nod was right. He would want to kill me. The thought made shudder. Ronin kept looking at Nod, like trying to read his mind.
" Still, I need more leafmen and M.K. needs to be prepare. Don't worry as long as she is with me she will be find" Ronin said. He always says that. Nod eyes widen a little. Why his eyes widen? Then Nod looked at Ronin, with a serious look, but with sadness.
" Isnt that the same thing you said to me about dad" Nod said, serious but sad. I looked at Nod, shocked. Then Nod turn and left the Great Chamber. I looked at Ronin, his eyes were wide and full of shamed and regret. He face was all sad and full of regret. I looked at the other leafmens. They all looked just like Ronin, only that Ronin was even more sad and full of regret and shamed. I stood there, frozen and shocked. Was that true? Did Ronin said that to Nod about his father? Did he said that before Nod's dad died? I was feeling so bad. It remind of my mother. I was feeling soo bad that a tear ran down my face. I wiped off. I looked at Ronin, was it possible, if I'm correct I think I saw a tear in Ronin's face. That made feel even worse. Ronin wiped off and got serious again, but he couldn't pull it off. He looked at me.
" We will still keep to the plan. M.K. you will meet me tomorrow here in the morning. I will take you to the training session and I will leave a leafmen to help you train." Ronin said. All I could do was nod. Ronin nodded too.
" Well that's the end of the meeting. I hope everybody is ready. Remember our duty is to protect our people. ' Many leaves, one tree' " Ronin said. Then all of the leafmens left. I wanted to go to Nod. To comfort him. But I didn't know where he was. So sadly, I turn and went to Queen Jinny's place.
What he is thinking? Does he wants M.K. to get killed? While knowing how important she is to me? Is enough that I lost my dad and that I never meet my mom. I kept walking, angrily. I didn't know where I was going, but I didn't care. Then I saw a river in front of me. I walked to the edge and sat down. I grab a stone and throw it. I kept throwing stones, it help me to get relax. Then when I was fully relax. I kept thinking. Maybe Ronin was right. M.K. needed to be train, but she couldn't go fighting the boggans. They'll killed her. At that thought it made me shudder. I don't know what I would do if I lost M.K. She was my life now. I already lost a father, I'm not losing the love of my life too. But also I didn't want her to be defend less. Maybe I did exaggerated a little, but I will only let her train so that she can defend herself, not to battle the boggans. I needed to apologized to Ronin. I think I was really hard on him when I told him that. I could still see his face. Sad, full of regret ad shamed. It made me feel worse.
I got up and walked to Moonhaven. I went to the Great Chamber to see if Ronin was there. Luckily, he was. He was staring at the sky. I walked slowly to where he was. When I was close to him he noticed someone was here and turn. When he looked at me his eyes widen, but then he grew serious.
" Came to make me feel ashamed" Ronin said, serious but a little sad.
" Look. I'm deeply really sorry Ronin, I am. It just that you know how I am with M.K. and I don't want her to get killed. And when you said that well it shocked me and that burst out of my mouth. I didn't mean that, really. You don't know how ashamed I am truly. I shouldn't have told you that. You know, when someone is in love they do stupid things right." I said, sad and worried. I rubbed the back of my neck. I was sooo ashamed of saying that to Ronin. My dad and him were really closed and when he died he was really ashamed of himself. He didn't even dare look me in the eye, cause he knew he made a promise and he broke it. It still makes me angry, but he is the only close thing I have to a father. He promised my dad he will take care me and he did, and I couldn't thanked him more. Ronin looked at me. I could see his face, he was still sad. He tried to keep it cool, but couldn't pull it off. I knew exactly what he was thinking. Queen Tara. He loved her more than you think. He also made a promise to protect her and she died in his arms.
" Trust me I know. And I know you didn't meant it. It just that I made you a promise and I broke it." Ronin said, ashamed of himself. I put my hand on his shoulder.
" I know, and even thought it makes me angry sometimes. But I'm still here right, now that was the promised my dad before he… you know what. And you haven't broke it right." I said, smiling a little. Ronin looked at me and smiled. I smiled back.
" You are truly like your father always trying to cheer me up" Ronin said, and he laughed a little. I smiled at him and to myself. He always said that I was like my father, which made me happy, but sad at the same time. " And your right. M.K. would get killed the first chance the boggans have. Mandrake will want to kill her, so I decided that maybe I'll just train her for, you know, self-defense. Is that ok with you?" Ronin asked, but I could hear the mocking on his voice. He always had to mock me when it comes to M.K.
" Yeah, that's ok with me, but I will liked to be the one to train her… If that's ok with you, of course." I added quickly. Ronin was the boss and if someone made him do something you were in trouble. Ronin smiled at me.
" Of course I'll be ok with that. Do you think I'm gonna tear you lovebirds apart" Ronin mocked. I gave him a look.
" Will you stop mocking me for one day." I complained. He always had to mock me,and now that M.K. is here the mocking has gotten worse.
" No can do. Your father did it to me, now is my turn to do it to you." Ronin said. Great. Now I was the victim. Thank you so much dad. I laughed and nudged Ronin in the ribs. He nudge me back. Man I totally regret doing that.
" Yeah, umm… will you please… umm nudge me a little lighter, you know, not taking the air out of me" I said, is not like Ronin nudge light. He chuckled and smiled at me.
" Come o, you got grabbed by Mandrake and your complaining cause I nudge you hard on the ribs" Ronin teased. I gave him a look.
" Ha ha, really funny." I mocked. We started laughing and we both left the Great Chamber. We kept laughing and mocking each other on the way. This is why I liked Ronin and why taked him as a father. Me and my dad used to do that all the time. But mostly included Ronin. Even though I can't live without M.K. I couldn't live without Ronin either.