The exotic calls of the numerous birds that called the palace home echoed melodiously through the stunning open corridors that glistened from the polished marble floors, up the sculpted turquoise columns that merged perfectly with the exquisite gold flaked crown moldings of the ceilings. Prisms reflected all around them as the soft rays of the evening sun bounced of the abundant crystal adorning everything from the numerous hanging lights to the vases, statues, and other knickknacks.
Shelly followed Rin farther out into the huge courtyard, silently taking in the sights as he continued to describe the history of each room as they passed through.
"…And this is my favorite area of all." Rin stopped and turned toward her as she finally turned away from the architecture of the corridors to see the courtyards for the first time. A brilliant smile lit his face as he watched her eyes light up and her mouth drop in complete awe of his favorite spot. "Before I left home, I would spend all my spare time here."
Shelly struggled to take it all in as she looked around the stunning gardens. There was a large fountain in the center of a huge concrete pond. Statues were situated at each corner of the pond and shot water onto the top of the fountain. The water could barely be seen beneath the massive lily pads and lotus blossoms. Her feet moved of their own accord forward. A tall willow stood to one side of the pond, her long branches dipping into the covered waters. Under her was another statue. It was a woman holding a shallow birdbath in the shape of a basket out over the edge of the pond. A gentle stream of water flowed over its edges. Beside her was a marble bench.
Rin quietly sat on the bench; his eyes trained on Shelly as she moved around the pond in mesmerized fascination. He couldn't stop himself from laughing as a fish gave an irritated splash when she moved one of the lotus blooms. He laughed harder as she snarled up her nose at him before quickly getting distracted by something behind him. He looked over his shoulder in time to see one of the many peacocks strut by. He caught her hand as she began walking by him toward the bird. "I don't recommend messing with him. The peacocks can get a little aggressive this time of year." he pulled her down onto his lap. He wrapped his arms loosely around her waist, giving her the opportunity to get up if she wanted to. When she leaned against him instead of trying to get up, he wrapped his arms around her tighter pulling her against him.
She rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes still exploring the many sights of the garden. "I've never seen anything so beautiful." She said softly.
He followed her eyes around the gardens for a second before bringing his attention back to her. "I used to think so too… before I met you…"
Her head snapped up from his shoulders quickly as her eyes met his steady gaze. "Rin… I… You…" Her cheeks heated as she struggled for a response, but before she could come up with one his arms loosened around her waist and one of his hands tangled into her hair. He pulled her lips closer to meet his. Her thoughts were lost as he kissed her deeply. She slid her arms around his neck a small moan escaping her lips as she shifted her head to give him better access.
"Oh dear, I seem to have interrupted you yet again." Rin's mother forged concern as she walked out toward them.
Rin's head fell back against the willow as he let his hands slide loosely down Shelly's sides. "Damnit mom…" he grumbled in irritation. When he felt the small arms around his neck tighten and felt the weight of her head rest against his shoulder, he said a silent thank you to the heavens above.
Shelly giggled when Rin's grumbles vibrated against her ear as they watched the tiny woman spread out a blanket and set out a large picnic basket.
Radiant eyes met hers, "I thought you kids may like a snack after all that walking, and…" she shrugged playfully, "I would be lying if I said I wasn't curious about you, my dear." She patted the blanket beside where she sat. "Come now guys, you're not going to make an old lady drink all this wine alone are you?" She opened the lid of the basket. She lifted out a large bowl of tri-colored grapes, a plate of several different types of cheeses, 3 glasses, and at the bottom of the basket, Shelly could see several bottles of wine.
Shelly giggled again as she pushed away from Rin and moved over onto the blanket with his mom. "This looks so nice. Thank you." Shelly took the glass his mom offered her.
Rin huffed and puffed in an exaggerated show of aggravation as he made his way over and flopped down beside her. He plucked a grape from the bowl and held it to her mouth. "Here, try this. You've not had a grape until you've tried these." She opened her mouth for him and waited for him to place it in.
His mom giggled as she took a sip from her glass, the third in her other hand. "You know dear, the first time I met your parents they were newlyweds… their eyes twinkle… not unlike yours now…"
Shelly tipped her head toward the smiling woman, surprise obvious on her face. "You knew my parents?"
"Yes, I did… In fact, the old master threw a ball in honor of their wedding and assent to the throne." She took a long sip as she let that information linger.
"Jamila, are you bothering these kids again dear?" Rin's father stepped out into the courtyard before Shelly had time to ask all the questions building in her head.
Jamila laughed as her radiant eyes turned from the couple before her to her husband. "Ah, Rudra! Come, love, join us!" With a flick of her wrist another wine glass materialized out of thin air, she filled it as Rudra made his way over to the blanket. "I was just telling our dear Shelly here about the first time we met her parents."
"Ah yes…" Rudra snapped his fingers and a large photo album materialized. He sat it one the blanket in front of Shelly before sitting down beside her. He held his hand over the book and the pages began magically turning. "Ah, here we go."
Shelly's eyes glistened as she stared down into the smiling faces of her parents, speechless with joy. Rin Wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "Your mother, she was beautiful… she looked just like you." He held his hand out mimicking his father's actions. The pages quickly turned. The page it finally stopped on, there was another picture of her parents. In this picture her mother was holding a tiny baby; and, to her shock, Rin was there holding a second tiny baby. Below that picture, there was a close-up of Rin and the baby. His eyes shined in a warm awe down into the giggling face of the infant who held his finger tightly in chubby fingers. Rin kissed her shoulder, "That was the moment I fell in love with you. From the second our eyes met; I knew there would never be another woman in the world for me. It was both the best… and the worst day of my life…" He released her as she turned to look up into his sad eyes.
"Why would it be the saddest?" She asked bringing her hand up to stroke the soft beard of his sharply curved jaw.
He cupped the hand on his jaw, emotions intensifying his brilliant eyes, "Because it was the first time in my long life the shackles of a Gin I wear truly felt like a curse rather than a blessing." He brought her tiny hand to his lips. "It was the day I realized I was hopelessly in love with a peer breed werewolf princess. Your parents' deaths three years later only made that knowledge more painful." Rin pulled her into his arms, "I swore if I couldn't be your lover, once you were old enough, I would offer myself to you as your Gin. I would give you the power you needed to regain control of your kingdom…" His eyes twinkled as he stared down into her eyes. "I am still willing to make the bond and give you that power."
Shelly glanced around her, into the eyes of his parent as they waited for her answer. She could feel the anticipation and nervous energy generating around her. Rudra nodded his head as her eyes pleaded with him. She watched as Jamila took his hand, excitement etched all over her face. Shelly looked back up into Rin's determined eyes, "You… You… Say that as if by being with me as… 'my Gin' that… that we somehow wouldn't be together." Her mind tried to remember what he had told her thus far about Gins."
His features stayed set in absolute determination, but his eyes held a spark of the sadness he felt as he explained, "You would have to remain a virgin to access and control the full power of a Gin."
Realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Earlier… Rin would have held back earlier regardless of the circumstances… it's the real reason he had never made an advance toward her romantically… because he had always planned on making her this offer… for the full power of a Gin. She set back on her heels staring into the exotic swirl of gold, green, and blue orbs reflecting back at her. Her features contorted into fierce resolve, "Yes, Rin." Her hands fisted into the fabrics of her skirts, "I want you by my side for the rest of my life." She watched as he tried to hide the sadness her words caused. {He has misunderstood my words, as I figured he would. But… that's fine…}
Rin pushed up onto his feet and held a hand out for her to take. "Then we should go, my princess. The sooner you have my full power the safer you will be." As soon as her hand was fully in his the disappeared.
Rudra let out a heavy sigh as he took a sip from his glass, "When did our son become so blind, do you think?"
Jamila giggled, "Do you think we should have told them?"
Rudra turned smiling eyes toward his wife. He took another long sip of wine before he answered her, "No, let them find out on their own. It will strengthen their bond." He held his hand over the album and the pages flipped to blank pages. He waved his hand over the pages. As his hand moved across them the pages began to fill. Several images of Shelly and Rin appeared with an image of the moment Rin proposed to be 'her Gin' showed as the largest of them all.
Jamila peered over her husband's shoulder. She held her hand over the book and the pages only flipped twice more. She waved her hand over the pages to revile the images there. Her face fell into a frown, worry etched across her beautiful features. Rudra held his worried wife's hand, both stared at the image of Shelly holding an infant in a birthing bed. The image of their son, embracing Shelly with one arm and his new child with the other, kept fading in and out of focus. "Their future is still not certain." Jamila pouted sadly as she shot concerned eyes up to her husband.
He kissed the top of her head and tucked it beneath his chin not wanting his wife to see the worry in his own eyes as he answered, "Don't worry, love, our son is strong. He will live to see his son be born." He smiled down at his wife as tears filled both their eyes, ��Rin is too stubborn to die."