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"Edna, I understand your feelings.It would bechallenging for anyone to let such an important mattergo. However, the fact that you came here and are still standing in front of me gives me great hope for the future." Ronin took a step forward and extended both of his hands to her.
He watched as she looked at his outstretched hands, then lifted her own hands from her sides and slowly placed them on his open palms. At her touch, Ronin felt a rush run through his entire body. He couldn't quite grasp the significance of the tremor, but he knew it meant that nothing in this world felt more right than herhand in his.
“Would you accompany me for a walk?” he asked with mock solemnity; making her laugh.
“Why, yes, sir,” she replied; trying her best to mimic his accent but failing miserably. Ronin couldn't stop laughing at the attempt and how lovely she looked while doing it. If he were a painter, he could spend all day in these woods painting her. Every curve and line on her face was worth a portrait. He extended his elbow towards her, and she clasped it tenderly with both of her hands before smiling up at him.
“How has your life been – since that day? How did you and your mother fare after all that happened?” Ronin couldn’t help but ask; his curiosity and concern taking over.
“Well at first… it was tough, especially when we had to leave our home at the castle. But with time, things got easier,” Edna whispered. “Everything gets better eventually.”
“Does it really?.”
“Why are ye asking?” she questioned innocently.
“I am curious about your life. I want to know everything,” Ronin replied. To his surprise, Edna smiled softly and he couldn’t help but stare at her with an expression of adoration.
“Ronin, my life has not been a bed of roses or a tale I could recount proudly. It has been hard, messy, and forlorn," she said as she took his hand in hers and led him to the log. She pushed him to sit and took a step closer to him, running her fingers through his soft hair. "What matters is that I and my mother both survived — we are all the stronger for it . We might not have fully recovered but we've found a way taecarry on with our lives."
“I have never healed either.”
“Well, one thing I can promise ye is that ye are no longer alone. I am here to share in yer grief. If ye are there for me, I am right here for ye,” Edna replied.
“And that is the reason I want to spend as much time as I possibly can with you, Edna. I want you to know me,” he said; standing up.
“I wish tae ken ye more as well, Ronin. I ken a lot has happened since I have met ye and it certainly feels like I have known ye longer than two days, but the fact of the matter is that we ken almost nothing about each other,” Edna said; staring at the ground beneath her feet.
"You are right. I can narrate toyou my entire life story if you so wish," he replied and shelooked up in time to see the glint in his eyes. He smiled at her and looked at her intentlywith an open and honest expression.
“Alright then, I am listening. Tell me your story.”
"My memories of my early years are hazy, but I remember having a happy childhood.I remember how much my father loved me, my mother too. I did nothave many friends, but Lachlan was always there for me. That is why, despite the fact that I have been gone for many years, we are still very close. Everything seemed to be going smoothly until—" Ronin paused his speech to look at her;her expressioncompletely hidden,he had no idea how she felt.
“Go on,” she urged with a smile and he regained his courage. “I understand.”
"Nothing was right at home after that day. My life was in ruins. My father was placed under house arrest, and my mother seemed to have lost interest in me. Then I was sent to a French boarding school where the nobility used to sendtheir children whenever they no longer needed them or they were getting in the way."
“Ah, so ye were in France all this time. No wonder yer accent has changed and ye look so… foreign,” Edna replied laughingly.
“I look foreign?” he questioned with mock bewilderment. He knew she was right. He had returned a changed man. Though his heart belonged to this place only.
"Very much so." she said and hegrabbed her waist and began tickling her. His heart was warmed by the sound of her laughter. She bent her body and tried to run out of his reach to avoid being tickled any further, but he easily caught up with her and wrestled her to the ground. "All right, ye don't lookforeign. I was joking."
Ronin stopped tickling her and the two of them sat on the forest floor, which was completely covered in dry, yellow leaves. Both tried to catch their breath before Ronin turned his gaze sideways to look at her. They exchanged smiles as they sat side by side under the shade of a large tree.
"I know I appear foreign, and my accent has changed, but it doesn't change my feelings about this place. I love Scotland, and this will always be my only home, the place that lives on in my heart," Ronin explained, his face warm.
“I am very happy that ye feel that way, Ronin. If ye are to be the future laird, ye need to love both this place and the people of this clan. They will all look up to ye,” Edna murmured; touching his arm affectionately.
"Edna, I hope you understand that whatever this isbetween us — itis serious for me. I realize how shallow my words may appear, but I truly mean them and intend to follow through on them at all costs. T his isn't a passing fancy for me. I swear I would marry you tomorrow if you agreed to marry me too. Please never doubt my intentions toward you," Ronin said as he turned to face her. He wanted her to believe in him.
“Oh, Ronin…” Edna whispered; her eyes swimming with tears. He could see that his words had truly impacted her and her reaction was proof of it.
“Yes, darling,” he whispered back as he pulled her close and placed a petal soft kiss on her forehead.
“I will keep that in mind,” she finally said with a teary smile and Ronin engulfed her in the warmth of his arms. Edna was slowly becoming his whole world and he had no doubts about it at all. “Ronin, with the investigation an’ all that is happening in the clan, I am very scared for ye.”
"Don't be. Ipromise you that we will find the person responsible for all of this soon, and everything will return to normal.We will restore peace in the clan," Ronin assured her, his thoughts quickly returning to the investigation. The guards had told him that they had discovered the healer's residence, butdidn't want to go there in the middle of the day as it mightalert the neighbors. They planned to search the house tonight for any clues they could find. If the murder was committed out of enmity or vengeance, Ronin was confident they would be able to find proof.
