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Jonathan was dressed in his best suit. He and Brandi were having dinner at the fanciest hotel in town. In front of all the other customers that day, he got down on his knees and asked her to marry him. She had blushed and nodded. A dance started then, and Jonathan swept her off her feet in time with the music.
The leader of the Lhaam spoke. "You have brought our people, the proud nation of Lhaam, shame. You could have killed us all. Because you have gone to the village of Innocent ones after being warned not to, you are now banned from this tribe. Go Kapiolani. Never come here again." The warriors gagged the girl, tied her arms behind her, and bound her legs in ropes. They brought her to the nearest Innocent village at dusk and left her in the brush near a well.
"This must be the luckiest day of my life," Jonathan said to himself as he strolled around the town of Tula. It was a fairly new place and pretty decent. Built in the wild, wild west some might say. One main street with buildings on both sides of it. That was it. Not too many buildings, but just fine. Jonathan sat down at the well and thought some more. I've got the prettiest lady in town. I can't wait for these next few weeks to pass. I love her so much… Jonathan stretched out his legs and felt something brush against him. "What do we have here?" Bending down, he noticed a leg, then a body, and then the face. He gently drew her from the brush and took a better look at her before letting out a whistle. He removed the bonds that still held her and gently tried to wake her. Kapiolani moaned, but didn't regain consciousness. Concern swept over him and he gently took her back to his place. There, he treated her wounds, mostly bruises and scrapes.
The next day, word spread that Jonathan had a savage for a slave. When Brandi came by later that afternoon, all her questions were answered. She could see that Jonathan was overly concerned for Kapiolani and the feeling left her feeling ill. They were in a room, mostly empty and white. Not many furnishings yet. Kapiolani crouched in a corner, fear in her eyes. Brandi felt little pity for this creature. After all, it was her fault she had let herself be captured by Jonathan. He crooned softly, trying to get information from her. Kapiolani shook her head, said something rapidly in her own tongue and glanced quickly between the two faces, imagining the horrors they would do to her.
"It's not working Brandi," Jonathan said as he slowly stood and turned to embrace his fiancé. Fatigue showed in his body. His midnight black hair swept over his eyes and Brandi reached up to brush it aside. His almond shaped eyes were weary, but looked happy enough to see her. His arms held her, strong and protective. "Nothing's worked."
"What did you expect? That some heathen would just be able to talk to you right here? That you'd just get along fine?"
"No, I guess not. But still…" He let the sentence trail.
"Shh," Brandi pressed a finger to his lips. "Go get some rest and I'll try. Maybe she's just intimidated by a man such as you." Brandi smiled sweetly as she pushed Jonathan out the door. Once the door was shut, she turned and gave a hate-filled glare at Kapiolani, snarling at her. "You better not be after my man. He's mine and mine alone."
With that, Brandi opened the door and left, shutting it behind her. Here is my enemy. Probably the woman of the strange, nice man. How I'd love to have someone like him. She started to weep silently and fell asleep, still lying in the corner of the room.
In the period of many days, Jonathan taught Kapiolani many things including how to serve guests, how to wash clothes, etc., and she took her place as his personal servant. A bond between the two strengthened while the bond between Jonathan and Brandi weakened, much to Brandi's despair. The next day was the night of the wedding. Brandi was alone in the room with Kapiolani. Kapiolani was pressing the clothes for the next day, thinking about what life would be like as Jonathan's servant. It may not be so bad. At least Jonathan is kind. I'll try to get along with Brandi… I'll need to to survive in this place…
Brandi interrupted her thoughts. "Kapiolani." Kapiolani looked up and saw Brandi approaching menacingly with a knife in her hand. "Three weeks ago, I was happy. I had a man for myself. Then you came along and took him away from me." Kapiolani didn't understand much of what she was saying but she could understand enough. She found herself being backed into a corner. "How dare you! I loved him and you broke that bond! It's all your fault!" Brandi slashed forward and slit Kapiolani's throat. Kapiolani slid to the floor, crying inside her head, breathing her last. Brandi gazed down, feeling empty. A knock sounded on the door. "Who is it?"
"It's Jonathan. What's going on? I heard some shouting. Can I come in?"
"Hold on." Brandi covered Kapiolani with a sheet so she looked like she was resting before going to the door to open it for Jonathan. "Hey!"
Jonathan held her briefly before turning to look through the room. "Where's Kapiolani?" He paused as his gaze fell on Kapiolani's still body. A drop of blood had soaked through the cloth. "Brandi… What… What the…" He rushed to the body and lifted the sheet. A pool of blood had soaked Kapiolani's clothing, the wound bared for the world to see. "Brandi? What did you do?"
"Nothing. Just the best for our relationship." Brandi came closer to him and let her finger trail down his strong chest. "I was thinking that you'd almost let a girl like her come between us. She almost did, but wasn't successful."
"What do you mean not successful?"" Jonathan tore her arm away from his body and flung her across the room. "I realized through her that I was not ready to marry anyone yet. I loved her as a person and she returned my love. Between you and me? I don't know anymore, but I got the feeling that you were just after my looks. Do you even care about me? Apparently not if you could step in between like this. I loved her!"
"But how can you say that!?" Brandi demanded. "You two weren't even of the same race!" she hissed.
Jonathan's eyes narrowed. "And is that supposed to mean anything? Love has no boundaries, and you just built a wall in our relationship that I don't care to climb." Filled with disgust, Jonathan took Kapiolani's body and left Tuya in an hour's time. The next day, he came upon the Lhaam tribe living there. When still at a safe distance, he raised his hands, in a hope of showing good intentions. Their chief warily came to Jonathan, wondering what he wanted. Gesturing in sign language, Jonathan tried to express his guilt about everything. Then he went to his horse and carried Kapiolani's body, laying it at his feet.
"Why did you bring her here? She was an outcast! She endangered our people!"
"You mean you won't take her, even now when she's dead? She often spoke of you." Jonathan looked crushed. "I'll go then." Slowly, he started to pick up the body when the chief stopped him.
"We shall help you bury her." Jonathan expressed his thanks many times before and following the proper burial. After the ceremony, Jonathan was asked where he would go.
"I don't know. I just know I can't go back."
"Stay here then. Some of the people here would like that."
"I don't want to impose…"
"Don't worry about it." Jonathan and the chief smiled and walked back toward the tribe. Initiation began after.