The Tie that Bonds, the Land of Sound Story

-- "Love, the strongest and deepest element in all life, the harbinger of hope, of joy, of ecstasy; love, the defier of all laws, of all conventions; love, the freest, the most powerful molder of human destiny. Marriage is the tie that bonds these elements."

Standing before a large mirror, the young heiress to the looked at herself in her wedding gown. Next to her were several female Fūma clan members speaking quickly and happily. The young heiress, Junan Fūma blocked out the sounds of her fellow clan mates and simply smiled as she looked into the mirror. "Bakuto" she thought.

Meanwhile, a taller gentleman in a purple attire and his hair tied into a knot stood looking over the village before him. "A good day to get married, aye Bakuto" chimed a bulkier man in a similar outfit to Bakuto, but black in color.

"Yes, yes it is Kemono" said turning to see his future wife, Junan looking at a mirror through the window at the house below. "She's beautiful" Bakuto said.

"She looks just like her mother... she would have loved to been here today" Kemono said smiling at the sight of his daughter. "Tell me, Bakuto... will you take care of my daughter well?" he asked.

Bakuto stepped towards his future father in-law and placed a hand on his shoulder. "As if everyday will be our last, I will embrace her with the love and respect she deserves" Bakuto said with the calmest look upon his face.

"I'm glad to hear that" Kemono said.

Solemn Vows
Standing at the altar, before a man draped in white garments, Bakuto and Kemono stood firmly and strongly. Music rang through the air, and the curtains at the other end of the hall opened. Stepping out was Junan, in her angelic white gown.

"She's beautiful" Bakuto remarked, taking in a breath and holding his stance. Parading down the hallway, Junan lifted her head and her normal empty expression was exchanged with a light smile.

Making her way next to Bakuto, she gave him a smile and turned to the man in the white garments. "Today, we hear by join together Junan Fūma, heiress to the Fūma Clan and Bakuto Harī, Leader of the Hidden Sound. Before we begin does anybody object to this marriage?" asked the man.

The onlookers remained silent, and Junan and Bakuto were lost in each others eyes. "Bakuto has wished to say his own vows" the man said.

Bakuto grasped Junan by the hand and smiled. He began to speak...

I promise to give you the best of myself and to ask of you no more than you can give.

I promise to respect you as your own person and to realize that your interests, desires and needs are no less important than my own.

I promise to share with you my time and my attention and to bring joy, strength and imagination to our relationship.

I promise to keep myself open to you, to let you see through the window of my world into my innermost fears and feelings, secrets and dreams.

I promise to grow along with you, to be willing to face changes in order to keep our relationship alive and exciting.

I promise to love you in good times and bad, with all I have to give and all I feel inside in the only way I know how. Completely and forever.

Junan stood, not speaking a word and embraced Bakuto with a hug. "Junan, do you take Bakuto as your husband?" asked the man in white garments.

"I do" she said.

"Bakuto, do take Junan to be your wife?" asked the man in white garments.

"I do" he said.

"Then I know pronounce you both man and wife" said the man in white garments, bowing to the two.

Leaning towards Junan, Bakuto kissed his new bride who kissed him back. Locked for about a minute, Bakuto finally pulled away and embraced his wife with a hug.

"Junan, I understand your life had many bumps in the past... but I want you to assure you that I will never let harm come to you" Bakuto whispered into his wives ear.

Junan, still quiet tightened her grip onto Bakuto. "Thank you" she whispered back.