My village was at the base of a mountain, and it was situated in a small cove, which gave us good cover from the weather. It got quite cold during the winter, and it was nice to be where we were sheltered from the wind. I was set to marry a man, Ling who was a trader in the near by city. He seemed like a good man, and I was fond of him. I wasn't in love, but I could learn to be.

My mother wanted me to marry a good man who could provide for me, and Ling was who she had chosen. But ever since I was young, and made a climb up the mountain, I had heard stories of a young man at the time, who was a fierce warrior and had an army of men, who moved in the shadows. I saw him once, when I climbed high, in the spring to swim in a fresh water pool. He was there as well, ad he saw me. I wasn't scared, but interested. He spoke my language and had asked my name, which I told him. He smiled, and asked if he could call me Ginny. I said yes, and the man who I had come to know as Ra's smiled. As he left, he said "I'll see you again, someday Ginny. And I hope we can get to know each other then." I was eighteen then, and he must have been in his early thirties.

But that was four years ago, and things had changed. I went looking, hoping to find him but I never saw him again. When I would go up in the mountains some times it was as if, I had someone watching me but I never saw anyone.

I had gone into the city with Ling, and soon regretted it. He tried to take advantage of me, and I ran. I ran all the way home, and my mother sheltered me. Only a few hours later, a man appeared in the doorway of my house.

"Is this where the girl named Virginia lives?"

I knew that voice, it had been a very long time since I had heard it, that day at the pool. I stood up, as the man entered the house.

"I'm Virginia, do I know you?"

The man nodded. His face had aged some, but he was still who I remembered meeting.

"Ginny, its been a long time."

"Ra's!"

He smiled with a nod, and I hugged him. I knew it was an odd thing to do, but I felt comfortable with him.

"Why are you here?"

He sat down with my mother and I and I poured tea, for everyone as we listened to him speak.

"I have not stopped thinking of you, since I met you. Ginny, I want to marry you. I saw what that man tried to do to you today, and I came as soon as I found where you were. I want to protect you, and for you to be mine."

I sat there stunned. I really didn't know what to think, or what I would be getting myself into. My mother thought for a while, before looking at me, and speaking in our native tongue.

"Will you be happy with this man?"

"Yes, I will. I know he will take care of me."

"Then I give you my blessing."

I looked at Ra's and he smiled. I knew he understood everything my mother and I had said. We made plans to marry in a few short days, and I would come to live with him, near the top of the mountain. I knew life was going to be very different, for me but I also knew that having Ra's as my husband, would be amazing. I had heard many stories, and Ra's seemed very different with me, than the tales of him were. He was kind, and gentle and I knew with Ra's I would be well taken care of.