Ruth: Reimagined

Marriage

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Marriage
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With his hold on her hand, they jumped, feet first, the fall was long, screams tearing out of their lips, then they plunged into the ice cold water.  Opening her eyes in the water, Ruth's heart hammered against her chest as she reached for Mahlon. They lost grip of each other's hands after the fall.

Then she saw him, wading through the water, motioning for her to follow him. Ruth swam against the powerful current of the water, using all her strength. Her chest constricted, crying out for relief. Mahlon urged her forward, and she kept swimming. Above them was the rocky ceiling of the cave.

When it became too much for her, her chest on the verge of exploding, she swam faster, Mahlon got the message, and swam just as fast. Making a quick turn, he motioned for her to swim upwards, and she did, with the last of her strength.

Bursting out of the waters, exposed by the moon's light, Ruth gasped, her breaths tearing out of her. Harshly.

"Come on," Mahlon said, pointing towards the grassy land. "Let's swim to land."

Still catching her breath, Ruth swam after him, slower this time. They waded through the water, silently, their breaths the only thing tearing out of their lips. Mahlon held on to a rock and pulled himself out of the water,groaning. He stretched out his hands, and Ruth took hold of them.

Falling on the grass, relief flooded their entire being, laughter poured out of them in rushing waves. Laid on their backs, they stared up at the  dark sky, scattered with beautiful stars, and it felt like they, too, were basking in their freedom.

Turning to his side, he watched Ruth, bathed under the moonlight,  nothing less than gorgeous.  When she met his gaze, he turned away, pretending like he hadn't been looking.

Clearing his throat, he sat up and squinted. "There." He pointed. "That is the palace."

From here, it looked smaller. Almost insignificant. Had they really crossed that much distance between Eglon and her. It seemed impossible.

Ruth released a shuddered breath, and in a wave, the events of the past few weeks fell over her. The forced marriage. Eglon’s mind games. Her father's betrayal. Her mother's change of behaviour. The fountain of Ruth. The Taharah ceremony. Forced into the dark cold dungeon. The woman in the cellar next to her, whose baby had been ripped–

Ruth wept, the strength leaving her, melting into all of the weaknesses and grief she felt. Her heart hammered, stuttering in pain, squeezing at certain gasps. Mahlon was at her side in no time, lifting her up to stand, holding her in his arms, a warm embrace.

Ruth had escaped the clutches of death. Ruth escaped a forced marriage. She'd escaped a destiny her parents kept shoving her towards. Ruth had escaped the will of Chemosh, and that is why she wept.

She held on to Mahlon tightly. "You're not alone anymore, Ruth." Mahlon reassured her, rubbing her arms.

“You…s-saved me.” Ruth shivered in his arms, her hair and clothes dripping.

He held her tighter, his heart beating against his chest.

“Th-Thank you, Mahlon. I don't deserve—”

“No. Don't say things like that, Ruth.” He held her against him, even tighter.

For a long time, they stayed like that, basking in the embrace of the other, finding the comfort their broken hearts had been yearning for.

“You can't take me home." Ruth said, after a moment, "That's the first place, King Eglon will look for me in, and besides... my parents wanted nothing more than for me to marry Eglon. My father sees me as a failure. I'm sure if I go back home they'll send  me back."