Originally posted by: napstermonster
I would skip past the obvious responses of divine love and previously ordained recognition of soul mates and go to what I think is at the inherent core of this relationship--
Protector and Innocent.
I doubt if the issue was even that of Parvati's virginal status or her admittedly knockout beauty. The issue is that of her vulnerability, and his ability and his need, to protect that vulnerable woman. The man is trained to protect. It is bred into him, as a member of the army, as Dilsher's son who has had to watch over an alcoholic father, has had to feed him and take even his parent around with him everywhere. The profession he has chosen serves this need in Rudra--the need to be needed, to be the one who is trusted by others to protect and defend. She appeals to him from the second he sees her, in his rear view mirror, as a helpless, terrified innocent about to be attacked. From that point, every time he sees her, it is in a situation that needs him to intervene--whether she knows it or not.
And the fact she is unaware of her danger makes him even more rabid when it comes to protecting her--because her innocently walking into fire undermines HIM, his duty to her, to her safety. He takes his "job," any thing he undertakes to do dead seriously...and the moment he sees Paro, her safety is as much an obsession with him as the BSD is.
His initial instinct, as a man, is to cherish and watch over his woman. Laila gave him absolutely no scope for this in the past, she was if anything, too independent, following him through postings and showing up in tents. Nor does she, in her current avatar, convince him of her helplessness. With marks on her back and a cut lip, Laila still cannot make him believe that she needs his protection. As he says--he knows her better than she knows herself.
Paro, from the beginning, was his, to protect, to defend and to watch over. This was the one way to his heart--through his job, and his nature. She got through on both counts.
Gotta admit, I think the sexy kamariya didn't hurt,either...