1 Dancing Tree

"Hiroshi my love please, I beg you not to go" Taro said, her sapphire eyes

quivering as tears started to run down her cheeks.

Hiroshi could not keep himself from staring into them and at his beloved wife. He

loved how she always wore her beautiful black hair straight, though mostly he loved to

watch it bounce and play on her shoulders. Closest to Hiroshis heart was her face, elegant

in every way, it was what made him fall in love with her. It was in perfect harmony with

her light pink kimono. It brought tears to his eyes. This could be the last time, like every

other time, he would see his love.

"Taro, you know I don't want to leave you. I never do. But it is my duty to protect

japan with my life. With the threat of Britain wanting to expand, I have been called to

that duty."

Admiral Hiroshi of the Japanese Navy; they call him, "Young Dragon" because at

the age of thirty, Hiroshi has seen more and accomplished more than almost any other

soul in the world. Hiroshi commanded the "Immortal" fleet of Japans finest ships, second

to none in combat having never lost a battle. Because of this Hiroshi was always the first

to be called to battle and was an honored figure in japan. Some would even go as far to

say he is a God. Though none would dare; the risk of being assassinated by the emperor's

royal guard was high. Hiroshi was a slightly tall man, about a head taller than his beloved

Taro. He had long black hair like Taro but he, as tradition, had to have his hair in a bun or

an elongated ponytail. Hiroshi perfected the ponytail; it suited him better he thought. He

had a rugged face that was leathery from the salt of the sea air, A crooked nose repeatedly

broken from being in battle and a scar that ran from his fore-head, across his eye, and

down to his chin. Unfortunately because of that scar Hiroshi vision deteriorated and

eventually became blind in one eye. Now he wears a tattered black band, with the

Japanese's rising sun stitched into it, angled across his face so it covers his blind eye.

Once he donned his armor, he looked fierce and deadly like a young dragon.

To Taro he looked like the man she fell in love with, her beloved husband. Taro looked up at Hiroshi, with agony in her eyes.

"Why did you have join?"

"why?" She repeated her voice cracking.

Hiroshi saw the pain in her eyes as he did every time he had to leave. He moved in

closer, wrapping his arms around her, kissing her on the cheek and whispering in her ear.

"I shall return my love, you know that. Our love is too great to be stopped."

Hiroshi, then gently brushed his lips across her cheek bringing them down to hers for one

last kiss. Taro, embraced Hiroshi even more, never wanting to let go. Hirsohi let out a

sigh, he hated when she did that. Now he had to fight to get out of her grip and that

always seemed to hurt more than leaving. Hiroshi tightened his embrace and started

passionately kissing her. Taro loosed her grip a bit and slid her arms up higher to bring

herself closer to the man she loved. As she did Hiroshi wiggled himself free and away

from Taro. Pain was etched across both their faces. Hiroshi was the first to break their

gaze as he turned and walk towards the door as tears rolled down his face.

"My love!" She Cried

Hiroshi stopped, brought his hand up and brushed away the tears. He had never

heard Taro speak to him in that tone, It... was unusual. Slowly, he turned around.

"Yes, Taro?" He Asked

"Promise me, you will return." She begged.

A smile crossed his face, but it quickly faded as he saw Taro's expression. He

studied it for a while; Hiroshi had never seen it before. He could tell Taro seemed to be in

even more pain, as if something horrible had happen.

"Taro, what's wrong?" He questioned.

"Promise me you will return" Taro said more forcefully, the look of a broken heart

never left her face.

Hiroshi took a step back and turned around, walking out the door into the tall field

of green grass. He looked over at the light pink cherry tree dancing in the breeze and

couldn't help to think it was dancing for him, saying good bye for the last time. Hiroshi

stopped and turned around, Taro was still standing in the door way. He smiled.

"My love" he yelled

"I shall and forever return to you as long as the cherry tree dances in the breeze!"

Hiroshi waved and blew a mighty kiss, then continued walking through the green field

until he hit the cobble stone path that would lead him to his fleet. Taro turned around, her

stomach sank and fear ran through her mind. She sat down trying to calm herself but the

tears kept coming at a violent pace. She couldn't bear the thought of him not coming

back. She looked up as the sun started to fade and noticed the cherry tree, as it danced she

couldn't help but smile. Day after day, as Hiroshi was gone off to war, Taro watched the

elegant pink cherry tree dance through light and dark, rain, and snow. The days turned to

months and the months turned to years and still, she did not ever stop watching the cherry

tree. Taro had many visitors thought the first years of Hiroshi's war; they never stayed for

long and eventually stopped coming. The grass outside, once beautiful and green, was

now a dead tangled monster that lurked around the house. The shingles fell off and blew

away in violent wind storms and roof leaked in multiple spots, never to be fixed. Still the

cherry tree danced and still Taro watched and waited, until one day she grew too weak to

see the cherry tree dance. Too sick to move, she laid on her bed fighting her eyes to stay

open and her mind to stay awake. Taro glanced at the Cherry tree from her bedroom

window and smiled as it slowly danced; closing her eyes she drifted away like the breeze.