The Moon And Me

The Moon and Me

The moon shone high in the sky like a great silver plate. Midori sat on a stone bench in the plum garden, with the Prince's tanka in her slender, manicured hand. She shivered and hugged herself. She knew it was more than the cold that made her tremble. "The Prince had written to her!" She thought as she stared again at the tanka in her hand. After so long, he had promised to meet her in the plum garden this very night. Her heart beat like a fluttering bird in her breast, and her breath came in short, quick gasps. She pressed her cherry lips tenderly on the Prince's tanka, before she tucked it away in the sleeve pocket of her pink and white kimono. Setting her hands on her knees, she waited.

Soon, the sound of footsteps could be heard. Midori lifted her head and listened, her head tilted to one side. The Prince strode into view, a young man of twenty seasons. Midori felt a wave of heat rushing over her as she gazed on his handsome face. He looked like the Sun god himself, with that red cloak draped over his muscular shoulders. Her cheeks reddened as the Prince smiled at her.

"Midori, my dear. It is so good to see you again." He said.

Her body all tense and trembling, Midori sprang up from the stone bench and bowed to the Prince.

"Your Highness." She said in as sweet a voice as she could manage.

"Oh, please Midori. Call me Kitaro. You and I are such sweet friends. What use do we have for such silly titles, hmm?" Again he smiled and offered her his hand.

Midori's heart beat like a drum and her vision swam, as she took the Prince's hand and invited him to sit next to her on the stone bench. With a shaking hand, she brushed some of her loose bangs to the side and tucked them around her left ear. She smiled faintly, and  whispered to him:

"You...wanted to see me?" She asked, still unable to believe this was actually happening to her.

"Indeed, my dearest dove." He said as he took her right hand and pressed it to his lips. "I have missed you so much. I just had to see you again." Once more he pressed a kiss on her hand as he held it within his own.

Midori trembled and again felt her heart beat wildly within her. She could barely control her shaking hand that the Prince held. "He must not see me like this!" She thought in a wave of panic as her eyes raced back and forth between her hand and the Prince's face.

Again the Prince kissed her hand. A soft, slow kiss that hinted at something more. Midori sighed and in a stammering voice, whispered:

"And Suki? What about her?" She held her breath and strained her ears, hoping against hope as she waited for the Prince to speak.

"Ah, Suki." The Prince said with a smile. "You need not fear her, my dearest dove. She is only jealous of you--as I am of your...beauty." He again pressed his lips on her hand in a sweet caress.

Midori's mind raced at this unexpected news. "Could it be true?" She thought in her excitement. "That all this time he loved only me?" A wild surge of warmth flooded her heart and she smiled.

under the moon

you hold my hand

as we watch the stars

I see the fire

in your eyes for me