The Cherry Blossom Tree

The greatest tragedy in life is losing the person you love the most. And so is the story of Adam and Emma…

Our story begins on a cloudy night, in a place that is far, far away. A place where good always triumphs, and evil is always destroyed. A place of love.

Emma Davids was sitting under a lone cherry blossom tree, watching the stars. Next to her sat a boy, just a few months older, discreetly watching her. This was the place where they had shared so many memories, and much of their childhood. It was their favorite spot. Little did he know that the girl of his dreams was quite aware of his study. Uncomfortable, she shifted under his gaze, wishing to be anywhere else but here. And yet, there was no place she’d rather be, save for in his arms.

“Emma?” she looked up upon hearing her name, but spoke no words.

“I-I have something to t-tell you.” The boy stuttered, not sure of what to say.

“What is it, Adam?” Her voice was gentle, yet apprehensive. Adam, her best friend of ten years, never stuttered.

“I j-just wanted to s-say that I-I l-lo-”

“Emma!” Rose Davids called. “It’s getting late, and it looks like rain is coming! Why don’t you come inside? You’ll see Adam again tomorrow.”

“Okay!” Emma called back. She turned to her friend and gave one of her beautiful smiles, now fully out of her daze.

“Hey, what did you need to say?” she asked.

Adam blushed, losing all of his courage. “Oh, um, it’s nothing. I’ll tell you tomorrow.”

“Alright. Well, my mom’s waiting, so…I’ll see you later.” Emma got up and started to walk away, shooting Adam one last glance.

Emma woke up the next morning, her mind set on telling Adam how she felt. She quickly showered and dressed. Calling a quick goodbye to her mother, Emma left the house, heading for the park. She was right outside the gates when a large figure grabbed her roughly. Emma let out a scream but was immediately silenced by a large hand and pulled into an alleyway.

Adam left his small apartment, heading for the park where he was meeting Emma, when he heard a scream. Short as it was, he immediately recognized it as Emma’s.

Adam traced the sound to a nearby alley. He ran there as fast as he could, willing his legs to go faster. He reached the alley only to find Emma bound by ropes and duct tape, being shoved into a large vehicle.

“EMMA!” he yelled. Adam ran after the car, faster than he ever thought possible, but it was too late, Emma was gone.

Adam noticed that on the back of the car was an official symbol: the king’s crest.

Prince Alex paced around his room, beginning to get anxious. What if she doesn’t want me? He thought. Then again, what woman wouldn’t want me. For the next king of the land, he was quite full of himself. And if she doesn’t…then I’ll force her. Alex laughed evilly. Damen would be here any minute with his future bride.

Adam fell to his knees in shock and anger. Emma had been taken. He wanted nothing more than to help her, to free her from whatever fate had been chosen for her, sure that it was nothing good. Surely there was nothing he could do without getting himself killed as well. But this, this was Emma. His best friend and the girl he always had and always will love. He would do anything for her…even die.

And so it was decided. Tonight at midnight, he would break into Ashwood castle and rescue Emma.

Meanwhile, Emma sat inside the car, staring out the window. She wished Adam were here. He would make everything okay.

“Do you know why you are here?” A man who would later be identified as Damen said. Emma shook her head ‘no’.

“Prince Alex wishes for you to be his bride. Do you accept this offer?” Damen went up to her face and roughly pulled the tape off her mouth.

Emma spit on the ground before replying, “No. I would never marry a man like him.” A look of shock passed over Damen’s features before quickly disappearing.

“Then you will be forced. We’ll be arriving at Ashwood castle soon enough.” Damen turned away from her and continued to stare into space while Emma placed a glare on her smooth features.

As soon as the car arrived at the castle, Sakura was brought to Alex.

“Ah, my dear Cherry Blossom, how are you?” Alex asked as he placed a finger under her chin.

Emma didn’t answer and continued to glare.

“Defiant, are we? Well, that will soon change. I hear that you refuse my proposal. Now why would you want to do that?” Alex put on a sinister smile.

“Because I’m in love with someone else; someone deserving of my heart.” This only succeeded to make Alex even angrier, though he kept his cool demeanor.

“Fine, you want to be like that, go ahead. Damen, take her to the dungeons, maybe that will give her a change of heart.” He spit out the last word as if it were poison on his tongue.

While Emma was lead away, Alex's twin brother, Michael, came in.

“Brother, why must you do this? Why must it be her, what’s wrong with all the girls out there who throw themselves at you constantly?”

Alex sighed. “Because, Mike, she’s the only one that doesn’t want me. That’s why she must be mine; to prove that I can have any woman I want.”

Mike shook his head in defeat. His pig-headed brother would never learn.

Adam slowly crept toward the castle walls. There were guards everywhere, but every single one was too distracted by some far-off object in the distance to notice him.

Up ahead, he saw a grating that obviously led to the dungeon. Adam started towards it, knowing that it was probably the only way he would get in.

Just as Adam was about to remove the grating, a deep voice startled him.

“Just what exactly do you think you’re doing?” the voice asked.

Adam turned around, expecting to see a guard, but instead saw Micheal, the man known as Prince Alex’s brother and King Ryan’s son.

“Uh…” Adam had no words. What was he supposed to say? ‘Hi, I’m here trying to break into your castle just to find the girl I love. But, we’re both probably going to be killed anyway, although death is probably better than whatever your jerk of a brother would do with her.’ Yeah, that’d go over real well.

“Don’t worry, I know. You’re here to save her, right?” Micheal pointed to a wall that could be seen through the grating. There, chained to the wall by her wrists, was Emma. Adam gasped, how could anyone to that to her?!

“So…are you going to help me…or kill me?” Adam wasn’t sure at this point; things could go either way.

Micheal just laughed quietly. “Of course I’m going to help. My idiot of a brother intends to marry her, and I can’t let that happen.”

Adam was confused. “Why would you care who your brother marries?”

Micheal looked up at Adam, a look of hurt and heartbreak clearly visible in his eyes. “Because…you two are in love, I can feel it. And I can’t stand around and watch that love die…not at the hands of him.” Adam thought it better to not ask.

“Come, we must act quickly if we are to save her.” Micheal said as he removed the grating.

Emma looked up at the sound of metal being moved. She looked up to the grating. There was Adam, coming to save her. Along with…Micheal? Her eyes widened.

“Emma!” Adam screamed as he ran up to her.

“Adam! What’s he doing here?” She pointed at Micheal.

“Allow me.” Micheal said, “I’m Micheal Ashwood, Alex’s civil twin brother.”

“Are you saying I’m not civil, dear brother?” Alex said.

“Speak of the devil. Literally.” Remarked Micheal.

Alex placed a hand over his heart, a smirk still firmly in place. “You’ve no idea how much that hurts, Micheal.”

While the brothers continued their verbal war, Adam worked on the ropes binding Emma.

Alex had now pulled a gun, but Micheal had only a pocketknife.

“Give up Micheal, it’s over. You’ll never win. You remember what happened with Rachel, don’t you?” Micheal cringed at the memory of his lost lover. Alex, taking advantage of this, pulled the trigger. Micheal dodged, and with lightning speed, appeared behind Alex and held the knife to his throat.

“Touché, brother. But it’s still not enough.” Alex had the gun under his twin’s throat. Micheal dragged the blade across his brother’s flesh mere seconds before Alex once again pulled the trigger.

Adam finished undoing the last of the knots, and turned to the fight. What he saw shocked him. Micheal was dead, and Alex was loosing blood fast.

“Adam!” Emma hugged him, tighter than ever before, because it was the last hug they would ever share. Alex had the gun aimed at Adam, and Emma saw it. She was not about to let him die.

Before Adam could register what was happening, his shirt became damp with blood and Emma went limp in his arms, while Alex drew breath for the last time.

“Emma?!” He laid her down gently.

She weakly raised a hand. “Adam…I-I”

“Come on Emma, stay with me!” A mix of panic and pain was evident in his voice.

“I love you Adam, always remember that. Don’t forget me.”

“I won’t Emma, never. I could never forget you.”

And she died in his arms.

Emma was buried beneath the cherry blossom tree, and Adam went to visit her every day. And every day, he brought red and white roses, Emma’s favorite. But it was not until the fifth day that he actually began to talk to her.

“Emma…why’d you have to go? You’ve no idea how difficult this is for me, accepting you’re death. You said you loved me. Is that true? I’ve always loved you, always. I’m just sorry that I couldn’t tell you sooner. I still love you. Remember that. Emma, this is goodbye. I swear, I’ll visit every day, but this is it. Goodbye, Emma.”

The wind started to pick up, and Adam could swear he heard her voice, the voice of an angel, saying “Goodbye, Adam.”

He traced his fingers over the small heart they had carved into the tree as little kids, then over the words inside the heart. ‘Adam & Emma Forever’.

And they were together forever. Maybe not physically, but on a much deeper, much more spiritual level.

AN: Yeah, I know, it sucks. But hey, in my defense it was two years ago and I've gotten much better since then.