A Rose In The Ashes

Chapter 2

Wherever You Go I Will Go

That night Ernst couldn't sleep, he couldn't stop thinking about Kinuko. All he wanted was to be with her. Ernst had never had any luck with women. Most of them found him rather dull and bland. But Kinuko actually seemed to like him. After a while he even began to think her pug nose and weak chin to be rather cute. The next day he plodded through his work without even thinking about it. His mind was entirely on Kinuko.

As soon as his duties were complete he tracked down Yahachi Soji. "Yahachi, what can you tell me about Kinuko Matsuda?"

Yahachi chuckled, "Kinuko? You're kidding aren't you? You can do much better than her." He jutted his teeth out in an exaggerated mocking manner and circled his eyes with his fingers.

Ernst felt a flush of anger. "I won't tolerate you insulting her! I didn't ask for your opinion of her! Just tell me about her!"

Yahachi sobered up. "Okay, her father is Raiden Matsuda, he manufactures small motors. He just got a big contract to build torpedo motors for the Imperial Navy. He's really pushing for war."

"War? With who? America? Britain? Russia?"

"Any of them, all of them. He doesn't care. He figures a war will make him rich. We're presently fighting the Chinese but they don't have a navy worth mentioning. He wants a war with one of the major naval powers."

Ernst felt disgusted. "A war like that would kill thousands." He hated the idea of war with all the passion of one who had been trained for one and knew what the cost would be."

Yahachi nodded. "Yes, but it would also allow Japan to dominate eastern Asia and the entire Pacific Ocean. We would become a super power equal to the British Empire."

"So you admit that your grandfather was a warmongering arms dealer!" Paula declared with a smirk.

"Of course I did! Didn't you hear me! I'm standing right here!" Edna replied. "Do those hideous earrings make you deaf? Now quit interrupting me while I'm speaking!"

Yahachi drove Ernst through the streets of Tokyo. On the outskirts of the city he pulled up in front of a large traditional Japanese house surrounded by a wrought iron fence. Ernst leaped from the car. "No need to wait for me! I'll get back on my own!" Yahachi just shook his head and drove off.

Ernst straightened his tie and wiped his sweaty hands on his heavy uniform coat. His heart was pounding and his stomach felt like a lump of cement. He was sorely tempted to turn and walk away but if he did, he would probably never see Kinuko again. That thought was unbearable. So he steeled himself and walked through the gate.

An attractive middle-aged woman answered the door. Ernst removed his officer's cap and gave her a little bow. "I would like to speak with Matsuda San."

"He is still at work but you may come in and wait for him."

Ernst removed his shoes, none of the straw slippers by the door would fit his size 11 feet so he just wore his stockings. The woman led him to a low table with cushions on the floor and indicated that he should sit. She then served him tea. Ernst assumed that she was Kinuko's mother but she wouldn't speak to him any more than was absolutely necessary. After about an hour he heard a bustle at the entrance of the house and Kinuko came bounding in wearing a blue sailor suit, her hair in two braids and an armload of schoolbooks. When she saw Ernst sitting there she stopped in surprise. "Ernst!" She gave him a grin that made his heart melt but just then the mother showed up and hustled her into another room before coming back to offer him some more tea.

It took about another forty minutes before Raiden Matsuda entered. He was tall and thin with a thin elegant mustache. He was wearing a black suit and tie holding a bowler hat. He eyed Ernst suspiciously and gave a small nod of his head. "My wife told me that you were here, Lieutenant. I am honored to meet you." He didn't give much indication that he was honored to meet him.

Ernst clumsily got to his feet and bowed at the waist. I am deeply honored to be allowed into your home."

Raiden sat down and indicated that Ernst do so also. "If you are here about a torpedo contract I cannot sell to a foreign government without permission from my own government but I'm sure I can persuade the right people and we can come to an agreement."

Ernst shook his head. "I'm not here about your torpedoes. I'm not really authorized to make such an agreement and the Kriegsmarine always orders from German sources although I'm sure your torpedoes are just as good as ours."

Ernst thought he caught a quick sneer of contempt on Raiden's face but it quickly disappeared before he even registered it. "I seriously doubt that. So why are you here?"

"I would like your permission to see your daughter Kinuko." Ernst was so nervous that his voice squeaked a little and his face flushed with embarrassment.

Raiden frowned. "You haven't been in this nation for very long. I'm sure you find Asian girls exotic and exciting but I would rather you didn't explore this fascination with my daughter. You would only hurt her. I suggest you visit the large blue building down by the docks. I hear that they just got a new batch of Korean girls."

Ernst felt a flush of anger. He tried to keep his voice calm. "Matsuda San, It isn't like that. My intentions are entirely honorable."

Raiden frowned. "That may true at the moment but sailors lead such transient lives. Here today, gone tomorrow. Who knows where your next assignment will take you?" He then gave a tight lipped smile, "Your Fuhrer often speaks of the importance of racial purity. I happen to agree with him on that. The races must be kept pure. You Germans can control Europe while we control Asia. But Europeans don't belong in Asia anymore than Asians belong in Europe. The British have no business being in India and Malaysia, the French have no business being in Indo-China, America shouldn't be in Hawaii or the Philippines, the Dutch and Russians also have no business here. All Asian nations should all be united under Japan. Just as all European nations should be united under Germany. But neither place would welcome a mixed race couple or their freakish mongrel children! I forbid you to ever see my daughter again!"

Ernst's fists were clenched, but in his own repulsive way, Raiden had a point. He would never fit in here in Japan and Kinuko wouldn't fit in over in Germany where race purity was almost a religion. Without another word he bowed and left.

Out on the street Ernst mind was in turmoil. He didn't know where to go, what to do. He should head back to the embassy but he no longer felt that there was any point. He never felt so miserable in his life.

"Ernst! Ernst!" He heard a loud whisper from behind him. He turned and saw Kinuko, still dressed in her schoolgirl sailor suit, crouched in the bushes behind the iron fence.

"Kinuko!" Ernst thrust his hand through the bars and grasped her small hand. Deep feelings of love welling in his heart. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"I head what father said." She whispered, tears welling in her soft brown eyes. "And I don't care. I want to go with you." She reached through the bars to grasp his other hand.

"He's right." Ernst's voice sounded like a choke. His grip on her hands tightened.
"I can't stay in Japan forever and you can't live with me in Germany, you don't know what it's like back there. There's no place for us." He pressed his forehead against the cold bars.

She leaned forward and pressed her forehead against his. "There's a place for us." Kinuko replied. "It's with each other. No matter what the world throws at us we can face it together."

"Kinuko, I love you but I'm not sure we could be happy together. Perhaps you should stay here."

"Ernst, have you read the Book of Ruth?"

Ernst looked puzzled. "The Book of Ruth?"

"I have been reading the Bible, my father doesn't know." She shut her eyes. "Do not ask me to abandon or forsake thee! For wherever you go I will go, wherever you lodge I will lodge, thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. Wherever you die I will die, and there be buried. May the Lord do so to me, and more besides, if aught but death separates me from you!" She gave him a long lingering kiss through the bars, "I overheard father talking to mother, he's sending me away from Tokyo, to my grandfather's house in Nagasaki, meet me there!"