Disclaimer: I don't own CCS so please don't sue me. I've got a lot of problems already.
Author's blabberings: Okay… so here's another story… actually, I'm still thinking if I'm going to post it or not (my laconic brother says no). Anyway, it's just one of my ideas I have to get out of my head. I was thinking of another plot, something funny (again!), but first, I have to get out this nagging thought. If you think it's not good, then I won't continue it. That's something easy to do… Just tell me what you feel about this fic, okay? So I would know if I have to continue it or not.
Here's the first chappie. Enjoy!
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CHAPTER 1: WHEN TWO HEARTS MEET
Tomoyo Daidouji lay under the cherry tree in their garden and let out a sigh. It was such a hot day, the sun was shining too brightly, there wasn't a single cloud in the sky and the wind felt like it came from an oven. Even in her sundress, she was feeling hot. She raised a hand to fan herself idly. After a while, her hand went to the silver moon-shaped pendant hanging around her neck.
The pendant was the last memento she received from her grandfather. She had often sat on his lap when she was a little girl, listening to his story about the princess who once owned the pendant. It was given to her by a young prince who was deeply in love with her, but before the prince could declare his undying love to her, the princess had suddenly disappeared. The only keepsake she left was the pendant. The prince, having lost his princess, grew cold and aloof, distancing himself from the world and the people.
As a child she loved those stories. She would often pretend that she was the princess but unlike the one in the story, she promised she would never leave her prince. She promised that she would stay by his side forever.
But she is older now, wiser and more rational than before. Her life was a fairy tale no longer but one thing lingered in her life: the make-believe and pretend. She was now living in a world of falsehood and pretensions. Of masks and lies. Like her childhood days, she would put on a mask and pretend she's happy. It had always been like this and she was already tired of wearing disguises.
How many times had she pretended she was happy and content just to keep up her reputation in the society as a happy-go-lucky and cheerful girl? How many times had she done something against her will just to please her mother? How many times had her heart healed over and over again?
So many times that I couldn't count anymore, she thought bitterly.
She felt miserable, tired and lonely. No one understood her. No one cared. No one noticed her. She just wanted to disappear, to get transported to a place where she'd belong. She wished that she could go somewhere far away where people would see and love here for who she is. She wished she could just leave this materialistic and simulated world…
And it'd be better if a prince would be thrown in, she smirked inwardly, loving the way her fingers glide smoothly over the silver pendant.
A few moments later, Tomoyo fell asleep, her hands clasped over her pendant. Only to wake up several minutes later in a strange forest in an unknown world.
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Nineteen-year-old Prince Eriol Hiiragizawa of the Kingdom Azura sat on the balustrade of his balcony, the gentle breeze blowing his long navy blue cloak and ruffling his dark hair. His deep blue eyes scanned his father's lands, stretching as far as the eye could see. The lands which would soon belong to him as the rightful heir and the Crown Prince of Azura.
No, he didn't want to be a king. It was such a big responsibility for him and he didn't like it. Furthermore, his mother, Her Majesty the Queen, would force him to find a bride and Queen. Not that women didn't want to marry him. On the contrary actually. It was such a hectic job. He had to look and oversee everything, to dismiss corrupt officials and advisers, to make sure his kingdom was safe. And if ever a war would break out, it would be his fault, whether it was a citizen, a soldier or an official who caused it. It would all be his fault. His fault why the war started, why the negotiations failed, why his people would die. The blame would rest on his shoulders. He couldn't make himself watch his people die in front of him.
He wasn't a coward. No, he was trained since a boy by the best generals of his father's army. He had learned and mastered the use of different weapons, learned to ride a horse without using both hands and can plan a strategy in the middle of the battle.
But ever since she had left and disappeared, he had lost all of his will and desire to live. It had already been 5 years and his grief towards her loss has changed into bitterness and resentment. It was obvious she didn't love him, leaving him like that hanging in the air. He had been a fool to believe that she loved him back. But now, it's different. He would never allow himself to get hurt anymore.
A knock on his door pulled him out of his reverie. "Your Highness, your steed is ready."
Eriol stood up and walked out his door purposely to the courtyard where his steed, a beautiful and strong black stallion, was waiting for him. He swung himself effortlessly over the saddle and nudged his horse to gallop away. But he had barely reached the edge of the forest when a voice called him.
"Eriol! Eriol!"
The young man closed his eyes in utter exasperation. What did they want from him now? Still he halted and looked over his shoulder. "Yes, Mother, is there something that you need?" he asked politely.
"Eriol, the princess of Clementia is here. Won't you stay and entertain her?"
Eriol kept a blank expression, but deep inside him, he was trying to remember the princess's name and face. When his mind came out with nothing, he already knew what to do.
"Pardon me, Mother, but I'm afraid I have to decline," he replied in an even voice. "Please send the princess my regards." And before the Queen could speak and sweet talk him again, Eriol flanked the sides of his horse and galloped into the forest.
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Tomoyo sighed for the nth time as she wandered in the forest where she woke up some time ago. At least she knew where she was. She was in the middle of nowhere, no idea where this place exists, and she didn't know how she got there. For one, she couldn't have sleep-walked since (1) she's not the type who sleep-walks and (2) there were no forests nearby their estate. She couldn't have been dreaming either. The throbbing painful welt on her arm could prove that.
Where the heck am I? she thought miserably as she collapsed on a fallen log.
She tried closing her eyes and counting one to one hundred to find out if she really was just dreaming. Except it didn't work. She was still in the same place she had sat down.
Shouldn't there be a door here or something? She tried recalling their discussion on the novel Alice in Wonderland, dismissing the thoughts of Lewis Carroll being pedophiliac. Again, it proved fruitless.
Tomoyo looked around. She wanted to shout for help but she was afraid that wild animals might hear, track her down and kill her. Nope, not a good way and place to die for her. Sighing, she rose to her feet and continued her search for a trail or sign or anything that could at least bring her out of the forest. When she's finally gotten out, then that's the time she'd think of a way to get back to her home. She'll cross the bridge when she gets there.
If she gets there.
At last, she had reached a clearing where a small spring had gushed out of the ground. Gratefully, she drank then splashed some water on her face. It felt good, although the coldness of the water stung her face painfully. She was just starting to think where she'd go next when she heard a rustling around her. Usually, rustling in an unknown, strange and dark forest doesn't mean anything good.
Could she have stumbled into a wild animal's territory? Did something hear her? Or was it just the wind?
She was about to convince her panicking self that it just was the wind when a black stallion suddenly leapt at her from behind, startling her. She let out an ear-piercing shriek then stumbled on the soft ground of the forest, ignoring the rising pain from her tailbone up, covering her head with her arms.
"Whoa, Tempest, calm down." She heard a voice of a young man.
Tomoyo raised her head, cautiously putting down her arms, and looking up at the young man with midnight blue hair and dressed in regal clothes, soothing and calming down the horse. He didn't seem to realize that he had nearly killed someone. Nor the fact that she was there. She felt incensed. The young man would rather pet his beloved horse, asking it what the heck was wrong with it, than see if somebody was hurt. She jumped to her feet.
"Hey, you!" she exclaimed angrily. The young man turned his dark blue eyes to her. "How dare you! Didn't you even know I was there? You could've killed me! Who do you think you are, running around like this is your own place?"
He scowled at her, eyeing her from head to foot as if she didn't have the right to address him so casually. "I beg your pardon?"
She placed her hands on her hips. "Don't play dumb! I know that you saw me right there! You nearly killed me!"
"You nearly killed me and my horse because of your foolishness, fair lady," he replied coldly, swinging back on his horse and heading into the forest once more. "You were foolish to stray into the path of a horse."
Tomoyo felt her anger rising to another notch at his words. How dare he turn his back to her when they were discussing something important here! "Hey! Hey, wait here, you!" She ran after him and jumped and caught his arm, jerking him until they could see each other at eyelevel. "We're not through discussing my near death here!"
The young man glared at her wordlessly, but after a while, gazed at her face intently as if trying to remember her. She frowned at him as his gaze landed on the pendant around her neck. A single word came out of his mouth.
"Cleira…"
She blinked at him then took a step backwards, releasing his arm, just as jumped off his horse and advanced towards her. There was something going on, something she couldn't place her finger onto. She saw something in his eyes and she couldn't just dismiss it.
"Wait! Stop right there!" she said, holding out an arm. He ignored her words, continuing to walk towards her in a brisk pace. "I said stop! If you don't, I'll scream!" He continued as if he didn't hear her. "I'm serious! I swear I'll scream if you don't stop!"
He chuckled coldly, stopping a couple of feet from her. "Why, my dear Princess? Are you afraid of me?"
"Who are you anyway? I don't even know you!" Her voice now clearly showed she was frightened.
"Don't you remember me, Princess?" he asked in a sarcastic voice.
"W-what are you saying? I have no idea who you are!"
"Don't lie, Cleira! You know very well who I am!" he hissed angrily.
She took another step backwards. "Y-you must be mistaken," she replied, her voice shaking fearfully. "I-I'm not a princess and I certainly don't know you, Mister. Honestly." She stumbled on the ground. "Look. I'm sorry for what I said earlier. Really. Just please don't hurt me…"
The young man smiled coldly at her. A smile that did not reach his ice blue eyes.
That was the last thing Tomoyo saw before everything faded into nothingness before her.
Darn it! What the hell is wrong with this computer!
