Mistress to Mistress
A CCS Fanfic
by SyaoranSword
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Card Captor Sakura. CLAMP and other companies I may not know of own it all. This is a fanfic and not part of the "official" storyline. The story is only meant for the enjoyment of the author and any would-be readers.
Notes: Syaoran's mother, Yelan, is one of the most interesting characters in the series. Although she only appears in the first movie, she definitely makes her presence felt. She is cold to her own son, but seems to have a fondness for Sakura. This is a not-so-serious attempt to delve into Yelan's mind as she and Sakura talk things out… (Friendly reminder: Syaoran's father and Yelan in the flashbacks may or may not be OOC since that was never established in the canon.)
~~~ (place) ~~~ = scene change
" " = dialogue
[ ] = thoughts
( ) = commentary
Mistress to Mistress
"Doesn't she look so kirei, little brother?" squealed Fuutie. She was referring to Syaoran's blushing fiancée, who had been taken by Syaoran's sisters to try on different sets of Chinese robes fit for Li clan women.
"Of course she is. Just look at our Xiao Lang blush!" Feimei excitedly pointed out. It was true. Seeing Sakura in what she would be wearing everyday in the near future was a bit much for the shy young male. He knew though that for the duration of their stay in Hong Kong, he couldn't have kept her away from the clutches of his sisters. Syaoran had told his mother about his engagement to Sakura over the phone, and Yelan immediately arranged a one-week visit home for her son and his future wife. Thinking back on the call, Syaoran thought he heard excitement in his mother's voice, which seemed unusual for her. His train of thought was broken by another comment from one of his sisters.
"You had better get used to it, little brother. You're going to be seeing your cute bride everyday. How are you going to have children if you stay embarrassed around her?" teased Fanren.
And if that wasn't enough for the already red-cheeked couple, Shiefa got the last word. "We want to be aunties real soon, Xiao Lang!"
More giggling by the Li sisters ensued, at the expense of Sakura and Syaoran. The two were thoroughly embarrassed, but they liked the thought of becoming parents, though due to shyness, neither would readily admit it to the other.
The women stopped giggling as their mother entered the room and approached Sakura. Yelan gently held Sakura's chin between her thumb and index finger. After a brief moment of holding the girl's gaze, the matriarch of the Li clan revealed a small, rare smile. "You have grown more lovely since we last met, Sakura." She released her hold and took a step back. Looking at her children she said, "Xiao Lang, I'm sure you and your sisters have much to catch up on."
Before he could say a word, the four Li sisters literally carried him out of the room to "catch up", as their mother had said. Sakura giggled at her fiancé's predicament. "I hope they go easy on him. Syaoran has told me horror stories about what his sisters used to do to him."
Yelan softly smiled before she said, "Now that there are no more distractions, please join me for some tea."
Sakura followed her into her study, where she sat down in a chair across from where Yelan took her seat. "What kind of tea?"
The small table between them had an ornate metal tray, on which two teacups and a teapot sat. The cups and the pot were made of porcelain and decorated with dragons and phoenixes painted in blue. "It's chrysanthemum, made from flowers grown here in our garden." (It's not that kind of tea, but chrysanthemum sure sounds questionable. sweatdrop)
Yelan poured out the steaming beverage into the cups and handed one to Sakura, who took a careful sip. "It's delicious."
"Feel free to ask me anything you would like to know. After all, you are going to be an important member of this family."
"I have learned a little bit from Syaoran, but I am still curious about a lot of things. I don't know where to begin!"
Yelan hid her smile behind her cup as she took a sip. "Let's begin by telling our own stories."
Sakura gathered her thoughts and began her recounting of her life. She made sure she didn't miss any important details. Low points, such as her mother's death, and high points, like Syaoran's proposal, were all discussed within a gamut of emotions. When she had finished, Yelan said to her, "You have had a wide range of experiences, both within and outside the realm of magic. They will be useful to you later in life as well. I, myself, did not have as many experiences as you have now until after I was married."
Sakura's interest was piqued. "Could you tell me about your wedding?" she asked with innocent curiosity.
The Li clan matriarch paused at the request, but she took a sip from her cup and continued. "Unlike you, I was in an arranged marriage, starting at a young age. Along with magic and martial arts training, I went through bridal training. I was expected to respect my future husband, support him in his decisions, and raise his children. These were the responsibilities I had to live up to as the wife of the leader, when I saw him for the first time at our wedding." What Yelan told Sakura was true, but the older woman thought back to details she left out.
~~~~~~
"I don't want to be married," the girl muttered behind her red veil as the chair she sat upon was carried to the temple. All of her bridal training made her resent her future husband. She already had the Li name, which meant she was going to be wedded to a family member. A distant one perhaps, but the thought did nothing to ease her mind. The only benefit for her, from what she could see, was that she would become the ranking Li female, and that she would be very well respected for it. Otherwise, she could look forward to a miserable life of being her husband's arm ornament and baby factory.
When she had arrived, all of her negative thoughts melted away at the first sight of her groom. She was in a daze all through the wedding rituals, not able to remove the first image of him from her mind. It was all a blur as she suddenly realized she was alone with him in their bedroom. Panic began to set in as she realized what came next, but he spoke to her in a surprisingly timid tone. "You know, we don't have to… you know," he said while gesturing to the bed. "I… wouldn't feel right about it. I mean… you're my wife, and I don't even know your name!"
She spoke as timidly as he did, "It's Yelan."
"Yelan… that's a beautiful name." He rubbed his hand gently across her cheek. "Before we… you know, I want to get to know this Yelan standing right in front of me."
The girl smiled. [Maybe this marriage will work out after all.]
~~~~~~
"Wow, you saw him for the first time and then you were married?!" Sakura asked in shock.
"Yes, but it turned out well. We grew to love each other very much." Yelan paused before she asked, "What else would you like to hear about?"
"If you don't mind my asking, could you tell me how the Li family is so rich? Syaoran never talks about it, but I remember being surprised when I found out his family lives here."
"I trust you, Sakura. Every look you give my son makes it clear to me you are not marrying for wealth. The Li fortune has been accumulated through many different ways. While most of it is locked in priceless artifacts, modern times have opened new paths. Wise investments and shrewd planning have kept our assets growing."
~~~~~~
Yelan's eyes darted left and right. Success was potentially within her grasp. Lifting it from its position, she took a deep breath as she read the symbol inscribed on the object. She smiled. "Looks like I win again!" she proclaimed as she revealed her winning hand. Loud groans could be heard from the three other ladies seated at the table.
"I'm out," one said.
"Me too."
"Me three."
Yelan gathered the bills thrown her way as she cackled, "Who else wants a piece of the queen of Mahjong?"
"Yelan, haven't you played enough?" her husband asked from behind her. "You're going to bankrupt every person in the casino at this rate!"
"Not a chance! The tiles are with me tonight! Isn't that right?" she asked before kissing a tile with a bird on it.
Yelan's husband sighed. "I knew this trip to Macao was a bad idea."
~~~~~~
"How hard was it to raise your children?" Sakura asked.
"My husband helped me tremendously in raising them. The many servants of the estate were also part of their upbringing." [It was the childbearing that was hard.]
~~~~~~
In the delivery room, a baby's cry shattered the early morning. "It's a girl." That was the far-from-enthusiastic news from the nurse.
"ANOTHER GIRL?!" Yelan was at the end of her rope after giving birth to her fourth child. "Why?! Why me?!"
"Yelan, dear, calm down. The next one is sure to be a boy."
The irate woman grabbed her husband by the shirt. "That's what you have been telling me for the LAST THREE TIMES!!" She shoved him away. "You, sir, are not coming anywhere near me for at least a year!"
"Yes, dear."
~~~~~~
Once again in the delivery room, a nurse's cry shattered the night. "IT'S A BOY!! It's a miracle!"
Yelan's head fell back to the pillows. "Finally. It's over."
~~~~~~
"There is one last thing I would like to know. You don't have to answer it," Sakura said, "It's about Syaoran's father."
Yelan seemed to swallow hard at Sakura's last sentence. She took the time to pour more tea while she thought about the best way to answer her future daughter-in-law. "My husband passed away when Syaoran was about three. He asked me to raise his son to be a strong warrior, and I have kept that promise."
~~~~~~
Yelan knelt by her husband's deathbed. The somber room was empty save for the dying husband and the soon-to-be widow. "Tears don't suit your lovely face, Yelan. Please don't cry for me anymore." She nodded while still shedding her tears. "I want you to know… that I love you. Raise our son, Xiao Lang, to be a strong person."
"I will. Whatever it takes, he will be strong."
"Thank you, Yelan." He breathed his last, and his wife resolved to never love another man. The promise she made to her husband stayed with her, making her grow cold in her emotions, but she only desires her son to be as strong as she knows he can be.
~~~~~~
Syaoran came back in time to see the two ladies finish their chat. Yelan gracefully bid farewell to Sakura as she left the room. "What did you and Mother talk about?"
"A lot of things."
He cocked an eyebrow. "Like what?"
Sakura gave him a kiss on the lips before she leaned her head on his chest. "Why I will love being in this family."
END
And Syaoran's father remains nameless, as it should be. The flashbacks should not be taken seriously at all, except for maybe the last one. I hope you enjoyed this somewhat farcical look into the life of Yelan Li. All comments and criticisms are welcome and appreciated.