Disclaimer: The series Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me.
Chapter One: The Girl Named Cinders
As she looked out the window, and Cinders awed at the snow that was falling down. It was winter that she was smiling at, and what a beautiful winter it was going to be. Closing her eyes, she shifted a bit in her short wooden stool while she placed her chin atop of her hands as her elbows rested on her knees. Cinders then shivered a bit in her shabby, plain-colored dress and soft shoes with their soles worn out as well when a cold draft fluttered in through the seeps of the window, brushing softly against her skin.
Turning back to the stove, Cinders poked at the fire, watching as it kindle and ignite, ashes getting on her face. She closed her eyes, and took in the warmth. Hearing the pot hanging above it boil, telling her that it was done, she quickly took a cloth, and lifted up the lid. Cinders then took a soup spoon, dipped it in to the broth, and lifted it up. Blowing slightly, she closed her eyes, and took a short sip. Perfect. Cinders lifted the pot up, away from the fire, to let it cool down a bit.
Silently, she sat back down on the chair, and turned back to look out the window. How she wished to go out there and frolic in the cold, yet elegant, powder. She could, probably, but she would be scolded. And father taught me to not be that way, she sighed. He said for me to listen to stepmother, and my stepsisters. I must do so. I must do so...
"CINDERS!!" she suddenly heard the yell rivet from the other rooms. Cinders jumped, and took out bowls from the cabinets. She filled them up with the soup, and put the three bowls onto a plate. Hastily, she walked out of the kitchen, and into the dining room. There, Cinders saw the two girls and the one women, who all held a cold reserved at her. They felt superior, and they felt better than her. Yet when her stepmother first came, with the two cold girls at her hands, she was poorer than those had a place to sleep in the streets. And now she acts as if she has never been that way ever.
"Good evening, stepmother," Cinders whispered, and placed the soup in front of each of the girls as softly as she could, the thoughts filling her head, though she pushed it out. "Good evening, Meiling. Good evening, Rika. The soup is a slight bit hot, so beware of scalding your mouth. But other than that, I am sure that it will be... exceptional for you all."
Meiling scowled. She sniffed at it, and haughtily turned away, right after she had strike the bowl with her hand, causing it to snap from the table onto the ground. "It smells awful, mother. If I drink this, I am afraid that it might ill me afterwards." She then jerked her head to turn to Cinders. "Come now, sister. I am sure that you can conjure something better than this. After all, I want you to." She then turned to look at Rika, gesturing for her to agree.
The other stepsister coughed slightly, and delicately pushed her own bowl away. "Um, yes," she whispered. "I-I-I do not wish to drink this as well. Bring something else out."
The stepmother smiled lovingly at her two daughters, then frowned at Cinders, stiffly staring at the standing girl, whowas waiting for the commands that would come. "Hurry up and bring something better, now, Cinders." Hearing her talk, Cinders quietly wiped a bit of the soot away from her face. She turned to her stepmother, and bowed.
"As you wish, stepmother. I shall-" she started, turning to walk away back to the kitchen to prepare.
"Bring butter bread and tea for before the meal, of course," Meiling ordered.
"Yes," Rika said softly as Cinders continued to walk once more. "Thank you, Sakura." Cinders smiled softly, as she heard Meiling badger at Rika for calling her by her name. Sakura had adopted the name 'Cinders' just shortly after her father died. Quickly, her stepmother and Meiling turned on her, and made her a servant instead of keeping her as a family member of their own. They pushed her into the kitchen, and there she stayed, for her father's last words were: Sakura, dearest. You must cherish your family, for they are all that you have left now. Sonomi loves you, and she always will. Listen to your stepmother, and your stepsisters. Do as they wish, for that way, you will all be happy.
Sakura felt tears well up into her eyes as she started to slice a loaf of bread. She sat by the fire often, so the crackling ashes would fly to her face, and stay there. Meiling teased her, and was the first to dub her 'Cinders.' Shortly, seeing nothing wrong with the name, her stepmother followed. Rika did as well, but often would slip, and call her by Sakura again. Sakura, the name which her own mother gave herself. The thought that Rika might waver a bit to Sakura's feelings made her a bit calmer, yet she still hurt inside.
Father, you lied, she thought silently, wishing that he could hear her right now. They may be happy, but I am not. Yet those words are the promise that you wish for me to keep, and what else can I do but keep it? If only there were another way, father. Would you want for me to be happy as well? I guess, in a way, I am only keeping half of that promise. I'm sorry, father. She quickly wiped some water away from her eyes before they had a chance to become streaming tears, and placed the bread on plates that she brought out. Already, the water was heating up from the fire. She would need a wiping cloth as well, for the mess Meiling made in the dining room.
Looking out of the window, Sakura sighed as she watch the snow slowly starting to stop falling from the night sky. She took in a longing breath, then unwillingly moved away from the window to fix up the appetizers for her family. She placed four slices of bread onto each plate, a small slab of butter next to it, and pieces of meat and vegetables on another part of the plate. Lifting all three up, she tiredly carried them out of the kitchen.
If only I could rid myself of this loneliness inside of me...
*~*~*~*~*~*
Strolling out of his room, he adjusted his cloak as he walked down the stairs to the front door to the palace, making sure that it covered the ordinary and common clothing underneath. When he saw the guards standing in front of it, his shoulders literally slumped down in defeat and he stopped in his tracks in the middle of the stairway. I need to find a way to get out... A way out, a way out... He blinked when a solution came to his head. Wait a minute! I'm the PRINCE!! Rolling his eyes at his stupidity, he continued his way down the remaining steps and continued up to the front of the walk.
"I wish to walk along the gardens outside," he stated when he saw them. "Open the gates for me." A strong sense of relief came over him when they nodded and gradually opened the high doors. He nodded a thanks to them, and walked out as casually as he could. Once he heard the doors creaked close behind him, the prince gave a smirk as he ran the heck out of the palace, towards the stables.
Smiling as he reached a dark horse, he opened the small stable door and rubbed the animal affectionately. "Come, Streaic. Let's ride." Getting on the sturdy horse, the prince rode off through the plains, as quickly away from the castle as he could, the wind blowing against his hair and into his ears, enjoying the freedom of no restraints on him. He enjoyed the feel of the snow underneath, some flying up through the air to hit against his face. It felt great.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Sakura took a bunch snow into her hands even though it felt freezing cold against her. Throwing it up into the air, she laughed as it slowly fell down to the ground around her. Dancing in it, she forgot all about her worries inside of the house as she glanced at the footsteps she was making in it. Bending down to kneel in the snow once more, Sakura drew a heart in it, smiling as she started to daydream about the image.
How nice it would be if somebody could love her. Just love, without any kind of attachments or strings to go along with it. Frowning now, considering how she realized that it wouldn't happen anytime soon, Sakura quickly got up, and turned to look back at the house. It was pretty big. But then again, her father had led quite a good life, and now, they was enough money to support the family for life. Almost.
I'm going to have to go get a job ONE day. After all, even though father left us with a lot of money, it still does not grow on trees. Sooner or later, we WILL run out... But we're careful with spending the money, sometimes. Stepmother is not really extravagant or such. Well, sometimes. She stared at the big house, about the size of a small mansion. Yet even with so much stuff, she hardly got a good room to sleep in. In fact, she got so used to the kitchen that she slept there often now.
Deciding to not return to the house yet, Sakura walked further off away from home. Starting to walk a bit faster, she began to run through the snow, laughing as she did. The cold atmosphere curled about her, wrapping itself around her warmth. Well, at least something wishes to hug me... Sakura thought gloomily.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Feeling the horse starting to lose control in the terrain, the prince quickly pulled the reins back, slowing him down a bit. Looking around, he wrapped the cloak around him a bit as a cold draft started to really blow against him. "Wow, Streaic," he mumbled. "No wonder I don't come out during the winter much. I'd rather be in my room, reciting a tale from a book of mine... But aye, good weather this is, really. Let's just stroll a bit, Streaic... Less risk of slipping and going for a more dangerous ride than one wishes to have."
Turning to look back, he found himself a bit far away from the palace. The prince shrugged and just continued away from the palace, not wishing to really go back so quickly yet. It was hard trying to find some time for himself, or for people to treat him as one that would be equal to them. Instead, they stare at him with an expression that said that he was glorious, and everything that they wanted to be. And if it weren't people wishing for something from him, it would be his parents.
You must marry!
It is time for you to wed.
Come! Come to the banquet; there you shall find a bride.
Why must you be so hard about it?!
Hah! If anybody was hard on this topic, it would most definitely be his mother and father, NOT him! Why, avoiding was what he wanted to do. Why in the world could they not leave him alone?
Besides, it was not as if he wanted to not marry. It is difficult to find one who could connect with me, he sighed, not really paying attention to where Streaic was now going. Squinting his eyes in sadness, he shook his head in repulse. How in the world could he find one to love him for him, and not for his status? That would definitely take a miracle of all miracles. And yet still, how could such a miracle even happen? What kind of a girl would look for someone like me on the inside, and not someone like the prince? If only I can rid myself of this loneliness inside of me...
Suddenly, the prince realized that the two of them had gotten to the edge of a hill. The prince felt Streaic's hoof slip, and they started to slip and slide down, with the prince's face filled with a sense of dread when he couldn't pull Streaic back up with the reins. "Oh!!!!" he shouted, when he saw a figure right down at the bottom of the hill.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Sakura smiled as she ran out into a field of beautiful white. Swerving around, she found herself just twirling in happiness. I hope that stepmother and Meiling won't be looking for me. If they do, then what shall I do? My clothes are already getting a bit wet, so I will have to go back home to change as well. Oh, then I should maybe go back and check. After all, father said... Sakura shook her head, angry at herself. If that is all the reason why I am still with them, then what shall I do? I cannot keep telling myself this over and over again. And the way they treat me...
"Cinders, Cinders, Cinders," she mimicked. "Clean the room, Cinders. Make dinner, Cinders. Bring me my clothes, Cinders. Do this, Cinders. Do that, Cinders. Blah bleh, Cinders. And then, Cinders-"
But she was never able to finish her sentence when a sudden rumbling rush of noise started to come towards her. Turning slightly to her right, she gasped when a large something-or-other was rolling down a hill. Quickly, she turned the opposite way, and tried to evade the trail of snow. Taking short glances, she found it rolling closer and closer, until it was about twenty feet away. Ten feet away. Five.
Sakura felt her legs give way when she felt the air knocked out of her as she rolled in the snow after something impacted her. She closed her eyes, not knowing what to do when she felt herself get tangled along with whatever had hit her. Gasping for breath, Sakura clutched her chest, eyes still shut. Pain seethed through her as she felt freezing snow fly in the air and plaster her on the face.
Sakura had no clue how many moments had passed, only that the next thing she knew was of somebody patting her cheeks softly, murmuring some incomprehensible words to her. She groaned as she shifted around a bit, trying to get away from the cold snow underneath her, her teeth chattering. Sakura felt herself getting picked up to sit on her legs, her upper body being held by strong arms. Finally, the words started to come clear, at least, a bit more than before.
"... Maiden? Maiden are you well? I am sorry! I did not mean to do that! My horse..." And that was all she managed to get before she found herself losing consciousness once more, and slumped onto something. Something that was warming her body up as she laid there, though it left her feet going numb from the cold.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Waking up again, Sakura moaned as she finally opened her eyes. What she didn't expect were another pair of eyes staring straight back at her. "AH!" she gave a short, but loud, yell, backing up as quickly as she could. But instead of being able to do that, she ran into something else. Jerking her head around, she found herself face-to-face with a snorting animal, which tossed its head back, and she shrieked again, at first too frightened to think straight.
Grabbing a hold onto the person's arm, she turned to look at him, then back at the horse (which she figured out a second later after she had yelled), and then gave a sneeze. "Achoo! Oh, drat!" she cursed. "How long have I been lying here?" she asked the male. Looking at him, Sakura found that he had deep blue eyes, and dark-colored hair as well. He was wearing glasses, and it surprised her that his vision did not blur from the weather. He was wearing a fancy cloak, but a commoner's clothes underneath. Unusual... Sakura decided. Well, maybe he bought it with some hard-earned money or such.
"Well, I apologize once more, maiden. My horse slipped at the top of the hill there," he pointed at the direction. "And I could not stop him in time. I assure you that you should be grateful it was I who ran into you, and not Streaic. Otherwise, you would have been in a much worse condition. I think that you almost woke up before, but couldn't stay that way for long. I carried you over here to my horse, and that might have been about fifteen minutes ago. Not too long."
Sakura nodded wordlessly. She rubbed her hands over her arms, shivering slightly. She could already feel an illness creeping up on her, and she wished to stop it right away. "I have been out too long, if you ask me. I really need to-"
"Oh!" he said, staring at her. Quickly, he took off his cloak, and wrapped it around her, even if parts of it was moist as well. "I really did not mean to do this to you. And in such a weather as well. Horrible, is it not? So cold. And because of it, Streaic is not as controllable as he could be in better terrain. You know how slippery and icy snow can be. I just wish that you did not get caught in our avalanche," he joked.
Sakura nodded her head. "Yes, it might be cold, but look at the beauty it brings," she said, waving her hand around her. Seeing the confused look on the boy's face, she rolled her eyes lightheartedly. "Snow! Look at how it covers the land in such a beautiful and vast blanket. It is especially wonderful if you watch it through a window, each bit of powder dropping down lightly while drinking hot tea as you sit there, comfortably watching nature do her job. It is contentment to me. And to be able to play in it... Such fun!"
The prince stared at her, then gave a happy laugh. "Such words! The poetic beauty they bring. Maiden, your way with verbal emotion matches your beauty, most truthfully. But even though it is wonderful, I must contradict some of the lovely images that you wrote. This snow, it can also be deadly in other ways as well. Such as avalanches, as you can see. The way it is forever cold. And as comforting as it is to you, it does not bode well for others who unfortunately get lost in it."
Cringing, Sakura gave a weak smile. "Ah, yes. I suppose that in all things, there shall always be consequences." Suddenly, her eyes widened when she realized something. "Oh! I really have been away from home for far too long of a time." Picking herself up, she dusted the white cold powder off of herself. Turning to look at him, Sakura nodded her head in gratitude. "Thank you for tending to me and all when I passed out. I really must be on my way. Thank you again." She handed him back his cloak, and turned around to walk away.
"Wait!" he cried, stopping her in her tracks. He walked up to her, and wrapped his cloak around her shoulders anyway, stopping her protesting words. "You would need it. I do not wish for you to catch a cold any easier than it already is. Do not worry about whether you can give it back to me or not. I have more at home." Then, he backed up from her, smiling slightly as he did, but a new expression entered his face. Standing up, he stared at her with an expression of disbelief. "You... actually wish to go home? I mean, you spoke of such freedom in your words. Is it that good at home? That you are happy?"
Biting her lip, Sakura turned her eyes away for a bit. Then, she forced a smile onto her face, and nodded her head one more time. "Yes. My family is wonderful to me. That, and I have much to do, and I fear my family might worry about me since I was gone for so long. Farewell, and may our paths meet again." She yelled the last words as she quickly ran off.
He nodded. "Yes, may our paths- ah! Oh, wait a minute! What is your name?!"
From a distance, Sakura turned around, and said the first thing that came to her mind. "CINDERS!!!" It was minutes later after she returned home when she realized she had hurried home so quickly that she never asked him for his name.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Where were you, Cinders?!" Meiling screeched from where she sat, which was on a chair in front of a study table in the living room. She appeared to be trying to read a book, but instead had started to draw all over it instead, probably from boredom. "Because you decided to go gallivanting off somewhere, I am starving! Make me a meal this instant!"
Nodding, Sakura walked off to the kitchen. "Yes, Meiling."
"And do NOT go play with Cerberus until you finish your chores as well! That big lug of an animal can wait!"
Just as she was about to go into the kitchen, Sakura then heard another voice call to her. "Cinders!" her stepmother's voice riveted around. Sighing, Sakura moved away from the kitchen, and found her stepmother in her bed. "Ah, Cinders, how nice of you to finally return home. Did you have fun, ignoring your duty at home?"
Bending her head down, Sakura nodded. "I apologize, stepmother. I forgot about the time, and-"
Slamming her hand onto a table next to her bed, the stepmother stopped Sakura in her sentence. "Forgot! You FORGOT about your work and went out to play?! There is no excuse what-so-ever for your carelessness, Cinders! Now you are behind schedule, and today, we have a portrait painter coming over to capture your sisters! The entire house MUST look distinguished! At this time, you must tidy the laundry. It has piled up since you were not here. Then you must clean the windows, the halls, the stairs, all the rooms. You have until sundown to do so. Fix the gardens outside, the poor flowers are wilting from the cold. You know what to do, since you've been at this for years, Cinders. So get to it."
"But Meiling wants me to-"
"Bah! Fine then," Sonomi said in exasperation. "Whatever Meiling wants for you to do, then tend to that first. Afterwards, go about everything else." With those words, she dismissed Sakura away. Walking off, Sakura closed her eyes, going back to the kitchen to make a meal for Meiling as she listened to her stepmother rant some more, her voice fading away. Unconsciously, she dropped her extra clothing, including the cloak she was given, oblivious from the depression she felt. You'll never get anywhere, Cinders. Why should I raise your hopes when you will just never get anywhere in life? Sakura remembered the words her stepmother said to her, over and over again.
You're just an orphan, and you know that. I may take care of you, but that means nothing to me nor you at all. I am but a stepmother, and two mouths are enough for me to feed. You shall help with around the house, and do as I tell you to, do you understand? And Sakura did understand. She understood, because her father wanted her to understand. She understood, because if she did not, she would be betraying her father's promise. So as she did all she was told to, her stepmother's words ringing in her mind, her head, torturing her. They told her of no hopes. Of no joy. And most definitely, of no love.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Leading Streaic back to his stable, the prince then walked back to the main doors, and opened them himself. Going inside, he was suddenly attacked by a person with brown hair. "PRRRRRRIIIINNNNNNCCCEEEE ERIOL!!!!!!!!!" he heard his advisor yell with the small tint of relief in her tone. Stopping from hugging him for a while, she held him at arms length, her eyes showing a bit of anger in them. "Do you have any clue what the king and queen are saying?! Hurry! Hurry! You must go see them instantly. They have been asking for you, and wish to speak to you of... well..."
"Marriage," Eriol finished for her tiredly. "Will they never leave me alone of this?! What is there more to speak of?! I told them, and I told them again and again, that I do not wish to marry until I am ready for it. I do not wish to go speak to them until they wish to speak of more important topics. Even a choice of new clothing would make it more better." With those words, Eriol turned to walk up the stairs of the palace, going to his room.
"Stay right there!" he heard a clear voice speak. Rolling his eyes, Eriol turned around, and found his mother and father, Queen Kaho and King Clow, walking up to him, head advisors behind them. Cursing under his breath, he watched as his mother smiled at him. "Eriol, did you lie to the soldiers again?" she asked, an amused look on her face. His father stared at his son, a regal expression on his calm face. "You know that it does not do well to deceive others."
"Yes, mother," Eriol said, nodding his head along, hoping that if he did, he would be able to get away quicker.
"Now, let us talk about something else. A lighter matter. Your wedding-"
Right away, Eriol let out a groan. "Please, Eriol. It is not as if we wish for you to rush into such a thing. But the head advisors! They, well, advise that it would be a good thing for you to find one to be mate to, and it will do you good to have a wife to guide you through some problems that you might not understand. I know that we are there to help with those as well, but if you do not marry, then the head advisors will keep badgering us, and I do not know how long I can take it!"
Shaking his head, Eriol narrowed his eyes at the head advisors, and they backed up, a bit nervous under his gaze. "Look, I am going to take a leave from this place for a while. One month from now, I am going to go visit Cousin Yamazaki in the next kingdom, hopefully gain some REST from all this talk about marriage. Then-" Suddenly, a dark creature strolled in to the main hall, walking up to them. Eriol bent down, and affectionately scratched the creature in the ears. "Ah, Spinel."
Looking down at their son, the queen continued to smile. "It is hard to believe you can show so much affection for that animal, and not a ounce of it towards another woman. Nakuru," she ordered. "If the prince plans on going out anymore, I want you to accompany him." Seeing the surprising expression on Eriol's face, Kaho smiled. "Ah, son, do you truly believe that we do not know of your lurking around? Now, as you can see, we are giving you a bit more freedom than before. It is just that I wish for you to not go out alone. Nakuru will go with you. And if you want, bring Spinel with you as well."
Grinning, Nakuru peered down at Spinel, and said one word to him. "Suppi." Hearing him growl a protest at her, Nakuru said, "Ah, your highness. I can see that this animal and I will become GOOD friends." She was about to pet it when the animal snapped at her, almost biting her hand off. "Aww," she cooed. "How cute." But with those, words she backed up a bit.
Hearing his mother's words, Eriol finally nodded his head. "Okay, fine. I'll agree to those terms. So now, I shall be able to go out, at least. And now that we've gotten that settled, I wish to leave now. I shall speak with you later, mother, father. And when we do, it better truly be of better topics." With those words, he gave a smiling glare at the advisors, leaving them shuddering with the thought of what's to come later.
Once Eriol entered his room, he closed the door behind him, and watched as Spinel curled up next to his bed. Eriol walked up to a large window, and opened it up, feeling the nice draft of wind blow against him. Staring at the land below him, he took a short glance at the in-door gardens close to the front of the door. Then he saw white blanket across the entire land. It will snow soon. I can feel it. Chuckling, he then shook his head, remembering what had just happened to him today.
"A girl named Cinders?! How enchanting."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Washing the windows on the door, Sakura wiped her forehead with an arm as she continuously scrubbed it with all her might. Suddenly, she felt a small nose poke into her view. Turning around, she saw the lion staring at her, it's eyes boring into her. If she didn't know any better, Sakura would've thought that it was just looking into her soul. Smiling, Sakura pet Cerberus on the head with a soapy hand of hers. "Let me be for a while, Cerberus," she scolded lightly. "I have a few hours left in order to clean the rest of the house up, and I cannot do it with distractions."
The beast just nuzzled her more, pushing its nose into her waist. Giggling, she pushed the animal away with another soapy hand. "Come on, Cerberus! I can't play right now. Later on, I'll give you some cake, okay? Go back to play with the horse." Those words obviously convinced Cerberus enough, so he ran off, turning around a corner after he got to the edge of one side of the house, disappearing around the bend.
Absentmindedly, using the window as a semi-mirror, Sakura brushed some smudges of soot off of her face from sitting by the fire in the kitchen. Instead, all it did was smear it some more. Seeing the hopelessness in it, Sakura shrugged, and continued cleaning the window. Minutes later, she was dusting the book room, coughing as the dust filled her entire view up. She tried to turn her head away, but found that she would not be able to see where she would be dusting.
Suddenly, the sounds of someone knocking at the door moved her away from her chores, and she gladly welcomed the interruption. Running to the entrance, Sakura opened the door, and stared at the man in standing in front of her. Then, seeing the materials he was holding, she smiled. "You must be the artist." And quite young for one as well. "Please come in. Madame Sonomi has been expecting your visit."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Please review. ^^ It will tell me how you think of this fic so far.