Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura does not belong to me but to CLAMP...
~PLum BLoSsOm~ : Hello everyone, this is my 1st time writing stories & I hope that if you guys happen to stumble in here, please take a lil of ur time to read it & feel free to comment on it...I've got the inspirations
from the 2nd movie, where Sakura is performing a play in the Nadeshiko festival & also one of my draft from the composition that I'll be doing
for my exams ^_^
Ok, sorry for the blabbering & on to the story
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In case you are wondering:
~*~ : change of scene / change of POV
' ' : Characters' thought
" " : Characters speaking
[ ] : That would be me talking (or typing, for that matter)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 1:
'This is totally unfair to me...' Tomoyo thought as crystalline tears streamed down her pale, angelic face.
"Tomoyo-chan!..." A sweet, gentle voice that she had known since childhood reached her ears. Hastily, she wiped her tears with a white laced handkerchief before getting up from the comfort of her bed to open the door for her best friend-cum-cousin, Kinomoto Sakura.
"Sakura-chan, I thought you are meeting Li-kun? What are you doing here?" Tomoyo asked, willing a smile to grace her face. Sakura shook her head mentally, she had seen right through to one of Tomoyo's mask.
'She's getting too good at hiding her emotions, I almost couldn't see through that mask she's wearing,' Sakura thought sadly.
"Anou...Tomoyo-chan, I heard from otousan that Sonomi-baasan wants to marry you off to the Duke from France [A/N: no, not Eriol]..."Sakura trailed off uncertainly.
Tomoyo sighed tiredly. 'Well, words sure spreads like wildfire...' she thought bitterly. Once again, she forced a faint smile at Sakura. "Hai, Sakura-chan. I didn't really know until okaasan told me this morning that she is match-making me with some foreign Duke that I have yet to take a glimpse of..."Tomoyo trailed off before continuing to tell Sakura what happened that morning.
~Flashback~
"Hime-sama, breakfast is ready. Queen Daidouji is already at the table awaiting your presence," A maid about Tomoyo's age announced, knocking on the door gently before peeking her head in to inform Tomoyo.
"Arigatou, Yuki-chan, but just call me Tomoyo, please. I'll be down in a moment," Tomoyo answered, as her handmaid bowed before taking her leave.
"Ohayou, okaasan," Tomoyo murmured as she settled herself across the table from her mother, a lady with short mahogany-red hair & chestnut coloured eyes. Her mother smiled at her daughter in a way of greeting & cleared her throat.
"Tomoyo dear, I have an announcement to make. I was at the ball yesterday night and I came upon a Duke from France...He's quite a gentlemanly young man, has a charming ways with the ladies as well..."
"What are you trying to hint at, okaasan? I hope you are not having the intention of match-making me with that Duke that you are so fond of..."Tomoyo asked with an undetectable sharp edge to her voice. The servants, who were standing near the table serving breakfast, winced slightly at their young mistress's voice. Tomoyo was normally a sweet, understanding and loving 18 yr old girl who have the sweetest temper that the people around her find it hard to not like her the moment they saw her. However, even the sweetest creature has it's limits when they are forced into something that they do not like and this conversation between mother and daughter is leading to a point whereby the servants would get to witness their young mistress flare up in one of her rarest emotion shown - Anger.
If the sharpness had shown visibly in Tomoyo's voice, her mother had either choose to ignore it or she had not really notice it. "That is what I am exactly hinting to you, dear. I'm sure you are aware of that since you are extremely perseptive and observant. In any case, you have reach a marriageable age and I'm prepare to let some nice, promising young man take care of you for the rest of your life."
Tomoyo willed herself to calm down before speaking, "Okaa-sama, I'm not going to marry that man. I have already found someone in my heart and I cannot spare any more space for that Duke of France."
Queen Daidouji Sonomi winced inwardly after hearing the formal suffix that her precious daughter had used in addressing her. 'Looks like I have really anger my precious, she only called me Okaa-sama when she's unhappy,' she thought amusedly. "But, precious dear, I have already invite him over to lunch with us and the Kinomotos, surely you can't expect a queen to retract her promise?"
When she got no reply from Tomoyo, she sighed. Tomoyo can make her feel guilty without even realising it.
"You are going to meet him this afternoon whether you like it or not and if you are unsatisfy about him, I will organise a ball to summon all the eligible, single princes and noblemen so that you can sought out that someone who had already captured your heart. If that person, by any chance, had not turned up, you will listen to me and marry that Duke."
"I'm not desperate to get wedded to anyone...but if you so wish to get rid of me that soon, I shall grant you your wish. Excuse me, I'm going back to my room to get ready," Tomoyo replied bitterly, with a hint of coldness lacing her words.
~End of Flashback~
"I see, so you have to attend a ball to seek out that special someone that you have in mind or marry that Duke," Sakura murmured softly, as Yuki came in with a tray of tea and cakes for her mistress and her cousin. "Do not be sad, Tomoyo-sama. A frown doesn't goes well with your sweet face," Yuki comforted her mistress as she served both Tomoyo and Sakura. Sakura thanked Yuki and turned back to the princess who is currently hiding her distress behind her mask.
"Well, if that certain gentleman had your heart captured, I'm sure you would had his name..." "Anou...at that time, the ball I attended was a masked ball...and the rules is that names are not to be mentioned..." Tomoyo trailed off. Both Sakura and Yuki sweat-dropped.
"What?! I don't believed this...if you do not know who he is, then how are you going to seek him out?" Sakura asked, incredulity in her voice.
"Well, we are supposed to take off our mask at the end of the ball but you happened to sense trouble brewing nearby and I can't missed drawing you in action wearing the costume I made so I went off half-way through the ball..."Tomoyo said defensively. Again, more sweat-drops from both the princess with a magical gift and the handmaid.
"Tomoyo-sama, the Queen also want me to remind that you have a few minutes to finish getting ready before the French Duke arrived," Yuki informed her mistress. Tomoyo nodded mutely while Sakura chirped, "Saa, let me help you into your dress as well. Don't have to worry so much though, if the Duke wants to get fresh with you, Syaoran-kun, Onii-chan and I will take personally give him our special attention."
"Arigatou, Sakura-chan!..." For the first time since that morning, Tomoyo had a sincere smile gracing her lips.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The French Duke, or the Duke of Ylang to be precise, sat near the Queen, nervously fingering the napkin on the dining table in front of him. He had long heard of the Princess that the Queen had wanted him to meet. She was the woman of any men's dream and had been pretty much sought after by many of the foreign princes or noblemen that had happen to come to their land for a visit. He sure was lucky that the Queen had thought highly of him and invite him to lunch with the princess and her cousin's family.
"Don't have to be nervous and get your hopes up too high you know, the final decision still lies with my precious daughter whether she wants to be with you for the rest of her life..." Queen Daidouji murmur softly with a clearing of her throat to get the Duke's attention. King Fujitaka, Sakura's and Touya's father looked worriedly at his wife's cousin to get her attention.
"Tomoyo must had been upset when you mention this to her this morning...I didn't know you have invite the Duke of Ylang over this afternoon for lunch, I thought you were just having a casual chat with him the night before at the ball," He whispered to her so that the Duke would not hear their conversation.
"But surprising, she didn't really show that huge a reaction when I told her. She should have come with me to the ball last night so that she wouldn't feel so bitter about it now...if only the cold had not keep her..." Sonomi trailed off when the double doors to the dining room opened to revealed Tomoyo in a peach coloured simple off-the-shouder lunch gown [A/N:is there such a thing as a lunch gown?] with a fitting bodice and soft, silk material that flow freely from her waist on. The upper section of her hair was braid at the side of her head then fastened to the back with a matching peach coloured ribbon & the rest of the hair cascade down her back in a gentle wave. Sakura was in a similar gown, only it was sea- green with sleeves that reach to her elbows, her short auburn hair was pulled back into a half braid with the hair clip that her brother's best friend, Yukito, gave her while visiting Syaoran and his family in Hong Kong. Both the princesses looked absolutely stunning.
"Duke of Ylang, meet Princess Tomoyo with her cousin, Princess Sakura," Sonomi announced, smiling as the duo made their way to the table. The Duke made a move to take Tomoyo's hand and kissed it but before his lips could meet the back of her hands, Tomoyo had slipped her hand out of his grasp and settle herself beside her mother, facing him. Sakura, too, settle herself between Tomoyo and Syaoran, her fiance. Sonomi looked disapprovingly at her daughter and began to eat.
Tension hung in the air in the dining room so much so that even the servants serving the food could feel it as well. Little conversations were made and whenever the Duke tried to start a conversation with Tomoyo, she would simply answer him with short replies and her tone used was coldly polite and distant.
"Looks like Tomoyo is seriously uninterested in even conversing with the Duke," Sakura whispered to Syaoran, who nodded and scowled at the Duke.
"I don't like that man...he is full of himself...I'll make sure to give him a one-way ticket to hades if he dare to harm Daidouji,"Syaoran muttered back to his cherry blossoms. Sakura nodded in agreement. Touya seemed to catch what Syaoran and his little sister is conversing for he smirked back at the youth that he so often 'fought' with. "For once, I agree with you, Chinese Gaki. You take care of my sister or I'll make sure you have the same fate as well." Fujitaka and Yukito looked at Touya, they seemed to have no idea what he was saying for they didn't hear the first part of the conversation. [A/N: Strange, Yukito just sits besides Touya, well...he is busy with his food afterall ^_~]
"Sakura, where is Keroberos-san? I thought he would be delighted to joined us for lunch?" Fujitaka asked after a moment, realising that the yellow creature, usually in his borrowed form, is not at the table with them.
"I have send Kero-chan out for an errant, otousan, he will join us later if possible," Sakura replied back cheerfully, winking at her best friend.
After lunch, Tomoyo excused herself from the table and went back to her own room. Both Sakura and Syaoran also excused themselves to follow Tomoyo back so they could talk privately. After, the door to the dining room closed, the Duke of Ylang looked at the Queen. "Erm...the princess doesn't seem to talk much... is she not feeling well your majesty?" Touya snorted," Tomoyo- chan doesn't like to talk when she have her meals. Usually the one to make a meal interesting or lively would be Sakura or the stuff animal. Father excuse me and Yukito, we are going to take a walk in the gardens." With that said, both Yukito and him stood up to walk in the direction where the gardens are.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Sakura-chan, what are you up to? Why did you winked at me during lunch?" Tomoyo asked suspiciously after they had settled down comfortably around the dark green-gilded table in the balcony that connected to Tomoyo's bedroom. Sakura giggled while Syaoran shrugged, indicating that he has no idea as to what Sakura is up to as well.
"Well, both Syaoran-kun and I were at the masked ball with you as well... and I had a glimpse of your prince charming...if I remembered correctly, he had midnight-blue hair that fell into his eyes and I'm pretty sure that he is a good-looking gentleman if he were to take off his mask, right Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked as she nudged him gently.
"I sense a powerful aura emanating from him as well...but he has manage to suppress it so well that I almost missed it, he could be a sorcerer like us as well..." Syaoran said, his tone turning solemn and serious.
"Which is why I send Kero-chan off, to track down that aura. I want you to be happy, Tomoyo-chan. Like your handmaid had said, the frown really do not go well with your face. So I'll try my best to find your happiness."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~PLum BLoSsOm~ : Hello everyone, this is my 1st time writing stories & I hope that if you guys happen to stumble in here, please take a lil of ur time to read it & feel free to comment on it...I've got the inspirations
from the 2nd movie, where Sakura is performing a play in the Nadeshiko festival & also one of my draft from the composition that I'll be doing
for my exams ^_^
Ok, sorry for the blabbering & on to the story
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In case you are wondering:
~*~ : change of scene / change of POV
' ' : Characters' thought
" " : Characters speaking
[ ] : That would be me talking (or typing, for that matter)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 1:
'This is totally unfair to me...' Tomoyo thought as crystalline tears streamed down her pale, angelic face.
"Tomoyo-chan!..." A sweet, gentle voice that she had known since childhood reached her ears. Hastily, she wiped her tears with a white laced handkerchief before getting up from the comfort of her bed to open the door for her best friend-cum-cousin, Kinomoto Sakura.
"Sakura-chan, I thought you are meeting Li-kun? What are you doing here?" Tomoyo asked, willing a smile to grace her face. Sakura shook her head mentally, she had seen right through to one of Tomoyo's mask.
'She's getting too good at hiding her emotions, I almost couldn't see through that mask she's wearing,' Sakura thought sadly.
"Anou...Tomoyo-chan, I heard from otousan that Sonomi-baasan wants to marry you off to the Duke from France [A/N: no, not Eriol]..."Sakura trailed off uncertainly.
Tomoyo sighed tiredly. 'Well, words sure spreads like wildfire...' she thought bitterly. Once again, she forced a faint smile at Sakura. "Hai, Sakura-chan. I didn't really know until okaasan told me this morning that she is match-making me with some foreign Duke that I have yet to take a glimpse of..."Tomoyo trailed off before continuing to tell Sakura what happened that morning.
~Flashback~
"Hime-sama, breakfast is ready. Queen Daidouji is already at the table awaiting your presence," A maid about Tomoyo's age announced, knocking on the door gently before peeking her head in to inform Tomoyo.
"Arigatou, Yuki-chan, but just call me Tomoyo, please. I'll be down in a moment," Tomoyo answered, as her handmaid bowed before taking her leave.
"Ohayou, okaasan," Tomoyo murmured as she settled herself across the table from her mother, a lady with short mahogany-red hair & chestnut coloured eyes. Her mother smiled at her daughter in a way of greeting & cleared her throat.
"Tomoyo dear, I have an announcement to make. I was at the ball yesterday night and I came upon a Duke from France...He's quite a gentlemanly young man, has a charming ways with the ladies as well..."
"What are you trying to hint at, okaasan? I hope you are not having the intention of match-making me with that Duke that you are so fond of..."Tomoyo asked with an undetectable sharp edge to her voice. The servants, who were standing near the table serving breakfast, winced slightly at their young mistress's voice. Tomoyo was normally a sweet, understanding and loving 18 yr old girl who have the sweetest temper that the people around her find it hard to not like her the moment they saw her. However, even the sweetest creature has it's limits when they are forced into something that they do not like and this conversation between mother and daughter is leading to a point whereby the servants would get to witness their young mistress flare up in one of her rarest emotion shown - Anger.
If the sharpness had shown visibly in Tomoyo's voice, her mother had either choose to ignore it or she had not really notice it. "That is what I am exactly hinting to you, dear. I'm sure you are aware of that since you are extremely perseptive and observant. In any case, you have reach a marriageable age and I'm prepare to let some nice, promising young man take care of you for the rest of your life."
Tomoyo willed herself to calm down before speaking, "Okaa-sama, I'm not going to marry that man. I have already found someone in my heart and I cannot spare any more space for that Duke of France."
Queen Daidouji Sonomi winced inwardly after hearing the formal suffix that her precious daughter had used in addressing her. 'Looks like I have really anger my precious, she only called me Okaa-sama when she's unhappy,' she thought amusedly. "But, precious dear, I have already invite him over to lunch with us and the Kinomotos, surely you can't expect a queen to retract her promise?"
When she got no reply from Tomoyo, she sighed. Tomoyo can make her feel guilty without even realising it.
"You are going to meet him this afternoon whether you like it or not and if you are unsatisfy about him, I will organise a ball to summon all the eligible, single princes and noblemen so that you can sought out that someone who had already captured your heart. If that person, by any chance, had not turned up, you will listen to me and marry that Duke."
"I'm not desperate to get wedded to anyone...but if you so wish to get rid of me that soon, I shall grant you your wish. Excuse me, I'm going back to my room to get ready," Tomoyo replied bitterly, with a hint of coldness lacing her words.
~End of Flashback~
"I see, so you have to attend a ball to seek out that special someone that you have in mind or marry that Duke," Sakura murmured softly, as Yuki came in with a tray of tea and cakes for her mistress and her cousin. "Do not be sad, Tomoyo-sama. A frown doesn't goes well with your sweet face," Yuki comforted her mistress as she served both Tomoyo and Sakura. Sakura thanked Yuki and turned back to the princess who is currently hiding her distress behind her mask.
"Well, if that certain gentleman had your heart captured, I'm sure you would had his name..." "Anou...at that time, the ball I attended was a masked ball...and the rules is that names are not to be mentioned..." Tomoyo trailed off. Both Sakura and Yuki sweat-dropped.
"What?! I don't believed this...if you do not know who he is, then how are you going to seek him out?" Sakura asked, incredulity in her voice.
"Well, we are supposed to take off our mask at the end of the ball but you happened to sense trouble brewing nearby and I can't missed drawing you in action wearing the costume I made so I went off half-way through the ball..."Tomoyo said defensively. Again, more sweat-drops from both the princess with a magical gift and the handmaid.
"Tomoyo-sama, the Queen also want me to remind that you have a few minutes to finish getting ready before the French Duke arrived," Yuki informed her mistress. Tomoyo nodded mutely while Sakura chirped, "Saa, let me help you into your dress as well. Don't have to worry so much though, if the Duke wants to get fresh with you, Syaoran-kun, Onii-chan and I will take personally give him our special attention."
"Arigatou, Sakura-chan!..." For the first time since that morning, Tomoyo had a sincere smile gracing her lips.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The French Duke, or the Duke of Ylang to be precise, sat near the Queen, nervously fingering the napkin on the dining table in front of him. He had long heard of the Princess that the Queen had wanted him to meet. She was the woman of any men's dream and had been pretty much sought after by many of the foreign princes or noblemen that had happen to come to their land for a visit. He sure was lucky that the Queen had thought highly of him and invite him to lunch with the princess and her cousin's family.
"Don't have to be nervous and get your hopes up too high you know, the final decision still lies with my precious daughter whether she wants to be with you for the rest of her life..." Queen Daidouji murmur softly with a clearing of her throat to get the Duke's attention. King Fujitaka, Sakura's and Touya's father looked worriedly at his wife's cousin to get her attention.
"Tomoyo must had been upset when you mention this to her this morning...I didn't know you have invite the Duke of Ylang over this afternoon for lunch, I thought you were just having a casual chat with him the night before at the ball," He whispered to her so that the Duke would not hear their conversation.
"But surprising, she didn't really show that huge a reaction when I told her. She should have come with me to the ball last night so that she wouldn't feel so bitter about it now...if only the cold had not keep her..." Sonomi trailed off when the double doors to the dining room opened to revealed Tomoyo in a peach coloured simple off-the-shouder lunch gown [A/N:is there such a thing as a lunch gown?] with a fitting bodice and soft, silk material that flow freely from her waist on. The upper section of her hair was braid at the side of her head then fastened to the back with a matching peach coloured ribbon & the rest of the hair cascade down her back in a gentle wave. Sakura was in a similar gown, only it was sea- green with sleeves that reach to her elbows, her short auburn hair was pulled back into a half braid with the hair clip that her brother's best friend, Yukito, gave her while visiting Syaoran and his family in Hong Kong. Both the princesses looked absolutely stunning.
"Duke of Ylang, meet Princess Tomoyo with her cousin, Princess Sakura," Sonomi announced, smiling as the duo made their way to the table. The Duke made a move to take Tomoyo's hand and kissed it but before his lips could meet the back of her hands, Tomoyo had slipped her hand out of his grasp and settle herself beside her mother, facing him. Sakura, too, settle herself between Tomoyo and Syaoran, her fiance. Sonomi looked disapprovingly at her daughter and began to eat.
Tension hung in the air in the dining room so much so that even the servants serving the food could feel it as well. Little conversations were made and whenever the Duke tried to start a conversation with Tomoyo, she would simply answer him with short replies and her tone used was coldly polite and distant.
"Looks like Tomoyo is seriously uninterested in even conversing with the Duke," Sakura whispered to Syaoran, who nodded and scowled at the Duke.
"I don't like that man...he is full of himself...I'll make sure to give him a one-way ticket to hades if he dare to harm Daidouji,"Syaoran muttered back to his cherry blossoms. Sakura nodded in agreement. Touya seemed to catch what Syaoran and his little sister is conversing for he smirked back at the youth that he so often 'fought' with. "For once, I agree with you, Chinese Gaki. You take care of my sister or I'll make sure you have the same fate as well." Fujitaka and Yukito looked at Touya, they seemed to have no idea what he was saying for they didn't hear the first part of the conversation. [A/N: Strange, Yukito just sits besides Touya, well...he is busy with his food afterall ^_~]
"Sakura, where is Keroberos-san? I thought he would be delighted to joined us for lunch?" Fujitaka asked after a moment, realising that the yellow creature, usually in his borrowed form, is not at the table with them.
"I have send Kero-chan out for an errant, otousan, he will join us later if possible," Sakura replied back cheerfully, winking at her best friend.
After lunch, Tomoyo excused herself from the table and went back to her own room. Both Sakura and Syaoran also excused themselves to follow Tomoyo back so they could talk privately. After, the door to the dining room closed, the Duke of Ylang looked at the Queen. "Erm...the princess doesn't seem to talk much... is she not feeling well your majesty?" Touya snorted," Tomoyo- chan doesn't like to talk when she have her meals. Usually the one to make a meal interesting or lively would be Sakura or the stuff animal. Father excuse me and Yukito, we are going to take a walk in the gardens." With that said, both Yukito and him stood up to walk in the direction where the gardens are.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Sakura-chan, what are you up to? Why did you winked at me during lunch?" Tomoyo asked suspiciously after they had settled down comfortably around the dark green-gilded table in the balcony that connected to Tomoyo's bedroom. Sakura giggled while Syaoran shrugged, indicating that he has no idea as to what Sakura is up to as well.
"Well, both Syaoran-kun and I were at the masked ball with you as well... and I had a glimpse of your prince charming...if I remembered correctly, he had midnight-blue hair that fell into his eyes and I'm pretty sure that he is a good-looking gentleman if he were to take off his mask, right Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked as she nudged him gently.
"I sense a powerful aura emanating from him as well...but he has manage to suppress it so well that I almost missed it, he could be a sorcerer like us as well..." Syaoran said, his tone turning solemn and serious.
"Which is why I send Kero-chan off, to track down that aura. I want you to be happy, Tomoyo-chan. Like your handmaid had said, the frown really do not go well with your face. So I'll try my best to find your happiness."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~