Once Upon A December
Prologue: The Fateful Night
Okay, hey! I don't own CCS of any of their characters. CLAMP does. I want to be CLAMP!!!! The song Once Upon A December belongs to Deana Carter. It's basically about this girl singing a song about how she almost remembers a song, a person, and a magical life (as in princess). It also happens to be my title. This story is based on the movie Anastasia which belongs to Disney. So what happens in this story? The Kinomoto's are the ruling family of Russia, but a Clow, a family friend, betryas them and basically declares war on them. 10 years later, the Dowager Empress is the only one left alive from Clow's wrath. But, the Grand Duchess Sakrua Emiko Kinomoto (yes she has the same middle name as her made up Grandmother in my story!) is perhaps still alive. Left behind during the siege, nobody knows what happened to her. So, Emiko Kinomoto proposes a a reward to whoever can bring back her granddaughter to her. The race is on... will anyone find Sakura? What really happened to Clow? And what happens if you throw a bit of romance into the mix.......?
Our story begins in St. Petersburg, Russia, 1916. Just before the siege of the Royal Palace. A ball was being held to celebrate the 300th year of the Kinomoto line. But not all went well that night. A close friend of the Czar Fujitaka Kinomoto had been revealed as a fraud just months before, working to take control of Russia by bringing down the Kinomoto line.......
"Grandmere! Must you be gone for so long? Why must you go to Paris again? We could have fun at the ball....."
An old lady with graying hair, but bright green eyes that sparkled just like the young Grand Duchesses, Sakura Kinomoto, laughed and brought the eight year old to her knee. "My dear, dear, Sakura. You tempt me every time to stay back! But, you know I can't. But -look- I have a secret to share with only you."
"Oh what is it? Is a special secret? I should feel very important to have one of my own to keep- why Tory won't share any with me! Not that I should want to share any with him! He is awfully mean to me! Called the picture I made of us taking a walk in the park two pigs in a field!"
Emiko Kinomoto laughed at her grandchild's innocence. What a carefree life she lead- but, alas, she too was born into a world of glamor and lies. If only she knew what was happening.... "My cherry blossom, of course this is a special secret! Look, here is a music box. The key will be a necklace you can keep with you at all times. It has the words 'Forever with you in Paris'. So, no matter how lonely you get here in St. Petersburg, you'll know I'm forever with you in Paris. And, now then, when you open it-"
"It plays our song!" Sakura cried. "Oh, I shall never give this music box to anyone! Oh tell anyone- can it just be our secret?"
"Of course dear." Emiko smiled. "Yours and mine, Sakura. Forever."
But, little did anyone know that that night, the Kinomoto's would never be the same...
"Clow, you traitor! How dare you come into my palace?! Have you no shame in what you tried to do to my family?," the Czar yelled with rage, pointing at his ex-friend. All the guest who had just been previously dancing in the ball room gossiped to one another.
" Fujitaka I have no idea why you yell so. I have done nothing to you and your family. I am your honest friend who has been falsely accused of this treachery!"
"Honest, indeed! You tried to ruin me, old friend. I let this go before; I see stripping you of you power as military general was not enough. I shall see to it you are punished for these deeds against the Royal Family!"
"You? Punish me? Fujitaka you know nothing of what I am capable of now! Hand over the throne before I take it by force."
"Never, Clow. I shall never hand over my throne to you- and you boast you can take it by force? While I have the might of all of Russia by my side?"
Clow smiled; his long black hair began to rise in an non-existent wind. "You know nothing if you think guns will stop me or my army. Magic, Fujitaka. It's called magic." Clow paused as the crowd began to stir with fear. "This is truly the end of the Kinomoto line....."
Fujitaka hurried his family out of the palace, wearing black coats over their clothing. Boarded up doors and windows could be heard withstading Clow's soilders- but not for long. Sooner of later they would fall.....
"Sakura, please, hurry!," Sakura's mother called out.
"I forgot my jewelery box! I need to go back!"
"Sakura!" Emiko called out, running after her granddaughter.
A young servant boy ran after the Grand Dutches, trying to stop her. He chased her and the Dowager Empress into her room, where she found her jewelery box...
"Your Highnesses, it is not safe! Please, leave now!" the boy begged.
"Come Sakura. Out the door!"
"No, they have already broken in. Come, quickly, out the servant's passage." The boy opened a door, hidden so it looked like the wall.
"My jewelery box!" Sakura cried as she dropped it. The boy shut the door behind her, considering if he should go in to and pass her the jewelery box. But, Clow's solders broke into the room...
"Where is she boy?," a solider demanded.
The boy grabbed a sword from the floor and tried to stab the 30 year old solider; but with no luck. He was hit hard on the head and thrown against the wall. The last things he was conscious of were the solders agreeing that the Grand Duchess wasn't in the room and the shine of the gold jewelery box by his hand....
Sakura and Emiko ran for the train, where the rest of her family was aboard. It was already moving, as Sakura's father pulled Emiko aboard. "Sakura, grab hold of my hand." Emiko cried.
"I'm trying." As their hands touched Sakura felt her grandmothers eyes widen in fear. Sakura's legs were wearing out as the train began to speed up. She wasn't going to be able to keep running much longer......
"Sakura!" Fujitaka called out. "Were going to pull you up- just keep running! Please!"
"I...can't.....Grandmere! Papa! Mama! Tory! Help.....me!" Sakura's grasp gave way as she fell onto the hard wood sidewalk, hitting her head so hard she became unconscious.
Emiko was held back by Sakura's father who helplessly saw his only daughter laying unconscious on the sidewalk. But, if they went back for her, they'd never have a hope of escaping with their lives....
"Sakura!" Emiko's voice cried out into the night. "SAKURA!"