Fallen Angel

Chapter One: the Icarus

by: Mel

E-mail: LightofFaeries@hotmail.com

Disclaimer: I don't own Card Captor Sakura or any of its characters. This story was purely for entertainment. Also, the icarus idea is from somewhere-that-I-can't-remember (a book or something, please tell me if you know the title to the book and the author, I just remember reading it from somewhere) so I don't own that either (sob, sob, I don't own anything). Wait, I do own the characters that I made up for this story and the plot so there.

Sakura climbed up the mountain, her breath now coming in short pants. The air was rapidly getting thinner the higher they climbed. Sakura stumbled, almost dropping her basket. Her mistress was higher up, climbing steadily. Sakura sometimes wished she could be like her mistress who was always calm and good at everything and very pretty. Sakura's foot slipped again. This time Sakura did not get up.

Instead, she called up to her mistress. "Mistress, please wait!"

Tomoyo turned around. One look at Sakura and she sighed. "I suppose I have to. You look ready to roll down the mountain."

Sakura gulped and nodded her thanks. She was so grateful that she had such a kind mistress like Tomoyo. Other mistresses might have slapped a slave just for talking.

Tomoyo made her way back down to Sakura, her basket held firmly to her hip with a little sway in her walk. Sakura marveled at how her mistress could climb down a mountain and still look graceful doing it.

Finally reaching Sakura, Tomoyo sat down next to her slave. "How are you doing? Think you can make it to the top?" Tomoyo's lavender eyes glinted at the question. She knew how much Sakura feared ghosts and people always said ghosts resided on mountaintops.

"Hoeeee! We're going to the very top?" Sakura's green eyes widened.

"Yes, of course, that's were the crystal flowers grow and you know no wedding is complete without them." All weddings were conducted with flowers, and being the oldest female cousin to the coming bride, Tomoyo was sent to collect the flowers needed for the wedding. And a slave was always suppose to be with her mistress so Sakura had to go along.

Sakura sighed, "I guess you're right. It's just that it's getting dark. And-and you know the stories about what goes on on a mountaintop at night." Sakura couldn't suppress a shudder.

Tomoyo laughed, "You've been listening too many of Kaho's stories missy. Maybe I should forbid you to listen to her since it apparently stops you from doing whatever I say."

Sakura's eyes widened even further, filling up her small, pale face. "Oh, no please mistress, I'll never question you again. Please don't forbid me from Kaho's stories! They're so interesting."

Tomoyo laughed, "No, Sakura, I won't. You're just so gullible."

"Oh," Sakura sighed in relief, glad her mistress was not angry.

"Come, we better get moving if you want to get back down to the village before nightfall." Tomoyo stood up and readjusted her basket on her hip. Sakura stood up after her, checking to make sure she hadn't spilled any flowers.

They moved on silently, too concentrated on climbing up the mountain to start a conversation. Just when Sakura started to wonder when they would reach the crystal flowers, she saw her mistress stop a little ways in front of her.

"Ah, here we go. I just saw a crystal flower. Tread carefully now, make sure you don't step on one. I'll go higher up and you look around here," Tomoyo said, bending down and plucking at the blossom she had spotted

Sakura nodded, too weary to respond and set about her task. She was to gather fifteen crystal blossoms while Tomoyo was to gather the other fifteen. Crystal flowers were rare and only grew on mountaintops. They were small and delicate with perfectly shaped petals that surrounded a crystal core. They hid in their leaves and were therefore easily missed.

Sakura squatted down and carefully combed her hand through some leaves. Finding nothing, she moved onto the next patch. Doing this over and over again, she managed to collect nine crystal blossoms before a scream rented the air.

Sakura's head jerked up and her eyes widened with fear. Something large and dark with more wings then possible to count grappled with her mistress. Tomoyo screamed again. Forgetting her basket completely, Sakura ran towards her mistress. Though she tripped and stumbled with every step, she ran doggedly on, hoping to reach her mistress in time.

She was too late. The creature—Sakura realized it was an icarus from one of Kaho's stories—finally grabbed her mistress forcefully and flew into the night sky.

Sakura collapsed on to the ground, sobbing. What was she to do now that her mistress, protector, and only friend was gone? Tomoyo had always been there to protect her from the cruelest punishments, always been there to cover up for her when she made a mistake. And now, Sakura clenched her fists until her knuckles were white, she was gone, just because her slow slave could not protect her. What was happening to her mistress now? Sakura knew that once every year, an icarus took a bride and drained her of her life. This year Tomoyo would be an icarus's bride. More tears slipped down Sakura face, she couldn't bear to think about it. Instead, she turned her thoughts to what would happen to her. If she went back, she was likely to be sold to another family and worse, but Sakura no longer cared. She knew she would never find a mistress like Tomoyo. Sakura thought she had rather been the one taken then let Tomoyo be taken. In fact, that was what was suppose to happen. A slave was suppose to give up everything for her mistress.

Suddenly, a new emotion flared up in Sakura's heart. Revenge. That was what she must to. Revenge her mistress and everything would be set to rights. Filled with this new feeling, Sakura decided to wait on the mountaintop for the icarus and when he came back, she would kill him. Sakura trembled at the thought, she had never harmed anyone before, but fortified herself at the thought of Tomoyo. She would revenge her mistress even if it would be the last thing that she did. Casting about for a suitable weapon, Sakura realized she had nothing with which to defend herself, much less attack. She realized she would have to go back to the village and arm herself, though not now. Tomoyo's family would sell her once they understood what had happened and she would lose her chance.

Sakura waited until the moon had passed its zenith in the sky before she dared set foot in the village. She crept along, just another shadow in the night. The village lay peacefully about her, all of its inhabitants dormant.

She made her way silently to the biggest house in the village and slipped through a side door that was kept open for slaves running errands late at night. She tiptoed through the slave quarters until she came to the kitchen.

Sakura looked about and spotted the utensil's wall. She padded silently over to it and examined the knives in their niches. She reached out a trembling hand and touched a particularly big knife hilt. She slowly drew it out of its slit in wall, needing two hands lift it. Moonlight streamed in through a window, illuminating the knife and her small, white hands holding the hilt. For a moment Sakura just wanted to drop the knife and run, but she gulped down most of her fear and quietly slid the knife back in its place. She reached her hand out and found a much smaller hilt. Liking the feel of it, Sakura drew it out of the wall. She found instead of a knife, she was looking at a dagger that had strange carvings along the edge of the blade and hilt. Sakura had never seen anything so exquisite. Quickly scanning the wall, she looked for its niche, wondering why such an obviously expensive dagger was doing in the kitchen. Not finding the niche, Sakura felt a strange urge to keep it. She argued with herself for awhile but finally consented to keep it until she was done with her task and then return it. Satisfied with that, Sakura slipped the dagger into her belt.

"What are you doing here dear?" asked a voice, floating softly from the doorway.

Sakura spun around and bit back a cry. It had been so quiet that just one voice had sounded like a scream. She had been caught.

An old woman hobbled into a patch on moonlight. Sakura realized it was Kaho, the old storyteller.

"It's all right, child, I'm not going to raise the alarm. I merely want to know what you are doing up at this hour. Where is your mistress?"

At the mention of Tomoyo, Sakura felt renewed tears spring to her eyes. She threw herself into Kaho's arms and told her the whole story. Kaho just crooned softly and held her comfortingly. When at last the story was done and Sakura pulled back slightly and looked up into the storyteller's face. Kaho's face was all wrinkles, but her eyes shone with a light that hinted brilliance not dulled by age. Sakura was strangely comforted by Diann's old face. It almost glowed with kindness and serenity and Sakura knew Kaho would help her.

It was awhile before Kaho stirred, her face had taken on the look she wore when telling one of her stories, a far way dreamy sort of look, as if she was seeing something others could not see.

"Well my child, I see your dilemma. While it would be unwise for me to give you advice just now, I can help you. Come child give me your hand and allow me to lean on you. Let us go to my room, I must give you something. Then we will see to provisions. Move quietly now, we don't want the whole house to know what we're up to," with that, Sakura extended her arm and Kaho took it. Sakura wanted to ask Kaho why she was helping her and why advice would be unwise, but was afraid to make too much noise.

When they reached Kaho's chamber, Sakura quietly eased the door open, wincing at the creaks of the long un-oiled door hinges, thinking that people would wake up any second because of that sound.

The room was sparsely furnished, just like any other room in the slave's wing. A small bed was pushed against the far wall and there was basin for washing. Kaho hobbled over by the bed, bending down and searching for something. Finally, she pried open a loose-floor board and scooped up something from beneath it. Wiggling the floor-board loosely back into place, she picked herself and hobbled back to Sakura. Indicating for Sakura to lower her head, she slipped something around Sakura's neck. Sakura felt something thud against her chest. Pulling it out, she saw that it was a small key with wings and a bird's head on top. Sakura was puzzled and turned to Kaho, but Kaho was already heading back towards the kitchen. Sakura padded quickly after her.

In the kitchens, Kaho put food in a large bag and water in two canteens and gave them to a surprised Sakura. Sakura had not thought about food, only a knife and revenge and now she felt guilty about taking things without. She opened her mouth to protest, but Kaho hurried her towards the side-door.

"You must go now, before anyway of the cooks decide to check on something as I had done when I found you."

Sakura nodded her understanding, then said, "But what about you? How will you explain where all the food went?"

Kaho waved her concern away, "I will think up an excuse. Don't worry, I'll be perfectly fine. They wouldn't suspect anything from an old woman such as I," her eyes twinkled slightly at that.

"What was the necklace for?" Sakura wanted to know.

"Why, for you, my dear."

Sakura was confused and it showed on her face, "But I didn't do anything to deserve it."

Kaho chuckled softly, "You don't need to do anything to deserve. Anyway, it will make your journey easier."

Now Sakura was even more confused, "But I'm not going on a journey, just going to avenge my mistress and how will a little key necklace help anything?"

Kaho just smiled mysteriously, looking thirty years younger. "You will know my dear Sakura, you will know. Anyway, you should be getting a move on. Hurry, before anyone else comes." Kaho ushered Sakura out the door.

"Good-bye," Sakura said, hefting her bag over her shoulder and trying to calm herself down. She still had so many questions to ask.

"Good-bye and good-luck," Kaho replied. Sakura turned and started toward the mountain. For a moment, the image of an old woman wavered and a tall, beautiful, woman stood in her place. Two tears glistened on her face. "You will need it to free us all, but how I wish is wasn't you." The image wavered again and it was an old woman that hobbled back inside.

Sakura was sweating heavily. The sun had just risen over the horizon and its rays warmed an already too warm Sakura who had been climbing the mountain all night. She was now at the peak.

Sakura knew a search party would be there soon, looking for the Tomoyo and her missing slave, though the slave was of little importance. Sakura knew that she was not important and therefore could be overlook, but she did not resent it, she merely took it as a fact of life.

Climbing a tall tree, Sakura looked about her and found that within its boughs, the tree was quite comfortable with leafy foliage that would hide her from searchers. She stowed her food bag in one of the higher boughs and started making a nest of leaves.

The days passed quickly. When she was not hiding from searchers, who's numbers diminished as the days wore on, she continued to build her nest.

Exactly one month later Sakura stood on at the peak of the mountain as she did every night, staring up into the night sky. All her food had run out no matter how hard she tried to preserve it, sometimes going days without food. But she knew she would have to return to the village soon. Sighing, Sakura felt that she had failed her mistress. Where was the icarus when he was wanted? Sighing again, Sakura started to turn away from the stars, when two stars seemed to have vanished. Puzzled, Sakura squinted, thinking that her vision had tricked her. Instead of the two stars reappearing, more seemed to have vanished.

It took her a moment to realize that something was coming towards her. Sakura felt excitement boil inside of her. She was finally going to be able to avenge her mistress.

With her hand on her dagger's hilt, Sakura waited for the winged creature to approach her. She waited for her chance, knowing that she could do little damage with the creature flying.

The icarus stopped and perched a few feet away from her. It was too dark for Sakura to make out his features. She gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, ready to pounce.

Then he moved into the moonlight.

Sakura froze, he was the most magnificent creature she had ever seen. His skin was so white that it glowed when the moon touched it. His eyes were of the purest topaz, the kind Sakura had only seen once in her life, and his chestnut hair almost glowed. He had seven small crystal phials strung around his neck and a green pendant hanging off his right hand.

Sakura had thought that the icarus would be as ugly as he was evil. In the back of her mind, she wonder how something so like a demon could be so beautiful. It took her a whole ten seconds to get over her amazement. She whipped out her dagger, and with a yell, threw herself at the icarus, aiming for where she hoped his heart would be.

"For my mistress!"

Instantly, the icarus grabbed his green pendant. It changed into a long silver sword with a green hilt. He easily blocked Sakura's attack. Sakura's hand stung and she almost dropped her dagger, not expecting any resistance.

She tried again, this time off to the side. He easily blocked her again. Sakura was inexperienced for she had never picked up a weapon in her life. She just struck out wildly.

Finally, after two more blows, Sakura could not longer feel her arm. She dropped her dagger and fell to her knees, gripping her hand. Tears slipping down her face. She had failed her mistress. Groping about, she found the dagger and slipped it into her belt. She knew it was useless, but she felt slightly better with the dagger back in its familiar spot on her hip.

Looking up, Sakura found the icarus looking intently at her, with his sword tip pointed at her. Sakura's eyes closed slowly, more tears slipping down her face. This was to be her end.

She waited for the sword to slice through her, but instead, she felt something cold wrap around her and lift her. Surprised, she opened her eyes with a start. The icarus had picked her up and was now flying through the sky.

Higher and higher they flew, until Sakura found she could no longer breath and the icarus's cold body stole all her warmth. Slowly, Sakura slipped into unconsciousness.

Author's Notes: This story is sort of a fall back for my other ones. When I had writer's block, or just didn't want to work on my other stories, I wrote this. Then I realized I could post this. So I kinda think of this story as a last resort. Please review if you think I should post more or not. And I now this was kinda weird ~_~ Anyway, know who the icarus was (hehe)? And if anyone knows the book and author who wrote about an icarus, please contact me so I can put it in my disclaimer.

Thanks for reading and please review.

~Mel~

September 20, 2002