A/N: My newest project, hopefully to replace Set Me Free, which currently has Chapter 4-9 missing (Only I can be so stupid). How can I put it without sounding so cliché? I'm back!
Summary: By day, a withered cherry blossom tree. By night, the mysterious girl by the lake. When a young woodcutter who is not what he seems stumbles across her, their friendship helps uncover the deep, unbidden secrets of long ago…
Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura is not mine. Nice thought, though.
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By the Lake= = = = = = =
Prologue"I think you fool and daring to oppose the great Clow Reed."
Sakura didn't even have to look up to know who had spoken. It was such a typical Tomoyo thing to say that she'd grown to expect the same sentence at least twenty times a day. She dropped the lavender sprigs into her woven basket, arranging them side by side, absent-mindedly.
"Aren't you even going to say anything?"
Sakura sighed. It was easy for her friend, who had always been the well-mannered obedient girl everybody expected her to be. Sakura knew that her own auburn wisps were unkempt and filthy in comparison to Daidouji Tomoyo's long, silvery curls that hung like moonshine down her graceful back. She could never be the dutiful daughter or the submissive wife. There were too many people, too many lives, and she had too much spirit.
"One day you'll realise that I'm right and the world is wrong."
The world, even when it was against her, was breathtaking. There was no other word for it. Sakura let her fingertips trail the cool, silvery water and watched the ripples as the moonlight danced upon the lake's surface. It was a crisp, bitter night and the lush, uncut blades of grass were damp beneath her small form. It had been the peace and the tranquility that had drawn her to this place on such a night as this.
The kind of night when the inexplicable happens ands something stirs the sleeping from their slumber.
"Don't go," The grip on her shoulders was firm, but gentle, almost as if he were demanding and pleading at the same time. "He'll come after you. To challenge him is a death wish." His eyes were devoid of anything but irritation at his sister's foolish ideals, but the crack in his voice gave all way. The hurt that radiated from him was almost enough to make her change her mind. Almost.
"Don't worry, 'nee-chan," she whispered as she enveloped him in a warm, reassuring hug. "I can take care of myself."
The silence had been unbroken – undisturbed – so the first snap rang loud and clear in the velvety darkness and left a chill running down her spine. Nobody ever sought her in the serene, untouched sanctuary of the woods. She always made the journey to the villages whenever anybody was in dire need of her abilities.
The second snap was more muffled, as if somebody was trying very hard to be as quiet as possible. Whatever or whoever it was out there knew what they were after and obviously didn't want to get caught.
Sakura held her breath, hoping and praying that 'it' would not venture into the small clearing where she now lay, too afraid to move a single muscle in her body. Her gasp was caught in her throat as a tall, mysterious figure emerged from the depths of the towering oaks. It turned its head and seemed to stare right into her; she could only tremble slightly as she gazed into a pair of cool, impenetrable orbs of ice.
"Leave me, Sakura. Please."
She stepped back at the harsh tone in her friend's voice and felt the bile rise in her throat. "Chiharu, I will not go until I am certain you are better." She moved to place a hesitant hand on the other girl's forehead and was shocked when Chiharu edged back shakily, the look in her eyes unreadable.
"I am fine. You must go. Leave. Leave us all. You will bring nothing but trouble to our village." The words cut and stung at her bitterly, but Sakura only wanted to make her friend at ease.
"I am only trying to help our village. What will you have done if I had not come? Clow Reed is currently in Europe and, even then, I am sure he would only attend to you after those with higher station." She did not realise her own voice had risen until her friend's had become louder to match her own.
"You're wrong," the russet-haired girl hissed furiously. "How dare you? You have a lot of nerve to say that of the great Clow Reed! And even if he would not come for me, there have been rumours. Yamazaki has heard things. Clow will be arriving soon. And do you know why he's coming?" She let out a bark of laughter. "He's coming for you. If you really care about us, you should leave."
Sakura was aware of the sudden churning in her gut. So the rumours were true. She had heard them too, and had put a blind ear to the whispers circulating around the village. But Chiharu was right. She could not have her village punished for what she had caused.
"You need plenty of fluids and bed rest," she said quietly. "The herbs I have given you should help."
And then she turned and walked away.
It was at times like these that Kinomoto Sakura fully understood why Clow Reed was awed by many and feared by more. His eyes emanated a fire that 'anger' came short of describing. She shivered underneath his gaze, so icy and yet so dangerous – like jagged glaciers ready to pierce her flesh. His long raven hair flowed behind him, like Medusa's snakes, or…or…like binds ready to pin her down and take what did not belong to him. Her good name would be ruined, then.
He seemed to read her mind and he chuckled. "I am not the kind of man who will take what is not mine. However," there was a pregnant pause. "However, are you aware Miss Sakura that a law has been passed forbidding all but myself from practicing magic?"
He did not leave her room to answer. "And that such infringement of the law is highly punishable?"
"If you would only let m -"
"I am a tolerant man, I think, Miss Sakura. I ask you once – and only once – that you halt your practices of magic. Otherwise…" His unspoken threat hung in the air.
Agree, she told herself. Agree and forget this all happened. Go back home and settle down like everybody else wants you to do… But then images of countless children crying, or men lying pale and still in their beds flashed into her head. She couldn't do this to them. She couldn't.
"No."
"You will belong to somebody else one day, Sakura." Fujitaka searched her face and felt his heart ache at her resemblance to Nadeshiko. "No is not a word you must use. It is your duty to do as your husband wishes." She was so young. He couldn't think how he could survive without her. How he wished he could keep her his little girl for all eternity.
His eyes widened in shock – he had not expected her to defy him – then blazed furiously. "Very well," he seethed. "You had your chance. I warned you. I warned you." He raised his arms and Sakura braced herself.
She felt the pain in her legs first, like knives slicing at her mercilessly. Over and over again. She opened her mouth to scream. One long, last piercing scream that tore apart the night, and then all went black.
And all was silent, save for the wind whistling past the branches of the lone cherry blossom tree, by the lake…
Did you like it? Haha. It's okay if you didn't. It all seems rather…mysterious, don't you think? I mean, what happened to Sakura? Well, duh. Have you read the summary? ^^ Anyway, next chapter Syaoran shows up so keep yourself tuned in, guys! Thanks. Read, review, flame. No pressure.
The Birth of the Story: Half the credit goes to AngelSweetie, who, although doesn't write Card Captor Sakura and has stalled her writing for who knows how long, came up with the idea in the first place and generously gave it to me to work with.
At first we intended to make it humorous with all these cheesy one-liners (Are you sure you didn't deflower her, Syaoran? -_-;;). I'm still using the lines, but it's going to be a tad bit more serious than we anticipated. Just a tad.