The wind slipped through the air, rushing through the chimes placed outside her window. In turn, they filled the air with their melodious sound. The chimes added a subtle tranquility to the world rather than clashing with the peace. Yelan breathed in, relishing in the aroma of the tea in the cup held in her hands below her face. She took a small sip of the sweet liquid. It was her ritual every day, something she did as a release from the reality that she lived with. The reality that she was still missing them.
"Lady Yelan?"
Yelan set down her teacup without looking towards the doorway or acknowledging the disturbance to her peaceful world. "What is it, Wei?" she asked the man who had addressed her. A hint of her ire crossed her tone, though she knew that Wei would not have disturbed her for any light reason.
"There are some visitors at the gate asking to see you—two young ladies and a gentleman," Wei told her.
Yelan felt a slash of annoyance, but she took deep breathes again. Her tone was calm when she asked, "Did they say what they wanted?"
"Only that they wanted to see you."
Yelan picked up her cup and sipped her tea again, contemplating this new bit of information. She was not fond of visitors and rarely left the complex. Most business affairs she left to her daughters and their husbands. Since her own husband passed away, she felt no need to interfere in that regard. If the visitors did not have any important business, then she did not want to see them. As she brought the cup away from her lips and said, "Send them away, Wei."
"As you wish, my Lady."
But only a moment passed before Yelan remembered her dream of yesterday. These visitors might be what Dream wanted to tell her about. "Wait," she said and Wei stopped, having not even made it out the door. "Did they give their names?" she asked him.
"I believe the one introduced herself as a Ms. Sakura Kinomoto."
"Kinomoto?" she repeated. She knew that name from a very long time ago, back when her oldest daughter had been born. "From the Amamiya Family?" she asked to clarify.
"Yes, my Lady."
But Yelan's mind was already making another connection. The girl's name was Sakura—a name which meant cherry blossoms…a name associated with a tree. The fact that she could be a Clow Bearer…Yelan wasn't one to believe in so many coincidences. "Allow Ms. Kinomoto in. Have her leave her companions behind. Send in Meilin and Feimei to me, as well." If Ms. Kinomoto was a Clow Bearer, she wanted to have someone else at her side. While she was powerful, neither of her Clows had much offensive capabilities. She did not believe the Amamiya Family would have sent someone to attack her. But she had learned caution in the most difficult of ways.
"At once, my Lady."
Yelan set down her teacup again as Wei left. Her eyes stared out the window into the gardens beyond. Now, she would see.
"Are you sure this is the place?" Sakura asked her two companions. She bit her lip after the door closed behind the man that instructed them to wait. The doors were huge, vermillion with round copper handles. They made an impressive entrance to the walled area. She glanced over at the two giant lion statues on either side of the small set of stairs. She'd seen pictures before, but she'd never realized the actual things could look so intimidating. Or that they were so big.
Terada nodded and said, "It was the address that your grandfather gave us."
"They would have turned us away immediately if this wasn't the right place, Miss Sakura," Rika added. Her smile was reassuring to Sakura. "We did ask for Mrs. Yelan Li."
"Oh," Sakura said with a small jolt of realization. "I guess I didn't think about that." Her embarrassed laugh followed after her words as she felt a flush race across her cheeks. She rubbed her face to be her thoughts back in order. She needed to remember her missing father and her waiting mother. Sakura had to save her father before her brother came roaring across the world to get her. It's not that she didn't love her brother, but he could be so meddling sometimes. "Do you think she'll help us?" Sakura asked as her hands dropped back to her sides, almost scared of what she would do if Yelan didn't agree to help her.
"We won't know until we try, Miss Sakura," Rika said as she took Sakura's hands and gave them a tight squeeze. "I'm sure she won't be able to resist helping you, after all."
Sakura blinked at Rika. "What do you mean?" she asked confused. Rika hid a small laugh behind her hand and even Terada gave a small chuckle. Sakura looked back and forth between them making a small exclamation of confusion. She could not comprehend what they were talking about.
But neither answered her before the large doors opened again and two men stepped out. One was the man who had been standing guard at the doors before while the other was a nice looking older gentleman. Sakura's first thought when she saw him was that he looked like a butler. He wore in a black suit with spectacles over his eyes.
"Miss Kinomoto?" the grey-haired man asked.
"Yes?" Sakura took a tentative step closer to him.
The gentleman gave her a smile and a small bow. "I am Wang Wei, Lady Yelan's retainer. I am here to escort you to see her, though I'm afraid your companions will have to remain here." His look turned apologetic at those final words.
Sakura shot a panicked look over to Rika and Terada, both who looked worried at this news. "Maybe you shouldn't go, Miss Kinomoto," Terada said. "Your aunt would never forgive me if something happened to you."
She wasn't exactly sure whether it was a good idea or not herself. It might be as dangerous as Sonomi had warned. But Sakura knew that this might be her only chance to find her father, and she could not let this chance pass by. She did not want to imagine her mother's sorrowful face if she came back without him. She gripped onto that determination. "No. I will be fine." Her tone brokered no arguments.
Rika nodded, though there was still some uncertainty about her look. "We will wait here for you, Miss Sakura."
Sakura offered a smile. "I'll be back before you know it!" She waved to them as she followed Wei inside. As soon as she passed the threshold, the huge doors were pulled shut with a resounding slam. Sakura pressed her lips together and turned to get a look at what she couldn't see over the outside walls.
It was huge—that was what Sakura thought of the Li estate. Sakura had always thought that her grandfather's manor had a large estate. In comparison to the Li estate, it came out on the short end of the stick, like comparing a pond to a lake. Sakura looked around in wonder at the stunning gardens that she was walking through. Flowers of all colors lined the pathway. As they approached the house, she saw a pond with a small waterfall almost hidden within a copse of trees. "It's so beautiful," Sakura breathed. She took in a deep breath to immerse herself in the wonderful smells around her.
Wei's answering smile was kind. "Thank you, Miss Kinomoto." An indulgent expression lay across Wei's face. "Lady Yelan would be happy to hear that. She takes great pride in her gardens."
Sakura blushed at the compliment. She studied the house which, like the gardens, had a traditional look and feel. Somehow, she was glad to find it like that. A big contemporary mansion would have ruined the peaceful and tranquil mood of the place. Wei led her up the veranda and into the inner courtyard. While it was not as elaborate as the gardens outside the house, it was still very beautiful. Sakura didn't have time to study the enclosure before Wei slid open one of the doors and bowed her into the room. Sakura took slow steps inside and looked around, curious what she would find.
She assumed the woman sitting at the table in the center of the room was Yelan Li. Sakura's first impression of Yelan was that she was an intimidating yet elegant woman. But she also felt an inexplicable connection to her. She wore a long-sleeved, very complex hanfu. It was completed by a golden headdress. Despite how traditional they were, they fit her character to perfection.
Two other women were in the room as well. Both wore cheongsams that echoed tradition but were more modern than a complete hanfu. The one standing by the window with a frown upon her face looked to be about Sakura's age. She had long black hair like Yelan but her eyes were red rather than Yelan's piercing amber. She looked as if she was angry and unhappy to be there.
The other woman sat at Yelan's side. She appeared older than Sakura, but not quite as old as Yelan. If Sakura had to guess she would say she was near thirty. Unlike the other two women, her hair was a chestnut brown, and her eyes were a smoky grey. In a strict contrast to the other women, she greeted Sakura with a wide welcoming smile. A soft whisper breathed past her lips. "Oh Mother, she's adorable." The woman by the window glanced at the one who had spoken with her frown deepening even further.
Yelan gave no indication that she had heard the comment at all. The room was quiet for a few moments until she spoke at last. "You look a great deal like Nadeshiko."
Sakura straightened as she had no expected that comment. "You know my mother?" Tomoyo had told her that the Amamiya Family had been on almost friendly terms with the Li Dynasty before. Sakura hadn't known that Yelan had actually met her mother. Her mother had been gone with her father over a decade before her son had died, and she had cut off ties.
"I met her…before," Yelan said with the impression that she was going to say more, but she did not. "Please, sit down," she instructed instead. Sakura sat in the chair Yelan had indicated, tapping her toes on the ground once she was in it. She at least managed to stop her fingers from playing on her knees. "I am Yelan Li," she continued, introducing herself. She lifted a hand to the woman seated beside her. "This is my daughter, Feimei, and my niece, Meilin." She waved at the woman by the window.
"It's nice to meet you." Sakura gave a wide smile. She found herself a little more relaxed as none of the three women seemed ready to attack her at any moment. Well, except for the one by the window that hadn't stopped frowning. "I'm Sakura Kinomoto."
Yelan cut into her with her amber gaze. "Why have you come here, Miss Kinomoto?" She got straight to the point, skipping over any more niceties.
Sakura was flustered for a moment by her direct tone but recovered as she remembered why she was here. "My father disappeared in England…we think the Reed Clan might have kidnapped him." Sakura kept her explanation as short as she could. Yelan appeared to be a woman who liked to keep things short. "My grandfather told me that you have a Clow that could help me find him. I came to ask for your help."
Yelan was quiet for almost a full minute. Sakura squirmed in her seat under her unwavering and unrelenting gaze. Then, she stood up and walked around the table towards Sakura. Yelan bent over in front of her and took Sakura's chin in her hand. She studied her with an expression Sakura could not read at all. After another minute had passed, Meilin burst out, "Auntie, you can't seriously..." Yelan cut her off with a wave of her hand and Meilin fell silent in immediate obedience.
Finally, Yelan let Sakura go, but still held her gaze as she said, "Normally, I would not think of assisting you. However, I sense something about you…" She paused a moment to stand up. "I will…consider it."
Sakura jumped to her feet as a wealth of excitement bubbled up through her. It was more than what she could have hoped for after all the things that Sonomi had said. Unthinking and elated, she reached out and grasped Yelan's hand in both of her own. "Really? You will?" A moment later, she realized what she was doing. "I'm so sorry!" She flung her hands back as she stepped away. As she did so, she almost fell over the chair behind her that she had forgotten was still there.
Yelan's lipped turned upward in a ghost of a smile. "That's quite all right." But Sakura flushed in embarrassment. She could hear Feimei's laughter from where she sat.
"Mother, I like this one," Feimei said as she rested her head in her hand. Meilin gave a rather loud humph from her corner of the room and turned away with her arms folded across her chest.
A calculating look entered her eyes as she stared at Sakura for another moment. "Indeed." She turned away from Sakura. Sakura let out a loud breath that she hadn't even realized that she had been holding. Which caused Feimei to erupt into another fit of laughter.
Yelan returned to her seat at the table. She glanced at her daughter as Sakura slid back into her seat. Feimei covered her mouth with one hand as she quieted. Yelan looked at Sakura again. "You may remain here while I make my final decision. Your companions will have to return to the Amamiya Family. I have never liked for those not of my own family to stay in my home, though I am inclined to make an exception in your case. You can assure them that you will come to no harm while you are under my care."
Sakura didn't quite know what to make of that. If that was what it took for Yelan to help her, she would be willing to agree to whatever terms the woman presented. "All right," Sakura said. Her head bobbed up and down as her enthusiasm took over her agreement.
Yelan tilted her head to the side and stared at Sakura before she continued to speak. "You are free to roam the grounds as you wish, though I will assign someone to look after you. Feimei will show you to your room and your companions will be brought in so that you may say farewell to them." She turned away and looked at Meilin. "Stay. I wish to speak with you."
Meilin nodded but then glared at Sakura, who felt a rush of dismay mixed with confusion. When Feimei got up from her seat, Sakura realized that she had been dismissed. She got to her feet as well, this time managing not to almost fall. "Thank you." She bowed to her hostess in gratitude.
Feimei walked over to Sakura as Yelan gave her a small nod. "Come with me, Sakura." She smiled at the younger girl and Sakura found herself taking an instant liking to the woman. "You don't mind that I call you that, right?" she added as Sakura followed her out of the room and back onto the veranda.
"No," Sakura quipped as she got a better look at the inner courtyard garden which was fantastic. They walked back through another door. This time it led to a hallway, which Feimei explained led to the guest wing of the house. Lined along the hallway were extravagant paintings. Tables that held vases of stunning floral arrangements stood every few feet. Sometimes they held what Sakura could only imagine were priceless artifacts.
Feimei kept up a single-sided conversation about nothing in particular. They walked for about a minute before she reached a door. "Here we are!" Feimei opened the door, and stepped back to let Sakura walk through. Her jaw dropped with incredulous disbelief when she entered. The room was enormous. It must have been twice as large as her bedroom at her grandfather's. Not to mention a good ten times larger than her accommodations at college. A large dark wood canopy bed with crimson red sheets was the main focal point of the room. Besides the other normal bedroom set furniture, there was also a sofa set and a small table with two chairs.
Appearing oblivious to Sakura's reaction, Feimei continued to talk. "I tell you, it's so nice to have another girl around, for as little time as it will be. All Meilin ever cares about is training. And my sisters are all gone on business with their husbands most of the time. Do you have any siblings, Sakura?"
Sakura jumped at being addressed again. She was still trying to take in the surroundings. She scrambled to answer the question. "I have an older brother." Sakura tried to focus on the woman before her rather than this room that was so overwhelming. Sakura had grown up in very modest circumstances. They hadn't been poor, but her family had been only average. She had gotten used to the fact that her grandfather and aunt were wealthy. Yet, this seemed to be on a whole higher elitist level.
Feimei grinned as she sank into the chaise chair by the sofa. "I bet he's adorable, like you." She grinned as she beckoned Sakura over. Sakura took the adjacent seat on the sofa to Feimei. She was a little confused on how this woman could appear to be so different from her mother. "I have three older sisters, you see. There's Shiefa, who's the oldest, then the twins, Fanren and Fuutie, and then little ole me. We're all very close in age, less than a year apart between each of us, except Syaoran whose..." She cut off with a stricken look on her face.
It took her another second to make the connection. Sakura realized that Syaoran must have been the name of the boy that Tomoyo told her about. Her natural curiosity kicked in and before she could stop herself, she started to ask the question, "How did he..." But she cut off there with a gasp as she covered her mouth with her hands. "I'm sorry," she added horror-struck. "I shouldn't have asked."
"It's all right," Feimei said with a gentle sorrowful smile. "It's true that we don't talk about it, especially Mother, but well..." She trailed off as she trailed her hand across the fabric of the chair, turning her gaze away from Sakura. "I was eleven when it happened," Feimei whispered.
Sakura's eyes widened. She wondered if Feimei was going to tell her what happened to Syaoran. She felt a strange desire to know what had happened to that small boy. Tomoyo had told her before that the family had been very quiet about what happened to him. Because of that, Tomoyo had never heard exactly how he had died.
But Feimei didn't say anything more after a few seconds passed. Instead, she got to her feet and indicated a door on the other side of the room. It was different from the one they had entered from the hallway. "That door leads to the bathroom—it should already have everything that you need. That wall there slides over and leads out to the gardens on that side." She pointed at the wall opposite of entrance. She gave Sakura another smile. "If you do need anything else, there's a bell pull beside the bed. Or there should be one of the servants stationed outside your room."
"Thank you so much, Miss Li," Sakura said with a wide smile of her own as she got to her feet. Then she frowned in thought as she remembered something. "Your mother said there would be someone looking after me while I'm here. Do you know who that is?" she asked.
Before Feimei could answer that a voice came from behind her. "Miss Sakura."
Sakura looked at the doorway where Rika and Terada were standing. Feimei bowed herself out, leaving Sakura alone in the room with her companions. They walked further into the room as Feimei left. Sakura looked at the two of them and sighed she walked over to them. "Mrs. Li hasn't decided if she is going to help me. She's invited me to stay here while she makes her decision, but she wants only me to stay." Her smile turned apologetic and she shrugged.
Rika took Sakura's hands into her own. "But we can't leave you here alone, Miss Sakura." She shook her head as she spoke.
Sakura understood Rika's worry, but shook her head. "Rika, you and Terada should go ahead back to Grandfather's house. Mrs. Li assured me that I wouldn't come to any harm in her care. And someone has to go and tell my mother and grandfather what is going on." Sakura tried not to lead on how much staying here in this grandiose house was daunting. If she had to do it to save her father, she was willing to try.
"Are you sure?" Terada asked her.
"Yes. I'll be all right here and I have my Clows to protect me." She gave them her biggest reassuring smile. Rika and Terada glanced at each other looking worried.
Rika turned back to Sakura and gave a small bow. "All right, Miss Sakura," Rika said. "We will go tell Mr. Amamiya what you have told us." Sakura smiled at her, thankful that Rika understood. Rika snaked her hand into Terada's and began to pull him away. "Come along, Yoshiyuki. Good-bye, Miss Sakura." Terada echoed Rika's farewell before the both of them walked away.
Sakura gave them a farewell wave, but let her hand drop once they were out of sight. She walked over to the window and looked out of the window into the gardens beyond. "It will definitely be all right," she whispered to herself. She looked back at the vast empty room pouting a little. "I even wish Toya were here." She wandered over to the canopy bed and fell back onto it with her arms spread wide. She hoped that Mrs. Li would make her decision soon.
Sunlight trickled through the window over her face the next morning. Sakura rolled over and buried herself under her covers to escape it. She had never learned the art of waking up and was quite sure it was something she would never master. She froze and her eyes snapped open as she heard the door open and someone moving about the room. Her first irrational thought was that a ghost had come into her room. She hoped by ignoring it that it would go away. But then she remembered that it was morning and ghosts don't come out in the daytime. At least, that was what she always told herself.
Pulling up her courage, she poked her head out from under her covers to see a young lady fixing a tray on the table. Sakura breathed a huge sigh of relief. She pulled back the covers and greeted the other girl, who replied with a mild greeting of her own. As she was climbing out of the bed and padding across the floor to the table there was a knock at the door. The maid went over to answer as Sakura sat down to eat breakfast that looked delicious. She took her first bite of food and looked up to see Wei walk into the room, holding a wrapped package in his arms. He bowed to her and said, "Good morning, Miss Kinomoto."
Sakura swallowed a mouthful of rice porridge, coughing in her haste. "Good morning, Wei." She tried to pat her chest, but she was sure that Wei knew she had almost choked anyway. If he did, he was kind enough not to make a big fuss out of startling her.
Wei set the package down on the sofa with very precise movements. "Lady Yelan was concerned that you would not have suitable attire for our climate. It is quite a bit warmer here than what you are used to at this time of the year. She asked me to prepare something for you. I think you will find it the right size, but do let me know if it is not."
Sakura blinked at him for a few moments completely dumbfounded. Then she jumped to her feet and said with a genuine smile, "Thank you so much."
Wei returned the smile with a mild one of his own. "Please finish your breakfast, Miss Kinomoto," he said. "Feel free to explore once you are finished."
Sakura cocked her head to the side as she tapped her chin in thought. "Wasn't there supposed to be someone following me around?" she asked.
Wei gave her a more mysterious smile as he said, "Have a good day, Miss Kinomoto." He gave another bow and left the room.
Sakura flopped back down onto the chair and put some more porridge on the spoon. She slipped it into her mouth and left the spoon there as she thought through her confusion. Perhaps Yelan had decided that she didn't need to be followed anymore. Or maybe she didn't want Sakura to know who was following her. Sakura shrugged and dug back into the breakfast as she decided not to worry about it. She did look around in forlorn—it was kind of lonely to eat all alone. She even sort of missed her brother calling her a monster. On second thought, no. She felt a rush of anger flash through her as she recalled all those times he had done so. It was so completely unfair that he was so much taller than her. Once she finished, she frowned at the dishes, wondering what she was supposed to do with them. Huffing, she figured that the servants would take care of them, like at her grandfather's house.
So, she turned her attention to the package that Wei had left for her as she crossed the room to the sofa. She unwrapped it and examined the clothes inside, breathing out in awe. She ran her fingers across the fabric, breathless that she had been given such a gift. She raced into the bathroom to change and get ready for the day. A while later, she reappeared and walked over to the ornate full-length mirror to get the full look.
She turned back and forth in front of the mirror. She almost giggled as she thought about what Tomoyo's reaction if she had seen her. It was Tomoyo's hobby to dress Sakura up in extravagant (and sometimes strange) clothes. It was something Sakura had more or less learned to accept. Tomoyo had been doing it almost from the moment they met. The outfit was a green tunic like shirt with capped sleeves and a gold clasp at the high neck. On the bottom right-hand corner were some golden embroidered flowers. The lightweight pants were golden yellow and went past her knees. The shoes were the same green as the tunic and slipper-like both with the same golden clasp that was at her neck. Tomoyo went gaga over Sakura in any type of Japanese traditional clothing. Sakura knew she would love to see her in these Chinese clothes.
Sakura's smile was bright, and she figured this was a rather good beginning of the day. She went over to where Feimei had told her the wall slid open to the gardens. Opening it, she breathed in the wonderful smells of the garden again. She closed the door behind herself and stepped down onto the stone path that led further into the garden. Trying to stay on the stones so that she wouldn't ruin her shoes, she followed the path that led into a small thicket. A moment later, it opened up into a wide, open area. Downhill from where she stood was an area surrounded by a low stone wall. Inside the wall, there was a large square covered completely with stone. Two people were on it—fighting from what Sakura could tell.
Sakura ran down the hill to the wall, leaning on it with her elbows. She recognized Meilin as one of the women fighting. It occurred to her that Feimei had told her that Meilin trained a lot and figured that this was what she had meant. Sakura looked at the other woman and let out a breath of shock. It had to be a Clow as Sakura couldn't think of anyone else in the world that would have pale blue skin and hair. She was dressed in a blue outfit with a red diamond at the center of it and thigh high boots. But Sakura had never seen a Clow so big. Usually they were no bigger than a foot tall but this Clow was as big as a grown person. Meilin and the Clow were exchanging blows in rapid succession, mesmerizing Sakura. It was almost like watching a complicated dance. Sakura climbed up onto the wall to sit and watch them.
Finally, Meilin blocked one of the Clow's punches. Then, she wheeled her foot around to deliver a blow to the Clow's stomach that sent her flying. "Amazing!" Sakura cried out without thinking. She clapped her hands to her mouth as Meilin started and whirled her head around to look at Sakura. An instant later, the Clow disappeared, and Meilin strode over to stand a few feet from Sakura.
Meilin stared at Sakura with her hands on her hips and narrowed distrustful eyes. "What are you doing here?" she asked as she gave Sakura a good once over glance.
Sakura gave her a shrug as she stared down at her hands. She pushed her two pointer fingers together in a nervous habit. "I was exploring and saw you here." She chanced a glance at Meilin, who said nothing in response to Sakura. Delighted that Meilin wasn't about to yell at her, she looked up and let a bright smile cross her lips. "You were amazing! How long have you been doing that?"
"My whole life," Meilin answered turning her head away from Sakura and crossing her arms in front of her chest. A red flush crossed her cheeks causing Sakura to frown in concern.
"Are you alright?" she asked, thinking that Meilin was suffering under the heat.
Meilin looked back at her with a puzzled brow. "Yes, why?" she asked. Her tone was brisk and to the point, reminding Sakura of Yelan.
"Your face was all red," Sakura said with a small pout. "I was worried that you were doing too much under this sun."
Meilin's face flushed completely red and anger flashed in her eyes as she snapped, "I'm fine!"
Sakura cringed and glanced about for a change of topic. Finally, she remembered the other woman that had been out there. "Was that your Clow?" she asked.
Meilin leaned against the wall, leaving a few feet between herself and Sakura. "Yeah, that was Fight," she answered with her head down as she dug her toes into the ground a little. "I used to only draw on her powers to enhance my training, but now she's the only one that can keep up with me. She's my sparring partner." Meilin let out a small mirthless laugh as she looked back across the empty expanse.
Sakura hummed in confusion. She swung her legs, bumping her heels on the wall. "I bet Fight is happy to be so useful to you. I hardly ever get to use my Clows, so sometimes I wonder if they're happy with me."
Sakura could have sworn she saw a small smile on the corner of Meilin's lips, but it was gone as Meilin turned to look at her. "That green matches your eyes." Now, she studied Sakura with a much gentler gaze than anything she had used before.
"Thank you," Sakura said happy that Meilin wasn't looking as hostile as she usually was.
There was a short quiet pause, but then Meilin said, "That outfit was made for me."
Sakura let out a cry of dismay and surprise and then almost fell off the wall as she lost her balance. She managed to grip on tightly. Meilin saved her from completely falling over as she grabbed Sakura's arm to steady her. "Are you trying to kill yourself?" Meilin demanded.
"I'm sorry," Sakura breathed. She settled a hand over her beating heart as Meilin let her go another second later. There was another small pause. "I didn't know," she admitted a little flustered. "Mr. Wei brought it to me."
Meilin waved a hand at Sakura and shrugged her shoulders in indifference. "Whatever," she said. "It doesn't matter. I've never worn it. You can keep it—it looks like Wei fixed it so that it fits you now instead of me, anyway."
Sakura slid her hands down the smooth fabric. "But why haven't you worn it?" she asked as she fingered the golden embroidery. "It's so pretty."
Meilin leaned against the wall again with one foot out. There was a sad distant look in her eyes. "I despise the color green and refuse to wear it."
"Why?" Sakura asked again confused. She had never heard someone express such an avid and unyielding hatred for something as mundane as a color before.
Meilin let out a sad and long-suffering sigh. "Because green was…" She trailed off as her expression turned into a sneering frown as she stood back up. She flipped her hair over one shoulder and dismissed her previous sentence. "Never mind."
As she began to walk away, Sakura called out to her. "Thank you, Meilin." She gasped as she realized that she had forgotten to address Meilin as Miss Li and had used her given name. But it had slipped out so easily, like it had before a long time ago with Tomoyo.
Meilin stopped for a moment. Her head turned to the side as she said in a voice Sakura could barely hear, "I hope you find you father…Sakura." She didn't look back after that. Sakura couldn't help but smile after her. Perhaps she had made a friend here after all. As Meilin moved out of sight, Sakura closed her eyes and leaned back. She let her head fall back, lifting her face to feel the sunlight bask its light and warmth down on her.
Yelan dismissed the last servant that had given their report to her. This left her alone with Wei again. Lifting her cup to drink her tea, she thought about all she had heard. She'd given them all instructions to have Sakura in sight of at least one of them at all times. They had all reported back to her and not a single report had been negative. In fact, many of the reports had been amazingly and extraordinarily positive.
"I believe she's a rather special girl myself, Lady Yelan," Wei said voicing a rare opinion.
"Anyone who can get Meilin to talk to them cordially for more than a few minutes has to be," Yelan murmured. That had been the most puzzling report. Meilin didn't like talking to people outside of the family. At least, she didn't like playing nice with strangers. But quite a few had insisted that they had seen Meilin and Sakura talking with each other. Without Meilin once trying to punch the other girl. Her attitude hadn't started immediately after the incident, not until her teens. But Yelan was well aware of why Meilin was the way she was. After all, it was the same for herself.
"What?" she asked Wei. She could have sworn she heard him say something that she couldn't hear. The last few words had sounded like "good for him" but she couldn't be sure.
"I'm sorry, Lady Yelan," he said as he refilled her tea cup. "It was of no importance."
Yelan pressed her lips together and hummed as she narrowed her eyes at her long-time retainer. He was someone who had become something far more than a servant or butler. Deep inside her, Yelan counted Wei alongside her own family—the closest of friends. Deciding to trust him and let it go, she said nothing more, but blew on her tea before taking another sip.
"Do you think I should help her, Wei?" Yelan asked.
"I believe that whatever you feel you should do is the right thing, Lady Yelan."
She should have expected him to say something like that. "I want your opinion, Wei," Yelan told him as she set her cup down. "I can order you to give it to me."
He was quiet for a moment as he stared away from her. In a slow movement, he turned to look at her. "I think that if anyone was deserving of your help, Lady Yelan, it would be this girl."
Yelan dipped her head into a nod as she took in those words. She had been thinking about the same thing. She didn't know why she felt so drawn to help her or why she had felt that connection to the young Sakura Kinomoto. Somehow, she couldn't help but feel that it would be a terrible mistake for her not to help her. "Very well," Yelan whispered, not sure who it was she was saying it to.
Sakura flopped onto the chaise that evening after dinner. She wondered when Yelan would make her decision and what she should do now. She didn't want to go outside in the dark. Even though it wasn't all that dark yet as the sun was still setting. Not only because how completely terrifying all the shadows that may or may not be ghosts were. While she had inherited her father's athleticism, she had also gotten some of her mother's clumsiness at the same time. She was sure to trip over something that she hadn't seen and injure herself.
There was a knock on the door and Sakura went over to answer it, smiling when she saw that it was Feimei on the other side. "Mind if I come in?" Feimei asked.
"Of course not," Sakura said as she stepped aside for Feimei to walk in. Sakura followed her over to the sitting area, where Feimei sat down on the sofa and Sakura took a seat on the chaise.
"How was your day?"
"Really great." Sakura thought about all that she had done and seen that day. The Li estate was a marvel to see. It was unfortunate that they felt the need to hide it behind that large wall. "What about you?"
Before anymore could be said, there was an authoritative knock on the door. Without waiting for a reply, the door opened and Yelan walked through. "Mother," Feimei said in surprise.
"Good evening, Feimei, Miss Kinomoto," Yelan said. She pierced Sakura with her gaze and then sat down on the sofa next to Feimei. She was quiet for a minute as she continued to study Sakura again. Neither Feimei nor Sakura said anything as they waited on Yelan. "I have decided to give you my assistance," Yelan said finally.
Sakura jumped up to her feet and exclaimed, "You have? I mean, thank you!" she corrected herself.
A small smile played on Yelan's lips. "You are a very interesting young lady, Sakura Kinomoto," she stated. She got to her feet and continued to say, "I will return once you are ready to go to sleep, and use Dream on you. It is best used at that time so that you will not feel tired tomorrow." She gave Sakura another unfathomable gaze before she hummed. "Good evening. Don't keep her up too long, Feimei." She left as graceful and poised as she had come, leaving Sakura to stare at her in disbelief.
Feimei got to her feet as well and grabbed Sakura's hands. "This is great, Sakura," she said. "You will be able to find out where your father is."
Sakura smiled. "I know!" But then she frowned again as she thought aloud, "I wonder what changed her mind. I haven't seen or spoken to her all day."
Feimei laughed. "If I know Mother, she's had all the servants watching out for you," she said as she again took her seat on the sofa. "What did you do today?"
Sakura sat back down on the chaise next to her and began counting off the things with her fingers. "Well, I went out to the gardens, talked with Meilin…"
"Wait, you talked with Meilin?" Feimei interrupted with a surprised tone.
Sakura nodded confused. "Sure," she said. "I think we might actually become friends one day!" she added with excitement. She faltered as Feimei was looking at her with a puzzled look in her eyes. "What is it?" she asked.
Feimei gave her a soft smile and said, "Oh, I just think I know why Mother decided to help you." She crossed her legs and rested her clasp hands over them as she leaned forward. "Now, what did you talk to Meilin about?"
"I asked about her Clow Fight and she told me how she practices fighting with it," Sakura recounted, eager to share. "She told me about this outfit, and, hey," she stopped for a moment as a thought occurred to her. "Meilin didn't seem to want to answer, but maybe…do you know why Meilin doesn't like green?" Feimei's expression turned blank for a moment, which made Sakura gulp. "If you'd rather not…"
Feimei waved her hand in a dismissive manner. "No, it's fine. I don't mind telling you. Green was my brother's favorite color," she answered after a mild pause. "He and Meilin were the same age and they used to... Well, I guess you could call it 'playing'." Her face scrunched up in thought as she appeared to be recalling the past. "Anyway, they were together a lot before he…you know. She was devastated after it happened."
"Oh," Sakura was unsure of what she could say to that. She tried to think of something else to say, but Feimei started to talk before she could come up with anything.
"I think I mentioned it before a bit, but we were all a lot older than him. He was only four and that was a good seven years younger than me." Sakura wondered if she was going to get her answer to the question she had voiced without thought before. The answer to how Syaoran had died seventeen years ago. "We still don't know what happened," she continued as she rested her cheek against the palm of her hand. "I think that's why Mother's never gotten over it. You see, Dream had given her a warning the night before that one of us was in danger. But she didn't figure it out until it was too late. I had never heard Mother scream like that before…" She trailed off as a shudder ran through her body.
Sakura sat listening, mystified at the story that Feimei was telling her. "What was it that…I mean, how did he..." Sakura tried to ask the question, unsure if she should be asking it, but something inside her somehow had to know.
Feimei seemed to understand as she gave Sakura a haunting grimace. "We think it had to be a Clow that did it, but there aren't any Clows that can kill without leaving a mark. There wasn't a single mark on him. There's no reason he should have died."
"I'm sorry," Sakura whispered. She was horrified at what had happened to this family and that small boy. She couldn't have imagined what it felt like to hear about it, but it somehow affected her right down to her very core. She almost felt that she should have done something to prevent it, even though she had only been four as well. It struck her then that they were the same age—she wondered if they would have become friends if he had not died. She might have met him, coming here to look for her father. Or it was possible they would have known each other for a long time before that. As it had been his death that stopped Yelan from staying in contact, they might have known each other.
"It was a long time ago." Feimei's voice was as quiet as Sakura's own. But there was a distinct longing in her tone that made Sakura think that it wasn't very long ago at all to her.
Sakura scrambled in her mind for a more bright and cheerful conversation topic. The first thing that came to her mind—which came spilling right out of her mouth—was the question, "What was he like?" She slapped her own forehead in her mind. She had not wanted to bring up the topic of Feimei's little brother again.
But to her utter surprise, Feimei's smile was brilliant and she laughed. "He was so cute and adorable." There was a fondness in her voice as she recalled him. "He was quiet, though—he hardly ever spoke unless he had to. He was incredibly serious, too, but that was probably why he was able to control his Clows even though he was so young. And he tried so very hard to be mean," she finished with a quiet laugh.
Sakura blinked in surprise. "What?" she asked, not sure why Feimei remembered her brother's meanness with such fondness.
"Oh yes," Feimei said with a nod and a smile still on her face. "It was quite fun to watch. Mother's always been strict and stern—never mean, mind you—but you can imagine how that looks to a little kid. He tried so hard to be like her, mostly towards Meilin who was a little bit younger than him. But he had too much of a gentle heart. He'd spend hours searching for some lost toy or treasure for her—without a word. Meilin adored him. She cried for months."
Sakura smiled. "I wish I could have met him," she said, almost without knowing where the thought came from.
Feimei cocked her head with a puzzled smile. "Somehow, so do I." There was an expectant silence between them as Sakura couldn't find anything to say to that. Feimei slapped her hands on her thighs and she stood up. "Well, I better let you get ready for bed so that Mother can come back and use her Clow."
Sakura raised herself to her feet. "Thank you, Feimei." It couldn't have been easy to recount her memories of her brother.
Feimei returned the smile and said, "You're quite welcome, Sakura." And then she slipped out of the room. Sakura walked over to the wall and slid it open. The sun was now completely down on the horizon, and it was close to the time for the moon to rise. She sighed as she looked out onto the garden. In a couple of hours, Yelan would return to her room and Sakura would be able to find out what happened to her father. She looked up at the sky, where a few early stars could be seen peeking out through the sky. She hoped he was okay, wherever he was.
"I'm coming, Dad," she whispered out into the night. "I'll bring him back, Mom." She giggled and thought she might as well go the whole way. "Don't get into too much trouble, Toya!" With a smile on her face, she slid the wall shut and turned back into the room to prepare for bed.
Once it was nighttime outside and Sakura had prepared for bed, Yelan returned to her room. Sakura was waiting for her, seated in the chaise of the room. She gripped her pajama pants in her hands. "What do I do?" Sakura asked the tall woman.
"It will be like falling asleep," Yelan answered with a small reassuring smile. As Sakura nodded and climbed into the giant bed, she pulled the sheets over her. Yelan's Clow appeared beside her. It looked like a woman who had long white hair and was wearing flowing robes. A headdress was placed over her head and it came down and covered her eyes. "Dream," Yelan said. Dream morphed into a blue butterfly and flew over to Sakura, landing on her head.
It was instantaneous. One moment Sakura was lying in her bed; the next she was standing in a black abyss. Sakura looked around wondering what this could mean. Out of the darkness, a grassy field appeared around her. A few feet away, there rose out of the ground a clump of tall grass—but there was something different about it. Because her mother had been born with Flower and her grandfather, Wood, Sakura knew a lot about plants. And she was pretty sure that these were called reeds.
Like the Reed Clan.
She ran over to the clump of reeds, knowing she would find the answer she was looking for. When she reached it, she pushed aside the grass to enter the center of the reeds. There she found something unexpected. A large dog—or perhaps it was a wolf—was lying in the center, looking as dejected as a dog could. Its eyes were closed and it looked like it was sleeping. A large iron shackle was hooked around the dog's neck linked with a tight chain that ran into the ground. It appeared that it would not be able to move an inch, even if it wanted to.
Sakura was starting to wonder what her answer could be with this dog when another object caught her eye. In front of the dog, there was a glass ball. She kneeled down and reached forward. Even though she knew it was a dream, she moved in a cautious manner, keeping a wary eye on the dog. But there was no reaction from it as she picked up the orb.
A desert storm spun inside it. "Dad?" Sakura whispered as she gazed into it. Her father's Clow was Sand, after all, so this could be what she needed to know. Still holding the orb in one hand, she looked down at the dog again. She reached out her free hand and laid it on the dog's head. In an instant, the orb in her other hand shattered, falling to dust on her hand. The sand that was inside continued to swirl above her palm. The sand lifted into the air above her and she stood with it. It flew out of the clump of reeds and off into a meadow full of flowers beyond.
A low rumbling caught her hearing, and she looked back at the dog. No, the wolf, she amended herself with sudden certainty. The wolf's eyes opened and she caught a flash of the color amber. In a moment, everything plunged into complete darkness again.
Sakura opened her eyes and rose up, rubbing her eyes. She had never been much of a morning person. The morning light streamed through the curtains over the window. As she pulled the sheets from over her, a small butterfly flew into her vision. Dream turned back into a woman before disappearing. Sakura stood up still somewhat in a daze over her dream. She walked over to the window and threw open the curtains to let the light in more.
"Good morning, Miss Kinomoto."
Sakura jumped about five feet into the air, completely startled. She turned around to find Yelan walking into the room. Behind her, Wei followed carrying a tray with cups, a teapot, and a plate of rolls. "Good morning, Mrs. Li," Sakura answered as she placed a hand over her rushing heart.
Yelan took a seat at the small table. Wei set the tray down and began pouring tea into the cups. "Thank you, Wei," Yelan said as he finished. Wei bowed and walked to stand by the doorway. Yelan looked at Sakura and said, "Please come sit."
Sakura sat in the seat opposite Yelan and sipped her tea. She smiled and said, "It's delicious. Thank you!"
Yelan gave her a small smile before she said, "Tell me about your dream." Sakura told her everything that she had seen. When she finished, she munched on one of the amazing honey rolls from the plate. Yelan was silent for a while after Sakura finished before she finally said, "I believe you are correct. The Reed Clan has your father. Furthermore, I believe by going to them your father will be released…as you saw when you picked up the glass orb of sand."
"But what about the wolf?" Sakura asked.
It took another few long moments before Yelan answered. "Perhaps it represents someone you will meet in the Clan," she said. "One you are meant to help or who will help you."
Sakura nodded, but then asked, "Do you know where I can find the Reed Clan?"
Yelan was quiet again before she said, "I do."
