Heyo, everyone! It's me again! Thanks to everyone who reviewed!
Emerald Pearl's Thank You List
CSS_Lover- I just noticed I put Henry instead of Syaoran! You're so observant! Thanks! You should see Ever After some time… It's great!
A dozen roses,
Emerald Pearls
Emerald: I'm so grateful!
Sapphire: I'm here again! I'm sleeping over at Emerald's house!
Emerald: She drools when she sleeps…
Sapphire: You didn't hear that, okay?
Emerald: Heheh… Whatever you say, Saph… Disclaimer?
Sapphire: The usual thing: CCS and Ever After do not belong to Emerald or me…
Emerald: I wish they did… I never own anything good.
Just Breathe
By Emerald Pearls and Sapphire (Busybody)
Chapter 2: Beautiful Day
Syaoran smiled a little as the horse he had borrowed galloped along the winding road. The wind ruffled his messy chestnut hair and he sighed a little. He could still feel a small bump where the apple the servant girl had thrown hit him.
What a fiery spirit she had…
As he galloped on through the thick trees, he suddenly heard a commotion coming from a small clearing. His amber eyes blinked as he spotted a band of Gypsies milling around a cavalcade. They were snatching anything they could get their grimy hands on. An old man with streaks of white in his dark blue hair was trying to stop them, but in vain.
Syaoran growled and prepared to pull out his sword and spar with them, but one of them suddenly pointed in his direction, shouting something. The Gypsies turned and then dispersed, carrying whatever they had taken with them. Curious, Syaoran turned to look behind and caught sight of the royal guards sitting astride their horses, approaching at a quick pace. He urged the horse to gallop faster. Just as they passed the old man, he stopped them. The old man's sapphire eyes were pleading and there was a forlorn look in them.
"Please, for the love of God, the painting! That man, there, he's getting away!"
He pointed at a Gypsy who was making away with a large tube. Syaoran glanced over his shoulder quickly. Then he turned back and vigorously shook his head.
"The guard will assist you . . .I . . .cannot." He told the man in a rush.
The old man's eyes became sadder as he looked pleadingly at Syaoran, "Please, sir… It is my life."
Syaoran gazed into the old man's eyes, probing past the sapphire gems to feel its forlorn depths. Then, quickly, he galloped off, after the Gypsy. As their horses were neck to neck, Syaoran took a brave risk and leapt onto the other man's horse with great agility. The horse bucked and the both of them were thrown to the ground, rolling down a slope. Just as they were about to reach a sudden cliff, Syaoran snatched the brass tube out of the Gypsy's hands and they both were thrown off the cliff, falling into the river with a colossal splash. Autumn leaves rained down behind them. As the ripples cleared, Syaoran poked his head out of the water, the brass tube in hand.
Now to get out of here…
~*~
Captain Eli (Heheh… inspired by the dubbed version of dear Eriol!) was Syaoran's personal guard, as well as his best friend. He glared at Syaoran, "Syaoran, you promised." His tone was annoyed.
"I know. I lied."
Syaoran was even more annoyed. He scowled as he gave the old man the painting. The old man smiled merrily at him. Syaoran berated himself for giving away his freedom for a painting. He turned to Eli, voice sarcastic, "I thought I'd see the world before I gave up my life for God and country."
The old man turned to face him. His sapphire eyes widened in utmost astonishment, "Then, why did you stop?"
Syaoran pushed his sopping hair out of his eyes. His clothes were wet and they clung to his muscular torso. He sighed as he looked at the old man.
"I suppose because I lack conviction. You seem to have it in spades. You claimed it was a matter of life and death." He looked questioningly at the old man, who had a mysterious smile adorning his wizened face.
The man's smile widened as he started to unroll the painting slowly, as though showing a great secret to the world.
"A woman always is, sire."
Syaoran frowned as he gazed at the portrait of a dark-haired woman with a mysterious smile, identical to her painter's.
"She laughs at me, sir, as if she knows something I do not."
The man's smile suddenly turned utterly innocent. "The lady had many secrets; I only painted one of them."
Ooh… Let's speak in riddles!
Syaoran rolled his eyes.Captain Eli turned to Syaoran and told him, "Master Hiiragizawa has been invited to the palace as the artist-in-residence."
Syaoran's amber eyes widened in amazed awe as he turned to stare in admiration at the old man, "Hiiragizawa Eriol?"
The old man smiled humbly, "Yamaguchi was trapped under a ceiling in Japan. I am merely the second choice."
Syaoran suddenly placed his face merely inches apart from the man, "Here I am, on my way to Genoa and I find my salvation on the highway!"
He stared into Eriol's sapphire eyes, which seemed to be hiding an enigma, "Sir, you are the very founder of forward thinking and my father is the king of backward! Perhaps you can talk him into the sixteenth century!"
Eriol looked thoroughly confused. He turned to Captain Eli, "Captain Eli, please translate."
The Captain answered immediately. "The Prince suffers from an arranged marriage, Master." He coughed a little. "Among other things."
The artist nodded, his trademark smile back on his face. Syaoran scowled at Captain Eli.
~*~
Near Yamazaki's house…
"Don't you have anything… bigger?" Yanagi asked as she inspected a brooch.
The gold vendor blinked as Yanagi turned to shoot a venomous look at him. He answered slowly, "Madame, any bigger than this and she will fall over."
Yanagi regarded him with a chilly look, "Very well, then, I'll just have to look elsewhere." She turned and motioned for Meiling to follow her.
"Wait, wait! I think I have just the thing!" Desperate not to lose his patron, the gold vendor began to go through a basket of jewelry.
From a nearby window, somebody was watching the scene.
Yamazaki was wearing a hole in the floor. He turned desperately to Sakura and with pleading eyes told her, "Have you lost your marbles? Do you know the penalty for servants that dress above their station? Five days in the stocks!"
Sakura chose to ignore him and inspected the gown Yamazaki had gotten from his elderly neighbour.
"You'd do the same for me, admit it!" She grinned at her best friend as she made her way through his painting studio.
He snorted pompously.
"Me, pretend to be a courtier? Why, I've never even been to court!" At that he turned to stare at her, begging her to back out of the idea, "And neither have you."
Sakura smiled discreetly at her friend's nervousness.
"Then, I won't be recognized. Now, hand me that gown so I can be on my way." She retorted stubbornly, even though her knees were like jelly. She had to do this for the sake of Terada, and Rika, and Naoko. She knew how much they missed the old man.
Yamazaki held the gown in his hands. He hesitated as Sakura reached out her hand.
She scowled indignantly.
"The gown, Takashi!"
He reluctantly gave it to her as he saw the dangerous gleam in her stubborn emerald eyes, "They won't believe you, you know. You're… too sweet!"
Sakura chuckled at her cynical friend as she went to change behind a screen.
"I will just have to convince them. I am Terada's only hope."
She paused to pull on the beautiful gown. It was heavy and made of expensive material, unlike her dress she usually had on which was practically rags.
"And the baroness?" Yamazaki asked, scratching his gray hair as he waited for his friend. His voice was filled with disdain as he asked about Sakura's stepmother, "What did you tell her?"
"That I'm picking wildflowers." Sakura zipped up the gown and adjusted it. "Can you still see her?"
"She's buying a brooch." Yamazaki answered with a frown in his voice.
"Un-be-lie-va-ble." Sakura stressed each syllable, lacing them with disgust, "She ignores the manor, blames the staff for her debt, and still pretends to have money to burn."
She gave the gown some final adjustments before biting her lip, "Now don't you dare laugh. I'm coming out."
Yamazaki decided to snort when she came out, but changed his mind at once when she appeared. She looked beautiful in the beautifully embroidered gown. Taking his unnatural silence as unheard laughter he glanced down at her feet.
"The shoes are too big." She decided to tell him.
Yamazaki chuckled an approached his friend, "Nobody will be looking at your feet."
Sakura blushed lightly.
"Yards of fabric and I still feel naked."
She tugged at the neck of the dress, which revealed quite a lot of her creamy skin. It made her feel half-naked. Yamazaki gazed at her and nodded in admiration.
"If you're going to be a noblewoman, you must play the part." Yamazaki lifted her chin and looked tenderly into her eyes. "You look down for no-one."
Sakura glanced down and her voice came out barely above a whisper, "I'm just a servant in a nice dress."
Yamazaki grinned at her and took her hand, "Come. We have to fix your hair."
~*~
Back at Sakura's chateau…
Yanagi gasped. Her hand flew up to her mouth as she caught side of the Prince… riding up the path towards the chateau. She hollered up the stairs, telling her daughters to freshen themselves up.
She flew to open the heavy doors and greet the Prince.
She walked serenely out and gave a dainty curtsey, "Your highness, what an unexpected surprise. To what do we owe this honor?" Her voice was dripping with honey.
The Prince let his lips curve up a little, "I am just returning your horse, Baroness."
Yanagi blinked, but then regained her composure, trying to conceal her shock, "Was it . . . missing?"
"Yes, I borrowed it this morning." He frowned a little as he rubbed his aching head. "I'm afraid I scared the wits out of a servant of yours, a young lady with . . .quite a good arm, actually."
Sakura! Urrghhh…
Yanagi hid her anger with a sinfully sweet smile. She turned back to the Prince with an expression of compassion.
"She is… mute, your Highness."
"Really?"
Syaoran arched an eyebrow as his amber eyes showed confusion, "She spoke quite forcefully."
Yanagi answered smoothly, "Well, it . . .comes and goes. But, as always, your Highness is welcome to anything he may desire. Anything at all." She gave him another smile.
Just then, Meiling rushed out. She was wearing quite a revealing gown, and a heavy scent of intoxicating perfume followed her. Tomoyo stumbled out, tripping over her sister. Meiling shot the prince a seductive smile.
"Oh, ladies, there you are. Look who's here." Yanagi sounded calm, but inside she was a bundle of nerves.
Meiling, you'd better attract his attention. That would give us a better chance of his taking your hand in marriage…
She watched as her daughters curtsied. Meiling did a graceful, dainty one, a smile on her face. Tomoyo followed suit, without the fake gracefulness and seductive smile.
"Your highness, may I present Atashi Meiling . . ." she smiled at her dear daughter before glancing distastefully at Tomoyo. "And Tomoyo..."
Syaoran sighed inwardly and forced a smile, "You may present them indeed. Forgive me, ladies, but you seem to have . . .blossomed overnight." He withdrew his smile as Yanagi came closer, stroking the mane of his horse.
"We are looking forward to celebrating your engagement to your own Thai rose." Yanagi kept her voice sweet as she forced back the bitterness.
Syaoran forced back a snort as he told Yanagi in an extremely dignified manner, "Well, there have been several new . . .developments . . ."
Wanting to ease the tension, he caught sight of an intricate gold brooch on Meiling's extremely tight bodice.
"I must say, Meiling, that brooch is stunning."
Yanagi couldn't help but smirk. The Prince was obviously captivated by her beautiful daughter.
"Oh, this old thing? You are too kind." Meiling smirked, flipping her raven hair as she spoke in a honeyed voice to the Prince.
Tomoyo smiled awkwardly and stuffed the feather she was holding down her bodice in an attempt to attract the prince's attention.
Captain Eli snorted silently. Tomoyo scowled.
Yanagi glared at Tomoyo before grinning deviously at Meiling's fine act. She then faced the Prince. "These . . .developments, I am sure, are for the best?"
Syaoran hesitated a while, his amber eyes glazed, before answering politely, "Let us hope so. Good day ladies."
Yanagi smiled as the Prince made his way back to the castle, escorted by the blueberry-haired Captain. She turned to Meiling.
"Good job, dear. You had him… enchanted for sure."
Meiling smiled back, "I am sure, Mother. Very sure."
~*~
Emerald: Ooh… And the plot thickens… At least I think it does…
Sapphire: Well, it doesn't… It's still extremely boring. Now, turn off the computer so I can get some sleep…
Emerald: Ookay then, your Majesty… Well, please review!
