As promised a new chapter.
Chapter IV - The Pompous Mandarin
"So Sakura, how on earth did you manage to cook an entire meal all by yourself?" Eriol questioned curiously.
Sakura fidgeted over her thimble of green tea. "I have my ways," she stammered.
"Eriol, stop pestering her," his wife chided him. "I, for one, have never seen Syaoran so reinvigorated about his duties, or the king for that matter."
"Oh that wasn't my doing, Tomoyo! It's only because they're going to inspect the fields together today."
The seamstress merely gave the petite girl a searching look. Sakura deftly changed the subject, "Eriol, how did you meet Syaoran?"
The young Mandarin grinned openly. This was one of his favorite stories to tell.
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Young Syaoran, then eight years old, shifted unhappily upon his feet. "Why, Father, do I have to attend the school for Mandarins? I know enough already without having to set foot in that stuffy building."
"My son, I and your Mother cannot teach you everything. You must have lessons from the masters and, of course, make friends your own age."
Syaoran's face illustrated his displeasure. Xiao Rong laughed at his scowling son. No child ever wanted to attend school, his own included, but what could he do to prove otherwise?
The Middle Prince remembered seeing a crowd as they walked into town. Though he could have ordered a palanquin, he preferred traveling on his own two feet, giving him plenty of opportunities to spend time with his beloved son.
"Syaoran, there is a gathering over by the bakery. Report back to me what is happening."
The young boy gave his father a dubious look. The bakery had been a distance back, but as any well behaved child, did as Xiao Rong bid. He was gone the few minutes it took to run to the commotion and back again.
"It is only a cat that has given birth to a litter of kittens, Father."
"How many?"
Again the boy ran off. Panting a little from the second excursion, Syaoran replied back, "Four."
"How many were female and how many male?"
Again the boy left to find the answer. Completely winded this time, he could only splutter out, "Three female and one male," and sat heavily upon the grassy hill. His father sought to stifle his chuckle at the boy's exhaustion. He spotted coming from the opposite direction a young midnight haired boy his son's age.
"You there!" He beckoned the lad over, noting that the child was a student in the School of Mandarins, judging from the uniform. "Please go to the bakery and report back to me what is happening."
The boy ran back to report, adjusting his glasses after returning. "Sir, there was a cat that had given birth. The mother is grey and gave birth to four kittens - three females with similar coloring and one white male. The owner is the baker and is willing to give you one if you want."
Xiao Rong touched his son's shoulder gently on the shoulder. "And that is why you should join the school, my child."
Syaoran gave an exhausted groan, and fell backwards in defeat.
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Even though the two started off on the wrong foot, Eriol Hiiragizawa and Syaoran Li soon became close confidants. Eriol was there for the young Prince when Xiao Rong passed away, and Syaoran aided - "More like endured," he muttered - Eriol's courtship of the much desired Tomoyo Daidouji.
Sakura could see how Syaoran could attract such loyal friends, with his noble ideals and kind heart. You just had to look beneath his serious demeanor.
"He seems to be smiling a lot more than he usually does, doesn't he, Sakura?" Eriol remarked, but as Sakura choked on her cup of tea, the grinning Mandarin took pity and turned the conversation towards humorous stories of Syaoran's childhood.
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It was close to the dinner hour when the young Middle Prince walked into the stables. It had been one of the best days of his entire life. Though he had the results of the contest snatched out of his grasp due to his manipulative cousins, the day spent with his Grandfather more than made up for it. They discussed policies, but at the same time, the King had divulged memories of when he and Syaoran's father had made the exact same journey. The son delighted in hearing more about his father, and his grandfather's insights into governing the land was a reminder of the King's experienced hand.
But enough about his grandfather, he only wanted to see one person.
"Miss Sakura is in the library, your highness."
Syaoran raised an eyebrow at the soldier who spoke. So far telepathy was not one of the magical abilities normally possessed by people; did his emotions show so plainly upon his face? He was amused to see that the elfin girl had managed to convince a majority of the courtiers and soldiers to call her Sakura, instead of your highness, but apparently many chose to add an honorific to her name.
"She instructed us to inform you of her location when you returned, Prince Syaoran, unless you, and I quote 'wanted to play the longest game of hide-and-go-seek ever.'" The soldier was surprised to hear the usually taciturn man let out a surprised guffaw.
That girl seems to be changing our solemn prince.
Syaoran made his way easily to the library; the familiar passage was one he had taken several times. It was easy to forget the world, and lose his troubles in the pages of a book instead. He'd hoped that little Sakura wasn't literally lost within the pages of one the tomes. He found her reading with the book propped upon a stand. Small extended metal arms bend inwards held the pages in place, though it took some effort to turn a page, yet the diminutive girl managed.
"I'm back," he murmured quietly as if not to startle her.
She turned her bright green eyes onto him with a joyful smile. "Welcome home."
Syaoran's heart skipped a beat, and to his surprise, he realized he missed her. He never thought anyone besides those of his close inner circle could touch his heart so, but the tiny girl had managed to do so in such a short time.
"Did you have a good day?" Sakura had no idea of his inner musings. She merely felt the same joy she always did in the young prince's presence.
"Yes, not only did I get to ask some policy questions from my Grandfather, but he even told me of when my father and he had visited the same fields. He... he even said he was proud of me, and how I've been handling the Kingdom. Can you believe it?"
Sakura smile grew even wider. "I'm so happy for you." Her eyes took on a spark of mischievousness, "I spent the whole day with Eriol, since the Council was on a break due to you and the King being away."
The shocked man immediately retorted, "Whatever he told you, it's all a lie!" A merry peal of laughter was his answer. He glared, vowing to implement a complex spell to turn Eriol's hair green, but secretly he was gratified Sakura was getting to know his past. She would never turn any malicious information against him.
He thought.
Curiosity reigned over him, "What are you reading, Sakura?"
"The Cowherd and the Weaver Fairy."
"That legend always made me sad. Two lovers forced apart, and can only meet once a year? It seems so cruel."
Sakura turned a smile discovering the quiet prince read romantic tales in his free time. "The weaver and the cowherd were neglecting their duties, but after their punishment, the young man was made into an immortal just like the weaver fairy. Their love can be built gradually instead of being an all consuming obsession. The Jade Emperor has his reasons, though we may not understand his edicts."
Syaoran looked intrigued. He had never thought of the old legend that way. Sakura had trailed off at the end looking wistful.
Why does she look so sad? I trust her, I do. She'll tell me when she's ready.
"Come on, you can tell me all of the horrors that you've learned about me today at dinner, and you're off to an early bedtime too. You didn't get much sleep last night."
Sakura stuck out her tongue at his overbearing gesture. "I never needed to rely on anyone at my home before."
"Well the palace is a different place than your home." Truthfully though, he'd hope that by sleeping early tonight, Sakura would regain her strength, ready tomorrow to weave a robe for the second contest.
She rolled her eyes, "Obviously." Lavish decorations, magic at every corner, and the social elite paying court was a far cry from her small one room house.
That night, with a full stomach and the company of his attentive companion, Syaoran's nightmares seemed to be but a distant memory.
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"Chiharu, you really don't have to escort me around like this," Sakura said the next day. "It's such an inconvenience for you."
The head maid shook her head in acknowledgement of the girl's concerns. It really had been fun breakfasting and touring with Sakura. "It's no trouble at all! Anything to get to know who's captured the heart of our Prince Li." Her charge jerked her head wildly, causing the tiny girl to almost slip off of the tray the head maid had been handling, if not for Chiharu's quick reflexes. "I've never broken a dish yet, but you had better not break my record, Sakura!"
The shocked brunette uttered a dismayed "Hoe!" before apologizing profusely. "We're, we're not anything like that. I mean, he's handsome..."
"Oh! You think he's handsome then," Chiharu teased. Sakura stomped her foot in retaliation, causing the teasing woman to threaten, "You know what? Records are meant to be broken," and mocked gestured to flip the tea tray holding Sakura over. The two knew it was all in good fun though.
"Besides," she continued, "Being Head Maid means that you can delegate your activities, therefore I can take a day off and accompany you until Syaoran is free."
"He's with the other Mandarins addressing the public forum, right?"
"Yes, anyone can voice their concerns if they feel that their own magistrates are not handling their problems effectively, even against the King himself."
Sakura nodded knowingly. King Daisuke had ruled fairly, and even provided checks and balances against his own edicts by installing the Council.
"It's a good thing we're checking on Tomoyo, and bringing her a lunch. Hopefully she's had sleep and something to eat within the past two days." The duchess and the general's daughter had her extremely busy with their numerous demands.
They entered the Master Seamstress' domain. The neat, organized room was now a sea of chaos, full of colored swatches and long sashes.
"No, no, no! Did you tell her that the dimensions were wrong, again?" Tomoyo stressed.
The poor servant girl quailed. "Yes, but Shinji's wife insisted on the ones she wrote here."
The ebony haired girl huffed angrily. "If that's what she wants, then that's what she'll get. I've already warned both of the girls several times what the King's measurements are, and they are written right here." She jabbed her hand at the scrap of paper she held. Turning her head she noticed her new visitors, "Sakura! Chiharu! Save me from this madness!"
"Well it's a good thing we brought lunch enough for the three of us!" the Head Maid cajoled. The servant girl was glad to be dismissed.
Sakura slid off onto Tomoyo's work desk, settling herself comfortably on a pincushion, and the three settled in to an enjoyable lunch.
The seamstress chattered merrily, "I know those two girls mean well, but honestly they're as stubborn as 'The Pompous Mandarin'!"
"Oh?" Sakura questioned. The only one she knew was Eriol, and he never seemed pompous.
"You've never heard the story?" Chiharu chuckled. "You're in for a treat then. Tomoyo always delights in telling this tale."
Tomoyo's face took on a whimsical quality as she prepared to play the role of storyteller.
"A young student had recently passed the rigorous examinations to become a servant of the bureaucratic government, and thus the privilege of becoming a Mandarin. Now achieving such an honor caused the young man to let's just say have quite an inflated ego especially to those of an inferior profession."
The other "lowly" girls giggled quietly picturing the pretentious fool. The seamstress shushed them, but continued on.
"An older Mandarin could see the dangers of such a boasting mindset, so he sent the young man off to one of his personal tailors. Now the young man was too ashamed to say that he was purchasing his own robes of office, so he told a small white lie of buying for a friend. The tailor smiled and took down the official's measurements, but asked the strangest question."
How long has this person been in the bureaucracy?
"The adolescent was, of course, confused, and queried why on earth he would need to know. The tailor merely said, 'Any person who is new to their position puffs his chest out with pride and ego, thus I have to make the front longer. As a few years go by, he soon loses his arrogance, and I can make the front properly sized. If the Mandarin has been working for several years, his back becomes bent with age and wisdom, so the back must be longer. That is the reason why I ask the question.'"
"The young man stammered out that the Mandarin was new to his office. After he thanked the tailor, the poor lad left the shop feeling more humbled than he had ever been in his life, and throughout his tenure always remembered the wisdom of those 'beneath him.'"
The three girls let off a merry peal of laughter, and completed their luncheon on a light-hearted note. Just as Chiharu and Sakura were preparing to leave, one of Tomoyo's assistants approached.
"Tomoyo, I'm going to throw away these old cloth scraps."
The seamstress gave her nod of consent when a small voice interrupted.
"Wait!" All eyes turned to Sakura wondering why she called out. The girl, unaccustomed to the attention remained firm.
"Sakura, you don't want us to throw these away? There's no use for them."
"Yes... no... I mean... Yes, I don't want you to throw it away, there's still plenty that you can do. Back at home we'd take the scraps and stuff them into pillows. The longer pieces can be used to tie plants to stakes for support, and well, the girls always use the brighter colors for ribbons in their hair."
The Head Seamstress and Maid looked at each other with surprise.
"We've never thought about reusing these before," Tomoyo reasoned with a thoughtful look. "You make a good point though."
Chiharu pointed out, "But these were bought with treasury funds for soldier uniforms, and only designated for that purpose. Using them for another reason would have to be cleared with the council."
The dark haired woman rolled her eyes, "They can't make anything easy, can they? But I'm sure Sakura's up for the task."
"Hoe?!" The subject of their conversation exclaimed in distress. "I have to speak to the council about this?"
"It was your idea."
"But it's what we do back in my hometown. Nothing should ever go to waste. It's just common sense!"
"Common sense is what we've been lacking at the palace for a long time," Chiharu commented. "I'm sure Tomoyo would be willing to address the Mandarins, but she's already swamped with work."
Sakura bit her lip in displeasure. She knew the two women would present the proposal if she really wanted them to, but she possessed the first hand knowledge to be truly convincing.
"I'll do it."
Chiharu and Tomoyo lit up with pleasure. "Let's bring you over there right now, before you lose your nerve."
The apprehensive girl grinned glad that if she was going into the lion's den, at least she'd be with good friends.
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The clang of the wooden block against its holder announced judgment upon a newly resolved case. The plaintiff and defendant bowed reverently before the gathering of Mandarins, and left the meeting room.
"We have a walk-in wishing to discuss a proposal for the palace."
Syaoran and the other Mandarins turned questioning eyes around the assembly. When was the last time someone had put forward a suggestion for the palace? The Middle Prince racked his memory, and couldn't recall when that had ever occurred.
The vast doors opened and a young woman entered.
"Chiharu?" Syaoran questioned.
"Nope," she chirruped, and held her palm upwards for all to see. The little figure quailed slightly, but kept her stance upright with determination. Chiharu placed her upon a podium for all to see and hear.
Sakura bowed, taking a deep breath, and slowly released it as she gathered her thoughts. This was entirely distressing! How did Syaoran handle this all day? Syaoran...
She met his inquiring eyes with her own, and smiled softly. That's right, he was with her. If she pretended that they were merely talking privately, perhaps she could make her idea clear.
"My name is Sakura Kinomoto. I am a guest of the palace."
A few of the older Mandarins hid smiles behind practiced austere faces. They had seen how the young prince and the mysterious girl had interacted so closely, and wondered how long until her designation as a guest became something much more permanent.
The auburn haired girl, with hands clasped, explained her suggestion of utilizing the uniform scraps originally set to be thrown away by the palace. What could not be used by the city itself could easily be donated to the surrounding villages.
The committee discussed amongst themselves after Sakura had finished, and found no fault with what she had proposed. The decision was unanimous.
"We agree in favor of your proposition, and grant the use of the old pieces of cloth as you recommended," the eldest Councilor decreed. The decision was noted in official logs.
Eriol stood, addressing the crowd. "My fellow Mandarins, we've been sequestered for the majority of the day, I recommend taking a few moment's time for a brief recess." The council, of course, agreed heartedly.
"You know, your highness," one of the other arbiters addressed the Prince privately. "We probably have many such internal palace issues. They're usually attended to by the Queen."
Syaoran could honestly not envision the Duchess or the General's daughter tackling such issues, but little Sakura managed to do so with her humble background. The Prince nodded to his fellow councilor, and held back as the other Mandarins who had not a chance to meet the enigmatic waif could bestow their greetings upon her. As the crowd departed, he strode up and leaned against the podium, his head bent towards her. Sakura arched her head up, grinning widely.
"Were you nervous?" he asked.
"Terribly, but I imagined that you and I were the only ones in the room, and then the words came easily."
"I was so impressed with you." His eyes took on a distant darkness. "All this time, I thought of you as this delicate, fragile person, because everything had to be handed to you, or we had to take you places." Syaoran raised a hand to stop her protest. "No, no. Let me finish. I realize that you are strong, and I was wrong. I shouldn't have underestimated you."
Sakura hid her righteous smile behind two hands. He certainly had been!
"You know, Tomoyo told me the story of the Foolish Mandarin today. I never expected you to be like him."
Her companion made a face, "She always enjoyed teasing me with that story." His face took on a wry expression, "Tomoyo used to call me that as a nickname all of the time."
"If you're the Mandarin, then what would make me?"
A sudden burst of noise came from the distance, signaling the return of his fellow advisors. Distracted, and with the other councilor's words running through his mind, Syaoran replied, "Why, my Queen, of course." His eyes widened in realization of what he had just confessed to his dear friend. He uttered a soft curse, and quickly strode off.
"Syaoran! Come back!" Sakura couldn't believe her ears. Syaoran considered her as his queen?
Chiharu walked back into the room. "Sakura? Syaoran said that you've managed to convince the Mandarins to not throw out the leftover material."
"Where is he?" the confused girl exclaimed.
"He told me to take you wherever you wanted to go. A little rudely, in fact."
"But I want to go see him!"
Chiharu glanced around, "I think they're about to resume their session, Sakura. It'll have to wait until after they're through." She picked up the now furious girl.
"That stupid, idiotic, no good man!" Sakura muttered to herself. Of all the things to say, and then he had the gall to just leave her in the middle of it!
The Head Maid felt a tingle starting from the palm of her hand that was holding Sakura extending out to her fingertips. Strange, it was the same sensation when she touched an item that had been imbued with magic. Confused as to what had happened between her employer and her newfound friend, Chiharu could only transport the petite woman to the library, in the hope that the two would settle their problems later.
Poor Sakura could only attempt to take her mind off of what Syaoran said by delving into the books within the vast collection. She could see that someone, him most likely, had taken similar books to what she had been reading, and placed them upon book stands distributed around the great table. As the hours flew on, to her surprise, Yamazaki poked his head inside, and offered to bring dinner. Joined by Chiharu, the trio had a lovely meal, and though Sakura managed to be good company, the couple could notice her reticence.
The cause of her distress, meanwhile, had immediately retreated to his garden sanctuary as soon as the proceedings were over. His perch, atop the stately tree offered him the concealment to mull over what he had stupidly said. There was only one woman he could see as Queen, and she was only a few inches tall. His queen – he'd be the happiest man on earth if Sakura would consent to be his wife. He understood that now after spending the last few days with her, but he managed to muddle up professing his feelings for her. Worse, he left her gaping in astonishment by running away!
Syaoran banged his head against the rough tree bark, "I'm an idiot."
"Do you know, your father said the exact same thing when he was your age?"
The Middle Prince nearly fell out of his precarious seat upon hearing his grandfather's voice. "What did you say?"
The King settled himself into a proper bench located near the tree. "When your father was courting the woman who would become your mother, he said something very stupid by insulting her cooking."
The young man looked incredulous at his King. Who was this doppelganger to advise him so? It had been many a season when Daisuke had last perused the gardens, much less offer guidance to his grandchildren. Syaoran imagined his normally serene mother so furious; however, he had to agree with his grandfather that her meals left something to be desired (if you had any taste buds left).
"Insulting a woman's cooking skill is a far cry from running away after confessing that I would like to consider Sakura to be my wife."
"So you finally realize it then? Your father sat at the base of this same tree, and had the exact same revelation about Yelan with me."
"And what advice did you offer him?"
"Why to talk to your Mother, of course."
Syaoran sighed, tilting his head back so he can stare at the nearly full moon. "She won't be here much longer. When her parents come, she'll leave me."
"All the better to tell her soon then."
The man in the tree pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. Of course that was logical. It would be better to spend the limited time together than to carry a lifetime of regret. He leapt out of the tree, landing upon the ground with nimble feet.
The King envied the time in which he had the strength in limb and bone to do so before, but he wasn't so old was he? Syaoran's meal in the first contest had certainly proven that. His Sakura was certainly perceptive. Every bite had convinced Daisuke to visit the farmlands, an activity he had not done in several years. The King anticipated the second test would be even more enlightening.
As his grandson left to return to his rooms, Daisuke thought of the missed chances with his own sons, and hoped it wouldn't be too late to offer the words he should have said to them all – I'm proud of you.
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Syaoran's conversation with the king weighed heavily upon his mind, but his grandfather's parting words were a balm and gave him courage. Unfortunately the opportunity to talk with Sakura had passed, and the enigmatic girl was already asleep in her cardboard bed.
Tomorrow then, no matter what the outcome of the second contest, I'll tell her everything.
Notes: Chapter 4
Young Syaoran and Eriol Mandarin story, the Pompous Mandarin tale, and the second robe task is taken from The Mandarin and the Tailor in William Bennett's The Moral Compass
Cowherd and the Weaver Fairy – another Vietnamese legend, also told in Japan and China
A big thank you to LexaStarr69, Minky Sam, shiriii, WikidThoughts, Airhead259, 504, YoshitheBunny, Cherry-BLUE009, Dancingfingers, BlackHanyouMiko for reviewing the last chapter. I'm happy you guys enjoy reading fairy tales, and many of you have even tried the Vietnamese meals I mentioned. My writing style tends to be pretty formal with short chapters. I'll look for ways to improve.
Please review, Grignard