Violets Do Blossom In Winter
The Courtship of Daidouji Tomoyo
A Card Captor
Sakura Fan Fiction
Chapter Six
An Idyllic Melody
It's
every bit as big as Sakura told me, Eriol thought upon catching
sight of the sprawling Daidouji residence. After a quick
self-introduction through the intercom at the gate and a brief wait,
a pair of female bodyguards led him down an artfully winding
cobblestone path to the bower garden where Sonomi and Tomoyo waited.
The table was set for three, with a teapot full of hot Earl Grey tea and sweet cakes for dessert. In one chair sat Errol, the stuffed toy Eriol won for Tomoyo days ago. "Good afternoon, Eriol," greeted his sunny host.
"Good afternoon, Daidouji-san." He politely bowed to Sonomi. "It is a pleasure on my part to meet you in person, Ma'am."
He really is polite, Sonomi noted. "Please, make yourself at home."
The black-clad escorts were dismissed. The trio seated themselves. The very soul of gentility, Tomoyo served tea for their enjoyment. "Thank you for getting me Errol yesterday, Eriol." Said toy now comfortably sat upon her lap, a mute spectator to their conversation.
"It is but one little gesture on my part. I have far more to thank you and the others for having been very kind to me."
"Arigatou." She smiled her angel smile and was answered back with one of his.
"Well, then, Eriol," Sonomi interjected, "From what I've heard from Tomoyo, you are a very interesting young man. So, could you tell me a bit about yourself?"
He gladly did so, weaving his usual story about his parents' long absences, Myzuki Kaho serving as his guardian but himself being more than able to handle his affairs. Eriol then went on with a more truthful discussion of his hobbies and interests, one that made a rapt audience of Sonomi. His words enthralled Tomoyo, who was devotedly listening to every tiny detail he spun in his web of truths and white lies. Strangely enough, she could sense which ones of his stories were indirect facts, which ones were completely fictional, and which ones were the plain and simple truth. She could even recognize the vague hints Eriol used to refer to his previous life as Clow Read, hints Sonomi failed to pick up but enjoyed for what she thought they were. It was like Tomoyo could taste the words Eriol used, detect the truthfulness or falsity in them, and uncover the hidden meanings in them.
Maybe because they were so much alike, she could understand what he was really saying despite his prosaic verses and honeyed words that always danced around the truth but never got to revealing it.
Or perhaps Tomoyo possessed something special she never suspected she ever had.
"He hasn't
changed much, that smooth-talking kid," Touya grumbled at Yukito.
"Why did he come back here? To flirt with Sakura and mess things up
some more?"
"You really care about Sakura-chan a lot, eh, To-Ya?" His friend was all smiles. "Besides, I felt that Eriol came back for something important. He told us as much, just indirectly."
"At least he didn't bring Akizuki. I don't think I can exactly explain it to Yoko if Nakuru is draped around me like a leech. Why, of all the–"
"Touya?"
Touya stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh," Yukito began. "Good afternoon to you–"
Tell me it isn't her, feverishly implored Touya to any deity who might be listening to him. Tell me it isn't her, tell me it isn't her–
"–Kirishima-san."
All of his nervousness vanished, replaced by his usual grumpy –and noticeably relieved– self. Sparing only a swift sigh, Touya turned around to face the newcomer.
Kirishima Yoko smiled shyly. "Good afternoon, Kinimoto-san."
"You, too, Kirishima-san." He walked over to his former classmate and admirer back in senior high. "Sorry if we didn't notice you. Yukito and I were talking about something."
"It's all right. Why did you take such a long while to reply?"
"Touya mistook your voice for someone else," Yukito helpfully offered.
"Oh? Is it another girl? Perhaps the secret beloved Touya told me about back then?" The redhead was rather merry– and blind to the fact that the very person she joked about was not a foot away and playing along.
Touya glared at his best friend. "Thank you very much, Yuki."
"Is this a joke you're playing on me?" Yoko asked.
"The joke is on me," Touya admitted. "I guess I just broke Murphy's Law."
"Kinimoto?"
Yukito stood very still as the hidden him detected a familiar aura.
Exasperated, Touya turned on the newcomer. "All right, just who is it now-"
His heart nearly stopped beating in pure shock.
Standing in front of him was his worst nightmare.
Akizuki Nakuru beamed. Her huge smile was one little children reserve for wonderful birthday gifts or Santa Claus coming down the chimney. It wasn't her birthday and December was certainly still far away, but there was no denying her happiness at the great gift she'd "happened" on.
"TOUYA-CHAN!" Straightaway Nakuru charged, flung her arms around his waist in a flying tackle, and promptly dragged Touya down with the force of her hug and their combined weight.
"You!" Touya was beside himself with horror. "How on–"
Her hug automatically increased in strength. That choked off his forthcoming sentence. "Yippee!" The Moon Guardian clung to him like a creeper vine. Words gushed out of her mouth at machine-gun speed. "She was right, I could I find you here, she didn't go back on her promise to me, not like Master Eriol who's so mean at times–"
"Sorry, Touya," apologized Yukito with a sheepish grin. "I didn't sense her fast enough."
"I never should have trusted that sniveling weasel!" Touya snapped unkindly of Eriol. "He probably set me up!"
Blissfully
unaware of his detractor's predicament, Eriol was just concluding
an appealing story, of which Sonomi was very much impressed. "Forgive
me for having been a bit long-winded," he apologized, despite
pausing very often in his tale to drink his tea or take a small
nibble out of his cake. "I must have taken up much of your time."
"It was well-spent, I would say," Sonomi reassured him. "You really are such an impressive young man, and I'm very delighted to have met you." Tomoyo was right. He is such a nice young man.
"And so am I, Madame." He looked at Tomoyo. "Is there anything wrong, Tomoyo?"
"Huh? Oh, no!" She cheerily waved away his concern. "I was just thinking I should have recorded all of this for us to enjoy later on, that's all."
Sonomi smiled. "Tomoyo-chan simply cannot resist missing out on a good shot. She is very good with video cameras."
"I have heard she is an accomplished singer as well," Eriol returned.
"Of course." Sonomi was rightly proud of her daughter's singing talent. Though still an amateur, a number of recording studios were already wooing Tomoyo. "Professional caliber, if I may say so myself." She then turned to Tomoyo. "Tomoyo-chan, can I request a demonstration of your talent for our guest?"
The girl blushed to hear him use her name in conjunction with the suffix –chan, a term used by people when they are addressing someone dear to them. "Right now?"
"Please, Tomoyo," Sonomi asked. "Show us just how good you are."
Eriol simply smiled at her. That was all the inducement she needed.
"Alright." To the delight of her mother and to the seemingly distant but secretly interested attention of her favored guest, Tomoyo stood up. Errol was left seated in her chair.
It took but a moment for her to collect herself, to assume the relaxed stance she favored, a single breath to prepare for her gracefully mighty effort. Then she began to sing.
yuuhi
ga akaku sougen ni furu yo
hi no you ni
yoru no sora ga hoshi wo egakidasu
hitotsu zutsu
Her
voice was soft and tempered, modulated to produce a delightfully
pleasant tone for her listeners' pleasure. Words flowed from her
lips easily, as water slipping through a meandering course, beautiful
on their own, wonderful linked in a beguiling chain of melodies. Such
was her power, imbuing life upon her song, realizing dreams for a few
precious seconds that mattered above all.
hitomi
wo tojite, kokoro no naka wo mitsumete'ru
dare wo matsu no?
chiheisen no mukou kara
kikoete kuru koe wo kiite-iru
koko ni kite
Her
audience was enthralled by her voice. Sonomi fell into a deep
reminisce of the time when she was as old as her only daughter was
now, still hopelessly in love with her beloved Nadeshiko, but this
time understanding of Fujitaka Kinimoto. Love, after all, knew no
boundaries. Love is forgiving, even of the most unforgiving things.
kirameku
kaze ga, toiki no you ni yabarakaku
kata wo tsutsumu yo
chiheisen no mukou kara
aruite kuru hito wo mitsumete'ru
koko ni kite
Eriol
had closed his eyes, drawing the song into him, letting it come alive
in his own way. Losing himself in the simple splendor of the melody,
he unconsciously let his own power come forth. Tiny flickers of
faerie fire danced around then, illusionary flickers that drifted in
and out of reality, tracing delicate lines of light that wrapped her
in an unraveling dream tapestry. She felt their presence, knew them
to be his and so drew strength from them and from him.
hikaru
ishi wo hitotsu kette mita
koko ni kite
As
the last word of the song escaped her lips, she let herself fall
silent for a long while. Then, Eriol began to applaud. Sonomi
followed suit.
She blushed in gratitude. "Arigatou."
"I told you she was talented." Sonomi looked very pleased with her daughter.
"An excellent performance," Eriol said in honest praise. Tomoyo was very happy to hear that.
"I entirely agree," enjoined another person.
Tomoyo went very cold upon hearing that voice, because it was very familiar and one she did not expect to hear. Beside her, Eriol quietly stood up.
"Good afternoon, Kaho-sensei."
The woman with the auburn red hair and clear amethyst eyes did not smile back as she was often did. Her expression was neutral.
"Good afternoon, Eriol."
Kaho Myzuki had finally caught up with them.
She
has sung her song. Now she offers her heart. Will he take it? Next on
Violets: Fateful Promise.
