Disclaimer: I do not own CCS

Bonjour!

The main part of this chapter is something I introduced between two scenes meaning that I wrote it months after writing the initial parts. I needed to produce a source to a certain feeling Sakura is having further in the chapter. I know I'm not being really clear right now, but it's the best I can do without telling too much. I'll explain at the end of the chapter.

I hope you'll like this chapter.

R&R

Traduction: Der zunehmender Mond means the waxing moon


Wiccacraeft

Chapter 9: Der zunehmender Mond

That night, I was woken up by Tomoyo-chan, who was completely excited, at midnight. We had all went to bed approximately at eleven since we were all tired after we had passed the evening at a restaurant and then in a movie theatre.

"Sakura-chan! Wake up! Come on! I realised it's the waxing moon! The first crescent!" I tossed and grumbled, half awake.

"So...?"

"What do you mean "So?"! It's your moon! The night Hecate comes back from de Kingdom of Shadows! And Cernunnos is dead right now! We can perform an Esbat (ritual) dedicated to her return and to ask of her wisdom and protection. Come on Sakura-chan!" There was no way I was going back to sleep with Tomoyo-chan like this, so I accepted. Moreover, it had been a very long time since I was able to perform this sort of ritual. Since the Maiden is "pure", her element is water; therefore, while doing her Esbat, she must be surrounded by water. It's not really an obligation; it's more like a tradition. And Tomoyo-chan's house had a pool, so it could be perform.

"Fine... But is it still raining?" Tomoyo-chan shook her head.

"No and the pool shouldn't be too cold. Come on now! Get dressed!" I got out of bed and rummaged through my luggage to find my white bikini and my white shirt and skirt; you had to be totally dressed in white during the new moon Esbat. Tomoyo-chan dressed into a white dress.

We silently sneaked out of the house with everything we needed for the ritual.

Surprisingly, there was no wind, but the air was freezing cold... Time seemed to have stopped. The difference between the temperature of the pool and the atmosphere was so important, that the water was steaming. Tomoyo-chan gave me an apologetic look; she didn't know it was so cold outside. I shrugged it off; we were already there so we might as well do the Esbat.

Around the pool, towards the South, I placed a lit candle and towards the East, a boll filled with water. Tomoyo-chan disposed a feather under crystal quartz towards the North and flowers and leaves towards the West.

We both got into the pool without making a sound. Once we had water up to the chest, we stopped and faced one another, holding each other's hands.

Since I was the priestess, I was the one supposed to say the prayers; it made me feel nervous... because of everything that had happened in the past... Tomoyo-chan smiled at me.

"Relax and breathe. Everything is fine if you believe it is." I forced myself to calm down.

"Tout est un. Le Divin est partout. Ta grâce, Hécate, est restée à nos côtés, mais ta présence, elle, ne faisait plus qu'écho. Entends tes filles qui t'ont cherchée et caresse leurs cœurs qui t'ont attendue. Fais-nous don de la sagesse. Enveloppe-nous de ta protection et abreuve-toi de notre amour… Mais plus que tout, offre-nous la liberté. An'ye Harm None Do What Ye Wilt." I recited the prayer in French first and then in English as I had learnt it; it had been written this way since Wiccacraeft took its roots both in France and in England.

"All is one. The Divine is everywhere. Your grace, Hecate, has remained by our side, but your presence has vanished into an echo. Hear your daughters who have searched for you and caress their heart that have waited for you. Gift us of wisdom. Cover us with your protection and drink from our love. But more than anything, gift us of freedom. An'ye Harm None Do What Ye Wilt." By a single look, I asked Tomoyo-chan if she was ready. She nodded.

We lowered our head so that our forehead would touch. Our voice entwined, we both said: "Hecate blesses thee." And we completely engulfed ourselves into water.

In this blissful silence, we both prayed, wishing for something.

I asked for freedom, protection and happiness for my family. I didn't dare to wish for anything else. It was enough anyway. I counted to ten to then pull Tomoyo-chan with me to the surface, but before I was able to do so, images flashes before my eyes: the man with the hat I had seen at the museum, a picture of a family I didn't know, a young man looking just like an old friend, a mating ritual and... a dark and cold sky. Waking up of this second of reverie, I finally got back to surface with Tomoyo-chan, the vision almost totally gone from my memory. I locked my gaze on my friend, a bit lost.

She, on the other hand, was joyously smiling at me. I focused on her glee.

"Thanks, I'm glad we did this Esbat together." I forced a smile out of me.

"It was my pleasure. Come on, we'll catch a cold if we stay here." She nodded and got out of the pool before taking back the candle, the feather, the flowers and the boll. We each enveloped our body into our own towel and got inside the house trying not to make too much noise.

I quickly noticed that Tomoyo-chan was shaking like a leaf.

"Go take a hot bath. I'll take care of the rest." She resisted, saying that I needed a hot bath as much as she did.

"Don't worry. I'm fine. You're fully clothed and soaking wet. No matter how many towels you'll use, it will make no difference. I'm in a bathing suit. I can us towels, now go." I knew my logic was shaky, but this combined to my ordering tone managed to get her in a hot bath.

Once she was upstairs, I removed my skirt and my shirt and enveloped myself in a thick towel. I poured water in a kettle and put it onto the oven. While waiting for the water to boil, I placed everything we had used tonight in a desk's drawer in the living room before coming back in the kitchen. I removed the hot kettle from the oven and opened an armoire where were the mugs.

"What are you doing?" Surprised, I froze. The voice vibrating behind me was warm and low. As soon as those words left the person's throat, a hand appeared and came in contact with my shoulder. It disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. I turned around looking at, of course, the only man in the house who would dare to touch me: Li. He was wearing nothing else but pyjama's pants, his alluring torso perfectly visible.

"You're freezing cold! And what are you doing wrapped in a towel?"

"I'm making tea. Want some? What are you doing out of bed anyway?" Right at this moment, I sneezed.

"I woke up to close the window I had left opened when I heard you downstairs. You're wearing your bikini; you went swimming! At this hour of the night! You'll catch a cold!"

"I'm fine! I'm making hot tea. It will warm me up." He growled.

"Do you know how blue are your lips right now? And how cold your skin is?" I ignored him, pouring hot water in my mug. I didn't want to admit that the warm air of the house was painfully tickling my skin.

Suddenly, the slightly wet towel around my body was tore away from me and hot arms knocked me onto Li's hard chest.

"Li! What has gotten into you! Let me go!" I was struggling to escape from his warm embrace. My heart was furiously fighting in my chest and I had always preferred to keep it tied down.

"You don't like that? Perfect, that will teach you not to go outside when it's cold outside. Now, tell me why you went swimming."

"Why do you care? It's my business, not yours."

"Everything you do is my business." I snorted.

"Liar. You're just feeling the "urge" and all you can grab onto for the moment is me."

"Think whatever you want. Now tell." I sighed; this wasn't worth fighting for. He already knew I was a Wicce... but I didn't want him to know about me performing ritual... It was embarrassing. However, at this moment, I didn't have much choice.

"Fine. Tomoyo-chan and I performed an Esbat, a ritual. We welcomed Hecate into this world."

"And you had to do that in the pool?" I nodded. He ragingly sighed.

"You're nuts." I knew that was coming.

"I know it is the waxing moon tonight, but couldn't you wait for another one...while it's warmer outside?" I remained silent, not knowing what to say and surprised of his reply.

"How do you feel now? You're still shaking, but your skin seems to have gained few degrees." Li was right; I wasn't cold anymore. In fact, I was awfully comfortable enveloped in his arms. But why was I still shaking? It wasn't because of Li; I needed for my own sanity to get out of his embrace, but what I was feeling was sweating fright, doubts and uncertainty... I wondered if it had something to do with what I had foreseen in the pool. I had forgotten what those images were, but I knew there was something there...

However, I didn't have the energy to explain what was bugging me. And what could I say anyway? Nothing. I couldn't remember a single thing... So I just tried to ignore it.

I escaped from Li's arms.

"I'm fine... Thanks." The last word cost me.

"Good. Bring your tea upstairs and go to bed." I nodded without complaining about his ordering tone. Before leaving the kitchen, I glanced over my shoulder at Li; his hands were on the counter, his arms tensed and his head low. He raised it back, looking through the window facing him at the young crescent moon in the dark sky. I wondered what was stressing him so much, but didn't dare to ask. I went upstairs straight to bed after changing in my pyjama.

That night, no dreams came to disturb my sleep; all I could perceive was deep frightening darkness. And cold. I was so frozen, but couldn't wake up to warm up.


The next day, Tomoyo-chan woke me up at eight with her usual kind smile.

"The beach?" At this state, those were the only words I could say from my initial question: "Are we going to the beach?"

My friend shook her head, but kept her brightness.

"No, it's too cold outside, but I had a great idea! I found a ranch where we can do horseback riding! Isn't it great? I love it! I used to have lessons when I was a kid! How about it?"

"Perfect. Coming." My friend laughed of my lack of energy.

"How about a cup of coffe?" I nodded.

"I'm sorry. I had a bad night." Tomoyo-chan frowned, concerned.

"How so? Nightmares? Or is it because of the Esbat?" I shook my head.

"No. No dreams at all in fact... Well, I think so... It's probably nothing. I'll get changed to be ready."

"Great! I'll prepare our bento!" And she was off. After her disappearance, I got out of the bed and opened a window to know how cold it was outside.

A gush of wind engulfed into the room causing my body to tremble; it was indeed cold for the season... Maybe 59oF (15 oC) without the wind... and yet, the sun was shining in the clear blue sky.

"...better take a good pullover... and a amethyst point to keep my mind clear just to be sure... Hecate! I hate when I have this void inside of me!"


When we arrived at the ranch, it was already midday since I had taken more time than planned to get ready (the cold atmosphere and my sleepiness had something to do with it...) and we had gotten lost on our way.

Tomoyo-chan was the one to drive and she had stopped to ask for directions, but the Australian accent of the stranger had been too much to handle for my three companions.

Where was I? Half asleep in the car. That sickening feeling was clinging onto me like a spider web.

Finally, when we got out of the car in the parking lot not too far from a pretty typical Australian house, the sun was high and warm in the sky. Tomoyo-chan and Eriol-san headed towards it guessing the reception desk would be there: There was a stable too, but we guessed it wasn't the best place to search into.

I stayed by the car to get our lunches out and to prepare a picnic table nearby under a tall and furnished tree. Li helped me in silence, but he was intensely scrutinising my every movements. Fed up with this close watch, I decided to confront him.

"What is it, Li-san?"

"You are as white as a ghost. Are you sick? Is it because of your foolishness of yesterday night?" Well, there was one flaw you couldn't credit Li with and that was lack of attention to small details. I forced myself to smile at him.

"I'm fine. I didn't sleep well; I just need to move a little to wake up." Li frowned.

"You're smiling at me: you're definitely sick." I stuck my tongue at him.

"That's more like you: Childish and unladylike."

"Du bist der wenigester intelligenter Mann dass ich kenne. (You are the less intelligent man that I know.)"

"I recognised the word "intelligent", but I bet it wasn't used as a compliment."

"Who knows..." I released a giggle.

"Seems like you two are having fun!" I swirled around only to meet with Eriol-san's amused gaze and Tomoyo-chan's sweet smile. I was about to reply when I noticed a tall tanned man with dirty blond hair and perfect white teeth, a detail you could notice thanks to his friendly grin.

"Hello! I'll be you're instructor. My name's William, but call me Will." Will, who seemed to be in his mid-twenties, was trying to control his accent by pronouncing every syllable; a courtesy I knew my friends were appreciating.

"So I'll be preparing the horses in the stable while you restore yourselves. If you need anything, just come and ask me." And he left.

"Charming, isn't he?" It was Tomoyo-chan who had said this comment, but coming from her, it was more a statement than a reaction of awe.

"Really." I was still looking at Will's retreating well built back. This man was reminding me of someone I had known... a bit more tanned by the sun, but still, his features were almost the same. The only difference was their eyes: Will's eyes were grey instead of blue.

The similarities were paining me as much as they were providing me joy and nostalgia.

"Earth to Sakura-chan! Are you still with us?" Tomoyo-chan's voice managed to pluck me out from my memories. Eriol-san was discretely looking at me, a mischievous glint in his smile while Li was walking to the car, apparently ignoring us, but I could notice something was unpleasing him. But it wasn't the time to bother this then, so I just smiled at everyone.

"Sorry. Let's eat if we want to do some horseback riding today and not tomorrow." Everyone nodded and we each took our bento.

Lunch was animated, filled with plans for the next day that was supposed to be warm and sunny finally allowing us to go to the beach. It was then that I realised how Li was really enjoying this trip. I had always seen him so far as he wanted people around him to see him: Strong, both mentally and physically, and self-confident, emotions being only for little girls, but during this trip, even if it was unconsciously, he had been more human and he had been having fun even if he had to look over me.

Even if it was a bit unsettling to discover this side of him, making it harder to hate him, I was glad he was enjoying himself; maybe it would help to heal the wound his mother had opened in his heart.

Done with lunch, we placed everything back into the car's trunk and headed towards the stable. The two large doors, the front one and the back one, were opened wide to freshen the stable with some pure air.

Will was placing straw in a box when we joined him. He stopped doing his chores and smiled at us. The cowboy hat on his hair was suiting his features and friendly attitude.

"So? Ready? How many of you already have experience with horses?" I raised my hand and so did Tomoyo-chan. I looked at the guys behind us who was nodding, motioning they had already ridden a horse. I was surprised to learn we all had. Concerning my experience, I had lived in the Montana, in USA, for a while, and it had been really easy to find a place to do horseback riding in the wilds.

"Wow! Well, hum, I didn't expect that."

"Because we're Asian?" I could hear the hint of sarcasm and challenge in Li's reply. But he had guessed right judging by the discomfort of our instructor.

I decided to disarm the situation; I smiled at Will, an easy and natural smile, not faked at all, and asked him what were the personalities of his horses. Will addressed me a sunny grin.

"Mostly, they are all really gentle and obeying. Some prefer qualified masters, but I judge who can handle which horse to be sure there won't be any injuries. Maybe I should lend you your horses now... Ladies, we'll start with you two. Any preference in terms of character?"

"As long as they turn left when we ask them to do so." Will brightly smiled at Tomoyo-chan's comment.

"Sure thing. Star will be perfect for you miss Daidouji; she docilely obeys. As for you miss... I'm sorry, we weren't properly introduced."

"Oh, right. Call me Sakura." This guy's teeth were shining as much as his bright eyes. Will grabbed a horse's bridle.

"Well, then Sakura, what d you think of Mia? She's a bit nervous around stranger, mostly men, but I bet she won't be frightened by such a nice lady." I chuckled; Will really was like someone I knew very well; lively, flirtatious and courteous, but never stepping over the line.

End of chapter 9


Okay, so now, I'll explain: The Esbat thing was not there at first, but the bad feeling when waking up was already there. And I didn't like the fact that it had no source, so I that's why the Esbat scene was added. And that's why this chapter ends on an unfinished scene lol.

Anyway, I must go cook now, so that will be all for me. I hope you liked this chapter and that you understood everything. I've had problem to sleep lately so, I'm not completely there lol. There might be some written '' slip of the tongue'' lol.

Okay, so take care! And if you have time, leave a review!

Lune-diamant