The Tomoeda Maiden
Chapter X: Unwanted Union
I didn't know where I was going at this point and to be honest, anywhere was better than going back home. What I built and called as my own was nothing more than an unsafe place – and as much as I liked that place, it's nothing more than memories. As of very recent events, that burned down home was just a reflection on what was going on inside me: I was burned out and decaying. I had to swallow my pride and independence and let this Syaoran guy lead the way. I didn't know where to go or what to do, so I had to trust him.
He led me to an empty plot of land. There was literally nothing there! The neighbourhood was beautiful with lot of big houses – I've never actually been out this way before because I never ventured outside my home. This whole running away ordeal was actually the first time I've actually lived and seen somewhere else rather than being… home, you know? I've been out in town time to time, but I've always been with other people and I was never allowed to go out by myself. That's how it was and how it will always be.
As Syaoran led me into this empty plot of land, I started to see the nature of this place as I concentrated my mental energy and made an effort to see if there was something I couldn't physically see. I closed my eyes as Syaoran and I walked further in. I'm sure he didn't notice me, because he probably would have said something. If he did notice, I'm sure he thought I was tired. Truthfully, I was, but I was using the last ounces of my energy to try and see what was here.
Sure enough I felt a strong energy here. I also felt as if someone was watching me was well. It wasn't a cold and scary presence, but more of a friendly and familiar presence. It was as if my father was still around and watching me – that was the feeling. I felt as if my father was watching me, as if he were still alive. There was a slight difference to this feeling though, I knew whoever was watching me wasn't my father.
His spiritual energy sure did feel like fathers, though. It was impossible for it to be my father anyway, because my father was dead. It was a fact I slowly got over, but it still hurt me. Oddly enough though, I didn't feel hurt being here, but I felt safe. Just like when my father was around.
I slowly saw the plot of land fill up with a beautiful estate plotted on it. It was a huge mansion, just like the bigger houses around this neighbourhood, with a huge pond in the yard and a small bridge. There were many lovely statues and topiaries standing on this land, beautifying the property with its presence. The building was impressive, though not as impressive as back home, and not as big – but it was impossible for any building to have the same grandeur as the temple. There was ivy covering the manor's walls, it added a great character that contrasted the temple: clean, pristine and big.
I lightly gasped, again, Syaoran didn't really notice.
"We're here…" He opened the door. "Come inside." He made a hand motion for me to go in. "Ladies first." He bowed.
"…Thank you." I bowed back, quickly entering the manor. Syaoran made sure to look around and behind us before quickly coming in and locking the door.
"…Sakura?" A girl approached me. I knew from those same violet eyes that it was…
"Tomoyo?" I approached her and put my hand on her chin. She was the same as I've last seen her. It's been too long. This day became too overwhelming on both sides of the spectrum. From being rock bottom and feeling incredibly down and now I felt my body jolt in happiness. Finally, someone I knew! Someone who wasn't crazy! I started to cry as I threw my arms on her.
"Sakura? What are you doing here?" She started to stroke my hair. "You smell and look terrible."
"Thanks." I giggled.
"I didn't mean it that way, Sakura! You're covered in ashes and smoke… and you smell like smoke, too!" She looked at her dress that was now covered in ash as well. The smoke and ash from my clothes had clung onto Tomoyos. Of course, Tomoyo wasn't the person to freak out. Instead she gave a lighthearted laugh and looked at me with such caring eyes.
"What's going on?" Syaoran looked confused as he was shifting his view back and forth from Tomoyo and me. "Do you two know each other?"
"Sakura is my cousin." Tomoyo said. "I'll explain later… Sakura must be tired. We have to get you cleaned up! This isn't the Sakura I know." She pouted. Tomoyo took my hand and said to Syaoran, "I'm going to prepare a bath for Sakura. Why don't you go talk to Eriol or something in the mean time? I'm sure you can explain this situation…"
"Uh, okay." Syaoran scratched his head. "Actually, I'm going to go take a bath too. In another room, of course." He looked over to me in embarrassment, "I'm not going to impose on the female guest."
"We knew that, Syaoran." Tomoyo started to giggle again. "After the baths, maybe we could talk about what happened here."
"Yeah, please. I'm really confused." Syaoran rolled his eyes. "I have no idea what's going on with you two, but I guess we'll find out later."
"You also need to explain yourself anyway, Syaoran." Tomoyo glared at me. "What are you doing with the late Supreme-priests daughter anyway?"
I felt my heart drop. I wanted to slap Tomoyo's mouth – not out of spite but more out of annoyance. I didn't tell Syaoran that I was THE Supreme Priests' daughter for a reason! If I were just a regular priestess, fine, but now a title had been slapped to my name. A title I was trying to drop and escape from.
Syaoran couldn't have looked more confused as Tomoyo revealed that fact. She took me by my hand and led me to the bathing room.
I was thankful for Tomoyo being here. If I needed anyone in the world right now, I needed Tomoyo. My brother would've been nice too, or Yukito, or my father… but I couldn't see my father for obvious reasons. As for Touya and Yukito? I couldn't see them because they were back at the temple. It was already hard enough to keep coming to meet them in town in disguises each time, but it hurt all of us as well. I had to honour Touya's request to run away – and I knew it too, it was justified. I didn't want what was going to happen to me as much as Touya did. So I had to suck it up and face reality, and deal with the situation with what I have here.
I had Tomoyo.
xXxXxXxXx
"What are you doing here?" Tomoyo started up the tub and poured some hot water inside. Tomoyo was diligently testing the temperature of the water, making sure that everything was perfect for me. It was as if she hadn't left at all, it was typical Tomoyo, always putting others before herself. Once she gave me the signal to go in, I took off my clothes and got in the tub.
"It's a long story." I replied.
For the record, I've never been more comfortable with anyone as much as I had been with Tomoyo. Tomoyo seeing me naked was just a regular thing for both of us – and I've seen her unclothed as well. Although we were cousins, we were honestly like sisters. At her time at the temple, we spent every waking moment together. We trained our powers together and did every little thing together: from eating, to bathing, to sleeping, to talking. It was everything under the sun and more, and it was a friendship and sisterhood that was irreplaceable.
When Tomoyo left the temple a few years ago, I felt my heart rip open from my chest. The closest person in my life had left without a word… and she hadn't even bothered to write to me or tell me what she was doing. I felt hurt for years … but then my father died, it's like creating a whole new wound on top of the one that was slowly healing.
It didn't matter now, though. Tomoyo was here now. Like the dirt on my skin, all the hurt in my heart and the doubt was going to be washed away. In fact, it had already been washed away. Seeing her in the flesh, knowing that she was okay was all that mattered.
I've never been this happy in a long time, even if my day was a total wreck.
"I can listen." She took out the brush and started to detangle my hair. Afterwards, she poured water on my head and started to use her home-made shampoo. It's scent brought back an immense amount of nostalgia. I was melting in the tub. I sighed happily as she massaged my scalp.
"You cut your hair." She said sadly. "I remember when we had the same length of hair… all of those years worth of hair, all gone to waste!" She said dramatically.
"It's just hair, Tomoyo, it'll grow back." She was being dramatic over hair, I wonder how she'll react when she finds out what she's been missing for a few years… and of course, what just happened to me and Syaoran.
"I know, but it's just different to see your hair like this. At least you did somewhat of a decent job on cutting it yourself. Home-done haircuts almost usually turn out a disaster." Tomoyo poured some water on my head to rise off the lather from my hair. She took a bath brush and started scrubbing my back.
I was grateful, it was too long since someone took care of me like this. Not out of obligation like back in the temple with the temple maids – I actually had to tell them to go away because they did such a horrible job of everything I just did everything myself. With Tomoyo, she did it out of love and genuine care. Her happy aura just rubbed off on other people too, that's just how she was.
"I really missed you, you know." I said sadly to her. I turned around to look at her face and I could tell she recuperated the feelings. She stroked my head and nodded in agreement.
"I missed you too, Sakura." She smiled at me. "You don't even know how much… ever since mother…"
"I know, Tomoyo… I know." I put my hand on her arm. "I miss aunt Sonomi too… every single day. Along with mother and father."
"Uncle Fujitaka and Aunt Nadeshiko…" Tomoyo sighed. "Uncle Fujitaka passed on so suddenly and too soon."
I could tell Tomoyo was trying to fight the tears, and to be honest, so was I. I've had enough of mourning and crying over my parents death.
Aunt Sonomi had taken her own life after my mother had passed away. Aunt Sonomi and my late mother's relationship was similar to mine and Tomoyo's. Aunt Sonomi loved my mother very much, so much that when my mother finally couldn't fight her illness, aunt Sonomi had killed herself. I found it selfish, but at the same time I understood. As much as auntie loved Tomoyo, she was miserable in her marriage to one of the temple men I hadn't really known as he never spent time with any of us anyway. He was too busy with work and temple affairs anyway. Rumour has it that he has multiple wives and he didn't really prioritize Tomoyo's mother, which is why he was never present in Tomoyo's life, and to this day, is still not present. Which is why my father took Tomoyo in after her mothers death and raised her as his own daughter.
Tomoyo was raised in a loving environment, surrounded by people who loved her. I had always questioned why she left and I had been agonizing about it forever since she ran away from the temple. I wanted to find out the answer because not only had it hurt me, but I also needed the closure. I know it shouldn't matter because she is here now, but what could possibly drive her to run away?
I took a deep breath, it was now or nothing, Sakura.
Before I could speak, Tomoyo beat me to it.
"How is it back home, Sakura? Why aren't you home with your brother and Yukito?" Tomoyo's eyes stared into mine. "You never leave home… and you've never wanted to leave home. You know your brother needs you after your fathers death." She whispered.
"I know, Tomoyo… but it was actually Touya who told me to run away. Tomoyo's eyes widened at that fact and she was nodding slowly. I continued, "He found out something from the oracle that day he asked me to leave."
"What did he say?" Tomoyo moved in closer to me. She was getting anxious, I could tell. To be honest, so was I just retelling this story and instead of fear, I felt myself getting angry just remembering it.
"Well, first of all, the oracle told Touya that Tomo Eda is going to ask for my hand in marriage."
Tomoyo gasped. She too had gotten angry. We hated Tomo Eda and his siblings. I had no problem with his parents, but with the Eda children… they were as nasty as ever. I had to admit they weren't bad on the eyes, but their personalities were grating and disrespectful. I often wondered why the Eda siblings had even been granted priesthood, when all I could've ever seen was darkness in their hearts and corruption.
"I hate Tomo Eda." I told Tomoyo as I angrily sank in the tub. "I could never marry him. Being married at this age is just… I'm not ready yet, even if I am considered an adult."
Tomoyo brought out the towel for me and sat on the stool beside the tub. She extended the towel to me, which I took first dried my hair, then I stepped out of the tub and dried my body. Tomoyo drained the tub from the bathwater and sighed.
"Sakura, there's something I have to tell you about the Haku Eda."
Haku Eda was Tomo Eda's older brother – he was considered the ugly sibling. I think I knew where this conversation was headed. I braced myself.
"Haku Eda asked for my hand in marriage too, shortly before I ran away from the temple." Tomoyo was staring at the wall deep in thought. I could tell that she was like me, often reminiscing the memories back home at the temple. I had realized that Tomoyo and I were one in the same, suffering the same fate.
When Tomoyo ran away, everyone went out to look for her and they never found her. Everyone knew that there had been no ferries lately, so Tomoyo couldn't have gotten away. Everyone kept searching for her but eventually they gave up—even though father and I didn't. There's only so much a Supreme Priest could do; sure my father was technically equivalent of the King here on the island, but it was also a democracy and what the rest of the temple didn't find suitable or useful, it was just shot down. So when Tomoyo hadn't been found for months, the search had been dropped much to my dismay. Everyone presumed she was dead. I knew she was out there though, and seeing Tomoyo here in front of me gave me hope. She had successfully escaped and was still living.
"I'm glad you successfully got away." I told her. "Somehow I knew you were still here."
She smiled at me, "Thank you, Sakura. I'm glad you're still here… now explain to me why you and Syaoran arrived home looking and smelling awful… and how did you two meet?" Her eyes started to glimmer. Tomoyo never brooded on a subject and always went to different topics right away. I was thankful to have someone like that in my life, to balance out my broodiness.
"It's a long story, like I said…"
I told her everything that happened. How Syaoran was following me, how I cast the sleep spell on him and how I took him home and took care of him for a bit. Tomoyo laughed because she wondered why Syaoran came home so late and that bit explained it. I told her how Syaoran got me flowers and Tomoyo totally started laughing at that too. I told her how Syaoran and I were running away from Tomo Eda's goons from the temple. I told her how Syaoran and I got into a petty argument and by the time we made up we had seen my house burn down. I told her how I took the remaining personal belongings I had left and that everything I left in that little house I built for myself had been reduced to nothing. Lastly, I told her how Syaoran found a note with the Eda family dagger along with it. Tomoyo told me how she was happy that I was alright despite all that, and I felt fortunate as well to be still living and being able to talk to her. It was quite a mouthful to tell her but it had to be done nonetheless.
"What about Tomo Eda?"
"I'm not marrying him, not in a million years."
"You know it's considered a sin to reject a marriage request… especially from an influential family like the Eda's. It's not only shameful for both parties, but also disrespectful." Tomoyo stated, "But knowing that, I have never looked back. I don't want to be in a loveless marriage like mother had to go through. I would much rather die than get married to those people." She clenched her fists. "As much as I missed you, Sakura, running away was the best thing that happened to me… it hurt me to think of the fact that I possibly could never see you again, but I knew you'd find a way."
I nodded.
"I have a new life here. I don't have to adhere to some stupid dress code or rules because of becoming a priestess. I never wanted that life in the first place, Sakura."
"Neither did I, to be honest with you." I told her. "I don't regret it, though. I love having magic and being able to help people and spread good, but at the same time all the rules and obligations seem like … they want women to live an unhappy life."
"Your parents were the only exception to that." Tomoyo sighed. "Even though they were an arranged marriage, I've never seen a couple living at that stupid temple being so happy. I knew that a loveless life wasn't for me… and I knew my mother would've supported me if she were still here. The only reason why she didn't leave was because of your mother… she loved your mother very much."
"I know. I can't fathom living a life without love, now that I've seen mother and father. The reason why everyone else at the temple found it easy to let go of their feelings, rights and emotions on marriage was because they've never grown up to know and appreciate a loving family. A two sided family—instead of one parent raising the child for all its life."
"Right, and I didn't want to be a trophy to Haku Eda. He has other wives." Tomoyo sneered in disgust. "Illegitimate wives, I'm sure, but since I was closer to your family, he of course would've wanted his marriage to me a huge spectacle and all. I'm pretty sure if you accepted Tomo's hand in marriage, it'd just be the same affair."
I nodded in agreement. Tomoyo and I could've gone on and on about how miserable we would've been if we were to marry onto the Eda family. A loveless marriage would mean a loveless life until you died. The only thing that would bind the family together would be the prospect of children, but even then, most of the families living at the temple had the mothers raising them.
The temple was a whole new world compared to the rest of the island. There were different rules and different ways of living, and I envied that fact that people on the island did not have to adhere to such customs. I had to obey most of the rules because I had to keep an image, because I was a priestess, because I had taken an oath. I had to keep an image that I was wholesome and a good girl. Not only because I was to be the next high priestess (my mother had only been the first high priestess ever in history, as she possessed great powers as well) but I was the daughter of the Supreme Priest Fujitaka Kinomoto. My name, my rank and my title had this air of prestige to it and I had to live up to these ridiculous expectations. Tomo Eda hadn't asked me for his hand in marriage yet, but I knew he wouldn't hesitate to ask me. I knew that it was the Eda family behind the whole house burning thing, and I knew that he was out to get me. If I wouldn't be his wife, and if I had humiliated him in front of everyone in Ling Shi, I might as well be dead to him, no matter what my title was in this whole confusing hierarchy. If he couldn't have me, no one could. Touya knew Tomo Eda since birth and Touya knew if Tomo Eda didn't get what he wanted, chaos ensued. He wasn't like the regular guys out there – he was an evil man hiding behind a holy title, which I consider sacrilege and an insult to priesthood. Since Touya knew of this fact, he told me to run away. He told me he'd come and have secret meetings with me to check up on me. He'd give me my allowances every week while we met at different secret spots. Touya told me he'd rather see me happy than miserable.
I just wondered how Touya was after all this drama. I didn't want to put any other people in danger. Heck, I even put Syaoran in danger and I've only known him for a few days.
"I'd never be his wife or his little maiden." I said angrily.
"You'll be safe here, Sakura. Eriol has kept me safe since I ran away, and I'm sure he will too." She smiled and gave me a reassuring pat on the shoulder. I looked at her with arched eyebrows.
"Who's Eriol?" I said coyly.
"The man who owns this house." Tomoyo said as a matter-of-factly.
"Oh, really?" I nudged her side with my shoulder. Tomoyo's face went from a pale porcelain colour to a deep shade of red.
"…Yes! That's all!" She started to play with her long black hair. Playing with hair was a habit both Tomoyo and I shared.
"Uh huh." I told her. "Okay." I wasn't going to press on the issue further as it made her uncomfortable. Besides, if Tomoyo did like this Eriol guy, I had to approve of him first! Tomoyo deserves nothing but the best, and if this guy didn't meet my standards… he was as good as Haku Eda would've ever been.
"Come on, Sakura, enough of this depressing talk about marriage. We're young ladies, we shouldn't be even talking about marriage!" She started to laugh. "We have our whole lives ahead of us now that we're both gone from the temple. We can start over fresh!"
"Easy for you to say, Tomoyo. You don't have an older brother stuck back there. He's also not in the position to leave, seeing as he's the next Supreme Priest and all. He has no choice but to stay… or else other people would take over and corrupt everything and everyone."
"Yeah, I suppose. Your father's legacy is something I'd like Touya to continue. Your father knew how to be kind to the citizens and be fair and not be so power hungry and harsh. He was a really good man."
"Also," I added, "He knew how to separate the affairs from the temple away from the people. Even though the temple stressed him out, he still was able to lead Ling Shi and keep everyone happy."
"Okay, okay, Sakura. I mean it. Let's just drop this whole thing… you've had a rough day and we need to see smiles on your pretty face." She took my arm, "Let's go to your room!"
"My room?" I raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sure Eriol won't mind, it's the room right across from mine!" She cooed. "Besides, I've been doing a lot of sewing but I haven't gotten anyone to wear my clothes… Nakuru doesn't really care much for clothes." She pouted.
"Nakuru?"
"You'll meet Eriol and Nakuru soon enough after you get dressed. Let's go!"
"Tomoyo, wait!" I shouted.
"What?"
"I didn't even wrap my towel around me, and I don't even have a robe!"
Tomoyo apologized profusely and immediately ran out the bathing room, to return seconds later with a pink bath robe for me. "I knew sewing excessive amounts of clothes would come in handy." She giggled.
We ventured off to my new room and boy, it was just like my room at the temple. It was huge, but it did have a different feeling to it. It lacked the 'holiness' and 'wholesome' factor that my old room had. In contrast this place had a fancy feeling to it, but also a welcoming one as well. This new room of mine consisted of a huge bed with 4 huge beams on each corner, and on top of the bed there was a nice light chiffon-like fabric draping the top of the bed and the sides. The windows here were nice and big and since it was on the top floor of the house, there was a nice view of the island and the little town as opposed to being in the temple with small windows and being on ground level.
The furniture had nice accents on them and I applaud whoever made these for having such good craftsmanship. I opened my wardrobe to already find clothes stocked in them already. My surprised expression must've been funny to Tomoyo as she was giggling away as I gasped at the amount of clothing here.
"I guess when I have nothing to do, I get carried away." She giggled.
"I'll say, it's as if you expected me to come back." I laughed. I took a white dress out of the closet. It was a soft beautiful dress with pleating at the bottom part of the dress, while the top was just cut simply. Enough to have some modesty, but it was pretty though I found it was a bit tame compared to what Tomoyo usually made for me back at the temple.
At the temple we had to adhere to an annoying dress code of red and blue – or if you were higher up like my father and brother, you could wear white; not solid white; but white robes with some decorative accents on it. I had always gravitated to the white colour because it was less busier than red or blue and it just seemed so free.
When Tomoyo saw me pick out the white dress she let out an excited squeal. I think she had been waiting for this day, as arrogant of me it was to say it.
I slipped on the dress and looked in the mirror. Tomoyo helped me zip up the dress and adjust it. With a sing-song voice, Tomoyo yelled, "You look gorgeous!"
"Thanks." I beamed. "You always knew how to make the prettiest clothes."
"Oh, thank you, Sakura! I really appreciate that. Back in the day I thought you'd be annoyed at being my guinea pig."
"I had to admit, yes it got kind of irritating, but at the end of the day if it made you happy, I'm happy too." I smiled. "Plus, I like to encourage your hobby as you encouraged my hobby of painting."
"When I ran away from the temple I still have that painting you made me." Tomoyo said. "It's one of my prized possessions."
"That's really thoughtful, Tomoyo. I kept your ribbons you made me, when I still had really long hair to tie them into at least. I keep them with me wherever I go."
Tomoyo giggled and took my hand and led me to the vanity. I sat down on the stool and she proceeded to brush my hair. She made the occasional comments on how she liked to braid my hair and she still kept prodding me over the issue of me cutting my hair. I felt cutting my hair was justified because one of my identifying features was my long, flowy hair. I knew if I cut it off that there was less of a chance of people recognizing me around town.
"Let's go downstairs. I know it's late and all to eat, but you and Syaoran must be famished after what you two went through. Besides, I owe him an explanation as to how I know you."
I nodded. I wasn't really tired anyway, and besides, I wanted to introduce myself to this Eriol guy and everyone else in the house for welcoming me.
xXxXxXxXx
After Tomoyo had escorted me down the huge winding spiral staircases, we made our way down to the dining area. A temple being huge was justified, but a house this big was ridiculous! There were so many stairs, rooms and hallways. It could've easily been a labyrinth, I was so lucky I had Tomoyo here or otherwise, knowing me, I would've been lost.
"Eriol!" The moment she came into contact with Eriol, Tomoyo's hand jerked me into his direction. I felt her excitement and I had to laugh inside about it. Tomoyo liked a guy and I was about to see who it was.
The guy known as Eriol must've been the guy sitting beside Syaoran. Eriol was wearing a white button up shirt with a white cravat, and on top was a navy blue blazer with gold buttons. I knew just by looking at him he was a man of influence and importance by the way he dressed, because no one else in town or in the temple dressed like him. He had short dark hair and blue eyes, and glasses. As he looked at me he gave me a kind smile, and I couldn't help for a moment but notice he reminded me of someone, and the feeling I immediately got for him was a familiar and soft feeling.
It reminded me of Yukito… no, this feeling reminded me as if I were around father. I looked over at Tomoyo, whose eyes were sparkling just at the mere presence of this Eriol guy.
"This is Eriol Hiiragizawa." Tomoyo introduced us. "Eriol, this is my cousin, Sakura Kinomoto."
"Oh, I've heard about you." He said in a sly voice. "Tomoyo talks a lot about you."
"Hey!" Tomoyo snapped at Eriol. "You're embarrassing me!"
"It's the truth." Eriol laughed. Syaoran was staring at me and it made me feel weird, so I took a seat across from him. Perhaps it was my dress?
"Hi, Syaoran." I whispered.
"Hello Sakura." He replied.
"I take it you two already have gotten acquainted?" Eriol put his two hands together and smiled. Tomoyo took a seat across from him as well.
"Didn't Syaoran tell you?" Tomoyo said.
"I guess the jist of it." Eriol said. Then he turned to me and smiled, "Not only have I heard so much about you from Tomoyo, but you're the talk of the town, your lady Priestess." He bowed his head. "I'm honoured to be at your presence."
"What?" Syaoran looked over to me, then at Eriol.
"Haven't you heard?" Eriol said. "Priestess Sakura Kinomoto has gone missing from the temple for quite some time now and not only have temple people been looking for her, but now citizens are as well because there's a reward involved.
I gasped. "…A reward for finding me?" I started to tremble.
"Don't worry, Priestess. You're safe here, I guarantee it. As long as you stay in this manor, no one will be able to touch you."
I nodded. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. Hiiragizawa."
Eriol sipped his tea and afterwards put his hand on his chin, eyeing me carefully. "Call me Eriol, my Priestess."
"Sakura is fine." I bowed my head. "Anyone who welcomes me with such open arms deserves to have my friendship."
"So… you're the priestess that everyone's been searching for?" Syaoran gave me a hard gaze. "I knew that portrait of you looked familiar. The girl in it looked just like you, except she had long flowing hair and was dressed in really extravagant clothing." He noted. "I didn't say anything, even though they had asked me prior to when we have met, but it was also because I didn't know anyway."
"Thank you, Syaoran. I appreciate the fact you did not turn me in, even though it seemed like I am a criminal."
He raised his eyebrow at me. "Criminal?"
"I am considered one now, for having run away from the temple." I sighed. "It's against the rules and they will do whatever it takes to find me."
"Since she's the late Supreme Priests' daughter, everyone will be looking for her. If not for the reward, but also the fact Sakura is really important to the people and politics here. In fact, us hiding Sakura is also a criminal offense." Tomoyo took my hand and started rubbing it, "But I was also an escapee from the temple and I know how it's like for Sakura. We'll keep her here as long as it needs to be."
I was thankful to be surrounded by such supporting people. I couldn't thank them enough, especially Syaoran and Eriol.
"I see. So you are from the temple too?" Syaoran asked. Tomoyo and I both nodded and then Tomoyo decided to explain to Syaoran my relation and her relation with the temple, what relation we had with each other and what she went through. Syaoran looked so surprised to hear everything she had been saying, and I sensed from his energy that he was getting angry just hearing about it. I suppose from where he's from, they have more freedom than us.
Even though we were of holy blood, as I was a descendant of Clow Reed, I had less freedom than the townspeople did. This was my fight to be free and to be happy – even if I were breaking all the rules. Besides, I wasn't breaking anything from the oath. Running away and refusing marriage from a fellow priest was not against the oath because it did not endanger or cause harm to people on Ling Shi.
I believed it was the opposite. I believed Tomo Eda and the Eda families are only trying to get our hand in marriage to get closer to the Supreme Priest title, and perhaps the prospect of ruling Ling Shi. If he was to become my husband and if Touya were never to bear a child and he passes on, the title goes onto the next in line for the title. Women could not become Supreme Priests because it was a title only for men – thus it'd go to her husband. I couldn't let a hateful person become the Supreme Priest… it'd just become too chaotic, and I would never be able to forgive myself.
After our brief summary of everything, I had explained to Eriol how Syaoran and I met. I suppose Eriol and Tomoyo found it comical, and Syaoran found it extremely embarrassing, from the way his face looked. Of course, it wasn't comical when I had told him some idiots who I believed to be the goons for the Eda family had burned my house down. It was over now, though. I was here and I wasn't going anywhere.
For the first time, I felt free and happy.
Authors Note:
Hmmm, introduction of the problem! There's going to be conflicts and rocky roads up ahead for both Sakura and Syaoran. But it's nice to see Sakura has one person she knows in her chaotic life right now. Priests are considered really higher-up people on Ling Shi, and this will all be explained further in later chapters. This is probably my longest chapter for this story to date, I am trying to make it longer, but here it is for you.
Let me know what you think, please leave a review. I know some of you read out there, I can see in my story stats, haha! It'd be highly appreciated.