Stolen Moments
Witch-Mistress-Animaru
A/N: Let's go writing! I hope I can do this... Well, this seems a bit hurried. Forgive this hazy, dreamy sequence. It's all I can come up with, having such a dreadful case of writer's block.
Checking out previous chapters to avoid further inconsistencies.
10: Parting ways
"Like we never loved at all." – Faith Hill and Tim McGraw
As soon as Touya and Yukito arrived and found out that Li Syaoran's memories have returned, they wasted no time in talking to him of his plans to return to the Li Kingdom.
"Is Ayuhara still there?" He had asked. Touya nodded grimly.
"We can help you get back, but it would be dangerous. We say that you should wait."
"Wait? Wait for what, for Ayuhara to find me and finish me? No, if I go down, I'll go down fighting. And I will take him with me if I can."
"Don't be stupid. You know how strong his army of rebels is."
Sakura remained detached from the group, her eyes searching the skies restlessly. Her face remained blank, revealing nothing of her inner turmoil as she avoided speaking to the group behind her. Touya glanced worriedly at his sister before he turned his attention to Syaoran.
"I knew this would happen," he whispered softly, so that Sakura wouldn't hear. "I didn't want to do it. I knew she'd get hurt in the end. I hope you didn't hurt her more than she had to hurt, because if you did, I'd make sure you get double of that pain."
Syaoran said nothing.
"It would be better if you stay here for a while. It will only be a matter of time before Touya-sama and Sakura-hime confront the bastard," Yukito said, his eyes flashing.
"What do you mean?"
"Once we are strong enough, we will go after him," Touya said.
"You are building an army?"
"Gods, no! There is hardly a village left of Clow. Only a few of my people remain, and we have hidden them in a safe place, away from Ayuhara's clutches. When we face him, we face him alone, without anyone between us."
"How can you expect to win against him?"
"Believe me when I say that we can do it. Clow did not leave us with nothing but a dying kingdom. As long as his legacy lives on, so shall Clow kingdom. So shall we."
"I cannot understand what you mean."
"We will triumph against him."
"I cannot wait any longer. My kingdom needs me."
"Very well," Touya conceded when he saw the glint of determination and grim desperation in his eyes. "We will accompany you to your kingdom. Should you need anything, you know where to find us."
"Of course."
"Won't you say goodbye to the princess?" Yukito asked softly, eyeing Sakura who was rooted on the spot on the mouth of the cave.
"No," Syaoran said firmly. I cannot accept her betrayal…not yet…
Sakura, meanwhile, didn't trust herself to speak. She thought her heart might be bleeding a hundredfold and she'd just crumple to the earth any moment now, dead.
Yet she knew it was how everything must end…
A few more cards…and we will set things right…
And, tossing aside all hopelessly romantic dreams and foolish notions she held inside, she closed her eyes and waited for the final call.
--
The Li kingdom had lost all its hope of redemption—of revenge, of rebirth, when the prince disappeared on his wedding day that never was.
So the clamor over the arrival of Li Syaoran was tremendous—everyone was rejoicing—the castle was opened to everyone to welcome the prince back home. Touya and Yukito accompanied him to the castle, drawing curious (and occasionally malevolent) looks on them as they entered the majestic palace grounds.
"What? How?" Yelan had said upon their arrival, wringing her hands as the trio approached. "Who are they, Syaoran?" She asked her son, not knowing what to do. He appeared to be of good health, but she cannot be sure…
"They are our friends," he said curtly, turning to the two as they came to a halt. "You can leave me now. I am safe here."
"Arrogant, as always," Touya observed. "You princes are pampered brats, if you ask me."
"Stop speaking as if you are not one of us," Syaoran retorted.
"Ah, but I am not one of you. Our circumstances are different. I am no prince in attitude—I was not raised a brat."
"Who are they?" Yelan repeated, louder this time, as she regarded them both. "I may have seen them before…before…" …the rebels came…
"Mother, may I present Kinomoto Touya and Tsukishiro Yukito of Clow."
"Clow!" Yelan wasn't the only one who exclaimed. "The fabled land of the east?"
"Yes, it seems that it exists, after all," Syaoran said sardonically. "Kinomoto Touya is the crown prince of Clow."
"Oh." Yelan cleared her throat. "I see."
"They took me after the encounter to ensure my safety. I lost my memories and only recovered them shortly, which explains my delayed return. I hope everyone is recuperating as well?"
The servants nodded their assent while a nervous chatter broke out. Syaoran regarded them all, colder than ever.
Never, not once, was the princess of Clow mentioned even as Yukito and Touya said their farewells.
But Syaoran never forgot her face—and her lies.
"It seems I owe my son's life to you," Yelan observed before the two could walk away.
"Pay it back one day, then." Touya said cryptically before turning to leave.
"Li Syaoran…this is not our last meeting." He whispered as he passed by the prince.
"I know." Syaoran's face was grim and set as he watched the two men—suddenly strangers to him—take their leave.
Despair wretched at his insides as he realized everything has changed—for the worse.
"The Daidoujis…" he whispered to no one in particular as he thought of his supposed wedding to Tomoyo Daidouji.
"They have gone in hiding. We are afraid…that the prophesy has come true, after all. And we failed to enact upon it sooner."
"Was the Daidouji kingdom specifically mentioned?"
"No…if I remember correctly, the prophesy mentioned 'a fabled kingdom in the east,'" it was Meiling who answered his query.
My god.
"Could it be…Clow?" Yelan whispered. "I don't understand. He is the prince, is he not? How can we bind ties with them to defeat the rebels if…unless…" Her gaze fell to Meiling. "…unless…Meiling is the destined one?"
"No way," Meiling whispered, her eyes wide in horror.
"It is very logical, now that I think of it. Syaoran—you know where they are camping out?"
"Yes."
"Send someone there at once. We need to talk to the prince immediately."
"But—but the prophesy mentioned specifically that the heir to the throne shall marry the heiress of the fabled kingdom of the east…"
Yelan paused at that.
"Syaoran…have you neglected to tell us something?"
There was a moment's pause.
"None that I know of," Syaoran said coolly.
Yelan regarded her son with her scrutinizing eyes before she spoke once more. "Just the same…I will send someone immediately. The Clow people should know of this prophesy."
"They are planning to fight Ayuhara's forces on their own."
"It cannot be. It will be suicide. And you know it, do you not? They will fail…unless we join them."
Syaoran said nothing.
For he knew it was inevitable, after all.
It seemed that he and Sakura were indeed fated…
…Kenshin Ayuhara made sure of that.
--
Sakura could not, would not move. Her world turned black, and she could not see a single thing. She knew it had to do something with the rebellious Clow cards she had to conquer. Now, it was only a matter of not panicking and trying her best to fight the nauseous feelings of fear within her.
She has always hated the dark. It evoked all sorts of evil things in her imagination. From monsters to ghosts to things that creep and fly at night.
It was the Dark, she knew. But somehow, she could not deactivate its powers. And she was afraid it would soon consume her as well.
What could stop the dark? She asked herself again and again.
Yet she could not come up with the answer.
She began to cry in earnest.
Awful, she felt so awful. She knew it was bound to happen—the parting of the ways. Yet she finally admitted to herself that she was never prepared for it.
Now she might as well let this darkness envelope her…
Then she realized it.
She could see herself.
Light.
It was inside her all this time.
As the realization burst forth, a soft glow emanated from her, enveloping her, penetrating the darkness around her.
Two women suddenly stood before her, looking like the very opposite of each other.
"Well done, Sakura-hime," the pale woman, whom she assumed was Light, said as she smiled softly at her. Dark was nodding her approval as well.
"We knew you could do it."
"Why…why are you all doing this?"
"We are useless unless our new master has conquered us. It was part of Clow-sama's plan—one of his tests for you, Sakura-hime. And you have done well thus far," Light's smile made her feel warm inside. Calmness settled over her feeling of fear and unrest.
"Everything will be alright," Dark whispered. "Don't worry. Now, all you need to do is seal us, and find the remaining cards—then you can make things right."
"Do you really think so?"
"We know so," Light beamed at her, and she knew she could do it.
She can finish the task Clow set on her.
When she began to seal them, both cards shook their heads.
"Together," they said. "Seal us together."
Closing her eyes, she recited: "Return to your true forms, Clow cards!" She thought of everything she left behind, everything they sacrificed to leave Clow.
In the end, they weren't able to escape their fate. She never thought she'd be a princess. She wasn't groomed to be one. She wasn't bestowed with petite limbs. She can't smile as prettily as a princess could. Her hands were that of a maid's—callused, bruised.
Yet she was chosen to be a princess, like it or not. She now carries the heavy brunt of restoring the Clow kingdom to its previous glory.
She had to grow up instantly to do so.
And she knew they were one step closer to achieving their goal…
--
Kenshin Ayuhara stood restless outside his makeshift palace. They have conquered almost every land in the east, they have taken down the Li Kingdom of the west, along with two or three smaller kingdoms beside it.
Yet he felt restless. As if an impending doom awaited him at the end of his crusade.
"Kenshin-sama," he disliked the way his minions used to call him, but he had no choice. They would leave him if he enforced "sama" on them. Kenshin-san, they called him. Sometimes, he was plain old Ayuhara to them—their ringleader, an equal. Never a master.
Kenshin-sama. Now that was more like it. They began to recognize his majesty once he began leading them to win and conquer every kingdom they set their eyes on.
"What is it?" He asked softly, not bothering to turn around and address the man.
"Dinner is ready, boss," the nameless rebel said to him. He nodded diplomatically, smiling his approval.
"Hai. Arigato gozaimasu. And…" he paused for effect. "Tell everyone to prepare. We will go raiding after dinner."
His thoughts strayed to the girl he intended to wed—the girl who would bring him limitless power across all lands.
The daughter of the Clow kingdom—as she was called—was the sole key to the completion of his plans.
And nothing would stop him from claiming the girl.
He would find her, whatever it takes.
TBC