Author's Note: Here's the long awaited update. I apologize for the wait.
A Slave of Love
Chapter 14
Sakura walked behind the queen patiently as they headed toward the Blue Ballroom where the formal dinner was to be held. Though she tried her best to glide like a princess should, her muscles were beginning to stiffen from soreness and she was beginning to wobble. She felt bruised and battered, and she probably was. She had fallen more times than she could count on her fingers in the prince's slippery washroom. A flush ran up her neck and enflamed her cheeks as the memories of what just happened a few minutes before in that very same slippery washroom; the water fight, her clinging clothes, his blush…Sakura groaned.
"What is it, my dear?" Yelan asked.
Sakura looked up, pulled out of her nostalgic embarrassment. "Eh?" she managed to voice.
The queen had stopped walking and was facing her. "You've been groaning and sighing since you've been in my company. Have I done something that is not to your liking?"
"Ah!" Sakura waved her hand frantically in front of her. "It-It is not you, Your Majesty."
"I surely hope not," the queen replied, a soft smile on the curve of her lips.
"I am truly sorry for my inappropriate behavior. Please forgive me."
"You will be forgiven if you tell me the reason you are in such a mood."
"Eh? Here? Now?" Sakura asked, widening her eyes at her surrounding. They were in a hall that was often used. Plenty of nobles walked among them, going in and out adjoining doors and rushing here and there while stopping shortly to pay pleasantries to the queen. Anything she said would surely be heard and turned to gossip, and she didn't need to add more. There was already enough rumors about her floating about the nobility and servants.
Queen Yelan's eyes glowed as her smile stretched, knowing exactly what the dilemma of her situation was. "Do you not dare, my princess?"
Sakura chewed her bottom lip.
"I wonder what has occurred between you and my son. Am I to expect something in the future?" Yelan laughed.
"Of-Of course not!" Sakura quickly denied, feeling herself get even hotter with embarrassment at the queen's implication. She watched a servant scuttle by uneasily. The queen was teasing her, but the playful words would soon turn around and become distorted hearsay. Sakura took in a deep breath and shrugged, coming to a decision. Since she was already the brunt of most gossip, she would no longer care. "How did you know I was with the prince?" she asked aloud.
"I had heard a sliver of rumor that my son received a head injury in his private quarters and you were the cause."
"I wasn't-I mean-I was, but I…" Sakura sighed, defeated. So that particular information has already leaked out. She shook her head and finished lamely with, "It is not what you think."
"Is he the cause of your worries?"
"Yes. No," Sakura quickly replied. "He has nothing to do with my problems at all."
The queen laughed again at her outright lie. "I shall forgive you for now for I have received word that my son is doing fine and should be able to attend the dinner tonight, but I will hear of this event when time permits."
"C-Certainly." Sakura let out a breath, a bit relieved, though she did not want to recount the events of what happened in the prince's washroom to the queen.
They continued their trek to the ballroom. Once there, the queen whispered something to a nearby manservant then entered. Sakura trailed diligently behind her. She still wasn't sure she was supposed to be eating with the royal family at the high table. Though being a princess demanded she had a placement there, she had been stripped of her title and made a personal servant to the prince. Therefore she was to dine with the servants in the kitchen. Why had the queen given her such an honor as to be seated at the high table? Would it not be an insult to the guest of honor?
All those who attended the banquet stood upon the queen's entrance. As Sakura located the seat she was to sit in, the prince caught her eyes and a frown formed on his handsome face. It dawned on Sakura that the queen hadn't informed him that she was to attend. A manservant appeared by the prince's side and pulled out the seat beside him. Sakura furrowed her own brows. Why was the manservant pulling out the wrong chair? She was supposed to sit by the guest of honor.
The manservant nodded at her and Sakura realized it was the same manservant the queen had spoken to shortly before entering the Blue Ballroom. The queen was definitely up to something, but Sakura didn't know what it was. She decided to slip into the chair without a protest as the others settled into their own. She could feel Syaoran's glare as Queen Yelan bid everyone to eat. Servants and maids brought in dishes of aromatic meats arranged decoratively on silver platters. Vegetables and fruits were also served, arrayed colorfully on the table. Sakura took a sip of her sweet wine as the manservant who had pulled out her chair selected and dished out several delicacies onto her plate. Something poked her side and Sakura turned to look at the prince.
"What are you doing here?" he hissed, his voice just loud enough to hear under the noise of surrounding conversations.
Sakura blinked at his annoyed tone. "Your mother, the queen-"
"Why sit here of all places?" asked the prince, indicating her chair with his chin.
"Is there something wrong?"
"That. Placement. Is. Strictly. For. My. Future. Wife!" he said through clenched teeth.
"Eh?" Sakura stood suddenly, knocking over her chair and spilling the wine in her hand. She continued to stare at the prince, hoping he would take back his words and explain that it was all a jest. He didn't. Instead, he arched a brow as the manservant assigned to her began mopping up the wine.
"Is there something you would like to say, Princess?" someone asked, interrupting the staring contest between the prince and herself. That honeyed voice sounded familiar and was far too loud. Sakura frowned and looked away from the prince's chocolate brown eyes and out to the crowd. All eyes were on her and she swallowed. It wasn't the voice that was too loud. It was the nobles and the servants that were all too quiet. Sakura internally cringed.
"Princess?"
Sakura gazed over to the owner of the voice. HuiLan smirked and swirled the wine in her glass cup, enjoying Sakura's obvious blunder. Sakura eyed the crowd again and tried to think of something to say to save whatever honor and dignity she had left. She settled for laughter and let out what she hoped to be an infectious giggle. When some amongst the audience smiled in return, she gave a brief curtsy and she said, "Forgive me. The…" she cast her eyes quickly around the table and saw an elegantly plated chocolate concoction. Picking it up and setting down the wine glass in her hand, she smiled brightly at her audience. "This," she indicated, holding up the chocolate truffle, "is heavenly. I believe I have just fallen in love!"
The crowd laughed at her jest. Then her peripheral vision caught a blurry sight of dark, sultry red silk and lace shift up. Soft chuckling filled the room and Sakura shifted her gaze over to the belle.
"I think that your tastes are very…" HuiLan paused, brought a finger up to her plump lower lip, then smiled sweetly and said, "very humble."
"Humble or sophisticated?" Syaoran intervened as the quiet crowd watched on.
Then to Sakura's utter surprise the prince stood up and, with a spoon, scooped a bite from her plate and slipped the fluffy chocolate into his mouth. The other nobles sat silently, awaiting his opinion while maids and menservants held their breath. Sakura, too, waited anxiously as he swallowed. A slow smile snaked across Syaoran's face and he winked. Sakura's breath caught in her throat at its sensuality.
"I believe Princess Sakura is right. This chocolate cake truffle has stolen my heart," the prince announced, inducing a laugh out of the audience once more.
As the nobles all began to indulge their curiosity by testing the cake truffle for themselves, Syaoran took his seat and moved on with his dinner. HuiLan was quiet in her corner of the table and Sakura no longer remembered her. Instead, her eyes were on the prince. She watched him, wide-eyed, surprised he would come to her rescue.
"Are you planning to stand there all night gapping at me or are you going to sit down and eat?" the prince drawled before taking in another morsel of potato.
Sakura grinned and sat, her eyes still on him.
"What?" he finally asked, annoyance written all over his face.
"N-Nothing," Sakura replied, shaking her head. The prince was the moodiest person she has ever met. One second he was a gallant knight, the next he was a playful flirt. Then the third second, he switched back to being a cold, austere prince.
"My debt has been paid."
Sakura paused, her fork in midair between plate and mouth. She couldn't believe her ears. The prince had muttered his words softly so she wasn't exactly sure if that was what he had said. "What did you say?"
"Not anything of import," was his curt reply.
She frowned. Was what she heard about a debt being paid just a trick of the ears? The words had stung a little and she grudgingly conceded to wanting to be saved out of sincerity, not duty. She pondered over it a bit more, then shrugged and took a large bite of her seasoned quail. "How is your wound?"
"Setting aside the fact that I will receive a very grotesque scar due to your crude sewing skills, the wound no longer aches and I believe I will live."
Sakura rolled her eyes and mumbled, "There was never any doubt you would survive."
"Still, I am starting to fear for my life when I am around you."
"It was a one time thing!" she protested. "I have never risked nor endangered any lives!"
She didn't know which comment induced the prince's laugh. "The first time we met, you were almost trampled by my horse."
"That was because I was saving that little boy's life!" said Sakura defensively.
The prince ignored her and, flicking up his fingers one by one as he recalled her dramatics, continued, "You threatened suicide, twice; you fell in the stables and would have a concussion or worse if I hadn't caught you; you senselessly galloped ahead into unknown territory and sprained one of our finest horses' ankle; you almost drowned us with bubbles; and not to mention you were the main cause of my split head. Who knows what else you had done when not in my company?"
Sakura bit her lip as she unwillingly remembered the time she had tripped down the steps and almost broke her own ankle, accidentally knocked a vase over the side of a railing and nearly striking down a passing manservant, breaking a row of expensive china plates she was supposed to stack away and cutting her finger, and various other incidents the prince had yet to find out about. She couldn't stop herself from blushing. She hated to admit it, but she had always been a terrible klutz ever since her childhood days.
Opening her mouth, she managed to stammer out, "That's only because you, you…I-I have bad luck when I'm around you."
"You're just a walking cloud of ill luck," the prince agreed. "My troubles have doubled since the day I met you."
"You've always had trouble. I, I've never had any trouble until I met you," Sakura shot back. "You are the cause of all my worries."
To Sakura's surprise the prince looked away and didn't say anything back, concentrating on his dinner. After a moment of silence between them, he finally turned her way. "Have you never gave thought to the reason why that seat has been empty?"
Sakura tapped her chin, then slanted her head. "No, I've never noticed it before." Looking past him, she gazed at his sisters. "Why are there no chairs beside your sisters?"
"When they marry, they will not stay in the palace. I, as crown prince, will take over the throne. If I should marry before taking the throne, the placement is for the future queen, my wife." Syaoran took a swallow of his wine, then said, "I believe my mother has sent me a message."
"Oh? And what is that?"
The prince smirked, twirling the wine in his hand. "She is an infuriating woman. Trust it or not, she has proclaimed that we-"
Before Syaoran could finish his answer, the queen called her attention. Sakura looked across the prince at his mother questioningly.
"My dear princess, you had promised to tell me of what transpired shortly before the banquet," Yelan asked in an guileless voice. It was anything but. Her entire demeanor spoke of politeness, but Sakura could see the glint of mischievousness behind her mask of courtesy. "I think it would be a grand tale to hear of over dinner."
Sakura gapped at her disbelievingly. "Eh?"
"The tale will be a wonderful entertainment."
"Tale?" the prince repeated. "What tale?"
"Ah, yes," Sakura laughed nervously, waving her hands to signal its insignificance. "It is a trivial matter and would bore the audience."
"Oh?" HuiLan voiced. "We shall be the judge of that, now shan't we?"
"I do so coincide with Miss HuiLan."
The queen's agreement made HuiLan glow with arrogance. As the nobles sharing the high table dropped their conversations to wait expectantly for Sakura's tale to begin, she looked to the prince and begged him with her eyes to help rescue her.
When Syaoran did not notice, she cleared her throat and said, "Your Highness, why not you tell this one?"
"Prince Li Syaoran is involved in this?" HuiLan asked. Jealousy dripped from her voice as her eyes narrowed in suspicion. For some reason, this stirred a feeling of satisfaction in the pit of Sakura's stomach.
"What tale are you speaking of?" asked the prince once again.
"Oh, you know, the events in your washroom," Sakura said, lowering her voice to a whisper on the last word so only he could hear.
The prince quirked a brow and crossed his arms. To Sakura's utter surprise, he sat back leisurely and smiled. "Oh no, I couldn't possibly take away your limelight. You should tell this one, my dear princess. I would love to hear your version of the events."
"Y-You would?" Sakura hesitantly questioned.
The prince nodded. "Don't leave anything out. If you do, I'll interrupt you and add them."
Sakura widened her eyes. Did he mean the kiss? She blushed at the memory. Looking away from the prince, she stared down at her hands. Slowly, she gripped them into fists. If the prince was planning to see her squirm, he can think again. She turned to face the prince and let an innocent looking, yet very sly smile slide across her cheeks. She saw the prince narrow his eyes in mistrust and she was tempted to grin wider but didn't.
"Well, it is just a very humble story of how I saved the prince's life," Sakura began.
"You know, I think I will tell this one," Syaoran intruded. "But at another time. I believe we have a guest? Should we not give her our fullest attention?"
Sakura saw an adorable flush run up a petite woman's face as everyone turned in the girl's direction. Gazing at her, Sakura found she couldn't drag her eyes away from the princess. The girl was exotic looking; long, wavy pitch-black hair, button nose and large steely grey eyes. She definitely looked out of place, especially with her light caramel-tone skin contrasting greatly from the milk-white hue that belonged to the other ladies surrounding her. The pale skin was in the height of fashion and was deemed necessary to a beauty, yet Sakura thought the princess was the more beautiful due to her coloring.
Once she noticed Princess ChunHua, she became enchanted by her. It wasn't because the girl was a beauty, though she was, but there was something about her that drew the eyes. Something that made one take another look. Sakura pondered the thought. Was it because of the princess's ambience, the mysteriously pleasant mood that surrounded her? Or was it the way the girl radiated a feathery elegance that dripped with hidden strength?
Sakura was delighted to noticed that the princess had a charming lilting accent to go along with her exotic look.
"Iee beleeve," ChunHua began. "Zees would be the peerfect opportuneety to show my-ee appeeciation for such a wonderful welcoming," said Princess ChunHua as she stood from where she sat. A stunning smile graced her soft features as she bowed her head politely and joined a group of servants that had silently entered. In the middle of the ballroom, the princess stood out like candlelight, her simple pure white gown contrasting greatly against the dark colors that surrounded her. All eyes were now definitely focused on her if they hadn't been fixated before.
Placing a hand over her heart, ChunHua fell into an elegant bow. "Your Eemperial Majesty, may Iee present to you geefts on behalf of my-ee homeland and my-ee esteemed father?"
The foreign princess pronounced father like fa-zer and tended to enunciate the I's like E's.
"Of course," the queen nodded.
Yelan's confirmation signaled the entrance of thirty servant, each one bearing a chest, basket, or bolts of dyed cloth. ChunHua announced each gift and showed off the contents to the spectators around her. When the final servant, a skinny maid, handed over the last gift box to the princess, ChunHua untied it and revealed the fruits inside.
"Zees ees a geeft handpeecked my-eeself," she beamed.
Those nearest her who saw what it was first gasped audibly. Enraged cries arose from the nobles as others gossiped loudly. Sakura watched in concern as the girl's smile fell from her face.
"What is the meaning of this?" demanded an furious man from the crowd. Sakura examined him and saw that he was from the council, a man with power. A sliver of fear ran up her spine.
Chunhua flinched back from the man's yell. Clutching the box to herself, she took a few steps back. "Wha-What ees wrong? Zey are just drieed plums."
"Hah," HuiLan blew out. "We receive you and your delegation honorably as our guest and this is how you wish to repay us?"
The belle's outburst sent the crown into an angry uproar. Accusatory fingers poked and pointed at the princess who shrank back. The girl looked so small and scared, so alone in that boisterous crowd. Sakura stood, wanting to help. She could empathize with ChunHua. She shifted to escape her seating and go to the princess but was held back by a firm hand.
"Don't," the prince said, giving his head a firm shake.
"But-"
"You are an outsider, like her. If you ally yourself with her, your safety will be-"
Sakura angrily yanked her arm out of his hold. "That matter not. I can't just stand by and let them terrorize her like this! She could be innocent of what they are bestowing on her-"
"I'll handle it."
"She might not…even…" Sakura's voice trailed away as the meaning of his words hit her. "You'll handle it?"
"Sit." The prince commanded.
Sakura obediently followed his orders and watched as he calmly walked into the crowd of nobles. They parted a way for him, his presence like a force field. Envy for his raw confidence and aloof elegance poked the pit of her stomach. If she had rushed into that crowd, they would have just ignored her and pushed her away.
Syaoran marched onward to the scared woman, like a prince going to save his endangered princess. Sakura held her breath as she observed Syaoran extend a hand to the girl who, surprised at first, accepted the help with an awed look of relief. With Chun Hua's small hand nestled securely in his fingers, the prince brought it up to his lips for a gentle kiss. A pang of jealousy flashed through Sakura and she frowned. Dismissing the thought, as well as the emotion, Sakura cast a glance over to the queen. She widened her eyes at Yelan's disposition. If Sakura wasn't able to distinguish between the queen's smile and her serious expression, she wouldn't have noticed the slight indentation that indicated a sly grin.