Disclaimer: I don't own CCS.
A/N: Sorry for the late update! I've being so into all the school activities for the past months that I hardly have time to touch my computer! Thank you to all of you who have reviewed throughout this time to give me some motivation to get my butt in front of the computer to continue on the story… So… the long awaited chapter is finally out!
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Stepping into the courtyard of the east wing in which Syaoran resides in, a voice rang out behind her, speaking her name in an angry tone.
"You're really relaxed here aren't you? Once your Master's not here and you sneak off at your own whim and fancy."
Recognizing the voice, Sakura turned around and gasped, "M-Master Li!" There in the pavilion behind her, was Syaoran sitting there, calmly drinking a pot of tea.
"Come over here." Syaoran ordered.
Bowing her head, Sakura timidly stood her ground, knowing that she is definitely in for some kind of trouble. "Master Li. It is late now. I should be preparing for Mistress Meiling's dinner…" Sakura said, trying to excuse herself from the inevitable.
"You are my personal servant! Ther one that you obey and serve is me!"
"B-But…"
"When have you starting talking so much? Do you need me to repeat my orders?" Syaoran said impatiently.
Keeping herself silent, Sakura walked into the pavilion.
"Where have you being?" Syaoran interrogated. Staring at Sakura's downcast face, he thought angrily to himself, Even if she is temporarily serving Meiling now, she is not supposed to disappear when I have a need for her.
Thinking back to the anxious feeling that had etched into his heart when he could not find her for a whole hour just now, Syaoran gave a shudder. Now, he felt angry, angry at her making him feel this way, and angry at himself for the uncontrollable uneasiness when he could not find her.
"I…I was feeling a bit uncomfortable just now… so…" Sakura tried to explain her absence.
"Uncomfortable?" Syaoran eyed her intently, "Do you think you can get away with a lie like that?"
"No…No… I wouldn't dare to…"
"Tell me the truth! Where were you just now? Fancy leaving your work like that and running off!" Syaoran's voice cut off her excuse.
Bitting her lips, Sakura finally made her resolve to face whatever the consequences," I was at Master Eriol's place."
"Him!" Syaoran's face frowned at the unwelcomed name. He fisted his hands, trying to calm himself down from his the sudden rage. "What are you doing there?"
"I went to see Master Eriol." Sakura replied tactlessly.
Baam!
The cup in Syaoran's hand now lie in pieces on the floor, the hot tea dripping on his hand. "What did you say? How gave you the permission to go there? What did you do there?"
Shocked at his sudden display and worry at the hot tea on his hand, Sakura trembled, hardly able to form coherent words, "M-Master Li… I-I…"
"What?" Syaoran stood up from his seat and approached Sakura, each step walking closer to her.
"I-I only wanted to…"
"Wanted to? Wanted to comfort him? Or wanted to use this opportunity to get close to him so as to become the next mistress of this house?"
"How could you say that!" Sakura retorted angrily after hearing his hurtful accusations. "I was only worried that Master Eriol might think too much and do stupid things after the incident with Mistress Meiling…"
Syaoran's anger flared even more when he heard the word 'worry' sprout out from Sakura's mouth, and much less directly at his unworthy brother. "Worry? And here you say that you do not have an ulterior motive for trying to get close to him? Do you think the hell that he'll need you to worry for him? You are not worthy! Remember your place, servant!" Who does she think she is? She is his servant, yet still behaving so intimately towards that Eriol! How could she do this to him? This feeling is like a knife stabbing into his heart, and the pain is starting to make him start behaving irrationally.
Holding back her tears, Sakura tried not to take all the words he said to her heart, for she knew that all he had said and done was in a fit of anger. "I know I am unworthy, but I also know that Master Li is wrong to do such a thing as well! You do not have the authority to use others, nor harm others!"
"You are saying that I'm at fault?"
"I'm only stating the facts…" Sakura bravely said, knowing that she could not go back to where she was anymore. All she hoped was that perhaps she could bring some sense into him.
"Why? Is it because of him? Is it because of him that you've become like this, saying all this atrocious words! You never talked as much as you did today before…" The more she covered up for Eriol, the angrier he got, he hated it and he hated himself for feeling so easily angered.
"No… No it isn't… It never was about him…" Sakura finally cracked, and her tears flowed down freely onto her cheeks…
Seeing her tears as she looked up at him, Syaoran felt a ripping pain in his chest. Are these tears for Eriol? "Stop crying! This is an order! I do not allow you to cry for any other man! I disallow you to speak up for anybody else!" Syaoran shouted, grabbing Sakura's shoulders in the process.
"Why would you even care?" Sakura spoke through a lump in her throat, the tears making her vision blurry and unclear.
Her question, like a bucket of cold water, suddenly made Syaoran lose all his previous anger. W-What was I doing? Why should I care? I never cared for anyone before, so what is so special about her? Feeling the panic rising in his chest, Syaoran did the only thing he knew, hide his feelings.
"Shut up!" Syaoran ordered, "I don't need a servant that only knows how to talk back!"
"M-Master Li!" Sakura's eyes widened as she realized the implication of his sentence, "D-Do you not want me anymore?"
"I want a loyal servant who does not argue with me! Even if I said that the moon is square, she'll agree with me! I don't need someone who goes to the enemy behind m back, I don't need a traitor!" Syaoran shouted out exasperatedly. His heart beat loudly in his ears, and a sense of foreboding befall him, but Syaoran paid it no heed.
"I-I did not…" Sakura tried to explain weakly, knowing that the thing that she feared the most is coming. She bit her lips so hard that she could nearly taste the blood. I know that am am unworthy of his love, and wouldn't dare to even dream of such a thing… but is it too much to ask for just being at his side and serving him? Why can't even such a simple wish be granted?
"Get lost! I do not want to hear your excuses!" All he could think of was how she went behind his back to find Eriol… and how she betrayed him by doing so… The moment I let someone into my heart, I get betrayed… Over and over again!
"Master Li!"
"Go back to the kitchens, I, Syaoran, do not have any servant with the likes of you!"
"N-No… Master Li! Please! Don't chase me away, I swear! I swear that I would not anything to make you angry again… Please…". The world spun beneath her - like there wasn't enough oxygen in the room, or the air was somehow bereft of what his body needed to stay conscious and alive as she collapsed to the ground.
Sparing not even a last glance at her, Syaoran walked away, his clothes flapping in the wind.
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after a month, somewhere else
"Tomoyo! Can you help me go into town to buy some rice? Our remaining stock in the storehouse has being infected by weevils! It's very urgent!" Sonomi shouted out of the kitchen early in the morning. "Oh, and while you're at it, get some arsenic too… I think there's a rat somewhere in the inn as well."
"Oh… When did all these pests start appearing?" Tomoyo replied as she walked into the kitchens from the main hall.
"You know this happens every year at this time when there are little to none customers," said Sonomi as she hurried Tomoyo out of the inn.
"Okay okay! I get it! Should I get some other commodities as well?"
"Ahh… That would be best if you could get all the things on this list as well!" Sonomi said as she retrieved a piece of paper from her bedroom and handed it to Tomoyo.
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After half a day's ride on the horse, Tomoyo finally reached the town. Looking at the list in her hand, Tomoyo sighed. How am I supposed to carry all of these things back by myself? And the market's long closed at this time in the afternoon. I guess that I'll just have to stay the night here in town.
Wandering aimlessly around the town, Tomoyo decided to find an inn to rest first. If she could not purchase all of the required things today, she'll just have to put up at a cheap inn and wait until tomorrow morning.
The first inn that Tomoyo found was a modest one somewhere in the centre of the town. Walking in, she was greeted by the counter politely.
"How much for a single room?" Tomoyo asked.
"Oh! I'm really sorry, but the rooms are all filled. There are a lot of people in town now for the annual mooncake festival, so most of the inns are all filled with people."
"The mooncake festival?"
"Oh yes of course! It is definitely going to be hard finding an empty place, but it is not impossible. Good luck!"
Good luck? What bad luck I have to come to town at such an inappropriate time. Oh well, I guess that I'll just have to keep searching.
After another hour of walking all around town, Tomoyo came to the conclusion that all the "cheaper" inns are taken. So that leaves her with only the biggest inn in town. I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask eh? Although I probably would not have the money to live in there even for one night… I could still hope that they have an ongoing promotion or something, right?
Standing outside the elaborate inn, Tomoyo finally gathered up her courage to step in and asked the counter, "Excuse me? Do you have any rooms left?"
Casting one glance at the poorly clothed girl, the lady behind the counter replied in disdain, "Forget it, you filthy peasant would be unable to pay for it anyway. Get the hell out of here and stop dirtying the porch with your presence."
"H-How could you say such a thing?" Tomoyo replied in a small voice, after being shocked by the outburst of the lady behind the counter. Coincidentally, another customer walked into the inn right at this time.
"You're that girl from the inn!" the man who walked in exclaimed after seeing her face. "Tomoyo, isn't it?"
"I'm sorry but do I kno- Eriol-kun!" Swirling around, Tomoyo was greeted with the sight of the mysterious man who disappeared heavy with injuries. Sighing with relief, Tomoyo said gently, "I'm glad that you are well."
"Well, thanks to you... and I received treatment from our family physician after I got back the other day." Eriol replied with a faint smile adoring his face. "Are you trying to find a place to stay?"
"Y-Yes… but all the inns are full." Tomoyo related her plight to the handsome young man before her.
"Then can I invite you to stay at my residence for tonight?" Eriol graciously extended his welcome.
"H-How could I intrude on you like this!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "I-"
"Take it as my form of repayment for you saving my life then…" Eriol said.
"Then… I guess I could not reject your kind offer. You have my utmost gratitude." Tomoyo replied, a relieved smile blossoming on her face, lighting it up in an almost ethereal glow.
For a moment, the world stopped moving in Eriol's heart. He could no longer see the shuffle of people around them, or hear the voices of the waiters shouting for orders. In his vision, there was only the simple smile of this young woman before him.
"Eriol-kun?" Tomoyo nudged, seeing that he had suddenly zoned out.
"O-Oh… S-Sorry." Embarrassed at being caught staring at her, Eriol quickly gathered his composure and said, "Come, let me escort you to my residence, but I have some affairs to attend to when we get back, so may I boldly request that you allow my servants to attend to you while I am away?"
Giggling at his formal use of words, Tomoyo retorted a reply, "Of course! My lord." p
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In less than three months, Sakura went from working as the young master's personal servant back to helping out at the kitchen. The other cooks, seeing Sakura stepping back into the kitchen greeted her enthusiastically. After all, it was too common seeing the young master chasing away servants after servants with his temper.
However, hiding behind her cheerful mask, Sakura could only heal her shattered heart on her own. She could confide in nobody, for Sakura fully understands that nothing good would come out of her feelings for the young master. In this feudal time and age, it is just not possible.
I, Syaoran, do not have any servant with the likes of you!
Like a sharp knife, Syaoran's words kept replaying itself in her mind, stabbing her bleeding heart again and again. Pushing down the waves of agony that threatened to drown her, Sakura bit down hard on her lips and continued on her work cutting the vegetables.
I have being through times harder than this! I have learnt the basics of survival since young… I will not be beaten by mere words by him, I will not! His words may be cutting, but it can't hurt me!
"Say, Master Li is really too much. We're already used to him treating the servants badly, but now he's even got his hands on his future sister-in-law! How much more cold-blooded can he get?" a servant spoke angrily opposite the table. Her shrill voice bring Sakura back to reality.
"But I think that the fault lies with that fickle woman, not Master Li. She already had Master Eriol. To be so easily led astray by Master Li, she is definitely a weak-willed woman." Another servant replied.
"Hey… Do you think they'll get married?"
M-Married?
"Don't be ridiculous! The Old Madam would surely not agree to it. Moreover, I don't believe that Master Li is even serious about it. How could he go against the whole family for a single woman?"
Letting out a breath that she didn't realize that she was holding, Sakura sighed in relief. So they won't be getting married.
"Don't be so certain! That woman's so beautiful, which man won't fall head over heels for her?"
The arguing continued on between the two gossiping servants. However, Sakura had already heard enough and is starting to get frustrated. Seeing that nobody is looking, she sneaked out of the kitchen into the gardens. This place never fails to give me a sense of serenity… ever since the first moment I saw it…
"Sakura?"
A shadow clouded over her and blocked the sun over her head. Looking behind, Sakura suddenly thought that she saw Syaoran against the glare of the light. However, at the second she heard her name being called again, she jerked back to reality.
"Master Eriol…"
"I see that you're finally back to Earth… I was going to the kitchens to find you, but I see that it is not necessary now."
"T-Thank you. It… It is really not necessary for you to come find me personally; you could have just sent a servant or someone." Sakura replied uneasily, thinking what could be so important that the Master has to tell her personally.
"So… I heard that Syaoran sent you back to the kitchens?"
"Hai." Sakura replied, feeling the familiar constricting sensation in her chest again. Sakura wanted to shout out loud, why does everyone ask her about this thing over and over again? Can't they just shut their mouths for once? But she can't… Gentle as she is, Sakura just couldn't do such a thing. So in the end, she could only bury the sorrow deep into herself.
"He knows that you went to find me the other day?" Eriol asked gently.
Hesitantly, Sakura nodded.
"No wonder… He sent you away… because of me right?"
"N-No! This has nothing to do with Master Eriol. It's my own fault that Master Li despises me and sent me back here."
Looking at the depressed girl in front of him, Eriol could not help but sigh. Even when Syaoran treats her so badly, she still speaks up for him. If it were someone else, they surely would not do such a thing. Isn't it so blatantly obvious that she has some sort of feelings for the young master of the house?
It is truly a pity that such a nice girl would fall for the one person that she shouldn't fall in love with.
"Sakura, I know you have rejected my offer before, but I just want to ask you again.Would you like to come to work under me?"
"Master Eriol!" Sakura stared at him in shock. Did he not know how angry this would make the young master? And yet he gives her the same proposal again and again.
"Are you willing?" Eriol asked once again, "Or, are you afraid that Syaoran would flare up again if you do so?"
"N-No… It's just that I am not good enough to take up such a job. Moreover, I'm really happy working here in the kitchens!" Sakura hurriedly explained herself, hoping to dissuade him of this notion. I'm already being misunderstood by Syaoran… If I go there, I would never have the chance to clarify it!
Sighing, Eriol resigned to the fact that Sakura will not accept his offer, he decided to change the topic. "If you are really unwilling, then I shall not force you. But, I have something else that I've like to ask to you. Right now, there is a person at my residence that I believe you would like to meet. Because I personally brought her here, I do not wish for her to be seen people in the Li mansion, lest something happens, I hope you know what I mean. So, I need you to come with me back to my residence to meet her."
"M-Master Eriol… I think this is not such a goo-…"
"Tomoyo, her name is Tomoyo."
"T-Tomoyo?!"
"Yes, so please follow me."
And with that, Sakura followed behind Eriol towards his place.
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A/N: Yea! One more chapter down! Please R&R!