Daphne: "Hi! I just want to let my readers know that I am *very* thankful
for all the reviews I have received for this story. I was thinking about
taking it off the site, because I was getting a little bit of writers
block, but thanks to all the reviews, I have changed my mind, and it is
here to stay! I will try to get the next chapter up soon, and I hope that
you will bare with me and review! I also want to let you know that
Cardcaptor Sakura does not belong to me. *Duh!* Anyway…on with the story!
~*~*~*~
Forced to Love
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 4.
Emerald eyes opened to a room of dim shadows and strange shapes. A delicate white hand fluttered to a pink cheek and brushed away a long strand of auburn hair that had fallen across it. Confusion filled the green eyes for a moment, and then it cleared, laving a faint trace of sadness in its place. There was a rustling sound as long legs curled up against a cold body, and covers were moved closer to the shaking chin.
Princess Kinomoto Sak…no…Princess *Li* Sakura, looked around her new bedroom with a mixture of sorrow and confusion. When had they reached the castle, and why hadn't she been awoken?
"Last night, and because you needed your sleep." Came a soft voice. Sakura gave a squeal and turned to see a bleary-eyed Kero hovering just behind her.
"How did you know…"
"Because your aura was practically spitting out those questions. You have to be a lot more vigilant when it comes to hiding your aura. That Chinese gaki of yours has already figured out that you have strong magic." Kero informed her, causing her to moan and fall back against her pillows.
"A woman named Matilda is to be your nurse and lady-in-waiting. She was the one who dressed you last night. The whole time, she was raving about how horrible Li Yelan is, and how you need to give the prince a chance. *Snort* Yah right! You be careful, Sakura! I don't want him breaking your heart!" Kero said threateningly, causing Sakura to laugh.
"There is no danger in that, Kero. I have no intention of falling in love with the prince. Becoming friends, yes, because I want to be nice…but not love!" Sakura whispered, slipping on a dressing-gown that was carefully placed on a chair near her bed and then walking over to one pair of curtains and throwing them open, to reveal a set of french-doors. She pushed these open, and then gasped.
"Oh, Kero! Come and look at this!" She breathed, stepping out on what was obviously a balcony. Kero followed her outside, and he caught his breath. They were looking straight at large, beautiful gardens, filled with flowers and trees of every type and breed. Beyond that could be seen a wide expanse of dense forest, most likely filled with strange and wonderful creatures that Sakura had yet to befriend. The sun was shining brightly, and somewhere in the distance, a bird was singing a beautiful song.
"Oh, even if it is unbearable here, I will at least have this to look forward too!" Sakura sang, twirling around with her arms spread out wide.
"You know, the prince said that very same thing this morning." Chuckled a voice. Sakura turned around in fear, to face a woman in her early sixties. She had white hair and blue eyes that twinkled at the frightened princess.
"Don't worry, child. I will not harm you. I am sure that your…friend has told you a little about me." The woman laughed, looking pointedly at Kero. Sakura frowned and looked at her guardian in confusion.
"Sakura, this is Matilda, your nurse." Kero introduced. Matilda grinned and then turned to Sakura.
"Your husband warned me that you were of magical background, so I was prepared for the worst. I did not, however, expect you to be the famous Cards Mistress that I have heard so much about. It is quite an honor to finally meet you…awake!" The woman laughed again, causing Sakura to smile ruefully.
"I am sorry! I am Sakura, and this is the Guardian Beast of the Seal, Cerberus, affectionately known as 'Kero'." Sakura said, curtsying. Matilda simply laughed and hugged the girl.
"No need for formalities. I am Matilda, known to you as 'Matty'." Matty said, pulling the girl back into the room.
"Now…what would you like to do today? Your husband is off doing his training, and most likely will not be home for some time, so I will show you around the castle, and introduce you to the other workers here." Matty said, going over to the wardrobe and pulling out a simple pink dress. She handed it to Sakura, and then after giving the girl directions to the dinning hall, she left. Sakura quickly slipped into her dress, and hurried down to the dinning hall for breakfast. When she was through, Matty offered to give her a tour of the castle. Sakura, eager to do something, agreed.
Matty showed her around the kitchens, and she met the cook, who they affectionately called, Cookie. (Kero, who was in Sakura's pocket, started to laugh when her heard this name, and Sakura had to stifle his noise with her hand.) Then Matty showed her the libraries, and the attic, which Sakura dubbed, "Spooky". Then she was shown the ballroom, which ended up one of Sakura's personal favorite rooms, because of all the musical instruments in the room, and because of its general peaceful aura. From there, Matty showed her the majority of the gardens, which Sakura vowed to explore latter that week. While she was getting her tour, Sakura was also gaining valuable information about the family that she had just married into. She found out that Siefa was the sister that she would be safest with, if they were to visit, because she refused to glomp her suitors and friends, as her sisters did. She also found out that Li Yelan really was quite nice, but you didn't want to get on her bad side.
"Now…I think that that is enough for today. It is time for supper." Matty said, leading Sakura back to her rooms. Once there, Matty helped Sakura to change into a nicer dress, and then did her hair up in little ringlets at the top of her head. After they were finished with that, and had said good bye to Kero, they made their way down to the dinning hall.
As soon as they entered, Sakura spotted Prince Syaoran sitting at one end of a long table. He had a stony look on his face, and when she tried to smile at him, he simply looked away and refused to meet her gaze. Hurt, Sakura settled in her seat, which was much further down the table and then watched as several servants came in and sat down as well. Matty took her place beside Sakura, and they waited until the Prince had taken a bite of his food, before they began to eat.
"Matty, why do the…others sit here?" Sakura asked, not wanting to call them servants. Matty smiled slightly.
"In Prince Syaoran's country, it is polite to have your servants eat with you. It is to prove that although we work for them, we are no less than they are." Matty explained. Sakura's mouth opened into an awed O, as she nodded.
"Brilliant! I like the way they do things!" She giggled, and Matty grinned. After supper, the Prince left the room, giving Sakura no chance to speak with him
'Perhaps it is better this way.' She thought, as Matty helped her to get ready for bed. When she was through, Sakura was dressed in a lovely pink night-dress that reached to the floor. It had a row of ruffles at the end of the skirt, and at the end of the sleeves, which ended at her elbows. The neck of the night-dress was rounded and trimmed with a velvety-pink ribbon. Just for the fun of it, Matty used curl-papers and put them in Sakura's hair, to make her hair even more curly in the morning. Sakura had laughed at this, but Matty had insisted (with a pout) that Sakura would look absolutely "Kawaii". (a/n: OH no! She is going Tomoyo on us!)
Finally, Matty left the room and Sakura sank down into her bed with a sigh.
"What's the matter, Sakura?" Kero asked, waking up from his comfortable sleep.
"Nothing really…it's just…I am lonely. I have you, and Matty, but somehow…" Sakura trailed off, as images of Meiling, Tomoyo, Rika, Chiharu, and Naoko floated through her mind. Misery rose in Sakura's throat, and she worked to keep from crying.
"Never mind, Kero. I am just tired." She whispered to the little being, who was already fast asleep again. More tears welled up in Sakura's eyes, and this time, she didn't try to stop them. With a quiet wail, she buried her head in her pillow and sobbed.
~*~*~*~
*Several months later, in the Kinomoto kingdom*
Dear Mister Eriol,
How are you fairing in the Kinomoto kingdom? I hope you are well, because my Mister Shaoran certainly isn't. He has shut his poor little wife out of everything, and to tell the truth, neither she nor I ever sees him much. He is usually out training, or taking walks in the forest, or some other thing, and he never has time to visit me any more. I must admit that I am quickly tiring of his ignorance towards her. Eriol, the silly boy is pushing her away, and no matter what she does, he never seems to get better. It is as if he hates her, which I cannot possibly see how he could…but still…
The poor girl is becoming paler every day, and I worry about her. She is sad and she misses her friends horribly. I even caught her crying one night, long after she was supposed to be asleep. She had stopped communicating with her friends, but if you know Princess Daidouji Tomoyo, you probably have been informed of this already. Eriol, I need your help. I have tried simply everything, and nothing I do seems to work. Please help! Talk some sense into Syaoran, or something…anything!
Anyway, I do hope that you are getting along with Prince Touya. I know he seems mean, but Sakura insists that he is only over-protective of his family! I hope that you will write soon, or even visit! That would be a treat!
Take care, and give my best regards to Meiling and Princess Tomoyo!
Lovingly,
Matilda Carrion
~*~*~*~
Eriol smiled as he gazed at his letter from the dear woman, but something was bothering him. Syaoran had seemed quite taken with his wife at the wedding, *anyone* could have seen that…so what had made him pull away? Eriol had been sure that Sakura would be Syaoran's undoing, but now this. With a frown, Eriol began to pace about his room, trying to think up a plan.
After two hours, nothing had come to him, so he left his room and restlessly wandered around the castle. He wandered out into the courtyard and sat down on a bench, his mind so preoccupied with his letter, that he didn't notice someone coming down one of the garden paths.
"Oh no! It's you." Eriol looked up, and for a moment, he didn't recognize the person, so full his mind was. But then…
"Oh, hello Miss Tomoyo. I hope you are well." He said, looking back down without a second glance at her. Now, Tomoyo knew something was wrong. For the past two months, Eriol had done nothing but annoy her. Every spare moment, it seemed, he was always engaging her in conversation, or flirting with her, or any other ridiculous thing he chose to do. But this…this quiet, frowning, disturbed-looking young man was nothing like she was used to.
"What is wrong?" She asked, for once letting her guard down and showing concern for him. She flinched, realizing that he could take advantage of this, but still, nothing! Tomoyo stared at the silent young man in shock, her amethyst eyes widening.
"It's this. Read it, and tell me what you think." Eriol handed her the letter, and she quickly sat down next to him, to read it. Her long dark hair was flowing down her back, and a tendril of it slid down to cover her face. All-in-all, she looked like an angel. But Eriol noticed none of this. He was looking up at the cloudless sky, his mind working overtime to try to get an idea that would force Syaoran to admit his love for Sakura.
"OH! How horrible! Poor Sakura! I must see her!" Tomoyo's voice broke though his thoughts. He glanced up at her, as she got up off the bench and which caused the letter to flutter to the ground. Her amethyst eyes were wider then ever, and she held a trembling fist to her mouth which was also shaking. Tears filled her lovely eyes as she began to pace.
"How could he…she will be wanting me! So that is why she never writes anymore! It is too painful for her! Oh, poor, poor Sakura!" Tomoyo whimpered, completely forgetting that Eriol was there. Suddenly, he stood up, his face lit with a sly smile.
"That is it! You are a genius, Tomoyo my dear! That is what we shall do!" Eriol crowed. Tomoyo looked at him in astonishment and then frowned.
"What have I done?" She asked. He smirked at her and then kissed her hand.
"That, my dear, *lovely* lady, you will have to find out later. Goodbye, my sweet darling! Until we meet again!" He quipped, back to his old self. Sparks flared from Tomoyo's eyes, and she turned with a huff.
"Of all the impudent, stupid people in the world! And I actually felt sorry for you for a moment. I will never do *that* again!" She snapped, stalking back up to her room, leaving Eriol to smirk at her retreating back.
"Rage all you want to *now*, my dear! Because soon, you will be at my feet, begging mercy! If my plan is set well, not only will Syaoran fall for Sakura, but you, delight of my life, will be putty in my hands, before I can say 'seduce'!" Eriol hissed with a grin, turning on his heal and walking back to his rooms.
~*~*~*~
"Well, it is all set. Tomoyo and I are leaving tomorrow, at the crack of dawn." Eriol announced, walking into the library, where Meiling, Touya, and Tomoyo were chatting. They all looked up at him in astonishment, or in Tomoyo's case, rage.
"What are you saying, Hiiragizawa?" She snapped, standing up with her fists clenched at her sides. Meiling and Touya were now watching this encounter with suppressed mirth. Eriol merrily grinned at his prey, and then held up a letter.
"We are taking a little trip to visit…Prince Li Syaoran and his lovely wife Princess Li Sakura!" Eriol crowed, watching as Tomoyo's face quickly went from angry, to shocked, to ecstatic.
"Really? We are going to visit Sakura? How?!" She cried, moving closer to him. He smirked.
"Not like I should tell you, but I wrote Syaoran and informed him that I was coming for a visit. For some reason, I was under the impression that you would like to visit Sakura, so I asked him if you could accompany me…and he gave the affirmative." Eriol said nonchalantly. Tomoyo, however, gave a squeal and then hugged him quickly.
"Disregard that hug. It was just a thank you. And don't come under the impression that I will do that every time you do me a favor, because I won't!" With this, Tomoyo exited the room. Eriol simply smirked at her back.
"You will never get her, you know. You may be able to bring every other girl to your feet, but Tomoyo is an exception. You will never break through her barriers." Meiling warned him. Eriol turned and grinned cheekily at her.
"You underestimate me, my dear. This is all part of the 'Make-lovely-Tomoyo- grovel-at-your-feet' plan. Trust me. By the time we return, Tomoyo will be mine." Eriol stated assuredly, as he waltzed out of the room. Meiling turned to Touya, who was silently laughing.
"I don't see what is so funny! Tomoyo is going to have her heart broken, and you are laughing! Prepare to sleep on the couch!" Meiling snapped, stalking out of the room and to her bed-chamber. Touya followed closely.
"I was only laughing at the fact that, Eriol refuses to believe that Tomoyo is any different than the other women that he has played this game with. They have all fallen, but I seriously do not think that Tomoyo will. She is a strong girl, and she can take care of herself." Touya stated, as he shut the door behind them. Meiling turned at looked at him.
"Do you really think that?" She asked hesitantly, her eyes getting their puppy-dog look. He grinned and slipped his arm around her waist.
"I do. Tomoyo is like you. She won't take any bull from men like Eriol." Touya simpered, knowing this would please his wife. It did.
"Oh, you are so sweet!" She murmured, as his lips closed over hers. He worked hard not to grin. He always found ways to escape sleeping on the couch. So far, he had never had to, and frankly, he didn't intend to ever sleep there, if he could help it!
~*~*~*~
*Back at the Li castle*
"Matty, I know you! What are you hiding?" Sakura asked at supper. This time, she was seated across from her husband, and much closer to him this time. Matty was sitting next to her, a faint sparkle in her old eyes.
"Nothing, dearest. I was just thinking that a walk in the woods would be a nice pastime, tomorrow." Matty suggested. Sakura smiled slightly and nodded in agreement. Then, ever so slowly, she looked across the table at her husband, and was stunned to see his eyes trained on her, a mischievous glint in his eye. For a moment, their gazes locked, revealing a pain that was all too clear in both their eyes, and then it was over. Syaoran looked away and Sakura quickly looked down at the soup she was eating.
Matty grinned, seeing the glance between them. It wasn't the first time that this had happened, but it was the first time that Syaoran had ever shown emotion, let alone gazed at his wife with such need. Matty smiled at this promising development and vowed to relay it to Eriol when he arrived the next day. In his last letter, he had informed Matty that he was bringing another guest, Princess Tomoyo, so Sakura would have someone her own age near. This delighted Matty, and she had immediately set about preparing the chambers next to Sakura's for their female guest. In the same way, she prepared Eriol's chambers next to Syaoran's, so the sly young wizard would have a chance to 'talk' with his cousin about Sakura.
"May I please be excused?" Sakura asked softly, breaking into Matty's thoughts. She looked up in time to see Syaoran nod at his wife, and then make eye contact again. This time, though, there was something different. Awe filled his eyes as Sakura's lovely emerald ones met his. For a moment, all he could do was stare, but then he got a hold of himself and he shook himself mentally.
"Of course." He muttered, getting up as well and leaving the room before her. Sakura watched as he left, a wistful look in her eyes.
"Come darling. We have a big day tomorrow, and we want to be looking our best!" Matty said mysteriously, but Sakura didn't seem to notice. She mistily nodded her head and then allowed the nurse to lead her out of the room.
~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~
Forced to Love
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 4.
Emerald eyes opened to a room of dim shadows and strange shapes. A delicate white hand fluttered to a pink cheek and brushed away a long strand of auburn hair that had fallen across it. Confusion filled the green eyes for a moment, and then it cleared, laving a faint trace of sadness in its place. There was a rustling sound as long legs curled up against a cold body, and covers were moved closer to the shaking chin.
Princess Kinomoto Sak…no…Princess *Li* Sakura, looked around her new bedroom with a mixture of sorrow and confusion. When had they reached the castle, and why hadn't she been awoken?
"Last night, and because you needed your sleep." Came a soft voice. Sakura gave a squeal and turned to see a bleary-eyed Kero hovering just behind her.
"How did you know…"
"Because your aura was practically spitting out those questions. You have to be a lot more vigilant when it comes to hiding your aura. That Chinese gaki of yours has already figured out that you have strong magic." Kero informed her, causing her to moan and fall back against her pillows.
"A woman named Matilda is to be your nurse and lady-in-waiting. She was the one who dressed you last night. The whole time, she was raving about how horrible Li Yelan is, and how you need to give the prince a chance. *Snort* Yah right! You be careful, Sakura! I don't want him breaking your heart!" Kero said threateningly, causing Sakura to laugh.
"There is no danger in that, Kero. I have no intention of falling in love with the prince. Becoming friends, yes, because I want to be nice…but not love!" Sakura whispered, slipping on a dressing-gown that was carefully placed on a chair near her bed and then walking over to one pair of curtains and throwing them open, to reveal a set of french-doors. She pushed these open, and then gasped.
"Oh, Kero! Come and look at this!" She breathed, stepping out on what was obviously a balcony. Kero followed her outside, and he caught his breath. They were looking straight at large, beautiful gardens, filled with flowers and trees of every type and breed. Beyond that could be seen a wide expanse of dense forest, most likely filled with strange and wonderful creatures that Sakura had yet to befriend. The sun was shining brightly, and somewhere in the distance, a bird was singing a beautiful song.
"Oh, even if it is unbearable here, I will at least have this to look forward too!" Sakura sang, twirling around with her arms spread out wide.
"You know, the prince said that very same thing this morning." Chuckled a voice. Sakura turned around in fear, to face a woman in her early sixties. She had white hair and blue eyes that twinkled at the frightened princess.
"Don't worry, child. I will not harm you. I am sure that your…friend has told you a little about me." The woman laughed, looking pointedly at Kero. Sakura frowned and looked at her guardian in confusion.
"Sakura, this is Matilda, your nurse." Kero introduced. Matilda grinned and then turned to Sakura.
"Your husband warned me that you were of magical background, so I was prepared for the worst. I did not, however, expect you to be the famous Cards Mistress that I have heard so much about. It is quite an honor to finally meet you…awake!" The woman laughed again, causing Sakura to smile ruefully.
"I am sorry! I am Sakura, and this is the Guardian Beast of the Seal, Cerberus, affectionately known as 'Kero'." Sakura said, curtsying. Matilda simply laughed and hugged the girl.
"No need for formalities. I am Matilda, known to you as 'Matty'." Matty said, pulling the girl back into the room.
"Now…what would you like to do today? Your husband is off doing his training, and most likely will not be home for some time, so I will show you around the castle, and introduce you to the other workers here." Matty said, going over to the wardrobe and pulling out a simple pink dress. She handed it to Sakura, and then after giving the girl directions to the dinning hall, she left. Sakura quickly slipped into her dress, and hurried down to the dinning hall for breakfast. When she was through, Matty offered to give her a tour of the castle. Sakura, eager to do something, agreed.
Matty showed her around the kitchens, and she met the cook, who they affectionately called, Cookie. (Kero, who was in Sakura's pocket, started to laugh when her heard this name, and Sakura had to stifle his noise with her hand.) Then Matty showed her the libraries, and the attic, which Sakura dubbed, "Spooky". Then she was shown the ballroom, which ended up one of Sakura's personal favorite rooms, because of all the musical instruments in the room, and because of its general peaceful aura. From there, Matty showed her the majority of the gardens, which Sakura vowed to explore latter that week. While she was getting her tour, Sakura was also gaining valuable information about the family that she had just married into. She found out that Siefa was the sister that she would be safest with, if they were to visit, because she refused to glomp her suitors and friends, as her sisters did. She also found out that Li Yelan really was quite nice, but you didn't want to get on her bad side.
"Now…I think that that is enough for today. It is time for supper." Matty said, leading Sakura back to her rooms. Once there, Matty helped Sakura to change into a nicer dress, and then did her hair up in little ringlets at the top of her head. After they were finished with that, and had said good bye to Kero, they made their way down to the dinning hall.
As soon as they entered, Sakura spotted Prince Syaoran sitting at one end of a long table. He had a stony look on his face, and when she tried to smile at him, he simply looked away and refused to meet her gaze. Hurt, Sakura settled in her seat, which was much further down the table and then watched as several servants came in and sat down as well. Matty took her place beside Sakura, and they waited until the Prince had taken a bite of his food, before they began to eat.
"Matty, why do the…others sit here?" Sakura asked, not wanting to call them servants. Matty smiled slightly.
"In Prince Syaoran's country, it is polite to have your servants eat with you. It is to prove that although we work for them, we are no less than they are." Matty explained. Sakura's mouth opened into an awed O, as she nodded.
"Brilliant! I like the way they do things!" She giggled, and Matty grinned. After supper, the Prince left the room, giving Sakura no chance to speak with him
'Perhaps it is better this way.' She thought, as Matty helped her to get ready for bed. When she was through, Sakura was dressed in a lovely pink night-dress that reached to the floor. It had a row of ruffles at the end of the skirt, and at the end of the sleeves, which ended at her elbows. The neck of the night-dress was rounded and trimmed with a velvety-pink ribbon. Just for the fun of it, Matty used curl-papers and put them in Sakura's hair, to make her hair even more curly in the morning. Sakura had laughed at this, but Matty had insisted (with a pout) that Sakura would look absolutely "Kawaii". (a/n: OH no! She is going Tomoyo on us!)
Finally, Matty left the room and Sakura sank down into her bed with a sigh.
"What's the matter, Sakura?" Kero asked, waking up from his comfortable sleep.
"Nothing really…it's just…I am lonely. I have you, and Matty, but somehow…" Sakura trailed off, as images of Meiling, Tomoyo, Rika, Chiharu, and Naoko floated through her mind. Misery rose in Sakura's throat, and she worked to keep from crying.
"Never mind, Kero. I am just tired." She whispered to the little being, who was already fast asleep again. More tears welled up in Sakura's eyes, and this time, she didn't try to stop them. With a quiet wail, she buried her head in her pillow and sobbed.
~*~*~*~
*Several months later, in the Kinomoto kingdom*
Dear Mister Eriol,
How are you fairing in the Kinomoto kingdom? I hope you are well, because my Mister Shaoran certainly isn't. He has shut his poor little wife out of everything, and to tell the truth, neither she nor I ever sees him much. He is usually out training, or taking walks in the forest, or some other thing, and he never has time to visit me any more. I must admit that I am quickly tiring of his ignorance towards her. Eriol, the silly boy is pushing her away, and no matter what she does, he never seems to get better. It is as if he hates her, which I cannot possibly see how he could…but still…
The poor girl is becoming paler every day, and I worry about her. She is sad and she misses her friends horribly. I even caught her crying one night, long after she was supposed to be asleep. She had stopped communicating with her friends, but if you know Princess Daidouji Tomoyo, you probably have been informed of this already. Eriol, I need your help. I have tried simply everything, and nothing I do seems to work. Please help! Talk some sense into Syaoran, or something…anything!
Anyway, I do hope that you are getting along with Prince Touya. I know he seems mean, but Sakura insists that he is only over-protective of his family! I hope that you will write soon, or even visit! That would be a treat!
Take care, and give my best regards to Meiling and Princess Tomoyo!
Lovingly,
Matilda Carrion
~*~*~*~
Eriol smiled as he gazed at his letter from the dear woman, but something was bothering him. Syaoran had seemed quite taken with his wife at the wedding, *anyone* could have seen that…so what had made him pull away? Eriol had been sure that Sakura would be Syaoran's undoing, but now this. With a frown, Eriol began to pace about his room, trying to think up a plan.
After two hours, nothing had come to him, so he left his room and restlessly wandered around the castle. He wandered out into the courtyard and sat down on a bench, his mind so preoccupied with his letter, that he didn't notice someone coming down one of the garden paths.
"Oh no! It's you." Eriol looked up, and for a moment, he didn't recognize the person, so full his mind was. But then…
"Oh, hello Miss Tomoyo. I hope you are well." He said, looking back down without a second glance at her. Now, Tomoyo knew something was wrong. For the past two months, Eriol had done nothing but annoy her. Every spare moment, it seemed, he was always engaging her in conversation, or flirting with her, or any other ridiculous thing he chose to do. But this…this quiet, frowning, disturbed-looking young man was nothing like she was used to.
"What is wrong?" She asked, for once letting her guard down and showing concern for him. She flinched, realizing that he could take advantage of this, but still, nothing! Tomoyo stared at the silent young man in shock, her amethyst eyes widening.
"It's this. Read it, and tell me what you think." Eriol handed her the letter, and she quickly sat down next to him, to read it. Her long dark hair was flowing down her back, and a tendril of it slid down to cover her face. All-in-all, she looked like an angel. But Eriol noticed none of this. He was looking up at the cloudless sky, his mind working overtime to try to get an idea that would force Syaoran to admit his love for Sakura.
"OH! How horrible! Poor Sakura! I must see her!" Tomoyo's voice broke though his thoughts. He glanced up at her, as she got up off the bench and which caused the letter to flutter to the ground. Her amethyst eyes were wider then ever, and she held a trembling fist to her mouth which was also shaking. Tears filled her lovely eyes as she began to pace.
"How could he…she will be wanting me! So that is why she never writes anymore! It is too painful for her! Oh, poor, poor Sakura!" Tomoyo whimpered, completely forgetting that Eriol was there. Suddenly, he stood up, his face lit with a sly smile.
"That is it! You are a genius, Tomoyo my dear! That is what we shall do!" Eriol crowed. Tomoyo looked at him in astonishment and then frowned.
"What have I done?" She asked. He smirked at her and then kissed her hand.
"That, my dear, *lovely* lady, you will have to find out later. Goodbye, my sweet darling! Until we meet again!" He quipped, back to his old self. Sparks flared from Tomoyo's eyes, and she turned with a huff.
"Of all the impudent, stupid people in the world! And I actually felt sorry for you for a moment. I will never do *that* again!" She snapped, stalking back up to her room, leaving Eriol to smirk at her retreating back.
"Rage all you want to *now*, my dear! Because soon, you will be at my feet, begging mercy! If my plan is set well, not only will Syaoran fall for Sakura, but you, delight of my life, will be putty in my hands, before I can say 'seduce'!" Eriol hissed with a grin, turning on his heal and walking back to his rooms.
~*~*~*~
"Well, it is all set. Tomoyo and I are leaving tomorrow, at the crack of dawn." Eriol announced, walking into the library, where Meiling, Touya, and Tomoyo were chatting. They all looked up at him in astonishment, or in Tomoyo's case, rage.
"What are you saying, Hiiragizawa?" She snapped, standing up with her fists clenched at her sides. Meiling and Touya were now watching this encounter with suppressed mirth. Eriol merrily grinned at his prey, and then held up a letter.
"We are taking a little trip to visit…Prince Li Syaoran and his lovely wife Princess Li Sakura!" Eriol crowed, watching as Tomoyo's face quickly went from angry, to shocked, to ecstatic.
"Really? We are going to visit Sakura? How?!" She cried, moving closer to him. He smirked.
"Not like I should tell you, but I wrote Syaoran and informed him that I was coming for a visit. For some reason, I was under the impression that you would like to visit Sakura, so I asked him if you could accompany me…and he gave the affirmative." Eriol said nonchalantly. Tomoyo, however, gave a squeal and then hugged him quickly.
"Disregard that hug. It was just a thank you. And don't come under the impression that I will do that every time you do me a favor, because I won't!" With this, Tomoyo exited the room. Eriol simply smirked at her back.
"You will never get her, you know. You may be able to bring every other girl to your feet, but Tomoyo is an exception. You will never break through her barriers." Meiling warned him. Eriol turned and grinned cheekily at her.
"You underestimate me, my dear. This is all part of the 'Make-lovely-Tomoyo- grovel-at-your-feet' plan. Trust me. By the time we return, Tomoyo will be mine." Eriol stated assuredly, as he waltzed out of the room. Meiling turned to Touya, who was silently laughing.
"I don't see what is so funny! Tomoyo is going to have her heart broken, and you are laughing! Prepare to sleep on the couch!" Meiling snapped, stalking out of the room and to her bed-chamber. Touya followed closely.
"I was only laughing at the fact that, Eriol refuses to believe that Tomoyo is any different than the other women that he has played this game with. They have all fallen, but I seriously do not think that Tomoyo will. She is a strong girl, and she can take care of herself." Touya stated, as he shut the door behind them. Meiling turned at looked at him.
"Do you really think that?" She asked hesitantly, her eyes getting their puppy-dog look. He grinned and slipped his arm around her waist.
"I do. Tomoyo is like you. She won't take any bull from men like Eriol." Touya simpered, knowing this would please his wife. It did.
"Oh, you are so sweet!" She murmured, as his lips closed over hers. He worked hard not to grin. He always found ways to escape sleeping on the couch. So far, he had never had to, and frankly, he didn't intend to ever sleep there, if he could help it!
~*~*~*~
*Back at the Li castle*
"Matty, I know you! What are you hiding?" Sakura asked at supper. This time, she was seated across from her husband, and much closer to him this time. Matty was sitting next to her, a faint sparkle in her old eyes.
"Nothing, dearest. I was just thinking that a walk in the woods would be a nice pastime, tomorrow." Matty suggested. Sakura smiled slightly and nodded in agreement. Then, ever so slowly, she looked across the table at her husband, and was stunned to see his eyes trained on her, a mischievous glint in his eye. For a moment, their gazes locked, revealing a pain that was all too clear in both their eyes, and then it was over. Syaoran looked away and Sakura quickly looked down at the soup she was eating.
Matty grinned, seeing the glance between them. It wasn't the first time that this had happened, but it was the first time that Syaoran had ever shown emotion, let alone gazed at his wife with such need. Matty smiled at this promising development and vowed to relay it to Eriol when he arrived the next day. In his last letter, he had informed Matty that he was bringing another guest, Princess Tomoyo, so Sakura would have someone her own age near. This delighted Matty, and she had immediately set about preparing the chambers next to Sakura's for their female guest. In the same way, she prepared Eriol's chambers next to Syaoran's, so the sly young wizard would have a chance to 'talk' with his cousin about Sakura.
"May I please be excused?" Sakura asked softly, breaking into Matty's thoughts. She looked up in time to see Syaoran nod at his wife, and then make eye contact again. This time, though, there was something different. Awe filled his eyes as Sakura's lovely emerald ones met his. For a moment, all he could do was stare, but then he got a hold of himself and he shook himself mentally.
"Of course." He muttered, getting up as well and leaving the room before her. Sakura watched as he left, a wistful look in her eyes.
"Come darling. We have a big day tomorrow, and we want to be looking our best!" Matty said mysteriously, but Sakura didn't seem to notice. She mistily nodded her head and then allowed the nurse to lead her out of the room.
~*~*~*~