Daphne: "Yay! I passed the one-hundred mark for reviews, before I even
reached the fifth chapter! I am so happy!"
Kero: "As a celebration…"
Eli: "…All of us are doing the intro! Actually, the truth is…I am here on vacation, while my parents are on a cruise with Aunt Sakura and Uncle Syaoran. They *stupidly* left us here alone with only Kero to watch us!"
Daphne: I look at him coyly "Was it stupid?"
Eli: smirks and slips his arm around my waist "Oh yah, it was stupid."
Kero: glares at Eli "Let go of her, gaki! Or I'll…" Eli grabs him out of the air and shoves him into a drawer
Eli: "Ah, peace and quiet!"
Daphne: I grin widely "I'll call out for pizza, you call all our friends. Party in two hours!" Turns back to computer "Anyway, I hope you will like this chapter! I want to thank a special someone who has helped me with many of the ideas for this story…"
Eli: bows "No need to thank me!"
Daphne: *Throbbing vein* as I hit him over the head with a mallet "Not you, dip brain! The person I meant is another author who writes for FF.net, not you!"
Eli: Stands up, a bit wobbly "OH, you meant *YOKA*! Never mind then!"
Daphne: I turn and smile sweetly "Yes, my good E-mail pal, Yoka, who writes the story, "After: A Twist of Fate"! (Which is really good, I would like to add!) She has been so supportive of me throughout the writing of this story, and she has even given me ideas that I am sure will help the story move along better. Thank you so much, Yoka! I couldn't have done it without you!"
~*~*~*~
Forced to Love
by: Daphne Li (and sometimes Kero and Eli!)
Chapter 5.
The next morning, Tomoyo got up early, and finished packing her things. Her heart was singing with happiness.
'I'm going to see Sakura! Oh, I just can't wait to see Sakura! I'm going…' She kept repeating in her thoughts. When she was finished, she walked out onto her balcony and looked out at the star-filled sky. The moon had already set, and the sun would be rising soon. With a sigh, Tomoyo went back inside, and prepared to leave.
Within an hour, the carriage was packed and the two young people were ready to go.
"Goodbye, Tomoyo! Remember to write!" Meiling cried, as the carriage pulled away into the early morning light.
"Don't let the kaijuu frighten you!" Touya added, earning himself a slap up- side the head, from Meiling. Tomoyo grinned as she and Eriol waved one last time.
As the castle faded from view, Tomoyo gave a sigh and turned back around, looking out at the sky ignoring the person beside her; Bad idea. Before she could react, she felt an arm slip around her waist.
"Good morning, my sweet lady." Eriol murmured in her ear. Annoyance rose in her chest and she was about to move away, but then she remembered the conversation that she had had with Meiling the night before.
*Flashback*
"Tomoyo, I don't understand it! Usually you are so sweet and kind, but when it comes to Eriol…I have never seen you like that." Meiling commented, worry lacing her words. Tomoyo frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?" She asked, knowing exactly what Meiling meant.
"I mean, why do you hate him so much! You just allow yourself to blow up at him, instead of keeping it in like you usually do. In fact, I never knew that you could be mean until Eriol started showing attention towards you. Now, I see open hostility whenever you talk with him! What has he ever done to you?" Meiling asked.
Tomoyo now felt guilt rush though her veins. What *had* he done to make her become so annoyed at him? Nothing really. Then again, she had never really appreciated men who flirted, but she had never actually blown up at them as she had Eriol. Perhaps it had just been the aftershock of having her best friend leave her, and having no one to really talk out her frustrations with. Yes! That was it! That was why she had taken all her anger out on him. What on earth had come over her?
"You are right, Meiling. I have no right to hate him. What has he ever done to me? From now on, I will be polite, no matter what. Politeness to the end!"
*End Flashback*
"Good morning." She returned simply, looking back at the sky, and ignoring the sensation that his arm around her waist was causing to run up her spine. A slight smirk appeared on Eriol's face. So…his quarry was already starting to kneel, eh?
"What, no angry retort, my *hime*?" He asked, eyeing her slyly, trying to get a rise out of her. Indeed, anger once again entered her chest, but her brain was now refusing to allow any angry words to exit her mouth.
"You have good reason to wonder, Hiiragizawa-kun. And now, I must apologize. I am sorry for releasing all my frustrations on you. It was Sakura's leaving, you see. I used to vent all my frustrations when I talked with her, and now that she is gone, I have no one to vent them on. I am sorry I bothered you so." Tomoyo ducked her head, ashamed, as he looked at her in astonishment.
"It is quite all right, my lovely. I have not taken it personally, as you can see." He recovered. However, his words did have a little lie in them. He *had* taken it personally, that is why he was doing this! And he knew the truth. She was just being civil to him, because that was her nature. She had been born and bred a princess, and now, she was determined to act like one. And he was determined to break her of it.
"Thank god." She murmured, turning back to the window, and just barely keeping herself from rolling her eyes at his insolence. Politeness to the end!
"You know, Daidouji-san I have met you, but I have never really gotten the chance to *know* you. Tell me about yourself." Eriol said conversationally. This made Tomoyo turn away from the window and look thoughtful.
"Well, my father died before I was born, so my mother raised me. Ever since I was two, Sakura has been my very best friend in the entire world. Well, besides the Moon…"
"The moon?" Eriol asked, quirking an eyebrow and trying to keep from smiling. The beautiful girl beside him simply nodded.
"Yes. It is my most trusted advisor. Anyway, I like to draw and do anything involving art. Oh, and I love to sing and play the harp." She finished. "Now, *you* tell me about yourself." She instructed. Both of them seemed to have forgotten that Eriol's arm was still around her waist.
"Let me see. I am the reincarnate of Clow Reed, and Sakura's half-father. I have two guardians, Ruby Moon and Spinnel Sun, whom I have wisely left at home…"
"Why?" Tomoyo asked, interested in spite of herself. He grinned, a real sincere grin.
"If you want to know the truth, Spinnel is just fine on trips, but Ruby, or Nakuru as we call her, tends to get a bit hyper. The last time we visited the Li's, she stuffed sugar down Spinnel's throat, and half the Li castle was almost distroyed. You see, Spinnel has a strange reaction to sugar, and whenever he eats it, which is not uncommon, something always ends up being destroyed or burnt. In this case, it was the house itself." He chuckled. Tomoyo giggled, vowing to learn more about these humorous guardians.
"Anyway, I like to read, swim, and I enjoy taking long walks alone, usually at night." He finished. Tomoyo's lips curved up into a genuine smile.
"I like to take walks as well." She commented. Gazing out the window, and only then did she realize (with a blush) that his arm was still about her, and she hadn't felt an annoyed twinge like she usually did. Still, it could be because he was keeping her occupied, so she discretely slipped out of his grasp and stuck her head out the window, in a very un-ladylike way.
Eriol smirked, seeing her blush, and knew that he had gotten to her; but for a moment, that had been the farthest thing from his mind. Instead, during their conversation, he had found himself enjoying the feel of her slim waist within his arm. The realization has sent shock-waves of pleasure rushing through his body. But as soon as she had pulled away, it had all disappeared and his mind had returned to its normal route of thinking.
'Watch yourself, mister! You almost allowed her to win this part of the game! You let her get to you! That is a no-no!' His conscious shouted at him. He smirked, and enjoyed the sight of her hanging out the window, trying to glance the palace first.
"Oh look! There it is!" She cried, after a moment. Eriol joined her at the window and then spotted the large palace jutting into the sky. Next to him, he could feel Tomoyo tense with excitement.
"Calm down! You will see her soon." He quieted her, pulling her away from the window and forcing her to sit down. She did so reluctantly.
"What if she is not happy to see me?" Tomoyo worried, still gazing out the window, and wringing her hands. Eriol suddenly felt a strong urge to comfort her. Ignoring his conscious, which was against it, he gently clasped her small hands in his own and forced her to meet his eyes.
"She will be. She has been pining for you, because that baka husband of hers will pay her no attention. The poor thing *needs* you." He soothed, making her calm a bit.
"But she also needs her husband. There has to be some way to get them to realize…"
"Trust me, I'm working on it. Sakura will be in his arms before you know it." Eriol stated. Tomoyo nodded, and then smiled a bit ruefully.
"Why don't I doubt you?" She asked sarcastically. His smirk returned and his hands tightened around hers.
"Do you have any reason to, lovely?" He flirted, causing the familiar anger and some other strange sensation, to surge up into her chest. Before she could say anything more, the carriage stopped and a footman opened the door.
"We're here!" Tomoyo cried eagerly, earning herself a knowing smile from the footman. Tomoyo rudely pulled her hands from Eriol's grasp and quickly got out of the carriage with some help from the footman.
"Thank you!" She said, smiling warmly at him, and then turning away to see an older woman waiting for them on the front steps of the palace. Tomoyo walked over to the woman, completely ignoring Eriol's offered arm. After his last comment, she had reason to slight him, and he knew it. He silently followed her, vowing to get the best of her next time. As they stopped in front of the woman, she sent them a warm smile, and then hugged Eriol.
"Welcome, Mister Eriol. And you must be the Princess Tomoyo I have heard so much about! Eriol writes about you in many of his letters." The woman commented. Tomoyo's cheeks reddened, and for some unknown reason, Eriol's did as well.
"Really, Matilda! I write about all my…acquaintances in my letters. Tomoyo, I would like to introduce you to Sakura's nurse, Matilda, fondly known as Matty, to her friends." As he said this, Tomoyo curtsied and then smiled at Matty took her hand.
"I hope I would be considered a friend." Tomoyo said, causing the older woman to smile.
"Of course you may! But only if I can call you Tomoyo. Such a beautiful name, and it fits its owner very well." Matty complimented, causing Tomoyo to blush again and nod. Then Matty smiled at them.
"Mister Shaoran has gone to retrieve his wife. They will be here soon." Matty said, leading them into the front hall. There, she struck up a conversation about things at Eriol's home, namely Spinnel and Nakuru. Tomoyo found herself laughing at quite a few of the two guardian's antics, and Eriol found himself staring at the lovely girl across from him, a little more than he should have…
Suddenly, Matty silenced and nodded towards a far door that was opening. Tomoyo turned and watched, breathlessly, as her very dearest friend came into view, on the arm of her husband. Sakura looked rather confused, but Syaoran, surprisingly, looked quite pleased with himself. Syaoran stopped and then said something to Sakura, which made her turn around, slowly.
For a moment, shock filled Sakura's face, and then overwhelming joy took its place.
"Tomoyo!" She shrieked.
~*~*~*~
A ray of early morning sunlight drifted into the dark room and fell across Sakura's face. She opened her eyes, blinked, and then blinked again. Something was not quite right…
"Kero?!" Sakura called, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. The small Guardian Beast flew up to her.
"What is it, Sakura?" He asked. She frowned at him thoughtfully. Kero's eyes were bright with suppressed excitement, and his cheeks were slightly flushed, as though he had just flew quite a ways. Again, Sakura got the feeling of…wrong-ness. They were keeping something from her, that she did not doubt. All this week, Matilda, Kero, several of the other servants, and even Syaoran himself had been acting quite…strange. It was almost as if they didn't want her to find something out…
"I was just wondering if you sensed that strange aura. It's blue…" Sakura began, but Kero cut her off.
"No. I haven't sensed anything. Why?" He asked, looking genuinely worried. Either that, or he was a really good actor.
"I don't know. I suppose that I have been so bored lately, I am just imagining things to keep myself busy. I am sorry for worrying you." She said softly, getting out of bed and going over to her wardrobe. She pulled out a light-green dress that complimented her eyes, and slipped it on. It was full-skirted, with sleeves that went to the elbow, and then ended with a round of lace that reached to the middle of her lower arm. The neckline was squared, and had delicate ribbons that tied on the corners of the neckline. She quickly slipped on a pair of light-green slippers with creamy- white ribbons that tied around her ankles, and then she padded down to the kitchens, where she was to meet Matty. They had agreed on meeting here, eating a small breakfast, and then going out into the forest for the day. As she rushed past the open windows in the halls, she noticed that it was a clear, sunny day, perfect for a walk in the forest.
"Good morning Cookie!" Sakura chirped, as she skipped past the cook, who smiled at her affectionately, but with a secretive glint in his eyes (a/n: Yes, 'Cookie' is a man!). Sakura trotted around another corner, and then rammed right into something soft!
"Oh! I am sorry!" She exclaimed, looking up and meeting a pair of intense amber eyes.
"Oh…I didn't mean to…I mean that I…was…" Sakura trailed off in obvious confusion. Syaoran *never* came into the kitchens, if he could help it…so why was he here now?
"Quite all right." He said casually, drawing her arm within his own and leading her from the room, silently. Now Sakura was thoroughly confused.
"If you please…I was meeting Matty there, so we could go on a walk in the woods…" Sakura tied to explain, as he pulled her along. He gave a slight shake of his head.
"You are not going to the woods." He stated, pulling her down a corridor that she had never been in before. Now Sakura was becoming a bit scared.
"I…I'm not?" She whimpered, not able to control her voice. For a moment, Syaoran stopped and looked into her eyes. She met his, and she saw one emotion in them; eagerness. Then he broke the contact and continued walking.
"No. We have something else planned." He said, leading her into a large room…the front hall.
"Oh, what?" She asked, as they stopped and Syaoran's eyes found what they were searching for.
"Surprise." Was all he answered. She looked at him in confusion, and then followed his gaze. For a moment, she froze, shock filling her whole body, and then an overwhelming joy.
"Tomoyo!" Sakura shrieked, rushing into her friend's arms and hugging her tightly. Tomoyo laughed joyously, and returned the hug with earnest.
"Oh, Sakura! I have missed you so much!" The raven-haired girl stated, pulling away and holding her friend by the elbows, to get a better look at her. Sakura had grown a bit paler, and perhaps even a bit slimmer, but it was still the same old Sakura, with her sparkling green eyes and long, lovely auburn hair. Sakura eyed Tomoyo as well and then smiled.
"How long are you to stay?" She asked, her eyes pleading a bit. Tomoyo grinned.
"As long as you want me to! Now, you must show me your rooms and then tell me everything that had happened since you last wrote!" She instructed, causing Sakura to laugh. All this time, Eriol and Syaoran had stayed silent behind them, watching the two happy girls in contentment.
Eriol couldn't help but notice just how Tomoyo's eyes sparkled as she talked with Sakura, or how she brushed a strand of stray hair out of her face, every once and again. As Syaoran watched his wife greet her friend, he couldn't help but feel pleased at what he had done. It was then that he realized something. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't push her away forever. Slowly but surely, she was breaking through the shell that he had built around himself.
'NO! You can't do this! You have no emotions! You are a rock.' One part of him screamed.
*No you aren't! You are a human with emotions, just like everyone else! You have even showed them to her before! There is no denying it now. You care for her.* The other part insisted.
'I do not! I will not! Ever! Impossible and out of the question!'
*That's what you think.*
Syaoran snapped out of it as Eriol elbowed him. He frowned at his friend and turned away, but Eriol simply smirked. He had used just a touch of magic to enter Syaoran's thoughts, and he now knew just how big the battle inside his cousin really was. Syaoran was falling in love with Sakura, but he wouldn't admit it to himself, because of the way he had been raised. No emotion, ever. Well, Eriol was determined to knock that out of him as quickly as possible. Eriol looked over at the girls, who were now planning on going up and seeing Tomoyo's rooms.
"You put her in the rooms next to mine? Oh, Matty, you are a dear!" Sakura cried, hugging her nurse and then grabbing Tomoyo's hand. The two girls raced out of the room with Matty on their heals…but it was not long before Sakura returned alone. She shyly walked up to Syaoran.
"I…I never got a chance to thank you for allowing Tomoyo to visit me. You have no idea what it means to me." Sakura whispered, and then she stood on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek. Blushing furiously, she turned and rushed out of the room, leaving Syaoran stunned, silent and blushing, staring after her with wide eyes. Eriol smirked again.
"So, you finally have a weakness, eh, my cute little descendant?" He teased. Syaoran finally tore his eyes from Sakura and glared at his cousin. Then he stalked out of the room, leaving Eriol smirking behind him.
"This is getting interesting. Syaoran is falling for his wife, but won't admit it to himself or anyone else for that matter. Sakura is as well, but she will not admit it for Kero's sake. Tomoyo is playing the sweet-but- still-hard-to-get card, and I am slowly but surely making her fall to her knees. Damn, this is going to be one juicy trip!" Eriol muttered in delight, as he followed Syaoran out of the room.
~*~*~*~
A/N:
Translations:
Kaijuu- monster
Hime- princess
Baka- stupid
Daphne: "Just some extra notes before the party starts. I will admit that I have almost the whole story of "Forced to Love", done! Will be over fifteen chapters…I think! Yay! But now the bad news…for you at least, is that I am only putting it up in small portions at a time, so you will just have to wait! I will also admit that I am planning on writing a sequel to this story, and am quite pleased with all the ideas I am getting. Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks!"
Kero: "As a celebration…"
Eli: "…All of us are doing the intro! Actually, the truth is…I am here on vacation, while my parents are on a cruise with Aunt Sakura and Uncle Syaoran. They *stupidly* left us here alone with only Kero to watch us!"
Daphne: I look at him coyly "Was it stupid?"
Eli: smirks and slips his arm around my waist "Oh yah, it was stupid."
Kero: glares at Eli "Let go of her, gaki! Or I'll…" Eli grabs him out of the air and shoves him into a drawer
Eli: "Ah, peace and quiet!"
Daphne: I grin widely "I'll call out for pizza, you call all our friends. Party in two hours!" Turns back to computer "Anyway, I hope you will like this chapter! I want to thank a special someone who has helped me with many of the ideas for this story…"
Eli: bows "No need to thank me!"
Daphne: *Throbbing vein* as I hit him over the head with a mallet "Not you, dip brain! The person I meant is another author who writes for FF.net, not you!"
Eli: Stands up, a bit wobbly "OH, you meant *YOKA*! Never mind then!"
Daphne: I turn and smile sweetly "Yes, my good E-mail pal, Yoka, who writes the story, "After: A Twist of Fate"! (Which is really good, I would like to add!) She has been so supportive of me throughout the writing of this story, and she has even given me ideas that I am sure will help the story move along better. Thank you so much, Yoka! I couldn't have done it without you!"
~*~*~*~
Forced to Love
by: Daphne Li (and sometimes Kero and Eli!)
Chapter 5.
The next morning, Tomoyo got up early, and finished packing her things. Her heart was singing with happiness.
'I'm going to see Sakura! Oh, I just can't wait to see Sakura! I'm going…' She kept repeating in her thoughts. When she was finished, she walked out onto her balcony and looked out at the star-filled sky. The moon had already set, and the sun would be rising soon. With a sigh, Tomoyo went back inside, and prepared to leave.
Within an hour, the carriage was packed and the two young people were ready to go.
"Goodbye, Tomoyo! Remember to write!" Meiling cried, as the carriage pulled away into the early morning light.
"Don't let the kaijuu frighten you!" Touya added, earning himself a slap up- side the head, from Meiling. Tomoyo grinned as she and Eriol waved one last time.
As the castle faded from view, Tomoyo gave a sigh and turned back around, looking out at the sky ignoring the person beside her; Bad idea. Before she could react, she felt an arm slip around her waist.
"Good morning, my sweet lady." Eriol murmured in her ear. Annoyance rose in her chest and she was about to move away, but then she remembered the conversation that she had had with Meiling the night before.
*Flashback*
"Tomoyo, I don't understand it! Usually you are so sweet and kind, but when it comes to Eriol…I have never seen you like that." Meiling commented, worry lacing her words. Tomoyo frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?" She asked, knowing exactly what Meiling meant.
"I mean, why do you hate him so much! You just allow yourself to blow up at him, instead of keeping it in like you usually do. In fact, I never knew that you could be mean until Eriol started showing attention towards you. Now, I see open hostility whenever you talk with him! What has he ever done to you?" Meiling asked.
Tomoyo now felt guilt rush though her veins. What *had* he done to make her become so annoyed at him? Nothing really. Then again, she had never really appreciated men who flirted, but she had never actually blown up at them as she had Eriol. Perhaps it had just been the aftershock of having her best friend leave her, and having no one to really talk out her frustrations with. Yes! That was it! That was why she had taken all her anger out on him. What on earth had come over her?
"You are right, Meiling. I have no right to hate him. What has he ever done to me? From now on, I will be polite, no matter what. Politeness to the end!"
*End Flashback*
"Good morning." She returned simply, looking back at the sky, and ignoring the sensation that his arm around her waist was causing to run up her spine. A slight smirk appeared on Eriol's face. So…his quarry was already starting to kneel, eh?
"What, no angry retort, my *hime*?" He asked, eyeing her slyly, trying to get a rise out of her. Indeed, anger once again entered her chest, but her brain was now refusing to allow any angry words to exit her mouth.
"You have good reason to wonder, Hiiragizawa-kun. And now, I must apologize. I am sorry for releasing all my frustrations on you. It was Sakura's leaving, you see. I used to vent all my frustrations when I talked with her, and now that she is gone, I have no one to vent them on. I am sorry I bothered you so." Tomoyo ducked her head, ashamed, as he looked at her in astonishment.
"It is quite all right, my lovely. I have not taken it personally, as you can see." He recovered. However, his words did have a little lie in them. He *had* taken it personally, that is why he was doing this! And he knew the truth. She was just being civil to him, because that was her nature. She had been born and bred a princess, and now, she was determined to act like one. And he was determined to break her of it.
"Thank god." She murmured, turning back to the window, and just barely keeping herself from rolling her eyes at his insolence. Politeness to the end!
"You know, Daidouji-san I have met you, but I have never really gotten the chance to *know* you. Tell me about yourself." Eriol said conversationally. This made Tomoyo turn away from the window and look thoughtful.
"Well, my father died before I was born, so my mother raised me. Ever since I was two, Sakura has been my very best friend in the entire world. Well, besides the Moon…"
"The moon?" Eriol asked, quirking an eyebrow and trying to keep from smiling. The beautiful girl beside him simply nodded.
"Yes. It is my most trusted advisor. Anyway, I like to draw and do anything involving art. Oh, and I love to sing and play the harp." She finished. "Now, *you* tell me about yourself." She instructed. Both of them seemed to have forgotten that Eriol's arm was still around her waist.
"Let me see. I am the reincarnate of Clow Reed, and Sakura's half-father. I have two guardians, Ruby Moon and Spinnel Sun, whom I have wisely left at home…"
"Why?" Tomoyo asked, interested in spite of herself. He grinned, a real sincere grin.
"If you want to know the truth, Spinnel is just fine on trips, but Ruby, or Nakuru as we call her, tends to get a bit hyper. The last time we visited the Li's, she stuffed sugar down Spinnel's throat, and half the Li castle was almost distroyed. You see, Spinnel has a strange reaction to sugar, and whenever he eats it, which is not uncommon, something always ends up being destroyed or burnt. In this case, it was the house itself." He chuckled. Tomoyo giggled, vowing to learn more about these humorous guardians.
"Anyway, I like to read, swim, and I enjoy taking long walks alone, usually at night." He finished. Tomoyo's lips curved up into a genuine smile.
"I like to take walks as well." She commented. Gazing out the window, and only then did she realize (with a blush) that his arm was still about her, and she hadn't felt an annoyed twinge like she usually did. Still, it could be because he was keeping her occupied, so she discretely slipped out of his grasp and stuck her head out the window, in a very un-ladylike way.
Eriol smirked, seeing her blush, and knew that he had gotten to her; but for a moment, that had been the farthest thing from his mind. Instead, during their conversation, he had found himself enjoying the feel of her slim waist within his arm. The realization has sent shock-waves of pleasure rushing through his body. But as soon as she had pulled away, it had all disappeared and his mind had returned to its normal route of thinking.
'Watch yourself, mister! You almost allowed her to win this part of the game! You let her get to you! That is a no-no!' His conscious shouted at him. He smirked, and enjoyed the sight of her hanging out the window, trying to glance the palace first.
"Oh look! There it is!" She cried, after a moment. Eriol joined her at the window and then spotted the large palace jutting into the sky. Next to him, he could feel Tomoyo tense with excitement.
"Calm down! You will see her soon." He quieted her, pulling her away from the window and forcing her to sit down. She did so reluctantly.
"What if she is not happy to see me?" Tomoyo worried, still gazing out the window, and wringing her hands. Eriol suddenly felt a strong urge to comfort her. Ignoring his conscious, which was against it, he gently clasped her small hands in his own and forced her to meet his eyes.
"She will be. She has been pining for you, because that baka husband of hers will pay her no attention. The poor thing *needs* you." He soothed, making her calm a bit.
"But she also needs her husband. There has to be some way to get them to realize…"
"Trust me, I'm working on it. Sakura will be in his arms before you know it." Eriol stated. Tomoyo nodded, and then smiled a bit ruefully.
"Why don't I doubt you?" She asked sarcastically. His smirk returned and his hands tightened around hers.
"Do you have any reason to, lovely?" He flirted, causing the familiar anger and some other strange sensation, to surge up into her chest. Before she could say anything more, the carriage stopped and a footman opened the door.
"We're here!" Tomoyo cried eagerly, earning herself a knowing smile from the footman. Tomoyo rudely pulled her hands from Eriol's grasp and quickly got out of the carriage with some help from the footman.
"Thank you!" She said, smiling warmly at him, and then turning away to see an older woman waiting for them on the front steps of the palace. Tomoyo walked over to the woman, completely ignoring Eriol's offered arm. After his last comment, she had reason to slight him, and he knew it. He silently followed her, vowing to get the best of her next time. As they stopped in front of the woman, she sent them a warm smile, and then hugged Eriol.
"Welcome, Mister Eriol. And you must be the Princess Tomoyo I have heard so much about! Eriol writes about you in many of his letters." The woman commented. Tomoyo's cheeks reddened, and for some unknown reason, Eriol's did as well.
"Really, Matilda! I write about all my…acquaintances in my letters. Tomoyo, I would like to introduce you to Sakura's nurse, Matilda, fondly known as Matty, to her friends." As he said this, Tomoyo curtsied and then smiled at Matty took her hand.
"I hope I would be considered a friend." Tomoyo said, causing the older woman to smile.
"Of course you may! But only if I can call you Tomoyo. Such a beautiful name, and it fits its owner very well." Matty complimented, causing Tomoyo to blush again and nod. Then Matty smiled at them.
"Mister Shaoran has gone to retrieve his wife. They will be here soon." Matty said, leading them into the front hall. There, she struck up a conversation about things at Eriol's home, namely Spinnel and Nakuru. Tomoyo found herself laughing at quite a few of the two guardian's antics, and Eriol found himself staring at the lovely girl across from him, a little more than he should have…
Suddenly, Matty silenced and nodded towards a far door that was opening. Tomoyo turned and watched, breathlessly, as her very dearest friend came into view, on the arm of her husband. Sakura looked rather confused, but Syaoran, surprisingly, looked quite pleased with himself. Syaoran stopped and then said something to Sakura, which made her turn around, slowly.
For a moment, shock filled Sakura's face, and then overwhelming joy took its place.
"Tomoyo!" She shrieked.
~*~*~*~
A ray of early morning sunlight drifted into the dark room and fell across Sakura's face. She opened her eyes, blinked, and then blinked again. Something was not quite right…
"Kero?!" Sakura called, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. The small Guardian Beast flew up to her.
"What is it, Sakura?" He asked. She frowned at him thoughtfully. Kero's eyes were bright with suppressed excitement, and his cheeks were slightly flushed, as though he had just flew quite a ways. Again, Sakura got the feeling of…wrong-ness. They were keeping something from her, that she did not doubt. All this week, Matilda, Kero, several of the other servants, and even Syaoran himself had been acting quite…strange. It was almost as if they didn't want her to find something out…
"I was just wondering if you sensed that strange aura. It's blue…" Sakura began, but Kero cut her off.
"No. I haven't sensed anything. Why?" He asked, looking genuinely worried. Either that, or he was a really good actor.
"I don't know. I suppose that I have been so bored lately, I am just imagining things to keep myself busy. I am sorry for worrying you." She said softly, getting out of bed and going over to her wardrobe. She pulled out a light-green dress that complimented her eyes, and slipped it on. It was full-skirted, with sleeves that went to the elbow, and then ended with a round of lace that reached to the middle of her lower arm. The neckline was squared, and had delicate ribbons that tied on the corners of the neckline. She quickly slipped on a pair of light-green slippers with creamy- white ribbons that tied around her ankles, and then she padded down to the kitchens, where she was to meet Matty. They had agreed on meeting here, eating a small breakfast, and then going out into the forest for the day. As she rushed past the open windows in the halls, she noticed that it was a clear, sunny day, perfect for a walk in the forest.
"Good morning Cookie!" Sakura chirped, as she skipped past the cook, who smiled at her affectionately, but with a secretive glint in his eyes (a/n: Yes, 'Cookie' is a man!). Sakura trotted around another corner, and then rammed right into something soft!
"Oh! I am sorry!" She exclaimed, looking up and meeting a pair of intense amber eyes.
"Oh…I didn't mean to…I mean that I…was…" Sakura trailed off in obvious confusion. Syaoran *never* came into the kitchens, if he could help it…so why was he here now?
"Quite all right." He said casually, drawing her arm within his own and leading her from the room, silently. Now Sakura was thoroughly confused.
"If you please…I was meeting Matty there, so we could go on a walk in the woods…" Sakura tied to explain, as he pulled her along. He gave a slight shake of his head.
"You are not going to the woods." He stated, pulling her down a corridor that she had never been in before. Now Sakura was becoming a bit scared.
"I…I'm not?" She whimpered, not able to control her voice. For a moment, Syaoran stopped and looked into her eyes. She met his, and she saw one emotion in them; eagerness. Then he broke the contact and continued walking.
"No. We have something else planned." He said, leading her into a large room…the front hall.
"Oh, what?" She asked, as they stopped and Syaoran's eyes found what they were searching for.
"Surprise." Was all he answered. She looked at him in confusion, and then followed his gaze. For a moment, she froze, shock filling her whole body, and then an overwhelming joy.
"Tomoyo!" Sakura shrieked, rushing into her friend's arms and hugging her tightly. Tomoyo laughed joyously, and returned the hug with earnest.
"Oh, Sakura! I have missed you so much!" The raven-haired girl stated, pulling away and holding her friend by the elbows, to get a better look at her. Sakura had grown a bit paler, and perhaps even a bit slimmer, but it was still the same old Sakura, with her sparkling green eyes and long, lovely auburn hair. Sakura eyed Tomoyo as well and then smiled.
"How long are you to stay?" She asked, her eyes pleading a bit. Tomoyo grinned.
"As long as you want me to! Now, you must show me your rooms and then tell me everything that had happened since you last wrote!" She instructed, causing Sakura to laugh. All this time, Eriol and Syaoran had stayed silent behind them, watching the two happy girls in contentment.
Eriol couldn't help but notice just how Tomoyo's eyes sparkled as she talked with Sakura, or how she brushed a strand of stray hair out of her face, every once and again. As Syaoran watched his wife greet her friend, he couldn't help but feel pleased at what he had done. It was then that he realized something. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't push her away forever. Slowly but surely, she was breaking through the shell that he had built around himself.
'NO! You can't do this! You have no emotions! You are a rock.' One part of him screamed.
*No you aren't! You are a human with emotions, just like everyone else! You have even showed them to her before! There is no denying it now. You care for her.* The other part insisted.
'I do not! I will not! Ever! Impossible and out of the question!'
*That's what you think.*
Syaoran snapped out of it as Eriol elbowed him. He frowned at his friend and turned away, but Eriol simply smirked. He had used just a touch of magic to enter Syaoran's thoughts, and he now knew just how big the battle inside his cousin really was. Syaoran was falling in love with Sakura, but he wouldn't admit it to himself, because of the way he had been raised. No emotion, ever. Well, Eriol was determined to knock that out of him as quickly as possible. Eriol looked over at the girls, who were now planning on going up and seeing Tomoyo's rooms.
"You put her in the rooms next to mine? Oh, Matty, you are a dear!" Sakura cried, hugging her nurse and then grabbing Tomoyo's hand. The two girls raced out of the room with Matty on their heals…but it was not long before Sakura returned alone. She shyly walked up to Syaoran.
"I…I never got a chance to thank you for allowing Tomoyo to visit me. You have no idea what it means to me." Sakura whispered, and then she stood on her tip-toes and kissed his cheek. Blushing furiously, she turned and rushed out of the room, leaving Syaoran stunned, silent and blushing, staring after her with wide eyes. Eriol smirked again.
"So, you finally have a weakness, eh, my cute little descendant?" He teased. Syaoran finally tore his eyes from Sakura and glared at his cousin. Then he stalked out of the room, leaving Eriol smirking behind him.
"This is getting interesting. Syaoran is falling for his wife, but won't admit it to himself or anyone else for that matter. Sakura is as well, but she will not admit it for Kero's sake. Tomoyo is playing the sweet-but- still-hard-to-get card, and I am slowly but surely making her fall to her knees. Damn, this is going to be one juicy trip!" Eriol muttered in delight, as he followed Syaoran out of the room.
~*~*~*~
A/N:
Translations:
Kaijuu- monster
Hime- princess
Baka- stupid
Daphne: "Just some extra notes before the party starts. I will admit that I have almost the whole story of "Forced to Love", done! Will be over fifteen chapters…I think! Yay! But now the bad news…for you at least, is that I am only putting it up in small portions at a time, so you will just have to wait! I will also admit that I am planning on writing a sequel to this story, and am quite pleased with all the ideas I am getting. Please review and tell me what you think! Thanks!"