Daphne: "I am going to make this short because we have a whopping party
going on downstairs! I just want to let you know that I appreciate your
reviews, and to ask you to please continue with them! I love reading every
one of them! Thanks!"
~*~*~*~
Forced to Love
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 6.
"Oh Sakura! I have missed you so much! You wouldn't believe what has happened back home." Tomoyo sighed, as she settled down into her bed that night. Sakura climbed up on the bed, and wrapped an afghan around her shoulders.
"Tell me!" She pleaded, as Kero settled down into her lap. Tomoyo looked thoughtful, and then smiled.
"Well, Meiling has been on Touya's back even more lately, because he is having the best time torturing the new stable boys with hard tasks and orders. In fact, one time, Meiling caught him and she was yelling so loud, that the stable boy who Touya had been ordering about, started to cry. She had to spend the next ten minutes calming the poor thing down! It was so funny!" She waited while Sakura finished laughing, and then went on.
"And then there is the fact that Prince Eriol was invited to stay a whole month, so he and Meiling could catch up, since they were childhood friends. But ever since I met him, he has been bumping into me everywhere, flirting with me and bothering me. I just don't know what to do! Every time he does it, I just get so…angry. And I actually blow up at him! I cannot help it! He gets me so mad, and then he tries to smooth it over with that sugary voice…I don't know why I get so angry. But then something else happens. It is like my heart beats faster whenever he kisses my hand or even speaks to me. I get breathless and shaky…I used to think it was just because I was so angry, but I am not so sure now." Tomoyo trailed off, while Sakura looked confused, and Kero got a sly grin on his face.
"I get that all the time, when my husband looks at me…but I am most certainly not angry. Perhaps it is just a nervous habit?" Sakura suggested naïvely. Now Kero choked and got a disgusted look on his face.
"Perhaps. Well, anyway, I don't think that there is anything else…oh, wait," Tomoyo's face dropped. "There is. Sakura, do you remember…Randor McArther?" Tomoyo asked hesitantly. Sakura gasped and recoiled in horror.
"How could I not. What about him?" Sakura asked shakily. Tomoyo shifted uncomfortably.
"Well, there have been rumors that he has joined forces with King Durkin and is now slowly making his way nearer to our territories." Tomoyo whispered. Sakura's mouth dropped open in horror. It was a well known fact that King Durkin was a mad and evil man. It was rumored that he had even killed his own children, all but one son, who would take the throne upon Durkin's death. And that son, was Prince Tarren. Little was known about him except that he would inherit the throne.
"Why are they coming here?" Sakura asked, afraid of the answer. Tomoyo sighed.
"You know why. Why else would he come here? He wants you. He is obsessed with you, and he will stop at nothing short of death to get you!" Tomoyo whispered, causing Sakura to shiver. She buried her face in her hands and worked to keep from crying. Kero looked anxious and patted his mistress's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Sakura! You are the Cards Mistress, and you have a power that he will never have." Kero soothed.
"Unless he finds me and takes me." Sakura said bitterly, plucking at Tomoyo's bed-spread. Tomoyo hugged her, and stayed silent. Soon after this, Kero and Sakura went to bed, leaving Tomoyo's bedroom door wide open. Tomoyo went about her normal before-bed routine and then walked out onto her balcony for one last look at the moon.
"Hello!" She called up, smiling at the great shining orb in the sky.
"Hello." Another voice rang out. Tomoyo gave a tiny shriek and spun around, to see Prince Eriol Hiiragizawa standing in the doorway. She gasped and moved away slightly.
"Your highness, if you please! I am in my night dress!" She said softly, turning back around to look at the moon. He smirked and moved closer.
"Even better." Was all he said. Tomoyo's eyes widened in a mixture of shock and confusion, but she refused to speak.
"Why didn't you tell her?" Was his next question. She looked at him with wide eyes.
"You were spying on us?!" She said in a deathly soft voice. He chuckled.
"I wouldn't call it spying, I would call it listening-to-a-conversation- that-one-is-not-a-part-of. But still, you didn't tell her that King Durkin had just invaded the country south of us, and that he was now making his way here, to this very place?! Princess Tomoyo, she needs to know. What if she goes out alone one day, without knowing that he is getting nearer? She could put herself in grave danger…"
"Stop! Please! Sakura has gone through so much…too much! That would just push her over the edge. She fears him so much, and learning that he was coming would throw her into a panic. She wouldn't even remember that she had magic, she would just go into a complete panic!" Tomoyo moaned, burying her face in her hands. Eriol sighed.
"But she needs to know. Syaoran knows, and his men are already up at arms. Sakura can't be the only one left in the dark. She needs to know. Tomorrow, you will tell her…you have to!" Eriol insisted, as Tomoyo opened her mouth to argue. Tomoyo looked down and tears came to her eyes.
"What will we do? He has been slowly rising to power all these years, and we have managed to keep it from Sakura. But now…" Tomoyo trailed off, as one single tear traced its way down her cheek. For some reason, Eriol's heart melted, and he wiped the tear off her cheek gently, then he captured her chin and forced her to look up.
"We cannot do anything about that now, but we can do our best to keep Sakura safe." He said softly. Tomoyo nodded, and met his deep blue eyes.
For a moment, both of them were hypnotized, staring into each others eyes, but then Tomoyo shook herself out of it quickly. She made a motion to move away, her heart pounding, but he still held her chin in his hand. A sly smirk came to his eyes and he moved closer to her. With wide eyes, she moved backwards, but every time she took a step, he took one as well. Soon, she felt the railing at her back, and she could no longer move anywhere, because he was in front of her, the railing was behind her, and his warm fingers were still wrapped around her chin. His smirk widened as he realized that she had nowhere to go, and he quickly closed off the distance between them, placing his other hand on her waist. She trembled under his touch, but unlike the last time, when it had been in disgust, this one was a delightfully aware tremble, that made her heart jump to her throat and stay there. She seemed to have forgotten that she was only clothed in a thin white nightdress.
"Well, well, well. What have we here? A trapped goddess." He said huskily, his cerulean blue eyes boring into her amethyst ones. Her already wide eyes, widened even more, and she gave a tiny whimper. His smirk widened, but then decided that he not only wanted to make her fall, but torture her a little on the way down.
"What, no retort, my lovely?" He murmured, his eyes never leaving hers. Still entranced, she shook her head slightly, making him chuckle seductively. Again she trembled, as her mind began to spin dizzily, and her heart nearly pounded out of her chest. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Weakly, she placed her tiny hand on his arm and attempted to push his hand off her waist. With a tortured moan, she wrenched her face out of his grasp and turned her head away. Again he smirked, this time, in evil assurance.
"My, my! We aren't so sure about ourselves, now are we? Either you are too tired to push me away, or you just realized how much you don't want me to let go. Which is it?" He asked in a voice much deeper than usual. She shuddered as his arms slipped farther around her waist.
"The first one. I am quite tired." She whispered, her eyes lowered and her face turned away. He smirked.
"Wrong answer, my pet." He growled, his fingers now trailing through her long raven black hair and crating shivers whenever he touched her skin. Her hair was almost like silk and it gleamed a violet color in the moonlight. He slowly moved forward and brought his lips enticingly close to hers, before he changed their route and brought them dangerously close to her left ear.
Every emotion imaginable rushed through Tomoyo's veins confusing her and making her cry out softly, in fear. It was all too much; this need to have him near her. This desire to never leave his arms. This loathing of him for not releasing her when he knew quite well that he should. This weakness that enveloped her every time he was near. Him. He was too much…far too much for her to handle. She had to admit, that he knew exactly how to get both the very best and the very worst out of her…but why him? When it could be anyone, why did it have to be him?! Tomoyo swallowed in despair and confusion, as tears of distress filled her eyes, and she let out another whimper.
"Please. Please let go." She begged breathlessly, as she felt his warm breath near the side of her neck. He smirked.
"Are you sure that is what you want? You don't sound very sure of yourself." He whispered, knowing that he had just won the battle. She seemed to sense it as well, because she stiffened and pulled away, breathing hard.
"Yes." Was all she said, before rushing off of the balcony and into her room. When there, she raced out of the room and into Sakura's room, softly shutting the door behind her.
Eriol watched her flight, chuckled, and then moved back into her room, sitting down weakly on the bed, and running his hand through his midnight locks of hair. For a moment there, he had nearly lost all of his control over the situation. His mind had stopped working, and his body had taken over. It was the time right after she had said the wrong answer. For a moment, she had looked so desperate, so confused, that it had completely melted his reserve and he had completely lost control. Her whimper had brought him back to himself, and it was a very lucky thing it had, because there was no telling what he would have done if it hadn't.
"Kami-sama! What is she doing to me?" He muttered, standing up and leaving the room. He quickly made his way to his room, and within minutes, he was asleep.
~*~*~*~
Sakura was half-asleep when Tomoyo burst into her room, sobbing. Sakura sat up and looked at her distraught friend in alarm.
"Tomoyo! Oh, Tomoyo, what is wrong? Are you all right?" Sakura cried, as Tomoyo threw herself on the bed. The raven haired girl shuddered and tried to suppress her sobs.
"I was just frightened by something. It is gone now, I suppose." Tomoyo said lamely. Sakura sighed and looked at her friend.
"He annoyed you again, didn't he?" She asked, referring to Eriol. Tomoyo nodded slowly.
"I don't know what is wrong with me! One minute I am perfectly fine, the next, I am either angry, or confused, or dizzy…oh, what am I going to do?" Tomoyo wailed, not allowing herself to admit that there was one other emotion he caused in her, that stood out from the ones she listed. Sakura nodded sympathetically.
"I am sure you are just fatigued from your trip. Why don't you sleep in my room tonight, just like old times?!" Sakura asked excitedly, making Tomoyo smile. She nodded, and then climbed in next to Sakura. Kero, who had been hovering above their heads anxiously, the whole time, now settled down on the pillow between them, and fell to sleep. After a few minutes, both girls joined him in slumber.
~*~*~*~
A few weeks later, Sakura and Tomoyo sat in a clearing in the forest. They were laying on their backs and looking up at the blue sky, filled with fluffy white clouds. The long grasses in the clearing waved in the breeze and tiny white butterflies flew by.
"You are so lucky, Sakura. It is so nice here." Tomoyo sighed, forgetting all about her worries and problems with Eriol. Sakura smiled.
"I come here when everything just becomes too much. It really helps." She mussed, watching as Kero flew overhead, trying to catch a butterfly. Sakura giggled as the butterfly flew into a wild three-loop spin, and then fly out of it. Kero tried to follow, but became dizzy and fell to the ground with a thump. He sat up, his eyes spinning, and smiled shakily at her.
"I'm all right, I'm just fine! I need something to eat. I am going back to the palace. I am going to ask Cookie for something to eat. Then I am going to sleep." Kero said in a sing-song voice. He was obviously still dizzy, and his words were said like a poem; a poem told by a drunken man! Kero flew out of the clearing and back to the castle, as the girls laughed hysterically.
"So, how is life as a married woman?" Tomoyo asked teasingly. Sakura sobered and looked sad.
"It is…different. I am not so sure I like it…Tomoyo, I am afraid. It think that I am falling…" But she never got to finish her sentence.
"Shhh! Did you hear that?!" Tomoyo hissed, sitting up and listening carefully. Sakura shrugged.
"What?"
"I thought I heard something. It was like…a footstep. Sakura, I think we should go back. I don't feel comfortable…" Tomoyo let out a shriek and grabbed Sakura's hand, dragging her off the ground.
"HOE!!!!! Tomoyo, what is wrong?!" Sakura shouted, as Tomoyo dragged her through the clumps of trees. Tomoyo's face was deadly pale, and her eyes were frightened.
"Sakura…I think I saw Randor hiding in the bushes! I may be wrong, but…" Tomoyo and Sakura screamed as something hit them from the back and they were torn away from each other. A flash of bright light blinded them temporarily. Sakura fell to the ground and felt a rag being shoved under her nose. It smelled sickly sweet and it immediately made her feel dizzy.
"Tomoyo!!!!!…" She managed to scream, before everything went black.
"Sakura!" Tomoyo shrieked, as the light dissipated. Then there came a laugh. It was a laugh that she had heard only once in her childhood, but she recognized it immediately.
"Randor!" She breathed, and she blindly crawled away from the laugh as fast as she could. When she felt far enough away to be safe, she stood up and raced through the forest, tears falling from her wide amethyst eyes. It didn't take a genius to know what had just happened. Sakura had been kidnapped!
~*~*~*~
Eriol and Syaoran sat in the large library. Syaoran was sprawled on one of the couches, reading a book, and Eriol sat writing a letter to Nakuru about his trip. He was fully intent on telling Nakuru just how Tomoyo had acted the night he had made her so confused, when the girl herself raced into the room, sobbing brokenheartedly. Both Syaoran and Eriol sat up in alarm, as she collapsed on the floor in tears.
"Tomoyo?! Tomoyo, what is wrong? Where is Sakura?" Eriol asked, hurrying over to the distraught girl. He grasped her elbow and pulled her towards him, as he knelt on the floor. Tomoyo turned wide eyes to him, and then looked at Syaoran. Her glance told them everything they needed to know. Syaoran's face grew pale.
"Where is she?" He asked in a deadly whisper, making sure he hadn't interpreted her eyes right.
"They took her! Randor took her! It was all my fault! I'm sorry!" Tomoyo sobbed, nearly in hysterics now. Kero raced into the room, and at the sight of Tomoyo, he too, knew what had happened.
"You know where they are taking her, don't you? And she doesn't even had the Sakura Cards. She is helpless." Kero said softly. Syaoran's fists clenched and unclenched.
"If he touches a hair on her head, he will be forever sorry." He said in a deadly voice. Tomoyo looked up at him.
"He won't. He loves her too much." Tomoyo said. Eriol frowned.
"She was only seven when he started stalking her, right? So how could it be possible that he is really in love with her? Yes, she is incredibly lovely, sweet and innocent, but what could he have possibly seen, other than that, that could make his this…desperate to have her?" Eriol asked. Tomoyo shook her head in mystification, and Syaoran's frown deepened.
"There is one place to go, then. We have to invade King Durkin's country. No one but Vandor, the King, and even perhaps the prince, are to be touched. We want no more deaths than are needed." Syaoran commanded. Eriol nodded.
"I agree. I will rally the troops and make sure they are ready to go by tomorrow." Eriol said. Tomoyo's eyes widened and she stopped crying.
"Then I am coming too." She said assuredly. For the first time since she had met him, Eriol glared at her. It wasn't a mean glare, it was a no- possible-chance-on-this-earth glare. Tomoyo glared right back.
"I will go. It isn't fair that you get to go, and I have to sit here waiting. It isn't!" She insisted desperately. Syaoran sighed and shook his head.
"I have to agree with Eriol on this one, Tomoyo. You can't come. It is too risky, and I can't have you getting into danger like that." With this, he turned and looked at Eriol.
"I will write her father, brother, and Meiling. They will need to know." Syaoran said, exiting the room. Eriol turned and looked at Tomoyo, who had angry tears streaming down her face. He sighed and put his hand on her shoulder. She tried to shake it off, but her simply grasped it tighter. With one swift movement, he pushed her up against the wall, and pinned her there with his body.
"As much as I would love to make you kneel down and beg again, I have to skip it this time." He murmured, pressing closer and fingering her pale cheeks with his thumbs, as the rest of his hands cradled her face. Then his look softened.
"Sakura will be fine, Tomoyo. Syaoran will make sure of that, with or without my help. He loves her dearly, even though he won't admit it. Now, there has to be somewhere where you will be safe while we are away." Eriol said, looking thoughtful. Tomoyo, who had calmed, looked at him with sincerely attentive eyes.
"There *is* one place, that I can get to, but…I can't tell you where." She admitted, annoyance rose to his chest.
"Tomoyo…" He said warningly.
"I am telling the truth. It's just, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. I can get there easily, and I will have people around me at all times. I will be perfectly safe. But I will only stay there if you promise that Sakura will come home safe." Tomoyo said. Eriol stepped back and placed his hand on his heart.
"I swear on my life that she will come back safe and sound." At this, Tomoyo smiled.
"Thank you. I will pack up and be ready to leave within the hour." Tomoyo said, leaving the room, and swiping her hand across her still-wet eyes. Eriol's heart softened at the love this girl had for her cousin, and for her trustfulness towards him.
"Goodbye, my lovely goddess. I will come home soon." He vowed, as he slowly made his way from the room.
~*~*~*~
Tomoyo watched out the kitchen window as Eriol and Syaoran rode away into the night. They were going to meet the troops before they set out to retrieve Sakura. Kero had insisted on going with them, so Syaoran had grudgingly allowed the little creature to hide in his saddle bag. With a sigh, Tomoyo turned from the window and met the eyes of Cookie.
"You are going to miss the young Prince Eriol, are you not?" He asked softly, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. She looked down at her hands. She had come to love Cookie, almost like a father, during her stay here. That was the affect Cookie had on people, especially Sakura and Tomoyo. Tomoyo figured that she could trust him with her secret.
"I am so confused, Cookie. I thought that I hated him, only…I tried to be civil, as was my training…but now…oh, I don't know! Every time he comes near me, my heart pounds and I start to get very dizzy. I hardly know which way is up! Sakura gets the same feeling with Syaoran. What is wrong with us?!" Tomoyo moaned burying her head in her hands, as Cookie smiled knowingly.
"Ah, the young princess is in love. Both of them are! That is what you are feeling, Princess. Love." Cookie said. Tomoyo gasped and choked.
"Me? Love him?! You must be joking!" She cried, turning away with her nose in the air. Cookie simply chuckled and turned back to his cooking. Tomoyo groaned and then stood up.
"Well, I had best quit stalling. I should be on my way, I promised Prince Eriol." She said softly. Cookie nodded and hugged her tightly, making her turn red from lack of air. When he finally let go, she giggled and then picked up the small bag of things she was taking with her.
Swiftly, she made her way out into the dark night, and down to the edge of the forest. Above her, the moon shone brightly, and the stars twinkled, as though they knew her secret. With trembling fingers, she pulled a long, gold chain out of her dress, from which hung a large, beautiful amethyst.
"It has been so long. I hope they remember me." She murmured, as she closed her eyes and concentrated. All at once, there came a glow from the center of the amethyst, and then it spread throughout the crystal and then throughout Tomoyo's body. With one powerful blast, the light flashed to enormous proportions, and then dissipated; and with it Tomoyo went, disappearing from that very place.
~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~
Forced to Love
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 6.
"Oh Sakura! I have missed you so much! You wouldn't believe what has happened back home." Tomoyo sighed, as she settled down into her bed that night. Sakura climbed up on the bed, and wrapped an afghan around her shoulders.
"Tell me!" She pleaded, as Kero settled down into her lap. Tomoyo looked thoughtful, and then smiled.
"Well, Meiling has been on Touya's back even more lately, because he is having the best time torturing the new stable boys with hard tasks and orders. In fact, one time, Meiling caught him and she was yelling so loud, that the stable boy who Touya had been ordering about, started to cry. She had to spend the next ten minutes calming the poor thing down! It was so funny!" She waited while Sakura finished laughing, and then went on.
"And then there is the fact that Prince Eriol was invited to stay a whole month, so he and Meiling could catch up, since they were childhood friends. But ever since I met him, he has been bumping into me everywhere, flirting with me and bothering me. I just don't know what to do! Every time he does it, I just get so…angry. And I actually blow up at him! I cannot help it! He gets me so mad, and then he tries to smooth it over with that sugary voice…I don't know why I get so angry. But then something else happens. It is like my heart beats faster whenever he kisses my hand or even speaks to me. I get breathless and shaky…I used to think it was just because I was so angry, but I am not so sure now." Tomoyo trailed off, while Sakura looked confused, and Kero got a sly grin on his face.
"I get that all the time, when my husband looks at me…but I am most certainly not angry. Perhaps it is just a nervous habit?" Sakura suggested naïvely. Now Kero choked and got a disgusted look on his face.
"Perhaps. Well, anyway, I don't think that there is anything else…oh, wait," Tomoyo's face dropped. "There is. Sakura, do you remember…Randor McArther?" Tomoyo asked hesitantly. Sakura gasped and recoiled in horror.
"How could I not. What about him?" Sakura asked shakily. Tomoyo shifted uncomfortably.
"Well, there have been rumors that he has joined forces with King Durkin and is now slowly making his way nearer to our territories." Tomoyo whispered. Sakura's mouth dropped open in horror. It was a well known fact that King Durkin was a mad and evil man. It was rumored that he had even killed his own children, all but one son, who would take the throne upon Durkin's death. And that son, was Prince Tarren. Little was known about him except that he would inherit the throne.
"Why are they coming here?" Sakura asked, afraid of the answer. Tomoyo sighed.
"You know why. Why else would he come here? He wants you. He is obsessed with you, and he will stop at nothing short of death to get you!" Tomoyo whispered, causing Sakura to shiver. She buried her face in her hands and worked to keep from crying. Kero looked anxious and patted his mistress's shoulder.
"Don't worry, Sakura! You are the Cards Mistress, and you have a power that he will never have." Kero soothed.
"Unless he finds me and takes me." Sakura said bitterly, plucking at Tomoyo's bed-spread. Tomoyo hugged her, and stayed silent. Soon after this, Kero and Sakura went to bed, leaving Tomoyo's bedroom door wide open. Tomoyo went about her normal before-bed routine and then walked out onto her balcony for one last look at the moon.
"Hello!" She called up, smiling at the great shining orb in the sky.
"Hello." Another voice rang out. Tomoyo gave a tiny shriek and spun around, to see Prince Eriol Hiiragizawa standing in the doorway. She gasped and moved away slightly.
"Your highness, if you please! I am in my night dress!" She said softly, turning back around to look at the moon. He smirked and moved closer.
"Even better." Was all he said. Tomoyo's eyes widened in a mixture of shock and confusion, but she refused to speak.
"Why didn't you tell her?" Was his next question. She looked at him with wide eyes.
"You were spying on us?!" She said in a deathly soft voice. He chuckled.
"I wouldn't call it spying, I would call it listening-to-a-conversation- that-one-is-not-a-part-of. But still, you didn't tell her that King Durkin had just invaded the country south of us, and that he was now making his way here, to this very place?! Princess Tomoyo, she needs to know. What if she goes out alone one day, without knowing that he is getting nearer? She could put herself in grave danger…"
"Stop! Please! Sakura has gone through so much…too much! That would just push her over the edge. She fears him so much, and learning that he was coming would throw her into a panic. She wouldn't even remember that she had magic, she would just go into a complete panic!" Tomoyo moaned, burying her face in her hands. Eriol sighed.
"But she needs to know. Syaoran knows, and his men are already up at arms. Sakura can't be the only one left in the dark. She needs to know. Tomorrow, you will tell her…you have to!" Eriol insisted, as Tomoyo opened her mouth to argue. Tomoyo looked down and tears came to her eyes.
"What will we do? He has been slowly rising to power all these years, and we have managed to keep it from Sakura. But now…" Tomoyo trailed off, as one single tear traced its way down her cheek. For some reason, Eriol's heart melted, and he wiped the tear off her cheek gently, then he captured her chin and forced her to look up.
"We cannot do anything about that now, but we can do our best to keep Sakura safe." He said softly. Tomoyo nodded, and met his deep blue eyes.
For a moment, both of them were hypnotized, staring into each others eyes, but then Tomoyo shook herself out of it quickly. She made a motion to move away, her heart pounding, but he still held her chin in his hand. A sly smirk came to his eyes and he moved closer to her. With wide eyes, she moved backwards, but every time she took a step, he took one as well. Soon, she felt the railing at her back, and she could no longer move anywhere, because he was in front of her, the railing was behind her, and his warm fingers were still wrapped around her chin. His smirk widened as he realized that she had nowhere to go, and he quickly closed off the distance between them, placing his other hand on her waist. She trembled under his touch, but unlike the last time, when it had been in disgust, this one was a delightfully aware tremble, that made her heart jump to her throat and stay there. She seemed to have forgotten that she was only clothed in a thin white nightdress.
"Well, well, well. What have we here? A trapped goddess." He said huskily, his cerulean blue eyes boring into her amethyst ones. Her already wide eyes, widened even more, and she gave a tiny whimper. His smirk widened, but then decided that he not only wanted to make her fall, but torture her a little on the way down.
"What, no retort, my lovely?" He murmured, his eyes never leaving hers. Still entranced, she shook her head slightly, making him chuckle seductively. Again she trembled, as her mind began to spin dizzily, and her heart nearly pounded out of her chest. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Weakly, she placed her tiny hand on his arm and attempted to push his hand off her waist. With a tortured moan, she wrenched her face out of his grasp and turned her head away. Again he smirked, this time, in evil assurance.
"My, my! We aren't so sure about ourselves, now are we? Either you are too tired to push me away, or you just realized how much you don't want me to let go. Which is it?" He asked in a voice much deeper than usual. She shuddered as his arms slipped farther around her waist.
"The first one. I am quite tired." She whispered, her eyes lowered and her face turned away. He smirked.
"Wrong answer, my pet." He growled, his fingers now trailing through her long raven black hair and crating shivers whenever he touched her skin. Her hair was almost like silk and it gleamed a violet color in the moonlight. He slowly moved forward and brought his lips enticingly close to hers, before he changed their route and brought them dangerously close to her left ear.
Every emotion imaginable rushed through Tomoyo's veins confusing her and making her cry out softly, in fear. It was all too much; this need to have him near her. This desire to never leave his arms. This loathing of him for not releasing her when he knew quite well that he should. This weakness that enveloped her every time he was near. Him. He was too much…far too much for her to handle. She had to admit, that he knew exactly how to get both the very best and the very worst out of her…but why him? When it could be anyone, why did it have to be him?! Tomoyo swallowed in despair and confusion, as tears of distress filled her eyes, and she let out another whimper.
"Please. Please let go." She begged breathlessly, as she felt his warm breath near the side of her neck. He smirked.
"Are you sure that is what you want? You don't sound very sure of yourself." He whispered, knowing that he had just won the battle. She seemed to sense it as well, because she stiffened and pulled away, breathing hard.
"Yes." Was all she said, before rushing off of the balcony and into her room. When there, she raced out of the room and into Sakura's room, softly shutting the door behind her.
Eriol watched her flight, chuckled, and then moved back into her room, sitting down weakly on the bed, and running his hand through his midnight locks of hair. For a moment there, he had nearly lost all of his control over the situation. His mind had stopped working, and his body had taken over. It was the time right after she had said the wrong answer. For a moment, she had looked so desperate, so confused, that it had completely melted his reserve and he had completely lost control. Her whimper had brought him back to himself, and it was a very lucky thing it had, because there was no telling what he would have done if it hadn't.
"Kami-sama! What is she doing to me?" He muttered, standing up and leaving the room. He quickly made his way to his room, and within minutes, he was asleep.
~*~*~*~
Sakura was half-asleep when Tomoyo burst into her room, sobbing. Sakura sat up and looked at her distraught friend in alarm.
"Tomoyo! Oh, Tomoyo, what is wrong? Are you all right?" Sakura cried, as Tomoyo threw herself on the bed. The raven haired girl shuddered and tried to suppress her sobs.
"I was just frightened by something. It is gone now, I suppose." Tomoyo said lamely. Sakura sighed and looked at her friend.
"He annoyed you again, didn't he?" She asked, referring to Eriol. Tomoyo nodded slowly.
"I don't know what is wrong with me! One minute I am perfectly fine, the next, I am either angry, or confused, or dizzy…oh, what am I going to do?" Tomoyo wailed, not allowing herself to admit that there was one other emotion he caused in her, that stood out from the ones she listed. Sakura nodded sympathetically.
"I am sure you are just fatigued from your trip. Why don't you sleep in my room tonight, just like old times?!" Sakura asked excitedly, making Tomoyo smile. She nodded, and then climbed in next to Sakura. Kero, who had been hovering above their heads anxiously, the whole time, now settled down on the pillow between them, and fell to sleep. After a few minutes, both girls joined him in slumber.
~*~*~*~
A few weeks later, Sakura and Tomoyo sat in a clearing in the forest. They were laying on their backs and looking up at the blue sky, filled with fluffy white clouds. The long grasses in the clearing waved in the breeze and tiny white butterflies flew by.
"You are so lucky, Sakura. It is so nice here." Tomoyo sighed, forgetting all about her worries and problems with Eriol. Sakura smiled.
"I come here when everything just becomes too much. It really helps." She mussed, watching as Kero flew overhead, trying to catch a butterfly. Sakura giggled as the butterfly flew into a wild three-loop spin, and then fly out of it. Kero tried to follow, but became dizzy and fell to the ground with a thump. He sat up, his eyes spinning, and smiled shakily at her.
"I'm all right, I'm just fine! I need something to eat. I am going back to the palace. I am going to ask Cookie for something to eat. Then I am going to sleep." Kero said in a sing-song voice. He was obviously still dizzy, and his words were said like a poem; a poem told by a drunken man! Kero flew out of the clearing and back to the castle, as the girls laughed hysterically.
"So, how is life as a married woman?" Tomoyo asked teasingly. Sakura sobered and looked sad.
"It is…different. I am not so sure I like it…Tomoyo, I am afraid. It think that I am falling…" But she never got to finish her sentence.
"Shhh! Did you hear that?!" Tomoyo hissed, sitting up and listening carefully. Sakura shrugged.
"What?"
"I thought I heard something. It was like…a footstep. Sakura, I think we should go back. I don't feel comfortable…" Tomoyo let out a shriek and grabbed Sakura's hand, dragging her off the ground.
"HOE!!!!! Tomoyo, what is wrong?!" Sakura shouted, as Tomoyo dragged her through the clumps of trees. Tomoyo's face was deadly pale, and her eyes were frightened.
"Sakura…I think I saw Randor hiding in the bushes! I may be wrong, but…" Tomoyo and Sakura screamed as something hit them from the back and they were torn away from each other. A flash of bright light blinded them temporarily. Sakura fell to the ground and felt a rag being shoved under her nose. It smelled sickly sweet and it immediately made her feel dizzy.
"Tomoyo!!!!!…" She managed to scream, before everything went black.
"Sakura!" Tomoyo shrieked, as the light dissipated. Then there came a laugh. It was a laugh that she had heard only once in her childhood, but she recognized it immediately.
"Randor!" She breathed, and she blindly crawled away from the laugh as fast as she could. When she felt far enough away to be safe, she stood up and raced through the forest, tears falling from her wide amethyst eyes. It didn't take a genius to know what had just happened. Sakura had been kidnapped!
~*~*~*~
Eriol and Syaoran sat in the large library. Syaoran was sprawled on one of the couches, reading a book, and Eriol sat writing a letter to Nakuru about his trip. He was fully intent on telling Nakuru just how Tomoyo had acted the night he had made her so confused, when the girl herself raced into the room, sobbing brokenheartedly. Both Syaoran and Eriol sat up in alarm, as she collapsed on the floor in tears.
"Tomoyo?! Tomoyo, what is wrong? Where is Sakura?" Eriol asked, hurrying over to the distraught girl. He grasped her elbow and pulled her towards him, as he knelt on the floor. Tomoyo turned wide eyes to him, and then looked at Syaoran. Her glance told them everything they needed to know. Syaoran's face grew pale.
"Where is she?" He asked in a deadly whisper, making sure he hadn't interpreted her eyes right.
"They took her! Randor took her! It was all my fault! I'm sorry!" Tomoyo sobbed, nearly in hysterics now. Kero raced into the room, and at the sight of Tomoyo, he too, knew what had happened.
"You know where they are taking her, don't you? And she doesn't even had the Sakura Cards. She is helpless." Kero said softly. Syaoran's fists clenched and unclenched.
"If he touches a hair on her head, he will be forever sorry." He said in a deadly voice. Tomoyo looked up at him.
"He won't. He loves her too much." Tomoyo said. Eriol frowned.
"She was only seven when he started stalking her, right? So how could it be possible that he is really in love with her? Yes, she is incredibly lovely, sweet and innocent, but what could he have possibly seen, other than that, that could make his this…desperate to have her?" Eriol asked. Tomoyo shook her head in mystification, and Syaoran's frown deepened.
"There is one place to go, then. We have to invade King Durkin's country. No one but Vandor, the King, and even perhaps the prince, are to be touched. We want no more deaths than are needed." Syaoran commanded. Eriol nodded.
"I agree. I will rally the troops and make sure they are ready to go by tomorrow." Eriol said. Tomoyo's eyes widened and she stopped crying.
"Then I am coming too." She said assuredly. For the first time since she had met him, Eriol glared at her. It wasn't a mean glare, it was a no- possible-chance-on-this-earth glare. Tomoyo glared right back.
"I will go. It isn't fair that you get to go, and I have to sit here waiting. It isn't!" She insisted desperately. Syaoran sighed and shook his head.
"I have to agree with Eriol on this one, Tomoyo. You can't come. It is too risky, and I can't have you getting into danger like that." With this, he turned and looked at Eriol.
"I will write her father, brother, and Meiling. They will need to know." Syaoran said, exiting the room. Eriol turned and looked at Tomoyo, who had angry tears streaming down her face. He sighed and put his hand on her shoulder. She tried to shake it off, but her simply grasped it tighter. With one swift movement, he pushed her up against the wall, and pinned her there with his body.
"As much as I would love to make you kneel down and beg again, I have to skip it this time." He murmured, pressing closer and fingering her pale cheeks with his thumbs, as the rest of his hands cradled her face. Then his look softened.
"Sakura will be fine, Tomoyo. Syaoran will make sure of that, with or without my help. He loves her dearly, even though he won't admit it. Now, there has to be somewhere where you will be safe while we are away." Eriol said, looking thoughtful. Tomoyo, who had calmed, looked at him with sincerely attentive eyes.
"There *is* one place, that I can get to, but…I can't tell you where." She admitted, annoyance rose to his chest.
"Tomoyo…" He said warningly.
"I am telling the truth. It's just, you wouldn't believe me if I told you. I can get there easily, and I will have people around me at all times. I will be perfectly safe. But I will only stay there if you promise that Sakura will come home safe." Tomoyo said. Eriol stepped back and placed his hand on his heart.
"I swear on my life that she will come back safe and sound." At this, Tomoyo smiled.
"Thank you. I will pack up and be ready to leave within the hour." Tomoyo said, leaving the room, and swiping her hand across her still-wet eyes. Eriol's heart softened at the love this girl had for her cousin, and for her trustfulness towards him.
"Goodbye, my lovely goddess. I will come home soon." He vowed, as he slowly made his way from the room.
~*~*~*~
Tomoyo watched out the kitchen window as Eriol and Syaoran rode away into the night. They were going to meet the troops before they set out to retrieve Sakura. Kero had insisted on going with them, so Syaoran had grudgingly allowed the little creature to hide in his saddle bag. With a sigh, Tomoyo turned from the window and met the eyes of Cookie.
"You are going to miss the young Prince Eriol, are you not?" He asked softly, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. She looked down at her hands. She had come to love Cookie, almost like a father, during her stay here. That was the affect Cookie had on people, especially Sakura and Tomoyo. Tomoyo figured that she could trust him with her secret.
"I am so confused, Cookie. I thought that I hated him, only…I tried to be civil, as was my training…but now…oh, I don't know! Every time he comes near me, my heart pounds and I start to get very dizzy. I hardly know which way is up! Sakura gets the same feeling with Syaoran. What is wrong with us?!" Tomoyo moaned burying her head in her hands, as Cookie smiled knowingly.
"Ah, the young princess is in love. Both of them are! That is what you are feeling, Princess. Love." Cookie said. Tomoyo gasped and choked.
"Me? Love him?! You must be joking!" She cried, turning away with her nose in the air. Cookie simply chuckled and turned back to his cooking. Tomoyo groaned and then stood up.
"Well, I had best quit stalling. I should be on my way, I promised Prince Eriol." She said softly. Cookie nodded and hugged her tightly, making her turn red from lack of air. When he finally let go, she giggled and then picked up the small bag of things she was taking with her.
Swiftly, she made her way out into the dark night, and down to the edge of the forest. Above her, the moon shone brightly, and the stars twinkled, as though they knew her secret. With trembling fingers, she pulled a long, gold chain out of her dress, from which hung a large, beautiful amethyst.
"It has been so long. I hope they remember me." She murmured, as she closed her eyes and concentrated. All at once, there came a glow from the center of the amethyst, and then it spread throughout the crystal and then throughout Tomoyo's body. With one powerful blast, the light flashed to enormous proportions, and then dissipated; and with it Tomoyo went, disappearing from that very place.
~*~*~*~