Daphne: "I am going to make this quick, because I want to get on with this
chapter! I hope you like it! There, that is all."
Disclaimer: CCS does not belong to me.so there!
Forced to Love by: Daphne Li Chapter 8.
"Syaoran, wonderful news! The King and Randor are on the run! They left the castle this morning, just as Randor was planning on marrying your wife!" Eriol crowed, rushing into Syaoran's tent. Syaoran looked up, alarmed. "Sakura wasn't with them, was she?" He asked, afraid of the answer. Eriol shook his head. "No. Our spies say that there was no sign of her anywhere, when they invaded the castle. Our sources tell me that she disappeared sometime between early this morning, and late last night, with a servant girl. There is one bit of good news, however. We managed to capture Prince Tarren, and the soldiers are bringing him here. They say that he made no attempt to escape, and, in fact, has sworn not to talk to anyone but you. He promises to tell you everything, if you will speak to him face-to-face." Eriol said. Syaoran growled. "Bring him here." He commanded. Eriol nodded, and then left the tent. Syaoran sat back and sighed, his eyes softening greatly. It had been almost three months since Sakura's kidnapping. Three months without any sightings or word of her. Then, one day a small, anonymous note appeared on Syaoran's writing desk.
Dear sir, Your wife is safe, you needn't worry. I will watch over her.
That is all it said. Still, Syaoran had taken comfort in the note, and had increased his army's attacks ten-fold. Now, after three months of torturous waiting and hoping, she was back within his grasp. A soft chuckle jolted him out of his reverie. "You miss her." A soft voice stated. Syaoran looked up to see a young man, his own age, standing in the doorway, his hands tied tightly in front of him The man had long black hair and sea-blue eyes that were surprisingly kind and gentle, but with a hint of evil in them, like Eriol's eyes. Syaoran motioned for him to have a seat, biting back a growl. "Am I to understand that my wife, Princess Sakura, was being held hostage at your father's castle?" Syaoran asked in a deadly soft voice. Prince Tarren didn't flinch. "I will not lie. Yes, she was. Would you like to know her condition while she was there?" Tarren asked quietly. Syaoran nodded, and Tarren went on. "At first, she was tied to a bed by her hands and feet. She was fine, except for the fact that she was only given one meal a day. After a time, however, she became pale, weak, and sick. She was also tortured by Randor, who went into her room every day, simply to 'talk' with her. Eventually, it became too much for her, and she fell into unconsciousness." At his words, Syaoran became angrier and angrier. "Randor finally realized what he was doing, and he allowed Sakura's servant and friend, Gue, to give Sakura three meals a day, plus snacks. Sakura became healthy again, until she learned of her impending marriage to Randor. He had told her that you were dead, and when she learned this, she almost fell back into depression again. Gue and I had to work very hard to keep her from slipping away from us." Tarren remembered. Syaoran stayed silent, looking troubled. "Then, when Sakura and Gue found out that Sakura was to marry Randor today, Gue decided to take Sakura to her home, where no one would be able to find them. She only told me where they were going, and now, if you like, I will tell and even show you." Tarren said. Syaoran looked suspicious. "You, help us? What would you want in return?" Syaoran asked. Tarren shook his head. "Seeing Sakura safe from that man, and back with you is enough." He said firmly. Syaoran hesitated, and then sighed. "Where is she?" He asked finally. "In a mystical land, that no one knows exists. Wyngardium Hollow. Gue is a servant to someone there, and she was sent here as a spy. She gave me a map of where to find a secret opening to the world, but I will only be allowed in if you come along. Your cousin, Prince Eriol, may come as well, but that is all. We mustn't have any more people than we need." Tarren instructed. Syaoran nodded, and then called for Eriol. When Eriol arrived, he was told the story, and immediately agreed to join them on their quest. After Tarren was taken away for more questioning, Eriol managed to talk Syaoran into trusting the enemy prince. Eriol could sense that there was no real evil in the young man, as there was in King Durkin. No, only the sort of evil that Eriol prided in himself. Speaking of evil. 'I wonder where Tomoyo is. I hope she is well, because when I get my hands on her next, there will be no stopping me from making her grovel at my feet, and begging for mercy!' He thought naughtily, a sly smirk appearing on his lips. ~*~*~*~ "Tell me again, who's idea it was, to come this way?" Eriol asked six days later, when the young men found themselves lost in the middle of a muddy swamp. Syaoran and Tarren glared at him. "Yours!" They chorused, as Tarren pulled the map back out and looked at it carefully. "Well, we are here, and the trail she marked is here, so we should go west until we hit this rock structure here, and then if we go north for a time, we should be back on the trail, that is, if Eriol doesn't get us lost again." Tarren said sarcastically. Eriol glared at him, but wisely stayed silent as they climbed out of the swamp and back onto the overgrown trail. From there, the three young men went east, and followed a river up to a large waterfall. "I.I think this is it." Tarren stated, as they walked closer to the waterfall. "A waterfall?! Anyone could find it and accidentally mistake it for a good hiding place!" Syaoran muttered. Eriol grinned. "They would have to find it, first!" He chuckled, making his way behind the wall of rushing water. Syaoran and Tarren followed closely, and soon they found themselves in a large cave. A large, *dead-end* cave. "Great! What next?!" Eriol whined, sitting down on a rock and leaning back against the wall. With a cry, he fell right through it! "Eriol!" Syaoran yelled, reaching for him, and then falling into the wall as well. Tarren shrugged and followed, not wishing to be left behind. ~*~*~*~
Disclaimer: CCS does not belong to me.so there!
Forced to Love by: Daphne Li Chapter 8.
"Syaoran, wonderful news! The King and Randor are on the run! They left the castle this morning, just as Randor was planning on marrying your wife!" Eriol crowed, rushing into Syaoran's tent. Syaoran looked up, alarmed. "Sakura wasn't with them, was she?" He asked, afraid of the answer. Eriol shook his head. "No. Our spies say that there was no sign of her anywhere, when they invaded the castle. Our sources tell me that she disappeared sometime between early this morning, and late last night, with a servant girl. There is one bit of good news, however. We managed to capture Prince Tarren, and the soldiers are bringing him here. They say that he made no attempt to escape, and, in fact, has sworn not to talk to anyone but you. He promises to tell you everything, if you will speak to him face-to-face." Eriol said. Syaoran growled. "Bring him here." He commanded. Eriol nodded, and then left the tent. Syaoran sat back and sighed, his eyes softening greatly. It had been almost three months since Sakura's kidnapping. Three months without any sightings or word of her. Then, one day a small, anonymous note appeared on Syaoran's writing desk.
Dear sir, Your wife is safe, you needn't worry. I will watch over her.
That is all it said. Still, Syaoran had taken comfort in the note, and had increased his army's attacks ten-fold. Now, after three months of torturous waiting and hoping, she was back within his grasp. A soft chuckle jolted him out of his reverie. "You miss her." A soft voice stated. Syaoran looked up to see a young man, his own age, standing in the doorway, his hands tied tightly in front of him The man had long black hair and sea-blue eyes that were surprisingly kind and gentle, but with a hint of evil in them, like Eriol's eyes. Syaoran motioned for him to have a seat, biting back a growl. "Am I to understand that my wife, Princess Sakura, was being held hostage at your father's castle?" Syaoran asked in a deadly soft voice. Prince Tarren didn't flinch. "I will not lie. Yes, she was. Would you like to know her condition while she was there?" Tarren asked quietly. Syaoran nodded, and Tarren went on. "At first, she was tied to a bed by her hands and feet. She was fine, except for the fact that she was only given one meal a day. After a time, however, she became pale, weak, and sick. She was also tortured by Randor, who went into her room every day, simply to 'talk' with her. Eventually, it became too much for her, and she fell into unconsciousness." At his words, Syaoran became angrier and angrier. "Randor finally realized what he was doing, and he allowed Sakura's servant and friend, Gue, to give Sakura three meals a day, plus snacks. Sakura became healthy again, until she learned of her impending marriage to Randor. He had told her that you were dead, and when she learned this, she almost fell back into depression again. Gue and I had to work very hard to keep her from slipping away from us." Tarren remembered. Syaoran stayed silent, looking troubled. "Then, when Sakura and Gue found out that Sakura was to marry Randor today, Gue decided to take Sakura to her home, where no one would be able to find them. She only told me where they were going, and now, if you like, I will tell and even show you." Tarren said. Syaoran looked suspicious. "You, help us? What would you want in return?" Syaoran asked. Tarren shook his head. "Seeing Sakura safe from that man, and back with you is enough." He said firmly. Syaoran hesitated, and then sighed. "Where is she?" He asked finally. "In a mystical land, that no one knows exists. Wyngardium Hollow. Gue is a servant to someone there, and she was sent here as a spy. She gave me a map of where to find a secret opening to the world, but I will only be allowed in if you come along. Your cousin, Prince Eriol, may come as well, but that is all. We mustn't have any more people than we need." Tarren instructed. Syaoran nodded, and then called for Eriol. When Eriol arrived, he was told the story, and immediately agreed to join them on their quest. After Tarren was taken away for more questioning, Eriol managed to talk Syaoran into trusting the enemy prince. Eriol could sense that there was no real evil in the young man, as there was in King Durkin. No, only the sort of evil that Eriol prided in himself. Speaking of evil. 'I wonder where Tomoyo is. I hope she is well, because when I get my hands on her next, there will be no stopping me from making her grovel at my feet, and begging for mercy!' He thought naughtily, a sly smirk appearing on his lips. ~*~*~*~ "Tell me again, who's idea it was, to come this way?" Eriol asked six days later, when the young men found themselves lost in the middle of a muddy swamp. Syaoran and Tarren glared at him. "Yours!" They chorused, as Tarren pulled the map back out and looked at it carefully. "Well, we are here, and the trail she marked is here, so we should go west until we hit this rock structure here, and then if we go north for a time, we should be back on the trail, that is, if Eriol doesn't get us lost again." Tarren said sarcastically. Eriol glared at him, but wisely stayed silent as they climbed out of the swamp and back onto the overgrown trail. From there, the three young men went east, and followed a river up to a large waterfall. "I.I think this is it." Tarren stated, as they walked closer to the waterfall. "A waterfall?! Anyone could find it and accidentally mistake it for a good hiding place!" Syaoran muttered. Eriol grinned. "They would have to find it, first!" He chuckled, making his way behind the wall of rushing water. Syaoran and Tarren followed closely, and soon they found themselves in a large cave. A large, *dead-end* cave. "Great! What next?!" Eriol whined, sitting down on a rock and leaning back against the wall. With a cry, he fell right through it! "Eriol!" Syaoran yelled, reaching for him, and then falling into the wall as well. Tarren shrugged and followed, not wishing to be left behind. ~*~*~*~