Daphne: "So.now all the characters have been banished to Wyngardium Hollow
until further notice. And Tomoyo and Eriol's secret is out. But what about
that little spark of.something that Eriol felt inside Tomoyo? Read this
chapter to find out what it was!
~*~*~*~
Forced to Love by: Daphne Li Chapter 14.
A few weeks after their arrival to Wyngardium Hollow, Eriol woke up to his dear wife's face, shinning with early morning light. He smiled and put his arm around her. Then he felt it. There was that spark again! Only, it was bigger this time, and stronger than when he had felt it the first time. Eriol probed for its cause and then he gasped. How could this be? How could this wonderful thing be? And most of all, how would her tell her without making her faint? Almost as if she could feel his eagerness, Tomoyo's lovely amethyst eyes opened and she gave him a groggy smile.
"Good morning.what is the matter?" She interrupted herself, looking at her husband in worry. Though they had only been married for a few weeks, they could already read each other like books. He sighed and faced her, looking earnestly into her eyes.
"Tomoyo, you know that I have magic, and that I can.sense things before most others." He began hesitantly, his eyes straying away and his fingers twiddling with the blankets. She narrowed her eyes and gently grasped his chin, forcing him to sit still and look at her. For a moment, her eyes searched his, and there she read the answer. Her eyes widened and she gave a squeak. He didn't have to say a word, she knew.
"You.you mean." She stammered, trying to find the right words. He nodded, a small, happy smile on his lips.
"I'm pregnant?! Eriol, my mother.she doesn't know.what will she think when we return?" Tomoyo mussed. Eriol nearly fell over. This definitely wasn't the response he had expected.
"Tomoyo, we will deal with that when we come to it. Until then.what do you want to name him?" Eriol asked cheekily, receiving a glare from his wife.
"You even know what it is!? From now on, you are telling me these things first!" She snapped, turning away from him. He chuckled and then kissed her neck, eliciting a soft moan from her.
"Don't worry, I will. So tell me.how are we going to tell our darling friends?" Eriol chirped innocently.
~*~*~*~
"WHAT?!"
Tomoyo and Eriol grinned at each other in satisfaction. They had decided on the shock approach. And it had worked. They had all met in the breakfasting room to dine, and had been in the middle of a mellow conversation when Tomoyo had 'accidentally' slipped with the news.
"I am pregnant." Tomoyo repeated, causing Sakura to collapse onto a couch and Syaoran to turn red in the face. Alongue simply gaped, and Tarren had to hold her arm to keep her from falling. Soon after they had arrived, Alongue and Tarren had been married in a very quiet ceremony, with only the king, queen, and their friends as witnesses. Ever since then, Alongue and Tarren had been more open with their relationship.
"We only found out this morning. She still has eight months and one week to go." Eriol announced. Tomoyo smiled happily.
"And I will have enough time to make some adorable outfits for him!" She squealed, hugging Sakura tightly. Sakura glared at Eriol accusingly.
"You cheated! We are not supposed to know until they are born!" She whined. He simply grinned and put his arms around his wife's waist. This was definitely going to be an interesting life to get used to, but with Tomoyo and his friends by his side, he knew that he would make it.although if Syaoran had anything to do with it, he would be making it in pieces!
~*~*~*~
*Four years later, in the Kinomoto kingdom*
King Kinomoto Fujitaka stood pacing his study, waiting for the return of his son. Meiling sat pale and worried on the sofa across from him, with her two year old daughter, Milliah, lying asleep next to her.
Three months ago, Touya had gone out with the troops to meet king Durkin's armies on the battlefield, leaving behind his wife and their lovely young daughter. It was rumored that Durkin was still in alliance with Randor McArther, and after Sakura's first kidnapping, King Fujitaka didn't trust her safety to anyone but her husband. Suddenly, a tiny whimper jolted Fujitaka out of his revere. He looked over to see Meiling comforting her little daughter.
"Mommy, when Daddy come home? You tay' he come home today." The little girl whimpered, tears filling her ruby-brown eyes. Meiling sighed sadly and pushed a strand of the girl's dark brown hair back from her face.
"He will be, I am sure of it." She began.
"You are sure of what?" Came another voice. The three occupants of the room turned to see a tired, but still handsome looking Touya standing in the doorway. Meiling gave a cry and collapsed into his arms, sobbing with relief. He held her close until she was calmed and then looked up to see his father holding a lovely dark haired little girl.
"Daddy!" Milliah cried, breaking away from her grandfather and rushing into Touya's arms. He chuckled and held her close.
"Hello, Princess. How is my little lady?" He asked, picking her up and swinging her onto his shoulders. She squealed and laughed, her ruby eyes sparkling.
"I fine. Mommy cry. She say you home today!" The little girl jabbered. Touya looked worried.
"Mommy cried? Why did mommy cry?" He asked gently, slipping his arm around his wife's slim waist. She buried her head in his chest.
"We weren't sure if you would make it out alive. Randor has become so powerful." Fujitaka began. Touya's face turned grim.
"He *was* powerful. And he almost did kill me." Touya admitted, making Meiling cry out and hold him tighter. He held her for a moment, while Fujitaka peeled the little girl off his shoulders, to give them some room. Then Touya looked back up.
"Yukito had to transform into Yue and ended up killing Randor, because the lunatic wouldn't give up the fight. King Durkin died as well, under Yamazaki's hand. Both men should be awarded greatly. They have done an immeasurable service, and now, Sakura can come home!" Touya announced. Fujitaka couldn't control his excitement. With a whoop he set down his granddaughter and ran from the room, leaving Meiling and Touya chuckling after him, and leaving a very confused granddaughter.
"Mommy, daddy, why gwampa so excited? Why he jump up an' down?" She asked, looking thoroughly baffled. Touya simply chuckled and picked her up.
"Your Aunt Sakura is coming home, Millie. Wait till you meet her!" Touya looked just like an excited little boy.
"Come, Meiling. We have a lot of catching up to do, and I want some quality time with my family." Touya announced, putting his free arm around her and leading her out of the room, laughing.
~*~*~*~
*A few days later, in Wyngardium Hollow*
"Syaoran! Syaoran, come quick!" Sakura called, her lovely face flushed red with excitement. There was the sound of running footsteps as not only Syaoran, but Tomoyo, Eriol, Alongue, and Tarren dashed into the room.
"What's wrong, darling?"
"It's a letter! A letter from father!" Sakura cried, sitting down weakly at a table. She had been sitting in the morning room when a messenger had brought the letter. By now, all of the group had changed a bit. Sakura's hair still reached to her waist, but she kept it up in fancy buns and other hairdos, since she was older. Tomoyo and Alongue did the same with their hair. Their husbands were a different story. Syaoran's hair was still the same ever-messy chestnut hair that he had had before, but now, the young man preferred to wear less.formal clothes, such as loose white tops and plain brown knee-breeches, instead of his usual formal wear. Eriol had grown his hair into a ponytail, which Tomoyo dubbed, "Sexy", much to their friends disgust. Tarren had actually cut his hair, and it now hung in a page-boy style. He admitted that he liked it better this way. All-in-all, though, they were still the same old group that they had been before.
"What does it say?" Tomoyo cried, her eyes eager. Sakura lifted it weakly and looked at it.
"I don't know. I have not opened it yet." She said, making them all sweat drop. Syaoran gently took the envelope from her hold and ripped it open, taking the letter out and handing it to her.
"Read it." He said softly. She nodded and read silently; unlike last time, when her face had fallen quickly, this letter caused her face to light up and a happy smile to come to her lips.
"Randor's dead! As is King Durkin (I am sorry Tarren). Father says that it is safe to come home! He is throwing a ball in three days time, to welcome us back (if we come), to make peace with Prince Tarren, and to commemorate Lord Yukito and Prince Yamazaki for their bravery on the battle field." Sakura finished, her eyes sparkling with happiness.
"Oh, I am so glad! That means that Chiharu has a hero as a husband! I am so pleased for her." Tomoyo breathed, leaning against her husband who grinned at the prospect of having his partner-in-crime, a hero. There was a tiny noise, and the six adults turned to see a little boy of about four standing there, his intelligent blue eyes looking at them probingly. He had violet- raven hair, and seemed quite wise for his age. It was Tomoyo and Eriol's oldest child, Tryon.
"Mommy, what is going on?" He asked, his cerulean blue eyes gazing at Tomoyo. She smiled happily at her son.
"We have news, Tryon! Aunt Sakura just got a letter from her father. We can go home!" At Tomoyo's words, the boy smiled. He had heard tales about his parent's home, but had never seen it himself.
"But won't you miss this place? And what about Auntie Lina? She belongs here." He reminded them, sensibly. Alongue smiled at him.
"I may have lived here most of my life, but my home is wherever my family is." She said, slipping her arm about Tarren's waist. Just then, another little boy came screeching into the room.
"Mommy, why are you and daddy hugging?" He asked Alongue, his bright, ice- blue eyes flashing questioningly on Tryon, while he caught his breath. The new boy also had dark black hair, that was cut in page-boy style. He looked about three years old.
"We are going to the other world, Stephen! Auntie Sakura got a letter!" Tryon answered. All at once, little Stephen's eyes grew wide and he let out a yelp.
"Yay! We get to go.there. We get to go there!" The younger boy chanted.
"Stephen, calm down!" Alongue commanded, her eyes sparkling at the boy's enthusiasm.
"Oh, that reminds me. The babies are up from their naps." Tryon said offhandedly, as he and Stephen raced out of the room.
"Oh, thank you for telling us so soon!" Eriol called after him, sarcastically, chuckling. Then he led the group of parents out of the room. They quickly made their way up to the nursery, where the other children were being cared for by the kindly old nurse. She bowed respectfully as they filed in, and then she quickly left the room. The room was strewn with toys, and in the middle of it all, sat three two year-olds. There were two girls, and one boy. The boy had short red-brown hair, and bright sea-blue eyes in a round, cheerful face. The girl next to him was almost identical to him. She had short, curly red-brown hair and identical sea-blue eyes. Her cheeks had a natural pink flush to them, and her features were set in a delicately chiseled face. The girl next to her, however, was the most stunning of them all. She had shoulder-length auburn hair and bright, innocent green eyes. Her face was delicate and pale, with just a hint of rose color in her cheeks. No matter how you looked at her, you always got the mental picture of a dainty little china doll. Her tiny little hands were white and pretty, and her arms and legs were childishly plump, but only slightly. The first two children were twins, and the younger children of Alongue and Tarren, Trey and Haley. The third child was named Ying-fa, and was the firstborn of Syaoran and Sakura.
Near to this group stood a floor-crib, that held two tiny figures. One was a still sleeping girl of just barely one year, and the other was a tiny baby, only a few weeks old. The little girl had lovely midnight blue hair, and chubby cheeks flushed red with sleep. The baby had a small chestnut colored tuft of hair on his head, and his face resembled that of his father's.
"Mommy! Daddy! We wake up!" The little boy had spotted them. The two girls looked up and gave happy giggles. Tarren swooped down and picked up the Trey, tickling him mercilessly. Alongue went over and hugged Haley, keeping a close eye on her husband and son. Little Ying-fa hurried over to Sakura, and looked up at her earnestly.
"We going somewhere?" She asked seriously. Sakura smiled at her little daughter and picked her up. Though Ying-fa was young, she was very sensitive to those around her, just as her mother was.
"Yes we are. We are going to my old home!" She announced. The little girl smiled and then looked at her father.
"Daddy, you go home too?" She questioned. He grinned and swept her up onto his shoulders, much to her delight.
"Yes, Ying-fa, I am. We all are going." He announced. There was a tiny whimper from the large floor crib, and Tomoyo hurried over to retrieve her young daughter, Lana. The baby girl smiled up at them, her amethyst eyes searching each familiar face until it landed on her father. She gave a cute smile and wriggled with excitement. She also sensed that something was going to happen.
"Daddy, when are we leaving?" Tryon asked, coming into the room with Stephen on his heals. Eriol chuckled.
"Well, if we use the stones to get back, we will leave in three days. But if we go back by way of Syaoran's castle, we will leave tomorrow. What do you think parents?" Eriol teased. Little Ying-fa bounced in her father's arms.
"Tree days! Tree days!" She crowed, making the others laugh. Tryon turned worshipful eyes on the tiny little girl, and nodded.
"Three days." He agreed, making her smile at him and display her dimples. Tomoyo and Sakura smiled at each other and nodded at their husbands. Three days it was.
"You hear that? We go to mommy world! Hear that, Chang?" Ying-fa asked, running up to the floor crib and looking down on her little brother. The little boy's eyes were open, revealing amber orbs that were stunningly like his fathers. While Ying-fa had taken after her mother, in both looks and innocence, Li Xiao-Chang had taken fully after his father, as far as the adults could tell. The little boy was silent and hardly ever cried. He simply stared at whoever dared to make eye contact with him, and then ignored them. Being only two and a half weeks old, his parents hoped that it was just a stage. But somewhere deep down inside, they knew that it wasn't.
"How are you my Xiao-Chang?" Sakura whispered, picking the baby up and holding him close. He snuggled into her and turned his baby face to his father. Syaoran could already tell that Chang was going to have some power, if not a lot of it. Though Ying-fa took after her mother, her dark pink aura was weak and held little magic in it. This had disappointed him at first, but eventually, both he and Sakura had agreed that it was for the best. They didn't want their innocent little daughter to have to go through the things that Sakura had. When Chang had been born, though, it had been more than obvious from his already strong forest-green aura that he had inherited his parents power. How much of it he had, it was impossible to tell yet.
"Welcome back to consciousness, little Chang. We have some news for you." Syaoran said, stepping forward and taking the boy from Sakura's arms. The baby looked up at him with shockingly intelligent eyes, eyes almost too intelligent for his age.
"We are going back to daddy and mommy's home." Syaoran finished. The baby looked up and him, blinked, and then closed his eyes, almost as though he was telling them that it was fine with him.
"Well, that is that. Now, Tomoyo we had best invite your mother to come earlier, because of the fact that she doesn't even know she has a son-in- law, let alone grandchildren!" He chuckled, leading his wife and children out of the room. Tryon waved to the little Ying-fa, who smiled back, and wistfully watched them leave.
"I had best write to King Fujitaka and offer a peace agreement. I want no more war between our two kingdoms." Tarren said, whisking his family away as well.
"We have to write to your father." Syaoran reminded Sakura, who was cooing over her son. She smiled at him, and handed him the baby.
"I will write to him. You stay here with Ying-fa and Chang." She said, leaving the room. He stared after her, and then sat down on a rocking chair, pulling Ying-fa up next to him. His precious little daughter snuggled to his side, while Xiao-Chang's breathing returned to normal and deep breathing; the breathing of a baby asleep.
"He like mommy, but he not like girls." Ying-fa said wisely, looking down at her little brother thoughtfully. Syaoran sighed.
"I think that he likes who he can trust, sweetie. I don't think that it is anything against women. He seems to like Tomoyo, Eriol, Alongue, and Tarren, but he is cautious around the young children. He may be less than three weeks old, but he can communicate who he likes and who he doesn't, by his actions. He loves you, but he is still timid, because you may not be someone he can trust. Give him some time." Syaoran said, speaking to his daughter as though she were a grown woman. Ying-fa got the gist, though.
"You trust me, Chang. I nice. You trust me." Ying-fa said, looking down at the baby. In his sleep, it almost seemed as though the baby had nodded, but Syaoran could not tell for sure.
~*~*~*~
Sakura sat down in eagerness, almost too excited to write properly. She was going home! She would see father, and Touya and Meiling.she wondered if Touya and Meiling had had any children yet. With an impatient sigh, she pulled out a piece of parchment and began to write.
"Dear Daddy," she began.
"Your letter just arrived and you have no idea how excited we are. I can't wait to come home. I have missed you so much, and Touya and Meiling as well. I have had Tomoyo here with me, which has been a treat, but it is not the same. Also, I must admit something to you. The place we have been hiding is very safe and wonderful, but you may not like it because.it is the home of Prince Tarren's wife, Princess Alongue. Alongue was a friend of Tomoyo's, and we realized that we would be safe with her and her husband, despite the fact that he was the son of our enemy.
Now, here are our plans for our trip home. We will arrive in three days time, but my husband thinks that it would be a good idea if we stay out of the lime-light until the ball, therefore, we have decided to take a hidden entrance into the castle, (you know, the one by our smallest library, and avoid contact with anyone until then. Although, Tomoyo has insisted upon an exception to this rule. She needs to speak with her mother desperately, so we have arranged to have her visit her before the ball.
I now want to assure you that I am in good health, and happy. I have learned to accept my role as a wife, and this has made things easier for me. Plus, with Tomoyo and Alongue by my side, I have been perfectly happy the last few years. But I will repeat that I missed you greatly and I cannot wait to see you, papa.
I must close now, but in doing so, please give my love to Touya and Meiling.and any children they might have had during my absence. (I forgot to ask if they had had children! How silly I am!) Goodbye for now, papa dear!
Lovingly, your daughter,
Li Sakura" ~*~*~*~
When Syaoran came up for bed later that night, Sakura showed him the finished product and he promised to get the letter out by that night's mail drop off. With a sigh of relief and a happy smile, Sakura sat down to reminisce over her life before Syaoran had entered it. She kept coming up with the same question. How had she ever lived without him?!
~*~*~*~
"Oh heavens! Oh my.Touya! Meiling! Come quick! A letter from Sakura! There is a letter from my baby!" King Fujitaka shouted, his voice excited. The two who had been beckoned quickly rushed into the room and demanded that he open it.
"What does she say?"
"Has that gaki treated her decently?" Touya growled, earning himself a jab in the ribs, which for once, he ignored. Fujitaka tore open the letter eagerly, his eyes scanning over the familiar, yet so much improved and more lovely, handwriting. At times his face lit up, and at times his face fell, and got a grave look.
"Well, the good news is that she is coming to the ball with her husband, she is healthy, seemingly happy, and has friends. The bad news is that one of her friends is the wife of Prince Tarren, son of King Durkin, and they have been hiding at her palace. There is also no news on whether or not she and her husband have come to an understanding. All she said is that she has learned to 'accept her duties as a wife'. She also says that they will be going into hiding until just before the ball, so as not to arouse too much attention." The king finished. Touya's face was red with rage.
"You mean that 'baka' of a husband of hers actually allowed them to mix with the enemy?! How dare he! Wait till I get my hands on him. And I am sure that he hasn't treated her well, from what she indicated in the letter!" Touya hissed. For once, Meiling didn't reprove him for talking so about her cousin. Instead, her gaze was stuck on a envelope lying close to Fujitaka's arm.
"Father, look there! Isn't that Prince Tarren's crest?" She asked, pointing at the letter, which Fujitaka snatched up and ripped open, eagerly reading the letter. His face beamed with delight as he read the letter.
"Saints be praised!" Fujitaka whooped, flailing the letter in front of their faces.
"He has proposed a peace agreement, with no strings attached! He says that he doesn't wish to have any more wars with us, and has even admitted to having commanded his warriors to fight with our side against his own father! He has been invited, by Sakura, to join the group that is coming for the ball. He hopes that this will be a sign of his thanks to our kingdom, for ridding his of a horrible King. He promises that when he is inaugurated as King, no one from his kingdom will be first to start a brawl with ours." Fujitaka looked up, his eyes sparkling.
"Sakura spoke highly about him in her letter. Did you hear that, Touya? He wants peace! He is even bringing his family here, unarmed, just to show us that he trusts us.or perhaps it is because he and Syaoran are friends, but anyhow, this is wonderful!" Fujitaka ranted. Touya and Meiling grinned at each other. They had never seen Fujitaka so excited before. And if he was willing to accept this new ally, then they were as well.
~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~
Forced to Love by: Daphne Li Chapter 14.
A few weeks after their arrival to Wyngardium Hollow, Eriol woke up to his dear wife's face, shinning with early morning light. He smiled and put his arm around her. Then he felt it. There was that spark again! Only, it was bigger this time, and stronger than when he had felt it the first time. Eriol probed for its cause and then he gasped. How could this be? How could this wonderful thing be? And most of all, how would her tell her without making her faint? Almost as if she could feel his eagerness, Tomoyo's lovely amethyst eyes opened and she gave him a groggy smile.
"Good morning.what is the matter?" She interrupted herself, looking at her husband in worry. Though they had only been married for a few weeks, they could already read each other like books. He sighed and faced her, looking earnestly into her eyes.
"Tomoyo, you know that I have magic, and that I can.sense things before most others." He began hesitantly, his eyes straying away and his fingers twiddling with the blankets. She narrowed her eyes and gently grasped his chin, forcing him to sit still and look at her. For a moment, her eyes searched his, and there she read the answer. Her eyes widened and she gave a squeak. He didn't have to say a word, she knew.
"You.you mean." She stammered, trying to find the right words. He nodded, a small, happy smile on his lips.
"I'm pregnant?! Eriol, my mother.she doesn't know.what will she think when we return?" Tomoyo mussed. Eriol nearly fell over. This definitely wasn't the response he had expected.
"Tomoyo, we will deal with that when we come to it. Until then.what do you want to name him?" Eriol asked cheekily, receiving a glare from his wife.
"You even know what it is!? From now on, you are telling me these things first!" She snapped, turning away from him. He chuckled and then kissed her neck, eliciting a soft moan from her.
"Don't worry, I will. So tell me.how are we going to tell our darling friends?" Eriol chirped innocently.
~*~*~*~
"WHAT?!"
Tomoyo and Eriol grinned at each other in satisfaction. They had decided on the shock approach. And it had worked. They had all met in the breakfasting room to dine, and had been in the middle of a mellow conversation when Tomoyo had 'accidentally' slipped with the news.
"I am pregnant." Tomoyo repeated, causing Sakura to collapse onto a couch and Syaoran to turn red in the face. Alongue simply gaped, and Tarren had to hold her arm to keep her from falling. Soon after they had arrived, Alongue and Tarren had been married in a very quiet ceremony, with only the king, queen, and their friends as witnesses. Ever since then, Alongue and Tarren had been more open with their relationship.
"We only found out this morning. She still has eight months and one week to go." Eriol announced. Tomoyo smiled happily.
"And I will have enough time to make some adorable outfits for him!" She squealed, hugging Sakura tightly. Sakura glared at Eriol accusingly.
"You cheated! We are not supposed to know until they are born!" She whined. He simply grinned and put his arms around his wife's waist. This was definitely going to be an interesting life to get used to, but with Tomoyo and his friends by his side, he knew that he would make it.although if Syaoran had anything to do with it, he would be making it in pieces!
~*~*~*~
*Four years later, in the Kinomoto kingdom*
King Kinomoto Fujitaka stood pacing his study, waiting for the return of his son. Meiling sat pale and worried on the sofa across from him, with her two year old daughter, Milliah, lying asleep next to her.
Three months ago, Touya had gone out with the troops to meet king Durkin's armies on the battlefield, leaving behind his wife and their lovely young daughter. It was rumored that Durkin was still in alliance with Randor McArther, and after Sakura's first kidnapping, King Fujitaka didn't trust her safety to anyone but her husband. Suddenly, a tiny whimper jolted Fujitaka out of his revere. He looked over to see Meiling comforting her little daughter.
"Mommy, when Daddy come home? You tay' he come home today." The little girl whimpered, tears filling her ruby-brown eyes. Meiling sighed sadly and pushed a strand of the girl's dark brown hair back from her face.
"He will be, I am sure of it." She began.
"You are sure of what?" Came another voice. The three occupants of the room turned to see a tired, but still handsome looking Touya standing in the doorway. Meiling gave a cry and collapsed into his arms, sobbing with relief. He held her close until she was calmed and then looked up to see his father holding a lovely dark haired little girl.
"Daddy!" Milliah cried, breaking away from her grandfather and rushing into Touya's arms. He chuckled and held her close.
"Hello, Princess. How is my little lady?" He asked, picking her up and swinging her onto his shoulders. She squealed and laughed, her ruby eyes sparkling.
"I fine. Mommy cry. She say you home today!" The little girl jabbered. Touya looked worried.
"Mommy cried? Why did mommy cry?" He asked gently, slipping his arm around his wife's slim waist. She buried her head in his chest.
"We weren't sure if you would make it out alive. Randor has become so powerful." Fujitaka began. Touya's face turned grim.
"He *was* powerful. And he almost did kill me." Touya admitted, making Meiling cry out and hold him tighter. He held her for a moment, while Fujitaka peeled the little girl off his shoulders, to give them some room. Then Touya looked back up.
"Yukito had to transform into Yue and ended up killing Randor, because the lunatic wouldn't give up the fight. King Durkin died as well, under Yamazaki's hand. Both men should be awarded greatly. They have done an immeasurable service, and now, Sakura can come home!" Touya announced. Fujitaka couldn't control his excitement. With a whoop he set down his granddaughter and ran from the room, leaving Meiling and Touya chuckling after him, and leaving a very confused granddaughter.
"Mommy, daddy, why gwampa so excited? Why he jump up an' down?" She asked, looking thoroughly baffled. Touya simply chuckled and picked her up.
"Your Aunt Sakura is coming home, Millie. Wait till you meet her!" Touya looked just like an excited little boy.
"Come, Meiling. We have a lot of catching up to do, and I want some quality time with my family." Touya announced, putting his free arm around her and leading her out of the room, laughing.
~*~*~*~
*A few days later, in Wyngardium Hollow*
"Syaoran! Syaoran, come quick!" Sakura called, her lovely face flushed red with excitement. There was the sound of running footsteps as not only Syaoran, but Tomoyo, Eriol, Alongue, and Tarren dashed into the room.
"What's wrong, darling?"
"It's a letter! A letter from father!" Sakura cried, sitting down weakly at a table. She had been sitting in the morning room when a messenger had brought the letter. By now, all of the group had changed a bit. Sakura's hair still reached to her waist, but she kept it up in fancy buns and other hairdos, since she was older. Tomoyo and Alongue did the same with their hair. Their husbands were a different story. Syaoran's hair was still the same ever-messy chestnut hair that he had had before, but now, the young man preferred to wear less.formal clothes, such as loose white tops and plain brown knee-breeches, instead of his usual formal wear. Eriol had grown his hair into a ponytail, which Tomoyo dubbed, "Sexy", much to their friends disgust. Tarren had actually cut his hair, and it now hung in a page-boy style. He admitted that he liked it better this way. All-in-all, though, they were still the same old group that they had been before.
"What does it say?" Tomoyo cried, her eyes eager. Sakura lifted it weakly and looked at it.
"I don't know. I have not opened it yet." She said, making them all sweat drop. Syaoran gently took the envelope from her hold and ripped it open, taking the letter out and handing it to her.
"Read it." He said softly. She nodded and read silently; unlike last time, when her face had fallen quickly, this letter caused her face to light up and a happy smile to come to her lips.
"Randor's dead! As is King Durkin (I am sorry Tarren). Father says that it is safe to come home! He is throwing a ball in three days time, to welcome us back (if we come), to make peace with Prince Tarren, and to commemorate Lord Yukito and Prince Yamazaki for their bravery on the battle field." Sakura finished, her eyes sparkling with happiness.
"Oh, I am so glad! That means that Chiharu has a hero as a husband! I am so pleased for her." Tomoyo breathed, leaning against her husband who grinned at the prospect of having his partner-in-crime, a hero. There was a tiny noise, and the six adults turned to see a little boy of about four standing there, his intelligent blue eyes looking at them probingly. He had violet- raven hair, and seemed quite wise for his age. It was Tomoyo and Eriol's oldest child, Tryon.
"Mommy, what is going on?" He asked, his cerulean blue eyes gazing at Tomoyo. She smiled happily at her son.
"We have news, Tryon! Aunt Sakura just got a letter from her father. We can go home!" At Tomoyo's words, the boy smiled. He had heard tales about his parent's home, but had never seen it himself.
"But won't you miss this place? And what about Auntie Lina? She belongs here." He reminded them, sensibly. Alongue smiled at him.
"I may have lived here most of my life, but my home is wherever my family is." She said, slipping her arm about Tarren's waist. Just then, another little boy came screeching into the room.
"Mommy, why are you and daddy hugging?" He asked Alongue, his bright, ice- blue eyes flashing questioningly on Tryon, while he caught his breath. The new boy also had dark black hair, that was cut in page-boy style. He looked about three years old.
"We are going to the other world, Stephen! Auntie Sakura got a letter!" Tryon answered. All at once, little Stephen's eyes grew wide and he let out a yelp.
"Yay! We get to go.there. We get to go there!" The younger boy chanted.
"Stephen, calm down!" Alongue commanded, her eyes sparkling at the boy's enthusiasm.
"Oh, that reminds me. The babies are up from their naps." Tryon said offhandedly, as he and Stephen raced out of the room.
"Oh, thank you for telling us so soon!" Eriol called after him, sarcastically, chuckling. Then he led the group of parents out of the room. They quickly made their way up to the nursery, where the other children were being cared for by the kindly old nurse. She bowed respectfully as they filed in, and then she quickly left the room. The room was strewn with toys, and in the middle of it all, sat three two year-olds. There were two girls, and one boy. The boy had short red-brown hair, and bright sea-blue eyes in a round, cheerful face. The girl next to him was almost identical to him. She had short, curly red-brown hair and identical sea-blue eyes. Her cheeks had a natural pink flush to them, and her features were set in a delicately chiseled face. The girl next to her, however, was the most stunning of them all. She had shoulder-length auburn hair and bright, innocent green eyes. Her face was delicate and pale, with just a hint of rose color in her cheeks. No matter how you looked at her, you always got the mental picture of a dainty little china doll. Her tiny little hands were white and pretty, and her arms and legs were childishly plump, but only slightly. The first two children were twins, and the younger children of Alongue and Tarren, Trey and Haley. The third child was named Ying-fa, and was the firstborn of Syaoran and Sakura.
Near to this group stood a floor-crib, that held two tiny figures. One was a still sleeping girl of just barely one year, and the other was a tiny baby, only a few weeks old. The little girl had lovely midnight blue hair, and chubby cheeks flushed red with sleep. The baby had a small chestnut colored tuft of hair on his head, and his face resembled that of his father's.
"Mommy! Daddy! We wake up!" The little boy had spotted them. The two girls looked up and gave happy giggles. Tarren swooped down and picked up the Trey, tickling him mercilessly. Alongue went over and hugged Haley, keeping a close eye on her husband and son. Little Ying-fa hurried over to Sakura, and looked up at her earnestly.
"We going somewhere?" She asked seriously. Sakura smiled at her little daughter and picked her up. Though Ying-fa was young, she was very sensitive to those around her, just as her mother was.
"Yes we are. We are going to my old home!" She announced. The little girl smiled and then looked at her father.
"Daddy, you go home too?" She questioned. He grinned and swept her up onto his shoulders, much to her delight.
"Yes, Ying-fa, I am. We all are going." He announced. There was a tiny whimper from the large floor crib, and Tomoyo hurried over to retrieve her young daughter, Lana. The baby girl smiled up at them, her amethyst eyes searching each familiar face until it landed on her father. She gave a cute smile and wriggled with excitement. She also sensed that something was going to happen.
"Daddy, when are we leaving?" Tryon asked, coming into the room with Stephen on his heals. Eriol chuckled.
"Well, if we use the stones to get back, we will leave in three days. But if we go back by way of Syaoran's castle, we will leave tomorrow. What do you think parents?" Eriol teased. Little Ying-fa bounced in her father's arms.
"Tree days! Tree days!" She crowed, making the others laugh. Tryon turned worshipful eyes on the tiny little girl, and nodded.
"Three days." He agreed, making her smile at him and display her dimples. Tomoyo and Sakura smiled at each other and nodded at their husbands. Three days it was.
"You hear that? We go to mommy world! Hear that, Chang?" Ying-fa asked, running up to the floor crib and looking down on her little brother. The little boy's eyes were open, revealing amber orbs that were stunningly like his fathers. While Ying-fa had taken after her mother, in both looks and innocence, Li Xiao-Chang had taken fully after his father, as far as the adults could tell. The little boy was silent and hardly ever cried. He simply stared at whoever dared to make eye contact with him, and then ignored them. Being only two and a half weeks old, his parents hoped that it was just a stage. But somewhere deep down inside, they knew that it wasn't.
"How are you my Xiao-Chang?" Sakura whispered, picking the baby up and holding him close. He snuggled into her and turned his baby face to his father. Syaoran could already tell that Chang was going to have some power, if not a lot of it. Though Ying-fa took after her mother, her dark pink aura was weak and held little magic in it. This had disappointed him at first, but eventually, both he and Sakura had agreed that it was for the best. They didn't want their innocent little daughter to have to go through the things that Sakura had. When Chang had been born, though, it had been more than obvious from his already strong forest-green aura that he had inherited his parents power. How much of it he had, it was impossible to tell yet.
"Welcome back to consciousness, little Chang. We have some news for you." Syaoran said, stepping forward and taking the boy from Sakura's arms. The baby looked up at him with shockingly intelligent eyes, eyes almost too intelligent for his age.
"We are going back to daddy and mommy's home." Syaoran finished. The baby looked up and him, blinked, and then closed his eyes, almost as though he was telling them that it was fine with him.
"Well, that is that. Now, Tomoyo we had best invite your mother to come earlier, because of the fact that she doesn't even know she has a son-in- law, let alone grandchildren!" He chuckled, leading his wife and children out of the room. Tryon waved to the little Ying-fa, who smiled back, and wistfully watched them leave.
"I had best write to King Fujitaka and offer a peace agreement. I want no more war between our two kingdoms." Tarren said, whisking his family away as well.
"We have to write to your father." Syaoran reminded Sakura, who was cooing over her son. She smiled at him, and handed him the baby.
"I will write to him. You stay here with Ying-fa and Chang." She said, leaving the room. He stared after her, and then sat down on a rocking chair, pulling Ying-fa up next to him. His precious little daughter snuggled to his side, while Xiao-Chang's breathing returned to normal and deep breathing; the breathing of a baby asleep.
"He like mommy, but he not like girls." Ying-fa said wisely, looking down at her little brother thoughtfully. Syaoran sighed.
"I think that he likes who he can trust, sweetie. I don't think that it is anything against women. He seems to like Tomoyo, Eriol, Alongue, and Tarren, but he is cautious around the young children. He may be less than three weeks old, but he can communicate who he likes and who he doesn't, by his actions. He loves you, but he is still timid, because you may not be someone he can trust. Give him some time." Syaoran said, speaking to his daughter as though she were a grown woman. Ying-fa got the gist, though.
"You trust me, Chang. I nice. You trust me." Ying-fa said, looking down at the baby. In his sleep, it almost seemed as though the baby had nodded, but Syaoran could not tell for sure.
~*~*~*~
Sakura sat down in eagerness, almost too excited to write properly. She was going home! She would see father, and Touya and Meiling.she wondered if Touya and Meiling had had any children yet. With an impatient sigh, she pulled out a piece of parchment and began to write.
"Dear Daddy," she began.
"Your letter just arrived and you have no idea how excited we are. I can't wait to come home. I have missed you so much, and Touya and Meiling as well. I have had Tomoyo here with me, which has been a treat, but it is not the same. Also, I must admit something to you. The place we have been hiding is very safe and wonderful, but you may not like it because.it is the home of Prince Tarren's wife, Princess Alongue. Alongue was a friend of Tomoyo's, and we realized that we would be safe with her and her husband, despite the fact that he was the son of our enemy.
Now, here are our plans for our trip home. We will arrive in three days time, but my husband thinks that it would be a good idea if we stay out of the lime-light until the ball, therefore, we have decided to take a hidden entrance into the castle, (you know, the one by our smallest library, and avoid contact with anyone until then. Although, Tomoyo has insisted upon an exception to this rule. She needs to speak with her mother desperately, so we have arranged to have her visit her before the ball.
I now want to assure you that I am in good health, and happy. I have learned to accept my role as a wife, and this has made things easier for me. Plus, with Tomoyo and Alongue by my side, I have been perfectly happy the last few years. But I will repeat that I missed you greatly and I cannot wait to see you, papa.
I must close now, but in doing so, please give my love to Touya and Meiling.and any children they might have had during my absence. (I forgot to ask if they had had children! How silly I am!) Goodbye for now, papa dear!
Lovingly, your daughter,
Li Sakura" ~*~*~*~
When Syaoran came up for bed later that night, Sakura showed him the finished product and he promised to get the letter out by that night's mail drop off. With a sigh of relief and a happy smile, Sakura sat down to reminisce over her life before Syaoran had entered it. She kept coming up with the same question. How had she ever lived without him?!
~*~*~*~
"Oh heavens! Oh my.Touya! Meiling! Come quick! A letter from Sakura! There is a letter from my baby!" King Fujitaka shouted, his voice excited. The two who had been beckoned quickly rushed into the room and demanded that he open it.
"What does she say?"
"Has that gaki treated her decently?" Touya growled, earning himself a jab in the ribs, which for once, he ignored. Fujitaka tore open the letter eagerly, his eyes scanning over the familiar, yet so much improved and more lovely, handwriting. At times his face lit up, and at times his face fell, and got a grave look.
"Well, the good news is that she is coming to the ball with her husband, she is healthy, seemingly happy, and has friends. The bad news is that one of her friends is the wife of Prince Tarren, son of King Durkin, and they have been hiding at her palace. There is also no news on whether or not she and her husband have come to an understanding. All she said is that she has learned to 'accept her duties as a wife'. She also says that they will be going into hiding until just before the ball, so as not to arouse too much attention." The king finished. Touya's face was red with rage.
"You mean that 'baka' of a husband of hers actually allowed them to mix with the enemy?! How dare he! Wait till I get my hands on him. And I am sure that he hasn't treated her well, from what she indicated in the letter!" Touya hissed. For once, Meiling didn't reprove him for talking so about her cousin. Instead, her gaze was stuck on a envelope lying close to Fujitaka's arm.
"Father, look there! Isn't that Prince Tarren's crest?" She asked, pointing at the letter, which Fujitaka snatched up and ripped open, eagerly reading the letter. His face beamed with delight as he read the letter.
"Saints be praised!" Fujitaka whooped, flailing the letter in front of their faces.
"He has proposed a peace agreement, with no strings attached! He says that he doesn't wish to have any more wars with us, and has even admitted to having commanded his warriors to fight with our side against his own father! He has been invited, by Sakura, to join the group that is coming for the ball. He hopes that this will be a sign of his thanks to our kingdom, for ridding his of a horrible King. He promises that when he is inaugurated as King, no one from his kingdom will be first to start a brawl with ours." Fujitaka looked up, his eyes sparkling.
"Sakura spoke highly about him in her letter. Did you hear that, Touya? He wants peace! He is even bringing his family here, unarmed, just to show us that he trusts us.or perhaps it is because he and Syaoran are friends, but anyhow, this is wonderful!" Fujitaka ranted. Touya and Meiling grinned at each other. They had never seen Fujitaka so excited before. And if he was willing to accept this new ally, then they were as well.
~*~*~*~