Chapter
Four:
She had slept on his shoulder the
entire plane ride. And he had watched her, noticed that the lines on her young
face followed her into her dreams. She slept chasing devils and being chased by
their demons. He knew then, was reminded once more, that of all of them she
needed to rest. Have one good night's sleep without seeing Sakura in her
dreams.
Now he sat in the backseat of a long
car, the Chinese landscape flying by as he was driven to Xiao Lang's house.
Beside him Tomoyo was pointing out things to him, acting as if nothing had occurred
between them. Which was fine. He bowed his head against the scenery at his
side. So long as she didn't disappear out of his life. He could take, just
barely, not being able to touch her. But to never see here again, never hear
her voice…
He would be left as devastated as
Xiao Lang.
Nakuru was sticking her finger into
Spinel Sun's cage, poking him and then quickly pulling back as he swiped at
her. Eriol watched them for a little while, a small smile curving his lips.
Carefree and innocent. He had been that once.
"Look, there it is!" Tomoyo
whispered excitedly.
Eriol looked up, finally seeing the
house. And he cocked his head, rethinking. It wasn't a house so much as a
mansion. Large, sprawling. With perfect white pillars in the front and grand
doors.
Like something he had had so long
ago.
Standing out in the front, in the
shade was Xiao Lang, auburn locks tossed by a gentle breeze. He turned his
head, eyes catching on the car as it slowed to a stop in front and he had taken
all of one step down when a black blur came from the doors, passing him by.
"They're here!"
Nakuru opened the door, coming out
and she came face to face with Meilin who screeched to a halt before her. Meilin
looked up at her, Nakuru being taller by several inches and then she looked at
Spinel Sun in the cage, blinking wide eyes.
Tomoyo also stepped out of the car,
a smile widening on her face and Meilin instantly sidestepped passed Nakuru, throwing
her arms around Tomoyo. "Tomoyo-chan!" she cried cheerfully, long black hair
waving behind her as she flung herself.
Tomoyo caught her, laughing and the
girls embraced, Meilin jumping up and down happily. "It has been so long! How
are you? How is your mother? How is Japan?"
Syaoran finally came up and he
nodded at Nakuru, bending down to look at Spinel Sun in the cage. "You can let
him out. It's almost cruel keeping a Guardian in a cage." He said and he lifted
his hand, unlocking the cage.
Spinel Sun sprang out, hopping onto
his shoulder and seating himself there quite comfortably.
Eriol came forward, laden with bags.
"How are you, Xiao Lang?" he asked, and it was strange using his name like
that. In the past he would probably never have used his name, quite content
with calling him his descendant. Which he was, Eriol being half of Clow Reed's
reincarnation.
Syaoran glanced at him and nodded. "Good,
actually." He replied and Eriol felt somehow that even though they had never
gotten along Xiao Lang did not hold him responsible for anything. In fact, it
almost seemed as if Xiao Lang were trying to get along with him, perhaps
correct old wrongs.
Not for the first time did Eriol
understand that Sakura's death had matured him before his time.
Syaoran reached out, taking a few of
the bags. "The plane ride was all right?" he asked, glancing at Tomoyo as she
finally managed to pry Meilin's grip from her neck. Tomoyo nodded and linked
one arm through his, smiling sweetly.
"It was fine. Although I do feel the
slightest bit jet-lagged." She answered.
Syaoran straightened, motioning with
his head. "Then, come on. I'll show you all around and get you settled in. The
house is a mess, all the decorations are lying around for tomorrow but I'm sure
you'll be able to sleep through the noise."
Together the group climbed the
stairs, entering the house.
"He looks fine to me." Eriol said
quietly, leaning into Tomoyo as they stood inside the large room the main
festivities would be held. His dark eyes shifted from Xiao Lang to Meilin who
was shrieking orders at a poor person setting up tables. Not too far away Xiao
Lang was with another person, looking over several forms and then pointing
toward the large windows across the south wall. He lowered the papers and
motioned, indicating the beige curtains and shaking his head.
Tomoyo nodded solemnly. "But
appearances can be deceiving." She murmured and she kept her gaze straight
ahead, locked on Syaoran as Eriol glanced at her.
After a slight pause he said, "I'm
sure," and leaned back on his heels, hands lifting to slide into his pockets.
Tomoyo looked at him then, quickly,
and frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked in confusion but he
merely shrugged, eyes darting toward Meilin as the girl skipped over to Xiao Lang.
Tomoyo turned back, also looking on
as Meilin hopped to a stop beside Syaoran and wrapped her arms around his waist
cheerfully. Absentmindedly, Syaoran wound an arm around her shoulders and then
looked at her, seemingly asking her opinion about the windows. She shook her
head and Syaoran nodded, satisfied, throwing an, 'I told you so' glance
at the man.
"They look happy." Eriol said
softly. "Happy to be together."
Tomoyo shook her head distractedly. "He
didn't sound it on the phone." She whispered. "He sounded…off."
Syaoran turned away, handing back
the papers to the man who quickly shuffled off and he pulled Meilin close,
speaking to her almost intimately. She leaned into him, nodding and when she
bowed her head he dropped a small kiss on her forehead, his hand intertwining
with hers.
Tomoyo stared for all of a second
before turning away from them, looking back toward the way she and Eriol had
come in. Her lips trembled the slightest bit and she tightened them into a firm
line, long hair falling down the sides of her face.
Eriol looked at her, reaching a hand
out and touching her elbow. "You knew you would see this when you came here." He
said to her quietly.
Tomoyo nodded, lips bloodless. "I
know. I thought I was prepared. But I spent so long with the notion of
Sakura-chan and Li-kun that it almost…makes me sick to see him with Meilin." And
she looked at him quickly, almost panicking. "Not that I hate Meilin-chan
because I don't, not at all."
Eriol nodded in understanding, all
attention on her.
She shook her head. "Even at their
wedding…it hurt to see them together, to know that it would never be
Sakura-chan to be there beside him. That it would never…be Sakura-chan
who would be getting married." She swallowed painfully and then glanced over
her shoulder towards the couple again, reluctantly. "Sakura-chan always wanted
a marriage like the one her parents had. A union between two people who loved
each other with all their hearts. She saw that union between herself and
Syaoran."
Eriol also glanced at Xiao Lang and Meilin,
thoughtfully.
At least they're moving on
though, aren't they?
He looked at Tomoyo out of the
corner of his eye.
Which is more than I can say for
you…
Tomoyo plastered a smile onto her
face as Meilin caught sight of them and skipped over to them, hair fashioned in
her usual twin-ponytail style. "Meilin-chan…"
"What are you going to wear,
Tomoyo-chan?" she asked excitedly. "I have an outfit but I'm not sure how it
looks. Want to take a look with me?"
"Of course." Tomoyo nodded quickly.
Meilin linked an arm through hers. "Good,
c'mon, let's go. Let's leave all the work to Syaoran." She glanced at him over
her shoulder and stuck her tongue out at him. "We're leaving."
Syaoran's expression didn't waver in
the least. "Don't let me find you in the kitchen." He warned.
"Baka!" she countered as
Tomoyo laughed and the two of them floated out of the room, leaving Eriol
behind.
Syaoran spared him a weary glance as
he smiled wryly. "Is she always like that?" he asked his descendant, coming up
to stand beside him.
Xiao Lang nodded, looking just as
tired. "Always." He stressed.
"I feel sorry for you." Eriol said reassuringly
and he studied him then, up close and personal. "Did you sleep last night? You
look…quite drained."
Xiao Lang shrugged absentmindedly. "I
had my fill." He said simply. And when he glanced at Eriol to find him looking
at him inquisitively, he added, "Usually three or four hours do it for me."
Eriol arched his eyebrows. "That's
not nearly enough." He murmured. "How long has it been since you had a normal
night's sleep?"
Xiao Lang took a long moment to
answer, eyes blinking. "Not for a while now." He said at last, speaking softly,
so low that even Eriol had a hard time hearing him. He turned to gaze out the
windows, expelling a deep breath slowly and Eriol looked with him, only then
seeing the cherry blossom tree directly outside the large windows. Eriol
glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, lips parting.
It was almost as if Xiao Lang knew
what he wanted to ask. "My mother had them put up when I was young. And when
she found out the new Cardcaptor was a girl named Sakura she had more put up.
Like she knew what would happen." He said quietly, staring at the pink petals
and strong trunk.
Eriol didn't say anything.
Xiao Lang inhaled faintly, still in
the same position. "I think my mother knows a lot more than she lets on." He said
after a moment. "It always seemed like when I brought up…Sakura…she got this
little light in her eye. Like she knew I saw her as more than just a rival."
"From her own magic perhaps?" Eriol
inquired.
Xiao Lang smiled gently. "Mother's
intuition." He corrected. And he looked at Eriol at last, turning his attention
from the cherry blossom trees. "Come on, dinner should be ready soon. I want to
stop by the kitchen and see if Meilin listened to me for once."
Eriol smiled and followed behind his
host, head bowing.
The party was under way and Eriol
looked around, feeling perfectly in place with what he wore but not with the
strangers surrounding him. Tomoyo had slipped away seconds earlier, saying she
would be getting a few drinks for him and herself and he wished she would
return already.
Off to the side Nakuru stood with
Spinel Sun, a hand clamped over his snout as he sniffed towards small sweets
and delicacies. And yet at the same time she was bent over, looking from one
sweet to another, eyes wide.
Eriol smiled and glanced toward the
front of the room where Xiao Lang was drifting from person to person, welcoming
everyone and acting the part of the good host. Meilin, at his side and dressed
in a lovely dark piece, was smiling just as sweetly, conversing here and there.
Tomoyo returned then, holding out a
cup. "Here you go." She said, another cup in her hand.
He nodded. "Arigato." And he took in
her appearance in one quick glance, looking away as his face flushed the
slightest bit. She always had looked enchanting in light colors and the white
dress she wore set off her dark hair and eyes. He took a deep swallow of the
drink, realizing a moment later it had alcohol in it.
If nothing else he was glad he could
hold his liquor.
Xiao Lang finally wound around to
them, and at a close glance Eriol noticed Meilin was holding onto his arm for
dear life. "These people…" Meilin whispered, leaning close and confiding in
them.
Xiao Lang nodded in agreement,
finger loosening his collar a bit. "Several Clan Leaders are here…" he murmured
and he glanced at Meilin. "Did I invite them without realizing it?"
"Your mother." Meilin mouthed inaudibly.
And she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.
Xiao Lang nodded once more, opening
his mouth to say something more when a bright light from the center of the room
caused him to rear up and glance over his shoulder.
Eriol and Tomoyo looked up as well,
focusing when small shrieks rang out.
In the middle of the large room,
bright light was pulsing. Several people backed away, creating a circle around
the light and lightening erupted from the ceiling, striking the floor and
sending sparks flying.
"Nani..?" Tomoyo whispered in
confusion. She looked at Syaoran. "Light shows?"
Syaoran shook his head slowly.
A small disc of light appeared,
lightening forking along its rim and from its center rose a figure, draped in
long black robes, hood drawn. He held a long black staff in a gloved hand,
stance already one of anger.
Syaoran backed up a step, jaw
clenching. "No…"
Eriol frowned, unsure of what he
felt. A strange familiarity was rising inside, as if he had encountered this
person once before. He glanced at Xiao Lang, trying to gauge his reaction.
Xiao Lang was paler than a ghost,
lips parted.
"It's him." He uttered faintly and
he took hold of Meilin's hand, squeezing it tight. "It's the man who killed
Sakura."