Far off they could hear guards begin to approach. Shaoran quickly turned his sword back into a pendant, and knelt down, and lifted the girl into his arms, causing the creature to growl.
"Well take her to safety, Cerberus. Follow us." Eriol said to the creature as he picked up the book.
The creature was still in mid air, clearly stunned. Shaoran was just a shocked.
Voices in the distance where heard. Guards, most likely samurai, where approaching. Shaoran took this as a queue to get moving, and started running towards their room across the court yard, the girl in the green kimono in his arms unconscious.
The others followed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cherry Blossoms and Magic
Chapter 3 ~
Poor Sakura! Maiden in a Stranger's Bed!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sakura's senses where tickled. 'Something smells really good.' She thought as she turned half asleep, half conscious. For some reason, her futon felt extra soft as well. It felt soo comfortable, she would almost assume she was blanked in silk. She began to open her eyes to discover what Tomoyo was making that smelt soo good.
"Ahhhhh!" She yelled as she sat up strait, seeing blue eyes looking down on her. Instantly her hands went to her head as she suddnly felt the painful throbbing in her head. The owner of the blue eyes, also had dark hair and spectacles, was looking down on her. Smiling, which didn't make her feel any better.
'Who is this guy? Where am I?'
She then felt the sheets under her hand, and looked down. They where silk. The pillows where silk. Silk is very expensive, and not usually used as bedding. She looked around the room, making sure to keep the man in view at the corner of her eye.
The room was lined with tapestries on the wall, and plants where all around.
"Where am..." This time she began to asked out loud, then stopped mid sentence. In the center there was another man drinking cha (A/N: Japanese tea, green tea I think.), who she recognized at once from the banquet. He was studying her from the corner of his sienna eyes, through the dark brown hair of his bangs. He then looked away, and lifted the cup of tea back to his lips.
"It's all right Sakura-chan." The man sitting on the corner of her bed said with a smirk.
Sakura stared at him, wondering how he knew her name, and why he was using 'chan'.
"ARE YOU OK SAKURA!?" the Yellow guardian yelled to her in worry as he suddenly popped up at her from an obvious state of sleep that was visible in his eyes. She instantly felt better. 'It can't be that bad if Kero can sleep.'
"If that stinking Chinese GAKI (A/N: major emphasis on Gaki.) hurt you, I'll KILL EM!"
Sakura stared at him clueless for a minute, then realized that the men where wearing Chinese clothing. 'He must be talking about one of them. I hope he doesn't get me killed by insulting one...'
She returned her eyes on the man on her bed. He kept smiling at her as she pulled Kero towards her. 'Hoeeee. Why is he smiling?'
"Kero-chan," She whispered. "Where are we, and who are they?"
"Oh, them!" He stated, suddenly realizing she had no idea. "This guy," he motioned to the man sitting on her bed with the glasses. "Is Eriol-san. He's Clow-sama's reincarnation."
Sakura looked in surprise at the man. He didn't look much older than her, and he was the reincarnation of the world's most powerful sorcerer! He still smiled oddly at her. She smiled weakly back.
He bowed forward some, and said, "It's an honor to meet you, Sakura-chan. May I call you Sakura-chan?" he asked.
"I... I... yes." Was all she could reply.
His grin widen at her response, then he continued to speak.
"My companion," he motioned to the young man drinking tea. "Is also my cousin, the future leader of the Li clan of China; Li Shaoran." Eriol beamed at him. Shaoran just continued to drink his tea, taking no heed that he heard him.
Then it clicked in her head. All the expensive luxuries, them being at the banquet...
"Are we still at the palace?" she asked weakly.
"Yes." Eriol answered. "But they won't search for you here. It's against diplomatic laws, because your in our room!" His smiled tuned really unnerving to her at that moment, and she felt her face become red. She was in two strange men's room, and that means... 'I'm sleeping in one of their beds.'
Sakura looked to Shaoran, who looked to her again for a second, and suddenly stood up, carrying the tray with the tea pot to a sliding door. Kero instantly flew into the air, and flew into his face, causing him to stop. Sakura watched as the man's eyes slanted as he looked to Kero.
"Don't you DARE go near the book! No stinking Gaki who can't even use a simple lighting spell to safely knock a person out, isn't getting the book! You are not worthy!" As Kero droned on, Shaoran walked around the creature, annoyance on his face. Shaoran set the tea down outside the door for a servant to pick up, and returned to the seat cushion. Kero followed.
"You stinking, no good-"
"Kero! Stop it!" Sakura commanded, remembering that his insults could be the end of her.
At this, Kero flew back to her, muttering incoherently. He landed on her shoulder, and continued to glare at Shaoran. Shaoran returned the look, which made her feel like he was glaring at her. She sighed. Kero could be so unreasonable at times. It now was clear to her who he was calling 'Gaki' earlier.
"Are you all right?" Kero questioned again. "Did the Gaki do anything else to hurt you when he carried you?! What kinda idiot frys a person with lightning!" These sudden outburst shocked Sakura, as well as made her blush. If what Kero said was true, then a lot happened while she was out. 'He carried me...?'
She looked towards Shaoran again. Their eyes meet. He was looking right at her. It took all her will to tear away from the gaze, but they both finally broke it off. Sakura forced her attention back to Eriol.
"What happened?" She asked as she took a quick glance back at the quiet Chinese warrior.
"Oh that!" Eriol responded in compete innocence as if he didn't notice what was going on between the two. 'This is going to be grand.' he thought. His grin grew bigger (A/N: Could it possibly get bigger? Hears everyone yell in unison 'yes!'), as a look of confusion crossed Sakura's face. "There was a bit of a..." Eriol looked to the ceiling as he searched for the word. "Accident."
"Oh?!" Sakura was still confused.
"Yes." He smiled back at her. (A/N: Too much smiling. It's getting scary, poor Sakura.) "See, we where also searching for the Clow book in the library-"
"HOEEEE! Are you really Clow Reed's reincarnation like Kero said?!"
"Yes. I am." He said in the voice one would use to a child.
"Gomen nasai." She apologized quietly under her breath as she realized her rudeness. It wasn't polite to interrupt anyone.
"Quite all right. Now as I was saying, we where in the library, searching for the book of Clow, when to our surprise, with felt someone's presence escaping the room, with the book."
At this point, Sakura realized he was talking about her.
"So as you can imagine, when we sensed someone running off with the book we where searching for, we became a bit aggressive."
"Oh?!"
"Oh." He nodded in agreement. "So, we took action against the person. OR I should say Shaoran took action. He called upon lighting to knock the person out, and here you are!"
"I... I was struck by lightning?"
"Not regular lighting. Magic lightning. Only enough to knock a person out. If he wanted, he could of used lightning at full force and fried you to a crisp." Sakura's eyes went wide at this. "However, once we discovered you where a girl, we began to worry that it may of did more than knock you out."
Sakura forced a little awkward laugh, and said, "That would sure explain my headache." while saying this, she rubbed her temple with her hand.
"So you both use magic?" Sakura attempted to change the subject. 'At least now I know they could kill me with lightning.' She thought sarcastically.
"Of course, I am the reincarnation of Clow Reed." Eriol's larger smile had her conclude he was quite proud of this fact. He then pointed to Shaoran, who was quietly watching them with a frown. "Shaoran is Clow Reed's direct decedent, so he also has inherited magical powers. Pretty much his whole clan is magic literate."
Eriol handed her a cup of a strange but good smelling concoction. 'This must be what I smelt.' She thought as she took the cup.
"That is to help with your headache." He said. She began to drink it, and she wasn't surprised to find it had a pleasant taste. As she finished it, she began to feel tired, and she suddenly lay back down, her eyes beginning to droop.
"Also to help you get more rest." she heard Eriol say as she began to drift off.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eriol got up and sat next to Shaoran once he was sure Sakura was asleep. Kero was rolling up in a ball on a pillow next to her. He couldn't help but smile as he watched a slight smile appear on her face as she slept.
"What are we going to do about her?" Shaoran questioned Eriol sternly.
"Why are you asking me. Your the future Clan's leader." Eriol answered teasingly.
There was a moment of silence, which was broken by Shaoran.
"I say we take the book, and return to China as soon as possible."
"What about her?" Eriol arched a eyebrow in question.
"What about her?" was Sharon's only reply.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Okidokie! There's that chapter. Arigato for all who reviewed! I already have the next chapter written out, I just now need to type it. Maybe it will be up tomorrow (thrusday). All I'll tell you about it is that Shaoran and Sakura get a bit... close in some ways. Hohohohoo! Tomoyo will appear again soon!
Next time, on Cherry Blossoms and Magic:
Intro to Evil. Escape from Kyoto Castle!
