Chapter 3: The Reunion
"Lady Sakura! You are to get dressed for traveling," Laela said, entering Sakura's bedroom.
"Coming Laela," Sakura said happily.
She couldn't believe that Li had kissed her! She was so happy. She got up and put on a cream colored gown and feathered hat.
"Where are we going?" Sakura asked as she and Laela walked down the hall to the huge double doors that led to the courtyard.
"We are going to visit the Princess Tomoyo. She has requested to see her favorite cousin again," Laela said, smiling.
"Really! Oh, I can't wait to see her! I wonder how she and Eriol are getting along," Sakura said happily.
Tomoyo, Sakura's beloved cousin, had married Prince Eriol a few months ago, and Sakura was anxious to see if married life agreed with her. Sakura came out into the courtyard and entered one of the carriages that awaited her, her father, and her new mother. Sakura chose one that was empty so she could think about what she had to tell dear Tomoyo.
"Your Majesty, I was giving news that your brother Touya and his fiancée Meiling will be there too," Laela said as she sat down beside Sakura.
"Really? I miss Touya very much, no matter how mean he is," Sakura said, looking forward to this day of reunions.
Laela chuckled and began to do some stitching as the carriages lurched down the road to Lyonesse, where Tomoyo and Eriol ruled. Sakura writhed anxiously in her seat as they neared the royal palace of her cousin and eventually requested to be allowed to sit with the coachman in the front.
"It's so nice to get out of that stuffy carriage," Sakura said once she got herself settled on the seat beside the old driver.
"Ah, I am glad that you are enjoying yourself," he replied politely.
"I am," Sakura answered, "Are we to go right up to the castle or shall we stop just before it?" Sakura asked, itching to see Tomoyo again.
"For you, milady, I shall go right up so that you may see Queen Tomoyo faster," the driver said with a chuckle.
"Oh thank you!" Sakura said, smiling excitedly.
They pulled up to the castle gates and were met by the Queen herself. Tomoyo ran up and gave her cousin a quick hug.
"It is so nice to see you again, Sakura," Tomoyo said happily.
"Yes, I missed my best friend and cousin very much," Sakura replied.
Just then Meiling and Touya came out of the courtyard and Meiling ran over to embrace Sakura while Touya smiled. Meiling, her black hair flying, caught Sakura in a hug and nearly squeezed the breath from her.
"Sister Sakura! I have missed you so much! You haven't come to visit enough! You would think that they had you locked up in a nunnery!" Meiling exclaimed.
"Hi there sister," Touya said, giving Sakura a gentle hug.
"Oh Touya! I am glad to see you!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Hehe, that is good, I was afraid that you would forget your old brother, it's been too long since we last spoke," Touya replied.
"Oh Tomoyo, I must talk to you!" Sakura said, leading Tomoyo away.
"Okay, Eriol, dear, I'll be in the gardens with Princess Sakura," Tomoyo said to her husband who had just joined them.
"Okay honey," Eriol replied absently.
Sakura and Tomoyo ran off, giggling like children. Tomoyo led Sakura to the gardens and the two sat down on a white marble bench.
"Oh Tomoyo, I have found that man I love!" Sakura said once they sat down.
"Really? I am glad. I was afraid that you'd end up marrying somebody you despise. So tell, me what is his name and what is he like?" Tomoyo asked excitedly.
"Well, his name is Li Shaoran and he's really sweet," Sakura began.
She told Tomoyo all about Li, even about how he kissed her.
"Ah, it's sooo romantic!" Tomoyo said dreamily.
"I know, but I am afraid that he might not win, he is not ruthless enough to win a tournament to the death, I don't think," Sakura said worriedly.
"Ah, but Sakura, you have forgotten that you have something that can ensure that he wins!" Tomoyo said craftily.
"What is it?" Sakura asked, bewildered.
"The Sakura Cards!" Tomoyo replied.
"Lady Sakura! You are to get dressed for traveling," Laela said, entering Sakura's bedroom.
"Coming Laela," Sakura said happily.
She couldn't believe that Li had kissed her! She was so happy. She got up and put on a cream colored gown and feathered hat.
"Where are we going?" Sakura asked as she and Laela walked down the hall to the huge double doors that led to the courtyard.
"We are going to visit the Princess Tomoyo. She has requested to see her favorite cousin again," Laela said, smiling.
"Really! Oh, I can't wait to see her! I wonder how she and Eriol are getting along," Sakura said happily.
Tomoyo, Sakura's beloved cousin, had married Prince Eriol a few months ago, and Sakura was anxious to see if married life agreed with her. Sakura came out into the courtyard and entered one of the carriages that awaited her, her father, and her new mother. Sakura chose one that was empty so she could think about what she had to tell dear Tomoyo.
"Your Majesty, I was giving news that your brother Touya and his fiancée Meiling will be there too," Laela said as she sat down beside Sakura.
"Really? I miss Touya very much, no matter how mean he is," Sakura said, looking forward to this day of reunions.
Laela chuckled and began to do some stitching as the carriages lurched down the road to Lyonesse, where Tomoyo and Eriol ruled. Sakura writhed anxiously in her seat as they neared the royal palace of her cousin and eventually requested to be allowed to sit with the coachman in the front.
"It's so nice to get out of that stuffy carriage," Sakura said once she got herself settled on the seat beside the old driver.
"Ah, I am glad that you are enjoying yourself," he replied politely.
"I am," Sakura answered, "Are we to go right up to the castle or shall we stop just before it?" Sakura asked, itching to see Tomoyo again.
"For you, milady, I shall go right up so that you may see Queen Tomoyo faster," the driver said with a chuckle.
"Oh thank you!" Sakura said, smiling excitedly.
They pulled up to the castle gates and were met by the Queen herself. Tomoyo ran up and gave her cousin a quick hug.
"It is so nice to see you again, Sakura," Tomoyo said happily.
"Yes, I missed my best friend and cousin very much," Sakura replied.
Just then Meiling and Touya came out of the courtyard and Meiling ran over to embrace Sakura while Touya smiled. Meiling, her black hair flying, caught Sakura in a hug and nearly squeezed the breath from her.
"Sister Sakura! I have missed you so much! You haven't come to visit enough! You would think that they had you locked up in a nunnery!" Meiling exclaimed.
"Hi there sister," Touya said, giving Sakura a gentle hug.
"Oh Touya! I am glad to see you!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Hehe, that is good, I was afraid that you would forget your old brother, it's been too long since we last spoke," Touya replied.
"Oh Tomoyo, I must talk to you!" Sakura said, leading Tomoyo away.
"Okay, Eriol, dear, I'll be in the gardens with Princess Sakura," Tomoyo said to her husband who had just joined them.
"Okay honey," Eriol replied absently.
Sakura and Tomoyo ran off, giggling like children. Tomoyo led Sakura to the gardens and the two sat down on a white marble bench.
"Oh Tomoyo, I have found that man I love!" Sakura said once they sat down.
"Really? I am glad. I was afraid that you'd end up marrying somebody you despise. So tell, me what is his name and what is he like?" Tomoyo asked excitedly.
"Well, his name is Li Shaoran and he's really sweet," Sakura began.
She told Tomoyo all about Li, even about how he kissed her.
"Ah, it's sooo romantic!" Tomoyo said dreamily.
"I know, but I am afraid that he might not win, he is not ruthless enough to win a tournament to the death, I don't think," Sakura said worriedly.
"Ah, but Sakura, you have forgotten that you have something that can ensure that he wins!" Tomoyo said craftily.
"What is it?" Sakura asked, bewildered.
"The Sakura Cards!" Tomoyo replied.