Hello again! So sorry for not updating this weekend like I usually would. I
was hoping to have four more chapters done this weekend, but I've been sick
with a damn cold! I sound like a frog, first of all, and the worst part is,
if I was in any position besides on my back my head would start spinning! I
tried writing, but the monitor wouldn't stay still. Now that I'm back, it's
obviously stopped, and I hope you enjoy this next chapter! Onward!
***
Chapter Six: Promised Reunion
Touya walked through the halls of the palace, his expression cold and his gate angry. Servants would look up as he approached only to scurry out of his way, such that the path ahead would be deserted. Not one of the palace servants enjoyed speaking with him anymore; he'd become indifferent and curt ever since the Princess Sakura had been left for the serpent. The only person in the entire palace who didn't avoid him was Yuki, who walked beside him.
"Touya? You don't have to walk so fast." Yuki finally said and Touya blinked before slowing. "I was beginning to think you actually wanted to see your father." Yuki watched as Touya's lips curled slightly in obvious anger and contempt.
"I can't believe the sleaze ball actually had the nerve to send for me." He muttered and Yuki gave him a reproachful look.
"What if he's going to apologize?" Yuki said and Touya snorted. "Oh that's right; I forgot. You swore to hate your own father for the rest of his life. And even then, you'll probably still hate him after he's dead."
"Damn straight, so get used to it." Touya growled at him over his shoulder and Yuki sighed.
"Why can't you just let it go?" Yuki said and blinked as Touya spun to face him.
"He doesn't deserve my forgiveness." Touya snapped. "Not only has he ruined two of his daughter's lives, but he also is the reason my mother is dead! He's the reason why Sakura is dead!" He took a deep breath before turning away from Yuki, who looked slightly stunned.
"I'm sorry I brought it up." Yuki said quietly after a moment. "I know you're still mourning Sakura, but I thought you could at least find a way not to be quite as angry with your father." He watched Touya stiffen slightly. "Obviously I was wrong."
"Yuki . . ." Touya turned to him, his eyes holding remorse. "I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just that . . ." He sighed before looking down at his feet. "I get . . . so . . . so infuriated when I think about what he's done!" Yuki watched as Touya's gaze snapped up to meet his, his brown eyes flashing. "He doesn't care, Yuki! He honestly does not care about what he's done!"
"Touya." He said gently and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Your father is suffering as much as you are; you never notice because you're always angry with him in one way or another." Touya's anger didn't fade as Yuki spoke. "What I'd like you to do today is look on him without anger. See the weariness in his gaze and the deep lines on his face. Understand how tired he is and how worn his spirit is. As much as you may hate to realize, he honestly does care for Sakura and everyone."
"Just stop, Yuki." Touya said and took a small step away from him. "I can't stand to see you shielding him." Yuki sighed inwardly before gesturing in the direction of the throne room.
"The if our conversation is done here, let's move on." Yuki started walking and he heard Touya's footsteps as he began to follow. As they neared the main hall, Yuki shook his head absently. Touya could be so stubborn sometimes, and it was frustrating to no end.
"There you two are." Yuki looked up to see Tomoyo standing at the end of the hallway, her garb saying that she'd just arrived at the palace. In place of her usual finery, she wore a simple tan colored robe and her hair was slightly messy.
"Tomoyo." Touya said with a slight smile as he stepped forward to embrace his sister. "Five months without a word . . . how are you?" Yuki watched Tomoyo's face as she smiled tightly up at her brother.
"Tired." Yuki could see that 'tired' was somewhat of an understatement. Her face seemed to have lost some of its youthful quality and her posture was rigid. Even her eyes, which once held such laughter, had a frigid glance to them. "Hello, Yukito! You're looking well." She said brightly, though Yuki could hear the slight strain in the words.
"Tomoyo." He said as she embraced him quickly. "How are you dealing with everything?" She looked away with a small sigh.
"Do I look so terrible that it's plainly obvious?" She said with a touch of bitterness. "I know five months is a rather long time to still be upset, but . . ." Tears appeared in her eyes and she turned away from them. "Sakura was so important to me. She . . . she was my light, my dear little sister who was so selfless. She never once thought of herself. It was more than I could ever be." She sniffled slightly and Touya hugged her a second time, his gaze soft.
"Oh, Tomoyo . . . you and Meilin have had the hardest time of us all. The three of you were as close as sisters can be." Yuki couldn't help but smile as he watched Touya and Tomoyo. Leave it to his sisters to break the icy shell over his kindness.
"I can't seem to move on, Touya. No matter what I do, I see her everywhere. And I can't seem to stop crying . . . my poor husband. I have him worried that one day I'm just going to collapse from grief." She sniffed again. "Sometimes I wish I could . . . at least then I wouldn't have to suffer like this . . ."
"Sister, you shouldn't talk like that." Touya admonished quietly. "Sakura meant the world to all of us so of course it's hard to move on."
"Tomoyo, please don't cry. If you keep it up, I won't be able to hold mine back any longer." Everyone looked up in surprise to see Meilin, who stood behind Yuki slightly. Unlike Tomoyo, she wore her fine silks, as she had arrived at the palace the night before. However, she too looked weary and worn from grief.
"Meilin!" Touya and Tomoyo cried before pulling her into their embrace.
"It's wonderful to see you, sister! I'm sorry that I haven't written . . . I just couldn't bring myself to do so!" Tomoyo hugged her sister fiercely and Meilin returned it with equal force.
"I didn't write to anyone either, so I suppose you're forgiven." Meilin joked weakly and Tomoyo smiled. "That's better. We need to get rid of all the grim auras we've been carrying about." She said and the family hug broke apart slightly. "That's why we came, after all. We need to start to move on." Tomoyo nodded slightly.
"That's why Father wanted to speak with us, wasn't it?" She asked and Meilin nodded. Yuki watched Touya blink slightly.
"What do you mean?" Touya asked and his gaze landed on Yuki. "Do you know what this is about?"
"Tomoyo and I came here to visit the spot where we left Sakura." Meilin said before Yuki could answer. "We wanted to put a marker of sorts for a grave to help us begin to heal."
"Your father was the one who originally suggested it, and he's the one who summoned Tomoyo and Meilin here." Yuki added and Touya looked at him for a long moment.
"I see." He said after a moment. "So when is this supposed to happen?"
"We were planning on tomorrow." Meilin said and Yuki nodded. "So expect to be up early tomorrow morning, brother, because we're going to the spot where we left Sakura." Touya made a face but he nodded slightly.
"I understand." He said softly. "I'll be ready whenever you decide to leave."
"Good." Meilin said and grabbed Tomoyo's hand. "Come now, sister. You must feel rather grimy from your journey; I'll show you to your room." The two raced off, leaving Yuki and Touya alone. Yuki looked from the two retreating women to find Touya staring at him slightly.
"What is it?" He asked with a slight frown and Touya shook his head.
"What ever happened to telling me things like this?" Yuki looked away guiltily. "It's all right, Yuki. I suppose you just forgot, didn't you." Touya turned on his heel and started in the direction of the throne room. "So are you just going to stand there, or are you coming?"
***
Sakura opened her eyes slowly and smiled up at the brilliantly blue sky. It was mid-afternoon, and she'd been out picking flowers since the morning. She'd lain down for a moment and had taken a small nap, and she'd just now awoken. She sat up and stretched before sighing contentedly. It'd been two months since she had admitted her love for the master of the palace, and things had been heavenly.
'I never thought I could love someone as much as I love him. And to think, not once have I seen his face . . .' A small breeze picked up, ruffling her skirts and her hair. She brushed some strands from her face before standing and picking up her basket full of flowers. Humming to herself, she began to walk across the meadow leisurely. Today was such a beautiful day . . .
"If only my Xiao Lang were here . . ." She murmured quietly and laughed at herself. She was such a lovesick fool. "My Xiao Lang . . . I bet he'd be the most handsome person if I could see him." She said with a smile before spinning in a small circle happily. "He'd have eyes that swallow your very being and can look deep into your soul . . . and his face would be proud and noble." She laughed again as she continued to meander through the meadow.
'I know he doesn't like the name Xiao Lang, but . . . I really think it suits him, so I'll call him that when I'm alone.' Sakura thought before picking a small bright blue flower and tucking it behind her ear. 'I mean, what kind of name is 'master of the palace'?' She thought with a giggle.
"Oh, it's such a wonderful day. I'm glad I decided to come pick flowers today; the palace can get so stuffy sometimes." She said before stumbling across a patch of pure white flowers with little golden accents on them. She carefully picked a handful before moving on.
'I wonder how large this meadow is . . . it doesn't seem to have an end.' She thought suddenly before looking over her shoulder. 'Very strange . . . it seems as though I haven't moved far from the palace, even though I know I've been walking for a long time.' The golden palace gleamed in the midday sun. 'It doesn't seem to get any smaller.'
" . . .is where we left her?" Sakura froze as a faint voice floated to her. She turned around after a moment and blinked as she saw nothing. "Maybe . . . eaten. Maybe she's . . ."
"Who's there?" Sakura called, but no one answered. She frowned and licked her lips before taking a step in the direction of the voice.
"No . . . this is where . . . left her." A second voice said, and this one faded in and out as did the previous. Sakura's frown deepened; were they talking about her? "Meilin, I'm . . . of it." Sakura started in surprise.
"Meilin?!" She shouted. "Meilin, I'm right here! Can't you hear me?!" There was a swirl of wind and Sakura skidded to a halt as a hazy image appeared before her. "My . . . my god . . ." She breathed. The hazy image slowly morphed into what could be best described as a window looking out onto the rocky hill Sakura had been left at. She could see the lifeless hilltop in its ugly glory through the huge window and she could see the four people who stood there. It was her family.
"Meilin, if you go on thinking like that, you'll never be able to heal." Sakura watched Tomoyo kneel beside Meilin, who was sitting on the ground, her face buried in her hands. "We must learn to accept the fact that . . . that Sakura . . ." Pangs of sorrow jolted through Sakura as Tomoyo's voice broke and she and Meilin hugged eachother wordlessly.
"Sisters . . ." She said softly and took a step towards them unconsciously. Her gaze moved from them after a moment and landed on Touya. His lips were pressed together in a thin line and his brow was furrowed. He looked so . . . exhausted.
"We came to pay our respects, didn't we?" He said to Tomoyo and Meilin before walking up to a boulder on which, as Sakura could see, had been engraved several words. Her brother placed a single white lily before the small candle that burned at its base before shaking his head sadly and rubbing his eyes.
"Oh, Touya . . ." Sakura could feel her heart breaking as she watched Yukito place a second flower beside the first. Tomoyo and Meilin, who were still hugging eachother, stood and moved to stand beside the stone as well. "I'm right here, everyone. Can't you see me? Can't you hear me?"
"Sakura . . . we miss you so very much." Tomoyo said softly, a tear trickling down her cheek. "I . . . I promised that I wouldn't cry anymore, but . . . it seems I can't keep that promise . . ." She swiped at her eyes and Meilin's arm tightened around her.
"We promised to be strong, just like you, little sister." Meilin said with a tearful smile. "Instead . . . of thinking of yourself, you . . ." She squeezed her eyes shut and Sakura reached out her arms. "Oh little sister, how I wish you were still here! You never realized how much you meant to us. You were . . . our joy . . ."
"Meilin . . ." Tears had appeared in Sakura's eyes and she fell to her knees as Tomoyo and Meilin hugged eachother tightly. Both were crying silently now.
"Yuki, please take my sisters back to the palace." Touya said after a while and Yukito nodded. Sakura could see a faint sheen to his eyes as he passed her and gently began to lead her sisters down the hill. She then turned her attention to Touya, who now sat before the marker. She stood and walked over to stand beside him, but he was like vapor to her. She couldn't touch him; she could only see him.
"Touya, if only you could hear me and now I am alive!" She said, a touch of desperation in her voice. "My dear older brother, how I've missed you . . . I wish there was a way to make you forget your grief!" He just shook his head silently and Sakura reached up to wipe a tear from his cheek. Her hand balled into a fist after it passed right though him.
"Ah, Sakura . . . my little monster . . ." Her brother drew a shaky breath before looking up at the sky. "I wonder where you are at this moment . . . are you really dead? Or did the serpent spare your life . . ." His jaw clenched slightly as tears began to slip from Sakura's eyes.
"Touya, I'm right here!" She called in vain. He could not hear her. "Brother, please don't be sad. You were the strong one, remember? Tomoyo told me that if it hadn't been for you, neither she nor Meilin would've made it through Mother's death . . ."
"My little monster . . . how I want you to be here. I want to see you get angry when I call you that, Sakura." He said and she swiped at her tears in an attempt to clear her vision. "Don't you remember when I first called you that? You'd been angry with Tomoyo and Meilin for taking your doll, and you'd been stomping around the palace. No one dared to go up to you, but I did, and I called you a monster because of your stomping. Don't you remember?"
"Yes, Touya, I remember!" She said, her head nodding vigorously. "You shifted my anger from my sisters to you, and ever since then, if you wanted to get my mind off of something, you'd call me your little monster . . ." She reached out to him again and drew back as her hands went through him.
"Oh Sakura . . ." He shook his head before standing and brushing himself off. "If I don't leave now, I won't get back until late. I'll come back tomorrow, and I'm sure Tomoyo and Meilin will come back. They'll want to give you some flowers." Sakura did her best to smile up at him, even though he couldn't see her. "Listen to me. Can you believe it? I'm pretending that Sakura is here." He muttered and shook his head before turning and walking away slowly.
"Touya . . . Tomoyo . . . Meilin . . . Yukito . . ." Sakura whispered before burying her face in her hands and sobbing. "Forgive me . . . for the grief I've caused you . . ."
***
Syaoran hurried up to the doors of his palace. He had managed to get away from his mother's castle a little earlier than usual and thus was racing to get to Sakura. He enjoyed the nights they spent together more than anything in the world; she was a beautiful person both inside and out, and he loved her with all his being.
"Good evening, Lord Syaoran." The palace spirit appeared before him and bowed slightly. "I'm exceedingly glad to see you back at an early time." She righted herself, her skirts rustling softly.
"How was today? Did anything interesting happen?" A grimace passed across the face of the spirit as he spoke and he frowned. "What is it? Is something wrong? Did something bad happen?" He asked with growing apprehension.
"Lady Sakura went out early this morning to pick flowers for you, and when she came back this afternoon, she was sobbing uncontrollably." Syaoran blinked a little. "She has locked herself in your room and has refused to say anything. She has been in there ever since she returned, crying."
"Do you have any idea what might have happened?" The spirit shook her head. "I'll go to her this moment then. Thank you, spirit." She bowed her head and Syaoran hurried to his room. He found it quickly and tried to open the door, but it was locked. He took a step back before drawing a deep breath and teleporting into the room.
"Sakura?" He called softly as his eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness. "Sakura, are you awake?" He heard a soft sobbing from the bed and started towards it. He parted the veils surrounding it and his heart skipped a beat as he saw Sakura lying face down on the bed, her head buried in a pillow, and her body shaking as she wept.
"Sakura, my love, what happened?" He asked softly as he sat beside her and began to run his fingers through her hair, brushing it away from her face. "Why are you crying?"
"Go away." She said curtly between sobs, her body drawing away from him. "I just want to be alone." Her voice was choked with sorrow and muffled by the pillow.
"Sakura, I'm not going to leave until you tell me what happened to make you so upset." He said firmly as he clasped her shoulders and rolled her over so she was looking up at him. "You can't have been stung by a bee; that wouldn't make you cry this much." It pained him to see her beautiful green eyes swallowed by tears.
"Oh Xiao Lang . . ." She cried before throwing herself into his arms. He was somewhat stunned by her sudden reversal of desires, but his grip tightened around her quickly and he held her as she wept bitterly.
"My Sakura . . ." He whispered. She clung to him as though he was the only thing anchoring her in her torrent of sorrow, and he rocked back and forth gently, uttering soothing words of comfort. She cried and she cried until finally the storm abated enough for her to get out a few words.
"I . . . I saw them." She said at last, her voice soft and hoarse from her sobbing. Syaoran frowned slightly. "My . . . my family came to the spot where they'd left me . . . and . . . I saw them . . ." She drew a sharp breath, her body shuddering slightly as the effects of her crying began to wear off. "They were so . . . so close, but I couldn't . . . I couldn't do anything to . . . to tell them . . ." Her voice broke again and a new storm threatened.
"Sakura . . .shush . . . it's all right. Everything is all right." He said softly as he held her.
"It's not fair! I . . . I want to see them. I want to tell them that I'm alive so they don't have to suffer!" She said in a sudden outburst. "They're suffering, Xiao Lang! And I can't do anything to make it stop!" He shut his eyes slightly. "I . . . I want to see them. And I want to tell them that I'm alive so they won't have to grieve for me any longer." Her arms tightened around him. "But I can't. I tried to tell them today, but they couldn't even see me, let alone hear me!"
"But there's something you can do, Sakura." He could sense her surprise. "They're going to be back there tomorrow, aren't they?" He felt her nod. "Then I give you permission to invite them to this palace for a little while." She jerked away from him in shock.
"You . . . you can do that?" She asked in a hushed voice and he nodded. "Oh thank you!" She cried happily and threw her arms around his neck in a hug. "This is just what I wanted! Oh thank you!" He laughed a little.
"You know I can't stand to see you hurting so much, Sakura. But there's one thing I ask." He pulled her off of him and looked her in the face to emphasize the seriousness of the matter. "They can't stay past evening. All right?" She nodded, though he could tell she was confused.
"All right." She beamed up at him and happy jolts flew through him. How he loved her smile. "I think I'll go wash my face before I crawl into bed, all right?" She kissed him before standing and walking towards a wash basin and pitcher. Syaoran watched her, a faint anxiety growing in his heart, despite his efforts to squash it.
'I hope you know what you're doing, you lovesick fool.' He thought with a small shake of his head. 'I hope this turns out all right . . .'
To be continued!
So what'd ya think? I know I know, it's sort of melodramatic, but hey. Um, I'm hoping my homework load will be lighter this week, but since I've got two or three tests on Friday, don't expect much. I just wanted to make it up since I was sick over the weekend. Hope to update soon -Shasta Rose
***
Chapter Six: Promised Reunion
Touya walked through the halls of the palace, his expression cold and his gate angry. Servants would look up as he approached only to scurry out of his way, such that the path ahead would be deserted. Not one of the palace servants enjoyed speaking with him anymore; he'd become indifferent and curt ever since the Princess Sakura had been left for the serpent. The only person in the entire palace who didn't avoid him was Yuki, who walked beside him.
"Touya? You don't have to walk so fast." Yuki finally said and Touya blinked before slowing. "I was beginning to think you actually wanted to see your father." Yuki watched as Touya's lips curled slightly in obvious anger and contempt.
"I can't believe the sleaze ball actually had the nerve to send for me." He muttered and Yuki gave him a reproachful look.
"What if he's going to apologize?" Yuki said and Touya snorted. "Oh that's right; I forgot. You swore to hate your own father for the rest of his life. And even then, you'll probably still hate him after he's dead."
"Damn straight, so get used to it." Touya growled at him over his shoulder and Yuki sighed.
"Why can't you just let it go?" Yuki said and blinked as Touya spun to face him.
"He doesn't deserve my forgiveness." Touya snapped. "Not only has he ruined two of his daughter's lives, but he also is the reason my mother is dead! He's the reason why Sakura is dead!" He took a deep breath before turning away from Yuki, who looked slightly stunned.
"I'm sorry I brought it up." Yuki said quietly after a moment. "I know you're still mourning Sakura, but I thought you could at least find a way not to be quite as angry with your father." He watched Touya stiffen slightly. "Obviously I was wrong."
"Yuki . . ." Touya turned to him, his eyes holding remorse. "I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just that . . ." He sighed before looking down at his feet. "I get . . . so . . . so infuriated when I think about what he's done!" Yuki watched as Touya's gaze snapped up to meet his, his brown eyes flashing. "He doesn't care, Yuki! He honestly does not care about what he's done!"
"Touya." He said gently and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Your father is suffering as much as you are; you never notice because you're always angry with him in one way or another." Touya's anger didn't fade as Yuki spoke. "What I'd like you to do today is look on him without anger. See the weariness in his gaze and the deep lines on his face. Understand how tired he is and how worn his spirit is. As much as you may hate to realize, he honestly does care for Sakura and everyone."
"Just stop, Yuki." Touya said and took a small step away from him. "I can't stand to see you shielding him." Yuki sighed inwardly before gesturing in the direction of the throne room.
"The if our conversation is done here, let's move on." Yuki started walking and he heard Touya's footsteps as he began to follow. As they neared the main hall, Yuki shook his head absently. Touya could be so stubborn sometimes, and it was frustrating to no end.
"There you two are." Yuki looked up to see Tomoyo standing at the end of the hallway, her garb saying that she'd just arrived at the palace. In place of her usual finery, she wore a simple tan colored robe and her hair was slightly messy.
"Tomoyo." Touya said with a slight smile as he stepped forward to embrace his sister. "Five months without a word . . . how are you?" Yuki watched Tomoyo's face as she smiled tightly up at her brother.
"Tired." Yuki could see that 'tired' was somewhat of an understatement. Her face seemed to have lost some of its youthful quality and her posture was rigid. Even her eyes, which once held such laughter, had a frigid glance to them. "Hello, Yukito! You're looking well." She said brightly, though Yuki could hear the slight strain in the words.
"Tomoyo." He said as she embraced him quickly. "How are you dealing with everything?" She looked away with a small sigh.
"Do I look so terrible that it's plainly obvious?" She said with a touch of bitterness. "I know five months is a rather long time to still be upset, but . . ." Tears appeared in her eyes and she turned away from them. "Sakura was so important to me. She . . . she was my light, my dear little sister who was so selfless. She never once thought of herself. It was more than I could ever be." She sniffled slightly and Touya hugged her a second time, his gaze soft.
"Oh, Tomoyo . . . you and Meilin have had the hardest time of us all. The three of you were as close as sisters can be." Yuki couldn't help but smile as he watched Touya and Tomoyo. Leave it to his sisters to break the icy shell over his kindness.
"I can't seem to move on, Touya. No matter what I do, I see her everywhere. And I can't seem to stop crying . . . my poor husband. I have him worried that one day I'm just going to collapse from grief." She sniffed again. "Sometimes I wish I could . . . at least then I wouldn't have to suffer like this . . ."
"Sister, you shouldn't talk like that." Touya admonished quietly. "Sakura meant the world to all of us so of course it's hard to move on."
"Tomoyo, please don't cry. If you keep it up, I won't be able to hold mine back any longer." Everyone looked up in surprise to see Meilin, who stood behind Yuki slightly. Unlike Tomoyo, she wore her fine silks, as she had arrived at the palace the night before. However, she too looked weary and worn from grief.
"Meilin!" Touya and Tomoyo cried before pulling her into their embrace.
"It's wonderful to see you, sister! I'm sorry that I haven't written . . . I just couldn't bring myself to do so!" Tomoyo hugged her sister fiercely and Meilin returned it with equal force.
"I didn't write to anyone either, so I suppose you're forgiven." Meilin joked weakly and Tomoyo smiled. "That's better. We need to get rid of all the grim auras we've been carrying about." She said and the family hug broke apart slightly. "That's why we came, after all. We need to start to move on." Tomoyo nodded slightly.
"That's why Father wanted to speak with us, wasn't it?" She asked and Meilin nodded. Yuki watched Touya blink slightly.
"What do you mean?" Touya asked and his gaze landed on Yuki. "Do you know what this is about?"
"Tomoyo and I came here to visit the spot where we left Sakura." Meilin said before Yuki could answer. "We wanted to put a marker of sorts for a grave to help us begin to heal."
"Your father was the one who originally suggested it, and he's the one who summoned Tomoyo and Meilin here." Yuki added and Touya looked at him for a long moment.
"I see." He said after a moment. "So when is this supposed to happen?"
"We were planning on tomorrow." Meilin said and Yuki nodded. "So expect to be up early tomorrow morning, brother, because we're going to the spot where we left Sakura." Touya made a face but he nodded slightly.
"I understand." He said softly. "I'll be ready whenever you decide to leave."
"Good." Meilin said and grabbed Tomoyo's hand. "Come now, sister. You must feel rather grimy from your journey; I'll show you to your room." The two raced off, leaving Yuki and Touya alone. Yuki looked from the two retreating women to find Touya staring at him slightly.
"What is it?" He asked with a slight frown and Touya shook his head.
"What ever happened to telling me things like this?" Yuki looked away guiltily. "It's all right, Yuki. I suppose you just forgot, didn't you." Touya turned on his heel and started in the direction of the throne room. "So are you just going to stand there, or are you coming?"
***
Sakura opened her eyes slowly and smiled up at the brilliantly blue sky. It was mid-afternoon, and she'd been out picking flowers since the morning. She'd lain down for a moment and had taken a small nap, and she'd just now awoken. She sat up and stretched before sighing contentedly. It'd been two months since she had admitted her love for the master of the palace, and things had been heavenly.
'I never thought I could love someone as much as I love him. And to think, not once have I seen his face . . .' A small breeze picked up, ruffling her skirts and her hair. She brushed some strands from her face before standing and picking up her basket full of flowers. Humming to herself, she began to walk across the meadow leisurely. Today was such a beautiful day . . .
"If only my Xiao Lang were here . . ." She murmured quietly and laughed at herself. She was such a lovesick fool. "My Xiao Lang . . . I bet he'd be the most handsome person if I could see him." She said with a smile before spinning in a small circle happily. "He'd have eyes that swallow your very being and can look deep into your soul . . . and his face would be proud and noble." She laughed again as she continued to meander through the meadow.
'I know he doesn't like the name Xiao Lang, but . . . I really think it suits him, so I'll call him that when I'm alone.' Sakura thought before picking a small bright blue flower and tucking it behind her ear. 'I mean, what kind of name is 'master of the palace'?' She thought with a giggle.
"Oh, it's such a wonderful day. I'm glad I decided to come pick flowers today; the palace can get so stuffy sometimes." She said before stumbling across a patch of pure white flowers with little golden accents on them. She carefully picked a handful before moving on.
'I wonder how large this meadow is . . . it doesn't seem to have an end.' She thought suddenly before looking over her shoulder. 'Very strange . . . it seems as though I haven't moved far from the palace, even though I know I've been walking for a long time.' The golden palace gleamed in the midday sun. 'It doesn't seem to get any smaller.'
" . . .is where we left her?" Sakura froze as a faint voice floated to her. She turned around after a moment and blinked as she saw nothing. "Maybe . . . eaten. Maybe she's . . ."
"Who's there?" Sakura called, but no one answered. She frowned and licked her lips before taking a step in the direction of the voice.
"No . . . this is where . . . left her." A second voice said, and this one faded in and out as did the previous. Sakura's frown deepened; were they talking about her? "Meilin, I'm . . . of it." Sakura started in surprise.
"Meilin?!" She shouted. "Meilin, I'm right here! Can't you hear me?!" There was a swirl of wind and Sakura skidded to a halt as a hazy image appeared before her. "My . . . my god . . ." She breathed. The hazy image slowly morphed into what could be best described as a window looking out onto the rocky hill Sakura had been left at. She could see the lifeless hilltop in its ugly glory through the huge window and she could see the four people who stood there. It was her family.
"Meilin, if you go on thinking like that, you'll never be able to heal." Sakura watched Tomoyo kneel beside Meilin, who was sitting on the ground, her face buried in her hands. "We must learn to accept the fact that . . . that Sakura . . ." Pangs of sorrow jolted through Sakura as Tomoyo's voice broke and she and Meilin hugged eachother wordlessly.
"Sisters . . ." She said softly and took a step towards them unconsciously. Her gaze moved from them after a moment and landed on Touya. His lips were pressed together in a thin line and his brow was furrowed. He looked so . . . exhausted.
"We came to pay our respects, didn't we?" He said to Tomoyo and Meilin before walking up to a boulder on which, as Sakura could see, had been engraved several words. Her brother placed a single white lily before the small candle that burned at its base before shaking his head sadly and rubbing his eyes.
"Oh, Touya . . ." Sakura could feel her heart breaking as she watched Yukito place a second flower beside the first. Tomoyo and Meilin, who were still hugging eachother, stood and moved to stand beside the stone as well. "I'm right here, everyone. Can't you see me? Can't you hear me?"
"Sakura . . . we miss you so very much." Tomoyo said softly, a tear trickling down her cheek. "I . . . I promised that I wouldn't cry anymore, but . . . it seems I can't keep that promise . . ." She swiped at her eyes and Meilin's arm tightened around her.
"We promised to be strong, just like you, little sister." Meilin said with a tearful smile. "Instead . . . of thinking of yourself, you . . ." She squeezed her eyes shut and Sakura reached out her arms. "Oh little sister, how I wish you were still here! You never realized how much you meant to us. You were . . . our joy . . ."
"Meilin . . ." Tears had appeared in Sakura's eyes and she fell to her knees as Tomoyo and Meilin hugged eachother tightly. Both were crying silently now.
"Yuki, please take my sisters back to the palace." Touya said after a while and Yukito nodded. Sakura could see a faint sheen to his eyes as he passed her and gently began to lead her sisters down the hill. She then turned her attention to Touya, who now sat before the marker. She stood and walked over to stand beside him, but he was like vapor to her. She couldn't touch him; she could only see him.
"Touya, if only you could hear me and now I am alive!" She said, a touch of desperation in her voice. "My dear older brother, how I've missed you . . . I wish there was a way to make you forget your grief!" He just shook his head silently and Sakura reached up to wipe a tear from his cheek. Her hand balled into a fist after it passed right though him.
"Ah, Sakura . . . my little monster . . ." Her brother drew a shaky breath before looking up at the sky. "I wonder where you are at this moment . . . are you really dead? Or did the serpent spare your life . . ." His jaw clenched slightly as tears began to slip from Sakura's eyes.
"Touya, I'm right here!" She called in vain. He could not hear her. "Brother, please don't be sad. You were the strong one, remember? Tomoyo told me that if it hadn't been for you, neither she nor Meilin would've made it through Mother's death . . ."
"My little monster . . . how I want you to be here. I want to see you get angry when I call you that, Sakura." He said and she swiped at her tears in an attempt to clear her vision. "Don't you remember when I first called you that? You'd been angry with Tomoyo and Meilin for taking your doll, and you'd been stomping around the palace. No one dared to go up to you, but I did, and I called you a monster because of your stomping. Don't you remember?"
"Yes, Touya, I remember!" She said, her head nodding vigorously. "You shifted my anger from my sisters to you, and ever since then, if you wanted to get my mind off of something, you'd call me your little monster . . ." She reached out to him again and drew back as her hands went through him.
"Oh Sakura . . ." He shook his head before standing and brushing himself off. "If I don't leave now, I won't get back until late. I'll come back tomorrow, and I'm sure Tomoyo and Meilin will come back. They'll want to give you some flowers." Sakura did her best to smile up at him, even though he couldn't see her. "Listen to me. Can you believe it? I'm pretending that Sakura is here." He muttered and shook his head before turning and walking away slowly.
"Touya . . . Tomoyo . . . Meilin . . . Yukito . . ." Sakura whispered before burying her face in her hands and sobbing. "Forgive me . . . for the grief I've caused you . . ."
***
Syaoran hurried up to the doors of his palace. He had managed to get away from his mother's castle a little earlier than usual and thus was racing to get to Sakura. He enjoyed the nights they spent together more than anything in the world; she was a beautiful person both inside and out, and he loved her with all his being.
"Good evening, Lord Syaoran." The palace spirit appeared before him and bowed slightly. "I'm exceedingly glad to see you back at an early time." She righted herself, her skirts rustling softly.
"How was today? Did anything interesting happen?" A grimace passed across the face of the spirit as he spoke and he frowned. "What is it? Is something wrong? Did something bad happen?" He asked with growing apprehension.
"Lady Sakura went out early this morning to pick flowers for you, and when she came back this afternoon, she was sobbing uncontrollably." Syaoran blinked a little. "She has locked herself in your room and has refused to say anything. She has been in there ever since she returned, crying."
"Do you have any idea what might have happened?" The spirit shook her head. "I'll go to her this moment then. Thank you, spirit." She bowed her head and Syaoran hurried to his room. He found it quickly and tried to open the door, but it was locked. He took a step back before drawing a deep breath and teleporting into the room.
"Sakura?" He called softly as his eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness. "Sakura, are you awake?" He heard a soft sobbing from the bed and started towards it. He parted the veils surrounding it and his heart skipped a beat as he saw Sakura lying face down on the bed, her head buried in a pillow, and her body shaking as she wept.
"Sakura, my love, what happened?" He asked softly as he sat beside her and began to run his fingers through her hair, brushing it away from her face. "Why are you crying?"
"Go away." She said curtly between sobs, her body drawing away from him. "I just want to be alone." Her voice was choked with sorrow and muffled by the pillow.
"Sakura, I'm not going to leave until you tell me what happened to make you so upset." He said firmly as he clasped her shoulders and rolled her over so she was looking up at him. "You can't have been stung by a bee; that wouldn't make you cry this much." It pained him to see her beautiful green eyes swallowed by tears.
"Oh Xiao Lang . . ." She cried before throwing herself into his arms. He was somewhat stunned by her sudden reversal of desires, but his grip tightened around her quickly and he held her as she wept bitterly.
"My Sakura . . ." He whispered. She clung to him as though he was the only thing anchoring her in her torrent of sorrow, and he rocked back and forth gently, uttering soothing words of comfort. She cried and she cried until finally the storm abated enough for her to get out a few words.
"I . . . I saw them." She said at last, her voice soft and hoarse from her sobbing. Syaoran frowned slightly. "My . . . my family came to the spot where they'd left me . . . and . . . I saw them . . ." She drew a sharp breath, her body shuddering slightly as the effects of her crying began to wear off. "They were so . . . so close, but I couldn't . . . I couldn't do anything to . . . to tell them . . ." Her voice broke again and a new storm threatened.
"Sakura . . .shush . . . it's all right. Everything is all right." He said softly as he held her.
"It's not fair! I . . . I want to see them. I want to tell them that I'm alive so they don't have to suffer!" She said in a sudden outburst. "They're suffering, Xiao Lang! And I can't do anything to make it stop!" He shut his eyes slightly. "I . . . I want to see them. And I want to tell them that I'm alive so they won't have to grieve for me any longer." Her arms tightened around him. "But I can't. I tried to tell them today, but they couldn't even see me, let alone hear me!"
"But there's something you can do, Sakura." He could sense her surprise. "They're going to be back there tomorrow, aren't they?" He felt her nod. "Then I give you permission to invite them to this palace for a little while." She jerked away from him in shock.
"You . . . you can do that?" She asked in a hushed voice and he nodded. "Oh thank you!" She cried happily and threw her arms around his neck in a hug. "This is just what I wanted! Oh thank you!" He laughed a little.
"You know I can't stand to see you hurting so much, Sakura. But there's one thing I ask." He pulled her off of him and looked her in the face to emphasize the seriousness of the matter. "They can't stay past evening. All right?" She nodded, though he could tell she was confused.
"All right." She beamed up at him and happy jolts flew through him. How he loved her smile. "I think I'll go wash my face before I crawl into bed, all right?" She kissed him before standing and walking towards a wash basin and pitcher. Syaoran watched her, a faint anxiety growing in his heart, despite his efforts to squash it.
'I hope you know what you're doing, you lovesick fool.' He thought with a small shake of his head. 'I hope this turns out all right . . .'
To be continued!
So what'd ya think? I know I know, it's sort of melodramatic, but hey. Um, I'm hoping my homework load will be lighter this week, but since I've got two or three tests on Friday, don't expect much. I just wanted to make it up since I was sick over the weekend. Hope to update soon -Shasta Rose