Hello again. It's Friday, woo, I'm happy. I've got a whole weekend to do as
I please. Yeah right; I'm going to my grandma's where there's no computer,
so I won't be able to write anything more this weekend. I swear. Everyone
seems to be so dead set against me finishing this! I've got nine to ten
chapters planned (it'll probably be nine. I'll figure out a way to condense
them enough without compromising quality) and I'm up to seven now. Woo, go
me! Anyway, on with the story. Hope you like it and PLEASE review! I love
getting reviews. I really honestly do. (Unless of course, it's a flame.)
Well, now I'm going to start, so onward!
***
Chapter Seven: Joy and Sorrow
Sakura walked through the meadow of flowers briskly, the morning dew not yet gone from the blades of grass beneath her sandals. She held her silk robes up slightly so they couldn't drag and trip her up, and her jewelry clicked softly as she hurried. She'd awoken to the door closing softly as Xiao Lang left and hadn't been able to go back to sleep, so she'd gotten ready and had eaten breakfast. She'd been able to wait for a few hours, but she'd finally broken down and hurried out of the palace to wait for her family.
"I can't wait to see them!" She whispered excitedly with a small giggle. She finally reached the place she'd been the day before and she slid to a halt. She looked around before sitting down, her robes fanning out gracefully. "Now let's see. They weren't here until the afternoon, so I must have a long time to wait." She mused thoughtfully before sighing.
'Patience is definitely not my strong suit . . .' She looked up at the sky wistfully. 'But I guess I'm going to have to learn it, aren't I?'
The sun began to crawl across the sky slowly and soon it was late morning. The smell of the flowers intensified and Sakura flopped back onto the grass, her eyes following white puffy clouds as they floated past in the gentle breeze. Her eyes finally began to grow tired and at long last she drifted into a peaceful sleep.
Hours past, the sun climbed high into the sky, and still Sakura slept on. She finally awoke to the sound of soft voices and she sat up slowly, her mind sluggish and her body unwilling to move. She yawned slightly and stretched before rubbing her eyes and looking around. The voices grew louder, and Sakura blinked as the image of the hilltop appeared.
"Is that my family?" She murmured before standing quickly and smoothing out her garments and plucking strands of grass from her hair. Sure enough, Touya, Meilin, and Tomoyo walked onto the hilltop after a moment. Sakura frowned as she noticed Yukito wasn't with them.
'I wonder where he could be . . .' She thought as Tomoyo and Meilin placed their flowers before the marker and Touya lit the small candle. All three bowed deeply and Sakura was pleased to see that they were looking a little less tired then the previous day.
"She always did like cherry blossoms, didn't she . . ." She heard Meilin say as she arranged the blossoms into a lovely bouquet. Tomoyo nodded in agreement with a small smile and Touya just stared at the marker blankly.
"I had the strangest dream last night, Meilin." Tomoyo began as she sat down on a nearby boulder. Meilin looked up from her task questioningly and Tomoyo continued. "The three of us were all here, mourning Sakura, when she suddenly appeared. She wasn't hurt and she hadn't been married off to a serpent." Meilin blinked.
"You mean she was alive an well?" She asked with disbelief in her voice. "That's some dream, sister."
"I know, but for some reason . . ." Sakura blinked a little as Tomoyo seemed to look straight at her. "It gave me strength to return here. I wouldn't have been able to do it if I hadn't had that dream." Sakura smiled at her sister and drew a deep breath.
"My family, you've suffered enough. It's time for you to learn that I am, in fact, still alive and well." She said and watched as the image became sharper and the hill vanished. As this happened, Meilin and Tomoyo both stiffened in fear, and Touya leapt to his feet with wide eyes. Once the image became reality for Sakura, Tomoyo was now sitting on the ground, Meilin beside her. The two of them had identical expressions on their faces; they looked scared beyond belief. Touya, on the other hand, looked ready to kill anything that moved.
"What . . . what just happened?" Meilin whispered as the three of them looked around. "Where did that hill go?"
"It's like we've been carried somewhere else . . . but have you ever seen such a beautiful meadow, or one so full of flowers?" Tomoyo said with wonder and Sakura smiled. "It's . . . so peaceful here, it's wonderful!" Meilin nodded in agreement while Touya looked around suspiciously. Sakura stepped towards them slightly and his gaze snapped to her instantly. He blinked a little before his jaw dropped in shock as he realized who she was.
"It . . . it can't be . . ." He muttered and Tomoyo and Meilin frowned before looking to see what he was staring at. Their reactions were similar when they finally saw her.
A long moment of silence passed as Sakura smiled at them, her joy preventing her from saying anything. Touya was slowly inching backwards, his head shaking slowly, while Tomoyo and Meilin looked as though all sense had been knocked from them.
"SAKURA?!" Meilin finally shrieked, breaking the silence at long last. "My god, you're alive!" She yelled before throwing her arms around Sakura and hugging her tightly. "My little sister, you're alive!" Sakura laughed happily and hugged her just as fiercely.
"Meilin, how I've missed you! I've been wanting to tell you I was alive and unhurt, but I couldn't ever think of a way to do so!" Sakura looked up as Tomoyo got to her feet shakily and stumbled over to them.
"Is it . . . is it really you?" She whispered and Sakura nodded with a smile. With a cry of relief and joy, Tomoyo flung her arms around Sakura's neck and began to sob onto her shoulder. Sakura laughed slightly before patting her sister's head.
"Oh, Tomoyo . . . my dear older sister. I can't imagine all the grief I've caused you, but I'm so very happy that I could finally bring you here. I've been wanting to speak with you for a long time." She said as she hugged her and finally Meilin pried her off.
"Tomoyo, you don't need to cry so much. You should be happy she's alive!" Meilin chided gently as Tomoyo hiccuped slightly and swiped at her tears.
"But I am!" She said between sobs. "I'm just so relieved . . . I can't stop crying!" She managed to get out before burying her face on Meilin's shoulder, who shared a half smile with Sakura.
"Touya, why are you just standing there?" Meilin said after a moment, and Sakura looked over to see her brother still staring at her in disbelief. She took a small step towards him and smiled gently only to see him frown.
"But . . ." He began at last, his expression becoming confused. "How is it possible . . . how can you be alive?"
"The serpent never came." She said happily and he drew closer. "I am real, big brother." She said with a mock scowl. "You would be able to tell otherwise, wouldn't you?" He just looked at her before he finally touched her cheek gently, his brown eyes searching her face.
"My little monster." He said with relief and happiness evident in his tone. Sakura couldn't keep the glower on her face and she finally collapsed into a fit of giggles before throwing her arms around her neck.
"Touya, how I've missed you!" She hugged him fiercely and happily. "I knew how much you were suffering because of me, and I couldn't stand it! I'm so glad that you finally know I'm still alive!" He laughed a little as he returned her hug.
"So Sakura, where have you been living these past five months or so? You can't have survived in this meadow alone, beautiful as it is." Meilin said and Sakura finally broke her hold on Touya. She turned and pointed at the palace of gold and all of her family gasped.
"Dear lord . . ." Tomoyo breathed. "What kind of person has a place like that?" Sakura walked up and grabbed her hand.
"Come. Let's go inside, and I'll tell you everything that I've been doing for the months that we've been apart!"
***
The rest of the day was spent in the palace, with Sakura and her family talking and laughing. Meilin and Tomoyo fell in love with the palace and all the fine intricacies of it; they especially loved her bedroom.
"Everything here is silk!" Tomoyo had exclaimed.
Sakura had showed them everything that there was to show them. They saw the gardens and the courtyards, which were filled with trees with exotic fruits and flowers of any shape and size and color. They saw the grand hallways and walked barefoot on the rich carpet, and they ate the delicious food and listened to the wonderful choir. On more than one occasion, Tomoyo or Meilin would wish to be able to stay with Sakura and have such a wonderful palace.
It was after a long day did Touya finally bring up the question to as who had such a wonderful house. Tomoyo and Meilin instantly perked up; both of them wanted to hear this. Sakura took a deep breath before beginning to think of what to say.
"Would you believe me if I told you he's a servant of the gods?" She said after a moment and all three members of her family looked thunderstruck for the second time that day.
"A servant . . . to the gods?" Tomoyo breathed. "That would certainly explain this palace . . ." She said as she looked around the dining hall with all the murals and sky-like ceiling. "Sakura, you've certainly lucked out. Instead of a serpent, you got a servant to a god!"
"Hold it." Touya said and everyone's attention shifted to him. He did not look too happy and Sakura frowned slightly. "You said, 'he' is a servant of the gods?" Sakura nodded, her frown growing and Touya's expression darkening further. "I don't think I like this much. What kind of man is he, and why isn't he here to greet us?"
"He serves Eriol, Touya." Sakura said with slight annoyance as she began to realize why he was so upset. "And I'm a big girl now, brother. I think I can take care of myself, even if he and I are the only ones in the palace." Touya fumed silently.
"Tell us about him, Sakura. What's he look like? How does he serve the god Eriol?" She glanced at Meilin, who was looking at her with a smile, her red eyes gleaming with interest. "I'd love to meet him."
"Well, ah . . . let's see. He's the shepherd for the flock of sheep that belong to the god Eriol, and since he does such an exceptional job, he was rewarded with this palace." Tomoyo and Meilin looked around in awe. "However, since he is a shepherd, he is rarely home, and thus has no guests. He leaves before dawn and returns late into the night."
"Then how do you know so much about him? Have you spoken with him?" Sakura nodded at Tomoyo.
"Every night I will speak with him a little before we retire for bed." Sakura cringed inwardly as Meilin got a sly look on her face.
"So tell me, sister dear, what does he look like? Is he an especially handsome shepherd?" Meilin said with a smile and Tomoyo giggled a little. Sakura blinked slightly; she'd been hoping they'd forget about this one.
"Don't hold back, Sakura! We're curious about the man who saved you from being eaten by a serpent!" Tomoyo prodded and Sakura's gaze met Touya's. She winced slightly; he was wearing the deepest scowl she'd seen on him in a while.
"Truthfully . . ." She sighed and hung her head. "I don't know what he looks like." She sensed shock shoot through her sisters yet again. "I've only spoken with him in the dark, so the only thing I do know is how warm and kind his voice is." She raised her head just in time to see Tomoyo and Meilin exchange worried glances.
"You've . . . never seen him?" Meilin asked in disbelief. "What's . . . what's to stop him then from really being a serpent in human guise?"
"I really don't think he is." She said quickly, leaping to his defense. "None of the conversations I've had with him have lead me to believe that he is anything but a wonderful man." Tomoyo gave her a worried stare.
"Sister . . ." Tomoyo paused before continuing. "How to say this . . . Sakura, you know you can tend to be rather naïve sometimes, and I'm not saying that's a bad thing." Sakura frowned. "But to have never seen his face . . . I think you can't be so certain that he is what he says he is."
"Xiao Lang is not a serpent." She said stubbornly. "He is a wonderful man, and I've come to love him!"
"Sakura, just listen to us, would you?" She looked at Meilin. "Serpents are slimy, deceptive creatures. They are known to be notorious liars! He's probably just putting on this act to lull you into a false sense of security before he decides it's time to eat you!" Sakura blinked a little and Touya stood up.
"Sakura, your sisters are saying this because they're worried about you." She looked up at him. "All of us are overjoyed that you are alive and none of us wants to lose you a second time." Sakura felt her hands curl around the fabric of her robes. "I hate to leave you on a note such as this, but if we don't leave now, we won't get back much before sunrise." Sakura nodded slightly.
"I understand." She stood. "I'll take you back to the hilltop." She drew a deep breath before smiling and trying to shove down the worrisome thoughts that filled her mind. She managed to chat happily with her sisters all the way to the place where they appeared and she hugged all of them fiercely.
"All of you are welcome back tomorrow, if you want to come." She said brightly and Meilin and Tomoyo nodded eagerly. They would be sure to bring Yukito with them next time. "I love you all very much." She said before sending them back and watching sadly as their solid bodies vanished from sight. The window reopened and she saw them standing on the hilltop. Each smiled and waved before walking away, leaving Sakura alone with a decision to make.
'Oh gods, help me . . . Xiao Lang couldn't be a serpent.' She thought obstinately, but there was now a voice that was getting stronger with each passing minute. 'But I've never seen his face, so how can I be sure? How can I know for a fact that he is not a serpent?'
***
It was much later that night that Sakura lay awake. Xiao Lang had come in a little bit after when she'd crawled into bed, and had kissed her hello and had asked about her day. She couldn't help but describe her joy and happiness to him; even though she was worried, when he sat beside her, his presence was just so comforting that she forgot for a moment.
He'd laughed and kissed her again after she finished her tale, and he told her how glad he was to see her smiling and not crying. Tears did not suit her beautiful emerald eyes, he had told her, and her suspicion had grown. If he was indeed human, how did he know the color of her eyes in the dark?
More time passed until finally Sakura gave into the internal struggle. She was quite sure he was asleep and she slipped from bed as quietly as possible. He stirred slightly and she froze, but he rolled over and all was peaceful again. She felt her way slowly to the small table on the other side of the room and retrieved her little oil lamp before moving to the divan.
'Now where did I put it . . .' She thought, her heart beginning to pound. She moved aside a pillow and picked up the dagger she had placed there earlier. 'In the event that he does turn out to be a serpent, I have a way to defend myself.' She finally lit her lamp before drawing a deep breath and starting towards the bed.
The veils hid more than she had ever realized; all she could see through them was a vague outline of the person who slept beside her. The only thing different from the outline she saw in the dark was this one had white tones to it from the sheets and the veils. She drew closer and her hand that held the dagger reached out to part the veils. She paused there, as she began to shake with fear. Wasn't this terribly wrong? How could she doubt the man she loved so much?
'But I must know. How could I sleep soundly beside him otherwise?' She steeled her resolve and pushed aside the veil before gasping softly. The dagger fell from her grasp to the ground and was forgotten.
"Xiao Lang." She whispered. It was the man she had met at the after party for Meilin's wedding; it was the very man that off hand she'd thought he was. His hair was still the thick chocolate brown and his face was still as handsome as ever.
'He is exactly as I imagined.' She thought, her heart swelling with love and joy. 'He is no serpent. I was right all along!' Relief flooded through her as well and she began to shake slightly. 'Thank the heavens . . . the man I love is truly a man and not a monster.'
" . . . Sakura?" A sleepy voice asked and she started in surprise, her body jerking backwards slightly. There was a sudden cry of pain and she gasped as she saw that Xiao Lang was awake. His deep amber eyes were wide with shock and he was clutching his arm in pain. When she'd startled, some of the hot oil from her lamp had splashed onto him.
"Xiao Lang . . . are you all right?" She reached for him gently and he drew away from her touch, cringing in pain. She bit her lip. "Why didn't you tell me?" The question tumbled from her lips before she realized it and their gazes met for the briefest of instants. Emotions flashed across his face as they looked at eachother until his eyes held intense sorrow.
"Farewell . . ." He whispered and was gone. Sakura blinked for a moment before realizing what had just happened. She then raced from the room and set the lamp down on a small table in the hall. Lifting up her skirts, she began to run through the palace.
"Little princess, what is the rush?" The voices asked but she didn't stop for an instant.
"Xiao Lang is leaving! If I don't hurry, I'll probably never see him again!" She bit back a curse as she turned a corner. "Oh, I'm such a fool! I should've just trusted him; I should've never thought that he could be a serpent! His presence is too warm and comforting!" She yelled at herself as she continued running.
"Little princess, don't you know who he is? You won't ever be able to catch up with him." She slid to a halt before the great doors and started to pull them open. "My lady, this is a waste of time. Xiao Lang, as you called him, is actually Syaoran, the god of love." Shock ripped through Sakura and she sank to the floor, the doors still shut.
"The . . . the man I love more than anything in the world . . . is a god?" She whispered.
"He is." Sakura shook herself before standing and yanking open the door. She stepped out into the night. "My lady, where are you going?"
"I don't care if I can't catch up to him, I'm going to find him! I love him with all of my heart, and I'm going to show him that!" She yelled before she took off at another run through the meadow. Her bare feet pounded against the ground, but her mind was more focused on other matters.
'Oh Xiao Lang . . . or is it Syaoran?' She thought as she reached the place that was linked to the outside. 'Syaoran, please don't hate me for this . . . I will find you, my love.'
To be continued!
Woo, what'd ya think? I know this is corny, but it doesn't work any other way. Please review, and I hate to say it, but this is going to be the only chapter this weekend. (Sigh) I wish we had a computer at my grandmother's, but we don't, so I can't write at all. (Grumbles) Anyway, there are only two prospective chapters left, and those won't be out until next weekend. Sorry, but hey . . . anyway, hope you don't mind the cliffhanger-ish ending, but for those of you who know the story, that's no biggie. Hope to do this again soon -Shasta Rose
***
Chapter Seven: Joy and Sorrow
Sakura walked through the meadow of flowers briskly, the morning dew not yet gone from the blades of grass beneath her sandals. She held her silk robes up slightly so they couldn't drag and trip her up, and her jewelry clicked softly as she hurried. She'd awoken to the door closing softly as Xiao Lang left and hadn't been able to go back to sleep, so she'd gotten ready and had eaten breakfast. She'd been able to wait for a few hours, but she'd finally broken down and hurried out of the palace to wait for her family.
"I can't wait to see them!" She whispered excitedly with a small giggle. She finally reached the place she'd been the day before and she slid to a halt. She looked around before sitting down, her robes fanning out gracefully. "Now let's see. They weren't here until the afternoon, so I must have a long time to wait." She mused thoughtfully before sighing.
'Patience is definitely not my strong suit . . .' She looked up at the sky wistfully. 'But I guess I'm going to have to learn it, aren't I?'
The sun began to crawl across the sky slowly and soon it was late morning. The smell of the flowers intensified and Sakura flopped back onto the grass, her eyes following white puffy clouds as they floated past in the gentle breeze. Her eyes finally began to grow tired and at long last she drifted into a peaceful sleep.
Hours past, the sun climbed high into the sky, and still Sakura slept on. She finally awoke to the sound of soft voices and she sat up slowly, her mind sluggish and her body unwilling to move. She yawned slightly and stretched before rubbing her eyes and looking around. The voices grew louder, and Sakura blinked as the image of the hilltop appeared.
"Is that my family?" She murmured before standing quickly and smoothing out her garments and plucking strands of grass from her hair. Sure enough, Touya, Meilin, and Tomoyo walked onto the hilltop after a moment. Sakura frowned as she noticed Yukito wasn't with them.
'I wonder where he could be . . .' She thought as Tomoyo and Meilin placed their flowers before the marker and Touya lit the small candle. All three bowed deeply and Sakura was pleased to see that they were looking a little less tired then the previous day.
"She always did like cherry blossoms, didn't she . . ." She heard Meilin say as she arranged the blossoms into a lovely bouquet. Tomoyo nodded in agreement with a small smile and Touya just stared at the marker blankly.
"I had the strangest dream last night, Meilin." Tomoyo began as she sat down on a nearby boulder. Meilin looked up from her task questioningly and Tomoyo continued. "The three of us were all here, mourning Sakura, when she suddenly appeared. She wasn't hurt and she hadn't been married off to a serpent." Meilin blinked.
"You mean she was alive an well?" She asked with disbelief in her voice. "That's some dream, sister."
"I know, but for some reason . . ." Sakura blinked a little as Tomoyo seemed to look straight at her. "It gave me strength to return here. I wouldn't have been able to do it if I hadn't had that dream." Sakura smiled at her sister and drew a deep breath.
"My family, you've suffered enough. It's time for you to learn that I am, in fact, still alive and well." She said and watched as the image became sharper and the hill vanished. As this happened, Meilin and Tomoyo both stiffened in fear, and Touya leapt to his feet with wide eyes. Once the image became reality for Sakura, Tomoyo was now sitting on the ground, Meilin beside her. The two of them had identical expressions on their faces; they looked scared beyond belief. Touya, on the other hand, looked ready to kill anything that moved.
"What . . . what just happened?" Meilin whispered as the three of them looked around. "Where did that hill go?"
"It's like we've been carried somewhere else . . . but have you ever seen such a beautiful meadow, or one so full of flowers?" Tomoyo said with wonder and Sakura smiled. "It's . . . so peaceful here, it's wonderful!" Meilin nodded in agreement while Touya looked around suspiciously. Sakura stepped towards them slightly and his gaze snapped to her instantly. He blinked a little before his jaw dropped in shock as he realized who she was.
"It . . . it can't be . . ." He muttered and Tomoyo and Meilin frowned before looking to see what he was staring at. Their reactions were similar when they finally saw her.
A long moment of silence passed as Sakura smiled at them, her joy preventing her from saying anything. Touya was slowly inching backwards, his head shaking slowly, while Tomoyo and Meilin looked as though all sense had been knocked from them.
"SAKURA?!" Meilin finally shrieked, breaking the silence at long last. "My god, you're alive!" She yelled before throwing her arms around Sakura and hugging her tightly. "My little sister, you're alive!" Sakura laughed happily and hugged her just as fiercely.
"Meilin, how I've missed you! I've been wanting to tell you I was alive and unhurt, but I couldn't ever think of a way to do so!" Sakura looked up as Tomoyo got to her feet shakily and stumbled over to them.
"Is it . . . is it really you?" She whispered and Sakura nodded with a smile. With a cry of relief and joy, Tomoyo flung her arms around Sakura's neck and began to sob onto her shoulder. Sakura laughed slightly before patting her sister's head.
"Oh, Tomoyo . . . my dear older sister. I can't imagine all the grief I've caused you, but I'm so very happy that I could finally bring you here. I've been wanting to speak with you for a long time." She said as she hugged her and finally Meilin pried her off.
"Tomoyo, you don't need to cry so much. You should be happy she's alive!" Meilin chided gently as Tomoyo hiccuped slightly and swiped at her tears.
"But I am!" She said between sobs. "I'm just so relieved . . . I can't stop crying!" She managed to get out before burying her face on Meilin's shoulder, who shared a half smile with Sakura.
"Touya, why are you just standing there?" Meilin said after a moment, and Sakura looked over to see her brother still staring at her in disbelief. She took a small step towards him and smiled gently only to see him frown.
"But . . ." He began at last, his expression becoming confused. "How is it possible . . . how can you be alive?"
"The serpent never came." She said happily and he drew closer. "I am real, big brother." She said with a mock scowl. "You would be able to tell otherwise, wouldn't you?" He just looked at her before he finally touched her cheek gently, his brown eyes searching her face.
"My little monster." He said with relief and happiness evident in his tone. Sakura couldn't keep the glower on her face and she finally collapsed into a fit of giggles before throwing her arms around her neck.
"Touya, how I've missed you!" She hugged him fiercely and happily. "I knew how much you were suffering because of me, and I couldn't stand it! I'm so glad that you finally know I'm still alive!" He laughed a little as he returned her hug.
"So Sakura, where have you been living these past five months or so? You can't have survived in this meadow alone, beautiful as it is." Meilin said and Sakura finally broke her hold on Touya. She turned and pointed at the palace of gold and all of her family gasped.
"Dear lord . . ." Tomoyo breathed. "What kind of person has a place like that?" Sakura walked up and grabbed her hand.
"Come. Let's go inside, and I'll tell you everything that I've been doing for the months that we've been apart!"
***
The rest of the day was spent in the palace, with Sakura and her family talking and laughing. Meilin and Tomoyo fell in love with the palace and all the fine intricacies of it; they especially loved her bedroom.
"Everything here is silk!" Tomoyo had exclaimed.
Sakura had showed them everything that there was to show them. They saw the gardens and the courtyards, which were filled with trees with exotic fruits and flowers of any shape and size and color. They saw the grand hallways and walked barefoot on the rich carpet, and they ate the delicious food and listened to the wonderful choir. On more than one occasion, Tomoyo or Meilin would wish to be able to stay with Sakura and have such a wonderful palace.
It was after a long day did Touya finally bring up the question to as who had such a wonderful house. Tomoyo and Meilin instantly perked up; both of them wanted to hear this. Sakura took a deep breath before beginning to think of what to say.
"Would you believe me if I told you he's a servant of the gods?" She said after a moment and all three members of her family looked thunderstruck for the second time that day.
"A servant . . . to the gods?" Tomoyo breathed. "That would certainly explain this palace . . ." She said as she looked around the dining hall with all the murals and sky-like ceiling. "Sakura, you've certainly lucked out. Instead of a serpent, you got a servant to a god!"
"Hold it." Touya said and everyone's attention shifted to him. He did not look too happy and Sakura frowned slightly. "You said, 'he' is a servant of the gods?" Sakura nodded, her frown growing and Touya's expression darkening further. "I don't think I like this much. What kind of man is he, and why isn't he here to greet us?"
"He serves Eriol, Touya." Sakura said with slight annoyance as she began to realize why he was so upset. "And I'm a big girl now, brother. I think I can take care of myself, even if he and I are the only ones in the palace." Touya fumed silently.
"Tell us about him, Sakura. What's he look like? How does he serve the god Eriol?" She glanced at Meilin, who was looking at her with a smile, her red eyes gleaming with interest. "I'd love to meet him."
"Well, ah . . . let's see. He's the shepherd for the flock of sheep that belong to the god Eriol, and since he does such an exceptional job, he was rewarded with this palace." Tomoyo and Meilin looked around in awe. "However, since he is a shepherd, he is rarely home, and thus has no guests. He leaves before dawn and returns late into the night."
"Then how do you know so much about him? Have you spoken with him?" Sakura nodded at Tomoyo.
"Every night I will speak with him a little before we retire for bed." Sakura cringed inwardly as Meilin got a sly look on her face.
"So tell me, sister dear, what does he look like? Is he an especially handsome shepherd?" Meilin said with a smile and Tomoyo giggled a little. Sakura blinked slightly; she'd been hoping they'd forget about this one.
"Don't hold back, Sakura! We're curious about the man who saved you from being eaten by a serpent!" Tomoyo prodded and Sakura's gaze met Touya's. She winced slightly; he was wearing the deepest scowl she'd seen on him in a while.
"Truthfully . . ." She sighed and hung her head. "I don't know what he looks like." She sensed shock shoot through her sisters yet again. "I've only spoken with him in the dark, so the only thing I do know is how warm and kind his voice is." She raised her head just in time to see Tomoyo and Meilin exchange worried glances.
"You've . . . never seen him?" Meilin asked in disbelief. "What's . . . what's to stop him then from really being a serpent in human guise?"
"I really don't think he is." She said quickly, leaping to his defense. "None of the conversations I've had with him have lead me to believe that he is anything but a wonderful man." Tomoyo gave her a worried stare.
"Sister . . ." Tomoyo paused before continuing. "How to say this . . . Sakura, you know you can tend to be rather naïve sometimes, and I'm not saying that's a bad thing." Sakura frowned. "But to have never seen his face . . . I think you can't be so certain that he is what he says he is."
"Xiao Lang is not a serpent." She said stubbornly. "He is a wonderful man, and I've come to love him!"
"Sakura, just listen to us, would you?" She looked at Meilin. "Serpents are slimy, deceptive creatures. They are known to be notorious liars! He's probably just putting on this act to lull you into a false sense of security before he decides it's time to eat you!" Sakura blinked a little and Touya stood up.
"Sakura, your sisters are saying this because they're worried about you." She looked up at him. "All of us are overjoyed that you are alive and none of us wants to lose you a second time." Sakura felt her hands curl around the fabric of her robes. "I hate to leave you on a note such as this, but if we don't leave now, we won't get back much before sunrise." Sakura nodded slightly.
"I understand." She stood. "I'll take you back to the hilltop." She drew a deep breath before smiling and trying to shove down the worrisome thoughts that filled her mind. She managed to chat happily with her sisters all the way to the place where they appeared and she hugged all of them fiercely.
"All of you are welcome back tomorrow, if you want to come." She said brightly and Meilin and Tomoyo nodded eagerly. They would be sure to bring Yukito with them next time. "I love you all very much." She said before sending them back and watching sadly as their solid bodies vanished from sight. The window reopened and she saw them standing on the hilltop. Each smiled and waved before walking away, leaving Sakura alone with a decision to make.
'Oh gods, help me . . . Xiao Lang couldn't be a serpent.' She thought obstinately, but there was now a voice that was getting stronger with each passing minute. 'But I've never seen his face, so how can I be sure? How can I know for a fact that he is not a serpent?'
***
It was much later that night that Sakura lay awake. Xiao Lang had come in a little bit after when she'd crawled into bed, and had kissed her hello and had asked about her day. She couldn't help but describe her joy and happiness to him; even though she was worried, when he sat beside her, his presence was just so comforting that she forgot for a moment.
He'd laughed and kissed her again after she finished her tale, and he told her how glad he was to see her smiling and not crying. Tears did not suit her beautiful emerald eyes, he had told her, and her suspicion had grown. If he was indeed human, how did he know the color of her eyes in the dark?
More time passed until finally Sakura gave into the internal struggle. She was quite sure he was asleep and she slipped from bed as quietly as possible. He stirred slightly and she froze, but he rolled over and all was peaceful again. She felt her way slowly to the small table on the other side of the room and retrieved her little oil lamp before moving to the divan.
'Now where did I put it . . .' She thought, her heart beginning to pound. She moved aside a pillow and picked up the dagger she had placed there earlier. 'In the event that he does turn out to be a serpent, I have a way to defend myself.' She finally lit her lamp before drawing a deep breath and starting towards the bed.
The veils hid more than she had ever realized; all she could see through them was a vague outline of the person who slept beside her. The only thing different from the outline she saw in the dark was this one had white tones to it from the sheets and the veils. She drew closer and her hand that held the dagger reached out to part the veils. She paused there, as she began to shake with fear. Wasn't this terribly wrong? How could she doubt the man she loved so much?
'But I must know. How could I sleep soundly beside him otherwise?' She steeled her resolve and pushed aside the veil before gasping softly. The dagger fell from her grasp to the ground and was forgotten.
"Xiao Lang." She whispered. It was the man she had met at the after party for Meilin's wedding; it was the very man that off hand she'd thought he was. His hair was still the thick chocolate brown and his face was still as handsome as ever.
'He is exactly as I imagined.' She thought, her heart swelling with love and joy. 'He is no serpent. I was right all along!' Relief flooded through her as well and she began to shake slightly. 'Thank the heavens . . . the man I love is truly a man and not a monster.'
" . . . Sakura?" A sleepy voice asked and she started in surprise, her body jerking backwards slightly. There was a sudden cry of pain and she gasped as she saw that Xiao Lang was awake. His deep amber eyes were wide with shock and he was clutching his arm in pain. When she'd startled, some of the hot oil from her lamp had splashed onto him.
"Xiao Lang . . . are you all right?" She reached for him gently and he drew away from her touch, cringing in pain. She bit her lip. "Why didn't you tell me?" The question tumbled from her lips before she realized it and their gazes met for the briefest of instants. Emotions flashed across his face as they looked at eachother until his eyes held intense sorrow.
"Farewell . . ." He whispered and was gone. Sakura blinked for a moment before realizing what had just happened. She then raced from the room and set the lamp down on a small table in the hall. Lifting up her skirts, she began to run through the palace.
"Little princess, what is the rush?" The voices asked but she didn't stop for an instant.
"Xiao Lang is leaving! If I don't hurry, I'll probably never see him again!" She bit back a curse as she turned a corner. "Oh, I'm such a fool! I should've just trusted him; I should've never thought that he could be a serpent! His presence is too warm and comforting!" She yelled at herself as she continued running.
"Little princess, don't you know who he is? You won't ever be able to catch up with him." She slid to a halt before the great doors and started to pull them open. "My lady, this is a waste of time. Xiao Lang, as you called him, is actually Syaoran, the god of love." Shock ripped through Sakura and she sank to the floor, the doors still shut.
"The . . . the man I love more than anything in the world . . . is a god?" She whispered.
"He is." Sakura shook herself before standing and yanking open the door. She stepped out into the night. "My lady, where are you going?"
"I don't care if I can't catch up to him, I'm going to find him! I love him with all of my heart, and I'm going to show him that!" She yelled before she took off at another run through the meadow. Her bare feet pounded against the ground, but her mind was more focused on other matters.
'Oh Xiao Lang . . . or is it Syaoran?' She thought as she reached the place that was linked to the outside. 'Syaoran, please don't hate me for this . . . I will find you, my love.'
To be continued!
Woo, what'd ya think? I know this is corny, but it doesn't work any other way. Please review, and I hate to say it, but this is going to be the only chapter this weekend. (Sigh) I wish we had a computer at my grandmother's, but we don't, so I can't write at all. (Grumbles) Anyway, there are only two prospective chapters left, and those won't be out until next weekend. Sorry, but hey . . . anyway, hope you don't mind the cliffhanger-ish ending, but for those of you who know the story, that's no biggie. Hope to do this again soon -Shasta Rose