Chapter 2: More memories...
Tokoyo slowly exited the plane. Her cousin, Tomoyo apppeared. "Hey, Tokyo!" Tokoyo forced a smile. "Hey, Tomyo." Tomoyo was concerned. "What's wrong today? First my friends, now you. Everybody's crying and depressed!" Tokoyo brightened her smile. "I'm fine. It was just a long ride, that's all." Tomoyo shook her head. "You don't lie very well, cousin."
Tokoyo felt like snapping, "How would you feel if your mother died a week ago, and your father just marries another?" but she restrained herself. She would reveal all that tonight at midnight, as was Daidoji custom.
Tokoyo actually smiled. "Let's say you'll find out tonight, and leave it at that." Tomoyo knew that her father had remarried, and recently sued a man for running into his wife. "Is your mom out of the hospital yet?" Tomoyo realized her cousin's smile was becoming forced. "I'm sorry. That's what you need to talk about? I won't say another thing." Tokoyo blinked back her everlasting supply of tears. "She died last week." Tokoyo picked up her bags, and started walking.
Tomoyo caught up with her. She signalled her servant, who relieved Tokoyo of her bags. "No. We're breaking tradition. we're going to go to a cafe, and you're going to tell me." Tokoyo glared at her cousin. "No, we're not." she said quietly. "I will not be a Kurii, and break tradition because it's easier. I will be a Daidoji, as my mother was, and stick to my rules, never bending or breaking them." Tomoyo blinked. "O-kay." she said.
~*~
"So, we won't talk until 1?" Tomoyo nodded. "Mother assumed you'd want a welcoming party. I invited my friends, and she invited hers." Tokoyo smiled. "Mother prepared me. Excuse me while I change?" Tomoyo respectfully left the room. Tokoyo opened her suitcase, and gasped. A sparkling blue dress with spaghetti straps met her eyes. An ice blue tiara rested on the top of it. A white note was tucked into her crown. Tokoyo read it once, twice, three times. She was rereading it again when Tomoyo came back.
'Tokoyo Clow Kurii. I was wrong. Yoe deserve your freedom. I wish I had time to say goodbye, but I don't. If an accident happens tomorrow, know that I am not dead. I will never die at the hands of a Kurii. You are starting to understand just who your father is.
I forced that marriage. Your father has said that if I do not sign his divorce papers in 24 hours, he will have me removed. As you are our only child, he believes he gets to keep you.
Buy as many boy clothes you want. If you love me, do one favor: never visit your father.
Your cousin Tomoyo has a friend named Sakura. My assistant knows her. This helper will tell you if the accident was successful. Continue to be faithful, and stand up against wrong. If necessary, there is a family in the states that will take you and many friends in. Here is the Raphael phone number.'
Tokoyo blinked back tears. "Mother, I forgive you." she whispered. Tomoyo scanned the fist line. "Tokoyo," she whispered. "CLOW Kurii?" Tokoyo blinked. "What's with my middle name?" Tomoyo grabbed her cousin and yanked her out the door. "Sakura should be here soon. She'll know what this means!"
Tokoyo yelled, "Know what WHAT means, Tomyo?"
Tomoyo spent the time waiting for her friends by doing her cousin's hair. "With the curls piled up here, the crown looks regal on you. Maybe you should have been born a princess." Tokoyo smiled. "Tomyo, I was, remember?" Tomoyo blushed. "Well, it didn't really count, as the castle wasn't your home."
~*~
Eriol came in, and blushed. He nudged Syaoran. "Who's she?" Li smiled. "You're not nervous, are you?" Eriol swallowed. "No. Of course not. I'm just curious, that's all." Sakura batted at Syaoran's arm. "Stop teasing. You didn't like it when he teased you, so don't tease him."
Tokoyo saw Eriol, and turned her head. He's cute, she thought. She quickly pushed the thought away. Her cousin was about to drag her over to them, and embarass her by saying her middle name was the same as a set of cards.
Then it hit.
~~~
"Tokoyo! Tokoyo! Come here!" Tokoyo was giggling, playing with the servants. A tall woman she didn't know then loomed over her. Tokoyo's 4 year old body shook. "Your father wants to see you." That was what the woman always came to say. Tokoyo shook her head. "No. I'm playing." The woman raised an arm. Then, Tokoyo had thought it was in exasperation. But now she knew the woman intended to strike her.
"Candace LeAnn Gumms! Get away from Tokyo!"
The woman stuttered, "Riana! Why, I didn't see you!" Her mother's jaw was set. "Get up to his bedroom, Candace. And don't come down." Candace turned red with rage, but as Riana nodded to her guards, the woman fled.
Tokoyo blinked. "Mama, who was that?" Riana Daidoji's face softened. "Your father's mistress. Now, let's get you into a clean dress. My friend Ananda's coming over. You can play with Alyson while we talk."
~~~
"Mistress."
The word echoed in her head. She understood. The woman hadn't been able to beat Tokoyo into being obedient. She had complained. Riana Daidoji never let her daughter settle for second best. she remembered this as Candace LeAnn Gumms walked towards her. "Baby! I'm SO sorry about your mother! But now there won't be any fighting." Tokoyo turned her back on the woman.
But Riana was no longer there to protect her. SMACK! The woman had struck her upside her head. From her mother, Tokoyo took it. From THIS woman, whom she now understood, she would not.
Tokyo screamed, and tackled the woman. She teared at her hair, her jewelry, and anything the girl could reach. Still enraged, Tokoyo leaped off. "DON'T YOU DARE! MENTION MY MOTHER!" Candace blinked. Tokoyo kicked her, and ran upstairs. The cardcaptors watched in silent awe.
Candace grinned. "She lost her mother last week. She's a little emotional. She wasn't supposed to leave. I'll just run up and get her."
Tomoyo watched the woman, and had a quick thought. She grabbed Sakura. "Did you bring the time card? We need to get up there before she does. Tokoyo knows something. I didn't read her mother's letter." Sakura shook her head. "Why would I?" Syaoran rolled his eyes. "For Clow business? Honestly, Sakura!" Sakura blushed. "I did my best, Li. Didn't I pass?" Syaoran blushed a little, too. He mumbled something about surpassing tests, but Tomoyo ignored him. The comment wasn't meant to be heard. She'd figure it out later.
Tokoyo slowly exited the plane. Her cousin, Tomoyo apppeared. "Hey, Tokyo!" Tokoyo forced a smile. "Hey, Tomyo." Tomoyo was concerned. "What's wrong today? First my friends, now you. Everybody's crying and depressed!" Tokoyo brightened her smile. "I'm fine. It was just a long ride, that's all." Tomoyo shook her head. "You don't lie very well, cousin."
Tokoyo felt like snapping, "How would you feel if your mother died a week ago, and your father just marries another?" but she restrained herself. She would reveal all that tonight at midnight, as was Daidoji custom.
Tokoyo actually smiled. "Let's say you'll find out tonight, and leave it at that." Tomoyo knew that her father had remarried, and recently sued a man for running into his wife. "Is your mom out of the hospital yet?" Tomoyo realized her cousin's smile was becoming forced. "I'm sorry. That's what you need to talk about? I won't say another thing." Tokoyo blinked back her everlasting supply of tears. "She died last week." Tokoyo picked up her bags, and started walking.
Tomoyo caught up with her. She signalled her servant, who relieved Tokoyo of her bags. "No. We're breaking tradition. we're going to go to a cafe, and you're going to tell me." Tokoyo glared at her cousin. "No, we're not." she said quietly. "I will not be a Kurii, and break tradition because it's easier. I will be a Daidoji, as my mother was, and stick to my rules, never bending or breaking them." Tomoyo blinked. "O-kay." she said.
~*~
"So, we won't talk until 1?" Tomoyo nodded. "Mother assumed you'd want a welcoming party. I invited my friends, and she invited hers." Tokoyo smiled. "Mother prepared me. Excuse me while I change?" Tomoyo respectfully left the room. Tokoyo opened her suitcase, and gasped. A sparkling blue dress with spaghetti straps met her eyes. An ice blue tiara rested on the top of it. A white note was tucked into her crown. Tokoyo read it once, twice, three times. She was rereading it again when Tomoyo came back.
'Tokoyo Clow Kurii. I was wrong. Yoe deserve your freedom. I wish I had time to say goodbye, but I don't. If an accident happens tomorrow, know that I am not dead. I will never die at the hands of a Kurii. You are starting to understand just who your father is.
I forced that marriage. Your father has said that if I do not sign his divorce papers in 24 hours, he will have me removed. As you are our only child, he believes he gets to keep you.
Buy as many boy clothes you want. If you love me, do one favor: never visit your father.
Your cousin Tomoyo has a friend named Sakura. My assistant knows her. This helper will tell you if the accident was successful. Continue to be faithful, and stand up against wrong. If necessary, there is a family in the states that will take you and many friends in. Here is the Raphael phone number.'
Tokoyo blinked back tears. "Mother, I forgive you." she whispered. Tomoyo scanned the fist line. "Tokoyo," she whispered. "CLOW Kurii?" Tokoyo blinked. "What's with my middle name?" Tomoyo grabbed her cousin and yanked her out the door. "Sakura should be here soon. She'll know what this means!"
Tokoyo yelled, "Know what WHAT means, Tomyo?"
Tomoyo spent the time waiting for her friends by doing her cousin's hair. "With the curls piled up here, the crown looks regal on you. Maybe you should have been born a princess." Tokoyo smiled. "Tomyo, I was, remember?" Tomoyo blushed. "Well, it didn't really count, as the castle wasn't your home."
~*~
Eriol came in, and blushed. He nudged Syaoran. "Who's she?" Li smiled. "You're not nervous, are you?" Eriol swallowed. "No. Of course not. I'm just curious, that's all." Sakura batted at Syaoran's arm. "Stop teasing. You didn't like it when he teased you, so don't tease him."
Tokoyo saw Eriol, and turned her head. He's cute, she thought. She quickly pushed the thought away. Her cousin was about to drag her over to them, and embarass her by saying her middle name was the same as a set of cards.
Then it hit.
~~~
"Tokoyo! Tokoyo! Come here!" Tokoyo was giggling, playing with the servants. A tall woman she didn't know then loomed over her. Tokoyo's 4 year old body shook. "Your father wants to see you." That was what the woman always came to say. Tokoyo shook her head. "No. I'm playing." The woman raised an arm. Then, Tokoyo had thought it was in exasperation. But now she knew the woman intended to strike her.
"Candace LeAnn Gumms! Get away from Tokyo!"
The woman stuttered, "Riana! Why, I didn't see you!" Her mother's jaw was set. "Get up to his bedroom, Candace. And don't come down." Candace turned red with rage, but as Riana nodded to her guards, the woman fled.
Tokoyo blinked. "Mama, who was that?" Riana Daidoji's face softened. "Your father's mistress. Now, let's get you into a clean dress. My friend Ananda's coming over. You can play with Alyson while we talk."
~~~
"Mistress."
The word echoed in her head. She understood. The woman hadn't been able to beat Tokoyo into being obedient. She had complained. Riana Daidoji never let her daughter settle for second best. she remembered this as Candace LeAnn Gumms walked towards her. "Baby! I'm SO sorry about your mother! But now there won't be any fighting." Tokoyo turned her back on the woman.
But Riana was no longer there to protect her. SMACK! The woman had struck her upside her head. From her mother, Tokoyo took it. From THIS woman, whom she now understood, she would not.
Tokyo screamed, and tackled the woman. She teared at her hair, her jewelry, and anything the girl could reach. Still enraged, Tokoyo leaped off. "DON'T YOU DARE! MENTION MY MOTHER!" Candace blinked. Tokoyo kicked her, and ran upstairs. The cardcaptors watched in silent awe.
Candace grinned. "She lost her mother last week. She's a little emotional. She wasn't supposed to leave. I'll just run up and get her."
Tomoyo watched the woman, and had a quick thought. She grabbed Sakura. "Did you bring the time card? We need to get up there before she does. Tokoyo knows something. I didn't read her mother's letter." Sakura shook her head. "Why would I?" Syaoran rolled his eyes. "For Clow business? Honestly, Sakura!" Sakura blushed. "I did my best, Li. Didn't I pass?" Syaoran blushed a little, too. He mumbled something about surpassing tests, but Tomoyo ignored him. The comment wasn't meant to be heard. She'd figure it out later.