Title: Once Upon A Time
Chapter: 4 - The Wonderful Evening
By: Sparkling Crystal
Five thirty.
Princess Belle of Penelopia arrives.
"Why, dear Belle…come here, come here!"
Immediately the Queen said warmly towards Belle as she drew the young princess close to herself.
"Good evening, Your Majesty," she swept a gentle curtsey, "I hope to find you and Syaoran both well?"
The Queen smiled approvingly, "Yes, yes…what a polite and thoughtful girl you are!"
Princess Belle responded with a smile.
Just at that time, Sakura and Syaoran appeared at the Entrance of the Main Hall. They were both laughing their heads off, but for what reason the others didn't know.
The Queen stared.
They were laughing so hard that it seemed SO difficult to stand up.
Princess Belle's face turned a little, but still maintained polite. "You did not tell me Princess Sakura would be here," she said politely.
The Queen looked at her and then looked at Sakura and Syaoran.
"Syaoran!!"
She called in a stern voice.
They quickly realized that they weren't the only ones in the Hall. Stopping laughing immediately, Syaoran bowed and Sakura did a little curtsey while being terrified that she would slip.
Princess Belle curtseyed back and said, "So happy to see you both again." But her face showed little of what seems like happiness.
"Come here now, Syaoran…" The Queen said, "We must not neglect our guest…"
Syaoran and Sakura walked to where the Queen and Belle were.
"Dinner is at Six, you may use this time to show Princess Belle around," She smiled, "Have fun!"
Syaoran stood right where he was.
The Queen looked at Sakura. "Sakura, darling, won't you come with me for a second…? I have something to speak to you about, honey…"
Darling? Honey? Syaoran looked suspiciously at his mother. Since when was she ever so nice to Sakura? "You may speak here, Oka-sama," he said, "You do not think of us as outcasts?"
Belle looked at Syaoran.
The Queen also looked at Syaoran, "What are you talking about? I'm your Mother, Syaoran,…remember that! And anyways, I want to have some heart-to-heart talk with Sakura…now you two, go have some fun together in the palace.."
Sakura gave Syaoran one last helpless look as she followed the Queen to her dormitory.
Princess Belle looked down at the floor.
Syaoran looked awkwardly at her, "Princess Belle-"
"You love her, don't you?" She asked softly.
Syaoran was taken by surprise.
"Well…that is…I..." he stumbled, unsure of what to say.
She looked up at him and smiled a sad smile. She nodded, "It's okay…I understand…"
"We could…we could still be friends…" he said politely.
She smiled again, but it was not a happy smile.
"I…excuse me for a second…" she said as she quickly turned and ran out the Main Hall.
"Girls..." Syaoran mutter to himself.
* * *
The Queen walked slowly into the dormitory, and Sakura followed slowly. She sat down on her Royal chair and eyed Sakura from head to toe. Sakura looked down at the floor.
The Queen raised her half-moon glasses, "So?"
Sakura blinked.
"So…?" she repeated. Like mother like son, Syaoran and his mom both had the habit of trailing off after saying, "so..."
The Queen groaned, "So what do you want?"
Sakura repeated again, "...What do I want?"
The Queen rolled her eyes impatiently, "Yes, that's my question!"
Sakura was very confused, "What do you mean, Your Majesty?"
"What do you want me to give you for you to leave Syaoran alone?" The Queen eyed her.
Sakura stood silently and blinked some more at the Queen, "Leave…him alone?"
"Well, yes," The Queen said, "How much do you want? WHAT do you want?"
"I-I don't want anything…" Sakura said in confusion, "I just..."
The Queen looked at Sakura again, "We'll deal with this again later…don't hide from me, Sakura…I can see through girls like you!" Then she stormed out of the dormitory, leaving Sakura staring blankly at her chair.
* * *
DONG...DONG...DONG...DONG...DONG...DONG...
Six o'clock.
"Dinner, is served!" the announcer said professionally yet loud.
Sakura swept the green silk dress that she was wearing across the Palace Halls, she was late! Hurry…hurry…but her feet couldn't move any faster in her high heels and the slippery floor tiles. If only she had her riding boots! Who made the Palace so big anyways? Sakura had gotten lost so many times she can't even remember where she was. After asking direction from three servants she finally knew which way she was headed.
The Queen, Syaoran, and Princess Belle were already at the Dining Room, all seated and quiet.
No servants dared serve up drinks or appetizers.
The Queen had an annoyed mixed with frustrated look on her face. Princess Belle sat quietly, her hands neatly folded in front of her, and looking down. The Queen started to roll her eyes around, then…
Sakura bursted into the Dining Room, and tripping over her dress and knocking two chairs, one table clothe, three candles, five plates, plenty of glasses, and two servants over like a bowling ball.
Syaoran stood up alertly right after he heard the crash; he looked at the Queen, whose eyes were as if they were on fire right now. Princess Belle's eyes were wide opened, her chin dropped, but then she started chuckling.
The Queen and Syaoran looked at her.
Then Syaoran started to chuckle too.
Their chuckling soon turned into laughter, and they laughed and laughed. The Queen stared outrageously and disbelievingly at the room.
Sakura stood up and stared at them, clueless of what seems to be so funny. Syaoran finally calmed down and pulled a chair for Sakura, who still didn't know how that was so funny, and she was afraid that she was making a big fool of herself.
The Queen didn't find it so funny, yet it seemed that she wasn't going to say anything. So the servants brought up the food and they ate a quiet meal. As they ate silently Sakura noticed Syaoran's glances and blushed. After the dinner Sakura and both Belle were supposed to leave, but something happened to the Royal Carriage so Princess Belle left alone in the evening.
The Queen looked suspiciously at Syaoran, "We WILL get the carriage fixed in time, don't worry."
Syaoran smiled, which made his mother even more suspicious.
"C'mon Sakura. Let's go outside and I'll show you our garden!" Syaoran hid a chuckle and dragged Sakura outside, leaving the Queen still looking suspiciously at them, again.
Outside were many beautiful paths that sort of even make a maze, and were separated with waist-height bushes, so it seemed quite hard to get lost, and was only for decoration. The dim garden lamps shone romantically, causing Sakura to turn away. Syaoran dragged Sakura to a cute little rose-covered swing.
The blue lights brought out Sakura's eyes. Sakura slowly rested her head on Syaoran's shoulders. They sat quietly like this for a while, but they didn't seem to notice time was moving…
Dong...Dong...Dong...Dong...Dong...Dong...Dong...Dong...
The palace bells ring.
One, two three, four...Syaoran counted inside his head, ...eight rings...so it's eight o'clock.
"Prince Syaoran…" a faint voice was heard.
Syaoran looked up, and the old servant that they saw before was walking this way.
Before he saw them Syaoran grabbed Sakura's hand and dashed through the maze.
"Syaoran…!" Sakura cried, "Wha-?"
Syaoran pulled Sakura through the maze until they don't remember how many times they turned left and how many times they turned right. Syaoran then pulled Sakura down and they kneeled on the floor.
Sakura glanced at Syaoran, "What…?"
Syaoran chuckled and put his finger on her lip.
"Prince Syaoran…Prince Syaoran…?" The voice grew louder, and then they heard him mutter to himself, "Strange…I thought I saw him here a few seconds ago…"
He walked around the maze, but not as close to where Sakura and Syaoran were. Then he left the Garden.
"Whew…" Syaoran shook his head, "I thought it would take longer for them to fix the wheels that I sabotaged..."
Sakura stared at him in disbelief.
Syaoran laughed, and he held her in his hands, "Oh, Sakura!"
"Syaoran…" Sakura started in a serious tone.
"Hmm?"
"You know…your mother…said…this…weird thing…"
Syaoran looked at Sakura's troubled face, "What did she say to you?"
"That's the problem," Sakura replied, "I don't get it…she asked me, 'So what do you want from me?' I said I didn't want anything from her…but then she said she knows from girl like...like me...and...I don't-mph"
Syaoran sealed Sakura's lips with his own.
Then he slowly released it, "Don't worry about her, it doesn't matter what she thinks…as long as-"
Syaoran and Sakura both looked up.
The old servant was standing right in front of them.
Sakura hid her face in Syaoran's shirt.
Syaoran stared at him with his face burning red, had he seen EVERYTHING?!
The servant chuckled, then he said, "Prince Syaoran…the Queen wants me to inform you that the Royal Carriage is fixed and Princess Sakura may be on her way…" Syaoran nodded breathlessly, his face was too red to say anything. Sakura's muffled whimper came from under Syaoran's shirt.
* * *
"There IS one strange thing though…" Syaoran muttered as he sees Sakura off.
Sakura blinked at him.
Syaoran smiled, "Oh well, never mind, hope to see you soon!"
Sakura nodded and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek, then she blushed and climbed into the Royal Carriage.
Syaoran waved.
No sooner has the Royal Carriage left the door and the bottom fell apart.
"AHHHH!"
Sakura's cry came from the carriage.
Syaoran suddenly bursted into laughter and started rolling on the floor.
The Queen stared at Syaoran, and she understood.
Syaoran half-ran-half-laughed all the way to the carriage and dragged Sakura out.
"Is THIS what you-" She asked in astonishment.
Syaoran laughed, then he held Sakura up and swung her around. Sakura laughed too.
The Queen stood helplessly on the side staring at the couple.
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~*ARTHUR'S NOTE*~
Thank you SO much to the people who reviewed! I really enjoy reading your complements and suggestions! ^^ I'm still sort of new "writer" so I really like seeing other people's ideas and point of view (unless they are insulting, if so then I would be offended.) But thanks anyways!