Caught in a curse
Chapter 4
Author : butterfly-grey
This chapter's short compared to the others. Oh well, enjoy. I think the story's
getting a little lame, don't you think?
* * *
"Mother, you wanted me," Xiao Lang said to his mother respectfully.
His mother looked up from her book and smiled at him. She put down her book and
motion for him to come forward. Xiao Lang strode towards her but he didn't sit with her
on the couch. It was a matter of tradition and respect for an elder.
"How is your training, my son?" she inquired.
He shrugged, "As usual, mother."
She scrutinized him with sharp eyes, noting how relaxed he was now when usually
he was so serious. Silence hung over the two for a moment before Ye Lan opened her
mouth once again, "A few young ladies will be paying us a visit in a week's time. I
trust you to be cordial to them."
His features twisted into a scowl, "Mother, I thought I told you that I had enough
of this matchmaking of yours."
His mother pretended she never heard him and continued in her most authoritive
voice, "You will do as I ask of you. You are our heir it is your duty to sire an heir."
"What if I told you I already have someone in mind," he asked his mother.
"Bring her to me and I shall decide whether she is worthy," she told him.
He nodded and left the chamber with long strides. He was in a hurry to meet
Ying Fa and to tell her the great news. Xiao Lang was certain he loved her, how else
could he explain why his heart seemed to beat harder whenever she was near.
On his way out, he met Eriol who stopped him.
"What is it?" Xiao Lang growled at him.
"I just wanted to remind you of the promise you made to Yi Long. You seem
so preoccupied about something I thought you might forget," Eriol said pleasantly.
His eyebrows drew together in confusion, "What promise?"
Eriol sighed, "About bringing him fishing. The little tyke's so excited about
it he's bugging his mom to get him ready for it."
"Yes, now I remember. Thanks Eriol," he said quickly and made way for the
stables.
Eriol simply smiled. If the rumors were true, he hoped that whoever she was she
would not disappoint his cousin. He had not understand how Xiao Lang could have changed
so much when he had been 8 years old. Before the strange incident, Xiao Lang had been
cheerful and always getting himself into mischief. And he, Eriol had went along with
him, both of them had been two peas in a pod since the day they could walk. However, that
all changed ever since Xiao Lang had gotten lost in the forest mountains that fateful day.
It was a strange incident, as he recalled.
Xiao Lang would disappear for hours to the mountains and return with a most
happy disposition and nothing could displease him. Weeks after that, there was a
fire in that quaint house on the mountains and an old woman and her adopted
daughter were reported dead. Lady Li had kept Xiao Lang in his room and wouldn't
allow him to go in, saying that Xiao Lang had come down with an evil fever and
he needed to recuperate without disturbance.
He was never the same. They grew apart. While Eriol enjoyed his teenage
years, Xiao Lang had spent his time training and keeping to himself. Li Xiao Lang had
become a loner and he seem to hate everything. Xiao Lang needed a woman who would
make him smile even at the darkest times.
* * *
Tomoyo fingered the carnations which were placed in the flower vase by Sakura.
The flowers were directly from her garden and they smelled heavenly. She listened
as Sakura hummed a song which sounded like a folk song. Wait a minute, as she knew it
Sakura never hummed any songs. She looked at her friend suspiciously, Sakura appeared to
be smiling while she made tea. Sakura's smiles were usually reserved and that made Tomoyo
wonder what had happened to make her happy.
Sakura looked up at Tomoyo, sensing her stare, "What?"
"You're smiling! Come on, spill what happened?" she asked.
"It's a crime to smile now is it?" Sakura replied shortly.
"Iie. Sakura-chan, spill!" Tomoyo demanded.
"I met someone," Sakura said in a rather shy manner.
Tomoyo stood up slowly open mouthed, "Who?" she asked, her voice reaching a
higher pitch.
Sakura remained quiet but her cheeks were flaming red. She looked down
unable to meet her friend's eyes.
"Xiao Lang?" Tomoyo said with a surprise.
Sakura's head went up quickly to stare at her friend, "How did you know?"
"What-"
"Know what?" a masculine voice came from the doorway.
It was a moment of perplexity. Sakura was staring at Xiao Lang in horror, her
eyes widening into large orbs. Tomoyo threw side glances from Sakura to Xiao Lang and
Xiao Lang's eyes were fixed on Tomoyo wondering what she was doing here.
"What are you doing here, Tomoyo?" Xiao Lang asked.
"You…? Ying Fa, is he the one?" she asked Sakura.
Sakura could barely nod, now her friend knew.
"You still haven't answered me, Tomoyo. Did one of my sisters set you
up for this?" he asked harshly.
"Iie. Iie. Xiao Lang, I've known Ying Fa for years. We came here together,"
Tomoyo explained.
"It's true Xiao Lang. I would never have come here if not for Tomoyo-chan,"
Sakura said softly, backing Tomoyo's words.
Xiao Lang's features relaxed when his eyes settled on Sakura. "Then I have her
to thank. This makes things easier when I bring you to meet my mother."
Sakura gasped and said," Meet your mother?"
"I wish to marry you, Ying Fa," he said simply as if that explained it all.
"Marry? Really! Splendid, we'll be able to see each other at all times,"
Tomoyo said happily.
"But I can't. Gomen, Xiao Lang," Sakura said weakly.
"Why not?" Tomoyo and Xiao Lang asked in unison.
"Well, for one thing I'm not ready for it and…and I can't leave my house
not for months. My herbs are growing and they need lots of attention I can't
afford to leave them even for an hour," Sakura said swiftly.
Xiao Lang raised an eyebrow, "You're making excuses, Ying Fa. Do you not
want to marry me?" he asked.
"Of course I do," Sakura said without thinking. Then she realized that he
had lured her into a trap and she mentally slapped herself on her forehead.
He grinned, "Then it's settled. Tomoyo, if you would be so kind to help
Ying Fa dress up. My mother can be rather picky at times."
"Not a problem. Leave it all to me, Xiao Lang," Tomoyo agreed readily.
"I'll see you tomorrow then," he whispered into her ear and gave her a
chaste peck on the lips.
Sakura redden and Tomoyo giggled.
* * *
The house of Li was in a bit of excitement as it was said that their young master
was bringing home a girl to be his bride. The servants were curious as in who it was,
they have never heard of young master Li to be interested in anyone from the opposite sex.
Being the most eligible bachelor in Lothstone, he was quite a catch but he had never
shown any particular lady attention. He always struck them as a cold man, brilliant
but cold.
"I can't wait to see who she is," one of the younger girls whispered animatedly
to her friend.
"She must've been special to have caught our Young Master's eye," another said
with the same excitement.
The rest of the Li family were gathered at their hall, old and young alike, eager
to see the young lady who had caught their successor's attention. The hall buzzed with
conversations and laughter as they wait for Xiao Lang to arrive with this lady.
Ye Lan on the other had wasn't too please with this idea, she had not thought that
her son would really have met someone. Li Yang frowned as he looked over at his
wife. He was more ready to accept this young girl his son wanted as his wife.
"He's here, he's here," Xiao Yue shouted to the rest as she saw the carriage
rolled in from the main gate.
Soon the front door were pulled wide open by the doormen and in stepped Xiao
Lang and a petite young lady, who clung to his arm. Tomoyo was right behind them and
she had a big smile plastered over her face.
"Mother, father this is Ying Fa," he told them with a nod of the head. He could
feel the tightening of her hand on his arm.
Ye Lan and her husband look over the girl thoroughly. She was beautiful, her
coloring unlike the other occupants of this land. Ye Lan thought the girl's eyes
were familiar, as if she had seen them before.
"Tell me, Ying Fa who are your parents and where are you from?" Ye Lan asked.
"I am an orphan from Riviera," Sakura answered shortly. She couldn't help
but feel animosity towards this woman who happened to be Xiao Lang's mother.
"Ying Fa is my friend, to me she is respectable," Tomoyo said aloud suddenly.
Ye Lan's eyes never strayed from Sakura's face. The girl may be beautiful
but she had no lineage worthy of marrying her son. She would think of a way to
get rid of her pleasantly.
"I will marry her, mother with or without your consent," Xiao Lang said
in a hard voice when he saw his mother's features which were going to pronounce
Ying Fa unworthy.
"Xiao Lang!" his father roared.
"Father, all I ask is for the consent to marry Ying Fa," Xiao Lang said
in a lower tone.
A river of murmurs rose from the other family members. Their young heir
was adamant about marrying this girl and when his mind was fixed nothing
could stand in his way. What was so special about this girl?
"Mother, Father perhaps if you will allow Miss Ying Fa to stay with us for a
while. Then we shall see," Xiao Lin stepped in when she saw the fury on her
own parent's faces.
Yang looked at his daughter with pride in his eyes for her intelligence.
Things could get ugly, knowing his wife and son fully.
"Very well, Ying Fa would you stay with us?"
"Oh..uh arigato for the invitation. I suppose I could stay," Sakura said
with a little reluctance. She would have to leave her home and her garden. This place
still gave her the creeps.
Tomoyo beamed at her and threw her a hug. "I'm so glad," she said.
"Xiao Lang, your family doesn't like me. Perhaps this is a bad idea," she said
to him when they were alone.
"I like you, that's enough. They will have to accept you, I can't live
without you," Xiao Lang said in return, pulling her closer.
"Neither can I. Promise me you'll never leave me," Sakura said in a
very distressed voice.
"Never."
Ye Lan was at the table consulting her stones. On the surfaces of the stones
were the runes of power, the power to predict. She needed to know why that girl was
familiar. Those moss green eyes brought out the fear in her. She kept seeing angry
moss green eyes staring back at her angrily.
She toss some of the stones and then frowned. They were saying of an incident
which happened in the past. And family.
Sacrifice.
Fire.
Then she gasped and her heart beat faster. It wasn't true. Her past had come
to haunt her. The curse still pulsed…the girl lived.
* * *