Scarlet

By L. Hiiragizawa

AN: I am terribly sorry to all those who avidly read this fic. Believe it or not, I had a very, very serious case of writer's block. However, I shall not promise to update soon. Being a high school junior in my school spells stress, hard work and 1 am, the latest, as bedtime. Plus, I have to handle my time and efforts leading five organizations, thus giving me less time for this fic and myself. Again, I apologize. Please leave a REVIEW and your e-mail for further chapter notifications.

Hatred of the Unknown

Her heart may be of stone and soul corrupted by hatred, yet loneliness dwelled within. She could completely mask her feelings and identity by appearing numb and deceitful, yet the child hidden beneath the core of her pretensions awaits to be unleashed. Yes, even rocks are weathered as leaves fall in autumn.

She held a life apart from those children who were abundant in love and care. Not a single existing human knew Tomoyo Daidouji behind her flaming amethyst eyes.

She was tired.

Tired of pretending…

Hating…

Silently screaming agonies, which made her loathe everything in existence, counting herself in…

She yearned for somebody who could hold her tight, which her mother never gave her.

She wants to see beauty behind the confined walls she built around her.

She wanted to smile.

Drinking in the view of Invidia from her room's balcony, she kept thinking and thinking of life, its absurdities, questions and meaning. In solitude she found her life's twists and turns.

Or was it because she was in an enigmatic time warp?

Remembering the portrait she saw, the visions, conflicting emotions and sudden changes in personality, Tomoyo couldn't decipher the pattern of all occurrences.

'There must be an answer,' She thought in confusion. 'There must be…'

A sudden knock was heard from the room's doors, startling her from her deep thinking. As her eyes went back to its expressionless state, a view of a girl in servant's attire came before them.

She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. No, no, she must. She was Daidouji Tomoyo anyway; the girl who harbored different masks and whom people knew has a strict composure.

But wait. Why is part of her screaming to be nice?

There was something in her. Some part waiting to be unleashed…

Something or someone?

"L-lady, the king is expecting your presence in the royal luncheon room. S-shall I prepare your

D-dress?

The maiden's face was unreadable but her knees were doing the talking. How couldn't she? For several days of serving the foreign girl, all she got were raised eyebrows and a good scolding. No sign of pity marked her eyes and every movement must be in perfection. The king ordered to give the guest a special treatment but for what reason? Nobody knew what was in his royal brains.

'So, the dimwit expects me after all,' she thought in an attempt to hide her smirk. She seemed attracted to the king. Well…not really attracted. It was her first time to have an encounter with a boy since she had no boyfriends or guy friends in her time frame. Her mother was too strict that's why she was forced to enter an exclusive for girls' school.

Reason?

She honestly doesn't know why she'd suddenly feel all light at his sight and by merely thinking of him. Weird it may seem but as if some force inclines her to shift from sarcasm into liking a stranger, whom she shall never lay trust upon, who though she only knew by face for days, as if she knew him ever since.

"And what makes your king think I shall dine with a pervert like him?" she asked.

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Seated alone in the enormous luncheon table, he couldn't help but bother himself why she looked awfully like her. She who haunted and stained the last amount of resilience he had left.

If only he knew how to let go of things that shall never be his and are never meant for him…

He was still confined under her spell and if this guest of his is in reality the one whom he loved dearly, then he shall by all means conquer her heart. Something he failed to accomplish because of blind and dangerous intentions. By that, he shall finally get revenge against the leader of Aranea.

His eyes scanned his surroundings.

"Simon, didn't I order you to call for the Lady?" he said growing impatient.

"I have already relayed your orders to her maiden, your highness."

Everybody in the grand luncheon room was panicking silently. Nobody ever dared to anger the king.

Minutes passed and he felt his stomach growling in hunger. He wanted to slam his fist on the table but thinking of his earlier plan regarding the fair lady, he preferred to remain calm and collected. One wrong move shall eliminate the ace from his deck. Over the past few days she stayed in the castle and he made secret glimpses at her, he didn't know but like a moth to the flame, he felt drawn to her. Sudden attraction it was. Maybe also because of gratitude for her saving his life. Whatever reason it may be, all he thought of was his precious, precious…

"My k-king, the Lady refused to dine w-with you."

He came back to reality, part of him wanting to scream in rage.

'Damn to the plan.' He thought as he got up and rushed upstairs followed by Margaret, the chief maidservant and two others with her.

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Tomoyo stared at the ceiling, boredom creeping into her veins, which is slowly aiming for her head. She had nothing to do in the castle. No television, no computers, no radios…nothing. How is she supposed to survive in such an old-fashioned place and time?

"I waited for almost an hour Lady Perfect, don't you dare test my abilities."

She came face to face with the king who because of fury banged the door loud.

"And what would you do? Behead me? Execute me using your oh-so-scary-garrote? I'd enjoy every moment of my execution, your highness."

Everybody else in the room gaped in shock at her choice of words. Well, everybody except Eriol who seemed to be enjoying every moment of it. Never had he seen any life form too brave to face death. And he admitted to himself, taming her should be harder than he thought.

"I do not intend to use any harsh object to harm your smooth skin, fair lady."

Tomoyo shivered a bit as he stroked her cheek with the back of his palm, his icy blue eyes boring into hers.

"Ahem", Margaret cleared her throat. "I believe we must now leave, your highness." All the servants bowed and proceeded to leave the room.

"And what are you trying to do? Seduce me in front of your servants?" she raised her voice a bit higher, moving away from the king.

"I never said I did, maiden fair, so why moving away? Scared?" He said in a teasing voice striding forward towards her with a wicked smile spelling danger plastered in his pale white face.

She tried to act brave by folding her arms with her trademark eyebrow-raise while tapping her foot and smirking.

"Sorry to disappoint you, your highness, I'm not scared of a monster like you and secondly, I'm not easily seduced. "

"Ooh…who did you call a monster, lady-I-don't-know-the-name-so-mind-if-I-ask?" He said grinning at his progress.

"My, my, aren't we so intelligent. Besides, I wouldn't tell my name to someone as arrogant as you."

She rolled her eyes trying to avoid his gaze and sat on the bed tying her long raven hair to a pony.

"I'm arrogant? Why, isn't it true that I'm very handsome…" He chuckled, which didn't sound even funny at all for Tomoyo.

"…and hard to resist?"

She gulped as he stared at her intently, face more serious than before. She reminds herself that he was only playing a prank to punish her but something deep was being conveyed through his sticky eye contact. Tomoyo was confused that very second with everything as the events came flashbacking and replaying in her head. All she knows is that every time his eyes focuses into hers, she feels like a melting block of butter on top of a corncob. Seeing those orbs make her knees buckle and the tendons in her elbow weak…as if she had seen them before. Only that her brain was somewhat blank at the moment and something is depriving her to remember.

But somehow, there was a tinge of anger.

Anger of something…

Hatred of the unknown…

Her chest suddenly felt hot as she thought of what may contribute to her split emotions. She instinctively clutched the necklace and felt her body heat up.

Her surroundings seemed like spots in the darkness and her arms were feeling numb. As she was about to give into the threatening unconsciousness, the last thing she saw was him standing before her with his eyes still fixed on her.

And somehow as dimness dawned, she could've sworn she heard his voice in a fading whisper…

"You shall be with me, Sophia…with me alone."