Of Lions and Dragons

Chapter 17

Disclaimer:

Nope, nope, nope not mine.

Author's Notes:

Hell, this should be called 'pointless rambles' because that's really all I do here. *Bows* I'd like to apologize for the lame Chapter 16, it really sucked. I was in such a rush to put something up that I just put anything up. I'm going to work really hard on this chapter or…try. Anyway, I praise *claps* all the people reading this who have already figured out the last two Cards and the now-not-so-mysterious-figure. Hopefully you'll all enjoy this chapter more than last. Oh yeah! Baka me would like to add the mental link thing was too misplaced and I'm removing it. Ok now I'm really done.

Chapter 17

"She has to take a what?!" Li Syaoran stood defiantly from the elegant couch, his amber eyes ablaze with angry disbelief.

The Li Clan Matriarch folded her pale, slender hands gracefully in her lap and looked across to her son standing just before the teen Card Mistress still seated; in shock internally no doubt but outside her expression was only that of slightly widened emerald green. "A test, Xiaolang."

"What the hell does she need a test for?" Syaoran sank back into the couch, his hand still grasped in Sakura's as she gently gave it a squeeze. "We've been through enough…" He added again more quietly.

Yelan gave the young couple a motherly smile. The fire cracked peacefully in the nearby hearth and the orange glow from the embers cast magical shapes across the three powerful beings in the room. Even in the dim light of the fire, no light shone brighter than the love of her son and his sorceress. Nothing burned brighter than the love of Sakura and Syaoran. True, the test was unnecessary—in her eyes—but to the Elders…well it was precaution and like it or not, she too had but no choice but to abide.

"I know you have…that's what makes your love so strong."

Sakura smiled and tightened her grip.

"But would you rather it have been easy? You wouldn't feel as powerfully about each other if it had been." She paused while she let her words sink in. "Think about it."

Syaoran ran a hand through his unruly chestnut hair and straightened to a more respectful position. "Alright Mother…" He questioned warily, "What is this 'test'?"

"I'm ready for it…" Sakura ventured determinedly.

"Oh no need to be ready for anything, Sakura…"

Sakura blinked her emerald eyes once and then twice. "But I…"

Yelan laughed merrily, completely shocking her Son and causing him to make a double take. "Mother…"

"It's so stupid, completely trivial really. The Elders would just like to issue a small evaluation for Sakura, to determine her worthiness." At this she turned to Sakura with a wink. "And Sakura…if my son approves of you than you are more than worthy."

The teens blushed.

Yelan then placed her hands on either side of her armchair and the bracelets along her wrist jingled as she moved. "I told them it was a foolish and unnecessary task but the Elders are stubborn and refused to listen." She deliberately left out the part where they had mentioned Syaoran being a failure lest the warrior decide to prove the wizened men wrong firsthand. "But they did agree to a banquet."

"A banquet?" Syaoran was perplexed; banquets usually only occurred on special occasions. "But Mother…why a banquet right now? There's no sacred day nearby, ne?"

"No…just a new day to commemorate."

"New Day?" The Card Captors asked in unison.

"Yes."

"A new Day for what Li-san?" Sakura inquired nervously, her free hand toying with the tasseled pillow at her side and twisting the small threads through her fingers.

"The Day Card Mistress Kinomoto Sakura will join the Li Clan."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Various sounds filled the night air with the symphony of nature; the soft chirping of crickets from the pale moonlit flowerbeds and the calls of exotic nocturnal birds from the towering tropical foliage consumed the hearing of both figures walking among the white marble pathways leading through the expansive and lush Li Clan Isle gardens. Every so often Sakura would point out a pathway to turn down, Syaoran following without question and placing a kiss on her palm at every chance he attained.

"And then Tomoyo and I went to…" Sakura trailed off.

Syaoran raised an eyebrow and asked inquisitively. "What? What's wrong?"

Sakura was looking down a long row of trees; the tops had grown together over the path and created a naturally canopy, small blue flowers dangling from the vines. Sakura brushed one of the flowers with her fingertip and gently led Syaoran further into the opening. A barely noticeable mist crept from the end of the tree tunnel and curled about their feet. "What is this place?"

"I don't know…I never had time to explore all of the gardens." He grasped Sakura's hand tighter. "What do you want to do?"

"Not sure, I feel compelled to go down it…Let's go."

The warrior nodded and the pair started down the tunnel, the pull of power getting stronger and stronger as they neared the end. Soon they once again emerged into the sultry summer air and Sakura breathed in deeply. "Oh Syaoran…"

The clearing was completely surrounded by tall and lush trees; the stars shining brightly above and the moon casting all of its light on the only other two things in the small sanctuary. "Is this place…sacred?"

Syaoran blanked. For once he didn't know; he vaguely remembered seeing this place somewhere…maybe as a child perhaps? He struggled with it for a while before finally answering. "I don't know…I'm not even sure what this place is."

It was indeed unlike anything either Sakura or Syaoran had ever seen. Besides the two magic-wielders, a lone ivory altar topped with a fountain emitting a constant flow of crystal clear water stood to the north end of the clearing. "Do you feel it?"

"I do, it's like…"

"Calling or something."

The teens stepped forward and an inscription on the altar began to glow, the fountain stopped and the image of the moon's reflection now became perfectly still. Syaoran stepped up to the rim of the fountain and gently tugged Sakura next to him. "Look." He commanded gently.

She obeyed and he too let his amber eyes rest on the surface of the perfectly still water. The image began to waver and showed two young people awkwardly meeting in a hot spring. The images flashed to a game of tag, the capture of the Fiery Card, flashing through each and every one of the Card Captors trials and tribulations, good or bad, memorable or not. They ended with the most recent experience on the beach with Rain and then the water clouded, stilled and the fountain resumed supplying it's basin with water.

"She's right, you know."

"Who?" Sakura questioned.

Syaoran placed his hand on the side of Sakura's face and traced his fingertips down her silky skin. "What she said…if things hadn't been so hard, I would never have realized how hard it would have been to lose you."

Sakura remained silent.

"We've faced death and won so many times…" His tone now became serious and his brows furrowed. "But what if…Sakura, what if we lost?"

The Card Mistress shivered from the harsh reality in his voice and to the now blank and chilly stare she received from his eyes. She knew it wasn't directed at her, this was his fear; the Almighty Li Syaoran's fear. Sakura placed her hand on Syaoran's laying upon her cheek and looked into his vacant eyes. "You're scared…aren't you Syaoran?"

He blinked and his eyes regained some of their coppery warmth. "More than you can imagine." The clearing hushed and hummed, almost pulsed with a force the teen knew was more than he and his love were ready for. Something beyond their imagination he wasn't quite sure he wanted to know about yet. "Don't you feel it Sakura? It's going to happen soon, something is coming…"

"The trial? Your Mother said I'll do fine—"

"It's not that."

"…I know." Sakura struggled inside, she knew he was right. "I know." She knew that the Elder's Evaluation would be nothing compared to some of the things she and Syaoran had already overcome. There was something else they had to prove their abilities with. The part that frightened her was not only doubt in her own abilities but the sheer vastness of power currently stronger than she and the handsome sorcerer. In the world of magic they were two beings with adequate power. Those with power did not in any way exclude other magic-wielders in the world more powerful than she. Sakura chuckled nervously. "It makes you feel kind of insignificant doesn't it?"

"Just a little."

"We'll just have to hope for the best."

Syaoran turned at the sound of Sakura's voice and a hopeful smile touched his lips as he watched Sakura bring her hands to her heart. "We will surely be all right."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Where are you going?"

Eriol paused in the oak doorway, hand still poised on the frame. Tomoyo sat among mounds of fabric and sketches on the floor of the room they shared, her violet eyes wide with genuine curiosity. There was no accusation or concern in her sweet voice; she merely wanted to know where her boyfriend decided to wander to. And for just a moment, the boy second guessed himself; there should be no secrets here, right?

He shrugged and seemed to swallow a lump in his throat. "Nowhere, just scoping out the Estate."

Tomoyo turned back to her work and held a yard of lavender silk in the dim light of the candle, surveying the cloth every which way and inspecting the intricately woven motifs. "Alright, well if you see any good spots to spy on Sakura and Li, don't hesitate to let me know, ok?"

"Of course." He exited and the room and just before shutting the door whispered. "I'll be back in a little while."

The door shut behind him, and Eriol leaned his weight against the wall and frowned. He knew it wasn't right to keep secrets…but was it his fault that his very life was based around secrets? The sorcerer decided it wasn't and continued through the halls and to the first floor; exchanging pleasantries with Li Clan residents as he passed and kind acknowledgements to the servants of the house; politely refusing any assistance. His hands hanging at his side opened and closed in anticipation as he came nearer and nearer to the North End of the Estate. Two great doors opened in response to his subtle and unseen beckon and he quickly scanned the room with his magic. "Visitors."

He happened upon a golden ball of fluff and a scaly ball, perched atop great books and seemingly absorbed into the texts. Eriol tapped them and Kero groaned. "Ah, human life…what're you doing here, Eriol?"

"I could ask you the same question."

Rhyu groaned and stretched in a catlike fashion, his claws scraping against the parchment.

The Clow Reincarnation again scanned his eyes over the ancient looking tomes, his smile odd for a moment.  "Catching up on some reading?"

"Mmm…sorta." Kero grinned sheepishly. "A lot of catching up…I'd forgotten how much more there still is."

Eriol grinned with feign naivety. "Pardon? About what?"

"Like you don't know…" Rhyu alighted on the top of Eriol's head and hung down over his eyes, a trick he was quickly learning from Kero. "You're a reincarnation…come on, what's left?"

The sorcerer closed his eyes and shrugged. "Gomen, I can't remember."

"Ehehehe…" Rhyu muttered as he fell from the cobalt haired boy's locks. "That wasn't the answer we were looking for."

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"Curious Kerberos, ne? I was just exploring and I chanced upon…the Library."

Kero raised an eyebrow. The Hiiragizawa boy was usually cryptic and now he wasn't…something was off and the Beast of the Seal felt a familiar sensation along the edge of his senses.

"Oh! That's right! Kero…Tomoyo told me the kitchen was just preparing dessert and—"

Kero gripped his stomach and rolled onto the cold stone of the floor. "Onegai…don't mention food."

"And Rhyu…" Eriol turned to the expectant dragon. "Meiling is going through your drawer…she was playing with some sort of…jeweled box?"

"Dammit! That little she-Brat! I told her to lay off!"

Without another word, Dragon and Beast sped from the room. "Perfect."

Eriol raised both hands and pushed them together, the great doors closing in response. His hands parted and rose again, sealing the door with an impenetrable force field. It glowed a pale red to signify its seal and he nodded satisfied. "Now if I can just remember where it was…"

Eriol walked up and down the never-ending bookshelves, removing and re-placing books when they didn't turn out to be what he was looking for. He sunk to the ground and toyed with the fabric of his collar. "I know it's in this library somewhere." Spirits sinking, he sighed. "Unless it's been removed by now."

Suddenly he raised his head and his sapphire eyes locked onto a red book at the end of the opposite row. He summoned to book towards him but it remained on the shelf; instead it moved like a switch. The shifting of stones sounded from the farthest corner of the library and Eriol snuck around the bookshelves; his smile turning mysterious and dark.

There in the floor, a pale light shone up from the ground, illuminating a winding staircase that seemed to descend below the island. Eriol descended the first few steps and commanded the stone secret passage to close behind him. He placed a pale hand on the wall for support and shivered when his fingers came into contact with the cold and damp stone. Descending step after step he glanced to the bottom, a glyph glowing golden and red in a circular piece of stone. When he reached the bottom, no doors were visible and Eriol reached for the cord dangling about his neck. He vaguely remembered Tomoyo asking him about it.

"Ooooooo! How pretty? May I see it?" Tomoyo questioned, her violet eyes glistening over the prospect of finding a new fashion accessory.

Eriol closed his hand over Tomoyo's small one that had begun to take it from his neck. "Gomen ne, this is something I never take off, I'll tell you about it one day…when I remember that is."

He now removed this item and held it up in the torchlight of the chamber, small water drips sounding on the stone floor around him.

It was a key. Like Sakura's but…not.

This one was adorned with a small sun at the tip, its golden rays stretching out in all directions. Eriol chuckled softly. "Release…" He commanded.

White mist swirled around the key, shaking and morphing it until it felt its task was complete and subsided; leaving behind a tall golden staff adorned with the same sun symbol. He thrust this staff into a tiny hole that had only recently appeared in the center of the glyph. The chamber rumbled and shook and the platform began to descend, Eriol quietly stepping its center and descending further into the cavern.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Onegai, Meiling hold still."

Li Meiling winced as Tomoyo carefully wrapped a tiny white bandage around her finger, covering the tiny teeth marks embedded in it. She tied off the last piece and released Meiling's hand. "There! All finished."

Meiling pouted and pressed firmly on the wound, bringing a bit of red to the center of the bandage.

"No Meiling don't do that! You're just going to make it worse!" Tomoyo admonished.

"So what?" The Chinese teen sighed and returned to scrutinizing her dresses. "It's not like it's the first time it's happened."

Tomoyo raised her hand to her mouth to hide the amused grin that began appearing on her features and Sakura slightly giggled from the corner of Tomoyo's room.

"I hate that scaly little demon!"

Sakura giggled again and Tomoyo couldn't help the little titter that went through her as well. "What's so funny, you two?"

Sakura laughed at her vivacious friend's less then friendly attitude to her boyfriend's guardian and came to scrutinize dresses along with Meiling. "Nothing Meiling…nothing." And her smile widened when the Chinese teen raised and eyebrow and finally released the pressure she had been applying to her finger.

Instead the magic-lacking girl turned her attention to three dresses spread out along Tomoyo's bed. Her bottom lip was wedged in between her teeth as she fingered the hem of one, moving on to the next and slowly running her fingers over the fabric.

Sakura and Tomoyo watched in avid curiosity; never before had the ruby eyed teen shown so much interest in petty attire, nor dressing up; frankly Sakura was confused and Tomoyo hopeful.

"I've never seen you this interested in dresses before, Meiling."

"Huh? Oh…" Meiling trailed off, her mind wandering and her eyes fixing blankly upon the embroidered dragons and camellia flowers stitched ever so carefully into the fabric. "Tomoyo…"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember when you said that eventually I would find someone I loved…more than Syaoran?"

Sakura drew in a sharp intake of breath and immediately rushed to her friend's side. "I'm sorry Meiling…"

The look in her eyes was the pain of hurting a friend and Meiling twitched the corners of her mouth into a smile at the devotion and sincerity Sakura showed to anyone. "No Sakura, don't worry. You two are happy and that's wonderful, you're the one Syaoran loves not me. Even if I wanted to I couldn't change it…breaking his heart would be painful enough without having to know I hurt you in the process, too."

"Meiling…" Sakura smiled genuinely to the new 'Meiling' that had only in the past few days begun to emerge and wrapped her friend in a tight hug. "You'll find someone, don't worry. I'm sure of it."

The raven haired girl giggled and barely missed rolling onto the carefully pressed dresses. "Thanks for the confidence Sakura but I think I'm doomed to be the spinstress of the Li Clan."

Tomoyo clicked her tongue and pushed aside her two friends, glancing first to the dresses and then to Meiling. "Now, now, now, my dear that is not true."

"Yes it is." Meiling stated matter of factly.

"No it is not." Tossing a few violet curls back over her shoulder, Tomoyo raised one of the dresses to Meiling and put it back, her face contorting and her head shaking in negative.

"Told you it was hopeless."

"Hush." Tomoyo chided as she raised the second dress, her head cocking to the left and then the right, and then once again announcing her disapproval. "Hmm…" She looked to the third dress and her lips broke out into a smile as she held it up to the front of Meiling. "Third times a charm."

"Hai…it'll look perfect on you Meiling!" Sakura quipped.

The ruby eyed teen blushed slightly from all of the attention. "You two really think so?"

Ushering her behind the changing screen, Tomoyo gave Meiling a hard shove behind it and walked back to sit near her best friend. "I know so."

Sakura glanced to Tomoyo out of the corner of her eye and frowned slightly. Something was off with the artistic teen; where normally every aspect of her being smiled, only her lips did so now. Her eyes were distant and clouded with worry, the sparkle faded into something Sakura couldn't place. "Tomoyo…"

The girl turned with a smile. "Hmm?"

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" she questioned, her smile seeming forced and strained.

"Something is bothering you…"

"No Sakura! Everything is fine, why would you think something is wrong?"

Sakura faltered. She didn't necessarily want to press her best friend on something she was not yet ready to reveal…but then again, if Daidouji Tomoyo wasn't smiling, then something in her world must be significantly disturbed. "Because…I can just tell; you're my best friend, if I can't tell when something is bothering you than I'm not worthy to be your friend."

"Sakura…"

By this time Meiling was seated nearby to the amethyst eyed girl. "Is it Hiiragizawa?"

"Hai…"

"What about him?"

"He hasn't come back yet…he left late last night and I suppose he must have gotten lost or…or…"

"Or?"

Tomoyo shook her head. "I don't know…I don't know what to think anymore." Her eyes raised to the mirror across from the three teen girls, staring at her saddened expression and forcing a smile. "I love him dearly but sometimes I wish he was more open. I don't mind the fact that he has secrets; just the fact that he keeps so many from me."

Sakura traced her mind back to the day when Eriol first arrived in her and Tomoyo's village; how he had been so…off? Eccentric? She didn't quite know the word to describe it but he seemed lost in another time, so far back in the past that certain things in the present seemed to make little sense to him. It wasn't until he began to spend more time with the two girls that his demeanor changed from that one in the past to a normal teenage boy. That's when he and Tomoyo had started to fall for one another and from then on the two were inseparable. But Sakura never knew that he had secrets. "Sure he just appeared that one day…but secrets Tomoyo?"

"Hai…he's got loads of them." She stated dryly.

"I'm sure they're nothing major…after all, you know that he's Clow's Reincarnation; what other secrets could he have?"

Tomoyo winced. "Please don't say it like that…Eriol is a person all on his own; not just a reincarnation. Maybe at first…I don't know. It even confuses me thinking about this sometimes." She giggled a bit and dropped her eyes to her hands folded in her lap. "I love him for who he is now, not for who he used to be. I don't even know that person…just who he is now, that's who I love."

"I'm sure he'll tell you someday." Meiling reassured with a smile.

"Maybe…" Tomoyo trailed off and her fashion sense kicked into high gear as she practically dragged her two friends to sit in front of the mirror, almost magically reappearing with sparkling fashion apparatus in each hand. "But what am I sitting around here all depressed for? We've got a banquet to prepare for!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Li Yelan cast her eyes over the banquet hall, giving the spacious and elegant room a double check. Long silken banners stretched across the high and gold varnished ceiling, snaking from above to twist and wrap around the pillars until finally pooling on the floor in crimson bundles. Attendants dressed in their best attire stood proudly at the entrance to the grand room, guarding the massive doors with attentive eyes and critically surveying their fellow assistants as they darted about straightening plates or minimizing creases in the silken fabric covering the dining table.

Yelan stopped a fidgety attendant as he passed by her and lowered her voice, "Have you seen my Son?"

The attendant bowed respectfully, "I'm quite sure the last I saw him he was heading for the East Wing."

"And the Ca—I mean Kinomoto Sakura? Have you caught sight of her lately?"

"I believe Wei told me that Lady Meilin was assisting Kinomoto-san and Daidouji-san in preparing for the banquet, ma'am."

"Alright, thank you." Yelan spoke in fluent Chinese. The attendant nodded and made a move to leave when Yelan caught his gaze with her eyes.

He fidgeted and wrung his hands in nervousness under the Matriarch's stern stare. Keeping his eyes to the ground and curiosity just a bit higher, he spoke, "Yes ma'am?"

Yelan laid a comforting hand on the shoulder of the attendant and patted his shoulder gently, his eyes widening. "You've all done a wonderful job, I can't remember a time when the banquet hall looked this amazing."

The attendant sighed in relief and allowed himself a smile. "Thank you ma'am. You had mentioned that you wanted the hall to be 'magical' in order to come to par with the commemoration tonight." He turned to her, his curiosity of just what exactly would take place that night was starting to overweigh his passive timidity. "I suppose whatever you have planned for tonight is truly amazing, ne?"

Yelan's crimson lips curved into a smile and she near whispered. "Hai…it is."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Well that's it for Chapter 16 minna-san *saying very unenthusiastically*. You see the problem is…I got kind of bored with this story and I'm not even sure I want to finish it. Depending on how many people actually want me to finish…then I will. I don't know, I also just haven't had time to write…school takes up soooooooooo much of my time and next year will be even harder. Can't believe I'm going to be a junior o_O...oh boy…*sighs* Anyway, I know there wasn't much S+S in this chapter but once S+S are together, there's only so much they can do, ((remove those minds from the gutter, I decided not to write that kind of story)); but I still have to finish, because…I just should! Alright look for Chapter…what's next again? Ok! Chapter 18! Ja minna-san!