World Beyond the Mist
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 9.
~*~*~*~
Four long and trying hours, Sakura and Syaoran walked almost non-stop through the forest. Poor Sakura was so exhausted, that she had stopped looking at the surrounding scenery and was now quite familiar with the sight of her own feet.
Through those long hours, not a word had been spoken between the two of them, not even a 'rest' or 'look at that flower'. Utter silence, save for the crunching of rock and wood under their feet. Little by little, Sakura's strength was waning, and she felt her stony resolve to never allow him to see her weaknesses, weaken.
Syaoran had kept his eyes on the trail ahead of them, never looking back, but still keeping all his senses tuned on her movement and the movement in the surrounding forest. Then, all at once, there was a soft rustle behind him and he turned abruptly, only to see Sakura slumped on the ground, her face deathly pale.
With a jolt of alarm, Syaoran quickly went to her side, pulling her into his arms and checking her to make sure it was only a faint; luckily for him, it was. With a soft sigh, he took out his water canteen and poured a bit of water on her face. With a moan, emerald green eyes opened and locked with amber. There was silence as these two 'foes' gazed at each other, both thinking of how strange the situation was.
"Are you all right, girl?" Syaoran finally asked, trying to harden his voice, but not succeeding. Sakura frowned.
"I have a name. It's Sakura, and yes, I'm fine...I think. I just need to rest." She murmured, her eyes shutting again. Syaoran looked around himself and noticed that not twenty paces away, there was a nice little clearing, perfect for a campsite.
"Don't scream." He commanded, picking her up. Sakura's eyes opened and she gasped, but made no other sounds. He gently carried her into the clearing, then laid her down on a soft bed of moss. The sun was riding low over the horizon, and it was becoming dark. Luckily, he noticed that there were several dry, fallen trees in this area, which would make perfect fire-logs and kindling.
"Stay here. I'll be right back." He murmured, hurrying to finish setting up the camp. Sakura followed him with her eyes, shocked at his strange behavior. But she soon felt tired and closed her eyes.
When Syaoran returned, he noticed that she had fallen asleep again, and quickly set about making a fire to keep her warm. Now, even he did not understand his sudden worry for the girl, but he did know that he had to get her warm...and quickly.
After the fire burnt to a reasonable level, he quickly put some food on to cook, and sat back on his sleeping blanket, staring into the flames. They licked at the cool night air in a way that seemed almost greedy, and the warm orange color seemed to almost turn into red as he stared.
"Why did you do it?" Came a soft voice. Syaoran turned abruptly and saw Sakura staring at him. He frowned.
"What?"
"Attack our kingdom." At her words, icy anger raced through his veins.
"You had something that rightfully belonged to us. You have no right to keep it from us, so we are forcing you to give it back." He spat, sticking a long pole into the fire and stirring it around a bit. Sakura's eyes bore into his.
"They belong to the people they were destined for. Not those who supposedly, 'rightfully' own them. And I don't think you will ever get them, because they are in the hands of the ones who were destined for them." Sakura said softly, leaning back. Syaoran frowned and opened his mouth to snap at her, but she held up a white hand.
"Don't speak, please. Let me try to explain. Your father...he wanted to find the room for power reasons, am I correct?" Sakura asked. Syaoran grudgingly nodded, his eyes filling with dislike at the mention of his father.
"But you...you want them because you are the descendants of Clow Reed. Your greed lies in lineage rights, while your father's lay in power. But did you ever wonder why Clow Reed erased his memories? Perhaps it was because he knew that you would feel jealousy and anger if you knew that his things had fallen into different hands...hands he believed would care for them and use them better. Or at least appreciate them for their true meaning, as just things of companionship and love." Sakura went on. Syaoran stared at her.
"Companionship and love?" He asked, his voice holding no venom, only curiosity.
"Clow Reed created the cards and his other magical things, because he wanted something to care for...something to live for. He would have wanted his heirs and descendants, in this case, to love them for the same reasons he did. Not for power or fame or family right, but because they loved them, and would give themselves and the cards something to live for." Sakura stated. Then her eyes dropped as tears entered them.
"How do you know this?" Syaoran asked, after a short pause of removing the food from the fire and giving her some. Sakura looked up from her meal and winced.
"I have my ways."
"You said something about your looking like Queen Kinomoto Nadeshiko, to my mother that first day. What did you mean?" He asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. She winced again.
"Do you hate me?" She asked suddenly. Syaoran was taken aback.
"No."
"Would you keep a secret, then?" She asked nervously, her emerald eyes pleading with his. Syaoran, who had never had such a conversation in his life (of course, he had rarely had any conversations), nodded uncertainly.
"I *do* look like Nadeshiko. Can you guess why?"
"No." This was starting to get old.
"I am her daughter." Sakura said softly, her eyes lowering to her food. Syaoran sat, gaping, unable to say a word. In all his eighteen years, Syaoran had never felt this way. Shock, hurt, anger, confusion, loss, and something else, raced through his veins as he looked at the petite girl next to him.
"You are Princess Sakura?" He asked, his voice disbelieving, and yet, believing at the same time. She nodded silently.
"And your mother was right. My mother did take the Clow Cards with her when we escaped from this world. Our mothers were best friends, you know, besides Aunt Sonomi, and they knew practically everything about each other." Sakura stated. Syaoran turned betrayed eyes towards her.
"No, I did not know, actually. Our mothers were friends? How did that happen?" His voice was like steel, and she shrank back.
"They had been since childhood. But when my mother fell in love with, and married my father, your mother took that as an act of betrayal and cut off any acquaintance with her. I suppose I gave her quite a shock, letting her see my face, which looks so much like my mother's, after all these years." Sakura murmured. For some reason, Syaoran felt a wave of laughter hit him, and he began to laugh out loud, startling her.
"I'll bet it did. I can't say she didn't deserve it." He chuckled. Sakura's bright smile bloomed out.
"You laughed! You should do that more often, Syaoran, for it makes you look handsome." She stated, snuggling closer to his side, her eyes drooping. Syaoran stared at her in shock, then wondered what had started this change that was overcoming him.
Even he could feel it. He felt happier, less dissatisfied with his life and the people around him. He didn't mind showing his emotions, and laughing was like a refreshing drink of water after days in the desert. He smiled, and looked at the girl next to him, who was now close to sleep.
"How do you know so much, Sakura?" He asked, never noticing that it was the first time he had actually spoken her name. Sakura looked at him sleepily.
"About what?"
"Clow Reed."
"My mother took the Clow Cards and gave them to me. Guess who opened the book." She murmured. Somehow, this didn't surprise him, and he felt no hate towards the lovely girl who was now laying in his arms.
"Can I see them?"
"Tomorrow. And they aren't the Clow Cards any more. They are the Sakura Cards." Her voice was no higher than a whisper. Syaoran smiled.
"Hence the reason you said the *Clow* cards didn't exist, right?"
"Um-hm."
"Good night, Princess Sakura."
"Um-hm."
Syaoran smiled once again, and pulled her blanket over both of them, (they were reclining on his). Then he too closed his eyes, never thinking back on his choice to show his emotions to her. He knew it was the right one.
~*~*~*~
"Chiharu? We're here." Yamazaki whispered to the girl on in his arms. Poor Chiharu was so exhausted that she had fallen asleep as they walked through the forest, and he had picked her up. The girl murmured and opened her eyes, gazing at him tiredly.
"Really?" She asked, looking around at their surroundings. They were standing directly in front of the Daidouji palace.
"Now what do we do?" She asked. He smiled.
"Return to our roles as servants. I mean, the queen must have returned by now." He murmured. Chiharu shrugged.
"Who knows. Maybe. Let's go!"
"You're always saying that."
"And we always do!" She laughed, getting down and dragging him into the towering building.
~*~*~*~
"We're here." Touya murmured. Meiling looked around in awe. Unlike the Daidouji Kingdom, since the royal family had disappeared, the Kinomoto kingdom had not been touched. It had been ruled by the Kinomoto's strong and loyal army for many years now, and had lived in peace.
A pure white castle lay nestled in the valley below, it's turrets rising high into the air. Many small villages were scattered all about the valley around it, and a small river flowed from a waterfall near the edge of the valley. Trees hid most of the homes and streets from view, but Meiling could just see a few peeking out of the woodland.
"OH! It's lovely! This is your home?" She gasped, her eyes wide with wonder. Not even the famous Li's had anything as splendid or beautiful as this!
"Yes. The palace is made entirely of white marble, though some of the rooms are lined with wood walls." He remarked, chuckling a bit.
She was about to answer when a spear suddenly came out of nowhere and raced for her heart. She screamed and Touya quickly hit it with a side-chop of his hand, just in time; it was just an inch away from her heart.
"Who are you and why have you trespassed on the Kinomoto lands?" Asked a soft voice, with just an edge of steel to it. Meiling was about to retort when Touya let out a yelp.
"YUKI?! Yukito!!!" Touya cried, his mouth spreading into a smile. The young man who had thrown the spear had short grey-black hair and grey eyes that widened as he heard the voice.
"Touya? TO-YA!!!" Yukito shouted, launching himself at the prince. The two hugged brotherly-like, and then pulled away, grinning at each other.
"I thought you were dead! Everyone was so sure..."
"Nope. I've been alive and kicking the whole time, spying on the Li kingdom." Touya explained. Yukito grinned and looked at the black haired woman behind his friend.
"And who is this?"
"A...prisoner, if you will. She is actually my traveling companion, but she is a Li. King Li's cousin, in fact." Touya explained, as Meiling shrank behind him, hiding from Yukito's glare.
"Oh?"
"Be kind, Yukito. She's been through a lot." Touya stated, putting a protective arm around Meiling. The young woman looked at him in shock, but didn't move out of his warm embrace. Instead, she snuggled closer, finding extreme comfort in the arms around her. Yukito saw this and nearly fell over, as he realized something that neither of them did. A grin filled his face and his eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Sorry about the spear...but we should get you home! They will be wanting their Prince back, I believe." He chuckled, his eyes still twinkling. Touya smiled.
"Right-o! Come on, Princess. We have a lot to do." He murmured into her ear, causing her to shiver at their closeness. She nodded silently and failed to notice that as his hand clasped hers to lead her away, their fingers intertwined naturally.
~*~*~*~
"Sakura!" Tomoyo shrieked, as she and Eriol came upon the small camp early the next morning. She and Eriol had gotten up early to search for their friends, and had found them surprisingly easily.
The two in question were sound asleep on the ground, sharing a blanket, with another draped over their bodies. Sakura was snuggled into Syaoran's arms, and the young man's head was resting on the top of her head. Both of them wore looks of pure innocence and bliss, that both Eriol and Tomoyo worked hard not to laugh.
At Tomoyo's cry, Sakura let out a soft moan and opened her eyes, while Syaoran's jerked open abruptly and he nearly jumped off the ground in shock.
"Tomoyo? What are you doing here?" Sakura asked in a sleepy voice, not quite awake, yet. Syaoran shot a sleepy glare at Eriol, not yet realizing what a compromising position he was in. Eriol grinned back, his eyes sparkling.
"Made a conquest, ne, cute little descendent?" He teased. Syaoran frowned in confusion, but his face lit with realization as Sakura shifted in his arms. A blush grew on both their cheeks, and they quickly sprang apart. Tomoyo and Eriol exchanged looks, and rolled their eyes.
"You know, if you had paid any attention, you would have noticed where we are, now." Eriol stated, looking pointedly at them. Syaoran and Sakura looked at him in confusion, then Tomoyo gasped.
"LOOK!" She cried, pointing at the other end of the clearing. They all did, and there they saw something that made them jump.
An arch of marble stood tall and gleaming in the morning sun. Behind it, lay a tunnel, lighted by some greenish-blue light.
"That wasn't there last night!" Sakura choked, her eyes wide. Eriol nodded.
"But it's there now. And I know why. Clow Reed only wanted certain people...people he thought worthy of finding the room, to discover it. So he made four necklaces, each baring a stone from the mystical stones of Rheum. The stones were spelled to only appear when their destined master was near." He explained. Tomoyo gasped and pulled her necklace out of her dress.
"You mean, these were what made that arch appear? Because all four of us were here, together?" She asked. Finally, Syaoran and Sakura seemed to be getting it.
"Wait...we are the holders of the Stones of Rheum? How is that possible?" Sakura asked softly. Eriol sighed and handed her the letter he had shown to Tomoyo.
"Read it."
Sakura did, and by the time she was finished, tears were cascading down her cheeks. Syaoran had read the letter over her shoulder, and was now paler than he had ever been.
"Daddy." Sakura whimpered, her fingers caressing the letter gently.
"He knew...even then." Tomoyo murmured. Syaoran growled.
"Of course he did. Everyone was aware that the three most powerful kings of the time were in love with the same woman." He hissed. Tomoyo and Sakura looked at him in shock, while Eriol's shoulders slumped and he looked upset.
"Excuse me?" Tomoyo asked, her eyes flashing. Syaoran lost his angry look and sighed.
"The three most powerful kings back then were my father, Eriol's father, and Sakura's father, Kinomoto Fujitaka. Eriol's father and my own had known Queen Nadeshiko when she was young, and they were both desperately in love with her. They fought over her discretely, each one believing that he would eventually win her heart; but they never counted on *her* falling in love with someone other than them. But she did. King Kinomoto won her heart and she ran away to him willingly, leaving our fathers, heartbroken." Syaoran paused here, and Eriol continued.
"Thus the reason they hated your kingdom so much. They eventually married, though neither really liked their spouse..." Eriol trailed off, his face filled with pain.
"And then your older brother was born, which just deepened their loathing. His birth was a reminder of what they believed they 'should have had'. Yes, they got their sons...Syaoran and myself...but what they truly wanted was taken. Then you were born, Sakura. Your beauty was rumored throughout the land, even at so young an age, and our fathers' greed grew rapidly after that." Eriol stopped, and Tomoyo stared at him, shocked. Sakura was shaking weakly, and her eyes pleaded with Syaoran to give her the answers she so wanted; he complied.
"It wasn't only because of the Clow Cards that they attacked your kingdoms. It was also because our fathers decided to take what they believed to be 'rightfully theirs'. They were planning on killing your brother and father, and taking the Queen and you, Sakura, as their own. They managed the first part, but luckily, failed at the second." Syaoran sighed. Sakura whimpered.
"No, they didn't." She whispered. Everyone looked at her in shock.
"What do you mean?"
"They didn't kill my brother. He got away. In fact, he has been under your noses the whole time." She murmured. They all looked confused and she smiled a bit.
"That guard that came with us, Tory? He is actually Touya, Crown Prince of the Kinomoto Kingdom. He has been watching over me ever since I came here, and now, I believe, has returned to our kingdom to claim the throne...taking your cousin with him, if I'm not mistaken." Sakura giggled a bit, her eyes twinkling at Syaoran. For a moment, humor flickered in his eyes, as he thought of his cousin in that position. Then he became serious.
"What about Queen Daidouji?" He finally managed. The other three grinned at each other and Tomoyo stepped forward.
"Present!" She cried, her eyes sparkling. Syaoran gaped.
"You mean...you...Queen...huh?"
"She's the Queen, Syaoran. She just had to disguise herself, so she wouldn't be in any danger. But I figured it out right away." Eriol boasted. Tomoyo elbowed him and Syaoran smiled warily. Sakura, however, had become quite serious again.
"Syaoran...is that why your mother hates mine...and me? Because your father loved my mother?" She asked. Syaoran nodded.
"Yes. She knew. And it was especially hard for her, I suppose, since your mother was her friend. It must have nearly killed her, knowing that she was married to a man who didn't love her. And look at us. I have four older sisters before me. Having five children with him...I hate him for doing that to her!" He finally burst out, his eyes snapping. Sakura gently hugged him.
"Please don't blame it on mother. She meant no harm. But she loved daddy..."
"I know. I don't blame her. How could she have helped it. I blame our fathers, for being so stubborn and allowing one obsession to ruin their lives." He stated, looking down at her. She smiled up at him and Eriol and Tomoyo grinned at each other.
"You know, we have been out here for quite some time. Shouldn't we go inside and try to find Clow's chamber?" Eriol asked. The two quickly snapped out of their reverie and followed their two snickering friends into the tunnel.
~*~*~*~
"How much longer?" Sakura whined, her eyes searching the sixth cavern they had entered. Tomoyo was lagging beside her, her face in a scowl. Eriol turned and shrugged.
"How should I now?"
"Not long." Syaoran commented, a grin widening on his face. They all looked at him in confusion, and he smirked.
"Look over there." He commanded, pointing to the far wall of the cavern. There, barely visible, was the outline of a door. A strange mixture of colored light sifted through the barely-there cracks around the door; blue, green, purple and pink mixed together to form a rather strange, yet beautiful combination.
"So we found it...what now?"
"Use the cards." A muffled voice came. Sakura cried out softly and opened one of her bags, revealing a spiral-eyed, tired-looking bear type thing.
"OH! Kero, I'm so sorry! I forgot..."
"That I was in here. Big surprise, Miss I'd-forget-my-head-if-it-wasn't- attached." He moaned, flying up above them. Syaoran and Eriol looked at the little creature in curiosity and amusement, while Tomoyo quickly pulled a container of pudding out of her bag and handed it to him. He began to eat blissfully, while Sakura sifted through her cards, to find the right one.
"Aha. The Windy Card. It can slip through the crack and push the door open from the inside." Sakura stated, her eyes sparkling. The others quickly agreed and she activated the card.
"Windy! Push the door open from the inside!" Sakura cried, as the card did as she asked. There was a flash of intense light that made the four cover their eyes in pain, then silence.
"What happened?" Tomoyo asked, cautiously taking her hands off her eyes. The others did the same and gasped. They were no longer out in the cavern.
Instead, they were in a large room, filled with the multicolored light that they had seen earlier. And now they knew why. The walls, were each covered in a different type of stone, one color for each wall.
The wall across from them was made entirely of green emeralds, all glinting with a inner power. The wall to their right was entirely blue sapphires, and the wall to their left was purple amethysts. The wall at their backs was the strangest of all, however. It was made purely of pink diamonds, identical to Sakura's necklace.
The room was empty, save for one thing. A large picture frame was suspended in mid air, seemingly by nothing. It was slowly turning, and each time, the picture would change to a different part of their world.
"Amazing." Eriol commented, as they walked closer, their eyes pealed to the picture. It had just flashed a picture of a misty field, where horses grazed quietly.
"OH! Sakura look! That's your kingdom!" Tomoyo exclaimed, as the picture changed again. Sakura gasped as she caught sight of the castle.
"Its lovely! I only wish I could see my brother..." At these words, the picture changed again, this time, showing Touya, passionately kissing someone in his arms.
"HOE!!!" Sakura shrieked, as they pulled back. The girl Touya had been kissing was a flushed, but happy-looking Meiling!!! Tomoyo giggled hysterically, and Eriol smirked, while Syaoran chuckled deeply at his cousin's position.
"She won't be chasing me anymore!" He laughed, pulling Sakura into his arms. She snuggled close as the picture changed again, this one, causing them all to jump in shock.
"Mama!" Tomoyo whimpered, her eyes wide. Sakura had tears in her eyes.
"Mom? Daddy?" She asked softly, her eyes plastered to the image. There were three people in it, each one smiling happily. Sakura's mother and father sat in the front, their arms around each other, while Sonomi Daidouji stood behind them, beaming her own smile at her daughter. This time, the image didn't change, though.
"Syaoran, look." Eriol's voice was choked, as he pointed to a corner of the picture-frame. There was a hole in it, shaped like a wolf.
"This is it! This is the 'frame' that your father was talking about in his letter!" Syaoran whispered to Sakura. She nodded and they moved forward, taking off their necklaces in the process. Slowly, Syaoran pressed his wolf into it's slot, that the emerald wall began to glow with even more power.
Then Eriol did his, and the sapphire wall did the same. The girls pressed theirs in at the same time, and there was another flash of light...
~*~*~*~
by: Daphne Li
Chapter 9.
~*~*~*~
Four long and trying hours, Sakura and Syaoran walked almost non-stop through the forest. Poor Sakura was so exhausted, that she had stopped looking at the surrounding scenery and was now quite familiar with the sight of her own feet.
Through those long hours, not a word had been spoken between the two of them, not even a 'rest' or 'look at that flower'. Utter silence, save for the crunching of rock and wood under their feet. Little by little, Sakura's strength was waning, and she felt her stony resolve to never allow him to see her weaknesses, weaken.
Syaoran had kept his eyes on the trail ahead of them, never looking back, but still keeping all his senses tuned on her movement and the movement in the surrounding forest. Then, all at once, there was a soft rustle behind him and he turned abruptly, only to see Sakura slumped on the ground, her face deathly pale.
With a jolt of alarm, Syaoran quickly went to her side, pulling her into his arms and checking her to make sure it was only a faint; luckily for him, it was. With a soft sigh, he took out his water canteen and poured a bit of water on her face. With a moan, emerald green eyes opened and locked with amber. There was silence as these two 'foes' gazed at each other, both thinking of how strange the situation was.
"Are you all right, girl?" Syaoran finally asked, trying to harden his voice, but not succeeding. Sakura frowned.
"I have a name. It's Sakura, and yes, I'm fine...I think. I just need to rest." She murmured, her eyes shutting again. Syaoran looked around himself and noticed that not twenty paces away, there was a nice little clearing, perfect for a campsite.
"Don't scream." He commanded, picking her up. Sakura's eyes opened and she gasped, but made no other sounds. He gently carried her into the clearing, then laid her down on a soft bed of moss. The sun was riding low over the horizon, and it was becoming dark. Luckily, he noticed that there were several dry, fallen trees in this area, which would make perfect fire-logs and kindling.
"Stay here. I'll be right back." He murmured, hurrying to finish setting up the camp. Sakura followed him with her eyes, shocked at his strange behavior. But she soon felt tired and closed her eyes.
When Syaoran returned, he noticed that she had fallen asleep again, and quickly set about making a fire to keep her warm. Now, even he did not understand his sudden worry for the girl, but he did know that he had to get her warm...and quickly.
After the fire burnt to a reasonable level, he quickly put some food on to cook, and sat back on his sleeping blanket, staring into the flames. They licked at the cool night air in a way that seemed almost greedy, and the warm orange color seemed to almost turn into red as he stared.
"Why did you do it?" Came a soft voice. Syaoran turned abruptly and saw Sakura staring at him. He frowned.
"What?"
"Attack our kingdom." At her words, icy anger raced through his veins.
"You had something that rightfully belonged to us. You have no right to keep it from us, so we are forcing you to give it back." He spat, sticking a long pole into the fire and stirring it around a bit. Sakura's eyes bore into his.
"They belong to the people they were destined for. Not those who supposedly, 'rightfully' own them. And I don't think you will ever get them, because they are in the hands of the ones who were destined for them." Sakura said softly, leaning back. Syaoran frowned and opened his mouth to snap at her, but she held up a white hand.
"Don't speak, please. Let me try to explain. Your father...he wanted to find the room for power reasons, am I correct?" Sakura asked. Syaoran grudgingly nodded, his eyes filling with dislike at the mention of his father.
"But you...you want them because you are the descendants of Clow Reed. Your greed lies in lineage rights, while your father's lay in power. But did you ever wonder why Clow Reed erased his memories? Perhaps it was because he knew that you would feel jealousy and anger if you knew that his things had fallen into different hands...hands he believed would care for them and use them better. Or at least appreciate them for their true meaning, as just things of companionship and love." Sakura went on. Syaoran stared at her.
"Companionship and love?" He asked, his voice holding no venom, only curiosity.
"Clow Reed created the cards and his other magical things, because he wanted something to care for...something to live for. He would have wanted his heirs and descendants, in this case, to love them for the same reasons he did. Not for power or fame or family right, but because they loved them, and would give themselves and the cards something to live for." Sakura stated. Then her eyes dropped as tears entered them.
"How do you know this?" Syaoran asked, after a short pause of removing the food from the fire and giving her some. Sakura looked up from her meal and winced.
"I have my ways."
"You said something about your looking like Queen Kinomoto Nadeshiko, to my mother that first day. What did you mean?" He asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. She winced again.
"Do you hate me?" She asked suddenly. Syaoran was taken aback.
"No."
"Would you keep a secret, then?" She asked nervously, her emerald eyes pleading with his. Syaoran, who had never had such a conversation in his life (of course, he had rarely had any conversations), nodded uncertainly.
"I *do* look like Nadeshiko. Can you guess why?"
"No." This was starting to get old.
"I am her daughter." Sakura said softly, her eyes lowering to her food. Syaoran sat, gaping, unable to say a word. In all his eighteen years, Syaoran had never felt this way. Shock, hurt, anger, confusion, loss, and something else, raced through his veins as he looked at the petite girl next to him.
"You are Princess Sakura?" He asked, his voice disbelieving, and yet, believing at the same time. She nodded silently.
"And your mother was right. My mother did take the Clow Cards with her when we escaped from this world. Our mothers were best friends, you know, besides Aunt Sonomi, and they knew practically everything about each other." Sakura stated. Syaoran turned betrayed eyes towards her.
"No, I did not know, actually. Our mothers were friends? How did that happen?" His voice was like steel, and she shrank back.
"They had been since childhood. But when my mother fell in love with, and married my father, your mother took that as an act of betrayal and cut off any acquaintance with her. I suppose I gave her quite a shock, letting her see my face, which looks so much like my mother's, after all these years." Sakura murmured. For some reason, Syaoran felt a wave of laughter hit him, and he began to laugh out loud, startling her.
"I'll bet it did. I can't say she didn't deserve it." He chuckled. Sakura's bright smile bloomed out.
"You laughed! You should do that more often, Syaoran, for it makes you look handsome." She stated, snuggling closer to his side, her eyes drooping. Syaoran stared at her in shock, then wondered what had started this change that was overcoming him.
Even he could feel it. He felt happier, less dissatisfied with his life and the people around him. He didn't mind showing his emotions, and laughing was like a refreshing drink of water after days in the desert. He smiled, and looked at the girl next to him, who was now close to sleep.
"How do you know so much, Sakura?" He asked, never noticing that it was the first time he had actually spoken her name. Sakura looked at him sleepily.
"About what?"
"Clow Reed."
"My mother took the Clow Cards and gave them to me. Guess who opened the book." She murmured. Somehow, this didn't surprise him, and he felt no hate towards the lovely girl who was now laying in his arms.
"Can I see them?"
"Tomorrow. And they aren't the Clow Cards any more. They are the Sakura Cards." Her voice was no higher than a whisper. Syaoran smiled.
"Hence the reason you said the *Clow* cards didn't exist, right?"
"Um-hm."
"Good night, Princess Sakura."
"Um-hm."
Syaoran smiled once again, and pulled her blanket over both of them, (they were reclining on his). Then he too closed his eyes, never thinking back on his choice to show his emotions to her. He knew it was the right one.
~*~*~*~
"Chiharu? We're here." Yamazaki whispered to the girl on in his arms. Poor Chiharu was so exhausted that she had fallen asleep as they walked through the forest, and he had picked her up. The girl murmured and opened her eyes, gazing at him tiredly.
"Really?" She asked, looking around at their surroundings. They were standing directly in front of the Daidouji palace.
"Now what do we do?" She asked. He smiled.
"Return to our roles as servants. I mean, the queen must have returned by now." He murmured. Chiharu shrugged.
"Who knows. Maybe. Let's go!"
"You're always saying that."
"And we always do!" She laughed, getting down and dragging him into the towering building.
~*~*~*~
"We're here." Touya murmured. Meiling looked around in awe. Unlike the Daidouji Kingdom, since the royal family had disappeared, the Kinomoto kingdom had not been touched. It had been ruled by the Kinomoto's strong and loyal army for many years now, and had lived in peace.
A pure white castle lay nestled in the valley below, it's turrets rising high into the air. Many small villages were scattered all about the valley around it, and a small river flowed from a waterfall near the edge of the valley. Trees hid most of the homes and streets from view, but Meiling could just see a few peeking out of the woodland.
"OH! It's lovely! This is your home?" She gasped, her eyes wide with wonder. Not even the famous Li's had anything as splendid or beautiful as this!
"Yes. The palace is made entirely of white marble, though some of the rooms are lined with wood walls." He remarked, chuckling a bit.
She was about to answer when a spear suddenly came out of nowhere and raced for her heart. She screamed and Touya quickly hit it with a side-chop of his hand, just in time; it was just an inch away from her heart.
"Who are you and why have you trespassed on the Kinomoto lands?" Asked a soft voice, with just an edge of steel to it. Meiling was about to retort when Touya let out a yelp.
"YUKI?! Yukito!!!" Touya cried, his mouth spreading into a smile. The young man who had thrown the spear had short grey-black hair and grey eyes that widened as he heard the voice.
"Touya? TO-YA!!!" Yukito shouted, launching himself at the prince. The two hugged brotherly-like, and then pulled away, grinning at each other.
"I thought you were dead! Everyone was so sure..."
"Nope. I've been alive and kicking the whole time, spying on the Li kingdom." Touya explained. Yukito grinned and looked at the black haired woman behind his friend.
"And who is this?"
"A...prisoner, if you will. She is actually my traveling companion, but she is a Li. King Li's cousin, in fact." Touya explained, as Meiling shrank behind him, hiding from Yukito's glare.
"Oh?"
"Be kind, Yukito. She's been through a lot." Touya stated, putting a protective arm around Meiling. The young woman looked at him in shock, but didn't move out of his warm embrace. Instead, she snuggled closer, finding extreme comfort in the arms around her. Yukito saw this and nearly fell over, as he realized something that neither of them did. A grin filled his face and his eyes twinkled mischievously.
"Sorry about the spear...but we should get you home! They will be wanting their Prince back, I believe." He chuckled, his eyes still twinkling. Touya smiled.
"Right-o! Come on, Princess. We have a lot to do." He murmured into her ear, causing her to shiver at their closeness. She nodded silently and failed to notice that as his hand clasped hers to lead her away, their fingers intertwined naturally.
~*~*~*~
"Sakura!" Tomoyo shrieked, as she and Eriol came upon the small camp early the next morning. She and Eriol had gotten up early to search for their friends, and had found them surprisingly easily.
The two in question were sound asleep on the ground, sharing a blanket, with another draped over their bodies. Sakura was snuggled into Syaoran's arms, and the young man's head was resting on the top of her head. Both of them wore looks of pure innocence and bliss, that both Eriol and Tomoyo worked hard not to laugh.
At Tomoyo's cry, Sakura let out a soft moan and opened her eyes, while Syaoran's jerked open abruptly and he nearly jumped off the ground in shock.
"Tomoyo? What are you doing here?" Sakura asked in a sleepy voice, not quite awake, yet. Syaoran shot a sleepy glare at Eriol, not yet realizing what a compromising position he was in. Eriol grinned back, his eyes sparkling.
"Made a conquest, ne, cute little descendent?" He teased. Syaoran frowned in confusion, but his face lit with realization as Sakura shifted in his arms. A blush grew on both their cheeks, and they quickly sprang apart. Tomoyo and Eriol exchanged looks, and rolled their eyes.
"You know, if you had paid any attention, you would have noticed where we are, now." Eriol stated, looking pointedly at them. Syaoran and Sakura looked at him in confusion, then Tomoyo gasped.
"LOOK!" She cried, pointing at the other end of the clearing. They all did, and there they saw something that made them jump.
An arch of marble stood tall and gleaming in the morning sun. Behind it, lay a tunnel, lighted by some greenish-blue light.
"That wasn't there last night!" Sakura choked, her eyes wide. Eriol nodded.
"But it's there now. And I know why. Clow Reed only wanted certain people...people he thought worthy of finding the room, to discover it. So he made four necklaces, each baring a stone from the mystical stones of Rheum. The stones were spelled to only appear when their destined master was near." He explained. Tomoyo gasped and pulled her necklace out of her dress.
"You mean, these were what made that arch appear? Because all four of us were here, together?" She asked. Finally, Syaoran and Sakura seemed to be getting it.
"Wait...we are the holders of the Stones of Rheum? How is that possible?" Sakura asked softly. Eriol sighed and handed her the letter he had shown to Tomoyo.
"Read it."
Sakura did, and by the time she was finished, tears were cascading down her cheeks. Syaoran had read the letter over her shoulder, and was now paler than he had ever been.
"Daddy." Sakura whimpered, her fingers caressing the letter gently.
"He knew...even then." Tomoyo murmured. Syaoran growled.
"Of course he did. Everyone was aware that the three most powerful kings of the time were in love with the same woman." He hissed. Tomoyo and Sakura looked at him in shock, while Eriol's shoulders slumped and he looked upset.
"Excuse me?" Tomoyo asked, her eyes flashing. Syaoran lost his angry look and sighed.
"The three most powerful kings back then were my father, Eriol's father, and Sakura's father, Kinomoto Fujitaka. Eriol's father and my own had known Queen Nadeshiko when she was young, and they were both desperately in love with her. They fought over her discretely, each one believing that he would eventually win her heart; but they never counted on *her* falling in love with someone other than them. But she did. King Kinomoto won her heart and she ran away to him willingly, leaving our fathers, heartbroken." Syaoran paused here, and Eriol continued.
"Thus the reason they hated your kingdom so much. They eventually married, though neither really liked their spouse..." Eriol trailed off, his face filled with pain.
"And then your older brother was born, which just deepened their loathing. His birth was a reminder of what they believed they 'should have had'. Yes, they got their sons...Syaoran and myself...but what they truly wanted was taken. Then you were born, Sakura. Your beauty was rumored throughout the land, even at so young an age, and our fathers' greed grew rapidly after that." Eriol stopped, and Tomoyo stared at him, shocked. Sakura was shaking weakly, and her eyes pleaded with Syaoran to give her the answers she so wanted; he complied.
"It wasn't only because of the Clow Cards that they attacked your kingdoms. It was also because our fathers decided to take what they believed to be 'rightfully theirs'. They were planning on killing your brother and father, and taking the Queen and you, Sakura, as their own. They managed the first part, but luckily, failed at the second." Syaoran sighed. Sakura whimpered.
"No, they didn't." She whispered. Everyone looked at her in shock.
"What do you mean?"
"They didn't kill my brother. He got away. In fact, he has been under your noses the whole time." She murmured. They all looked confused and she smiled a bit.
"That guard that came with us, Tory? He is actually Touya, Crown Prince of the Kinomoto Kingdom. He has been watching over me ever since I came here, and now, I believe, has returned to our kingdom to claim the throne...taking your cousin with him, if I'm not mistaken." Sakura giggled a bit, her eyes twinkling at Syaoran. For a moment, humor flickered in his eyes, as he thought of his cousin in that position. Then he became serious.
"What about Queen Daidouji?" He finally managed. The other three grinned at each other and Tomoyo stepped forward.
"Present!" She cried, her eyes sparkling. Syaoran gaped.
"You mean...you...Queen...huh?"
"She's the Queen, Syaoran. She just had to disguise herself, so she wouldn't be in any danger. But I figured it out right away." Eriol boasted. Tomoyo elbowed him and Syaoran smiled warily. Sakura, however, had become quite serious again.
"Syaoran...is that why your mother hates mine...and me? Because your father loved my mother?" She asked. Syaoran nodded.
"Yes. She knew. And it was especially hard for her, I suppose, since your mother was her friend. It must have nearly killed her, knowing that she was married to a man who didn't love her. And look at us. I have four older sisters before me. Having five children with him...I hate him for doing that to her!" He finally burst out, his eyes snapping. Sakura gently hugged him.
"Please don't blame it on mother. She meant no harm. But she loved daddy..."
"I know. I don't blame her. How could she have helped it. I blame our fathers, for being so stubborn and allowing one obsession to ruin their lives." He stated, looking down at her. She smiled up at him and Eriol and Tomoyo grinned at each other.
"You know, we have been out here for quite some time. Shouldn't we go inside and try to find Clow's chamber?" Eriol asked. The two quickly snapped out of their reverie and followed their two snickering friends into the tunnel.
~*~*~*~
"How much longer?" Sakura whined, her eyes searching the sixth cavern they had entered. Tomoyo was lagging beside her, her face in a scowl. Eriol turned and shrugged.
"How should I now?"
"Not long." Syaoran commented, a grin widening on his face. They all looked at him in confusion, and he smirked.
"Look over there." He commanded, pointing to the far wall of the cavern. There, barely visible, was the outline of a door. A strange mixture of colored light sifted through the barely-there cracks around the door; blue, green, purple and pink mixed together to form a rather strange, yet beautiful combination.
"So we found it...what now?"
"Use the cards." A muffled voice came. Sakura cried out softly and opened one of her bags, revealing a spiral-eyed, tired-looking bear type thing.
"OH! Kero, I'm so sorry! I forgot..."
"That I was in here. Big surprise, Miss I'd-forget-my-head-if-it-wasn't- attached." He moaned, flying up above them. Syaoran and Eriol looked at the little creature in curiosity and amusement, while Tomoyo quickly pulled a container of pudding out of her bag and handed it to him. He began to eat blissfully, while Sakura sifted through her cards, to find the right one.
"Aha. The Windy Card. It can slip through the crack and push the door open from the inside." Sakura stated, her eyes sparkling. The others quickly agreed and she activated the card.
"Windy! Push the door open from the inside!" Sakura cried, as the card did as she asked. There was a flash of intense light that made the four cover their eyes in pain, then silence.
"What happened?" Tomoyo asked, cautiously taking her hands off her eyes. The others did the same and gasped. They were no longer out in the cavern.
Instead, they were in a large room, filled with the multicolored light that they had seen earlier. And now they knew why. The walls, were each covered in a different type of stone, one color for each wall.
The wall across from them was made entirely of green emeralds, all glinting with a inner power. The wall to their right was entirely blue sapphires, and the wall to their left was purple amethysts. The wall at their backs was the strangest of all, however. It was made purely of pink diamonds, identical to Sakura's necklace.
The room was empty, save for one thing. A large picture frame was suspended in mid air, seemingly by nothing. It was slowly turning, and each time, the picture would change to a different part of their world.
"Amazing." Eriol commented, as they walked closer, their eyes pealed to the picture. It had just flashed a picture of a misty field, where horses grazed quietly.
"OH! Sakura look! That's your kingdom!" Tomoyo exclaimed, as the picture changed again. Sakura gasped as she caught sight of the castle.
"Its lovely! I only wish I could see my brother..." At these words, the picture changed again, this time, showing Touya, passionately kissing someone in his arms.
"HOE!!!" Sakura shrieked, as they pulled back. The girl Touya had been kissing was a flushed, but happy-looking Meiling!!! Tomoyo giggled hysterically, and Eriol smirked, while Syaoran chuckled deeply at his cousin's position.
"She won't be chasing me anymore!" He laughed, pulling Sakura into his arms. She snuggled close as the picture changed again, this one, causing them all to jump in shock.
"Mama!" Tomoyo whimpered, her eyes wide. Sakura had tears in her eyes.
"Mom? Daddy?" She asked softly, her eyes plastered to the image. There were three people in it, each one smiling happily. Sakura's mother and father sat in the front, their arms around each other, while Sonomi Daidouji stood behind them, beaming her own smile at her daughter. This time, the image didn't change, though.
"Syaoran, look." Eriol's voice was choked, as he pointed to a corner of the picture-frame. There was a hole in it, shaped like a wolf.
"This is it! This is the 'frame' that your father was talking about in his letter!" Syaoran whispered to Sakura. She nodded and they moved forward, taking off their necklaces in the process. Slowly, Syaoran pressed his wolf into it's slot, that the emerald wall began to glow with even more power.
Then Eriol did his, and the sapphire wall did the same. The girls pressed theirs in at the same time, and there was another flash of light...
~*~*~*~