Author's note: Well, here is chapter two, with a little more plot movement: trying to get into the story, now. Enjoy! ^_^
Whispers in Dark Corners Chapter TwoSakura woke to daylight streaming in through her windows. She blinked fuzzily, recalling the events of the previous night again. She vaguely remembered seeing Syaoran before she fell asleep… The memory wasn't clear. She rubbed her eyes sleepily.
She sat up and looked around, trying to recall her surroundings and what they meant. Ah, yes. She was here. In the Kinomoto Mansion, the building of speculation and infamy… She grinned. This was going to be So Much Fun!
She yawned and stretched her arms out, right to the fingertips, like a little cat. She already felt much more awake.
As she placed her hands back on the bed, leaning back on them to stretch out her legs, she felt something by her side. She looked down in surprise. It was a note, with her name scrawled on it in an erratic, black-inked hand.
Instantly curious, Sakura picked it up and flipped it open. Simple words in black met her eyes.
Beware the Red Moon.
She blinked, and started to feel a little nervous. Who had written this? What did it mean? Why should she beware?
The scariest thing of all was the thought: someone came into my room while I was asleep and left this here without me even knowing…
A slightly terrified shiver crawled swiftly over Sakura's skin, leaving a wave of goose bumps all over her.
It's just a game, it's just a game, it's just a game… she thought to herself, over and over. Nothing bad is really going to happen, no one is really going to get hurt, Touya has this all under control. I'll be fine… I'll be fine!
"It'll surely be alright!" she squeaked with a forced smile.
She leapt about three foot in the air when a knock sounded suddenly at her door.
"Er, c-come in!" she cried, pulling the bed covers up to her chin and peering over them at the doorway with wide, frightened eyes.
A neat, trim young girl, in a soft grey dress that matched her carefully tied-back hair, appeared with a smile. "Good morning, mistress. I have to come to help you get dressed in time for breakfast." She bobbed a curtsey as she spoke.
Sakura sighed in relief. "Hello, Tomoyo. Thank you, I'll be done for breakfast without any trouble. Will you be there, too?" she asked.
The grey-haired girl smiled with amusement. "Of course, mistress. I'll be serving your food," she replied.
Sakura sweat-dropped with a wry grin. "Oh, yes, I forgot… I'll be down shortly," she added, trying to get into character. If Tomoyo could be in character as a serving maid right at the start of the day, Sakura could be a young lady of high birth and good fortune too!
Once Tomoyo had vanished with another curtsey, Sakura stepped over to her wardrobe. When she pulled open the doors, she gasped in delight. She had all sorts of clothes!
She recognised Tomoyo's handiwork straight away. She must have made all the clothes for this holiday's fun: including the ones they'd worn the previous night. Here she had light, pretty dresses for the morning and daytime, as well as little trim jackets to be worn outside, and several beautiful dinner gowns for the evenings. There were even matching shoes for all the clothes, and a few hats, too. Sakura was enthralled.
She picked out a pastel pink morning gown and, soon enough, was flying down the stairs excitedly, looking forward to the first full day of their mystery holiday. She'd even forgotten the note she'd found, for a little while at least.
It didn't even occur to her that she didn't know where she was going.
Fortunately, Tomoyo met her at the bottom of the stairs.
"Do you require any assistance, mistress?" she asked politely.
"Oh, yes, where is the breakfast room?" Sakura felt so strange talking to Tomoyo as if she barely knew her.
"I will lead you there, mistress. Please follow me."
Sakura trailed after the grey-haired girl along to a room less grand than the dining room of last night, and was lit cheerfully by the morning sun. When Sakura arrived, everyone was already there and seated. She slipped into her chair with a blush.
Touya, seated at the opposite end of the table, coughed. "Now that my young charge is here, we may start. Please help yourselves, my honoured guests," he said imperiously. Sakura blushed a deeper shade of red at the reference to her lateness. Touya nodded at Tomoyo, who stepped forward to help serve tea and food to everyone.
Sakura was so surprised at how well Tomoyo played her role. Yet as she watched her pour Eriol's tea, and lean close to him to ask quietly, "Would you like sugar, Master?" Sakura detected a hint of Tomoyo's usual attitude towards the dark-haired young man. It had showed last night, as well, Sakura remembered. And Eriol's smile was warmer than a rich and eligible young man's smile to a serving girl should normally be.
Sakura giggled. She was already assessing things according to the circumstances of the game. She would do well at this mystery, she was sure of it.
"As your guardian, I fell obliged to ask what exactly you are sniggering about, young mistress," came Touya's voice, low and quiet yet oddly commanding.
Sakura froze. Stay in character, stay in character! "N-nothing, my lord!" she cried, her voice at a strained pitch. She was so in character for this moment that she wasn't even annoyed that she had to call her brother 'my lord': he wasn't her brother anymore, he was Lord Kinomoto, and this was his mansion. She had to respect him.
"Well. Please do not make such noises at the breakfast table, or I shall be forced to take you outside and make you read 'The Value of Politeness for Young and Giggling Women' by G H Prickletop." He sipped his tea serenely.
Sakura almost burst out laughing, nearly forgetting her role. Her brother was a good actor: and she knew he was relishing the part he had to play. She could never have kept a laugh inside while saying a thing as ridiculous as that! His character truly was eccentric.
She simply bowed her head to him respectfully, and chewed thoughtfully on her mouthful of bread and butter. This was going to be more involving than she'd imagined.
She didn't even notice that Syaoran's eyes had been on her from the moment she'd entered the room, blushing so prettily…
After breakfast, they all decided to go on a picnic, tempted outdoors by the lovely weather.
As they left the house, hat-feathers nodding and ribbons twirling, in all their regalia, they'd heard the sound of a horse approaching.
They halted, talking amongst themselves, wondering whom it could be.
"Were you expecting anyone?" asked Syaoran, appearing at Sakura's elbow.
She shook her head. "No, good sir, I was not." She was too busy peering towards the far-off gates to see him blush when she called him 'sir'. "Do you have any idea who it could be?"
"I cannot help you with that question, my lady," he replied solemnly. She turned to him in surprise at the tone in his voice as he said 'my lady'. He was gazing at her intently.
Just as he was reaching to touch her arm tentatively, the horse and its rider cantered into their midst.
The rider was a sight to behold. Dressed all in crimson, with a fluttering veil and a trailing cloak, she swung down from her glossy mount with easy grace, and headed straight for Touya, pulling off her gloves as she strode up to him.
"Dear cousin, I'm here! Are you much surprised?" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him in greeting. How inappropriate, Sakura found herself thinking.
Touya looked bored. "Amazingly enough, no. Your letter reached me yesterday, so I knew you would arrive sometime today," he said abruptly.
She smiled on the gathered people like a queen to her subjects. "And here you all are! And going somewhere, it seems! I will join you. No matter about changing clothes: the journey was not far, these will do," she chattered gaily, unhooking one side of her veil to reveal her face in its entirety.
It's Ruby Moon! Sakura realised in a flash. She glanced at Eriol, but he looked pretty calm, as usual for him.
In another flash, Sakura remembered something… Beware the red moon…
Author's note: Gah, this was a little rushed, probably shows. I just wanted to get the next chapter done and posted, to help people get into the story a little bit without waiting too long. Anyway, to Silva Sun and Runic, thanks for reviewing my first chapter: I probably wouldn't have bothered carrying on and doing this one without your encouragement! It may not always be as cute as that first chapter, but with me involved there will surely be much cuteness all the same *sucker for fluff* ^_^ See you soon with more, hopefully!