Disclaimer: Sakura and her friends to not belong to me… Not even Touya… *sigh*
Author's note: I didn't get any responses for my last chapter, so I'm feeling pretty low now. But I figured I might as well update anyway: I hate to leave characters stranded. Please leave me a note: I'll become positively miserable otherwise. *bursts into tears as a dramatic writer should in situations like this* L
Whispers in Dark Corners
Chapter Four"They say that for every ancient mansion, there is a ghost to haunt it…"
Eriol's voice swept in low tones through the room as he began his story. The group had gathered around a warm fire, surrounded by candles, to tell stories before retiring for the night. Sakura was already squirming unhappily in her seat.
"In a house not unlike this one, in a time akin to ours, a wealthy family lived with a dark secret.
"Rumour told of insanity and desire, of people shut away in secret and of jealousy and hate growing in the shadows of the great rooms of the house."
Before Eriol could continue, Touya rose gracefully from his armchair by the fire, a dark and brooding look on his face. "I have heard this tale before. I will retire for the night now: please do not end your night's tales on my account. I will see you all again in the morning." Without another word, he strode from the room. Sakura watched him go with wide, puzzled eyes. Was Touya's expression related to his character, or was something troubling him?
Sakura was dissuaded from moving by a touch on her hand. She looked over to see Syaoran sat by her on the floor, his hand on hers. The look in his eyes told her not to worry. She smiled slightly at him, with a tiny nod, and waited for Eriol to continue his story.
"Well… This mansion was in the possession of a grand man, a young Lord, his home and title passed down to him after his parents died of typhoid when he was but a child, he being the elder child. His younger brother, younger than he by only a few hours, for they were twins, though not identical, was his constant companion and friend. As a young man, the Lord became a strange kind of recluse, with isolated habits: he rarely left his home, and spent much of his time closeted in his study or in the mansion's grand library, or with his brother, whom he doted on as his closest friend.
"Instead of seeking further companionship, and perhaps in contradiction to his private ways, the elder brother arranged parties as often as he could, revelling in the company of other young people, and wishing for company he could relate to following his parents' deaths. His quieter, shyer brother was less prominent at such gatherings, but was treasured by all who knew him for his wise words and kind personality.
"However, one day, the young Lord met a person, through one of the parties he was so fond of, who touched him as no one else had. This young woman became, within a very short space of time, the centre of the young Lord's universe: he couldn't leave her alone, he was constantly by her and demanding her attention. His fascination with her soon grew to love, a desperate love that lead him to want her as his mistress, though he was not yet even twenty years old. The lady was no older than he herself, but the Lord's obsession with her and his persistence eventually pushed her to consent to be his lover."
Syaoran's hand felt warm in Sakura's soft grip. She concentrated on that touch as Eriol spoke on. "Their passionate affair was the talk of half the country, many people being curious over the Lord's reputed obsession. Those who had seen them together spoke of the couple with grave faces, saying they had never seen a man so truly violently in love, so desperate with desire for another person the way the Lord was for his mistress. The younger brother remained a close companion to his twin, though he was seen less and less, and was said to always be sad, grieved by his brother's actions.
"The young couple had been living together for less than a year, and the Lord's desire never dimmed. If anything, it grew stronger over time.
"However, one fateful night, a storm struck. The lady was riding home at the end of the day, looking forward to seeing her lover's face again. He awaited her at the gates, not wishing to lose a moment more of her company after her being away for even that one day. As he heard hoof beats approaching, and gazed eagerly through the rain, searching for the first sight of his mistress, a bolt of lightning sprung from the sky, startling her horse, who threw her, and galloped off into the night in fear.
"It was already too late when the Lord reached his young love's side."
Sakura vaguely heard Mei-Ling gasp sorrowfully nearby. "The servants spoke after of how they heard their master's screams, a blood-chilling, terrible sound, in the darkness, despite the rain and wind and walls that separated them, in the house, from the tragic scene. The screams alone caused two maids to faint, and many of the staff were reduced to sobs of fear.
"The great doors were flung open, rain blowing in with an icy wind, and there stood the young Lord, his lover in his arms, dead, her neck broken by the fall. Never had the house seen such tragedy."
Sakura found she had tears in her eyes. What a tragic tale: what a terrible thing to happen to a person. She listened on.
"The Lord almost lost his senses in his grief. He put an end to all his gatherings and withdrew completely from society."
The tears spilled slowly from Sakura's eyes, as she lost herself in the story. Eriol's soft voice filled the warm air of the room.
"It was only after months of a kind of catatonic silence that he began to speak again. And it was only weeks again after that when the news emerged of his brother's disappearance.
"It was never confirmed, as to why and how the brother vanished. All that is known is that he went not very long after the lady's death, though any connection between the two is impossible to make out.
"The Lord was left, devastated and alone. It is said that it was in those months, following the beginning of his isolation, that he grew strange and eccentric, changing completely from the calm and friendly young man who had once lived in the grand house.
"Rumour tells, now, that the Lord yet lives, yet mourning the loss of his two greatest loves, his lady and his brother. They say that, on stormy nights, the dark hallways of his mansion are yet marked with the passage of his brother, wandering the halls and rooms of the place that was once his home, hoping to comfort his lonely twin. On those nights, this twin can be seen with tears in his eyes, as the screams of his grief-stricken brother sound out through the darkness from beyond the great gates…"
Sakura clung to Syaoran's hand with everything she had. Those were just the kind of stories that scared her beyond belief. Syaoran clenched his teeth and tried to endure the death grip his hand was being crushed in, knowing it helped Sakura for him to leave his hand in hers'. He leaned over to her to whisper in her ear gently, "It's just a story: don't be afraid."
She looked up, opening her eyes to see his comforting smile. She smiled weakly back.
Just then, the little clock on the mantelpiece began to sound out in soft chimes. The group all began to stand, yawning, commenting on the late hour.
"It's time to go to bed, I think," said Eriol. "Thank you all for listening to my story." He bowed with a flourish, a grin on his face. Mei-Ling laughed appreciatively, and Tomoyo, from her post in the corner, smiled on him rosily. Sakura noticed him smile back at her.
She stood with the rest, smoothing out her dress and stretching her arms, feeling suddenly sleepy. The story still had shivers going up and down her spine, though.
"Are you going now, too?" she asked Syaoran hesitantly. He smiled at her, and offered his arm.
"I will escort you to your room, my lady. No shadows shall touch or harm you, no matter what stories are told," he assured her. She smiled at him, a slight blush creeping over her cheeks.
Syaoran fulfilled his promise, leading Sakura to her door. She turned to thank him, though her door was open and waiting, her bed looking warm and inviting to her sleepy senses.
"Thank you, sir."
"Don't mention it, Sakura," he said, dropping the formalities as he surprised her by reaching for her hand, and touching the back of it with his lips gently. She blushed furiously in surprise.
Finally, after a long pause, as Sakura gazed at Syaoran, and he lingered in his grasp of her hand, Syaoran released her.
She bade a soft goodnight before she closed the door quietly.
He was left alone in the quietude of the hallway.
As he turned to go to his own room, he happened to glance at the other end of the long corridor. He gasped.
A figure stood there, head tilted up to the moonlight that streamed in through wide windows. A young man, ethereally bright and pale in the shadows of the stairway.
When Syaoran did a double take, turning to look properly, the vision had vanished.
He wandered, very cautiously, to the place it had been, but there was nothing there. Silent moonlight poured over him. There was not a single sound. It was incredibly eerie.
Syaoran found himself shivering, and crept back to his room, safe to his bed. It didn't bode well, certainly, whatever that had been.
He was only glad Sakura hadn't seen it.
Author's note: I'm actually seriously thinking about stopping this fic, I'm losing all enthusiasm for it at the mo, doesn't help that I have two other fics going as well! Anyhoo, leave a review, please! I'm sure I earned it, writing another chapter with no encouragement at all! And it was a pretty cool story by the fire, wasn't it? I was proud of it! And I'm pretty sure Eriol enjoyed telling it. *grin*