The Last Avalon
By Angelic Princess
Disclaimer: Sorry everyone for the wait! I didn't know anyone was actually waiting for it, but yeah… now that its near the holidays, believe me, I'll spend heaps of time on my stories. CardCaptor Sakura doesn't belong to me; plot is by Cory Daniells, blah, blah, blah. Banish any memory of the smiling, gentle, nice Yukito. He is not. If you have a problem, don't say I didn't warn you. Remember, HE LOOKS LIKE YUE. The whole sullen, bad-boy thing.
Chapter 4: Nadeshiko's Plan
SAKURA was intrigued. Why had Nadeshiko woken her up in the middle of the night so stealthily? The night candles had burned down low, and Sakura had fallen asleep after a painfully tense meal at the General's table.
Even the household servants were asleep. Nadeshiko drew Sakura near the window into a patch of moonlight.
"The General believes you should be killed."
"You did a scrying without me?"
"No-"
"Then you read it in his mind before? I touched his arm on the way to the evening meal, and I felt nothing!" Sakura sighed.
Nadeshiko patted her arm. "It is not easy to Read a person. Don't be discouraged. I've had years to shape my skills. But even though I got some insight on him before, I didn't need to Read him to use plain logic. I am old and in his eyes useless. You are young, and even though only a female," her voice grew rich with laughter, "You could still unite those who are still loyal to the old kingdom."
"But I-"
The old hand clasped hers, willing it to silence. Heart hammering with the injustice of it, Sakura held her tongue.
"Don't despair. He came to see me last night, after you retired. He came on an excuse, but he was looking for you. He's drawn to you…"
"I despise him!" Sakura jumped up and began prowling around the room. What could she do? She felt trapped. She could feel her grandmother's eyes following her and it irritated her.
"Listen, time is short. If we are to survive, you need a clear head, and be able to make difficult decisions."
"I will do whatever it takes!" Sakura strode back to the window, her hands clenching and unclenching. Finally, she was going to take action.
"No matter how hard it may be?"
She took Nadeshiko's hands. "I will not fail the Avalon blood that runs strong in me."
"Very well. " Nadeshiko turned around and unlocked a cupboard using her Key. She took out a pouch. Sakura darted eagerly around to her side. Already she felt much more optimistic.
"What is it? A slow, painful poison? I will find a way to slip it to him."
"No."
Sakura nodded. "Even better, A quick-acting poison that mimics a natural illness."
"No."
"Then what?"
"Sakura you must listen to me. You must gain the General's trust. To convince him not to kill us. How that may be done, well, that is the difficult part."
Sakura's skin went cold, her voice rose. "What do you mean?"
"The General leads through the loyalty of his men. He must show himself all-powerful and commanding, cloaking his weakness. However, beneath all that, he is still just a mere-man."
"I don't understand you!" Agitated, Sakura turned to face the window. "I wish he never invaded Fair Isle! Why did our armies fail? We had the numbers, we had-"
"We had grown arrogant during the time of peace. Humility is a high price to pay."
Sakura sat down on the window seat with a sigh. Nadeshiko took out the small pouch and handed it to her.
"Open it." Sakura did, and inside were the Cards. She gasped. "From now on, take this everywhere with you. I highly doubt you can use it though, because legend says that only our first ancestor that came to Fair Isle were able to harness the power of the Cards. These Cards have been passed down through our family for generations, and I now give them to you. But they will not save you if you are in trouble, until you learn how to use them. Be careful of The Firey. It is the strongest. That is why I am saying that you must convince the General."
"Isn't there another way?" Sakura said desperately.
The old woman was implacable. "There is no other way. You must ensure your survival."
All the blood rushed to her head. She had lain with a male. For most of her life, she had taken it for granted that she would never do so. She had never told anyone of her secret, how Yukito had come to her before their formal betrothal and suggested they go riding. How innocent she had been then, but having only received nothing but the highest respect from all the males in the Palace, she had gone with him.
He captivated her, she who had previously spurned all males. The memory of it still made her cheeks burn.
He had challenged her to a race, across the plains and then onto the forest paths. She had matched him leap for leap. She never could resist a challenge. When they had dismounted, panting with excitement, the blood was singing in her body.
He'd challenged her to perform the formal offence-defense maneuvers with him, but it had all been a ploy. He'd abandoned the standard responses, and started using tricks; blocked strikes. When she realized he was just playing with her, she grew angry. He had proved that although she knew her moves, she could not defeat him physically.
Finally, he had laughed at her outraged expression. She struck him while he was off guard, knocking him to the ground. When he looked up, his expression told her she would pay for it.
She'd turned and run, almost mounting her horse before he pulled her from it. He'd tripped her and pushed her to the mossy ground. She'd fought him fiercely, but didn't intend to hurt him, so she didn't use any of the killing blows which might've freed her. Still, she had made it clear with the force of her resistance, that she was not giving in.
At last, panting with exertion, she ceased to struggle and looked up at him. The intensity of his expression unnerved her. She had never seen naked desire in a man's features so clearly before.
When his lips claimed hers, she remained still, unsure. She experienced the velvet softness of his lips for the first time. It felt strange.
He explored her mouth with tantalizing little touches that left her wanting more. His breath, his scent and his essence enveloped her, imprinting him on her. A sweet languor stole surreptitiously through her limbs.
Curious, she returned his touch, surprised by the surge of desire which claimed her consciousness. Suddenly lost, she had forgotten herself in his embrace, forgotten all caution. Seared by a passion she did not know existed, she gave herself up to the sensation. When their lips parted, she had moaned in protest.
He could have taken her then, but he hadn't. He had laughed a wild, passionate laugh that equally frightened and fascinated her. And though she could tell it cost him, he had held back.
It was then that he revealed that he'd always intended to make her his. A formal request to bond with her fell from his lips. She had agreed without hesitation, surprising herself with the surge of heat that flashed through her body. His eyes had widened, as if sensing her response, and he had smiled.
At that moment, she realized that Yukito did not intend a cool, political bonding, but a bonding of the blood and soul.
Looking back, she thought she must have recognized her for what she was--a wild, wanton streak. He had deliberately passed over her elder sister, and breached six hundred years of custom.
At the formal betrothal ceremony, they had shared their scents and mingled their blood symbolically, for the approval of the witnesses. That was about the total sum of experience with men.
Because she had been born a pure-blood, destined to a celibate life like her grandmother, no man had ever shown any interest in her. She could not understand the way her sister and her friends eyed the young men of their acquaintance. Her own response to Yukito had been a shock. He appeared to have awakened something in her.
What choice did she have? It was not her way to accept her fate calmly, bowing to the inevitable. She would fight every inch of the way. Even if it meant this!
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Well how was that? Please tell me your ideas or anything.