Trials of Love

By: Shichan Goddess

All Hope Abandon

"Through me you pass into the city of woe:

Through me you pass into eternal pain:

All hope abandon, ye who enter here."

—Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy

"Are you sure this is wise, Li-san?" Meiling questioned dubiously as she fingered the silk fabric.

"Of course! There is nothing that will bring back Xiao Lang's memories like being wed to the one he loves the most."

Meiling blushed prettily and smiled. "Yes, Li-san."

"Now, where are those tailors? That silk that you're holding seems perfect! And this, of course, is perfect for the bridesmaids."

Meiling looked at the fabric and nodded, sighing wistfully as she relented her hold to the tailors. She stood patiently still as they took all her measurements. This- *this* is what she had envisioned since she was a little girl. Being married to Xiao Lang…

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Syaoran took a deep breath as he fingered his set of keys, and placed on in the door of his apartment. This was the true test.

Once again, he took one deep, calming breath, and his door opened silently. The light from the hallway spilled into the dark apartment, and Syaoran fumbled for a moment before his trained fingers found the light switch.

'This is it…'

The lights flicked on, and the shadows disappeared. Everything was just as he had left it—except for one detail.

His mementos of Japan. Of Sakura.

Gone.

All of the trinkets and pictures that he had around his apartment were gone. Not a single trace of his life remained. Instead, there were pictures of memories he didn't remember, pictures of himself and Meiling. Pictures of China. Pictures, oh so many pictures! But none which he could remember ever taking or partaking in.

It felt as if he was a guest in a stranger's house. Living a stranger's life.

His emotions raged out of control. He was in a horrible state of confusion, and could not decide which reality to believe. This? Or the reality of Sakura? He was torn between two worlds, and for the life of him, could not choose which one to believe. He sank down onto his dark green couch and held his head in his hands.

'What the hell is happening to me? Was this all—Sakura, Tomoyo, the Cards—really just a dream?'

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"What are the plans, Li-san?"

"The wedding shall commence tomorrow!"

"Tomorrow? So soon?"

"Yes, I don't see why not, Kero-san. We will have the wedding take place here, in Japan. The entire clan is on board as we speak."

"And Xiao Lang? Have you told him of this?"

There was a brief, uncomfortable silence for a moment.

"You haven't told him?!"

"Well, no. He seemed so anxious. I was going to announce it to him tomorrow."

"I will tell him, Li-san." Spoke the azure-eyed reincarnation from the doorway.

Li-san whirled around to face him, smiling. "Would you, Eriol-san? I would be ever so grateful."

"Of course, madam. Kero, would you accompany me?"

"Hai."

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"Shh, Kero. Do you want to wake him?"

"I'm sorry! It was an accident!"

Syaoran awoke on the sofa with a small start as he heard the voices and blearily realized that he had been covered with a blanket.

He sat up silently, and padded into to the kitchen. The sight that met his eyes was extremely unusual. Eriol was levitating a few pots and pans from the drawers, while digging through the cabinets. Kero seemed intent on eating the honey from a jar on the kitchen table.

Syaoran cleared his throat. He winced as the result ended in the crashing of his pots against the floor.

"Xiao Lang! Don't scare me like that!"

"Syaoran. I prefer Syaoran."

"Syaoran. All right then." Eriol amended, the foreign word feeling strange on his tongue. He once again levitated the pots and pans, and set them safely upon the counter.

"About time you got up." He called as he proceeded to dig through the cabinets. "Hey, Xi—Syaoran, where do you keep the pancake batter?"

"Second cabinet, to the right."

"Ah-ha!" Eriol cried in triumph and banged his head on the open cabinet door. "Ow…"

Rubbing his forehead, he poured the batter into one of the pans and began to cook it. Casually, he looked over to where Syaoran had slumped into a chair.

"Why the long face, my dear little descendent? After all, most men would be happy on their wedding days."

"What?!"

"Your wedding, of course, Syaoran. I would have told you last night, but when I arrived, you were sound asleep. Not that I didn't try," He muttered wryly. "You sleep like a rock, Syaoran."

"My wedding?!"

"Ah, yes. I got off track. I apologize."

"…Well?"

"Well what?"

"Who am I marrying? And you made this decision without notifying me?"

"Don't be stupid," Eriol scoffed. "You're marrying Meiling, of course! Who else would you marry?"

Syaoran's eyes got a far off look to them. 'Sakura…' "Meling?"

"Yes, Meiling. And your dear mother made all these preparations. The clan should arrive soon to attend."

"But-"

"But what?"

"I can't! I can't marry Meiling!"

"Why in the world not?"

"Because…" 'I don't love her.'

"You love her. I've seen you two everyday for the past six years. It almost makes me sick, how much you two are in love."

"I have to agree with him, kid," Kero spoke up seriously. "The light that's in your eyes whenever you're with her. It's amazing."

Syaoran was silent for a moment. Snatches of memories bombarded him…all those memories he had with Sakura…only this time, she was replaced instead, with Meiling.

'Masaka…it can't be. It can't.'

"Syaoran, I'm sorry," Eriol sighed. "But this is what's best for you. You will marry Meiling. Otherwise, you shall be exiled from the clan."

Syaoran seemed to give no indication that he had heard Eriol's last statement. The memories continued to bombard him, and he was nearly suffocated. Happy laughter—Meiling's laughter—rang in his ears.

'Can it?'

"But—Sakura…"

"Not Sakura again! Show me proof of this dream girl, descendent! There is no such girl! She was a dream, perhaps a lovely one, but a dream nonetheless! She has no place in reality! Why are you so blind that you cannot see that?" Eriol gave a sigh. "Forget about her, that is my advice, Syaoran. I cannot tolerate this foolishness any longer. Marry Meiling and forget about the dream girl. Don't destroy your entire life for a dream!"

The two magical beings left, leaving Syaoran alone with his thoughts. The endless nagging that they were right weighed heavily on his mind.

'Can it?'

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It was dark in the room, for Syaoran had pulled down the curtains. The room was bare, save a few necessary objects, and Syaoran could not help but feel trapped.

He could barely remember her now. Sakura.

All he could remember was a pair of big, green eyes. His mind had let all the other details of his dream world go. The memories had fluttered away, leaving his mind blissfully numb. He adjusted his bowtie in the full-length mirror and waited.

"Syaoran. It's time."

Syaoran nodded, and turned crisply towards the doorway and down the pathway that led to the priest. His face was an expressionless mask, eyes cold and unseeing. He reached his designated spot and absently surveyed all the clan members that filled the seats of the church. Eriol stood proudly next to him, alert for anything and everything.

Before he knew it, the Bridal march began to play, and a beautiful figure donned in white made her way down the aisle. He sort of drifted as the ceremony took place, and soon, he realized with a start that they were exchanging vows.

"…Till death do you part?"

"I do." Came the soft and stout reply.

'Can this truly be my destiny? Is this right?' Syaoran asked himself.

"And do you, Xiao Lang Li takes Meiling Nirato to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and told, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

'Of course it is. I love her. I love…'

A.N. Mwahahahahaha! Aren't I evil? Yes, yes I am. There you have it, I wrote an entire bloody chapter in a day! Mwah! Talk about speed! I'm on a roll! And this is all thanks to windy*wings-chan, who is my inspiration. That review nearly made me cry! I was so happy, I just had to write! Thank you ever so much! See? *Giggles* I actually did post quickly! Gosh, I love the summer!

More soon!

Ja~