Author's note: I don't know how long it's been since I last post a chapter. Not that long I'm sure of it. I'm sorry if this chapter's not as long, but there was really not much planed into it. The next chapter will be very interesting… hehe. By the way, more of Sakura Card Captor's character will be used in this fanfiction. I don't know just how many, but I have a few idea for certain characters that I like. As you might have remarked, this story is deeper than the first and deals with more than sex and death. I'm a bit too influenced by Ann Rice's writing and also Yuki Kaori's wonderful writing and drawing. What? You don't know her? She was the one who created Angel Sanctuary, Gravel Kingdome, Count Cain, Kaine, Neiji, and my favorite Boy's Next Door. I really love that story, it's so sad. Each time I read it, I cry like a real baby. My mother thinks I'm insane crying over a manga but, she is a true genius when it comes to drawing and story. If you never read any of her work, I recommend it to you greatly. But, don't read if you are easily offended by immoral theme. In Angel Sanctuary, the protagonist is in love with his sister. In Kaine, the relationship is hard to understand, you don't know if he is either in love with his cousin (if I remember right) or if it's simply a platonic thing. Boy's Next Door is just plain yaoi and got explicit material, drug used and prostitution (I LOVE IT!!!). Kaori-sama is reputed to be an author with a very strange romantic mind, along with a very twisted sense of humor, and I'm not talking about how violent it can get. Really, it's not for kids. But if you don't read at least one of her manga, you can't call yourself a true manga fan. Boy, I'm getting far from the subject. Just read and review guys!
Disclaimers: Don't own anything. Ain't that clear enough for you law people?
Warnings: This chapter's pretty clean actually. The cleaner I ever wrote for this serie…
The Tale of the Morning Star
By Evil Karyta
Chapter Second: Aurore, Lady of France
Water was clashing loudly on the cost down from her window, the long scarlet curtains swayed along with the wind that blew through it, shielding the deadly sunrays that would otherwise beam through it while the day shown in glorious golden and light blue. For two weeks now, she had laid in here, lone in this richly decorated bed room that would be best described as a golden cage than anything else. Once each night, someone would come through the large oak doors a goblet of warm blood for her to feast upon, but there was her only encounter with a living soul through the day. The memory of how she got here was hazed, meld with flashes of dancing mortals, feasting demons and a cherubim face.
Parting the red curtains, Sakura leaned on the windowsill, observing in quite solitude the moon reflecting in silvery glitter on the deep and wild see down the narrowed cliff that surrounded what she thought to be an old castle. The waves never tired of crashing on the rock side, so neatly polished by the salty water. For days now, the ethereal woman had try to clear the fog of her mind to no avail. Everything seemed to be cast in shadow all she could remember was traveling to France where she was supposed to meet someone in a bar. Once she had gotten there though, everything turned in darkness. She should have been more cautious, should have thought things over, should have smelled the trap from far away. Maybe she lacked the wisdom of her kind, still too young to grasp the expanse of the treacherous mind of her fellow vampires.
The thing was that, until that day, her knowledge of her race was base on her beloved and that mysterious British gentleman. Syaoran did warned her though, but she was still a bit naïve, believing that maybe, they would not harm her. How wrong she turned to be. Still, it was a mystery to her why they would keep her capture and alive. What greater plot had cloud the vile mind of her jailer?
Suddenly, the sound of a key and a lock been taken off added to the whining of the old hinge of the doors made her turn to focus her attention to that particular aria of her rich cell. They were pushed open agonizingly slowly, as if the person behind mocked openly. Sakura, however, stood still, as elegant as she could, her white dress pants and business jacket smooth and creaseless, her emerald gaze passive and her delicate face calm and composed. She gracefully folded her hands and awaited the new comer to finish their useless play. Such dramatic entrance kept the Cheery Blossom in ice, having acquired an impressive pretence of ladyship. She could easily been mistaken for any aristocrat upon this Earth, with her composure and elegance.
Finally, the doors were completely opened and a small figure stepped in. An angelic looking girl, seemingly not older than 15 or 16 years crossed the doorframe and stopped at a decent space between her and Sakura. The girl was beautiful, if the word could give any justice to her. Long silken strands of white hair shimmering such as snow would under the gentle light of a December full moon. Glowing alabaster skin, full pink lips and ruby eyes, she was the vivid portrait of child purity. Her clothes was inspired by a gothic influence, long sleeved blood red shirt, almost see through, underneath it, she could outline a fine laced black bra, her skirt seemed to be made of many folds coming from deep purple to black, reaching low behind her and leaving her legs partly shown from the front. She wore many necklaces, a very elaborated river of rubies, a silver chain, white pearls and a long cross pendant that hanged barely above her stomach.
"Bonjour" greeted the girl with a large smile, showing her sharp fangs.
"I would rather say goodnight," said Sakura, giving her a smile of her own.
"Oui, you're quite right. Forgive me, I tend to forget such things aren't applying for the like of us," observed the girl, a white finger coming to her mouth as if in deep thinking. "Are your apartments to your liking, Fleur de cerisier?"
"Very much."
The girl seemed to beam at hearing such statement. "You find me quite pleased," she said cheerfully. "I wouldn't want my precious invité to be uncomfortable."
The Goth girl's voice was high, still lingering the child's tone, although her speaking and manners were of an educated lady, her eyes shining in mischief but wise all the same. Watching her, Sakura had hard time now guessing just how old that tiny vampire could be. The girl walked gracefully toward a chair that seemed to be the last remains of a long passed era, tasteful and sophisticated; maybe it had been crafted in the early years of Renaissance, when lords and ladies craved for rich furniture. Her chains and necklaces clinking as she moved, and Sakura only noted now that she wore spiked high heels. The white haired girl sat and motioned to her to do the same. Once comfortable seated, both stared at each other, blazing red eyes searching rich forest green before she leaned in her chair, white hands resting absently on the soft embonpoint material that covered the armrest her ruby gaze still quietly observing her.
"Have you been well fed? I believe I sent you Emilie but you can never truly relay on servants today."
From up close, and with those words coming out of her childlike lips, she looked like a spoiled brat, never satisfied by what life so generously graces her with.
"Yes, I have been served very well, thank you."
"That is a good thing to hear, she shall live longer then," stated the girl as if she spoke of useless beast.
There was a pose in their polite talking and than the girl's face turned apologetic and a hand covered her mouth to quiet down a small yelp.
"I'm terribly sorry. How rude of me for not introducing myself properly," she then smiled sweetly. "My name is Aurore Marquise de Lorient."
"Lorient? Isn't it a far way from Paris?"
"Oui, it is. Mais, I love this old Manoir too much to leave it. It holds so many found memories."
"I understand."
"Sakura, you may be wondering why you are kept here," finally asked Aurore.
"I've been thinking about it through the passed weeks, but still hasn't come with an answer."
"Well, allow me to enlighten you then. It is quite simple, I'm sure you will understand quite easily. You are a bait."
"A bait?" the white clad woman was confused.
"Yes. A bait for my lovely little lone Chinese wolf."
"Syaoran?"
"You're quite the intelligent one, Sakura."
"What do you want with him? Don't you know that we are no longer together?"
"Yes, Li never could stay with someone for very long," observed the girl.
"You're misunderstanding. We still love each other."
"I never said such a thing. It is just that it's against his nature to stay at the same place with the same person for longer than a few years. The man is very wild."
"I was the one who left," stated Sakura.
"Really?" the glitter in her crimson eyes told her that she already knew it. "I never said I didn't know such things, Sakura. Pay attention will you or I'll start to believe you're not as intelligent as I first thought."
"So, I'm a bait? And what makes you believe he'll come for me?" she asked.
"Oh, s'il vous plait. When you love someone, you're ready to do anything for them."
"That still doesn't prove he will come," remarked Sakura.
The girl giggled, her deadly teeth shining under the moon light giving to her angelic face a horror glitter that would scare the bravest man away. Such a sweet, twinkling laugh seemed so wrong coming out of her murderous mouth. She sobered a little and then stared hardly at her interlocutor, her red eyes holding more knowledge than Sakura could have thought possible. Getting to her feet, she motioned to exist the room but stopped when she got close to the doors, facing the oak exist, she spook, menace dripping in her juvenile voice.
"You both love each other, ma chouette. You're the living proof that my little wolf has a soft spot, though I once thought it was the British dog. Did you know that Syaoran once pledge to never share his blood? He will come… if I scare him enough, he'll come tails in between the legs like the good little wolf he is."
Aurore's laughter echoed down the hall as she walked out of her captive's room, leaving a calm Sakura to ponder over her distant lover. She had known from the beginning that he would come, the woman would have done the same for him. Did he knew it was a trap? Did he had any idea how she dreaded and awaited his arriving? The perspective of seeing her beloved once again after four long years of parting was more exiting the she had first believed it would. Actually, the sole idea of living separated from him was paining, although inexorable. What would have been the point of eternity if they were to slowly destroy each other? She glanced up at the sky, shoving away the few strand of rebelling auburn hair, watching the lady that governed the nights, imploring her to keep her lover safe.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Aurore was sitting peacefully at her late father's desk in the study room, surrounded by bookshelves loaded almost to the point of braking apart. Her small feet clad in their red middle high heels resting provocatively upon the cherry wood in witch the large desk had been finely crafted in. The only ornament of the room that was not of her far away time was the leather chair on which she sited a cocky grin adorning her young face. Her red eyes stared bemused at the angels and demons that covered the ceiling. She could recall, when she was still a human child, watching, with transfixed admiration, the artists her 'father' had hired to decorate his private room.
"Ça ne c'est pas si mal passé finalement…" she thought aloud as she stared at one of her favourite demon.
It was a demonic being ripping a man apart and feasting upon his flesh like the carnal beast it was. Beside it was a horrified angel, covered in blood, seemingly praying for the poor man's soul. She always thought human to be pathetic and angels to be useless, having long since lost her faith in God and its liking. Raised in murder, she had created a crave for death by the age of five, enjoying sin greatly, never to be righteous. A soft, timid knock disturbed her inner musing. Turning her head toward the source of the sound, the silver head uttered a commending reply.
"Entrer."
"Maîtresse, vous avez un téléphone," said the maid as she entered the room, a phone in her shaking hands.
"Merci," and with that she dismissed the frighten woman, taking the receiver.
"The message was delivered as you asked, Marquise," declared the voice on the other side of the line.
"How did he react?"
"Just as expected. When shall I tell him how to find you?"
"Not just yet, I still have to make him suffer," her sly grin grew wider as she spoke. "Eriol, I want you to investigate the whereabouts of the Cherry Blossom's previous life. Maybe our Lone Wolf has made a few friends back in Japan."
"As you wish, my lady."
"Oh and, keep an eye on him too, I don't want him to come any close to France before everything is settled, is that clear?"
"I will not deceive you."
"Magnifique…"
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
He had sough through the entire city, but when Eriol decided to be invisible, he could be as tangible as thin air. Although Québec was not a large city, it still had many places for the man to hide, which unnerved Syaoran to the point of literally seeing red. How dared he to run like this and not leave him a single clue as to where that hateful child could had hid her? Worst, how could he think that after fifty years of no sighting, Aurore would have given up on him? Had she not tortured him enough? Li knew very well of the child like vampire's way of taking good care of people. Images of a tortured Sakura in that reeking Chambre de Pierre kept invading his mind, pushing him toward madness. He knew from the beginning how wrong he had been to make her one of them, but not in his worst nightmares had he phantom the possibility of his beloved held captured by his creator. Now that he was facing that very dreadful fact, he just had no idea how to get her out of the hellhole he had so carelessly pushed her in.
"Eriol!!!" he cried in despair.
His shout was only met with silence and shadow, the night drawing to a closure and his body starting to feel the bit of the sun slowly rising over the horizon. His flesh burning with the purple hew that coloured the morning sky. He stood by the Parlement, leaning against one of those old cannon, relics of colonial war when the country was still under the leadership of France. Graffiti and tags covered the stoned wall, proof that the youth did not care at all for patrimony's possession, nor did they care for history in general. Syaoran was losing hope, by the time, the dark haired British could had very well left, fallowing the movement of the night to the west, long since gone from this province. He could be anywhere.
"You look pitiful, Syaoran."
The man jerked, startled, and stared to his left where the voice came from. There stood the very person he had been looking for all night. His mind was fill with noxious thinking, wishing the god forsaken blue eye to be stuck by a sudden and painful death. Regaining his composure, the Chinese man pushed off his resting place, cinnamon eyes narrowed in anger, lips thin under the tight pressure of his jaw, fist tightly fold, ready to strike at any given opportunity. His counterpart merely smirked, motioning him to follow his lead as he strode down the sidewalk.
"Where the hell is she!" demanded Syaoran.
"I don't know," was Eriol sly answer.
"Eriol, tell me. You know what she'll do to her, she did the same to us. How can you stay her lap dog?"
The British only chuckled, his voice rich and smooth. He shook his head, short midnight locks lingering in the movement before settling back in place. He kept walking, forcing the poor angered man to follow, not willing to lose his sight again.
"She told me you will know in time. All I have is a phone number, but by the time, she must be in sleep, and so much be you're lovely flower."
"Humph…"
"I'm sorry for not being of any help."
They walked slowly, following the curves of the old city's narrowed street way in a somewhat comfortable silence. Eriol missed the time when though could just sit all night long, unspeaking but understanding each other as perfectly as words could have. How he wished to turn back time, return that those lovely moments of friendship when their mutual need of understanding and comfort forced the two in that passionate friendship that earned them so much grief and pain. Still, not for anything in the world, not even his soul, would the dark man take those moments back. In a way, it was what kept him alive, what forced him toward tomorrow. Hope and love was all he had left when that tyrannical marquise had stolen everything from him, from his life to his freedom.
"Do you have a place to sleep?" asked Eriol.
"I've gotten a room at the Chateau Frontenac," came the answer.
"My, aren't we living in such luxury."
"It was my first time here. I thought taking a good room and a grand hotel would make my stay more comfortable," explained Li rather nonchalantly, than after a short pose. "Do you have a place to stay?"
"Would you mind if I came along with you?"
He sighed. "As long as you don't bring any corps in…"
"Thank you."
The Chateau Frontenac was a very well reputed hotel holding souvenirs of the time when the governor of the same name stayed there. Richly decorated with an art gallery where the painting of the first assembly was held in exposition, just beside the ball room, and the beautiful suites that made it all the more lovely. Syaoran had rented the presidential apartments with a stunning view over the St-Laurent river. Upon entering the magnificent room, Eriol could only stare at the rich display of Canadian taste in decoration. He stood by the large windows, staring at the silvery glow of the wild river, the beautiful gardens by the cliff and the light that illuminated it so perfectly.
"It reminds me of Liverpool…" breathed the aristocratic man.
"I thought you were Londoner," inquired Li.
"Of course, but when I was still a child, my family would spend some time there in a summer estate my mother's family owned," he explained, his sapphire eyes never leaving the scenery.
"Really?"
"Yes, it was round the beginning of what they now call the Renaissance, such a lovely time, if only we were not as scared of water by then…" said Eriol with a hit of humour in his tone. "That must be one of the reasons why she seemed so… freshly different by then."
"I tend to forget through the years how many generation separates us. I still can't believe you really believed water could make you ill," remarked the other man as he came to stand beside him.
"It was long ago, and by then, we had not the same knowledge as your people. We had only just discovered cannon powder by then. Things sure have changed. I remember how amaze I was when I first saw a light glob, or even heard of electricity."
"Yes, it's a bit awkward to me still to see how the world constantly changes," mused the Chinese man as he leaned his back to the window, folding his arms over his chest in deep thinking.
"I'm really sorry I could not stop her from taking your mate," uttered Eriol after a long moment of silence.
"I miss her, terribly, so much it hurts," muttered the man, closing his lids in a lame attempt to keep his broken tears imprisoned.
"I don't think I will ever understand how you feel."
The dark haired rested his forehead to the glass, lost in reminiscence of long since past moments of life when he though everything was possible and for him to take. In the end, Aurore had tricked them all into damnation with her charming looks and sweet-talking. Although not many survived her, either they fell into insanity, surrounded by their own demon, becoming mere shadows of themselves or simply died willingly, no longer capable of enduring the unceasing torment of that adorable devil of a child. He and Syaoran were the only left, beside that strange man she kept locked somewhere, but he was believed to have lost his mind long ago and as old as she was, if not older. She had only spoke of him, and the two man had never had any confirmation of his existence.
"Day is drawing near, we should get some rest. I believe all you have to do is to wait for her next letter…" stated the Londoner.
Syaoran only answer was a slight nod of his head, bangs covering his unnatural eyes.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
To be continued………
a/n: Well, I really hope it was to your liking. As usually, I wont fix a deadline for the next chapter. Right now, I'm working on many stories at the same time and I just write a new chapter for this one when I feel like I've kept you waiting too long (in short when I start to get some inspiration). So anyway, tell me what you think of it. I really don't know what to think of it. And strangely, the more I write for this story, the more I like it. I even got an little idea for a possible third part of the story. But before you get your hopes high, I'll tell you one thing. We'll see how this one ends and then, maybe I'll consider writing that last part I've been thinking about. But please, I'm begging you, don't ask questions about it just now, it's not official yet and I still have to figure the ending out (yes I know I said I planed it all in the beginning but you know, it took me to the last minute to figure out the end of TTOYL). So anyway. If you guys have questions about Aurore or what she said in French, just ask and it'll be my pleasure to answer. Also, when you send me an e-mail, I'm always happy to answer, so don't be scared to use my address. ^-^
KARYTA'S PERSONNAL THANKING TO HER LOVELY REVIEWERS (wonder if the name changes each times I'm writing this… somehow I just can't remember the exact words…)
fire-blade: Thank you.^-^ I for one loves long rides… I always sleep all the way through though.
ling: Thanks for the support!
Dark Angel Kamui-gal16: Thanks, my toaster's been nicer lately. Maybe it got scared of the knife… But actually, I would never dare to shove a metal knife in an electric machine. With my luck, even if the thing is not plugged, I could still get electrocuted. I'm sorry I have not read your fics. I'm no longer reading CCS fanfictions, I'm into Rurouni Kenshin head over heels (I just love that little oro-chan! Wee!) I've also seen the Matrix Reloaded (only once though I'm dieing to see it again) and loved it to death! This movie is just like a manga to me. As an expert comic book reader I can tell the difference between American, Canadian, French, Spanish and Japanese story line. To me, the best are French and Japanese, both held that thing that just keeps me hooked. Story wise, American comic books are not what I would call interesting, though some could be but the super hero thing always makes me winks my nose. Not that I didn't try. I actually read some the Genesis from Marvel Comics, and found it interesting but I got bored half way through. It's really to bad because the concept was pretty original and the drawings was simply beautiful.
AnimeObesessionFantasy: Loved each other? Not like we would think. It was more like a very physical friendship. You know, it's hard to describe how vampire think or explain exactly why they act a certain way. I would believe that they are just more strongly lead by there emotions than we humans are, if that's possible.
Yami Hoshiko: Actually, I was not supposed to write that explanation but then, I thought that no one would really understand what I really wanted to make you see. I wonder how you would have reacted if I didn't put that note at the bottom… But really, I don't see why every one seems to think it disturbing for those two to be together, I find it quite cute actually (though Li and Sakura still belongs to each other). And if I told you when Li and Sakura will eventually see each other again, I would spoil the story!
EcuaGirl: Actually, my lemon one-shot was called To Show You How Much I Love You and I never thought it was a good one. It was my first attempt to a lemon, maybe you're mistaking me with an other writer. No more S+E moments? That depends how things will turn out, but it was in the past, long long ago when there was no electricity. Actually, it's for herself… but it's not really Sakura that she wants. Actually, I believe it's one of the first story where Sakura is kidnapped not because someone wants her but because they want Li-kun… well I think it is. I've not been reading much of CCS lately… hehe.
AnimeFreak-TrunksPan-luver4evr: Man, the names are just getting longer and longer… Ah, are vampire straight to start with it? I mean, if I was one… I wouldn't really care if it's a boy or a girl, but that's my opinon… Actualy, I'm not and I still don't care, but that's just because I'm a weird one who believes life's only fun when you experience everything… err, this is off subject.
Kawaii-CherryWolf: I thought I would scare a few people with my twisted mind. I hope this will be less confusing.
Sakura Angel: Was, Sakura Angel-dono goes to bed very late, that she does. (where did that Kenshin talk came from?) Err.. anyway. I'm pleased to see it made you that happy. I write for that purpose only, so knowing it made you day, it makes mine too. ^-^ I'm sorry if you think it's disturbing to see those two that way, but it has its reason to be (beside me just loving it…hehe, I'm wicked, I know) Yeah, I wondered a lot about it too… though I already had a good idea, been the author and all, but still. There's a lot I've not told you yet and there is much more to the character's past than I let you know. I still need to figure out a few things too, but I bet I'll be very interesting. ^-^ And with the character I'm planning to insert somewhere along the way, it's gonna get even better! My other story? The one in Rurouni Kenshin? It's a bit like this but instead of vamps it's soul takers, or devourers, I don't really know how they're call. It's even darker than this is, if possible. And I got an other about student/teacher relationship on the way too for RK. So if you're a fan of that anime… don't be shy and read it, I'm a bit desperate for review right now…
Rushi Star: You know, there was only three stories that I never finish. The main reason why was because the plots lacked at some places or I was just not satisfied at all with the way the story went. So, asking me if I'll continue to write is pointless because you can be sure I'll keep writing!
aku-neko: Finally, someone who thinks like me! All I got for getting them apart was "Why did you do this?" or "I can't believe they're not together" and blah, blah, blah.
Jackal_paasi333: I understand your point of view, but forgive me for not sharing it. As vampires, they can perfectly well express themselves that way. But it is and will always be my point of view. Thanks for reviewing!
Talker: Err… Actually, as much as I a can see Eriol and Syaoran together, as much as I can't even beging to imagine Sakura and Eriol together. Anyway, he's not the one after her, and Aurore is taking Sakura only to get Syaoran… Man, I think this story is starting to get pretty complicated.
EAD TAES: Maa, sessha is really happy that Ead Taes-dono actually reviewed, that she is. ^-^ Aren't Ead Taes-dono getting a bit arrogant here? Maybe sessha should not let him read the chapter before they are posted, that she should not…
Cherry: Apart, together… Save her? Who said she needed to be save?
Tania: Maa… I don't know what to say… Thank you very much, this goes straight to my heart. ^-^
Well, I don't know if I'll do this again next chapter. It took me a good hour and an half to do this personal thanking thingy and it's tiering. So next time, I think I'll simply mention your names and give a note to the most touching reviews, how does that sound?
See you guys around!
