DISCLAIMER: As everyone before me has stated, Sakura and Syaoran belong to
CLAMP, and not me. All other characters, however, are of my own creation
and belong to me, the all-knowing ruler of the universe. ^-^
Author's note: Hey guys! Sorry about the delay in posting, lol. ^-^;; I've had two projects and maaaany softball games. But anyway! Here it is, and hopefully it will be longer than the last. ^_^ I, myself, had forgotten where I left off so just to save ya'll an EXTRA CLICK, I'll include the last scene. ^-^
****
Sakura listened quietly as the man finished, soaking in the information. "But my father was gathering no such army. . ."
Hideaki shrugged. "We received word from a reliable source."
Sakura caught his gaze. Her eyes glowered. "And who is this 'reliable source', may I ask? Who is this man that is spreading lies about my father?"
'Who is this man who caused me to be taken from my bed in the middle of the night' she added in her head.
"I cannot answer that, my lady," spoke Hideaki slowly.
Sakura turned at the snap of a twig. The king approached slowly, staying in the shadows.
Hideaki piped up quickly, "I must return to the castle. I'll leave her in your custody, your highness." Then he turned and walked away quickly.
****
The king kept his face in the shadows, not looking up at Sakura. She stood, shifting from foot to foot before sitting on a nearby bench. Finally she attempted to start conversation.
"So you had a visitor?" she asked politely.
A gruff answer eventually came from the shadows. "Yes."
Sakura laughed lightly. "Someone you did not want to see, I assume?"
"Have you ever had a visitor you did not want? Someone who, no matter what you said, they wouldn't go away? They're a constant reminder of something you cannot handle, something that has been arranged over your head. And you cannot do anything about it?"
Suddenly, Syaoran stepped from the shadows. Sakura gasped lightly as the moonlight caught his face, accenting his strong jaw, handsome face, and certainly those brilliant chocolate eyes. His hair blew lightly in the light breeze; his eyes were set angrily on her.
"It makes me so angry! I'm king of Aleka and I cannot do anything about this!"
****
Syaoran was speaking loudly and angrily when he noticed Sakura drawing back from him. She averted her eyes.
Cursing himself, he sat next to her on the bench.
"I wasn't yelling at you. I just. . . do you know how it feels to have something that directly affects you? Something you can't control?" he spoke much more softly this time.
She turned slowly, and the king's eyes widened as he saw her face in the moonlight. His eyes traveled from her elegant eyebrows, to her sharp green eyes, past her strong nose, away from her pink cheeks, finally resting on her full lips. His eyes watched, transfixed, as they moved, producing an answer.
"Yes, I know it every day I wake in your palace," spoke the lips softly.
The eyes grew sad and distant. Determined to make them bright again, he stood up suddenly and grabbed her hand.
****
He was pulling her along quickly, causing Sakura to trip several times. Struggling to free herself, she asked him of their destination. The king merely glanced back, eyes shining, and told her to wait.
Within minutes, they had reached a gate. Sakura could see over the fence a large pavilion.
'The western pavilion. But. . . he banned me from it.'
Her jaw dropped as the gate swung open. Dazzling colors ambushed her eyes from all sides.
'It's just like the first night I met the king'
As soon as the thought passed through her mind, her eyes zeroed in on the same figure that had caught her attention that night.
****
He tightened his grip on her hand, pulling her though the gate and into the garden. Turning, he watched her expression delightedly. For a moment her eyes widened, enjoying the view. It caught him off guard when he noticed her eyes focused on him.
Quickly, she turned and walked to a corner of the garden. She began examining the flowers. Making sure her back was to him, Syaoran crept silently across the garden and picked a single cherry blossom. Moving softly, he approached Sakura.
****
'One day he will notice you eyeing him in such a way, and then, Sakura Kinomoto, you will be in trouble.'
She was so busy lecturing herself she did not hear the king creeping up behind her. He whispered, "I have something for you."
She jumped, suddenly very aware of his presence behind her. Avoiding his eyes, she turned. A smile took over her lips and she almost melted when she saw the flower in his hand.
She watched, not moving, as he carefully put the cherry blossom behind her ear. Her ear burned at his touch, but still she avoided his eyes.
"Do you like it, Sakura?" he said softly.
"Yes, your cherry blossoms are very beautiful," answered Sakura.
She felt his hand on her cheek. Gently, he tilted her chin back. Desperately, she avoided his eyes still.
"They are all beautiful, but there is one in particular that catches my eye. . ."
Sakura blushed. Looking up finally, she caught the expression in his eyes.
Her mind went numb, allowing only one thought to pass through. 'He's going to kiss me.'
And he did.
****
Sekai snarled in anger.
'My little cherry blossom must be protected from this little wolf. She must hate him. I must make her hate him. I must.'
He huffed loudly, anger getting the best of him. Coughing, he fixed his expression to a more thoughtful one. 'Something must happen right now, before she assures herself of his good meaning. But what can I do?'
Suddenly a smile took form. His laughter flowed through the halls as he raced toward the room.
****
Sakura broke the kiss first. Seeing a need for flight in her eyes, Syaoran quickly stepped forward and placed his arms around her waist. He smiled as he felt her resign to being held.
Not meeting his eyes again, she spoke softly, "I think I better go, your highness. Tomoyo will expect me."
The king bent down to her eye level and spoke. "'Your highness' is too formal. You must call me Syaoran."
Sakura smiled, still slightly dazed. "Syaoran. . .," she said, wanting to hear the sound on her tongue.
He smiled in return and wrapped his arms around her tighter. She leaned forward and placed her head against his chest, breathing in his scent. She sighed happily, before slowly tilting her head backwards to look up at Syaoran.
"What do I have to do for another one?" she asked, teasing him.
Not bothering to answer, he leaned down and brushed his lips against her own, slowly deepening it.
****
Syaoran jumped back when he heard the awful voice.
"Syaaaaaoran! What are you DOING?"
Nireko ran up to them, eyeing Sakura with a glare. Slowly her lips formed a smirk.
"Or perhaps it should be WHO are you doing?"
Syaoran glared at the unwelcome Nireko. He felt Sakura shrink back against his chest. He cursed himself for forgetting to close the gate behind them. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, protecting her.
"I thought you were asleep," Syaoran said guardedly.
"Why? Wouldn't you cheat on me if I had been wide-awake? And yes, this is called cheating, Syaoran. We ARE engaged, after all."
She directed the last words at Sakura. They were not lost on her. Syaoran shot another glare at Nireko and pulled Sakura farther away from Nireko.
"Go to bed Nireko," he said as he turned.
"Why, Syaoran?" she said, her voice light and cheerful. "Are you not finished with your business yet?"
"Go now, Nireko," he shot back, his voice dangerously low. Nireko turned slowly and walked through the doors and inside.
****
Sakura found herself alone with Syaoran. Her mind had turned into a heavy fog. All she could do was stare stupidly.
"Sakura, are you okay?" he said, breaking through the fog.
Quickly, she struggled to free herself from his grasp.
"You are engaged?! How could you. . . how could you do that?! And not tell me?" she yelled angrily.
Syaoran stepped forward, trying to return his arms around her waist. Seeing this, she backed up quickly.
"Don't touch me, you filth. Don't even say my name again, please. I don't want any contact from you, your highness."
Syaoran flinched. He watched helplessly as she turned sharply on her heel and ran for the door.
****
Laughter rang out in the space Sakura had been only moments before. Syaoran snapped out of his reverie.
"Sekai," he snarled.
"A little down on our luck, aren't we, little wolf?" was the answer.
"How dare you? How dare you bring Nireko out here?!" the king yelled.
He laughed again. "To be fair, you were technically cheating on that dreadful girl. . ."
The king snorted.
"Do not be mad at me, little wolf, for I do not fear your anger. And what I said was true. My little cherry blossom would have eventually found out," spoke the spirit.
"She did not need to find out that way," he answered.
"Well, it's not like you actually cared about her, little wolf. You and I both know you needed an escape from your fiancée. Sadly, my little cherry blossom is too beautiful for her own good. A perfect escape," he said carefully.
Syaoran looked up. "But she wasn't an escape."
****
Sakura rushed inside the palace, bumping into a servant along the way. The servant quickly bowed and addressed her.
"Your room is ready, my lady."
Sighing and thanking her luck, she followed him, setting a brisk pace.
'Don't think about him,' she commanded herself.
She was not aware of the bright blue eyes focused on her from above. There was a smirk below them.
****
Author's Note2: I changed a couple things, added a couple things to make the future work better, but nothing major. Hope you liked it.
Author's note: Hey guys! Sorry about the delay in posting, lol. ^-^;; I've had two projects and maaaany softball games. But anyway! Here it is, and hopefully it will be longer than the last. ^_^ I, myself, had forgotten where I left off so just to save ya'll an EXTRA CLICK, I'll include the last scene. ^-^
****
Sakura listened quietly as the man finished, soaking in the information. "But my father was gathering no such army. . ."
Hideaki shrugged. "We received word from a reliable source."
Sakura caught his gaze. Her eyes glowered. "And who is this 'reliable source', may I ask? Who is this man that is spreading lies about my father?"
'Who is this man who caused me to be taken from my bed in the middle of the night' she added in her head.
"I cannot answer that, my lady," spoke Hideaki slowly.
Sakura turned at the snap of a twig. The king approached slowly, staying in the shadows.
Hideaki piped up quickly, "I must return to the castle. I'll leave her in your custody, your highness." Then he turned and walked away quickly.
****
The king kept his face in the shadows, not looking up at Sakura. She stood, shifting from foot to foot before sitting on a nearby bench. Finally she attempted to start conversation.
"So you had a visitor?" she asked politely.
A gruff answer eventually came from the shadows. "Yes."
Sakura laughed lightly. "Someone you did not want to see, I assume?"
"Have you ever had a visitor you did not want? Someone who, no matter what you said, they wouldn't go away? They're a constant reminder of something you cannot handle, something that has been arranged over your head. And you cannot do anything about it?"
Suddenly, Syaoran stepped from the shadows. Sakura gasped lightly as the moonlight caught his face, accenting his strong jaw, handsome face, and certainly those brilliant chocolate eyes. His hair blew lightly in the light breeze; his eyes were set angrily on her.
"It makes me so angry! I'm king of Aleka and I cannot do anything about this!"
****
Syaoran was speaking loudly and angrily when he noticed Sakura drawing back from him. She averted her eyes.
Cursing himself, he sat next to her on the bench.
"I wasn't yelling at you. I just. . . do you know how it feels to have something that directly affects you? Something you can't control?" he spoke much more softly this time.
She turned slowly, and the king's eyes widened as he saw her face in the moonlight. His eyes traveled from her elegant eyebrows, to her sharp green eyes, past her strong nose, away from her pink cheeks, finally resting on her full lips. His eyes watched, transfixed, as they moved, producing an answer.
"Yes, I know it every day I wake in your palace," spoke the lips softly.
The eyes grew sad and distant. Determined to make them bright again, he stood up suddenly and grabbed her hand.
****
He was pulling her along quickly, causing Sakura to trip several times. Struggling to free herself, she asked him of their destination. The king merely glanced back, eyes shining, and told her to wait.
Within minutes, they had reached a gate. Sakura could see over the fence a large pavilion.
'The western pavilion. But. . . he banned me from it.'
Her jaw dropped as the gate swung open. Dazzling colors ambushed her eyes from all sides.
'It's just like the first night I met the king'
As soon as the thought passed through her mind, her eyes zeroed in on the same figure that had caught her attention that night.
****
He tightened his grip on her hand, pulling her though the gate and into the garden. Turning, he watched her expression delightedly. For a moment her eyes widened, enjoying the view. It caught him off guard when he noticed her eyes focused on him.
Quickly, she turned and walked to a corner of the garden. She began examining the flowers. Making sure her back was to him, Syaoran crept silently across the garden and picked a single cherry blossom. Moving softly, he approached Sakura.
****
'One day he will notice you eyeing him in such a way, and then, Sakura Kinomoto, you will be in trouble.'
She was so busy lecturing herself she did not hear the king creeping up behind her. He whispered, "I have something for you."
She jumped, suddenly very aware of his presence behind her. Avoiding his eyes, she turned. A smile took over her lips and she almost melted when she saw the flower in his hand.
She watched, not moving, as he carefully put the cherry blossom behind her ear. Her ear burned at his touch, but still she avoided his eyes.
"Do you like it, Sakura?" he said softly.
"Yes, your cherry blossoms are very beautiful," answered Sakura.
She felt his hand on her cheek. Gently, he tilted her chin back. Desperately, she avoided his eyes still.
"They are all beautiful, but there is one in particular that catches my eye. . ."
Sakura blushed. Looking up finally, she caught the expression in his eyes.
Her mind went numb, allowing only one thought to pass through. 'He's going to kiss me.'
And he did.
****
Sekai snarled in anger.
'My little cherry blossom must be protected from this little wolf. She must hate him. I must make her hate him. I must.'
He huffed loudly, anger getting the best of him. Coughing, he fixed his expression to a more thoughtful one. 'Something must happen right now, before she assures herself of his good meaning. But what can I do?'
Suddenly a smile took form. His laughter flowed through the halls as he raced toward the room.
****
Sakura broke the kiss first. Seeing a need for flight in her eyes, Syaoran quickly stepped forward and placed his arms around her waist. He smiled as he felt her resign to being held.
Not meeting his eyes again, she spoke softly, "I think I better go, your highness. Tomoyo will expect me."
The king bent down to her eye level and spoke. "'Your highness' is too formal. You must call me Syaoran."
Sakura smiled, still slightly dazed. "Syaoran. . .," she said, wanting to hear the sound on her tongue.
He smiled in return and wrapped his arms around her tighter. She leaned forward and placed her head against his chest, breathing in his scent. She sighed happily, before slowly tilting her head backwards to look up at Syaoran.
"What do I have to do for another one?" she asked, teasing him.
Not bothering to answer, he leaned down and brushed his lips against her own, slowly deepening it.
****
Syaoran jumped back when he heard the awful voice.
"Syaaaaaoran! What are you DOING?"
Nireko ran up to them, eyeing Sakura with a glare. Slowly her lips formed a smirk.
"Or perhaps it should be WHO are you doing?"
Syaoran glared at the unwelcome Nireko. He felt Sakura shrink back against his chest. He cursed himself for forgetting to close the gate behind them. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, protecting her.
"I thought you were asleep," Syaoran said guardedly.
"Why? Wouldn't you cheat on me if I had been wide-awake? And yes, this is called cheating, Syaoran. We ARE engaged, after all."
She directed the last words at Sakura. They were not lost on her. Syaoran shot another glare at Nireko and pulled Sakura farther away from Nireko.
"Go to bed Nireko," he said as he turned.
"Why, Syaoran?" she said, her voice light and cheerful. "Are you not finished with your business yet?"
"Go now, Nireko," he shot back, his voice dangerously low. Nireko turned slowly and walked through the doors and inside.
****
Sakura found herself alone with Syaoran. Her mind had turned into a heavy fog. All she could do was stare stupidly.
"Sakura, are you okay?" he said, breaking through the fog.
Quickly, she struggled to free herself from his grasp.
"You are engaged?! How could you. . . how could you do that?! And not tell me?" she yelled angrily.
Syaoran stepped forward, trying to return his arms around her waist. Seeing this, she backed up quickly.
"Don't touch me, you filth. Don't even say my name again, please. I don't want any contact from you, your highness."
Syaoran flinched. He watched helplessly as she turned sharply on her heel and ran for the door.
****
Laughter rang out in the space Sakura had been only moments before. Syaoran snapped out of his reverie.
"Sekai," he snarled.
"A little down on our luck, aren't we, little wolf?" was the answer.
"How dare you? How dare you bring Nireko out here?!" the king yelled.
He laughed again. "To be fair, you were technically cheating on that dreadful girl. . ."
The king snorted.
"Do not be mad at me, little wolf, for I do not fear your anger. And what I said was true. My little cherry blossom would have eventually found out," spoke the spirit.
"She did not need to find out that way," he answered.
"Well, it's not like you actually cared about her, little wolf. You and I both know you needed an escape from your fiancée. Sadly, my little cherry blossom is too beautiful for her own good. A perfect escape," he said carefully.
Syaoran looked up. "But she wasn't an escape."
****
Sakura rushed inside the palace, bumping into a servant along the way. The servant quickly bowed and addressed her.
"Your room is ready, my lady."
Sighing and thanking her luck, she followed him, setting a brisk pace.
'Don't think about him,' she commanded herself.
She was not aware of the bright blue eyes focused on her from above. There was a smirk below them.
****
Author's Note2: I changed a couple things, added a couple things to make the future work better, but nothing major. Hope you liked it.
