DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot.
Author's note(s): Thank you for the reviews! As for writing more, faster, I'm sorry. I used to write a lot faster. . . I had a new chapter up every other day, if not every day. I apologize about the longer waits lately, but school is ending here. We have tons of projects due. I have two due Monday I have hardly started, two rather large homework assignments, and three projects due next Thursday. Not to mention finals to study for. One thing is for sure, though. After the 28th, I should have much MUCH more time to write. And as for the writing more. . . I like the size of my chapters right now. None are smaller than three ½ pages, 10 pt font. I'm sorry if some are short, but I like the divisions. I'm sorry.
Summer Lover? Where'd you go??
****
Sakura had to concentrate to keep her feet from stumbling. She felt the curious glances from both sides.
'You've done this before, Sakura. Don't be so nervous.'
She glanced at the king from the corner of her eye. His eyes were intent upon her. Sakura coughed.
"Is there something wrong, your highness?"
He shook his head, a sheepish smile forming. Sakura looked away again, letting the silence settle between the two.
****
Sekai frowned. 'Why is the little wolf not giving up? Worse yet, why is my precious little cherry blossom giving in? Has she not seen enough of human's destructive nature? Have I not given her enough reasons to stay away from him?'
His frown deepened. 'This man is not worth her attentions. He will hurt her.'
A warm voice interrupted his thoughts.
"If you think about it, Sekai, your attentions have been hurting her much more than his."
Sekai growled. "What do you want Aditi?"
Warmth flowed through the empty room, surrounding Sekai until it was slightly stifling. "I needed to check on your involvement with this girl."
Sekai laughed, forcing the warmth back slightly. "It is not your concern."
The voice laughed in return; a laugh not comparable to that of Sekai. It too radiated warmth throughout the room; it was beautiful and comforting. Sekai drew back slightly, scowling.
"It is my concern, Sekai. Why are you so intent upon this girl?"
Sekai grew thoughtful for a moment. "Because she deserves to be protected. I will not let the world hurt her, Aditi."
"Like it hurt you, Sekai?"
****
She could hear the music inside. They were late.
They were being announced. Sakura's palms were sweaty. She always hated the grand entrances.
'I should have come alone. Everyone is staring at me.'
She stepped forward, carefully measuring her steps and watched as everyone bowed to the couple. She heard the whispers spreading; she saw the curious looks. What she felt surprised her. His hand was draped lightly on her waist, guiding her to a chair.
Cursing the tingles, she found her seat. The king made a slight gesture with his hand and the ball continued.
She sat straight, staring forward and thinking hard.
'Don't think about him. Don't forgive him.'
Suddenly he leaned in closer to her. "You know this is supposed to be fun. You don't seem to be enjoying yourself."
Avoiding his eyes, she answered, "I'm fine."
He seemed surprised by her sudden coldness and drew back slightly. He sat in thoughtful silence for a few moments before leaning in again. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the arrival of another guest.
****
Frowning, he looked up. Brilliant blue eyes instantly caught his own. A smirk appeared beneath them. She moved gracefully toward the king, bowing graciously.
'She always has been able to preserve her grace in the presence of others.' It amused him, and his lips curved into a smile.
She stepped closer to him, beckoning.
"A word, your highness?"
The smile dropped instantly and he sent a cautious look to the figure at his side. He thought he caught a slight twitch in her lips, but her figure was so stone-like he couldn't be sure. Sighing, he stood.
"I'll be back in a moment, Sakura."
He walked away, not daring to look back.
"What do you want now, Nireko?" he said, once they had reached a quiet corner. He ignored the forever-curious looks plastered on them.
"Why are you embarrassing me, Syaoran?!" came the angered response.
He was taken aback at how quickly she had lost her cool. Even quicker, she regained it. "What is the court going to think when we announce our engagement? Right after you've been with. . . with. . . her."
He turned to walk away. "Don't be silly, Nireko. The court won't care."
She grabbed his shoulder. "The court cares about everything, Syaoran."
He glared. "I am their king. I keep them safe. They will not care."
She smirked. "You also keep them talking."
****
She tried not to watch him. She averted her eyes, focusing her concentration on the dancers. Within moments her eyes crept back to the two so close in the corner.
She was surprised to hear footsteps approaching her. She looked up quickly, secretly hoping to be greeted by amber. Instead she was greeted by a person she strongly wished to avoid.
"Hello Sakura," spoke Lamar.
Her eyes turned cold. "Hello Lamar."
He motioned toward the empty chair. "You've been a busy girl today, Sakura. Landing a kiss by me is pretty noteworthy, not to mention being escorted by the king."
Sakura glared. "Only one of them was good."
He smirked. "Watch it, Sakura. You might hurt the king's feelings."
Sakura snorted, turning away from him.
"It's rude to ignore someone, Sakura," came his voice, heavy with sarcastic scorn.
"It's rude to force people to kiss you."
A voice broke through their banter. "He forced himself upon you?"
Surprised, Sakura looked up, straight into the amber pools she had been yearning for moments before. They were glowing angry now.
****
Author's Note2: Angry Syaoran. Veeeeery nice.
WHEW this was short. ^-^;
Author's note(s): Thank you for the reviews! As for writing more, faster, I'm sorry. I used to write a lot faster. . . I had a new chapter up every other day, if not every day. I apologize about the longer waits lately, but school is ending here. We have tons of projects due. I have two due Monday I have hardly started, two rather large homework assignments, and three projects due next Thursday. Not to mention finals to study for. One thing is for sure, though. After the 28th, I should have much MUCH more time to write. And as for the writing more. . . I like the size of my chapters right now. None are smaller than three ½ pages, 10 pt font. I'm sorry if some are short, but I like the divisions. I'm sorry.
Summer Lover? Where'd you go??
****
Sakura had to concentrate to keep her feet from stumbling. She felt the curious glances from both sides.
'You've done this before, Sakura. Don't be so nervous.'
She glanced at the king from the corner of her eye. His eyes were intent upon her. Sakura coughed.
"Is there something wrong, your highness?"
He shook his head, a sheepish smile forming. Sakura looked away again, letting the silence settle between the two.
****
Sekai frowned. 'Why is the little wolf not giving up? Worse yet, why is my precious little cherry blossom giving in? Has she not seen enough of human's destructive nature? Have I not given her enough reasons to stay away from him?'
His frown deepened. 'This man is not worth her attentions. He will hurt her.'
A warm voice interrupted his thoughts.
"If you think about it, Sekai, your attentions have been hurting her much more than his."
Sekai growled. "What do you want Aditi?"
Warmth flowed through the empty room, surrounding Sekai until it was slightly stifling. "I needed to check on your involvement with this girl."
Sekai laughed, forcing the warmth back slightly. "It is not your concern."
The voice laughed in return; a laugh not comparable to that of Sekai. It too radiated warmth throughout the room; it was beautiful and comforting. Sekai drew back slightly, scowling.
"It is my concern, Sekai. Why are you so intent upon this girl?"
Sekai grew thoughtful for a moment. "Because she deserves to be protected. I will not let the world hurt her, Aditi."
"Like it hurt you, Sekai?"
****
She could hear the music inside. They were late.
They were being announced. Sakura's palms were sweaty. She always hated the grand entrances.
'I should have come alone. Everyone is staring at me.'
She stepped forward, carefully measuring her steps and watched as everyone bowed to the couple. She heard the whispers spreading; she saw the curious looks. What she felt surprised her. His hand was draped lightly on her waist, guiding her to a chair.
Cursing the tingles, she found her seat. The king made a slight gesture with his hand and the ball continued.
She sat straight, staring forward and thinking hard.
'Don't think about him. Don't forgive him.'
Suddenly he leaned in closer to her. "You know this is supposed to be fun. You don't seem to be enjoying yourself."
Avoiding his eyes, she answered, "I'm fine."
He seemed surprised by her sudden coldness and drew back slightly. He sat in thoughtful silence for a few moments before leaning in again. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by the arrival of another guest.
****
Frowning, he looked up. Brilliant blue eyes instantly caught his own. A smirk appeared beneath them. She moved gracefully toward the king, bowing graciously.
'She always has been able to preserve her grace in the presence of others.' It amused him, and his lips curved into a smile.
She stepped closer to him, beckoning.
"A word, your highness?"
The smile dropped instantly and he sent a cautious look to the figure at his side. He thought he caught a slight twitch in her lips, but her figure was so stone-like he couldn't be sure. Sighing, he stood.
"I'll be back in a moment, Sakura."
He walked away, not daring to look back.
"What do you want now, Nireko?" he said, once they had reached a quiet corner. He ignored the forever-curious looks plastered on them.
"Why are you embarrassing me, Syaoran?!" came the angered response.
He was taken aback at how quickly she had lost her cool. Even quicker, she regained it. "What is the court going to think when we announce our engagement? Right after you've been with. . . with. . . her."
He turned to walk away. "Don't be silly, Nireko. The court won't care."
She grabbed his shoulder. "The court cares about everything, Syaoran."
He glared. "I am their king. I keep them safe. They will not care."
She smirked. "You also keep them talking."
****
She tried not to watch him. She averted her eyes, focusing her concentration on the dancers. Within moments her eyes crept back to the two so close in the corner.
She was surprised to hear footsteps approaching her. She looked up quickly, secretly hoping to be greeted by amber. Instead she was greeted by a person she strongly wished to avoid.
"Hello Sakura," spoke Lamar.
Her eyes turned cold. "Hello Lamar."
He motioned toward the empty chair. "You've been a busy girl today, Sakura. Landing a kiss by me is pretty noteworthy, not to mention being escorted by the king."
Sakura glared. "Only one of them was good."
He smirked. "Watch it, Sakura. You might hurt the king's feelings."
Sakura snorted, turning away from him.
"It's rude to ignore someone, Sakura," came his voice, heavy with sarcastic scorn.
"It's rude to force people to kiss you."
A voice broke through their banter. "He forced himself upon you?"
Surprised, Sakura looked up, straight into the amber pools she had been yearning for moments before. They were glowing angry now.
****
Author's Note2: Angry Syaoran. Veeeeery nice.
WHEW this was short. ^-^;
