DISCLAIMER: I own nothing but the plot.
Author's note(s): You guys crack me up with your reviews. Yes, I was very evil in ending the chapter right there, but I guess not as evil as ya'll thought because I'm updating the day after. ^-~ Anyway, enjoy the chapter. I know you guys will enjoy seeing some familiar faces.
Also, if any of you are reading the other story, Partners, I'm working on the update right now so it should be up either tonight or tomorrow. Sorry for the extremely long wait.
****
"Monster you are much trouble to save."
Sakura felt her jaw drop. Wrenching herself from his grip, she whirled around to face him. Her eyes took in the familiar chestnut hair, glowing brown eyes, and lean body. Many words attempted to find passage but only one made it unhindered.
"Touya?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Have you been gone so long you do not recognize your own brother? Or have you just gone stupid?"
Sakura's eyes narrowed and glowered with anger. Fuming, she opened her mouth. "I haven't gone stupid, onii-chan. You already took all the stupid genes."
Touya growled. The two stood glaring at each other when Sakura heard a sound behind her. Turning quickly, she saw a man climbing the balcony. His breathing was a little heavy, showing he had been in a hurry.
"I see you found her, To-ya," said the man. Shadows covered his face, but Sakura recognized the voice. Her face broke into an instant grin.
"Yukito!" she exclaimed, rushing forward to hug him.
Yukito smiled kindly at Sakura.
Touya snorted, causing Sakura to turn and glare again.
Yukito coughed, interrupting their glaring contest a second time.
"We're here to take you home, Sakura," he said, his smile ever-present.
Touya snorted again, noticing her fancy gown. "Though it doesn't look as though you were suffering too much."
Sakura blushed. "The king has been very nice."
The tone Sakura held when speaking of the king was not lost on either Touya or Yukito. Her brother rushed forward, grabbing her arm.
"You have a crush on him?!"
Sakura did not answer.
Nearly yelling, he continued. "How can you like him? Don't you understand this is the man who ordered you kidnapped? Taken from your own bed in the middle of the night? Taken from your family?"
She looked down. "I understand," she mumbled.
Looking up she added quickly, "But he is not like that, Touya. He is kind and sweet. And he cares about his country."
Touya smirked. "It appears I did not get all the stupid genes, monster."
Sakura stomped. "Don't tell me how to feel, onii-chan. And stop calling me monster!"
Touya stared at her, then walked over to the balcony rails. Looking over the side, he secured a rope.
"We must leave now," was all he said.
Yukito nodded agreement. "We should go before they notice you are gone. Can you climb down the rope? We may go unnoticed in the ballroom, but they might recognize you."
Sakura's eyes widened. She looked back at the party wistfully and nodded. "I have some things to take care of first though."
Touya turned, glaring once again. He grabbed her arm and began pulling her towards the balcony rails.
"This is not the time to talk to the king, Sakura."
Sakura bowed her head. Tears began to fall soundlessly onto the floor. Touya stopped for a minute and sternly lifted her head upwards.
"This is foolish. He is not worth your tears," he growled.
Sakura saw Yukito's sad smile from the corner of her eye.
"Can I not at least say goodbye to Tomoyo? And get my stuff? I could meet you in the garden when I finish," she said hopefully.
Touya and Yukito shared a glance. Yukito made a slight nod that Touya answered with a scowl.
"Hurry," was all he said.
She turned on her heel and raced through the doorway.
****
Touya watched his sister leave. Ignoring Yukito's smile, he grabbed the rope. Throwing himself over the side, he climbed down carefully. He heard Yukito follow him. The two hid in the shadows, waiting.
"She's going to speak to him, isn't she?" asked Touya.
"Of course," came the answer.
****
He saw a flash of emerald. His eyes caught the beautiful creature racing through the room and he moved forward to intercept her. His own worried gaze caught scared emerald.
"What's wrong?"
A short sob escaped her. Cursing at the looks they were already receiving from the other guests, he pulled her into another room.
"What's wrong?" he repeated, closing the door.
"I just remembered I need to speak to Tomoyo," she said, her eyes carefully pinned to the floor. The tears were hidden from his view, but he knew they were there.
Firmly placing his hands on her waist, he pulled her closer to him.
"Don't lie to me, Sakura."
He felt her go still for a moment before finally breaking away. Her eyes contained fresh anger. "How dare you speak of lies, Syaoran? You're the one who lies to me. I don't know why I keep believing you."
Hearing his name spoken so harshly hurt his ears. His mind numbly registered it was only the second time she had ever spoken his name.
The door closing brought him from his reverie. He sighed.
'She didn't even give me a chance to tell her.'
He opened the door, stepping into the ballroom. A wry thought entered his mind.
'I've hardly even seen the ballroom tonight.'
****
Using a bed sheet, she quickly packed the few things she owned. Finally finding a piece of parchment and ink, she sat down to write Tomoyo a short goodbye letter.
The door opened and the king entered, locking the door behind him.
He crossed over to Sakura and took her hand.
"Please, no more running away tonight, Sakura--"
'You have no idea how soon I'm going to break that.' She thought wryly.
"- especially before I can tell you about Nireko."
Scowling, she said harshly, "Don't you think you're a little late for that?"
His face now held a pained smile. "I did not care about her, Sakura. I told you that. It was to form an alliance with her country. But I did not care about her. I could hardly stand her. Which is why I am no longer engaged to her."
Sakura looked up, surprised. He hurried forward.
"I only agreed to it because the country needed the alliance." Hesitating slightly, he added, "And because I didn't think I'd ever fall in love. I guess I thought I would be as happy with her as any other woman.
"But I was very, very wrong in every aspect. The country doesn't need the alliance and I wouldn't be happy with her. But most importantly, I've fallen in love."
She absorbed his words quietly, not daring to assume too much. His smile broke into her line of vision.
"That would be you, silly."
She smiled and threw herself forward to hug him. Quickly recovering from his initial surprise, he hugged her back with full force. His lips found their way to hers and Sakura soon found herself lost in happiness.
Pulling away slowly, she whispered in his ear.
"I love you too, Syaoran."
****
"Where is she?!" he growled.
Yukito tactfully kept his silence, but a voice answered nonetheless.
"I know where she is," said a voice tinted with laughter. "I can take you there if you wish."
Touya whirled around, pulling his dagger from its sheath. "Show your face."
The laughter grew stronger. "I have too many to show."
Touya flashed his dagger. "Stop the jokes or this dagger will go through one of them."
The wind blew. Touya heard a whisper in his ear. "But there isn't one to go through at the moment." It laughed again, giving Touya a headache.
"Who are you, spirit?" asked Yukito.
The laughter flew closer to Yukito. "You are obviously the smarter of the two, rabbit. Because of your shrewdness, I shall answer. My name is Sekai, and I am the spirit of laughter."
Sekai addressed Touya. "Well, peach blossom, do you wish to know where your sister is or not?"
Touya glared in his direction, then moved aside, motioning for Sekai to lead the way.
'If we hurry, we can make it there before the little wolf has left. Perhaps not all is lost.'
****
Author's note2: -hums loudly- Yay. Two chapters then my story should be good in the grammar department. Until I add another chapter. ^-^;
Author's note(s): You guys crack me up with your reviews. Yes, I was very evil in ending the chapter right there, but I guess not as evil as ya'll thought because I'm updating the day after. ^-~ Anyway, enjoy the chapter. I know you guys will enjoy seeing some familiar faces.
Also, if any of you are reading the other story, Partners, I'm working on the update right now so it should be up either tonight or tomorrow. Sorry for the extremely long wait.
****
"Monster you are much trouble to save."
Sakura felt her jaw drop. Wrenching herself from his grip, she whirled around to face him. Her eyes took in the familiar chestnut hair, glowing brown eyes, and lean body. Many words attempted to find passage but only one made it unhindered.
"Touya?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Have you been gone so long you do not recognize your own brother? Or have you just gone stupid?"
Sakura's eyes narrowed and glowered with anger. Fuming, she opened her mouth. "I haven't gone stupid, onii-chan. You already took all the stupid genes."
Touya growled. The two stood glaring at each other when Sakura heard a sound behind her. Turning quickly, she saw a man climbing the balcony. His breathing was a little heavy, showing he had been in a hurry.
"I see you found her, To-ya," said the man. Shadows covered his face, but Sakura recognized the voice. Her face broke into an instant grin.
"Yukito!" she exclaimed, rushing forward to hug him.
Yukito smiled kindly at Sakura.
Touya snorted, causing Sakura to turn and glare again.
Yukito coughed, interrupting their glaring contest a second time.
"We're here to take you home, Sakura," he said, his smile ever-present.
Touya snorted again, noticing her fancy gown. "Though it doesn't look as though you were suffering too much."
Sakura blushed. "The king has been very nice."
The tone Sakura held when speaking of the king was not lost on either Touya or Yukito. Her brother rushed forward, grabbing her arm.
"You have a crush on him?!"
Sakura did not answer.
Nearly yelling, he continued. "How can you like him? Don't you understand this is the man who ordered you kidnapped? Taken from your own bed in the middle of the night? Taken from your family?"
She looked down. "I understand," she mumbled.
Looking up she added quickly, "But he is not like that, Touya. He is kind and sweet. And he cares about his country."
Touya smirked. "It appears I did not get all the stupid genes, monster."
Sakura stomped. "Don't tell me how to feel, onii-chan. And stop calling me monster!"
Touya stared at her, then walked over to the balcony rails. Looking over the side, he secured a rope.
"We must leave now," was all he said.
Yukito nodded agreement. "We should go before they notice you are gone. Can you climb down the rope? We may go unnoticed in the ballroom, but they might recognize you."
Sakura's eyes widened. She looked back at the party wistfully and nodded. "I have some things to take care of first though."
Touya turned, glaring once again. He grabbed her arm and began pulling her towards the balcony rails.
"This is not the time to talk to the king, Sakura."
Sakura bowed her head. Tears began to fall soundlessly onto the floor. Touya stopped for a minute and sternly lifted her head upwards.
"This is foolish. He is not worth your tears," he growled.
Sakura saw Yukito's sad smile from the corner of her eye.
"Can I not at least say goodbye to Tomoyo? And get my stuff? I could meet you in the garden when I finish," she said hopefully.
Touya and Yukito shared a glance. Yukito made a slight nod that Touya answered with a scowl.
"Hurry," was all he said.
She turned on her heel and raced through the doorway.
****
Touya watched his sister leave. Ignoring Yukito's smile, he grabbed the rope. Throwing himself over the side, he climbed down carefully. He heard Yukito follow him. The two hid in the shadows, waiting.
"She's going to speak to him, isn't she?" asked Touya.
"Of course," came the answer.
****
He saw a flash of emerald. His eyes caught the beautiful creature racing through the room and he moved forward to intercept her. His own worried gaze caught scared emerald.
"What's wrong?"
A short sob escaped her. Cursing at the looks they were already receiving from the other guests, he pulled her into another room.
"What's wrong?" he repeated, closing the door.
"I just remembered I need to speak to Tomoyo," she said, her eyes carefully pinned to the floor. The tears were hidden from his view, but he knew they were there.
Firmly placing his hands on her waist, he pulled her closer to him.
"Don't lie to me, Sakura."
He felt her go still for a moment before finally breaking away. Her eyes contained fresh anger. "How dare you speak of lies, Syaoran? You're the one who lies to me. I don't know why I keep believing you."
Hearing his name spoken so harshly hurt his ears. His mind numbly registered it was only the second time she had ever spoken his name.
The door closing brought him from his reverie. He sighed.
'She didn't even give me a chance to tell her.'
He opened the door, stepping into the ballroom. A wry thought entered his mind.
'I've hardly even seen the ballroom tonight.'
****
Using a bed sheet, she quickly packed the few things she owned. Finally finding a piece of parchment and ink, she sat down to write Tomoyo a short goodbye letter.
The door opened and the king entered, locking the door behind him.
He crossed over to Sakura and took her hand.
"Please, no more running away tonight, Sakura--"
'You have no idea how soon I'm going to break that.' She thought wryly.
"- especially before I can tell you about Nireko."
Scowling, she said harshly, "Don't you think you're a little late for that?"
His face now held a pained smile. "I did not care about her, Sakura. I told you that. It was to form an alliance with her country. But I did not care about her. I could hardly stand her. Which is why I am no longer engaged to her."
Sakura looked up, surprised. He hurried forward.
"I only agreed to it because the country needed the alliance." Hesitating slightly, he added, "And because I didn't think I'd ever fall in love. I guess I thought I would be as happy with her as any other woman.
"But I was very, very wrong in every aspect. The country doesn't need the alliance and I wouldn't be happy with her. But most importantly, I've fallen in love."
She absorbed his words quietly, not daring to assume too much. His smile broke into her line of vision.
"That would be you, silly."
She smiled and threw herself forward to hug him. Quickly recovering from his initial surprise, he hugged her back with full force. His lips found their way to hers and Sakura soon found herself lost in happiness.
Pulling away slowly, she whispered in his ear.
"I love you too, Syaoran."
****
"Where is she?!" he growled.
Yukito tactfully kept his silence, but a voice answered nonetheless.
"I know where she is," said a voice tinted with laughter. "I can take you there if you wish."
Touya whirled around, pulling his dagger from its sheath. "Show your face."
The laughter grew stronger. "I have too many to show."
Touya flashed his dagger. "Stop the jokes or this dagger will go through one of them."
The wind blew. Touya heard a whisper in his ear. "But there isn't one to go through at the moment." It laughed again, giving Touya a headache.
"Who are you, spirit?" asked Yukito.
The laughter flew closer to Yukito. "You are obviously the smarter of the two, rabbit. Because of your shrewdness, I shall answer. My name is Sekai, and I am the spirit of laughter."
Sekai addressed Touya. "Well, peach blossom, do you wish to know where your sister is or not?"
Touya glared in his direction, then moved aside, motioning for Sekai to lead the way.
'If we hurry, we can make it there before the little wolf has left. Perhaps not all is lost.'
****
Author's note2: -hums loudly- Yay. Two chapters then my story should be good in the grammar department. Until I add another chapter. ^-^;
