Disclaimer: Only the plot is my own
Author's Note(s: I'm sorry you guys had to wait so long, but I really wanted this chapter to be good, so I took a little more time to think it over. I needed to decide exactly what's going to be in this chapter and the epilogue. Tying some loose knots is not as easy as it sounds. I had to re- read a couple things and remember what hadn't been resolved. Umm. So yea.
Well, once again, I can't see the reviews right this minute, so I have to do this by memory.
Elisa Ang- LoL, of course I'll give you a shout out. Thanks for reviewing. It's nice to have a 'number one fan'.
Meinin- I talk to you enough in our emails, but I thought I should give you a shoutout or risk you making ME a voodoo doll. -shudders-
Iris:- AH! I haven't emailed you back, lol. I will. Thanks for your review.
Ah! I remember one reviewer said something about thinking my story was going to be boring, then after reading it, they liked it?- I'm so sorry, your name is on the tip of my tongue, but just won't come out. Thanks for reviewing, I know how awful my summary is. It sure makes the story sound boring. I'm glad you gave it a chance though.
I'm sorry, I remember reading SO many reviews and wanted to make comments, but I just don't know where they are right now. I promise in the epilogue chapter, there will be many MANY shoutouts just to the nice people. If you're new, thanks a ton for checking out my story
FINAL CHAPTER! I'm going to miss this.
****
Syaoran heard three sounds behind him: a low growl, a polite cough and a tongue cluck. Reluctantly, he released his love, allowing her to greet his other companions. He placed his hand firmly around her waist, still slightly protective.
He watched as Touya gave her a huge hug and opened his mouth to lecture her. Yukito stepped forward, stopping him. He too hugged the girl.
The king watched as Yema hung back, unsure. Syaoran realized the two had never been introduced. Gesturing to the newest member of the group, he introduced him. He watched as Sakura's eyes widened at his name.
"You're Yema?" she asked, incredulously.
The man looked at her carefully. Syaoran watched curiously as the man slowly seemed to recognize Sakura. He bowed and turned quickly, hiding himself behind Yukito.
Now Sakura laughed lightly. He smiled, hearing the kindness in it. She stepped forward, causing Syaoran to let his arm drop. He fought to keep his disappointment from his face.
'You can't have her with you all the time,' he reprimanded himself.
She addressed him again. "Yema, it's alright. I know what happened."
Once again Syaoran's curiosity flared. He watched as the man's eyes widened again. He hung his head, hiding them quickly. She smiled.
"It wasn't your fault. Lord Lamar is just a bad man. You did the right thing, and Tomoyo knows that."
The king's ears perked up at hearing the two familiar names.
'Did he have something to do with her beating?'
Sakura turned to him quickly. He was taken aback at the simple determination in those gorgeous emerald orbs.
****
'If I ask him, of course the king will pardon Yema. And nothing would make Tomoyo more happy than that.'
She let the story tumble from her lips, watching Yema out of the corner of her eye. She didn't want him running away before she got him pardoned.
Once she was finished, the king looked rather surprised. He stood thinking for a moment before speaking.
"Of course you're pardoned. Lamar has proven time and time again the perfect example of a lord gone rampant. You are not at fault for trying to help the woman. In fact, it is quite commendable," he said slowly.
The man was slow to smile, but smile he did. He bowed low to the king, a smile still on his lips. Sakura couldn't help but be happy for him.
A warm voice interrupted her perfect thoughts.
"Well, I suppose I am done here?" asked the voice, sounding slightly bored.
She looked around in surprise, searching for the source.
"You won't find me, little cherry blossom. Your mortal eyes cannot see me."
She listened slowly, realizing it was another spirit. She racked her memory for the name of the spirit.
'Aditi,' said a calm voice inside of her head. Unlike Sekai, her voice did not cause a ringing headache. It was almost motherly. She smiled again.
"You must be the one who stopped Sekai," she said simply. She felt the spirit smile in return.
"It is my job."
Sakura laughed. "Thank you, Aditi, for protecting us."
****
Syaoran watched Sakura, enjoying her innocence with the spirit. When he heard no answer, he assumed the spirit had left. The men started towards the mouth of the cave. He noticed Sakura's amused look and stopped, realizing she was not going with them.
"Keir will lead us out. This way must be shorter."
Keir's voice trickled inside the chamber. "The pathway is twisted, but this exit will take you not far from the mouth. Your horses should be right around the corner."
Syaoran liked Keir's friendly aura. Wordlessly, he allowed the spirit to lead, though Sakura was the mortal head of the company. Syaoran placed himself at the end of the line, fighting the need to be closer to Sakura.
'She is behind her brother. She will be safe,' he had to remind himself firmly.
Sooner than the king had expecting, they saw light. The others stepped outside and immediately headed for the horses. Syaoran was stopped by a gentle voice near his shoulder. He smirked, recognizing her.
"Can't get enough of us, can you, Aditi?"
She spoke quietly but firmly. "Wipe that scowl from your face, little wolf."
He obeyed reluctantly. She spoke again. "You have come to the end of your journey, little wolf, and I do so hate giving speeches. I will make this short.
"I am not sure when I will see you again, little wolf. It may not even be while you are still alive. Which is why I must implant this into you.
"I am a spirit. I have seen more than you can imagine seeing. And much more. I have been alive forever, enough time to see true love. It's not often found. I, myself, see it rarely. It is a rare gift. Whatever you have done to deserve it, I suggest you never lose it again. It will not be given a second time."
Syaoran listened to her words, feeling as her presence left him. He smiled, knowing what he had to do.
****
They rode slowly, stopping every so often to allow Sakura to stretch her legs. She was sharing a saddle with Syaoran, making her passage very uncomfortable. She tried her hardest to smile, however. She was still grateful to be free.
They arrived back at the palace at beginning of the second day. The king was greeted warmly by Hideaki then swarmed by his many courtiers; all demanding to know why he had left. He scowl planted itself firmly upon his lips as he was whisked away to his rooms; hearing the kingdom was in ruins in different measures of melancholy.
"It looks just fine to me," he stated slowly. He waved back at Sakura.
She smiled sadly, not knowing when she would see him. Yukito placed an arm around her shoulder.
"Well. Now that we have you to ourselves, what would you like to do?"
She smiled gratefully at him and excused herself.
"I need to check on Tomoyo."
Yema heard her and followed. They left the two foreigners behind, making quiet conversation along the way.
****
Sakura watched Tomoyo's face as she listened to Yema tell the story of their journey. Tomoyo could hardly recover from her surprise; she had known nothing of the journey apart from the king's mysterious departure.
She especially enjoyed Tomoyo's reaction when Yema spoke of the royal pardon. She jumped forward, embracing him in a tight hug. She smiled, happy to see them so content. With a polite nod to Yema, she stepped outside, knowing fully what the man was about to propose.
She had been outside for barely five minutes when she heard the scream. Her smile widened. Of course her friend had accepted.
The door flew open, and before Sakura could react, she was pulled into a hug herself. She laughed and hugged back, her heart overjoyed for her friend and her fiancé. She knew they would be happy.
The three were making anxious plans for the wedding when there was a knock on the door. Sakura frowned at the interruption, but stood and answered it, gesturing for her maid to stay seated. The door swung open to reveal a palace messenger. He handed a piece of parchment to Sakura and waited for her to read it.
Her eyes scrolled the parchment, smiling at its contents. The king had invited her to dine with him privately that night. She scribbled a short answer and nodded to the messenger, placing a coin in his hand for his troubles.
She turned to find her friend watching her, waiting for the news. Sakura let the note's contents fall from her lips. The words were hardly out as Sakura watched her friend's eyes go starry with plans for her lady's dress. She let out a sigh, already regretting mentioning it. Yema shared a sympathetic glance, knowing full well what the lady was in for.
**** [For those with weak hearts, beware of mushiness. I repeat. Beware of mushiness.]
Sakura's knuckles rapped gently on the door. Its sudden noise nearly caused her to jump. She chastised herself for being so anxious.
'It's just Syaoran.'
She put her anxious hands to smoothing her dress, smiling absently as she thought about Tomoyo's preparations. She had quickly ushered Yema out, giving him only a small kiss to ease the harsh exit. Then she had turned her eyes on Sakura, not letting her rest until she was primped and perfect.
She looked down at her dress, secretly pleased with it. It was a gorgeous white with dark green lacing around the edges. In the middle it was cut to reveal a fancy bodice that was the same dark green as the lacing. A light shawl, dove white, covered her arms. She smiled absently as she fingered the pretty necklace Tomoyo had found. It was light silver, perfectly completing the outfit.
The door opened, surprising Sakura from her thoughts. She looked up into gorgeous amber eyes. The eyes traveled down her body and quickly back to her face. She smiled, realizing he was just standing there, looking at her.
She coughed; glad for once not to be the one in the daze. He blinked, breaking the trance with a sheepish grin. He motioned her inside, taking her shawl from her shoulders and placing it on an empty chair.
Sakura took the moment to look around the room. It wasn't the room she had first met him in; it was fancier, though just as private. There was a small table on the far end of the room where the king's coat lay and two comfortable looking chairs nearby. Like most of the nicer rooms of the palace, there was a balcony. The entrance was next to the table. In the middle of the room was a larger table with two plain chairs pulled up. A small rose served as a centerpiece with two plates of food on either side.
She heard him behind her. Before she could say anything, he had pulled her into a warm kiss. She responded quickly once she had shed her surprise. He finally broke the kiss, smiling ruefully.
"I haven't had a chance to do that."
She smiled warmly, still a little surprised, but happy nonetheless. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly.
"I didn't mind."
He pulled her into a hug and held her for a short while. Finally Sakura laughed and pulled herself away, letting his hands rest on her waist.
"I thought I was invited to dinner."
He looked at her, feigning hurt. "What? You didn't like it?"
She pushed him lightly, giving him another quick kiss before stepping towards the table.
"It looks delicious."
He pulled the chair out and waited for her to sit before he seated himself.
****
He mumbled a quick prayer and watched as Sakura began eating the dinner. He smiled as he watched her eat, realizing she hadn't eaten a good meal in days. He was surprised when she looked up at him, eyes curious.
"Aren't you going to eat? You're making me feel like a cow," she said lightly.
He looked down and realized he hadn't touched his food. Trying to hide his blush, he dug in. Her laugh told him the blush hadn't gone unnoticed.
"I'm glad you're not one of those girls who eats like a bird," he said absently.
She smiled again. "I don't see a reason to pretend like I'm not hungry when I am. What do I care if you know how much I eat?"
He nodded his agreement. He had been raised in the court long enough to meet the women who shared this stupid belief.
Sakura's voice broke through his memories. It was eager. "I haven't told you yet, have I? Yema and Tomoyo are getting married!"
Syaoran looked up with a smile. He had come to like the man and the maid. The man had shown courage on their journey; the woman had shown it when she had spoken up to the king that day. He looked forward to their wedding, knowing they would be happy.
He continued to eat, contributing little bits of polite conversation to Sakura. Once the food was gone, he noticed his stomach still had butterflies. He sighed, knowing they would not leave no matter how much he ate.
He glanced over and watched Sakura finish her last bite of food. She looked up with a smile, thanking him for the meal.
****
"It was very good," she said politely.
He laughed. "Our cook are very good."
Sakura remembered absently hearing Tomoyo say the same thing. She looked up to see the king walking over to her. He piled the plate on top of his own and gestured to the two chairs. She smiled and walked over to it, choosing the one closest to the balcony. Before she could sit, she heard his nervous call. She stopped sitting and looked at him. He took her hand and led her to the balcony instead.
Sakura shook her head, wondering why the king was so nervous. The dinner was going fine.
He cleared his throat, preparing to speak, before halting himself. Sakura looked over the railing while she waited. She gasped lightly as she realized she was overlooking the western garden. She hadn't thought there were any balconies overlooking this particular garden.
As though he had heard her thoughts, he spoke. "This is the only balcony overlooking it. I like to keep it private."
She smiled as she felt him place his arms around her waist. She turned and let herself be pulled closer to him. Laying her head on his chest, she waited for him to speak.
"You know, when you first came here, I thought you were an awful, spoiled daughter of a duke who served as nothing more than an annoyance." He continued quickly, afraid to make her mad. "But then, that time I left you alone and you found your way back, I realized you weren't. You might be contrary, but you were too determined for me to ignore you.
"From then on, whenever I talked to you, I couldn't help but start liking you, and after a while I just started . . . wanting more and more of you. I thought about you all the time. I couldn't make a decision without wondering what you would think.
"And I began to resent Nireko more and more."
He took a nervous breath, pausing to look down at Sakura.
'I wonder what he's trying to say,' she thought anxiously. Her heart fluttered as his words, happy to hear he had been going through the same thing, but she knew there was a method to this madness. There was a point to his words.
'And I hope it gets at it soon or I might feint from worry.'
He opened his mouth to speak again, his words coming out very passionate. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you about her, Sakura. I know I should have. I could barely handle the guilt, but I was so afraid that if I told you that you might hate me."
He smiled wryly. "I guess not telling you was much worse."
He looked at her again, admiration and love heavy in his eyes. He bent down until his face was at her level. "Thank you for forgiving me, Sakura."
She smiled, not wanting to interrupt his speech.
He hugged her ferociously, reminding her of his possessive hug in the cave three days ago. He stepped backwards quickly. Sakura could see an idea taking form in his eyes. Before she could react, he was pulling her through the door. She pumped her legs to keep pace with him, trying to figure out where they were going. They hit a familiar corridor when Syaoran stopped her.
He put a hand over her eyes so she couldn't see and began leading her outside.
She stumbled many times but he tried to be careful. Finally, she got so tired of trying to hold back the curses and spoke up.
"Syaoran, this is silly. I can walk much better when I can see."
He shushed her. "Just let me do this, Sakura."
She was quiet, sensing this was something he needed. After what seemed to be a century, he released her.
Her eyes fluttered over the beautiful garden. She smiled, remembering the first time she had been here. He stood in front of her, looking at her funny.
Finally he stepped closer to her. She could feel the warmth radiating from him. It made her skin tingle.
"You used to ask me why I felt so threatened around you. I knew you were going to steal my heart, Sakura, something I wasn't entirely willing to lose." His voice was husky, sending shivers down her spine.
He stepped backwards hurriedly, making her dizzy. By the time she had focused on him, she realized he was down on a knee, looking up at her.
"I never want to be without you, Sakura."
His hand pulled a small box from his coat, opening it.
Just like their first encounter in the garden, Sakura knew what was going to happen just before it did.
"Will you marry me?"
A tear escaped her eye, only this time it made its trail downwards in happiness. She opened her mouth, letting a single word escape.
"Yes."
****
Hideaki stared over the rails, watching the two lovers in their embrace.
'I guess the old matchmaker hasn't lost his touch,' he thought contently.
****
Author's Note 2: Well, I hoped you enjoyed it. I can't believe this is the last normal chapter. -sighs- 17 whole chapters down. It's hard to believe this thing has come so far. Mmm, well, I hope you enjoyed this. For all of you who are romantics, this would be a goooood chapter for you.
-Syaoran appears, smiling madly- "I got to kiss her. A lot."
Author's Note(s: I'm sorry you guys had to wait so long, but I really wanted this chapter to be good, so I took a little more time to think it over. I needed to decide exactly what's going to be in this chapter and the epilogue. Tying some loose knots is not as easy as it sounds. I had to re- read a couple things and remember what hadn't been resolved. Umm. So yea.
Well, once again, I can't see the reviews right this minute, so I have to do this by memory.
Elisa Ang- LoL, of course I'll give you a shout out. Thanks for reviewing. It's nice to have a 'number one fan'.
Meinin- I talk to you enough in our emails, but I thought I should give you a shoutout or risk you making ME a voodoo doll. -shudders-
Iris:- AH! I haven't emailed you back, lol. I will. Thanks for your review.
Ah! I remember one reviewer said something about thinking my story was going to be boring, then after reading it, they liked it?- I'm so sorry, your name is on the tip of my tongue, but just won't come out. Thanks for reviewing, I know how awful my summary is. It sure makes the story sound boring. I'm glad you gave it a chance though.
I'm sorry, I remember reading SO many reviews and wanted to make comments, but I just don't know where they are right now. I promise in the epilogue chapter, there will be many MANY shoutouts just to the nice people. If you're new, thanks a ton for checking out my story
FINAL CHAPTER! I'm going to miss this.
****
Syaoran heard three sounds behind him: a low growl, a polite cough and a tongue cluck. Reluctantly, he released his love, allowing her to greet his other companions. He placed his hand firmly around her waist, still slightly protective.
He watched as Touya gave her a huge hug and opened his mouth to lecture her. Yukito stepped forward, stopping him. He too hugged the girl.
The king watched as Yema hung back, unsure. Syaoran realized the two had never been introduced. Gesturing to the newest member of the group, he introduced him. He watched as Sakura's eyes widened at his name.
"You're Yema?" she asked, incredulously.
The man looked at her carefully. Syaoran watched curiously as the man slowly seemed to recognize Sakura. He bowed and turned quickly, hiding himself behind Yukito.
Now Sakura laughed lightly. He smiled, hearing the kindness in it. She stepped forward, causing Syaoran to let his arm drop. He fought to keep his disappointment from his face.
'You can't have her with you all the time,' he reprimanded himself.
She addressed him again. "Yema, it's alright. I know what happened."
Once again Syaoran's curiosity flared. He watched as the man's eyes widened again. He hung his head, hiding them quickly. She smiled.
"It wasn't your fault. Lord Lamar is just a bad man. You did the right thing, and Tomoyo knows that."
The king's ears perked up at hearing the two familiar names.
'Did he have something to do with her beating?'
Sakura turned to him quickly. He was taken aback at the simple determination in those gorgeous emerald orbs.
****
'If I ask him, of course the king will pardon Yema. And nothing would make Tomoyo more happy than that.'
She let the story tumble from her lips, watching Yema out of the corner of her eye. She didn't want him running away before she got him pardoned.
Once she was finished, the king looked rather surprised. He stood thinking for a moment before speaking.
"Of course you're pardoned. Lamar has proven time and time again the perfect example of a lord gone rampant. You are not at fault for trying to help the woman. In fact, it is quite commendable," he said slowly.
The man was slow to smile, but smile he did. He bowed low to the king, a smile still on his lips. Sakura couldn't help but be happy for him.
A warm voice interrupted her perfect thoughts.
"Well, I suppose I am done here?" asked the voice, sounding slightly bored.
She looked around in surprise, searching for the source.
"You won't find me, little cherry blossom. Your mortal eyes cannot see me."
She listened slowly, realizing it was another spirit. She racked her memory for the name of the spirit.
'Aditi,' said a calm voice inside of her head. Unlike Sekai, her voice did not cause a ringing headache. It was almost motherly. She smiled again.
"You must be the one who stopped Sekai," she said simply. She felt the spirit smile in return.
"It is my job."
Sakura laughed. "Thank you, Aditi, for protecting us."
****
Syaoran watched Sakura, enjoying her innocence with the spirit. When he heard no answer, he assumed the spirit had left. The men started towards the mouth of the cave. He noticed Sakura's amused look and stopped, realizing she was not going with them.
"Keir will lead us out. This way must be shorter."
Keir's voice trickled inside the chamber. "The pathway is twisted, but this exit will take you not far from the mouth. Your horses should be right around the corner."
Syaoran liked Keir's friendly aura. Wordlessly, he allowed the spirit to lead, though Sakura was the mortal head of the company. Syaoran placed himself at the end of the line, fighting the need to be closer to Sakura.
'She is behind her brother. She will be safe,' he had to remind himself firmly.
Sooner than the king had expecting, they saw light. The others stepped outside and immediately headed for the horses. Syaoran was stopped by a gentle voice near his shoulder. He smirked, recognizing her.
"Can't get enough of us, can you, Aditi?"
She spoke quietly but firmly. "Wipe that scowl from your face, little wolf."
He obeyed reluctantly. She spoke again. "You have come to the end of your journey, little wolf, and I do so hate giving speeches. I will make this short.
"I am not sure when I will see you again, little wolf. It may not even be while you are still alive. Which is why I must implant this into you.
"I am a spirit. I have seen more than you can imagine seeing. And much more. I have been alive forever, enough time to see true love. It's not often found. I, myself, see it rarely. It is a rare gift. Whatever you have done to deserve it, I suggest you never lose it again. It will not be given a second time."
Syaoran listened to her words, feeling as her presence left him. He smiled, knowing what he had to do.
****
They rode slowly, stopping every so often to allow Sakura to stretch her legs. She was sharing a saddle with Syaoran, making her passage very uncomfortable. She tried her hardest to smile, however. She was still grateful to be free.
They arrived back at the palace at beginning of the second day. The king was greeted warmly by Hideaki then swarmed by his many courtiers; all demanding to know why he had left. He scowl planted itself firmly upon his lips as he was whisked away to his rooms; hearing the kingdom was in ruins in different measures of melancholy.
"It looks just fine to me," he stated slowly. He waved back at Sakura.
She smiled sadly, not knowing when she would see him. Yukito placed an arm around her shoulder.
"Well. Now that we have you to ourselves, what would you like to do?"
She smiled gratefully at him and excused herself.
"I need to check on Tomoyo."
Yema heard her and followed. They left the two foreigners behind, making quiet conversation along the way.
****
Sakura watched Tomoyo's face as she listened to Yema tell the story of their journey. Tomoyo could hardly recover from her surprise; she had known nothing of the journey apart from the king's mysterious departure.
She especially enjoyed Tomoyo's reaction when Yema spoke of the royal pardon. She jumped forward, embracing him in a tight hug. She smiled, happy to see them so content. With a polite nod to Yema, she stepped outside, knowing fully what the man was about to propose.
She had been outside for barely five minutes when she heard the scream. Her smile widened. Of course her friend had accepted.
The door flew open, and before Sakura could react, she was pulled into a hug herself. She laughed and hugged back, her heart overjoyed for her friend and her fiancé. She knew they would be happy.
The three were making anxious plans for the wedding when there was a knock on the door. Sakura frowned at the interruption, but stood and answered it, gesturing for her maid to stay seated. The door swung open to reveal a palace messenger. He handed a piece of parchment to Sakura and waited for her to read it.
Her eyes scrolled the parchment, smiling at its contents. The king had invited her to dine with him privately that night. She scribbled a short answer and nodded to the messenger, placing a coin in his hand for his troubles.
She turned to find her friend watching her, waiting for the news. Sakura let the note's contents fall from her lips. The words were hardly out as Sakura watched her friend's eyes go starry with plans for her lady's dress. She let out a sigh, already regretting mentioning it. Yema shared a sympathetic glance, knowing full well what the lady was in for.
**** [For those with weak hearts, beware of mushiness. I repeat. Beware of mushiness.]
Sakura's knuckles rapped gently on the door. Its sudden noise nearly caused her to jump. She chastised herself for being so anxious.
'It's just Syaoran.'
She put her anxious hands to smoothing her dress, smiling absently as she thought about Tomoyo's preparations. She had quickly ushered Yema out, giving him only a small kiss to ease the harsh exit. Then she had turned her eyes on Sakura, not letting her rest until she was primped and perfect.
She looked down at her dress, secretly pleased with it. It was a gorgeous white with dark green lacing around the edges. In the middle it was cut to reveal a fancy bodice that was the same dark green as the lacing. A light shawl, dove white, covered her arms. She smiled absently as she fingered the pretty necklace Tomoyo had found. It was light silver, perfectly completing the outfit.
The door opened, surprising Sakura from her thoughts. She looked up into gorgeous amber eyes. The eyes traveled down her body and quickly back to her face. She smiled, realizing he was just standing there, looking at her.
She coughed; glad for once not to be the one in the daze. He blinked, breaking the trance with a sheepish grin. He motioned her inside, taking her shawl from her shoulders and placing it on an empty chair.
Sakura took the moment to look around the room. It wasn't the room she had first met him in; it was fancier, though just as private. There was a small table on the far end of the room where the king's coat lay and two comfortable looking chairs nearby. Like most of the nicer rooms of the palace, there was a balcony. The entrance was next to the table. In the middle of the room was a larger table with two plain chairs pulled up. A small rose served as a centerpiece with two plates of food on either side.
She heard him behind her. Before she could say anything, he had pulled her into a warm kiss. She responded quickly once she had shed her surprise. He finally broke the kiss, smiling ruefully.
"I haven't had a chance to do that."
She smiled warmly, still a little surprised, but happy nonetheless. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly.
"I didn't mind."
He pulled her into a hug and held her for a short while. Finally Sakura laughed and pulled herself away, letting his hands rest on her waist.
"I thought I was invited to dinner."
He looked at her, feigning hurt. "What? You didn't like it?"
She pushed him lightly, giving him another quick kiss before stepping towards the table.
"It looks delicious."
He pulled the chair out and waited for her to sit before he seated himself.
****
He mumbled a quick prayer and watched as Sakura began eating the dinner. He smiled as he watched her eat, realizing she hadn't eaten a good meal in days. He was surprised when she looked up at him, eyes curious.
"Aren't you going to eat? You're making me feel like a cow," she said lightly.
He looked down and realized he hadn't touched his food. Trying to hide his blush, he dug in. Her laugh told him the blush hadn't gone unnoticed.
"I'm glad you're not one of those girls who eats like a bird," he said absently.
She smiled again. "I don't see a reason to pretend like I'm not hungry when I am. What do I care if you know how much I eat?"
He nodded his agreement. He had been raised in the court long enough to meet the women who shared this stupid belief.
Sakura's voice broke through his memories. It was eager. "I haven't told you yet, have I? Yema and Tomoyo are getting married!"
Syaoran looked up with a smile. He had come to like the man and the maid. The man had shown courage on their journey; the woman had shown it when she had spoken up to the king that day. He looked forward to their wedding, knowing they would be happy.
He continued to eat, contributing little bits of polite conversation to Sakura. Once the food was gone, he noticed his stomach still had butterflies. He sighed, knowing they would not leave no matter how much he ate.
He glanced over and watched Sakura finish her last bite of food. She looked up with a smile, thanking him for the meal.
****
"It was very good," she said politely.
He laughed. "Our cook are very good."
Sakura remembered absently hearing Tomoyo say the same thing. She looked up to see the king walking over to her. He piled the plate on top of his own and gestured to the two chairs. She smiled and walked over to it, choosing the one closest to the balcony. Before she could sit, she heard his nervous call. She stopped sitting and looked at him. He took her hand and led her to the balcony instead.
Sakura shook her head, wondering why the king was so nervous. The dinner was going fine.
He cleared his throat, preparing to speak, before halting himself. Sakura looked over the railing while she waited. She gasped lightly as she realized she was overlooking the western garden. She hadn't thought there were any balconies overlooking this particular garden.
As though he had heard her thoughts, he spoke. "This is the only balcony overlooking it. I like to keep it private."
She smiled as she felt him place his arms around her waist. She turned and let herself be pulled closer to him. Laying her head on his chest, she waited for him to speak.
"You know, when you first came here, I thought you were an awful, spoiled daughter of a duke who served as nothing more than an annoyance." He continued quickly, afraid to make her mad. "But then, that time I left you alone and you found your way back, I realized you weren't. You might be contrary, but you were too determined for me to ignore you.
"From then on, whenever I talked to you, I couldn't help but start liking you, and after a while I just started . . . wanting more and more of you. I thought about you all the time. I couldn't make a decision without wondering what you would think.
"And I began to resent Nireko more and more."
He took a nervous breath, pausing to look down at Sakura.
'I wonder what he's trying to say,' she thought anxiously. Her heart fluttered as his words, happy to hear he had been going through the same thing, but she knew there was a method to this madness. There was a point to his words.
'And I hope it gets at it soon or I might feint from worry.'
He opened his mouth to speak again, his words coming out very passionate. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you about her, Sakura. I know I should have. I could barely handle the guilt, but I was so afraid that if I told you that you might hate me."
He smiled wryly. "I guess not telling you was much worse."
He looked at her again, admiration and love heavy in his eyes. He bent down until his face was at her level. "Thank you for forgiving me, Sakura."
She smiled, not wanting to interrupt his speech.
He hugged her ferociously, reminding her of his possessive hug in the cave three days ago. He stepped backwards quickly. Sakura could see an idea taking form in his eyes. Before she could react, he was pulling her through the door. She pumped her legs to keep pace with him, trying to figure out where they were going. They hit a familiar corridor when Syaoran stopped her.
He put a hand over her eyes so she couldn't see and began leading her outside.
She stumbled many times but he tried to be careful. Finally, she got so tired of trying to hold back the curses and spoke up.
"Syaoran, this is silly. I can walk much better when I can see."
He shushed her. "Just let me do this, Sakura."
She was quiet, sensing this was something he needed. After what seemed to be a century, he released her.
Her eyes fluttered over the beautiful garden. She smiled, remembering the first time she had been here. He stood in front of her, looking at her funny.
Finally he stepped closer to her. She could feel the warmth radiating from him. It made her skin tingle.
"You used to ask me why I felt so threatened around you. I knew you were going to steal my heart, Sakura, something I wasn't entirely willing to lose." His voice was husky, sending shivers down her spine.
He stepped backwards hurriedly, making her dizzy. By the time she had focused on him, she realized he was down on a knee, looking up at her.
"I never want to be without you, Sakura."
His hand pulled a small box from his coat, opening it.
Just like their first encounter in the garden, Sakura knew what was going to happen just before it did.
"Will you marry me?"
A tear escaped her eye, only this time it made its trail downwards in happiness. She opened her mouth, letting a single word escape.
"Yes."
****
Hideaki stared over the rails, watching the two lovers in their embrace.
'I guess the old matchmaker hasn't lost his touch,' he thought contently.
****
Author's Note 2: Well, I hoped you enjoyed it. I can't believe this is the last normal chapter. -sighs- 17 whole chapters down. It's hard to believe this thing has come so far. Mmm, well, I hope you enjoyed this. For all of you who are romantics, this would be a goooood chapter for you.
-Syaoran appears, smiling madly- "I got to kiss her. A lot."
