Amber Eyes
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Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot!
Authoress Ramble: ThereÕs only one major fluffy event before we approach the end. This saddens me. ;_; IÕve grown so fond of this story! Anyway, as always, I thank and love all of my wonderful reviewers. =3 Thank you, I love you! Please review if you have not, IÕd like 200 reviews someday, even if that is a bit selfish.
Note: If the Òs,Õs and ,s are not quotes and commas, go to View ------ Character Set in Internet Explorer and change it to Western (Mac)! Or change the character set some other way to fix it, itÕs possible!
Shouts To People Who Reviewed!: Thank you so much for reviewing! Much love to Azi, Amanda Panda, Eclipse, Little Wolf LOVER, Shorty, Draco, CardCaptorHikariWolfy, Kimi-chan and ÒREALLY LIKE UR FICÓ (you didnÕt leave a name for me, cutie pie o.o), DL@;~, Ongaku, SulliMike23, kawaiitenshisakura, Cherry, UrbanCinderella, darkemerald22, Sakura-miaka, Tigerdrake, Mika, WezL, hana no tenshi (Eva), Princess Kinomoto, Blossom190, Kwaii Canadian, SweetyPie, twilight-star, SweetCherryBlossom, diablo, Laura, Raymisha, Blozzomz, ZetaBee, Pink Sakura, Kinomoto, Shima And Tempis, HikariWolfSky, Riconne, Cherry Blossom, Kawaii-CherryWolf (cute name!), Rae-Rae (another cute name!), dangerous-beans, ZetaBee, Cute_Leen, Zara, Ebony Black, Shima And Tempis, Mini Sweety, Bloodlust Night, Meinien, :I, Lady Dez, Kat, *~*princess*~*, Jamie, silverymare, LilÕ Fairy, Feathers, CoolCat, Val (great idea!), D, Athar-Luna, Azn-Angel, Dark-Luv3, cherryblossom, Li-kyoko-cp, Mysticalia and finally, Kitty Neko (IÕm a big fan of yours! =3 I am honoured that you like my story!)! Thank you all again for your support!
Also, it seems that Little Wolf LOVER is quite the authoress. ^_^ Mini Sweety reviewed and told me how successful you are, so IÕm quite honoured! Thank you for reading my humble story! =3
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ÒAre you quite sure Raena is to the West, Sakura?,Ó Meiling asked, trying her best to mask the annoyance in her voice. She did not succeed, and Syaoran, who was walking just ahead of her, sighed.
ÒSheÕs sure, Meiling,Ó Syaoran said for what seemed like the twentieth time. The fiery nature of the ruby-eyed girl made her very impatient, though after having hiked for nearly a day through a Forest whose every tree appeared to be the same as the last, he was beginning to understand her grievance.
He tightened his grip on his compass, sighing. Sakura, walking just behind Meiling, saw this and frowned.
ÒWe should be arriving there soon,Ó she said wearily, trying to boast the morale of the group. Syaoran and Meiling said nothing, though she thought she saw Meiling roll her eyes.
ÒI certainly hope so,Ó said Tomoyo, walking at SakuraÕs side, though she fell behind every once in awhile. ÒMy feet are aching like you wouldnÕt believe!Ó
ÒAll of our feet are aching,Ó said Syaoran calmly. SakuraÕs frown deepened; he was growing as frustrated and impatient as his second cousin.
Turning from them, she studied the great trees as she walked, thankful for their silence. They never complained about growing too tired to stand. Then, suddenly, she saw a break in them.
ÒSyaoran,Ó she said excited, pointing into the trees, ÒThereÕs something there!Ó
ÒWhat?!Ó, Syaoran growled, reaching down and tightly grasping the handle of his sword. ÒIs it a soldier?Ó
ÒNo, no,Ó said Sakura soothingly, ÒItÕs an open space. I doubt itÕs there naturally.Ó
ÒLetÕs go check it out,Ó said Meiling eagerly. SheÕd seen the space that Sakura was referring to, and she had turned to face it. She was now walking toward it.
ÒAlright,Ó said Syaoran, relaxing. The remaining three following Meiling, walking between the trees toward the mysterious clearing.
They reached it quickly, and as she saw what it was, Sakura began to smile.
ÒItÕs a road!,Ó she exclaimed happily, ÒA road!Ó
ÒWeÕre near civilization!,Ó said Tomoyo gleefully. ÒFinally!Ó
ÒLetÕs hope weÕre near to Raena,Ó Syaoran said seriously, ÒAnd not just any small village.Ó
ÒWe ought to be,Ó said Sakura simply. She walked out onto the dirt road, standing in the middle of it, and the others followed her.
She turned to look down the road, and when she did, she gasped, smiling.
Tomoyo nearly mirrored her, smiling as well when she saw what Sakura had seen.
At the end of the road, in the distance, was a city.
ÒItÕs Raena!,Ó Tomoyo exclaimed warmly. ÒMy home!Ó
ÒItÕs about time,Ó said Meiling, eying Syaoran with an annoyed expression. He was not looking at her.
Rather, he was looking at Sakura, smiling gently at her innocent happiness. She was always so easily pleased.
ÒLetÕs go,Ó he said peacefully. Sakura turned to face him, smiling at him to share her joy and relief. She then turned from him in favour of turning toward Raena, walking toward it quickly with Tomoyo at her side.
ÒWeÕre here, Meiling,Ó Syaoran said quietly. ÒThis is the place where weÕll find peace.Ó
ÒLetÕs hope that it is,Ó she replied sincerely, the only one of the four without a smile.
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As the group entered the great city of Raena, their eyes widened in surprise.
Great buildings and large homes lined the streets of the city, which bustled with people visiting the streetsÕ many vendors. The sound of people conversing filled the city, as did the sounds of other things; children laughing, horses neighing, vendors shouting out the names of their goods. It was filled with life.
ÒThis is,Ó Sakura began slowly, ÒThe first city weÕve been that hasnÕt been . . .Ó
ÒYouÕre right,Ó said Tomoyo calmly. ÒThe Lian soldiers havenÕt attacked this city yet. I think theyÕre afraid to. ItÕs heavily guarded, protected by a great number of my fatherÕs men. That and its size; it would not fall easily.Ó
ÒLetÕs hope it never does,Ó said Sakura quietly, smiling at the sight of living people, of life in motion, life not ended or devastated.
ÒThe palace is this way,Ó Tomoyo said simply. ÒPlease follow me.Ó
Syaoran nodded, and the group followed Tomoyo through the busy streets, pushing through the bustling crowds of people.
While Tomoyo and Meiling seemed fairly well-focused on reaching their destination, Sakura looked around at all the different vendors in a daze, excited and amazed. She had grown up in a small village; she had never been to such a large city before.
ÒItÕs amazing, isnÕt it, Syaoran?,Ó she said warmly, her eyes darting back and forth. She said this more to herself than to him, and he smiled once again at her innocence.
He studied her contentedly, taking in her bright green eyes, filled with excitement. He gazed at her long, rich red locks, framing a pale, perfectly formed face. She was truly beautiful.
His eyes then fell on her dress. He frowned; it was very dirty, stained and tattered, its hem frayed. It was torn in many places, and it was simply made. She looked as though she had been living in it all her life.
As he noticed this, he also began to notice that around them in the bustling streets were many vendors that were selling clothes, including dresses.
Tomoyo probably had a hundred gowns at her palace to wear, and his second-cousin was too proud to wear one; she preferred her red warriorÕs tunic to almost everything.
His frown began to fade.
ÒSakura,Ó he said impulsively, ÒDo you really think you can meet with a king looking like that?Ó
Sakura heard this in shock, turning toward her lover with a deep frown. Her eyes were sad, and she looked as though she were about to cry.
ÒSyaoran,Ó she said sadly, ÒI . . . I canÕt help it. I donÕt have anything more.Ó
Syaoran smiled, much to SakuraÕs surprise.
ÒYou looked gorgeous,Ó he said lovingly. ÒItÕs just that your dress is . . .Ó
SakuraÕs frown deepened. She looked down at herself, at her dress. It was dirty and torn, frayed at the bottom. It looked as though it had been though hell. She held back her tears; he was right.
ÒYouÕre right,Ó she said mournfully. ÒI canÕt see him like this! I canÕt . . .Ó
ÒShh,Ó Syaoran said soothingly. ÒI didnÕt mean it like that.Ó
Sakura looked at him sadly.
ÒWhat did you mean, then?,Ó she asked quietly.
Syaoran smiled gently. ÒI just meant to say that IÕd like to buy you a new dress.Ó
He gestured around at the different vendors, and SakuraÕs eyes widened in surprise. She blushed at his kindness.
ÒYou donÕt have to do that,Ó she said quietly. ÒI donÕt really need . . .Ó
ÒDonÕt be silly,Ó Syaoran said calmly. ÒYou do need one, and IÕd like to buy you one. ItÕs no trouble; I want to.Ó
ÒBut,Ó Sakura protested, ÒYou really donÕt need to-Ó
ÒI want to,Ó Syaoran said gently. ÒPlease?Ó
Sakura smiled warmly at this, giving in to him.
ÒA-Alright,Ó she said shyly. SyaoranÕs smile deepened at this, and he turned to the two girls that were walking ahead of them.
ÒMeiling!,Ó he called, ÒTomoyo! Please stop! IÕd like to buy Sakura a dress.Ó
Meiling and Tomoyo did indeed stop, both of them turning around in surprise.
ÒWhat?,Ó said Meiling, raising an eyebrow. Tomoyo smiled jovially.
ÒThatÕs so sweet!,Ó she exclaimed happily. Meiling frowned.
Syaoran saw this, replying to her frown. ÒIt wonÕt take long,Ó he said to her reassuringly.
Meiling sighed internally, but did not protest. She had to admit that Sakura needed something to wear that didnÕt look as though it were about to fall off of her.
Syaoran lead the group over to a vendor that was selling womenÕs informal gowns, dresses, rather. When she saw the group approach, the vendor smiled warmly.
ÒGood afternoon to you!,Ó she said charismaticly. ÒWhat can I help you with?Ó
ÒWe would like to purchase a dress,Ó Syaoran said, pleased that he was able to do this for his green-eyed angel.
ÒA dress for one of you beautiful young ladies?,Ó the vendor asked. Sakura blushed at this, and Meiling sighed sadly to herself.
ÒItÕs for her,Ó Tomoyo said warmly, gesturing toward the blushing girl at SyaoranÕs side. The vendor looked at her and smiled.
ÒWe have many dresses here,Ó she said, ÒThat are sure to look beautiful on you! Please, feel free to look around. If you have any questions, just ask me.Ó
Syaoran nodded, leading Sakura over to the rack of dresses. She saw them and gasped; all of them were very beautiful.
ÒYou can have whichever one youÕd like,Ó he said, gesturing to them. Sakura was awestruck; she didnÕt know what to say.
ÒTheyÕre all so lovely,Ó she said, reaching out her hand to stroke a light blue dress that felt silky to the touch. ÒI donÕt know which one to choose.Ó
ÒWell,Ó Syaoran said, ÒWhat is your favourite colour?Ó
Sakura pondered this for a moment; she liked many colours. Then she smiled softly to herself.
ÒWhich is yours?,Ó she asked. Syaoran blinked.
ÒWell, green,Ó he said, ÒBut you donÕt have to . . . please, pick whichever one is your favourite, not mine.Ó
ÒIt should honour you,Ó Sakura replied. She smiled; green. She was right, he did like that colour best.
She reached out and pulled a green dress off of the rack. Its bottom swayed flowingly at the sudden movement, and its fabric was silky, delicate. Its colour was the same as her bright, youthful eyes.
ÒCould I try this dress on?,Ó Sakura asked the vendor shyly.
ÒOf course!,Ó the vendor said. ÒYou can change over there.Ó
She gestured to what appeared to be a small square tent, though without a roof. Its walls were made of white canvas, and it was clearly portable.
Sakura looked at Syaoran questioningly, and he laughed quietly.
ÒDonÕt be so shy,Ó he said lovingly. ÒGo try it on. IÕd like to see.Ó
ÒBut isnÕt this expensive?,Ó Sakura asked worriedly, gesturing to the dress in her hand.
ÒDonÕt worry about that,Ó Syaoran said. ÒItÕs no trouble for me.Ó
ÒAlright,Ó Sakura said shyly. She disappeared into the white dressing tent. A few moments later, she reemerged, and Syaoran gasped.
ÔShe looks gorgeous,Õ he thought, stunned.
The dress she had picked out was a rich green colour, and it fell over her beautifully, accenting her curves. It had no waist; rather, the dress gathered under her breasts. A pink sash was tied at this area, and the neckline of the dress was v-shaped, dipping teasingly low; sexily but modestly. The neckline was also accented with pink. Her shoulders were bare; the sleeves began in the middle of her upper arms, ending in the middle of her lower arms. At that point, the sleeves widened so that they became bell-shaped, the bottom of them hanging down elegantly. The bottom of the sleeves were also accented with pink.
The dress had come with green slippers, which she was wearing over her small, bandaged feet; they appeared to fit well.
In short, it was an elegant but simple dress that was gorgeous on Sakura. She smiled shyly at SyaoranÕs stare.
He smiled in return.
ÒYou look gorgeous,Ó he said, voicing his thoughts. SakuraÕs blush deepened.
ÒShe does,Ó said Tomoyo, talking to Meiling. She nodded, but said nothing in response, silently jealous of SakuraÕs elegant, feminine beauty.
ÒWould you like this one?,Ó Syaoran asked her lovingly. Sakura nodded shyly.
ÒI would,Ó she replied. Syaoran smiled, turning to the vendor.
ÒMaÕam,Ó he asked, ÒHow much is this dress?Ó
ÒEighty silver coins, I believe,Ó she replied. Syaoran removed a green velvet pouch from his belt. Opening it, and he removed four gold coins and handed them to the vendor.
She grinned at this; he must have been very wealthy, to carry gold coins!
ÒWill this be enough?,Ó asked Syaoran. The vendor nodded.
ÒIt will. Thank you,Ó she said. She slid the gold coins into her pocket, pleased.
Sakura smiled at her lover, blushing at his generosity. She was sure she didnÕt deserve such kindness, nor such a beautiful, expensive dress.
ÒThank you very much,Ó she said to Syaoran, her smile pure and genuine. Syaoran smiled back lovingly.
ÒIt looks beautiful on you, Sakura,Ó he said. ÒThink nothing of it.Ó
With a final grateful smile, Sakura went back into the white dressing tent, reappearing with her old, dirty dress folded in her arms.
Syaoran saw this and turned once again to the vendor woman.
ÒCould you please throw that out for us?,Ó Syaoran asked, gesturing to SakuraÕs tattered dress.
ÒOf course,Ó the vendor said, reaching for it. SakuraÕs eyes widened in fear.
ÒNo!,Ó she exclaimed. She held her old dress tightly to her chest.
The vendorÕs eyes widened in surprise, as did SyaoranÕs. He stared at Sakura, shocked.
ÒYou still want it?,Ó he asked, dumbfounded. Sakura nodded slowly.
ÒWhy?,Ó Syaoran asked. She loosened her grip in the dress, relaxing. She gazed at him sadly.
ÒItÕs just that,Ó Sakura began quietly, ÒThis is the only thing I have from my home. . .Ó
Syaoran frowned, understanding. Her dress was one of the only things that she had from her home, from her old life. It reminded her of her family, her childhood, her peaceful past.
ÒI understand,Ó he said calmly. ÒIÕm sorry.Ó
ÒDonÕt be silly,Ó Sakura said. ÒYou didnÕt know.Ó
Syaoran frowned at this, and she, noting his frown worriedly, smiled at him warmly in an effort to reverse it.
ÒThank you again,Ó she said, ÒFor giving me this beautiful dress. IÕll think of you whenever I wear it, and that will be all the time, at least for now . . .Ó
SyaoranÕs smiled returned, and he said nothing. Relieved, Sakura continued.
ÒYouÕre much too kind,Ó she said warmly. ÒYouÕre so generous, and . . .Ó
ÒShh,Ó Syaoran said. ÒYou deserve anything and everything I could give to you.Ó
Sakura blushed deeply as he tenderly gazed at her.
Meiling frowned deeply, feeling once again a familiar ache in her heart. She eagerly interrupted the moment.
ÒWe should go,Ó she said suddenly. Syaoran blinked, surprised, but nodded.
ÒYouÕre right,Ó he said. Sakura nodded also, walking to his side, her dress swaying at her ankles.
Tomoyo frowned; MeilingÕs pain was obvious to her. She resisted her desire to reach out and grasp her hand, to kiss her, to otherwise comfort her.
She had to respect MeilingÕs request.
ÒThe palace is near here,Ó Tomoyo said quietly, perhaps sadly. ÒThis way.Ó
Tomoyo led the way to the palace with Meiling near her side, a sad frown on her face. Her ruby eyes were darkened, deep with mourning. Every once in awhile, Tomoyo turned to her, seeing this; her sadness made TomoyoÕs own heart ache.
Behind them, Syaoran and Sakura walked side by side peacefully. Every once in while, Syaoran too would look at Sakura, mentally commenting on her true beauty. When she felt his eyes on her, Sakura would blush; she felt uncomfortable but very loved. She was not used to such kindness, to such generosity; she was not used to being treated as someone so special.
Within a half an hour, the four finally reached the palace gates. They were silver, made from elegantly twisted metal. When Tomoyo saw them, she smiled.
ÒMy home,Ó she said quietly to herself. As they approached the palace gates, the two royal guards standing in front of them stepped forward.
ÒYour business here?,Ó one inquired. Tomoyo smiled at them, stepping forward in her long white gown, though it was dirty and slightly torn. She lifted it and bowed elegantly to them.
ÒMy Lady Tomoyo!,Ó the second gasped. Immediately, the two of them bowed deeply to her.
Tomoyo smiled. ÒPlease open the gates. I long to see my father.Ó
The two royal guards nodded in unison and did so, opening the silver gates to the four of them.
Tomoyo stepped forward, then turned back to face the remaining three.
Meiling appeared calm, as did Syaoran. SakuraÕs eyes, on the other hand, were wide and filled with wonder. She had befriended a princess, and she was about to meet the king of her kingdom, about to step into his huge palace as though she were royalty . . .
How on the LadyÕs Earth did she manage to get here?
Syaoran smiled to himself, seeing that SakuraÕs innocent eyes were wide and clearly lost in thought. She was not a part of this world as the rest of them were, not a part of their world of royalty and wealth, of war and power. She had previously been a mere spectator to their life, if even that.
A spectator and a victim, he thought grimly. Now, though, she was about to step into it all.
Perhaps it was destined that she was here with them. Maybe they all needed the perspective of someone who was not used to the way they lived, someone who truly knew, from painful experience, just how much peace was needed.
He turned back to Tomoyo, who was smiling at the three.
ÒWelcome to my home,Ó she said warmly. Her amethyst eyes were deep with hope and pride.
ÒLetÕs go see my father,Ó she said gently, ÒAnd change everything.Ó
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To be continued in the next chapter. I hope you like this chapter. ItÕs pretty obvious what the next chapter entails. ^^;;;
If you liked it, or better yet, have ideas, then please leave a review! I love reviews! Reviews = writer faster! =^^= IÕll even thank you personally because I love reviews so much! Hehe.
Special thanks to Azi, who helped me with a new summary! =3
I hope you liked this chapter! ^_^
And finally, IÕd like to take a poll. Do you like a little bit of slash, or do you hate it? IÕm pretty sure what I want to do with it (itÕs a compromise), but IÕd like to, well, ask the audience. =3
In the next chapter: YouÕll see . . .
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Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the plot!
Authoress Ramble: ThereÕs only one major fluffy event before we approach the end. This saddens me. ;_; IÕve grown so fond of this story! Anyway, as always, I thank and love all of my wonderful reviewers. =3 Thank you, I love you! Please review if you have not, IÕd like 200 reviews someday, even if that is a bit selfish.
Note: If the Òs,Õs and ,s are not quotes and commas, go to View ------ Character Set in Internet Explorer and change it to Western (Mac)! Or change the character set some other way to fix it, itÕs possible!
Shouts To People Who Reviewed!: Thank you so much for reviewing! Much love to Azi, Amanda Panda, Eclipse, Little Wolf LOVER, Shorty, Draco, CardCaptorHikariWolfy, Kimi-chan and ÒREALLY LIKE UR FICÓ (you didnÕt leave a name for me, cutie pie o.o), DL@;~, Ongaku, SulliMike23, kawaiitenshisakura, Cherry, UrbanCinderella, darkemerald22, Sakura-miaka, Tigerdrake, Mika, WezL, hana no tenshi (Eva), Princess Kinomoto, Blossom190, Kwaii Canadian, SweetyPie, twilight-star, SweetCherryBlossom, diablo, Laura, Raymisha, Blozzomz, ZetaBee, Pink Sakura, Kinomoto, Shima And Tempis, HikariWolfSky, Riconne, Cherry Blossom, Kawaii-CherryWolf (cute name!), Rae-Rae (another cute name!), dangerous-beans, ZetaBee, Cute_Leen, Zara, Ebony Black, Shima And Tempis, Mini Sweety, Bloodlust Night, Meinien, :I, Lady Dez, Kat, *~*princess*~*, Jamie, silverymare, LilÕ Fairy, Feathers, CoolCat, Val (great idea!), D, Athar-Luna, Azn-Angel, Dark-Luv3, cherryblossom, Li-kyoko-cp, Mysticalia and finally, Kitty Neko (IÕm a big fan of yours! =3 I am honoured that you like my story!)! Thank you all again for your support!
Also, it seems that Little Wolf LOVER is quite the authoress. ^_^ Mini Sweety reviewed and told me how successful you are, so IÕm quite honoured! Thank you for reading my humble story! =3
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ÒAre you quite sure Raena is to the West, Sakura?,Ó Meiling asked, trying her best to mask the annoyance in her voice. She did not succeed, and Syaoran, who was walking just ahead of her, sighed.
ÒSheÕs sure, Meiling,Ó Syaoran said for what seemed like the twentieth time. The fiery nature of the ruby-eyed girl made her very impatient, though after having hiked for nearly a day through a Forest whose every tree appeared to be the same as the last, he was beginning to understand her grievance.
He tightened his grip on his compass, sighing. Sakura, walking just behind Meiling, saw this and frowned.
ÒWe should be arriving there soon,Ó she said wearily, trying to boast the morale of the group. Syaoran and Meiling said nothing, though she thought she saw Meiling roll her eyes.
ÒI certainly hope so,Ó said Tomoyo, walking at SakuraÕs side, though she fell behind every once in awhile. ÒMy feet are aching like you wouldnÕt believe!Ó
ÒAll of our feet are aching,Ó said Syaoran calmly. SakuraÕs frown deepened; he was growing as frustrated and impatient as his second cousin.
Turning from them, she studied the great trees as she walked, thankful for their silence. They never complained about growing too tired to stand. Then, suddenly, she saw a break in them.
ÒSyaoran,Ó she said excited, pointing into the trees, ÒThereÕs something there!Ó
ÒWhat?!Ó, Syaoran growled, reaching down and tightly grasping the handle of his sword. ÒIs it a soldier?Ó
ÒNo, no,Ó said Sakura soothingly, ÒItÕs an open space. I doubt itÕs there naturally.Ó
ÒLetÕs go check it out,Ó said Meiling eagerly. SheÕd seen the space that Sakura was referring to, and she had turned to face it. She was now walking toward it.
ÒAlright,Ó said Syaoran, relaxing. The remaining three following Meiling, walking between the trees toward the mysterious clearing.
They reached it quickly, and as she saw what it was, Sakura began to smile.
ÒItÕs a road!,Ó she exclaimed happily, ÒA road!Ó
ÒWeÕre near civilization!,Ó said Tomoyo gleefully. ÒFinally!Ó
ÒLetÕs hope weÕre near to Raena,Ó Syaoran said seriously, ÒAnd not just any small village.Ó
ÒWe ought to be,Ó said Sakura simply. She walked out onto the dirt road, standing in the middle of it, and the others followed her.
She turned to look down the road, and when she did, she gasped, smiling.
Tomoyo nearly mirrored her, smiling as well when she saw what Sakura had seen.
At the end of the road, in the distance, was a city.
ÒItÕs Raena!,Ó Tomoyo exclaimed warmly. ÒMy home!Ó
ÒItÕs about time,Ó said Meiling, eying Syaoran with an annoyed expression. He was not looking at her.
Rather, he was looking at Sakura, smiling gently at her innocent happiness. She was always so easily pleased.
ÒLetÕs go,Ó he said peacefully. Sakura turned to face him, smiling at him to share her joy and relief. She then turned from him in favour of turning toward Raena, walking toward it quickly with Tomoyo at her side.
ÒWeÕre here, Meiling,Ó Syaoran said quietly. ÒThis is the place where weÕll find peace.Ó
ÒLetÕs hope that it is,Ó she replied sincerely, the only one of the four without a smile.
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As the group entered the great city of Raena, their eyes widened in surprise.
Great buildings and large homes lined the streets of the city, which bustled with people visiting the streetsÕ many vendors. The sound of people conversing filled the city, as did the sounds of other things; children laughing, horses neighing, vendors shouting out the names of their goods. It was filled with life.
ÒThis is,Ó Sakura began slowly, ÒThe first city weÕve been that hasnÕt been . . .Ó
ÒYouÕre right,Ó said Tomoyo calmly. ÒThe Lian soldiers havenÕt attacked this city yet. I think theyÕre afraid to. ItÕs heavily guarded, protected by a great number of my fatherÕs men. That and its size; it would not fall easily.Ó
ÒLetÕs hope it never does,Ó said Sakura quietly, smiling at the sight of living people, of life in motion, life not ended or devastated.
ÒThe palace is this way,Ó Tomoyo said simply. ÒPlease follow me.Ó
Syaoran nodded, and the group followed Tomoyo through the busy streets, pushing through the bustling crowds of people.
While Tomoyo and Meiling seemed fairly well-focused on reaching their destination, Sakura looked around at all the different vendors in a daze, excited and amazed. She had grown up in a small village; she had never been to such a large city before.
ÒItÕs amazing, isnÕt it, Syaoran?,Ó she said warmly, her eyes darting back and forth. She said this more to herself than to him, and he smiled once again at her innocence.
He studied her contentedly, taking in her bright green eyes, filled with excitement. He gazed at her long, rich red locks, framing a pale, perfectly formed face. She was truly beautiful.
His eyes then fell on her dress. He frowned; it was very dirty, stained and tattered, its hem frayed. It was torn in many places, and it was simply made. She looked as though she had been living in it all her life.
As he noticed this, he also began to notice that around them in the bustling streets were many vendors that were selling clothes, including dresses.
Tomoyo probably had a hundred gowns at her palace to wear, and his second-cousin was too proud to wear one; she preferred her red warriorÕs tunic to almost everything.
His frown began to fade.
ÒSakura,Ó he said impulsively, ÒDo you really think you can meet with a king looking like that?Ó
Sakura heard this in shock, turning toward her lover with a deep frown. Her eyes were sad, and she looked as though she were about to cry.
ÒSyaoran,Ó she said sadly, ÒI . . . I canÕt help it. I donÕt have anything more.Ó
Syaoran smiled, much to SakuraÕs surprise.
ÒYou looked gorgeous,Ó he said lovingly. ÒItÕs just that your dress is . . .Ó
SakuraÕs frown deepened. She looked down at herself, at her dress. It was dirty and torn, frayed at the bottom. It looked as though it had been though hell. She held back her tears; he was right.
ÒYouÕre right,Ó she said mournfully. ÒI canÕt see him like this! I canÕt . . .Ó
ÒShh,Ó Syaoran said soothingly. ÒI didnÕt mean it like that.Ó
Sakura looked at him sadly.
ÒWhat did you mean, then?,Ó she asked quietly.
Syaoran smiled gently. ÒI just meant to say that IÕd like to buy you a new dress.Ó
He gestured around at the different vendors, and SakuraÕs eyes widened in surprise. She blushed at his kindness.
ÒYou donÕt have to do that,Ó she said quietly. ÒI donÕt really need . . .Ó
ÒDonÕt be silly,Ó Syaoran said calmly. ÒYou do need one, and IÕd like to buy you one. ItÕs no trouble; I want to.Ó
ÒBut,Ó Sakura protested, ÒYou really donÕt need to-Ó
ÒI want to,Ó Syaoran said gently. ÒPlease?Ó
Sakura smiled warmly at this, giving in to him.
ÒA-Alright,Ó she said shyly. SyaoranÕs smile deepened at this, and he turned to the two girls that were walking ahead of them.
ÒMeiling!,Ó he called, ÒTomoyo! Please stop! IÕd like to buy Sakura a dress.Ó
Meiling and Tomoyo did indeed stop, both of them turning around in surprise.
ÒWhat?,Ó said Meiling, raising an eyebrow. Tomoyo smiled jovially.
ÒThatÕs so sweet!,Ó she exclaimed happily. Meiling frowned.
Syaoran saw this, replying to her frown. ÒIt wonÕt take long,Ó he said to her reassuringly.
Meiling sighed internally, but did not protest. She had to admit that Sakura needed something to wear that didnÕt look as though it were about to fall off of her.
Syaoran lead the group over to a vendor that was selling womenÕs informal gowns, dresses, rather. When she saw the group approach, the vendor smiled warmly.
ÒGood afternoon to you!,Ó she said charismaticly. ÒWhat can I help you with?Ó
ÒWe would like to purchase a dress,Ó Syaoran said, pleased that he was able to do this for his green-eyed angel.
ÒA dress for one of you beautiful young ladies?,Ó the vendor asked. Sakura blushed at this, and Meiling sighed sadly to herself.
ÒItÕs for her,Ó Tomoyo said warmly, gesturing toward the blushing girl at SyaoranÕs side. The vendor looked at her and smiled.
ÒWe have many dresses here,Ó she said, ÒThat are sure to look beautiful on you! Please, feel free to look around. If you have any questions, just ask me.Ó
Syaoran nodded, leading Sakura over to the rack of dresses. She saw them and gasped; all of them were very beautiful.
ÒYou can have whichever one youÕd like,Ó he said, gesturing to them. Sakura was awestruck; she didnÕt know what to say.
ÒTheyÕre all so lovely,Ó she said, reaching out her hand to stroke a light blue dress that felt silky to the touch. ÒI donÕt know which one to choose.Ó
ÒWell,Ó Syaoran said, ÒWhat is your favourite colour?Ó
Sakura pondered this for a moment; she liked many colours. Then she smiled softly to herself.
ÒWhich is yours?,Ó she asked. Syaoran blinked.
ÒWell, green,Ó he said, ÒBut you donÕt have to . . . please, pick whichever one is your favourite, not mine.Ó
ÒIt should honour you,Ó Sakura replied. She smiled; green. She was right, he did like that colour best.
She reached out and pulled a green dress off of the rack. Its bottom swayed flowingly at the sudden movement, and its fabric was silky, delicate. Its colour was the same as her bright, youthful eyes.
ÒCould I try this dress on?,Ó Sakura asked the vendor shyly.
ÒOf course!,Ó the vendor said. ÒYou can change over there.Ó
She gestured to what appeared to be a small square tent, though without a roof. Its walls were made of white canvas, and it was clearly portable.
Sakura looked at Syaoran questioningly, and he laughed quietly.
ÒDonÕt be so shy,Ó he said lovingly. ÒGo try it on. IÕd like to see.Ó
ÒBut isnÕt this expensive?,Ó Sakura asked worriedly, gesturing to the dress in her hand.
ÒDonÕt worry about that,Ó Syaoran said. ÒItÕs no trouble for me.Ó
ÒAlright,Ó Sakura said shyly. She disappeared into the white dressing tent. A few moments later, she reemerged, and Syaoran gasped.
ÔShe looks gorgeous,Õ he thought, stunned.
The dress she had picked out was a rich green colour, and it fell over her beautifully, accenting her curves. It had no waist; rather, the dress gathered under her breasts. A pink sash was tied at this area, and the neckline of the dress was v-shaped, dipping teasingly low; sexily but modestly. The neckline was also accented with pink. Her shoulders were bare; the sleeves began in the middle of her upper arms, ending in the middle of her lower arms. At that point, the sleeves widened so that they became bell-shaped, the bottom of them hanging down elegantly. The bottom of the sleeves were also accented with pink.
The dress had come with green slippers, which she was wearing over her small, bandaged feet; they appeared to fit well.
In short, it was an elegant but simple dress that was gorgeous on Sakura. She smiled shyly at SyaoranÕs stare.
He smiled in return.
ÒYou look gorgeous,Ó he said, voicing his thoughts. SakuraÕs blush deepened.
ÒShe does,Ó said Tomoyo, talking to Meiling. She nodded, but said nothing in response, silently jealous of SakuraÕs elegant, feminine beauty.
ÒWould you like this one?,Ó Syaoran asked her lovingly. Sakura nodded shyly.
ÒI would,Ó she replied. Syaoran smiled, turning to the vendor.
ÒMaÕam,Ó he asked, ÒHow much is this dress?Ó
ÒEighty silver coins, I believe,Ó she replied. Syaoran removed a green velvet pouch from his belt. Opening it, and he removed four gold coins and handed them to the vendor.
She grinned at this; he must have been very wealthy, to carry gold coins!
ÒWill this be enough?,Ó asked Syaoran. The vendor nodded.
ÒIt will. Thank you,Ó she said. She slid the gold coins into her pocket, pleased.
Sakura smiled at her lover, blushing at his generosity. She was sure she didnÕt deserve such kindness, nor such a beautiful, expensive dress.
ÒThank you very much,Ó she said to Syaoran, her smile pure and genuine. Syaoran smiled back lovingly.
ÒIt looks beautiful on you, Sakura,Ó he said. ÒThink nothing of it.Ó
With a final grateful smile, Sakura went back into the white dressing tent, reappearing with her old, dirty dress folded in her arms.
Syaoran saw this and turned once again to the vendor woman.
ÒCould you please throw that out for us?,Ó Syaoran asked, gesturing to SakuraÕs tattered dress.
ÒOf course,Ó the vendor said, reaching for it. SakuraÕs eyes widened in fear.
ÒNo!,Ó she exclaimed. She held her old dress tightly to her chest.
The vendorÕs eyes widened in surprise, as did SyaoranÕs. He stared at Sakura, shocked.
ÒYou still want it?,Ó he asked, dumbfounded. Sakura nodded slowly.
ÒWhy?,Ó Syaoran asked. She loosened her grip in the dress, relaxing. She gazed at him sadly.
ÒItÕs just that,Ó Sakura began quietly, ÒThis is the only thing I have from my home. . .Ó
Syaoran frowned, understanding. Her dress was one of the only things that she had from her home, from her old life. It reminded her of her family, her childhood, her peaceful past.
ÒI understand,Ó he said calmly. ÒIÕm sorry.Ó
ÒDonÕt be silly,Ó Sakura said. ÒYou didnÕt know.Ó
Syaoran frowned at this, and she, noting his frown worriedly, smiled at him warmly in an effort to reverse it.
ÒThank you again,Ó she said, ÒFor giving me this beautiful dress. IÕll think of you whenever I wear it, and that will be all the time, at least for now . . .Ó
SyaoranÕs smiled returned, and he said nothing. Relieved, Sakura continued.
ÒYouÕre much too kind,Ó she said warmly. ÒYouÕre so generous, and . . .Ó
ÒShh,Ó Syaoran said. ÒYou deserve anything and everything I could give to you.Ó
Sakura blushed deeply as he tenderly gazed at her.
Meiling frowned deeply, feeling once again a familiar ache in her heart. She eagerly interrupted the moment.
ÒWe should go,Ó she said suddenly. Syaoran blinked, surprised, but nodded.
ÒYouÕre right,Ó he said. Sakura nodded also, walking to his side, her dress swaying at her ankles.
Tomoyo frowned; MeilingÕs pain was obvious to her. She resisted her desire to reach out and grasp her hand, to kiss her, to otherwise comfort her.
She had to respect MeilingÕs request.
ÒThe palace is near here,Ó Tomoyo said quietly, perhaps sadly. ÒThis way.Ó
Tomoyo led the way to the palace with Meiling near her side, a sad frown on her face. Her ruby eyes were darkened, deep with mourning. Every once in awhile, Tomoyo turned to her, seeing this; her sadness made TomoyoÕs own heart ache.
Behind them, Syaoran and Sakura walked side by side peacefully. Every once in while, Syaoran too would look at Sakura, mentally commenting on her true beauty. When she felt his eyes on her, Sakura would blush; she felt uncomfortable but very loved. She was not used to such kindness, to such generosity; she was not used to being treated as someone so special.
Within a half an hour, the four finally reached the palace gates. They were silver, made from elegantly twisted metal. When Tomoyo saw them, she smiled.
ÒMy home,Ó she said quietly to herself. As they approached the palace gates, the two royal guards standing in front of them stepped forward.
ÒYour business here?,Ó one inquired. Tomoyo smiled at them, stepping forward in her long white gown, though it was dirty and slightly torn. She lifted it and bowed elegantly to them.
ÒMy Lady Tomoyo!,Ó the second gasped. Immediately, the two of them bowed deeply to her.
Tomoyo smiled. ÒPlease open the gates. I long to see my father.Ó
The two royal guards nodded in unison and did so, opening the silver gates to the four of them.
Tomoyo stepped forward, then turned back to face the remaining three.
Meiling appeared calm, as did Syaoran. SakuraÕs eyes, on the other hand, were wide and filled with wonder. She had befriended a princess, and she was about to meet the king of her kingdom, about to step into his huge palace as though she were royalty . . .
How on the LadyÕs Earth did she manage to get here?
Syaoran smiled to himself, seeing that SakuraÕs innocent eyes were wide and clearly lost in thought. She was not a part of this world as the rest of them were, not a part of their world of royalty and wealth, of war and power. She had previously been a mere spectator to their life, if even that.
A spectator and a victim, he thought grimly. Now, though, she was about to step into it all.
Perhaps it was destined that she was here with them. Maybe they all needed the perspective of someone who was not used to the way they lived, someone who truly knew, from painful experience, just how much peace was needed.
He turned back to Tomoyo, who was smiling at the three.
ÒWelcome to my home,Ó she said warmly. Her amethyst eyes were deep with hope and pride.
ÒLetÕs go see my father,Ó she said gently, ÒAnd change everything.Ó
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To be continued in the next chapter. I hope you like this chapter. ItÕs pretty obvious what the next chapter entails. ^^;;;
If you liked it, or better yet, have ideas, then please leave a review! I love reviews! Reviews = writer faster! =^^= IÕll even thank you personally because I love reviews so much! Hehe.
Special thanks to Azi, who helped me with a new summary! =3
I hope you liked this chapter! ^_^
And finally, IÕd like to take a poll. Do you like a little bit of slash, or do you hate it? IÕm pretty sure what I want to do with it (itÕs a compromise), but IÕd like to, well, ask the audience. =3
In the next chapter: YouÕll see . . .
