Disclaimer: I don't own CCS or any of its characters. But the story is mine so don't even think of stealing it!
Author's Comments:: Thanks everyone for all your wonderful reviews!!! *blows kisses* This chapter occurs… hmmm…. About 10 years later. ^_^
Chapter 2 (Can't think of a title for this chapter… sorry)"Hey Syaoran," said a pretty girl seductively while batting her eyes. Syaoran ran his hand through his messy brown hair.
Not another one… I don't need a wife! What the hell are my parents thinking!
Water dripped from his hair creating dark spots in the crimson-carpeted floor. He had been fencing with his father's best guard and had just finished a steaming hot bath. A girl in his room was definitely not something he had anticipated. He ignored the girl and crossed the room to his large oak desk.
"I don't know what my mother told you but I'm not interested in finding a girl anytime soon," he said without even looking up at the girl. On his desk were letters from both parents urging him to find a wife by Yuletime… a mere three months away.
Why are they doing this to me? They aren't even old yet!
"What's the hurry?" the girl said as she walked towards him. He looked up irked that she was still there.
"You look so serious, come on let's have some fun," the girl said running her hands down his chest fingering the buttons of his shirt. Syaoran was all of sudden very aware of the girl's leg wrapping around his own.
Where does my mom find all these whores?
He looked at the girl's face for the first time. He had to admit; she was pretty and was barely clothed in a provocative dress. A cascade of blond hair framed her small face making her seem like a porcelain doll. All her features were small but her large blue eyes which bored into his with hunger. He realized how tired and stressed he was. The girl was right, he needed to relax.
He kissed the girl full on the lips taking her by surprise. His lips curved into a grin as her fingers unbuttoned his shirt and played across his bare chest. This was exactly what he needed.
**********
Sakura drummed her fingers on her desk impatiently. Her father had insisted that Sakura be well educated and ever since she turned five, he had ordered private tutors. However, much to Fujitaka's dismay, Sakura had succeeded in scaring away all of them. None had lasted longer than a year.
Sakura smiled to herself. She remembered the frenzied look on the last tutor's face when she had found a skunk waiting for her at her desk. She scrunched up her small nose noticing the lingering scent in the air.
Next time I'll use a better smelling tactic… Where's the new tutor? Maybe Dad couldn't find one! I could sure use the extra free time!
It had become increasingly harder to find a suitable teacher for Sakura. Sakura had made sure that her classroom antics were known far and wide and many stories were told about the "unteachable princess".
Sakura would have much rather preferred to spend her day outside in the sun, riding to town, or even secretly practice fencing with her brother.
"Sakura," her father's voice called snapping her out of her daydreams and back to the dreary classroom, "I found a new tutor but she will not arrive until tomorrow. So until your next class, you are free to do whatever you want within the castle grounds."
She was free! Sakura waited until her father was out of sight. Then she ran as fast as her dainty slippers could take her towards Tomoyo's chambers. Tomoyo was sitting by a large window mending a tear that Sakura had made during a ride through the woods.
"Tomoyo! I don't have classes today! I can do whatever I want!" Sakura said excitedly. Tomoyo smiled as she knotted the last stitch.
"I really wish I could stay with you, but I have to go to town to get the new cloths for our Yulemas dresses. I have to start on those you know," Tomoyo said. Sakura's large smile turned into a frown.
"I'll go with you!" Sakura said after a moment of thought. An unusual silence fell between the two girls. Sakura was not allowed to leave the castle grounds without a heavily armed guard as an escort.
"Sakura… You're not allowed to…" Tomoyo said softly. Sakura's emerald eyes brightened.
"I'll sneak out! You'll help me won't you?" Sakura said excitedly.
Oooo what a new adventure! This will be very exciting!
"But how will you go around town without being noticed as a princess?" Tomoyo said. Sakura paused. Tomoyo, thinking she had convinced Sakura to stay in the castle started to put the needles and string away.
"I'll disguise myself," Sakura said suddenly, "Touya gave me a blond wig for my birthday once, we can use that! And I can pose as your cousin!" Tomoyo sighed; she knew Sakura would never stop until she agreed.
"Alright, I give in," she said. Sakura beamed and hugged Tomoyo.
"So… Touya got you a blond wig?"
"Yea… remember that time I went through that phase where I wanted to dye my hair blond? Well Touya got me a wig so I could see how stupid it would look," Sakura said. The two girls laughed, as they got busy preparing Sakura for her first visit to town as a girl not a princess.
**********
"Hello Tomoyo dear! Oh! You brought a friend with you today! My isn't she cute, what's her name?" an old woman said smiling kindly.
"Hello Mrs. Tera," Tomoyo said cheerfully, "This is Suiren, my cousin. She's staying with me for a while." Sakura gave a short curtsy in greeting. Tomoyo and Sakura had spent a while choosing a false name to go under and practicing proper "commoner" manners.
"I need those cloths I've ordered last week," Tomoyo asked. Mrs. Tera entered another room that looked like a storage area. Sakura turned her head to get a better look. All kinds of imaginable fabrics were kept there. Tomoyo smiled at Sakura's gaping mouth.
"It's here Tomoyo. But I didn't get a chance to cut it the right lengths. If you can stop by at the end of the day, I can get it done," Mrs. Tera said as she poked her head out of the doorway.
"That's fine, I wanted to show Suiren around town anyways," Tomoyo replied. The girls said their goodbyes and left the store.
Sakura had never seen so many people in such a tiny space. Whenever she came to town, all the streets were cleared so that the royalty could walk with ease. Sakura had always hated the long and bothersome procedure that caused many people to grumble in protest.
The small street they were on was full of stands where hundreds of people flocked. Each stand was unique in it's own way with too many things that Sakura found interesting.
"Saku… Suiren! Come on, at this rate, we won't even get to visit any other streets. This isn't the only street you know," Tomoyo said pulling Sakura away from a very persuasive hat seller. Sakura pulled her arm away from Tomoyo's grip and went to look at another stand lined with mirrors. She turned to look at herself in every angel. The blond wig actually didn't look too bad. In fact, it was sort of cute in a way.
"Hey lady! Whatcha doin' starin' at yerself like yer royalty! Move outa the way!" a gruff looking mand said. Sakura quickly walked back towards Tomoyo who was strolling calmly through the crowd with a you-should-have-stayed-with-me expression on her face.
"That man was scary! Is everyone like that?" Sakura whispered. Tomoyo just smiled and motioned for Sakura to follow. The two girls turned into a narrower, quieter street where smaller and less fancier stands were situated.
"This way, I want to show you this adorable café!" Tomoyo said walking a little faster. She walked a few steps more until she realized that Sakura was not following. She looked back and found that the blond at an empty stand handling various odd looking objects. Shaking her head in dismay, Tomoyo walked towards the stand.
"Look Tomoyo, isn't this cute?" Sakura said as Tomoyo approached the stand. She was holding a small pink key that was shaped like a bird. After holding it up for Tomoyo to see, she slipped it into a keyhole that held a thick book closed.
"It has the royal emblem on the cover… I wonder if this key opens this," Sakura said. A cold air seemed to blow around the little stand causing Sakura to shiver. A small click was heard and the latch slid open. Sakura reached to open the cover but another hand was already there.
"I'd advise you to go no further," a young man said. Immediately the air around them seemed to change again going back to the stuffy hot heat. Sakura gave out a sigh. It had felt like one of those moments you read about in books. Just before the hero or heroine opened the treasure chest or went through an unknown doorway.
"I'm sorry, my friend loves things she's never seen before," Tomoyo apologized while returning the key that Sakura had been holding.
"It's nothing. But I'm curious… not everyone can open this book. Hmmmm… Have we met before?" the young man said while studying Sakura's face.
Oh my god. I think I've met this guy before somewhere! I hope he doesn't recognize me!
"Uh… no… I don't believe we have…" Sakura said a bit unnerved by how his deep blue eyes seemed to read her face from behind his glasses.
"Well then, my name is Eriol Hiiragizawa. It is a pleasure to meet you," the young man said as he took Sakura's gloved hand and lightly kissed it.
Hiiragizawa! He was invited to the castle once because father wanted to give him a gift! I remember now! It's the same blue eyes and the black hair! That must be how he got that book!
"I'm Suiren Daidouji. This is my cousin Tomoyo. She's showing me around town," Sakura said.
"Yes, I know Ms. Tomoyo, I've seen her walk by a number of times," Eriol said shifting his gaze to Tomoyo. To Sakura's surprise, Tomoyo said none of her usual witty replies and even seemed to turn a shy shade of pink.
"It's almost noon. Did you two ladies have lunch yet?" Eriol asked. Sakura just remembered how hungry she was. They had eaten breakfast early and had been walking around for a long time.
"No… not yet," Sakura said.
"I know a great café nearby. Would you like to join me?" Eriol said giving a warm smile.
"Actually we were planning on going there right now!" Tomoyo said a little too happily.
"Quite a coincidence," Eriol said boring his eyes into the bright amethyst eyes of Tomoyo. To his and Sakura's surprise, she turned quickly away and became absorbed with a basket of ribbons that were at the stand.
"So are we going or not?" Sakura said impatiently as her stomach began complaining, "Come on Tomoyo! Stop toying with those ribbons!"
Tomoyo turned to Sakura abruptly as if snapped out of a trance.
"Oh yea! Of course! Let's go!" Tomoyo said walking quickly away.
"Ms. Tomoyo, the café is the other way and your still holding onto my ribbons," eriols said with amusement in his eyes.
"Oh of course! How silly of me..." Tomoyo said this time turning a definite shade of red.
What is she doing acting like that? She never acted this way before…"If you like it, you can keep it. A gift from me," Eriol said.
"Err… not to be rude but what do you do with it?" Sakura said examining the fabric. It was incredibly soft and light but she could feel its strength and durability. It was incredibly long and about five-finger lengths wide.
"This special ribbon has many different uses. In the right hands, it may be a deadly weapon, it can also be used as a pretty hair ribbon, some people even dance with these and create beautiful shapes in the air, it can also be fashioned onto dresses and other clothing," Eriol said in a business like tone, "you can tie up your annoying siblings with this strong fabric, or it can be used as a rope to climb with."
(imagine Sakura and Tomoyo with dotted eyes and sweatdrops)
"Ok… well I think I can somehow put these on our dresses!" Tomoyo said to Sakura, "I'll take two ribbons, how much are they?"
"No no no… I said they are gifts!" Eriol said stuffing the ribbons Tomoyo had chosen into a bag, "Let's eat now!"
***************
Author's Notes:: Soooo? How did you people like it? I'm sorry I took so long getting this up… I just moved to Chicago and my computer still isn't set up so I gotta go to the library to do this… Well be a responsible reader and REVIEW!!! ^_________^
Hehe how did you guys like the blond Sakura thing (haha I thought it would be interesting). And about that lil incident with Eriol… I don't think I'll have any more magic in this story… if I do then it won't be a lot.
~Chibichunsah~