Cardhunter
Chapter One: When we dream of times past
A story by Kelly
Summary: The Cards are now Sakura Cards and every one knew peace. But having a power so great means having to fight those who would steal it from her. Would Sakura kill to defend the Cards and protect her loved ones?
Warning: Angst, recollections, trauma. . .all the things we love about fanfics. Will be yaoi, slash, het, etc.
Disclaimer: The Cardcaptor Sakura trademark and its properties belong to CLAMP and the respective copyright holders. This story (and its subsequent chapters) are meant for enjoyment and in no way intends to infringe upon anyone's copyrights. The plot and whatever original character I came up with does belong to me though.
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Gavain tugged the reins in gently and let out a soft laugh.
"Whoa there Stormcloud." His steed nickered back but steadied out his high-spirited prancing to a rolling trot. The sun, bursting through the new green foliage of spring threw dappled shadows of light and dark on the stallion's dark grey coat which gave him his namesake. He smoothed down the rumpled, darker grey mane and laughed again. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're getting tired of my company."
Stormcloud ignored his teasing, maintaining his dignified pace.
"Fine, fine. . . .though I bet you wouldn't say no to some nice, filling oats and warm hay back at the stable hmm?"
At the words 'oats', 'hay' and 'stable', equine ears pricked back and the stallion snorted. His pace started to quicken.
"Ah," Gavain laid a gauntleted hand on his breastplate, "set aside for some oats and straw. Oh woe is me."
Though eager to get back as Stormcloud was, Gavain was content to enjoy the day that spring had brought forth. Birds trilled sweet song from the branches above, no doubt some from courting males and in the brush by the well-beaten path, a family of foxes were startled into flight as the heavy hooves of the stallion struck the dirt, their bushy red tails streaming out behind them in flight. Gavain let them go in peace. Unlike most of the nobles of the realm, Gavain had no stomach for what is to him, the cruel and pointless pleasures that the uppercrust took in fox-hunting. Some had teased him a soft-hearted fool and he had taken their teasing in stride. Other comments that hinted this as some sort of dangerous weakness was quickly hushed up. One does not lightly insult a Knight of the Round Table after all.
The grey weathered walls of Merlin's Keep rose from the treetops before him and Gavain broke into a smile of pure pleasure. Perhaps a little gallop wouldn't hurt after all.
A soft word and a light touch was all it took to get Stormcloud kicking up his heels and neighing in fierce delight. Puffs of dust marked their passage as the stallion pounded down the familiar trail right up to the lowered drawbridge that spanned the moat. Gavain grinned as Stormcloud's hooves raised a clatter on the wooden planks. Trust Merlin to be able to spot his coming a mile away. The old wizard probably alerted the servants even before he entered the forest.
Glancing down to the still waters that ran peacefully under the drawbridge, Gavain prayed to the Saints that the day he had to storm this castle would never come. True to his reputation as a mighty magician, Merlin had placed various enchantments around the castle and even the forest to protect his domain from enemies. The moat was such an example. If the drawbridge had not been lowered and an enemy tried to cross anyway, he would find the waters literally coming alive. No one had so far escaped the watery death that waited quiescent beneath.
As the drawbridge trundled up ponderously once he finished his crossing, Gavain jumped lightly down and passed the reins to a young stable hand that had hurried up with his arrival.
"Thank you John," he smiled to the nervous boy and the towhead blushed and dipped his head awkwardly.
"My Lord," he squeaked, blushed and tried again. He was new to his post and still in awe whenever a Knight showed up. In this case, usually Gavain. "My Lord, the lady Morgana requests your presence in the sunroom immediately upon arrival."
Gavain grinned and ruffled the boy's hair affectionately. "Thank you. Off you go now. Get this lazy brute some nice oats would you? I promised him some on the way." Stormcloud butted his elbow good-naturedly and Gavain laughed again. "Go on now."
John blushed again and made a hurried bow, leading his stallion away.
Taking off his gauntlets and wishing he had thought of taking his chainmail off first earlier, Gavain nodded pleasantly to the servants that bowed in his wake, murmuring their welcome. This was as much his home as his ancestral castle in Salisbury was and he made his way confidently to the appointed meeting place.
He stopped by the threshold of the sunroom and took a minute to take in the sight. As the golden light filtered in through the delicate glass that adorned the ceilings, a figure standing pensively by the windows that fronted the small lake to the south of the castle was highlighted. The gold rays lent a ghostly shimmer to midnight black hair, left loose from its usual plaits and a tall, slim figure that was wrapped in rich, burgundy brocade, unadorned. As always, the sight struck him speechless.
As though aware of his presence, which, he thought wryly to himself, she probably was, the lady turned slowly around, a grave expression on her flawless, porcelain smooth face. Her full red lips were definitely not smiling and Gavain resigned himself to postponing the kind of reception he had hoped to get from the lady.
"Morgana, my love," he smiled and crossed the room in three long strides. "You look as cheerful as sour milk," he teased gently. "What ails you? Trouble in your studies?"
"I," the lady Morgana lifted her chin, "Hate. Merlin."
"So what else is new?"
He was rewarded with a punch to his left arm for his impudence. "Ouch! The pain! Methinks a certain sorceress is irked."
Slate grey eyes narrowed in righteous anger and the red lips twisted into what is most definitely not a smile. "I am serious! I told Merlin that I am ready to move to the next stage of my studies but he tells me that I am not! That I have not learned enough! I have been doing nothing but studying for the last 5 years and still he does not see fit to take me further up!"
Gavain took the hands which were flying around wildly as Morgana emphasized her points, trapping her wrists in his gentle hands. He turned the hands over, palms down, and kissed her knuckles gently. "Patience, my love," he said sincerely. "Merlin has his reasons. Soon, I'm sure, he will reveal more to you."
She tried to maintain her anger but as Gavain started kissing his way softly from the insides of her palms to her wrist, she let out a sigh and pulled up his face to give him the long-overdue kiss he had wanted.
As they broke apart, Gavain smiling, she sighed again and tugged gently on his surcoat which was emblazoned with his family crest; a red rose twining up the leg of a red dragon. "Yes, I'm sure you're right love," she smiled. "Though patience is hard to muster when there's so much I want to learn but cannot."
"Still, I doubt you're in the mood to study right now, are you my dear?" Gavain tried.
He could have sworn she smirked as she ducked her head coyly, still tugging gently on his surcoat. "You are right love," she confessed. "Though I find myself in the mood for. . .other studies."
"Studies that I, a poor knight might help you with?"
"Perhaps. . ."
"Studies that might perhaps include a leisurely stroll by the lakeside with this poor knight?"
"How perceptive of you, my Lord."
"Thank you, my Lady."
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Sakura blinked, awareness coming slowly to her. The room was dark still, the shades drawn up to let in the light of the full moon. A light snore from the direction of her desk told her that Kero was still sleeping.
She frowned and sat up, the blankets pooling in her lap and she rubbed her eyes wearily. Whenever a premonition dream came, it always took her a while to get her bearings back. She hated when that happened. Bright green eyes that still retained their sparkle of innocence even at the age of 16, Sakura pushed back light brown hair, bleached by the sun from countless hours spent outdoors practicing her cheerleading, and summoned the book.
The top drawer of her desk slid out silently and a golden glow filled it. As she waited, a book emerged slowly from within, a light pink cover with ornate gold edgings and a heavy clasp. It flew to her hand and rested quietly within her grasp, the golden light fading.
Sakura Cards.
She fingered the clasp and with a sudden move, flipped the book open. The cards were inside. All of them, her senses told her. Lying still and quiescent, undisturbed.
"Sakura? What are you doing up? It's only three o'clock."
Sakura blinked and smiled sheepishly in Kero's direction. "Gomen, Kero-chan. I didn't mean to wake you up."
Despite her assurance, Kero flew out from his drawer and approached her on silent wings. "Eh? The Sakura Cards? Why? Did something happen?" He peered at her anxiously.
"No!" she shook her head vigorously and gave him a bright smile. "Just felt like seeing the cards."
"Are you sure?" the worry hadn't lessened.
Sakura nodded firmly. "Yeah. Go to sleep, Kero-chan."
Shrugging, Kero nodded, yawning wide. "Hai, hai. Make sure you get plenty of rest, Sakura-chan. It's the first day of term tomorrow."
"I will. Good night."
"G'night."
After placing the Book back in the drawer, Sakura lay back in bed, the covers pulled up to her chin and stared unseeingly at the ceiling. It didn't take her long to drift off and as sleep claimed her once again, she felt idle regret that her English wasn't that good. She couldn't really understand what the people in her dream were talking about.
She wondered who Morgana was.
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to be continued
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Well, what do you think? That's just the beginning, I'll have longer chapters out soon. And as I'm sure you can tell, it won't really be a romance/fluff kind of fic. How dark will it go? Ah, only you, the readers can decide. Please review and tell me what you think (kindly! I burn easily! ^^)
To those who're reading my other fics, don't worry, I won't neglect them! I just felt that I should get this one out quick! Jaa!