Olive_Oyle: I know many of you didn't like Eriol's character in the
movie but please bare with me, I have a very good excuse
for it! (And besides I like pissing my cousin about this)
Hahahaha! J J J
"CardCaptor Sakura" Lessons in LoveChapter 3
Sakura and Touya Kinomoto were still asleep when their coach pulled up in front of the two-story house on Portland Place. The sun had just edged over the horizon, turning the sky from pink to soft blue, and the birds were singing cheerfully.
Sakura awakened when the driver opened the door of the coach. "We've arrived, Sakura-chan," he said apologetically, and went to take down the luggage from the back of the sturdy vehicle.
Sakura sat up and straightened her hair, which had fallen in long tresses all about her. She smoothened her dress and glanced at Touya, who was still sleeping soundly across from her, his dark brown hair lying softly across his forehead.
She shook his leg gently. "Touya, we're here! Wake up!"
Slowly Touya opened his dark brown eyes and smiled, running a hand through his hair as he sat up straight. Sakura noticed that his eyes were bloodshot. He must not have slept very long last night. She was surprised that she had slept so soundly.
"C'mon Touya, you know how excited I am," se pleaded.
"Slow down, kaiju," he laughed, rubbing his sleep from his eyes, "The housekeepers are probably sleeping."
"But I can unpack and get settled in, then spend the day shopping. You did say I could have a new wardrobe, and what better time to buy it than my first day here? Then I can wear my new clothes during our stay," she said happily as she jumped out of the coach.
"Didn't that etiquette instructor teach you anything at all, kaiju?" he scolded her, shaking his head at her breach of propriety. "I know your excited, but next time wait until I help you down from the coach."
They walked up the few stairs to a pair of large double doors, and Touya knocked loudly. "The whole house is probably asleep," he said, knocking again.
But the doors swung open wide, surprising them both. A small chubby woman with red cheeks and graying hair smiled at them. "Come in, come in. We've been expecting you."
They entered a small carpeted with an Oriental rug, with a stairway at the end. A mahogany table stood against one wall, laden with small, lacy figurines.
"I am Mrs. Asoka Hidari, the housekeeper. You must be tired fter your journey. Would you like to rest a bit before starting your day?" she said cheerfully, leading them to the stairs.
"Touya probably could use more sleep, but I would just love a hot bath and then some breakfast, if it isn't too much trouble," Sakura said as they reached the upstairs landing.
"No trouble at all, miss," Mrs. Hidari said. She showed them their rooms and left.
The driver followed them up with the luggage, and then went to tend the horses. Touya excused himself, saying a nap was just what he needed, when a young maid entered with water for Sakura's bath.
Sakura surveyed the room. It was small compared to her bedroom at home, but beautiful. Gold plush carpet covered the floor, and the gold-canopied bed had a small marble-topped commode on one side and ornate chest of drawers on the other. A green-velvet settee stood in the corner by the single window, which was draped in light green velvet, and a gilt-framed mirror leaned against another wall.
She found the dining room through one of the doors off the hall. Touya was sitting at the huge table. She could smell the sweet aroma of ham and apple turnovers, for the table was with them and with eggs and muffins.
"Sakura, we were just invited to a party and there will b a grand ball for you to attend before our stay is over. To start off, there's a formal dinner tonight at a friend's house." Touya smiled at her.
"I can't wait to get out and see the city!" Sakura said enthusiastically, putting something from each dish on her plate. "I want to get my shopping done today."
"I thought I would join you myself, since I couldn't get back to sleep. There re a few things I have to pick up anyway." Touya remarked. He wasn't about to let Sakura go out into the dangerous city without him.
Touya still looked tired, but perhaps he was as excited as she was, Sakura thought. She filled her cup with steaming hot tea as she gulped down mouthfuls of savory ham and eggs.
"I'll just be a minute," Sakura said, noticing that Touya had already finished his food.
"Take your time Sakura, Don't eat so fast," Touya scolded her. "You ill have t delay your shopping for a stomach ache."
But Sakura didn't slow down. She wanted to be on her way. She hadn't expected to have to dress formally their first night here. She had only one evening gown, so she needed to buy another one for the ball.
************
"I'm soooooo tired! Why didn't we catch a train or something? My tiny little wings are killing me!" Kero complained as they hid behind the bushes when they reached the house where Sakura and her brother were staying.
"Stop complaining and do a look out before somebody sees us!" said the pissed off Yue to Kero.
"Yeah stop complaining Kero-kero-pi!" teased Spinel.
"Me? Complaining? Have you looked in a mirror lately? Coz you look like you need a bath, YOU STINK!" Kero retorted.
"Well it isn't my fault you vomited on me!"
"Well you deserve it, coz you looked like a toilet judging by the way you spin around and around like that! Hahahaha------- ouch!"
Spinel had grabbed Kero's tail and started biting it. Which made Yue mad and was forced to put them in a cage where they could restrain themselves.
"You two are going to be stuck in there until you sort things out!" Yue blurt out. "Now where's Sakura?"
**********
Sakura spent the whole morning and part of the afternoon going from one shop to another. There were a couple of shops that featured ready-made cloth, but Sakura could find only three street dresses that suited her fancy, with slippers and bonnets to match. She could find no evening gowns, however so they spent the rest of the time having her measurements taken and choosing materials and trims. She ordered three gowns and two ore street dresses, all with matching accessories.
They finally returned home and prepared or the party. That evening all tongues were set to wagging when Sakura and Touya Kinomoto made their entrance at the dinner party. They were a striking pair with brown hair and extreme good looks. Sakura felt out of place with her deep-violet evening own, because all the other young women were wearing light pastels. But she was reassured when Touya whispered, "You outshine them all, kaiju."
Their hosts took them around to meet the other guests, and Sakura enjoyed every minute of it. The women flirted boldly with Touya, and this shocked her a bit. But she was even more shocked by the way the men looked at her as if undressing her with their eyes. She supposed he had a lot to learn about city people.
The dinner was served in a large dining room, with two huge chandeliers hanging above the table. After the meal was finished, the women retired to the drawing room and left the men to their brandy and cigars. Sakura would have loved to join her brother and the other men discuss politics and world affairs. Instead, she was forced to listen to all the latest gossip about people she didn't know.
"You know, my dear, that man has insulted every pretty young girl that his best friend, Takashi Yamazaki, has introduced him. It's not human the way he shuns them," Sakura overheard a dowager say to her friend.
"It's true that he doesn't seem interested in women. He will not even dance. You don't think that he is ah----- 'gay', do you? You know, the kind of man who doesn't care for women?" the other replied.
Sakura wondered slightly who the dowagers were talking about, but she didn't really care. She was immensely relieved when she and Touya wee finally able to leave.
In the coach on the way home, Touya smiled mischievously.
"You know Sakura, three young admirers of yours cornered me separately in the den to ask if they could call on you."
"Really, Touya?" she replied yawning. "What did you tell them?"
"I said that you were very discriminating in your tastes, and that you wouldn't give tuppence for the lot of them."
Sakura's eyes flew open. "Touya, you didn't!" she gasped. "I'll never be able to show my face again!"
Touya burst out laughing. "You're very gullible tonight, Sakura. Where has your sense of humor gone?"
"You know, I didn't even think of that. I wouldn't know or what to say if I had a caller. I've never entertained anybody except Eriol, and he's like a brother to me," Sakura said seriously.
The next day was Sakura's first ball. She had been looking forward to dancing ever since last month, when she had coaxed Mrs. Daidouji's husband to teach her how. She had saved her prettiest new gown for this night and was as excited as a small child with a new toy. So far, her China season had not been what she had dreamed it would be. But tonight it would be different!
Chapter three finished!
Wonder who Asoka Hidari is? ……Ha! I won't tell you! She'll kill me if she knew I used her name as a housekeeper!
Okay! Thanks! Don't forget to review!
Jinx J