Forbidden Emerald
Standard Disclaimers Apply
Chapter Ten:
Edward smiled indulgently at Sakura. He was thoroughly enjoying the young mistress's appreciation for the countryside, something that he did not see so often in the foreigners that sometimes visited their home. He was still a little bemused by Eriol, however. It had been a long, long time since he had seen Eriol as relaxed and as always ready to smile as he was now.
"Look, Eriol! He's waving at us!" Sakura said excitedly, waving gaily back at the farmer who had paused in his work to smile at the passing carriage. Still smiling, Sakura turned to look at Edward.
"I've seen so many fields and farmers here," she started.
"That's understandable, Lady Sakura. Four-fifths of England is used for farming, though English farms are generally smaller than those of the Americans." He explained.
Sakura nodded at that. "There's something that puzzles me, though. Everyone we pass bows to us." A suspicious glint was in her eyes even though she remained smiling.
Edward's brows rose at that and he glanced at Eriol as well. So his young master still hadn't told the young lady his status? Was he planning it as a surprise? He wouldn't have been surprised if Eriol hid his status from some of those gold-digging femme fatales who trooped to the villa day and night, intent on seducing him, but he couldn't see one inch of greed in Sakura Avalon.
Eriol colored a little at that and he leaned sideways to whisper something in Sakura's ear. The young lady seemed to accept the answer and she settled back to watching the scenery, though there was still a little suspicion in her eyes. Edward didn't miss the relieved sigh that Eriol let out.
~~
On the outside, Sakura portrayed the perfect expression of someone completely entranced with the beautiful scenery. 'Not that it isn't beautiful,' she amended silently. To tell the truth, she was feeling more and more relaxed by the minute, something which she couldn't afford to feel in her fast-paced life back in the city. The rolling hills and green and golden farmlands was a refreshing respite from everyday city smog and pollution. But she couldn't relax completely. Something was nagging at her, a small voice repeating over and over that she was about to get the hell shocked out of her.
Sakura glanced at Eriol secretly, who was conversing with Edward. He still hadn't told her anything, though she remembered his promise to explain everything clearly once they reached his house.
They were passing another village, and beyond that was a small hill, obscuring her view of the next portion of land. She wasn't surprised anymore when all the villagers stopped what they were doing to bow, but she was still puzzled. Observing them, she could see everyone's face brightening when Eriol's eyes fell upon them as he smiled and nodded. It was as if everyone knew who he was and was infinitely happy that he had returned. Not only that, respect was evident in everyone's faces, even the smallest of the children.
Sakura sighed as they rolled out of the village and up the hill. She closed her eyes for a minute, wanting to rest a little, figuring that the ride would be longer. Suddenly, she felt warm breath caressing her ear and Eriol telling her to open her eyes. She obeyed, and then couldn't stifle the shocked gasp that burst out of her mouth at the sight.
Down below them, on the valley, was a pathway wide enough with some left over for the carriage to pass. The whole way was lined by leafy green trees, the sunlight shining as it made its way through gaps in the leaves. Since the carriage had stopped for a minute, allowing them to survey the valley, she was able to feast her eyes on the view without hindrance.
Sakura ran wide eyes below them. She estimated the pathway to be almost 500 meters long as the carriage began its descent and entered the path, she glimpsed a huge, huge, glittering white mansion, a fountain at the center of the entrance. As they rolled to a stop, she couldn't help staring at the huge, white, marble columns of the mansion and the floating flowers littered at the base of the fountain. Large windows lined the front of the villa with two large, intricately designed oak doors at the entrance.
She sensed Eriol leaning over to her, though she didn't look at him.
"Welcome to Waldenshire Estate. Sakura." He whispered with a smile. "C'mon, I'll take you to your room."
Sakura finally got ahold of her awe and walked inside with him. He reached for her hand as he led her inside.
Sakura stopped in her tracks upon sight of a very beautiful lady, standing at the bottom of the huge staircase. She was pretty with hair a shade lighter than Eriol's and incredible slate gray eyes. Sakura would have been intimidated had it not been for the welcoming smile she bestowed on them both.
Eriol dragged her forward and kissed the cheeks of the woman, while Sakura did a little curtsy. It seemed expected of her.
"Mother, I present to you Sakura Avalon." Eriol said proudly. "Sakura, this is my mother, Lady Mareleine Hiragizawa, dowager duchess of Waldenshire Estate."
"I am honored to meet you, your grace." Sakura smiled.
"Welcome to our home, Miss Avalon, or if I may be permitted to call you, Sakura?" She asked kindly.
"Of course, your grace."
Eriol bowed a little to his mother, saying "Mother, I'll show Sakura to her room now, if you don't mind? She is probably tired from the journey, as I am."
"Yes, of course. The room you have asked for is already ready for use." She replied, and they set out to the stairs, stopping when the dowager duchess's voice stopped them again. "And oh, Eriol?"
"Yes, mother?"
Lady Mareleine glanced for a second at Sakura, who was confused by the unreadable look in her eyes. She smiled and nodded at her son. "I approve."
Eriol grinned, "Thank you, mother."
Author's Note:
Hello, everyone! Just wanted to tell you, check out my two new fics! There's a Sakura & Syaoran fic that I've got posted now. It's Darkest Before Dawn and actually has a decent plot. Also, I've got my first Shaman King fic posted. It's Yoh Asakura & Anna Kyouyama pairing, and is actually nice. It's titled Never Forgotten. Check it out, please! Thank you minna!
Don't forget to review!
Standard Disclaimers Apply
Chapter Ten:
Edward smiled indulgently at Sakura. He was thoroughly enjoying the young mistress's appreciation for the countryside, something that he did not see so often in the foreigners that sometimes visited their home. He was still a little bemused by Eriol, however. It had been a long, long time since he had seen Eriol as relaxed and as always ready to smile as he was now.
"Look, Eriol! He's waving at us!" Sakura said excitedly, waving gaily back at the farmer who had paused in his work to smile at the passing carriage. Still smiling, Sakura turned to look at Edward.
"I've seen so many fields and farmers here," she started.
"That's understandable, Lady Sakura. Four-fifths of England is used for farming, though English farms are generally smaller than those of the Americans." He explained.
Sakura nodded at that. "There's something that puzzles me, though. Everyone we pass bows to us." A suspicious glint was in her eyes even though she remained smiling.
Edward's brows rose at that and he glanced at Eriol as well. So his young master still hadn't told the young lady his status? Was he planning it as a surprise? He wouldn't have been surprised if Eriol hid his status from some of those gold-digging femme fatales who trooped to the villa day and night, intent on seducing him, but he couldn't see one inch of greed in Sakura Avalon.
Eriol colored a little at that and he leaned sideways to whisper something in Sakura's ear. The young lady seemed to accept the answer and she settled back to watching the scenery, though there was still a little suspicion in her eyes. Edward didn't miss the relieved sigh that Eriol let out.
~~
On the outside, Sakura portrayed the perfect expression of someone completely entranced with the beautiful scenery. 'Not that it isn't beautiful,' she amended silently. To tell the truth, she was feeling more and more relaxed by the minute, something which she couldn't afford to feel in her fast-paced life back in the city. The rolling hills and green and golden farmlands was a refreshing respite from everyday city smog and pollution. But she couldn't relax completely. Something was nagging at her, a small voice repeating over and over that she was about to get the hell shocked out of her.
Sakura glanced at Eriol secretly, who was conversing with Edward. He still hadn't told her anything, though she remembered his promise to explain everything clearly once they reached his house.
They were passing another village, and beyond that was a small hill, obscuring her view of the next portion of land. She wasn't surprised anymore when all the villagers stopped what they were doing to bow, but she was still puzzled. Observing them, she could see everyone's face brightening when Eriol's eyes fell upon them as he smiled and nodded. It was as if everyone knew who he was and was infinitely happy that he had returned. Not only that, respect was evident in everyone's faces, even the smallest of the children.
Sakura sighed as they rolled out of the village and up the hill. She closed her eyes for a minute, wanting to rest a little, figuring that the ride would be longer. Suddenly, she felt warm breath caressing her ear and Eriol telling her to open her eyes. She obeyed, and then couldn't stifle the shocked gasp that burst out of her mouth at the sight.
Down below them, on the valley, was a pathway wide enough with some left over for the carriage to pass. The whole way was lined by leafy green trees, the sunlight shining as it made its way through gaps in the leaves. Since the carriage had stopped for a minute, allowing them to survey the valley, she was able to feast her eyes on the view without hindrance.
Sakura ran wide eyes below them. She estimated the pathway to be almost 500 meters long as the carriage began its descent and entered the path, she glimpsed a huge, huge, glittering white mansion, a fountain at the center of the entrance. As they rolled to a stop, she couldn't help staring at the huge, white, marble columns of the mansion and the floating flowers littered at the base of the fountain. Large windows lined the front of the villa with two large, intricately designed oak doors at the entrance.
She sensed Eriol leaning over to her, though she didn't look at him.
"Welcome to Waldenshire Estate. Sakura." He whispered with a smile. "C'mon, I'll take you to your room."
Sakura finally got ahold of her awe and walked inside with him. He reached for her hand as he led her inside.
Sakura stopped in her tracks upon sight of a very beautiful lady, standing at the bottom of the huge staircase. She was pretty with hair a shade lighter than Eriol's and incredible slate gray eyes. Sakura would have been intimidated had it not been for the welcoming smile she bestowed on them both.
Eriol dragged her forward and kissed the cheeks of the woman, while Sakura did a little curtsy. It seemed expected of her.
"Mother, I present to you Sakura Avalon." Eriol said proudly. "Sakura, this is my mother, Lady Mareleine Hiragizawa, dowager duchess of Waldenshire Estate."
"I am honored to meet you, your grace." Sakura smiled.
"Welcome to our home, Miss Avalon, or if I may be permitted to call you, Sakura?" She asked kindly.
"Of course, your grace."
Eriol bowed a little to his mother, saying "Mother, I'll show Sakura to her room now, if you don't mind? She is probably tired from the journey, as I am."
"Yes, of course. The room you have asked for is already ready for use." She replied, and they set out to the stairs, stopping when the dowager duchess's voice stopped them again. "And oh, Eriol?"
"Yes, mother?"
Lady Mareleine glanced for a second at Sakura, who was confused by the unreadable look in her eyes. She smiled and nodded at her son. "I approve."
Eriol grinned, "Thank you, mother."
Author's Note:
Hello, everyone! Just wanted to tell you, check out my two new fics! There's a Sakura & Syaoran fic that I've got posted now. It's Darkest Before Dawn and actually has a decent plot. Also, I've got my first Shaman King fic posted. It's Yoh Asakura & Anna Kyouyama pairing, and is actually nice. It's titled Never Forgotten. Check it out, please! Thank you minna!
Don't forget to review!