Chapter Nine

Teardrop of Twilight

Card Captor Sakura

~starjade~

Moving

Sakura awoke with a start. She had the most eerie feeling of comfort, of warmth and....of acceptance. She twisted around and gasped. She was wrapped in a blanket with her kidnapper!

She froze , fear trailing in her veins. He was leaning against a rock , his eyes closed peacefully , his chestnut bangs falling into his face in soft waves. Sakura felt the fear diminish.
He looked so...happy when he was sleeping, she thought to herself. I wonder what he dreams about.

She watched him for a long time , just studying the shape of his nose , the eyelashes that rested on his cheeks and the slight rise and fall of his chest. She never thought she could be so interested in another human being...but now , she couldn't tear her eyes away from him.

Suddenly , her kidnapper started and Sakura let out a squeal of surprise. She jumped to her feet and quickly backed away as Syaoran started to wake up. She hurried about , grabbing a pan and the food bag that was growing pathetically low and planted herself in front of the fire , pretending that the whole time , she was actually working on breakfast.

Syaoran had jerked awake and looked confused until he spotted Sakura. He then made his way over , grabbing the blanket on the way.

" What are you doing?" he asked shortly , a red stain on his cheeks.

Sakura glanced up at him , a bit nervously. " Oh , I'm just cooking breakfast..."

Syaoran's eyebrows narrowed. " Then turn the pan right side up."

Sakura looked down. Low and behold , the pan was on the wrong side and Sakura quickly turned it over , flushing with embarrassment.

" I knew that..." She trailed off , her face red.

Syaoran shook his head and then turned to the food bag. He let out a sound that sounded almost like a groan and then hurried about the campsite , packing away stuff. Sakura watched him with raised eyebrows as he packed what little possessions they had into two small packs.

" What are you doing?" She asked , her voice full of curiosity.

Syaoran looked up at her. " We're moving out. We're going to the city."

~~~~~~~****~~~~~~

Fujitaka settled into the couch , holding a cup of tea in his hand. Touya had declined the tea and sat on the couch with tension in his eyes. He was worried for his sister , as Fujitaka was....but Touya had much more courage and youthfulness in him...as well as a lack of restraint.

Finally , the elderly former butler walked into the room and settled into an armchair facing the two men.

" Sorry it took me so long , I had to let out the dog....so , what is it you would like to speak to me about again?"

Touya leaned forward. " The Li Tragedy....what exactly happened?"

Wei's eye's changed. " The Li Tragedy....It's quite a horrible experience for me to remember and it took me quite long to grow accustomed to living without Yelan or Futtie or Sheifa or Syaoran..."

Fujitaka raised his eyebrows. " Syaoran...is that a boy's name?"

Wei nodded, his eyes narrowing a little. " Yes....but in order for you to understand , I'll have to start from the beginning."

Fujitaka settled back. " Go on."

Wei coughed , and leaned back as well.

" It all started when Yelan's husband died. He was the leader of the Li Clan, a powerful man with powerful authority over all of Hong Kong. In a way...he controlled Hong Kong. There were many rumours as well that this clan has magic...but lets not get into that. Yelan was left alone to raise four daughters...and a son. A son who was the heir to the Li Clan."

" Yet the Li Clan had enemies...who were jealous of the power , the enormity of their clan. The Li's were nice people and back then , Hong Kong prospered. Yet when the enemies grew powerful , their confidence level rose. And they attacked. First by sneaky signals....killing one of the aunts , and then one of the elders. And finally , like a grand finale , they burned the house down. Shooters all around the mansion , picking off the people who survived."


Fujitaka asked , confusedly , " How did you survive?"

Wei wiped his brow. " I wasn't in the fire. I was out home for vacation...now I wish I never left. If there was one thing I could do to save them.."

Touya interrupted, " I heard of rumours of a survivor.."

Wei's eyes grew lively once more. " There are rumours that Syaoran , the little one had survived. But I don't see how."

Fujitaka carefully ventured , " Who was this grand enemy?"

Wei narrowed his eyes. " Why , it's the enemy of all good people of China and Japan. The Underworld. More specifically , Thornker. Delix Thornker."

~~~~~~****~~~~~

Sakura straggled behind Syaoran as they climbed their way through the forest.

" Can...We...Stop....for....A....Break?" she panted out as they climbed a huge mountain. Syaoran called it a hill.

Syaoran just snapped out , " No."

Sakura had grown used to his one worded answers and conversations. He didn't talk alot and man, was he serious! She didn't think she'd ever seen him crack a smile before....well, she didn't have a good memory , but she was sure that the cold , serious face of his had never seen joy before.

Well , it seemed like it anyways!

Sakura finally dropped at the top of the tall hill , all her possessions clanking on the ground. She was only carrying one pack , and Syaoran was carrying three , but she was such a sheltered girl , she hardly ever walked for so long without a rest!

Syaoran glared at her. " Get up!"

Sakura glared right back. " Look , Syaoran , I have been walking for nearly 15 straight hours-"

" Ten."

" Without a break at all-"

" Five breaks."

" and here your snapping at me and yelling at me , and what am I supposed to do , follow along like some puppy dog??"

Syaoran rolled his eyes. " In case you've forgotten , I'm the kidnapper here!"

Sakura blinked at him. " Yeah , but your one of those....good kidnappers who are nice to their captives! So let me have a rest for goodness sakes!"

Syaoran let out his breath. " Why , when we're a hundred yards away from the town we'll be staying at?"

Sakura blinked at him again and then turned her head. At the bottom of the hill , she saw a brick wall and then a town , full of houses and lights and cobbled streets and women in fine dresses and cloth umbrellas...

" We're finally here!" she squeaked out.

Syaoran nodded , a bit reluctantly as Sakura yelped with joy and began to run down the hill. Unfortunately , she tripped on the hem of her gown and fell over , tumbling down the rest of the way.

When Sakura got up , spitting grass out and picking it out of her hair , she heard the most beautiful sound in the world.

Laughter.

Syaoran was laughing. A smile spread across those serious features and laughter , pure laughter came from his mouth.

Sakura just stood there , entranced , covered head to foot with grass as Syaoran ran down the hill more elegantly than she did, a smile still on his face. Even if he was laughing at her , it still gave her a warm feeling in her chest , and she almost felt dizzy as he walked up to her , amber eyes shining , a smile broad on his face.

Her heart was melting.

" That was so funny! You just fell and tumbled down the hill like a huge ball of skirts and petticoats! I nearly had a heart attack!" Syaoran sputtered out and instead of being offended , Sakura smiled as well.

" It was funny , wasn't it?" Sakura remarked , staring into Syaoran's eyes. Syaoran's smile sort of melted off his face as he looked back into her emerald eyes. Something changed in them and Sakura blinked.

" Well , lets go , shall we?" Syaoran coughed , and turned away, face red.

Sakura nodded , confused , as she followed Syaoran to the guards. They stood at the front of the gate and Syaoran exchanged some words with them and then the gates opened up wide.

Sakura skipped in front of Syaoran , her eyes wide. She knew how she must look to all the fancy ladies, mud on her skirt , grass still stuck in her hair and dirt on her face and hands from climbing through the forest. She didn't care though.

" Where will we be staying?" Sakura asked as she stared at a lady flirting with a soldier. They looked like such a fanciful couple....like those couples in Tomoyo's romance books.

Tomoyo...that thought struck her in her heart. Tomoyo , her best friend. She wished she could tell Tomoyo about all the things that had happened to her. How she was kidnapped and dragged into the forest , and how Syaoran ended up being good and nice and how he created a tingle in her body from head to foot when ever he looked into her eyes...

" We'll be staying here," Syaoran said shortly. They were standing in front of a grubby hotel , the name ' Stewart's Hotel' breaking and chipping. It looked hideous and run down. Sakura recoiled.

" We'll be staying here?? This looks so...unsanitary!" Sakura blurted out.

Instead of being offended , Syaoran had a wicked gleam in his eyes. " You'd be surprised!"

Sakura stared at Syaoran , wondering what the hell he was talking about. She followed him into the hotel and they entered a small , cramped room , and a pudgy woman behind a counter.

" May I help you?" asked the woman.

Syaoran held out some gold coins. " One of your finest rooms , with two beds and an adjoined bathroom , please."

The pudgy woman raised her eyebrows. " Are you sure you don't need one bed?"

Syaoran flushed. " Two , please."

The pudgy woman chuckled and handed him some silver coins. " In through that door and my son will show you to your room."

Sakura followed Syaoran reluctantly. She really hated this. Whenever she went to town , her father always got a five star hotel , with the finest rooms , and delivered foods that were finer than the food that was served in her own home!

Syaoran opened the door and a small boy greeted them. He led them through a dark hallway and opened another pair of doors. Light exploded at Sakura and she blinked, raising an arm to shield her eyes.

Soft music reached her eyes , a lot of yelling and dancing and the gentle clink of glasses.

" Oh my god..." Sakura whispered. This room was magnificent. There was a ballroom , with a gold encased pub and finely table clothed tables that each had two candles , a bouquet of flowers and waiters , waiters dressed in black and white...

" Told you.." Syaoran whispered.

There were common folk all around , no one dressed overly fine except for the waiters. It was like a five star hotel....for the common folk.

The boy had led them up the stairs and to their room and Sakura was sure her heart had leapt into her throat as she saw the room. It was finer than her own room , with two canopy beds , rose petals scattered on the sheets , bay windows that let in a soft breeze and candles and sweet incense set on the gold designed tables. A balcony , even a small bar of their own...

" Ugh , she gave us the honeymoon room!" Syaoran grumbled. Sakura blinked and realised that the rose petals and the pink canopy beds and the candles were supposed to give off a romantic atmosphere.

" The honeymoon room? Why would she do that?" Sakura asked and then flushed.

" Who knows.." Syaoran mumbled , his face red as well. He dumped his packs on the floor and stretched.

" If your hungry , go downstairs and eat. I'll be right with you."

Sakura shrugged and walked out the door. She was confused. Something was happening. She never felt this way before. This emotional ride was too much for her. Every time she was around Syaoran, a spread of feelings would rush through her body.

Happiness , Eagerness, Fear , Anger , Passion , and a sense....a sense like she was falling.

And she was too scared to answer....what she was falling into.

~~~~~***~~~~

" Delix? Who is this Delix?" Fujitaka asked , his eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

Wei rose his eyebrows. " I would have thought you knew Delix....he's one of your biggest enemies."

Touya growled. " Whoever he is , I'll be sure to take him down! Messing with my sister.."

Fujitaka and Wei both looked at Touya. " What do you mean , Touya?" Fujitaka asked.

Touya rose his arms. " Isn't it obvious by now? Delix ordered the burning of the Li Kingdom...a suspicion the Li Kid survived....Delix takes the kid....trains him to be a killer...and this Li Kid takes my sister!"

Fujitaka rose from his chair. " How did you come to this conclusion?"

Touya growled , " I've done my own investigations..."

Wei asked , " What do you mean?"

Touya put his hands behind his back. " While I was in Hong Kong on the business trip , a troublemaker tried to pick my pocket. I grabbed him and asked him where he came from. The Underworld , was what he told me. I grabbed my wallet back and he asked me for some coins. I told him no of course, but then he told me some useful information..."

Fujitaka asked eagerly , " What information? Who was this boy?"

Touya smirked. " His name was Monks. And he told me this Syaoran Li...He was to be the Next High Order Captain...after Delix retires."

a/n: Ouch! Smart Touya , eh? Is that good for our budding couple , or no? Your choice , peeps! Please review , or no chappy! I love you all , honestly , but sometimes this love needs to come both ways!!! REVIEW! I NEED YOU!

Lol , review and I'll update , aight? Also , tell me what you think will happen in the future and your suggestions , aight? Luv yall!

latez ,

~starjade~